Catfish Catch?

Brett Hereford made an unexpected catch in a Montana lake recently.  While fishing, he and his family noticed something swimming in the middle of the lake. When they got closer, they noticed an animal struggling to survive.  What they caught was a Bobcat. Check out the article and video on dodo.com.  Wow! What a catch and release this was!

Cats Know Their Names (Duh!)

There are animal critics who say cats are so independent that they don't socialize like dogs and they don't know their names when called.  I've owned cats my whole life, and believe me, they DO know their names, they are social and they are very smart, albeit sneaky, conniving, mischievous and plan-worthy.  This recent article on flipboard.com highlights a study that was done that backs these comments.  Check out the full article. 

Grandpa Mason

Grandpa Mason, a Canadian feral cat, loved kittens.  He took care of them, trained them, cleaned them and played with them. When his owners thought his feral behavior and inability to get close to him meant he'd never be happy, the adoption of a litter of orphaned kittens broke his wariness.  The kittens, crawling all over him, filled him with joy.  From then on, kittens were his saving grace.  Last week, due to serious health issues and a declining quality of life, Grandpa Mason has to be euthanized.  For those who knew him, it was a tremendously sad day.  But the joy he brought them and his love for other felines is his legacy.  Read the full article from Huffpost.com. 

Hats From Their Own Fur

Three cats in Japan have custom made hats made from their own fur.  The pictures in the article represent their real feelings as to how they probably feel about wearing these accessories.  Check it out!

Pet Me. Bite You. Pet Me. Bite You

Ever had a cat that loved being petted and then decided they didn't want to be so they bit you only to turn around and demand being petted again?  This article describes some of the reasons why that might be happening and how to work with cats and not against them. 

Chester, Cinder and Charlie - Fuzzy Time Suckers (FTS)

Chester

Well, we did it.  On July 15 we adopted three kittens. Two boys two months old and a girl, four months old. We picked them up at RASKC, the Regional Services of King County in Kent.  They came home and as would be expected, were very leery of everything.  In fact, they hid for awhile.  And then their personalities began to emerge.

Within the first hour, Chester started sniffing around and came over to us. He cautiously wanted petted, and now he never stops asking.  He is the first to meet us when we get home. He is the one waiting outside the bedroom door when we get up to ask for food.  He is the one that gets into everything to see what it is all about.  And for a tiny boy, man does he have a loud mouth.  You know when he's there!

It took Charlie about a day or so before he'd let us pet him.  He won't run right to you, but he can be approached, petted and held, but not for long.  But when it comes to toys, watch out!  He is the most aggressive one.  He turns into a mini Hulk and bullies everyone out of the way.  After play time, he goes back to the meek and mild fuzz biscuit.  Maybe he's a tiny Superman going from a mild news fluff to a super toy shredder.

Cinder

Finally, there's Cinder.  She basically hid under the couch for four days. When you talked to her or tried to coax her to you, all you got was a hiss and hide mentality.  I kept talking to her every day, showing her that I was petting her cohorts and carefully reaching out to her.  When I gave her some turkey, she was ready to allow me to pet her.  Carefully, and on her terms which meant a few pets, chomping on my fingers that drew blood, a few pets and more bloodletting.  That happened for a day or two.  Now, she'll come to me and demand pets, but I haven't attempted to pick her up.  Those razor claws and wicked teeth might do some real damage.  I dread getting her into a carrier when it's vet time.  She is very smooth and glossy though.  She has let my wife pet her too, but no picking her up.  She has a strong personality and plays just as rough and is just as fast as the two boys.  She's slowly acclimating to our home.

Charlie

The three will be a welcome addition, and as furry tornadoes of destruction, poopers of unrealistic amounts and eaters of everything they see, they are loved.  I think they'll fit right in. 

Chester snoozing

P.S. After several attempts to ward off Chester from walking on my keyboard, climbing me, demanding pets and being intrusive and inquisitive, he has finally decided to sleep next to me on the chair.  Phew.  I got this writing done without much fuzz deflection needed!

Cat-Cloning

Sadly your cat dies.  You've been with them for years. You want them back, but you know that's not possible, at least not physically.  But what if you could clone them.  It would be almost like having them by your side again.  And maybe their personality and looks would be so similar it would be like the dear cat you lost. 

Check out this article about a couple who did just that, cloned their cat and note how similar the two actually turned out to be.  Very wonderful.