Video of cat rescued from Dubai flood after clinging to door handle of submerged car

The cat was clinging on the door handle perhaps for a long time before rescue. Amazing. It is cute that the cat complained when the rescuer got him/her. Fear I guess. To be expected. For all we know the cat might have been feral. In which case his reaction to being grabbed was polite.

Cat clings to submerged car after the Dubai rains. The cat was rescued.

Here is the video from which the screenshot above was taken.

The Dubai floods of 2024 are a concerning event, but attributing them solely to global warming would require a more in-depth analysis. While we don’t have real-time data on this specific event, it is possible to provide some thoughts:

Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Global warming, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions, contributes to changes in weather patterns and intensifies extreme events. Rising sea levels and changing precipitation patterns can lead to more frequent and severe floods in coastal areas. The weather was so extreme it is hard to disagree that climate change was the cause of partial cause.

Cloud Seeding: In that part of the world they do cloud seeding which artificially brings on rain but the cataclysmic rains were so severe and exceptional that the experts believe that cloud seeding could not be the cause.

Urban Development and Drainage Systems: Dubai’s rapid urbanization and extensive infrastructure development play a role. Urban areas with impermeable surfaces (roads, buildings) can exacerbate flooding by preventing natural water absorption.

Localized Factors: 

The specific causes of the 2024 floods in Dubai would require detailed analysis. Factors like heavy rainfall, inadequate drainage systems, and land use changes play a role.

Mitigation and Adaptation: 

Regardless of the cause, addressing flood risks involves better urban planning, improved drainage, and climate resilience measures. Adaptation strategies are crucial to minimize the impact of extreme weather events. Remember that while individual events cannot be directly attributed to global warming, the overall trend of more frequent and severe extreme weather events aligns with climate change predictions. It’s essential to continue monitoring and addressing these challenges globally. 🌍🌊

The above comes from an internet search. Personally I believe that these extreme rains were indeed caused by global warming.

This rescue makes me think of all the other animals, domestic and feral, cat and dog and others, who've not made it through this extreme event. We have no news about this aspect of the flooding. We know that 21 people have died in the floods.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Gut health linked to sexual health in the panda and perhaps us?

An interesting study published online in the journal Ecology and Evolution came to the conclusion that the health of a panda's gut microbiota can affect their libido. It can affect how keen they are to have sex.

Although the scientists haven't discovered a direct causation between the type of bacteria in a panda's gut and how keen they were to have sex, there is an association according to the study. And it is tentatively proposed that a similar finding could be made in respect of humans.

It's known that in general the panda is not a very reliable stud. In general, my understanding is that they are not very keen on sex. Between male pandas, they can either be reliable studs which means 'capable of mating' or disinterested. 

They analysed the animals' gut bacteria and found that the gut bacteria of pandas in the group that were disinterested in sex was different to those who were capable of mating.

One difference was there was a low abundance of the bacterium Clostridium sensustricto. The researchers suggested that it was worth seeing whether dietary supplements alongside a wider range of bamboo might assist disinterested pandas perform to in the bedroom.

And they have further suggested that the same sort of improvements might occur in humans. In fact, a study from 2021 published in Translational Andrology and Urology use an almost identical methodology. The study looked at 60 men aged between 20 and 40 with and without erectile dysfunction.

They found that those that had problems with sex had a less diverse gut bacteria. A further study found that women with low libido had a gut bacteria "signature".

And we already know that the quality of a person's gut bacteria is very important to general well-being in various ways including supporting and enhancing their immune system to affecting hormones positively and behaviour and emotions. The scientists believe that gut bacteria can affect a person's sex drive.

The big caveat is that these studies have not proved causation meaning they have seen a pattern in terms of gut bacteria and libido in pandas but they have not found a direct causation between gut bacteria and low sex drive in pandas.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Are fisher cats the same as fishing cats?

No, fisher cats are not even cats. The fishing cat is a small wild cat species that spends a lot of time near water courses and takes aquatic prey animals as well as non-aquatic prey animals.

Below are some details regarding these entirely different species with similar names 😊😎

Image: MikeB. I have presumed that the images are now in the public domain. Wrong? Tell me in a comment please.

Fisher cat

Here are 10 points about the fisher (Pekania pennanti):

Carnivorous Mammal:

• The fisher is a carnivorous mammal native to North America.
• It dwells in forested areas, covering much of the boreal forest in Canada and parts of the northern United States.

Not a Cat:

• Despite the name “fisher cat,” it is not a cat. It belongs to the mustelid family.
• The fisher is closely related to the American marten and Pacific marten.

Monospecific Genus:

• The fisher is the sole species in the genus Pekania.
• It is sometimes called a pekan or wejack in various Native American languages.

Predators and Fur Trade:

• Fishers have few natural predators besides humans.
• They were extensively trapped for their fur, leading to their extirpation from parts of the United States in the early 20th century.

Fur and Appearance:

• Male and female fishers look similar, but males are up to twice as large.
• Their fur varies seasonally, denser and glossier in winter, and more mottled during summer molting.

Hunting Behavior:

• Fishers prefer hunting in dense forests.
• They are agile climbers but spend most of their time on the forest floor.

Scavengers and Encroachment:

• While fishers usually avoid human contact, encroachment into forest habitats has led to conflicts.
• They may scavenge dead animals, especially when hungry.

Historical Decline and Recovery:

• High pelt prices in the 1920s led to unsuccessful attempts at fisher farming.
• Conservation efforts have allowed the species to rebound, but their range remains reduced from historical limits.

Barbed Tongue and Adaptability:

• Fishers are skilled climbers and excellent swimmers.
• Their barbed tongue aids in catching prey.

Resilient and Adaptable:

• The fisher is a resilient and adaptable species, capable of being both a nuisance and a pest controller in various ecosystems.

Fishing cat

Here are 10 points about the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus):

Medium-Sized Wild Cat:

• The fishing cat is a medium-sized wild cat native to South and Southeast Asia.
• It dwells in wetland areas, including rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, swamps, and mangroves.

Distinct Appearance:

• Fishing cats have deep yellowish-grey fur adorned with black lines and spots.
• They are about twice the size of domestic cats, with a stocky and muscular build.

Size and Weight:

• Adults have a head-to-body length ranging from 57 to 78 cm (22 to 31 inches).
• Their tails measure 20 to 30 cm (7.9 to 11.8 inches).
• Males are larger, weighing 8 to 17 kg (18 to 37 lb), while females average 5 to 9 kg (11 to 20 lb).

Vulnerable Status:

• Since 2016, the fishing cat is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Populations have declined severely due to wetland destruction.

Nocturnal Behavior:

• Fishing cats are primarily nocturnal, active during the night.
• They are skilled swimmers and can cover long distances underwater.

Diet and Prey:

• Their main prey is fish, which they catch by diving into water.
• They also consume birds, insects, small rodents, mollusks, reptiles (including snakes), and carrion.

State Animal of West Bengal:

• In India, the fishing cat holds the honor of being the state animal of West Bengal.

Threats and Conservation:

• Destruction of wetlands poses a significant threat to fishing cat populations.
• Conservation efforts aim to protect their habitats and raise awareness.

Civet-Like Appearance:

• The scientific name Prionailurus viverrinus reflects its viverrine or civet-like appearance.

Unique Adaptations:

• Fishing cats are excellent swimmers, allowing them to thrive in their wetland habitats.
• Their specialized hunting skills make them fascinating and vital members of their ecosystem.

Remember, the fishing cat’s aquatic lifestyle sets it apart from other wild cats! 🐾🎣

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Social media tempts teenagers to skive and the family cat benefits!

High rates of school absence because of Internet addiction in teenagers leads to social media tempting teenagers to skive, stay at home, and as a consequence be company for the family cat. 💕😊 - if there is one.

If a person is prone to stay at home no matter whether they are a teenager at school or a worker at work, they will be with their cat more often and it would be an antidote to what I see is a major problem with domestic cats: separation anxiety as their owner is at work all day and the kids at school.

The story is about Internet addiction in teenagers concerns skiving and not going to school but for me this is as much a story about that as it is about keeping the cat at home company. 💕🙄

A study decided that teenagers skive as mentioned. It found that teenage girls seem to be more vulnerable to this than boys and more vulnerable to excessive use of the Internet. The more often a teenager uses the Internet the more likely it is that they are addicted to it.

The research took place in Finland. They took data from a national biennial survey. They asked children how much they neglected friends and family and failed to eat or sleep because of their time online. They asked how anxious they were when they weren't online.

Just over 2% of the more than 86,000 children in the school years eight and nine (aged 14 to 16) in Finland who participated were found to use the Internet excessively. Girls were 96% more likely than boys to fall into this category.

3 to 4% of the children reported high rates of absence from school. Those who spent excessive amounts of time on social media had a 38% higher risk of truancy. They also had a 24% higher risk of medical school absences.

The researchers decided that digital media may be tempting teens to stay at home and avoid school which affected their learning. The research is published in the British Medical Journal's Archives of Diseases in Childhood.

As you can see the study was based on self reporting from teenagers. They may have overestimated or underestimated the amount of time they spent on social media online.

Excessive Internet use is not the same as addiction. There is no agreed clinical definition of Internet addiction. It was suggested by another scientist that the research does not help understand the effects of Internet use in children.

But as mentioned above, I would suggest that there is one benefit if there is a family cat. They have some company and social media Internet addiction can remove the problem of separation anxiety for domestic cats.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Cats are taking over Hollywood. Great.

It seems to me that Hollywood producers have finally and conclusively switched on to the fact that having a cat in their film enhances its appeal. They have been in films before as we know but it appears that they are more often in Hollywood films nowadays than in the past. 

Film star ginger tabby cat at the Oscars 💕😊. This is a fictional individual!

Here are some examples and a possible reason why cats are taking over Hollywood at the moment. My personal reason is that the Internet has changed people's perceptions about the domestic cat a lot.

Domestic cats are featured in billions of videos and still images. There's a lot of discussion about the cat breeds and cat behaviour. People are far more aware and in tune with feline behaviour and feline attributes. The same goes for dogs but perhaps in a slightly lesser way.

Cats are currently having a big Hollywood meow-ment, with top creatives increasingly casting them in dramatic roles for live-action projects. Let's explore why cats are stepping into the spotlight:

Maine Coon in "Ripley": In Steven Zaillian’s acclaimed Netflix limited series "Ripley", a Maine Coon named Lucio plays a significant role and has been dubbed “a main character.” Lucio's majestic presence adds depth to the show.

Lupita Nyong'o and Her Tuxedo Cat in "A Quiet Place: Day One": In Paramount’s upcoming film "A Quiet Place: Day One", Lupita Nyong'o portrays a woman trying to escape an alien invasion alongside her tuxedo cat, Frodo. The feline companion adds tension and emotional connection to the story.

Ginger Cat in "The Marvels": Last fall, Disney’s "The Marvels" featured a deadly super-powered ginger cat named Goose. This unusual casting choice highlights the growing trend of giving cats more substantial roles in live-action films.

Scottish Fold in "Argylle": In Matthew Vaughn’s spy comedy "Argylle", Bryce Dallas Howard's character is on the run from assassins, accompanied by her Scottish Fold cat, Alfie. Despite initial reservations about using a cat, Alfie became a central character in the movie's marketing campaign.

Why Cats, and Why Now?

Why? While there’s no single reason, several factors contribute to this trend: Zeitgeist: Cats are currently in the cultural zeitgeist, capturing attention across various media platforms. Taylor Swift's cat, Benjamin Button, even graced the cover of Time magazine as “Person of the Year” .

Internet Love: The internet's fascination with cats, from memes to viral videos, has elevated their status and made them endearing to audiences worldwide.

In summary, cats are no longer just props; they're taking center stage in Hollywood, proving that even notoriously independent and unpredictable animals can shine in the spotlight. 🐱🎬.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.