The picture of this poor Persian cat caught my eye. As it would. But I just don't get it. What I mean is why do we have to put this cat through this? I guess the headband is there to prevent the cat biting the groomer as they might because it's going to be quite a tough session to get through for the cat. The whole thing, to me, seems mindless. We create a cat with fur that they can't maintain themselves because it is too long but because it looks nice. So, we have to groom the cat commercially. And in order to do that we have to put this horrible headband around the cat's face to stop them reacting aggressively in self-defence because they feel that they are being attacked. It would not surprise me if this cat was also declawed. The cat becomes an object. A decorative object. An accessory to the home. Something pleasant to look at. A blob of fur a bit like a cushion or some other ornament around the home. But this is a sentient being. I don't like it as you can t...

The owner says that her cat loves to perch on her hand as seen in the video and does not want to be placed on the floor. The reason is fairly obvious. Cat insists on perching on owner's hand like this. Screenshot. It is a high 'perched' position. Cats instinctively like to go to high places as it protects them and allows them to look further and observe what is going on around them from a safe place The cat is connected with her owner at this time. A bonding exercise. An expression of friendship. If the woman had a couple of really great cat tree climbers with comfy platforms, I'd expect this habit to stop. Her cat just wants the facility to climb. To move vertically.

What are community cats? Community cats are cats that live outdoors in a specific area and are cared for by a community of people, rather than living in a single household. They may also be referred to as feral cats, stray cats, or free-roaming cats.  Community cats of Manila, Philippines during Covid-19. Image in public domain. These cats are often the descendants of domestic cats that were abandoned or lost and have adapted to living in the outdoors. Some community cats may be friendly and socialized to humans, while others may be fearful and avoid contact with people. Community cats can be found in a variety of settings, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.  They play an important role in controlling rodent populations and can provide companionship for people who enjoy interacting with them. Many communities have programs in place to help manage community cat populations through trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs, which involves trapping, sterilizing, and returning c...

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It appears that in 2023 we are still somewhat unsure as to why male domestic cats kill young offspring of females to whom they are unrelated. One study published in 1999 found six cases of infanticide by the domestic cats living in rural locations. These appear to have been barn cats. They found that fully adult and sexually mature male, rural domestic cats killed six kittens within the first week of life. The scientists state that "The killing pattern was generally the same as that described in lion". A clear statement that there are similarities in behavior between lions and domestic cats. The females tried to save their newborn kittens without success. They reacted aggressively but couldn't prevent the killing of their kittens by these unknown male cats. The scientists hypothesised the following: Male domestic cat infanticide is due to the same reasons that male lions kill offspring in order to sire their own offspring with the females who'd lost their kittens as t...

The European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark, presented new research indicating that healthy dogs and cats could transmit multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) to their hospitalized owners, and vice versa.  The study, conducted by Dr. Carolin Hackmann and her colleagues at Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany, looked at over 2,800 hospital patients and their companion animals, testing for the most common superbugs in hospital patients, including MRSA, VRE, 3GCRE, and CRE, which are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Dogs and cats could be passing on drug-resistant bugs to owners, study finds. Image: MikeB Of the 2,891 hospital patients tested, 30% (871) tested positive for MDROs. The study also found that 15% of dogs and 5% of cats tested positive for at least one MDRO. Four cases matched phenotypically between pets and their owners, and one matched genetically.  The study suggests that while the level of shari...

Check behind your oven to find your cat's stash!. Screenshot. Cats play with human objects. If it is one the floor it's game. You don't really need to buy toys as they are all around you all the time. They almost invariably push the objects under furniture and OVENS! Why do they do this? To make play more interesting. To make it more realistic. They seem to be creating a typical scenario when a mouse hides under an object. The cat then pokes and prods under the oven to try and get it out. That's feline fun!! And so we come to the video of the owner of a stunning ginger tabby pulling out their oven from the wall for the first time in a long time. It has to be said that it is quite clean behind it 😎 but it is littered with cat toys! What are they? No idea. They look like hair curlers or something like that. Any small plastic item is a good cat toy to poke and prod. To transform into a mouse to be killed. Their cat innocently meanders onto the scene of the 'crime...

As Yorkshire Cat Rescue state it is rare for a rescue center to have a couple of purebred cats up for adoption and in this instance, it is a couple of Bengals. One of them has a damaged right ear flap which does not enhance their appearance. They don't say how he damaged his ear. No big deal. They've put up their adoption fee to £400 for each. That's about one third of the purchase price for this cat so not bad.  Floki. Adoption fee £400 at Yorkshire Cat Rescue at 17/02/2023 Floki. Adoption fee £400 at Yorkshire Cat Rescue at 17/02/2023 If you fancy adopting a Bengal cat on the cheap this is an opportunity. But of course, the adoption fee is a fraction of the overall cost in terms of maintenance over the remainder of the life of a cat. The rescue have said they need to be in a home where there are no other cats or dogs and that they should be confined to the home including the use of an enclosed backyard if available (rare). These guys don't get on with other pets. That...

A demolition contractor employed to demolish a farmhouse unwittingly destroyed a Banksy painting of a boy and a cat. The painting, as usual was very clever. They saw the painting but had no idea about its value. Banksy's Boy and Cat is no longer. Image in public domain. The Internet tells me that the highest prices paid for a Banksy painting are around the £16 million mark! It seems that this contractor has destroyed a potentially very valuable item of art. Perhaps they destroyed something which was worth far more than the value of their contract. In fact, I am sure that that is the case. The painting was, as mentioned, very clever. It was on the first floor of a farmhouse. A window had been boarded up. The boarding had been painted white. On either side of the window were corrugated iron sheets which has been indented on either side as you can see in the painting. Banksy used the raw materials in front of him i.e. the white boarding and the indentations in the corrugated sheeting ...

Kittens are born with blue eyes due to the absence of melanin in their irises. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to the hair, skin, and eyes of humans and animals. In kittens, the melanocytes (cells that produce melanin) in their irises have not yet fully developed, and so their eyes appear blue because of the scattering of white light through the iris of the eye. Refracted (scattered) white light is the same effect that makes the sky blue. Image: MikeB As kittens grow older, their melanocytes become more active and start to produce melanin. This can cause a change in eye color from blue to green, yellow, or brown. The exact timing of this change in eye color can vary depending on the breed of the cat, but it typically occurs between 6 and 12 weeks of age. It's worth noting that some cat breeds, such as Siamese and some other pointed breeds, have a genetic trait that causes them to retain their blue eye color into adulthood. However, for most cats, blue eyes are a temporary f...

A "blue" cat is actually a type of grey coloration in cats, sometimes referred to as "blue-grey". The blue-grey coloration in cats is a result of a dilution gene, known as the dilute gene, which affects the distribution of pigment in the hair shafts of the fur.  RELATED:  Why are gray cats called blue? Extreme bred blue British Shorthair probably Russian bred. Photo in public domain The dilute gene causes a reduction in the amount of pigment, particularly black pigment, in the hair shafts of the fur. This results in a dilution of the black coloration to a blue-grey color, while the other color pigments (such as red and yellow) remain unchanged.  RELATED:  ‘Blue’ is the dilution of a black cat coat . Blue-grey cats can come in a variety of breeds, including the Russian Blue, British Shorthair, and Chartreux. It's important to note that the blue-grey coloration is purely cosmetic and does not affect the cat's behavior or health in any way.

  Infographic on the reasons for keeping cats indoors full-time. Infographic by the Daily Mail The infographic confirms what is always said on the topic of keeping cats indoors full-time, namely that most cat caregivers do it to keep their cat safe from a road traffic accident mainly and not protect wildlife from cat predation. This will inevitably irritate bird lovers and ornithologists. There are several specific reasons why cat owners may choose to keep their cats indoors full-time: Safety : Indoor cats are protected from many dangers, such as cars, predators, and other animals. Indoor cats are also less likely to contract diseases or get into fights with other cats. Longevity : Indoor cats tend to live longer than outdoor cats. This is because they are not exposed to the same risks and dangers as outdoor cats. There is a downside: boredom, which can work against improved health as boredom can lead to stress and stress can lead to a decline in health. Environmental concerns : So...

Domestic cats have slitted eyes, also known as "vertical pupils," for a very specific reason: to help them hunt prey. Image: MikeB The vertical shape of their pupils allows cats to control the amount of light entering their eyes, which is essential for hunting at dawn and dusk when light levels are low. The pupils can dilate to let in more light or constrict to reduce the amount of light entering their eyes, depending on the situation. The slit shape also helps cats to focus on their prey, as it provides them with a greater depth of field than a round pupil would. This allows them to judge distances accurately and pounce on their prey with precision. In addition, the vertical pupils may also help protect the cat's eyes from damage. By closing to a very narrow slit in bright light, the pupil reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation that enters the eye. It achieves this by working in conjunction with the eyelids which pass down over the slit like a blind at a window. A ca...

Cats have played an important role in Turkish society and culture for centuries. They are highly valued for their ability to control rodents, which historically have been a significant problem in Turkey. Additionally, Islam, which is the predominant religion in Turkey, considers cats to be clean and pure animals, and therefore, they are treated with respect and kindness. Istanbul community cats. Image: Wikipedia. Furthermore, there is a long-standing belief in Turkey that cats bring good luck and fortune, and so many people feed and care for them. This cultural attitude towards cats has contributed to their population growth in Turkey, as well as the fact that there are relatively few restrictions on outdoor cats, which has allowed them to thrive in urban areas. In recent years, there has been a movement in Turkey to spay and neuter cats to control their population and improve their health. However, cats continue to be an important part of Turkish culture and society, and their presenc...

The Cat Man of Aleppo, also known as Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, has been working tirelessly to help cats and other animals affected by the earthquakes in Syria. After the earthquakes, he immediately began rescuing injured and trapped cats from the rubble and providing them with food, water, and medical care. Alaa has set up a sanctuary for the rescued cats, called Il Gattaro d'Aleppo (The Cat Man of Aleppo Sanctuary). The sanctuary provides a safe space for cats to recover and receive ongoing care, including veterinary treatment and food. To help fund the sanctuary, Alaa relies on donations from individuals and organizations around the world. He also runs a social media campaign to raise awareness about the plight of cats in Syria and the need for ongoing support. Despite the challenges he faces in a war-torn country, Alaa remains committed to his mission of caring for cats and other animals. He believes that by helping animals, he can bring a sense of hope and healing to the people o...

Rest in peace. Medic Yana “Yara” Rykhlitska killed in action near Bakhmut. Image: Twitter. NEWS AND OPINION: The fine selfie picture on Twitter shows Yana 'Yara' Rykhlitska with a cat and dog.  We don't know the back story to life though. It is a far presumption to say she loved animals. The expression on her face is warm. She looks relaxed and at home with the companion animals.   Rest in peace. Medic Yana “Yara” Rykhlitska killed in action near Bakhmut. pic.twitter.com/9T3bO77OEV — Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) March 5, 2023 She was 29-years-of-age and described as the 'Angel of the Troops'. She volunteered and became a paramedic and was killed near Bakhmut, the city which has become a significant battleground for the Russians in their so-called big push on the one-year anniversary of the conflict. She worked at a stabilisation center at Bakhmut and before the war she worked for an insurance company. . This is where the wounded are taken and treated b...

Standoff sumo-style Cats walking like humans are very rare. The image I have created of two cats standing tall like humans is exceptional but the basic method and motivation is often the same: to make oneself larger to scare the other cat off. Standing tall like this is taking a defensive and threatening measure to extreme. Image: MikeB The lesser version of a cat walking like a human is the arched back and bristled fur which makes a domestic cat look larger in a standoff with an intruding cat. See below. The cat stands sideways. Arched back defensive body posture making oneself look bigger. Screesnhot. A tiny percentage of cats take this body language posture to this extreme. It must put a lot of pressure on the hip joints and back because the cat is not designed to stand tall on their hind legs. Looking further Although both of the cats in the image and one you see in the video were in a sumo-style stand-off with another cat, you will also very rarely see domestic cats standing tall ...

The title sounds a little bit involved and boring but it is actually quite important. There is a bill (a proposed law that is going through the government) being discussed by Missouri's legislature. It is called SB 115. Missouri legislature. Picture in the public domain in my view. SB 115 It is a proposed law which prevents any lesser legislatures such as local authorities and city authorities from making laws concerning veterinary medicine. I guess to put it another way, counties and cities in the state of Missouri will not be able to create laws which affect the running of veterinary practices. One such law might be to ban declawing. And that is relevant because Alley Cat Allies, a well-known charity, is petitioning people and campaigning for this bill to be stopped in its tracks before it becomes law. Why the law is bad Why should they want to do this? It is because the city of St Louis and St Louis County have both enacted declawing bans. The fear is that a state law preventing...