That's Purrfect

Friday, 24 January 2020

Cat Who's 'Just A Jerk'

If anyone adopts Perdita the cat from a North Carolina rescue centre, they will know exactly what they're getting.

Believing that honesty is the best policy, the centre describes her as "the world's worst cat". Her adoption ad on Facebook says, “We thought she was sick. Turns out she’s just a jerk.”

The honesty tactic has helped get pets adopted in the past and the centre hopes it will work for Perdita, too.

According to the post, the feisty feline likes “staring into your soul until you feel as if you may never be cheerful again.”

She dislikes “the color pink, kittens (yuk they are so chipper), dogs, children, the Dixie Chicks, Disney movies, Christmas and last but NOT least… HUGS.”

“We thought if we highlighted her personality in a humorous way, the person with a personality to match hers can adopt,” said the centre's Amber Lowery.

It's a tactic that seems to be working. So far the centre has received many requests to adopt Perdita.

Perdita doesn't hate everything. Her likes include: "Jump scares (her specialty), lurking in dark corners, being queen of her domicile' and fooling shelter staff into thinking she's sick."

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Wednesday, 15 January 2020

Are You A Cat Whisperer?

Are you a "cat whisperer"? Can you read feline facial expressions? It turns out most people are unable to decode feline emotions, but there are a few people who excel at deciphering how cats are feeling.

These cat whisperers are generally women and those with veterinary experience and - surprisingly - it makes no difference whether they own or even particularly like cats.

Professors Lee Niel and Georgia Mason, from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, investigated the extent to which humans can decode cat emotions from their facial expressions. They recruited 6,329 people from 85 countries for their study, showing them 20 videos which featured cats in either a negative or positive emotional state.

In the negative videos, for example, the felines were showing signs of avoidance by withdrawing from an object or person or fleeing to a hiding spot. In some, they were struggling against physical restraint or being denied opportunities like going outdoors.

The cats in these videos were also growling or hissing or had health problems, such as malaise or physical pain.

In the positive videos, the felines had sought out favorite spots or interaction with people, such as being petted.

None of the videos depicted obvious facial expressions, such as open mouths or flattened ears, although all the videos focused on the cats' eyes, muzzles, and mouths.

Most participants performed poorly at the facial recognition tests, with the average score being barely above the chance average — 11.85 points out of 20.

However, 13% of participants were significantly successful at identifying the emotions, scoring more than 15 out of 20. Women were more successful than men and younger participants more successful than older, as were people with professional experience of cats, like veterinarians.

Professor Niel said: "The ability to read animals' facial expressions is critical to welfare assessment. Our finding that some people are outstanding at reading these subtle clues suggests it's a skill that more people can be trained to do."

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Friday, 13 December 2019

How To Keep The Cat Off The Christmas Tree

Does your cat attack the ornaments on the Christmas tree? If so, here's a clever hack that solved the problem for one woman - and it may work for you too.

Irene Olocco, from Italy, placed a "force field" of tangerines around the tree to stop her cat Jojo Grassojo from clawing it.

She figured that as most cats hate the smell of citrus fruit this would repel the evil intentions of Jojo Grassojo!

'My cat is afraid of tangerines, so I've created a force field' she said.

She posted a picture on Facebook and cat owners were very impressed by her tip. The post, which has since racked up more than 52,000 shares was deemed 'adorable' and 'genius' by Facebook users.

Most cats hate a strong citrus smell and so it is a natural deterrent.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

Wednesday, 23 October 2019

Candy The Stowaway

Going on holiday? Have a cat? Then let this story be a warning to you!

Nick and Voirrey Coole, from the Isle of Man in the UK, were excited about their trip to New York but didn't realise that another member of their family had tagged along for the ride.

They realised something was wrong when airport staff at the Isle of Man airport started giving them some strange looks as a bag passed through the scanner.

It seems that their cat Candy had decided to tag along by hiding in one of their carry-on bags.

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“It must have looked quite unusual on the scanner. At the point at which they scanned it, they were all scratching heads and they were all looking at each other,” said Nick. He said he couldn't quite work out what was going on.

“They were looking at us so bizarrely,” he added.

It turned out that Candy had hitched a ride with her human parents by curling up in one of their bags.

Thankfully, the airport security team eventually found her and helped the couple hand over Candy to some friends and continue on to their destination.

“The second they realized it was a genuine mistake, and we had actually brought our cat through airport security, at that point, they just laughed and they were fantastic,” Nick said.

He later thanked his friends via Facebook for picking up Candy and also the airport security staff for helping get her home so they could catch their flight.

Now they are enjoying their holiday in the Big Apple to celebrate Nick’s 40th birthday.

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Wednesday, 2 October 2019

Cats Take Over Underground Station

In this consumer age how lovely that a group of cat lovers has raised money to totally redecorate an underground train station with pictures of cats.

Clapham Common Station in London has no commercial advertisements at the moment because a group calling itself The Citizens Advertising Takeover Service (CATS) started a crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money to put up their own pictures.

Instead of adverts for cars, creams and Christmas presents, there are now more than 60 pictures of cute cats and kittens.

The cats featured are from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home or from Cats Protection, the UK’s largest feline welfare charity, and are in need of loving homes.

‘Wouldn’t it be great not to worry about the holiday we can’t afford, the car we don’t need, or the body we don’t have? Imagine a world where public spaces made you feel good,' said organiser James Turner.

‘This isn’t a clever marketing stunt for a pet food brand, or a guerrilla campaign for a new TV series. The people behind it are volunteers who raised the money on Kickstarter. We want to inspire people to think differently about the world and realise they have the power to change it.’

Amazon's Best Kept Secret

Monday, 16 September 2019

Woman Loses Money in Cat Scam

Here's a warning for anyone tempted to buy a cat from a breeder online. One woman from Woodside in California lost $2,300 (£1,850) after falling for a scam.

She wanted to buy a Russian Blue cat, like the one in the picture, because they do not shed much and are more tolerated by people with slight cat allergies. The breed is known to be loyal and social.

She searched online and thought she had found a reputable breeder. She exchanged emails and then sent the $2,300. But then she never heard back.

After doing some research she discovered that other people had also fallen for the scam.

Here's some advice from pethappy.com about how to find a reputable breeder:

Visit the breeder at home. You aren’t breaching anyone’s privacy because this is now an “industry standard”. A good cat breeder is fully aware that a future owner MUST see kittens in the environment where they were raised and are happy to comply. He has nothing to hide, and it gives him an opportunity to show the quality of care the kittens receive.
Check the overall health of the kitten. Check the kitten’s head, eyes, ears, nose, coat, and tummy for any abnormalities. Check other kittens in the litter as well. First, this will tell you if your kitten is healthy. Second, even if the litter shows symptoms of treatable illnesses, such as flea or ear mite infestations, these signs can reveal how responsible the breeder is.
Gauge the breeder’s passion. Encourage the breeder to talk about his cats. You’ll learn a lot, both about the breed and the breeder. Trust us: good breeders—those who are in the business for passion—will talk a lot. They love animals, and they know everything about the breed. Of course, there are always shy people who are breeders, which doesn’t disqualify them, but we hope you get the point.
Avoid the breeder if he tries to put too much pressure on you to buy. Good breeders don’t worry whether someone will take their kitten or not. In fact, they hold the upper hand because they’re often in a position to choose their kitten’s future owners. It’s not unusual for a cat breeder to ask a lot of questions about your experiences with pets, home condition, and reasons for getting a kitten. Don’t feel insulted by these questions, and rest assured that you’re getting a kitten raised by caring hands.
Visit several breeders. When your heart wants a kitten, it’s tempting to say yes immediately. Instead, take a deep breath and do your homework. Try visiting three or four breeders in your area to compare litters. You may come to the conclusion that ALL kittens are cute, but when you place two litters side by side, you can easily spot the differences.
If something is suspicious, take a step back. Maybe a breeder is refusing to provide a vaccination record, a contract of purchase, or a pedigree record. Stand firm, especially if he’s giving unreasonable excuses for going back on his promises.

Is your cat cross with you? Find out HERE.

Amazon's Best Kept Secret

Monday, 9 September 2019

Bizarre Case of The Woman Who Eats Cat Treats

Cat lovers are usually very particular about what they let their cats eat – and after the meaty and fishy chunks have disappeared they sometimes allow them a pussycat treat.

If your cat gobbles them up, you presume they are tasty. But not many of us have been tempted to try one ourselves.

But one owner from Michigan thought she’d have a nibble one day… and now she’s addicted and downs 900 kitty treats every day.

This bizarre behaviour was revealed on a TV programme, My Strange Addiction, Discovery Real Time.

The woman, Mary, 46 (who doesn’t reveal her surname), began gobbling down the treats after a difficult divorce. She was spending a lot of time at home with her three cats and after idly trying one of their treats one day, was soon hooked.

'They just burst with flavour in your mouth and I love them,' she said during an interview on the programme

'When I start thinking about a certain flavour of cat treat, my mouth will water,' she said.

In the programme, Mary showcases a variety of her favourite flavours from treats with a cheesy centre to beefy flavoured biscuits that she awards '10 out of 10 for crunch factor'.

Speaking on the show, Mary's brother Tommy said: 'It's gross. There are four basic food groups and cat food is not one of them.'

Unemployed Mary spends $200 (£125) on cat food for herself every month, which she admits is more than she spends on human food.

She is sure to always keep a stash of the goodies in her car, purse and by her bedside table for late-night munchies, and she says she will even gorge on cat food at the expense of what she calls 'people food.'

'There have been days when I eat treats all day long and no people food,' she says.

'The cabinet just calls my name: "Mary come eat" and I will go sit on the deck and snack.'

Monday, 2 September 2019

The Language of Cats' Eyes

Communicating with your eyes is not just for humans. Cats too use their eyes to show their feelings but there are some differences between cat and human language which you must be aware of if you want to "talk" to your cat.

We might like to stare adoringly into a lover's eyes but for a cat, prolonged eye contact is threatening. If he fixes you with a stare - it's not a loving look but means, at its least, that he doesn't trust you and, at its worst, that he's threatening you. Rival cats will try to out-stare each other.

That's why in a room full of people, the cat will often head straight for the person who doesn't like cats. It's because people who like cats will be looking at him while those who don't will be looking away, hoping he will leave them alone. So, ironically, the cat lovers are perceived as being threatening, while the cat haters look like they pose no threat.

You can "kiss" your cat by looking him in the eye and then slowly blinking. You are, in effect, telling your cat: "I'm no threat to you. I love you." The first time you do this, he might not respond but soon he'll blink at you in return.

The first time this happened to me, I felt a real sense of connection, like I was really "talking" to my cat because in the feline world closing the eyes when with another animal is the ultimate sign of trust.

If you want to see what your cat is thinking when there are visitors in your house, take a close look at his eyes. The more frightened he is, the wider his pupils will expand. If he is angry, the pupils may become narrowed.

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

Miss Picky

IT'S always astonishing to me how picky an eater my cat is. This, after all, is the feline that feeds on woodlice, spiders and mice and laps filthy water out of an old container in the garden.

Present her with a bowl of perfectly good cat food and she will look at me as if I am trying to feed her rat poison. Sometimes it's a brand and flavour of food she has been happily tucking into for years. All of a sudden Miss Picky decides she doesn't like it any more.

I can put fresh food in her bowl and she will eat half of it. However, 10 minutes later the remaining half is no longer palatable, apparently. Cue another look that could curdle milk.

Which reminds me. Milk. She happily drank small saucers of milk (the one that's for cats) for the first seven years of her life. Now she won't touch it. Present her with some milk and cue a look that could instantly freeze boiling water.

However... settle down with some expensive Brie you bought at the farmers' market and there she is at your side batting her arm with her paw as her big amber eyes plead with you. "Just a little nibble. I'd love a little taste. Mmmm, you know cheese is my favourite thing EVER."

She has definite "rules" from which she will not deviate - until she decides to change the rules.

Present rules include never eating any food that's on special offer (how does she KNOW?) even if it's her favourite brand and flavour; having a clean bowl for every meal; never eating the same flavour of food for more than two meals in a row; and demanding to share your fresh food like fish (although she doesn't like fish-flavoured proprietary cat food - go figure), prawns and chicken.

Yet I know that, heaven forbid, if she were forced to fend for herself in the wild she would be happily feral within a fortnight.

Below is a scientific bit - trying to explain Miss Picky's preferences:

Monday, 19 August 2019

Five Personality Types Of Cats

What type of personality does your cat have? Research has shown that there are basically five different types.

Dr Lauren Finka, a research fellow at the University of Lincoln in the UK, came to the conclusion after "interviewing" more than 200 cats and their owners.

So here they are:

The Human Cat loves cuddles.

The Human Cat is generally happy to share your home, your life and often your personal space. It can be identified by its willingness to gently head-butt you.It likes to make your lap their "spot" and will likely knead you with its paws on a regular basis. The ideal home for the Human Cat is a vibrant family home with plenty of faces to nuzzle and laps to nap on; after all, if they fit they'll sit. The more human attention and chin scratches the better for this friendly. The Human Cat tends to knead you with its paws and gently nuzzle its head into you in a sign of affection.

Ah, dinner! The Hunter Cat.

While most cats are born with hunting instincts, the Hunter Cat excels at stalking and capturing its prey. The Hunter Cat can be identified through its interactions with realistic cat toys. It will often clasp toys in its teeth while it frantically kicks. The best environment for this adventurer is a home with plenty of rural outdoor space. This will allow it to explore, chase and pounce to its heart's content, without the worry of urban dangers like busy roads. The Hunter Cat is the most feral of the personalities, regularly interacting with realistic cat toys and showing signs of an expert hunter.

The Cat's Cat loves other cats.

The Cat's Cat forms positive relationships with other felines, even though it can often go against their nature which sees other cats as a threat to resources. The trick is, as with humans, to socialise them when they're young, exposing them to other cats and kittens. You can identify a Cat's Cat through its willingness to play with and groom its furry siblings, touching noses and rubbing up against each other. Cat's Cat may cope better living with other felines, but even well socialised cats can be choosy about who they share their bed with. This cat may be perfect for young working couples who can leave their partners in crime to run riot throughout the day.

Some cats are just plain cantankerous!

The Cantankerous Cat is more easily frustrated than his four counterparts and can be less tolerant to being handled, due to being quite sensitive to touch, their environment and being on high alert. These felines require more time and effort to make sure they're comfortable when interacting with humans. The Cantankerous Cat can be identified by its need for its own space to play, explore independently and preference for regular but less '-on interactions with humans. It needs to make the first move when it comes to being handled. The Cantankerous Cat enjoys time on its own, and will explore independently without any human input.

Wotcha doin'?

The Inquisitive Cat can be a keen investigator, sniffing around anything and anyone unfamiliar. But this inquisitiveness is a combination of DNA and exposure to new sights, smells and sounds from a young age. The Inquisitive Cat can be identified by its eagerness to explore and investigate anything new in its environment. It could cope well in a home that sees new people coming and going, or even as an office cat. But be warned, it'll get into every box, bag, handbag and lap that enters its domain. Living up to its name, the Inquisitive Cat likes to explore its surroundings and will approach people it doesn't know with caution.

Monday, 12 August 2019

Iconic Cat Photographer Walter Chandoha

On a winter's night in 1949 in New York City, young marketing student and budding photographer Walter Chandoha spotted a stray kitten in the snow in a New York alleyway.

He tucked it into his coat and took it home. Just married, with a baby on the way, Chandoha’s plan had been to keep photography as a hobby and make his fortune in advertising. But Loco – so named for its nightly fits of hyperactivity – put paid to that plan. When Chandoha began to sell pictures of his cat to magazines, he realised he could earn a living from photography.

He began photographing cats from the Greenwich Village animal shelter and these images marked the start of an extraordinary career that would span seven decades.

The family eventually moved to a farm in New Jersey, where, amid his six children and sometimes more than 20 cats (one of whom “often had kittens in the drawer”) Chandoha dedicated himself to proving that there’s more than one way to shoot a cat.

By the time he died in January this year, aged 98, he had amassed an archive of some 230,000 photographs, 90,000 of which were of cats and was compiling some of his pictures into a book. The book called Photographs: 1942 to 2018 is out now.

Why cats? “The expressions dogs make are pretty limited,” Chandoha explained. “They don’t get into real exciting postures, as a cat will.”

Available from Amazon. Take a look HERE.

Monday, 5 August 2019

Feline Fashionistas

Feline fashionistas were on the catwalk for a very special show. These magnificent mewdel moggies were taking part in the Algonquin Hotel's annual Cat Fashion Show in New York.

The event, which is held to raise funds for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, was called It's A Small World and had a multicultural theme.

The cats were impressive in their custom-made outfits created by professional pet fashion designer Ada Nieves. As befitting their status, they didn't have to walk but were carried down the catwalk by their owners!

Among the gorgeous cats was Sakie, who represented India in a millennial pink turban. More macho was a Lederhosen-wearing Sphynx called Canoli.

Then there was Balboo (pictured at the top), a black and white cat dressed in everything left in the bargain bin after Fourth of July. Wearing an American flag-printed coordinated pyjama set and an Uncle Sam top hat, Balboo side-eyed cameras from behind his blue aviators.

Another American patriot was a cat called Figaro who wore a pearl-embellished flag dress.

Cat influencer Thunder Folds Cat channelled British punk in a ginger mohawk and leather jacket. The Scottish Fold cat was one of the feline celebrities on the night, modelling for its 53.5k followers on Instagram.

Meanwhile Mrs. Parberry posed elegantly in a flamenco dress with a sparkling oversized ruffle collar. The look was accessorised with a floral hat and she posed calmly for adoring scratches.

Designer Nieves’ design process was a complex one, as she revealed to Newsweek that she took each cat breed’s requirements into the creative process.

She explained, “For instance, Siobhan Persian cats need fabrics that will not get tangled on their long coats, while Sphynxes have no hair and need a soft fabric that will not rub against their skin.”

She also explained the casting process, saying that the cats were “selected based on temperament”.
The annual fundraiser is an homage to the Algonquin Hotel’s resident cat Hamlet VIII, who is the hotel’s twelfth Cat in Residence.

The event was held on Hamlet VIII’s birthday. The Algonquin Hotel’s tradition of having a resident cat dates back to the 1920s, with its first feline Billy. After Billy passed away in 1933, the hotel adopted a stray named Rusty who wandered in just a couple of days after Billy’s death. Rusty was promptly re-named Hamlet by actor and Algonquin guest John Barrymore, who played the role onstage.

At the event, guests were also able to adopt cats and kittens from a Mayor’s Alliance van - after suitable vetting, of course - parked outside the hotel.

To learn more about and to donate to the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, head to their website here.

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Monday, 22 July 2019

Cats The Movie

Dame Judi Dench as Old Deuteronomy

Are you ready for the new Cats movie? It's already caused some controversy over the "whitewashing" of Kenyan-born actress/dancer Francesca Hayward who has been given a white face of fur - and some people have called the CGI film, which has turned the actors into felines, "creepy".

Whatever your view on either of these matters, I personally think the trailer looks terrific. It has a tremendous cast of actors, dancers and singers, including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson and Idris Elba. Can't wait to see it!

* In 1939, TS Eliot published a book of light verse called, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. In 1954, composer Alan Rawsthorne set six of the poems for speaker and orchestra in a work called Practical Cats. After Eliot's death, the book was adapted as the basis of the musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cats was first produced in London's West End in 1981 and opening on Broadway the following year.

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Monday, 15 July 2019

10 Household Products That Can Harm Your Cat

All cat owners should be aware of those household items and foods that could harm their beloved pet. Here are some everyday products that could be harmful or even fatal.

1. Chocolate
You may think you are giving your cat a treat by sharing your chocolate. But it contains theobromine which is toxic for cats. Consumption could cause tremors, irregular heart rate, seizures and death.

2. Caffeine
Your cat should never drink anything which contains caffeine, including coffee, tea and cold medicines. Small doses of caffeine can cause rapid breathing, tremors and heart palpitations. Large amounts could be fatal.

3. Alcohol
Never allow your cat to drink alcohol. Even a few sips could damage a cat's liver and brain. At its worse, your cat could fall into a coma and die.
Allowing your cat to consume alcohol can be extremely dangerous, as it is absorbed into the body.

4. Raw fish
Raw fish sounds like an ideal food for your cat but the bacteria it carries can cause poisoning. In addition, it could destroy the vitamin thiamine, which is essential to cats. Lack of thiamine can lead to loss of appetite, seizures and death.

5. Onions and garlic
Sulfoxides and disulphides contained in onions and garlic can be poisonous to cats as it breaks down their red blood cells, which can then lead to anaemia, lethargy, weight loss and gastrointestinal problems.

6. House plants
There are hundreds of common house plants that can be lethal to cats, which if consumed can cause be toxic. Ivy, aloe, amaryllis, peony, lily and begonia are just a few which are poisonous.

7. Salt lamps
Himalayan salt lamps are very trendy at the moment and unfortunately cats often like to lick them. But this can lead to sodium poisoning, causing pain, vomiting, seizures and even death.

8. Insecticides
If consumed insecticides can cause internal bleeding, seizures and kidney failures.

9. Yeast dough
If you are baking bread, do not let your cat eat the raw dough. It will rise inside its stomach and could result in rupture of the stomach or intestines. While the yeast is fermenting, it also releases alcohol making it doubly dangerous to cats.

10. Bones
While cats enjoy fish and poultry, be sure that the food they are given does not contain any bones. Bones can splinter and cause a choking hazard to your cat, or it could puncture their digestive tract.

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