What’s this got to do with cats?

Wait, there is a connection.  A while ago I stumbled on this image of a ray gun for sale:

I was dismayed to find out the gun was a Mega-Sonic ScatterCat Pest Repeller.  Yes, it’s a way to

• “Repels dogs, cats, squirrels and other nuisance animals without harming them
• Target animals over 20m away with laser-light aim sight”

You can read about it here.  If you look around the site, you’ll see quite a collection of non-harmful animal deterrents, including: Motion Activated Ultrasonic Cat Scarer, Mega Sonic Cat & Dog Repeller.

Despte the fact that the stuff is not particularly animal-friendly, the names make me chuckle.

So, this wasn’t my ray gun.  But I can still dream …

But, now I’m rethinking my position.

You see,  I found this article titled “Study shows dog-loving Ireland hates cats.”  It appears that only 10% of Irish families have a cat as a pet, while 36% have dogs.  The Irish are right up there with us Yanks in terms of dog ownership (37% os US families own dogs), but 10% is bleedin’ unacceptable.

I don’t really know what to make of this.  For now, let me just say this to the Irish: Póg mo thóin!

Now through September 30th, everyone who makes a donation to Tabby’s Place through Modern Cat’s Give Forward page will be entered to win three beautiful products from designer Ree-Yong’s Copenhagen Collection. Check them out:

• First Prize – Copenhagen Cat Condo ($200 US retail value)
• Second Prize – Copenhagen Cat Dinnerware Set ($65 US retail value)
• Third Prize – Copenhagen Cat Scratcher Manicure Set ($39 US retail value)

Per Kate, “The fundraiser will close on September 30 and three winners will be chosen in a random drawing. This giveaway is open to readers everywhere. All donations are tax deductible. You will receive a receipt upon completing your donation.”

Kate’s big heart is matched by her big goal for our kitties: raising $2,500 through Give Forward by the end of September. China, Mr. Grey, Peachy, Pepper and the whole crew heartily approve.

Huge thanks, purrs and head-butts to Kate and Ree for making this possible! And, good luck to all the Felis Catus family; I look forward to seeing photos of your kitties doing their own Ree-Yong dances when they win these groovy products.

A Prayer for Animals

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends, the animals,
especially for animals who are suffering:
for any that are hunted or lost of deserted
or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put to death.
We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them
we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us, ourselves, to be true friends  to animals
and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

- Albert Schweitzer

That means that lawyers all over the Keystone State are devoting their time, gifts and love to thinking about and working for needy animals. Heaven knows the cats (and dogs, and eared sea lions) could use a good advocate. All of this gives me tremendous encouragement.

But what surprised me was the great disparities between “dog law” and “cat law.” The tome given out to all conference attendees devoted 223 pages exclusively to new dog laws…and exactly 30 pages to cat laws. By no means do I blame the fine people who planned the conference. Their presentations simply reflect the state of the laws.

I was shocked to learn that, while all 50 states have specific “dog laws,” only three (CA, RI and ME) have comprehensive “cat laws.” Now, before we storm our state Senate buildings with flaming torches, consider that the dearth of cat-related laws is a mixed blessing. On the downside, of course, this means painfully limited protection for our beloved felines.

But there’s a good side here, too. As one attorney explained, there are more laws surrounding dogs because the legal profession (and most people) perceive dogs as at least potentially dangerous. Cats, on the other hand, are still considered largely “harmless,” and therefore need less regulation. While more cat-related laws could help protect felines from abuse and mandate greater responsibility, they may also penalize folks for helping ferals (i.e. caretakers of feral colonies, good people who do trap-neuter-release, etc.). When a colony of ferals is managed by caretakers, the issue of ownership creeps in, and tighter laws could actually slap fines onto feral caretakers for owning dozens of cats. So, there are advantages to not having more cat-centric laws. As with most things legal, it’s complicated.

More than anything, the conference reaffirmed for me the vital importance of loving these cats with all we’ve got. Although the 90 million owned cats in the US make felines America’s most popular pet, 70% of cats who end up in public shelters will be euthanized, while only 1-2% will be redeemed by their families. (Compare that to 50% of dogs in shelters being euthanized, and 20% being redeemed.) Given that there may be as many as 90 million feral cats in America, that means there’s one homeless feline for every beloved family cat. As one attorney grimly put it, these cats are trapped in an “assembly line of death,” and a “national tragedy of epic proportions.”

I wish we could take in 90 million homeless cats at Tabby’s Place. I wish we could nudge the world towards cat-loving laws, and help educate folks to prevent “disposable pet” syndrome.  

But I know we can love every cat we touch with everything we’ve got. I know we can change the world for every Tabby’s Place cat, and love him as if he were the only cat in the world. I know we can play our part.

Let’s work and pray that the laws and love of the world will follow.

Mmm mmm good. I wonder what “successfully” means here?

You’ll be relieved to know that they’re a thorough bunch up at Brock University, too: they’ve included both “meat chunk (MC)” and “gravy gel (GG)” constituents in the testing.

The statement I find most bemusing is the following:

Ultimately, this may facilitate more economical and efficient methods for optimizing cat food flavour and texture and predicting the effects of composition and processing changes on cat feeding behaviour.

Hmm. I can’t say that my reaction to the prospect of consuming my favorite felines’ food seems to be very “predictive” of their “feeding behavior.” Take Molly for instance, our feisty, affectionate old Siamese who spends 95% of her day sleeping in a basket on my desk. Even as a vegetarian, I’m first to admit that some cat foods (excuse me, CFPs) look almost edible, even…appetizing. Those are Molly’s least favorite offerings. But give our old girl a dish of food she’s buried under her blanket and slept on for two days, allowing it to form a mysterious crust, and she will dig right in with all the gusto a 5-pound cat can muster.*

Then again, this new methodology is all about taste-testing, not sight. So, who’s to say that us humans wouldn’t find crusty, nasty, scary-looking cat food varieties absolutely scrumptious (and accurately predictive of Molly’s feeding behavior)?

Um, I’ll say it.

All kidding aside, I’m always grateful to see researchers spending time and resources to make the world better for cats. If this new methodology leads to more healthful cat food, better understanding of kitty preferences, or even just a more enjoyable cuisine for our beloved species, I’m all for it.

But, for now, I’ll leave the taste-testing to the pros. Like Molly.

*Not to worry: we don’t regularly allow Molly or any of our cats to eat old, crusty food! But, on the rare occasion that Molly’s buried an old dish of wet food and discovered her “treasure” a day later, she’s been absolutely elated and eaten as much of the old, nasty-looking stuff as she can before we catch her to take it away.

Actually this post is about the cats of Madison County (and it’s a different Madison County than in the movie).  But it’s still a cool story and there is video to watch.

The Pendleton State Prison (in Madison County, IN), has statrted a cat foster program with a local animal control facility.  Like most municipal animal facilities, Anderson Animal Care & Control was always overflowing and had to make the painful choice to euthanize adoptable cats.

The prison program allows the shelter to free up some room and gives the shyer cats a chance to be socialized, greatly improving their chances of adoption.  It also provides some inmates with a chance to learn to care for and bond with a needy animal.  You can read a little bit about the program and see a video here.

Witrh a little digging around, I found out that the prison also allows cats in its Chronic Care Unit, which houses seriously mentally ill inmates.  According to the prison, “The cats have a calming effect and play an important role in the emotional and physical health of the men.”

Very cool idea and a win-win for all, I think.

Trivia: this is the prison where John Dillinger was kept after his capture.

This video is an introduction to the man, the dog, the cat and the rat; in the clip below, this kind fellow talks about his little peaceable kingdom.

What a gift this gentle soul and his animal family are giving to us all in their living parable of peace.

Well turnabout is fair play.  There is now a cat t0uting that he has the world’s smallest human.

Check out this photo of Henry Behrens, the smallest man in the world with  his pet cat.  Henry was only 30 inches tall and made a living traveling with a troupe of midgets (er, small people).

This photo was taken in 1956.  You can see more photos of Henry here.  Take that, humans.

Check out this CNN footage of Bitsy, a one-year-old, 6 1/2″ tall, 18 3/4″ long, 1 1/2 pound cat vying for the title of “smallest cat” in the Guinness Book of World Records. Honestly, my first reaction to this video was concern for Bitsy: she seems rather shaky and fearful, and not entirely healthy. Now, I’m not a veterinarian, and this little sweetheart could just be terrified by the cameras (and the larger “normal” cat they put in her space).

But something here just doesn’t seem right. I winced when they forced her to meet the larger cat, who clearly terrified her, and caused her to tremble and wobble even more. Again, I hope I’m wrong, but she looks to have some neurological issues that need immediate veterinary attention and tender care. One source suggests that she is receiving care from a veterinarian for liver problems, and for being “a little unsteady.”

Given all the attention Bitsy’s receiving, from CNN to Catster, I trust we’ll hear more about her in the days to come. Whether or not she wins her title, I truly hope that all this attention will ensure that Bitsy gets the additional attention - and maybe an extra meal or ten? - that she seems to need.

I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with Bitsy’s people entering her in the Guinness competition…as long as their priority is on giving her a life of love and care. None of us who love cats adopt them for purely selfless reasons; we love to love them, and each cat gives us far more than we could ever hope to repay. But, valuing a “special” cat like Bitsy primarily for her looks or her record-breaking size seems rather disconcerting to me. What about the precious spirit in that tiny package?

This little pixie is already a winner in my book, just for being a cat and being herself, and I hope the people caring for her will put Bitsy’s health and happiness ahead of  breaking records. Godspeed, little Bitsy!