Cats fight rats at Russian museum

About 60 felines follow their ancestors, working to keep the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg rodent-free.

One of the largest art galleries in the world is relying on feline power to keep it rodent-free.

For more than 200 years, cats have had a full-time job at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Today, a new generation of about 60 felines live in the building, the proud descendents of a long line of Aristo-cats.

Al Jazeera's Neave Barker went on a prowl with the rat catchers in Saint Petersburg.

Original Date Post :  September 2010

Casper The Commuting Cat

A cat named Casper became famous ever since he started taking the No3 bus in UK every day for the past four years. His story captivated so many animal lovers. Unfortunately earlier this month, Casper was hit by a running motorbike while he was crossing the road to catch his daily ride.

Casper always came to the bus stop around 10 am every day. He sat on the same seat for the 11 mile bus ride for up to an hour before arriving back to the same bus stop. He never needed to pay for the bus fare and everyone who saw him on the bus greeted him as if he was a star.

After traveling about 20,000 miles on the bus, Casper’s bus journeys have come to an end. All the bus drivers who were told to look out for the 12-year-old feline bus rider to make sure he would get off at the right stop, are deeply saddened by what happened.

Casper loved people and always queued up in line with other commuters. It was fascinating to see how charmingly Casper lined up with others at the bus stop.

Casper’s owner Susan Finden tried numerous times to stop Casper from riding the bus but he was very quick for his age and often went out of the house to catch the bus ride because he loved people and perhaps big vehicles too.

Casper was adopted from a rescue center back in 2002 and started riding the bus in 2005 according to the bus drivers.

On 14 January 2010 Casper was hit by a speeding taxi, which did not stop to help him. He died of his injuries before Finden could get him to a vet. Plymouth bus drivers and passengers who knew Casper paid tribute to him, and Finden posted a notice at his bus stop:

The Luxurious Life of Matilda the Cat

Original post By Julia Williams Responsible Pet Ownership

When I’m traveling, the thing I miss most about “home” is spending time with my cats. If I’ve had a difficult day, nothing brings me back into balance quicker than a good petting session. When I need some affection, I have three felines who are happy to give it, provided they get some back. Needless to say, I get very homesick for my cats when I am away, and I’m sure many cat owners feel the same – which is why, if you ever find yourself in New York City, you simply must stay at the Algonquin Hotel!

This landmark hotel has many claims to fame, but is known the world over for their famous feline resident: a gorgeous Ragdoll cat named Matilda. This PURRsonable feline is always on hand to make sure that any hotel guest who needs some kitty love, shall have it. Now that’s what I call five-star hospitality!

The oldest operating hotel in New York City, the Algonquin has kept a “resident cat” since the 1930s. The story goes that one stormy night, a bedraggled cat wandered into the hotel seeking food and shelter. The hotel’s owner at the time, known to be a very gracious host, felt sorry for the cat and welcomed it into the hotel.

That first hotel cat was an orange tabby initially called Rusty. Hotel lore claims that actor John Barrymore, who was starring in Hamlet on Broadway, thought the cat needed a more theatrical name. Thus, the cat was rechristened Hamlet, and a tradition was born. Since then, all of the male Algonquin hotel cats are called Hamlet, and the females are named Matilda.

The current Matilda is the ninth Algonquin hotel cat. A former show cat, Matilda is the first purebred feline to reside at the hotel. She became their newest kitty concierge in 1997 at the tender age of two, and has endeared herself to the guests ever since. The Ragdoll is an American cat breed best known for its docile temperament and affectionate nature. These qualities make them a perfect hotel cat, and the ever-friendly Matilda does her breed proud.

Other than the kitchen and dining areas, Matilda has the run of the hotel and is frequently spotted snoozing at the front desk. However, her favorite place to hang out is her personal chaise lounge in the lobby, where she can oversee the comings and goings of the guests and get chin rubs from them.

Around check-in time, Matilda can be found by the luggage cart, where she likes to sniff all incoming baggage and greet the arriving guests. She has become quite popular over the years and receives mail weekly from all over the world. She even has her own email address, and has been the subject of countless stories. Once, when her cat collar was stolen, the tale of the “Algonquin Cat-Burglary” was the talk of the city.

Each year, the Algonquin Hotel throws Matilda a birthday bash as befits a New York celebrity. Perhaps the most memorable one, according to the hotel’s website, was her seventh birthday. With 150 of her closest friends in attendance, Matilda “jumped on her cake and ran out of the room, leaving a trail of paw prints.” Although she didn’t display much appreciation for her birthday party that year, the gatherings serve as a way for the hotel to raise a substantial sum for cat charities.

The Algonquin hotel cat has been memorialized in a children's book and a 24-karat gold pendant. The hotel’s bar even has a cocktail named after Matilda. Want to know more about this famous feline? You can watch a short video, Meet Matilda, the Algonquin Hotel Cat, on the Cat Channel website.

10 Million Dollar Cat

The famous railway station Calico cat Tama is no longer dubbed as the “Super Station Master.” The little railway station sensation who single-handedly brought in 10 million dollars in revenue and turned over the economy for the town of Kishikawa, has been promoted to corporate executive of the Wakayama Electric Railway Co.

Tama was discovered by the Wakayama Railway back in 2007. They decided to build her a nesting place at the station and gave her a title as a station master. Soon the story spread across Japan, attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists traveling hours to the town of Kishikawa just to get a few pictures with Tama.

Merchandises of the little Super Station Master quickly became available. Tama was featured in virtually every type of merchandise. Her fame grew as the town became more prosperous. Even during the worst economic times, the town of Kishikawa was doing exceptionally well thanks to the Calico station master.

Tama is the first cat that has ever been officially appointed as an executive in the world. Though she has advanced up her corporate ladder, Tama will continue doing the same job as a station master.

Tama started her railway station career back in 2007. The following year she was promoted to the Super Station Master. In three years, her position swiftly advanced to the executive level.

The company realized that their recent success was largely a result of Tama’s contribution to the railway station. They wanted to honor her for her incredible accomplishments by giving her the highest position in her field.

An appointment event was held for Tama’s career achievement. Approximately 100 fans attended the occasion.

In order to make the Kishikawa station even more appealing to tourists, the company has decided to renovate the station into the shape of cat’s face this coming summer.