This weekend the mystical moon cat club will hold a cat show in Port Richey, but there's on cat that's really turning some heads. This Guinness Records cat holds a record as one of the largest cats ever.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Visit Famous Cats House in San Diego
San Diego's world famous Cats' House is open to the public. Admissions benefit the FACE Foundation, a non-profit that provides financial assistance to pet owners who are unable to partically or fully cover the cost of their pets' life-saving veterinary care.
Special Preview
Saturday, April 17th, 6:30-8:30 PM
$30 for individual tickets, $50 for couples
Admission includes free print and behind-the-scenes tour
Open Cat's House
Sunday, April 18th, 1-4 PM, Admission $5, children under 5 free
Bob Walker will be signing The Cats' House book both Saturday and Sunday
Angelenos can get to San Diego by car, or by Amtraak, whose Surfliner trains take approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes to get to San Diego from Los Angeles' Union Station. The Cats House is approximately 6.72 miles from the train station.
The Cats' House
5010 Northaven Avenue
San Diego, CA 92110
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Swimming has helped one lucky kitty walk
Nazzaning, a 6-year-old Turkish Van, was injured in June and was unable to move her left side. Her owner, Florence Rostami, took her to the hospital, initially believing she had broken her paw. The veterinarian told Rostami that Nazzaning’s condition was much more dire, and that she would have to stay in the hospital.
“I cried so much,” said Rostami, an attorney in New York City. “We were devastated. My mom, my daughter and I stayed in the hospital until midnight the first night.”
Nazzaning was kept in the hospital for four days, and one by one various causes of her paralysis, such as kidney failure or a tumor, were eliminated. Finally, an MRI showed swelling in her vertebrae, and her vet recommended anti-inflammatory medication. The actual cause of the swelling wasn’t determined.
Rostami inquired about physical therapy for Nazzaning and was excited to find out that hydrotherapy was an option.
“I was very happy,” she said. “Turkish Vans are natural swimmers, and I thought that this might wake up her instinct.”
Boaz Levitin, a neurologist who examined Nazzaning and recommended hydrotherapy for her, told the New York Post that most cats couldn’t handle this style of rehabilitation. “I’m a big believer in physical therapy, but most cats just see water and flip out so I’ve never recommended that for them before.”
Nazzaning was the first cat to undergo hydrotherapy at Water 4 Dogs, an animal rehabilitation center in Manhattan that, as the name suggests, typically only works with canines.
“She was definitely nervous about what was going on, and she was vocal and meowing,” said Jean Marie Cooper, the manager at Water 4 Dogs. “At first she was balling up and not moving, but after a few treatments, I think she started feeling better and relaxed.”
Nazzaning’s treatments consist of 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill immersed in 4 to 5 inches of water, with a therapist helping to keep her upright and ensure proper foot placement.
“Her muscles needed to learn how to move the correct way again, and because she’s partially buoyant in water, if she makes a mistake it’s much less severe than if she’s walking on dry land,” Cooper explained.
After the treadmill, Nazzaning swims in a 4 1/2-foot pool while being supported by a therapist, to help strengthen her limbs and provide all-over exercise.
Nazzaning goes to therapy three times a week, in addition to at-home massages, and stretches several times a day.
Nazzaning lucked out, as hydrotherapy and other forms of animal rehabilitation are rarely available to cats, according to veterinarian Jane Brunt, executive director of the CATalyst Council, a nonprofit coalition for the proper care of cats.
“It’s only in the past 10 years that there’s even been a market for animal hydrotherapy,” Brunt said. “Now, people are realizing that cats need this care, too. There are lots of videos showing how owners can habituate cats to getting wet, and hopefully more institutions will offer rehabilitation services that are cat-friendly.”
At $160 per session, Nazzaning’s treatments don’t come cheap. But her owner says the money spent has been well worth it.
“Now her balance is better and she is walking on her own,” said Rostami. “I really believe that if she didn’t go to therapy, she may not have found the confidence to walk again.”
After Nazzaning’s success, Cooper says she hopes to see a wider range of animals try hydrotherapy.
“There’s no animal we wouldn’t work with,” said Cooper, “from rabbits, ferrets and reptiles or even horses — although it might be tough to get a horse in the pool,” she joked.
For more on the animal rehabilitation center Water 4 Dogs, please visit their website.
Original post on Jul 23, 10
Original post on Jul 23, 10
Monday, April 25, 2011
Cat washes up on Governors Island
NEW YORK | Did a calico cat from New Jersey swim across New York Harbor? The mystery surrounds a white, orange and black feline that arrived last weekend on Governors Island.
Security guards found the cat on the island’s north shore. Her fur was salty, matted and caked with seaweed.
A Governors Island spokeswoman, Elizabeth Rapuano, told the Daily News that workers there had a theory: The cat swam to safety after being swept up in torrential rains in New Jersey. That’s more than a mile away.
Rapuano said the calico is a great addition to the 172-acre island but will welcome any leads that would help find the owner.
Original Post on 23 April, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
A kiwi cat survived an 18-day voyage
A kiwi cat named Douglas survived an 18-day voyage to Australia stuck in a shipping container without any food or water.
The lucky moggy travelled more than 2,200 miles across the Tasman Sea to Adelaide, with stopovers in Sydney and Melbourne.
Andrew Leota, who works at the depot Douglas calls home, tried to explain how the cat survived.
He said: "Maybe (he drunk) condensation off the roof of the containers but apart form that, he probably slept through the whole thing".
Original post on April 18, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Cat in a jar
Ksyusha- a young Himalayan Cat - has been pictured in a variety of poses, including sat in the washing machine and under the kitchen table.
The playful female kitten started squeezing itself into jars from when it was a few weeks old.
Owner Yuriy Korotun, 37, who lives in Moscow, said: 'She was a special kitten from the beginning- always very playful.
'I came into the kitchen one day to find her in the jar. I couldn't believe my eyes.' She likes hiding in different places and was full of character.
'It looks like she would have trouble getting out of the jar but actually her body is not as big as it looks because of her large amount of fur.'
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Cat gives birth to dog
Zhou Yun, the cat's owner, says she knew her furry friend was pregnant so she wasn't surprised when she happened upon two kittens at the beginning of the month.
On closer inspection, however, she noticed that one of the babies was dead.
'I then noticed the other kitten surprisingly looks like a dog,' Zhou, who lives in Yangshan, in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, told reporters.
Zhou, who's also the owner of a pet dog that likes to eat and sleep with its feline pal (hmm...), added: 'Quite possibly the kitty is a mixed child'.
Lai Xiaoyun, president of a local pet clinic, has sagely pointed out (after having a good look at the kitten-puppy, to be fair) that it's impossible for a cat to give birth to a dog.
He reckons Zhou's cat popped out two kittens and one died shortly after: 'So the cat went out and accidentally found a litter of newborn puppies and took one home.'
'Cats and dogs are two different species and it's impossible to have joint descendants,' he concluded.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Lucy The 39-Year-Old Cat
“She’s gone deaf but apart from that she’s in good shape. She still looks for mice every day,” said Lucy’s owner, 62-year-old Bill Thomas. ”We have researched Lucy’s past and found she was born in Thomas Street, Llanelli in 1972. We have spoken to other people who can verify seeing her in the fish and chip shop in the early seventies. She appears to be the genuine article.”
Unfortunately, there’s no way to really verify Lucy’s record, as there’s not a reliable way to properly check her age and the Guinness World Records organization doesn’t keep track of ancient cats. Still, even if Lucy is half her suspected age, that’s pretty incredible.
Original Post : 5th January, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Circus Cat
The only cat theater in the world, the Moscow Cats Theater is located at 25 Kutuzovsky Prospect in downtown Moscow, Russia. However, you don't have to travel all the way to Russia to enjoy their shows. The theater has traveled to over 80 countries, winning many awards - and hearts.
The Moscow Cats Theater was founded in 1990 by Yury Kuklachev, a well known professional clown who had been performing with cats at the Moscow State Circus for many years. The idea of including a cat in one of his circus acts first came to Kuklachev in 1976, when he had picked up a stray kitten in a park. The hungry kitten was actually doing tricks while begging for food, and Kuklachev thought he could use these talents at the circus. The kitten turned out to be a very good artist and performed with Kuklachev for over 20 years.
As time went by, the number of Kuklachev's furry artists grew; he had become the most famous cat trainer in the Soviet Union. Kids from all over the country loved watching "Uncle Yura" the clown and his cats. One of the best known acts was "Cat in the Pot," where Kuklachev was dressed as a cook, getting ready to prepare a meal. Suddenly, he would discover a cat hiding in one of the pots; he then proceeded to take the cat out and continue to cook, but as soon as he turned his back to the pot the cat would immediately climb back in. It went on and on, until the cat got ticked off and began chasing the cook around the circus arena - much to the delight of the viewers, young and old alike.
In 1988 Yury Kuklachev quit the circus, and in 1990 he opened the theater. Today, the Moscow Cats Theater has the "troupe" of 120 cats and four dogs. Most of the cats are former strays, Kuklachev continues to pick them up on the streets; some have been given him as gifts. The cats live comfortably at the theater, looked after by ten caretakers and four vets.
Each performance is more than just cats doing tricks; there is some underlying theme, a message, a story. "Lessons of kindness" Kuklachev calls them. In his numerous interviews, the renowned trainer states that he does not actually train the cats - he observes them, interacts with them, finds out what they like to do, and then creates performance acts that suit their talents.
Artistic jealousy is not uncommon in the whiskered troupe, says Kuklachev. When he has several cats being prepared for the same act, he never allows them to see each other's rehearsals - or there will be depressions and fights. Once, a very talented cat saw Kuklachev rehearsing his act with a different cat; he got upset and ran away.
If the Moscow Cats Theater ever comes to your area, treat yourself, and especially your kids, to their Lessons of Kindness. You will be amazed at what these cats can do. And perhaps you'll get lucky enough to be chosen by Yury Kuklachev to participate in some of the acts.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Bandit The Cat Saves Family From Fire
While Bandit’s family slept the brave 15 year old Cat from Lincolnshire in the UK, braved flames to raise the alarm that the kitchen was on fire and possibly saved his family’s lives.
Bandit braved the flames to raised the alarm by scratching his human’s face, Marie his human who then woke up her partner David and his two daughters and then with with Bandit, four other Cats, four kittens and two dogs as well as hamsters, gerbils and rabbits managed to get to safety outside as the blaze raged.
The Fire Brigade were called and promptly and efficiently as usual bravely brought the blaze under control.
Later when they learned of Bandit’s bravery they said “If the Cat hadn’t woke you up, the occupants of the house would have died from toxic fumes and smoke.”
Happily that is not the case and thanks to Bandit all of the 20 occupants of the house escaped unharmed.
As you can see from the picture Bandit is a shy cat who really doesn’t like having his picture taken and frankly was wondering what all the fuss was about, all he wanted to do was to get down on the floor and check for Prawns – the usual reward for clever Cat’s.
Animal lover Marie proudly said that “Bandit is a very intelligent Cat although I didn’t expect him to do something like that, which I am amazed by. He can actually talk. He can say things like ‘hello’ but people don’t believe me he can talk.”
Sadly the family didn’t have insurance and will have problems renovating the rented property they live in and replacing the ruined appliances in the kitchen which was badly damaged by the fire.
Happily for them and for Bandit after the brave men and women of the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue put out the fire and they then installed smoke detectors which means that Bandit will have some help if something happens like this again.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Meet the cats which have sprouted wings
While most cats are renowned for having nine lives, these moggies are clearly living on a wing and a prayer.
The cute little devils began sprouting bumps on their backs, which later turned into wing-like growths, during a recent spell of hot weather in China's Sichuan province.
Cat owner Feng says her Tom cat grew wings after becoming stressed during the recent mating season
One cat owner, known only as Feng, claims her cat's wings are a result of stress after he was 'harassed' by females looking to mate.
'At first, they were just two bumps, but they started to grow quickly, and after a month there were two wings,' she told Huashang News.
'Many female cats in heat came to harass him, and then the wings started to grow.'
This moggie also has the wings which genetic experts say does not harm his quality of life
The harmless growths appeared during a recent spell of hot weather
And while she says her lovable Tom is no devil, his wings, which contain bones, make him look more like a 'cat angel'.
But genetic experts claim there is nothing angelic or magical about the condition, which doesn't hinder the cat's quality of life.
They say the wings can form through poor grooming, a genetic defect or a hereditary skin condition.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Backpacker Kitty
In 2008, William and Laetitia, a couple from France embarked on a long and difficult journey — to travel 9,000 miles by foot from Miami, Florida in North America, through Central and South Americas, to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego in Argentina with only 1 euro each per day.
Now the beloved companion of Guillaume and Laetitia, "Kitty" is perhaps the most adventurous cat in the world. Kitty enjoys the trip as much as the couple. She often climbs on Guillaume's shoulder to get a good look at a new bit of scenery.
This lucky cat is often seen resting in Guillaume's backpack while they are hiking down the road. They even set up a little umbrella on the backpack to give her some shade from the sun.
She does not seem to be at all shy or bashful about meeting unknown people and visiting strange places. Passerbys are amazed, since a globe-trotting cat isn't found on every street corner. Kitty has never been restrained and is free to leave, but she grew up on the backpack and is happy. She has also become a valuable aid in encouraging people to welcome the travelers.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Brownie the cat survives 13cm arrow attack
- Cat shot with 13cm arrow
- Remained in head for three days
- Expected to make full recovery
A CAT has miraculously survived being shot in the head with a 13cm arrow which remained lodged in his head for days.
Even more remarkable, the four-year-old cat was not found for three days before he was rushed to a vet for treatment.
Brownie, the mutilated ginger moggie, is believed to have been attacked near his US home he shared with his 84-year-old male owner.
Vets were horrified when they saw the injuries inflicted which saw the arrow miss his right eye by millimetres.
Brownie's story has now caused international outrage, with police offering a reward for any information that leads to the culprit's arrest.
Vets say they are amazed that Brownie is likely to make a full recovery.
Sarah Hayes, CEO of Monroe County Humane Association, said she did not have words to describe the incident.
"I am sorry to say this is one of the worst attacks I have seen on an animal but all too common," she said.
"When the vets saw Brownie they did not think he would survive, but luckily the arrow had not passed through the brain.
"We have put up a reward of $1350 for information to catch the people that did this."
Ms Hayes said she hopes police find the offender.
"His owner is an 84-year-old man and Brownie is his only companion, he is obviously very upset by this attack.
"You cannot, in this society, abuse animals like this and get away with it."
Brownie is now being nursed to recovery by one of the animal welfare officers who found him while his owner undergoes a routine hospital operation.
By staff writers Herald Sun : September 07, 2009
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Cat thinks it's a chook
FOUR legs, two pointy ears, whiskers on his face - Bustopher might look like one, but he is far from being an ordinary cat.
The four-year-old feline thinks he's a chook.
When Naomi Oliver's chickens laid their eggs and didn't show much interest in the incubation and the upbringing of their offspring, the animal-lover's feline took over the command in the chook shed - and started incubating the eggs.
PART OF PECKING ORDER: Bustopher the cat is far from an ordinary feline - he thinks he's a chicken.
"I am not sure if he knows that he is a cat, he doesn't really behave like one," Mrs Oliver told the Northern Territory News.
"Bustopher often wanders around in the chook pen, playing with the chooks as if he was one of them, not a predator."
But it wasn't until her chooks laid a few eggs in a nest outside their shed that Mrs Oliver discovered her cat's quirky affection for her poultry.
The first pic sent in showing Bustopher perched on his precious eggs
"I was looking for Bustopher and found him sitting on the eggs, obviously trying to incubate them," Mrs Oliver said.
"When he was still there after three days I started wondering what was going through his head - but I am sure he thought he was doing a great job."
Mrs Oliver said her cat only left his nest once or twice a day to grab a feed and have a nap on her bed, before heading back to his hatchlings-to-be.
"He's a real character, and obviously friends with my hens but when nothing hatched after three days he gave up on sitting on the eggs."
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Meet Dante, the UK's only vegetarian cat
Meet the UK
Fussy feline Dante balks at any traditional cat food and his current favourites include melon, bananas, broccoli, rhubarb, asparagus, aubergine and Brussels sprouts.
Dante, two, was found close to starvation as a kitten by owner Becky Page.
Becky, 21, who grows her own fruit and veg at home in Tasburgh, nearNorwich
“Just when I thought nothing would work, he wolfed down a plate of veg I was going to throw out. I have to smuggle bits of meat in among the veggies so he gets all the nutrients he needs. But sometimes he spots the meat and leaves it. He has a unique appetite – but he’s certainly healthy.”
Experts are baffled. Maggie Roberts, director of veterinary services at Cats Protection, said: “This is extremely rare. Cats are obligate carnivores and cannot be vegetarian.”
Well, tell that to Dante and see if it gives him paws for thought
Friday, April 1, 2011
Klepto Kitty the Cat Burglar
Residents of a California neighborhood say a cat has a habit of stealing items from neighbors. "Dusty" has apparently stolen more than 600 items from his San Mateo neighbors over the years.
Source From CNN on February 15, 2011
Source From CNN on February 15, 2011
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