Thai kitties is facing the worst flooding.

Thailand is currently facing its worst flooding in 50 years. Flood waters have swamped more than two-thirds of the country, submerging rice fields and shutting down hundreds of factories while over 900,000 families and businesses have been impacted and hundreds of lives have been tragically lost. National relief efforts are now focused on providing essential food, clean water and shelter to displaced people and restoring damaged infrastructure to the Kingdom of Smiles and including animals !

Some cats and dogs was lucky. They can leave the place with their owners.

But not all of them were lucky like this !

Some were street dogs and feral cats who had found shelter and a bit of food at local temples and stayed since their basic needs were met and they were not harassed by those living at the temples. This is posing a bigger problem for rescuers trying to get them away from the flood waters as many of these dogs and cats are not used to such close contact and interaction with people forcing rescuers to create makeshift muzzles to keep the scared dogs from biting them as they are brought to safety.

There are several organizations that have mobilized around Thailand to help bring aid to the animals in need. Some are putting together care packages for the pets and their families and bringing them to their homes because there is no access to stores or food supplies. Other organizations are going out and bringing in as many cats and dogs as they can. The organizations are then getting them veterinary help if necessary, getting them vaccinated, and then to government shelters were they will hopefully be adopted.

Maksim the Feline Blokadnik

Here’s Maksim after the world war II, looking for a handout.

A family in Leningrad had a cat named Maksim and a parrot called Jack. During the German siege of the city, almost every day, their uncle, who lived with them, wanted to make a meal of the cat, and each time the rest of the family went out, they always locked the cat into the storeroom. As time passed, the cat grew malnourished and sickly because of poor food. Once, Maksim managed to jump onto the cupboard and opened the cage that the parrot Jack lived in. The family thought that the cat would eat Jack, but instead of doing so, the two pets huddled up to one another for warmth and fell asleep. After that, the uncle didn’t try to make anything bad to the cat. The parrot died soon afterwards, but Maksim lived until 1957, dying of old age.

The Cats of The Prison

Animal-assisted therapy, whether formally administered via prison programs or informally through the adoption of feral cats, can have a transformative effect on inmates.

At many prisons, inmates have experienced a metamorphosis as a result of their interactions with cats. The following are some particularly noteworthy examples of the benefits of pet therapy at correctional institutions.

The Cat Program at Saxierriet Prison

Saxierriet penitentiary in Switzerland has implemented an innovative pet therapy program called the Cat Program through which inmate volunteers are provided with a pet cat. Strict regulations are enforced to ensure the welfare of these therapy animals, and inmates may take their pets with them when they are released.

Having trustworthy, nonjudgmental companions has reduced the loneliness of participating inmates. Taking care of an animal is the only socially acceptable way of showing affection in prison, and the opportunity to do so has made the prisoners more receptive to psychological treatment. A study of participants found that they had higher self-esteem and self-confidence as a result of the program.

The Feral Cat Colony at Pollsmoor Prison

Pollsmoor Prison, a South African maximum security facility housing a large number of hardcore criminals, is also home to a feral cat colony whose members have had a transformative effect on the inmates.

Prisoners first invited the starving feral cats into their cells by hanging sheets from their windows for the cats to climb and sharing their food with them. Rita Brock and Mandy Wilson of The Emma Animal Rescue Society (TEARS), who originally came to rescue feral cats in the area that local authorities planned to eradicate, now have the ongoing responsibility of working with the prisoners and wardens to ensure that the cats receive sufficient food and medical care.

Pollsmoor inmate Wayne Hutchinson says of his cat Spookies, “she’s totally stolen my heart and changed my life around....I was abused as a child, and she has taught me how to love and learn the errors of my ways” (Sandy Robins,“The Cats of Pollsmoor Prison,” Cat Fancy Magazine - reprinted 16 April 2009 by Linda Tellington-Jones).

To read the full story of the Pollsmoor Prison cats, visit Tellington-Jones’ website.

The Cat Program at Indiana State Prison

Cat Behaviourist Diana Korten visited the Indiana State prison to interview inmates and staff about their cat program. Korten notes that it was the cats that initiated the program when they made their way onto the prison grounds and began having kittens there.

Indiana State is a maximum security facility and many of the offenders are in for murder, but the men are fiercely protective of their cats. They construct elaborate cat furniture, make cat toys, and take excellent care of their charges, cat-sitting for one another as needed. The prisoners receive unconditional love from their pets and believe that the cats have changed them in positive ways, reducing their anger and increasing their capacity for self-control.

Inmate James Stone confided to Korten, “I have a temper. One time some things happened and I was feeling pretty serious about doing something....But Raol put Jinxster in my arms, and I just held him until I didn’t need to do something anymore....During my first 15 years here, I was trouble....But Jinx changed all that. I’m a different person now.”

Administrator Vince Morton told Korten, “I’ve been here for over 25 years, and I have seen a lot of offenders transformed by the cats.” The program costs the taxpayers nothing – prisoners pay all cat-related expenses through work programs or family support.

To read the full article on this remarkable program and its effects, visit Diana Korten's Cat Odyssey blog.

The Pen Pals Program at Pocahontas Correctional Unit

The Chesterfield, VA, Pocahontas Correctional Unit Pen Pals program enables trusted inmates to care for abandoned feral cats. Participants socialize the cats, after which they are adopted out.

Pet cats that found themselves homeless after Hurricane Katrina were also cared for by the Pen Pals. The inmates were happy to help the sick, traumatized animals, and to do something tangible for the hurricane relief effort (Associated Press, 19 October, 2005, “Inmates Welcome Cats Orphaned by Katrina”).

The Cats of Bang Kwang Prison

Bang Kwang Prison in Thailand, like many other prisons, has become a gathering place for abandoned feral cats. Lonely inmates, many of them in jail for life, are comforted by the 700 feral cats that live on the prison grounds.

A warden at the prison said “with these cats around, inmates with brutal crimes such as murder have reduced much of their aggression and become gentler.” The cats are particularly popular among former gunmen. According to one, “when I first arrived here, I was very edgy, so full of worries and bad tempers rushing in and out. But when I began raising and playing with these cats, my mind grew calmer.” In addition to having a positive effect on the inmates, the cats earn their keep by eliminating prison rats (MCOT English News, 23 July 2008, “Bang Kwang Inmates Find Comfort in Cats’ Company”).

Original Post : Sep 11, 2009

100 cats turned loose in an IKEA store to film commercial

What happens when you set 100 cats loose in an IKEA furniture store after all the customers have gone home? Well, predictably, you'll get some fur on the couches and linens, you'll have a few kitty swatting matches and you just may end up needing to punch a hole in a hollow wall to remove a wayward cat that somehow managed to climb inside. That's all par for the course.

It's also the idea behind a new IKEA commercial that is, however obliquely, intended to sell furniture and uses the company's new tagline, "Happy Inside." The advertising firm behind the commercial, London-based Mother, also released a "making-of" video, above, that has proven to be more popular than the commercial itself, garnering more than 2 million views on YouTube in just two weeks.

The making-of clip, titled "Herding Cats," is "an ingenious piece of meta-advertising that includes its audience in (some of) the details of its own production," The Guardian's Leo Benedictus wrote in a review. He sums up the campaign:

What they say: "Happy inside"

What it means: "Advert, what advert? ... Oh look! Cats!"

According to Mother, the commercial and the "Herding Cats" clip are "part of an integrated campaign with elements that launch later this month," including an opportunity for IKEA customers to guess the piece of furniture a cat is sitting on to win the item. "The idea behind the work is that cats know better than anything what makes them feel happy inside, they live their lives in pursuit of their own comfort," Feh Tarty, Mother's creative director, told The Guardian.

After the jump, see the finished commercial, complete with woozy music by U.K. singer-songwriter Mara Carlyle. Or, more succinctly: "Oh look! Cats!"

Orginal Post on September 23, 2010

Feline Photographer

Now Human intruded our cat world by using the digital camera hanging on our neck. But lots of us become to be famous even have an feline exhibition to show the pictures which took by us cats.

Big cat Motzie visits Pasco

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.

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

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

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

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

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.'

Original Post : 18th February, 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.

Original Post : 14th April, 2011

Lucy The 39-Year-Old Cat

Cats are pretty remarkable animals. They’re helpful and easily identified. They have gone from gods to be worshiped to companions, and for some people their cats are like husbands or wives. Still, in the history of catdom, there’s never been anything like Lucy the cat from South Wales. Lucy the cat is believed to be 39 years old, which would make her one of the oldest cats to ever live.

“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

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.

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.

Mozart Cat

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.

Original Post : Mail Online On 27th August 2008

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. 

One month into their trip, the couple was joined by a sweet kittle kitten in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The baby cat was abandoned near a road with heavy traffic. Their first instinct was to protect it and give it to a family, but in less than 24 hours they fell in love with Kitty who was then officially part of their website  TurnOfTheWorld.

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.

1999 Cat Cling to Life

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

From:news.comSeptember 07, 2009