Management evict 2 popular public house cats. Pushback from regulars.

The senior management of Black Country Ales intend to evict Malt and Hops from the Wellington Real Ale public house in Birmingham City Centre.

These two very popular cats have called it home for the past five years. Malt and Hops are a beloved part of life at "The Welly", cherished and well-respected by both staff and regulars.

“It’s actually one of the reasons a lot of us go to The Welly,” says Laura McEwan, the owner of local blog Bite Your Brum. “The cats are part of the experience.”

Malt and Hops are popular with the regulars. Image: Facebook.

The Welly simply won't be the same without these two characters who bring joy and entertainment to its patrons.

We must convey to the upper management our collective disapproval of their plans to evict Malt and Hops from their home. By signing and sharing this petition widely, we can prevent this unwarranted eviction from occurring.

The Wellington on Bennetts Hill is reportedly being instructed by Black Country Ales, the brewey that owns the establishment, to remove the two resident cats following a complaint.

We don't know who made the complaint.

The complaint is arguable unreasonable as:

• The public only provides packaged bar snacks and not cooked food so there is not chance contamination which is frankly absurd anyway as there are countless public houses in the UK with dogs inside the place.
• Pubs like the Bag of Nails in Bristol and the Duke of York in Salisbury are renowned for their resident cats, which have become beloved by the regular patrons.

Perhaps the anonymous complainant is allergic to cats. Fair enough but he or she has no right to spoil the ambience of the place for all others. These cats are popular.

A petition has been started on Change.org: Petition · Stop Malt & Hops getting evicted - Birmingham, United Kingdom · Change.org - please click to sign it.

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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.

Commons Speaker wants many cats at the Palace of Westminster

The Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is a known animal lover and loves cats. He currently has two cats, I believe, living in his home within the Palace of Westminster A.K.A. Houses Of Parliament. 

He lives just behind Big Ben in very beautiful accommodation; quite extensive and I believe that his Maine Coon cat 'Attlee' lives there with him. And he has adopted a black stray cat who wanted to be taken in and who he has named 'Clem'. Both of these names come from the former Prime Minister Clement Attlee.

Attlee as an adult Maine Coon who lives with the Speaker in his house within the estate. Photo: Richard Wheeler PA.

He is a very popular Commons Speaker and was re-elected to the post after the general election. There appears to have been no issues about his re-election. And he says that there should be "cats across the House." The idea is to take care of the rodent population and provide therapy to stressed politicians! 💕

The Palace of Westminster is a very large estate adjacent to the Thames River and is in bad condition requiring constant repair and a major upgrade which would cost billions of pounds. The reason why I am saying that is because you can see that there is a great possibility of there being mice and rats on the estate which is the case.

And Attlee, his Maine Coon cat, is sometimes called upon to deal with mice. MPs come up to him and ask if they can borrow Attlee for a while to get rid of mice in their office. That kind of thing.

And Sir Lindsay Hoyle would also like to see a "Bring Your Pet Day" in Parliament. I think he would like to see members of Parliament bringing their pets to the establishment.

Sir Lindsay has a number of pets including a tortoise named Maggie and a parrot named Boris. These are named after Margaret Thatcher and Boris Johnson, two more former prime ministers.

There was a study about the possibility of employing cats to keep down the rodent population on the estate. The conclusion appears to be that the estate is too big and that there would have to be too many cats in order to make it work which would be unmanageable.

His brown tabby Maine Coon cat also helps to keep the peace and keep people calm. Cats can do that for you. He is a therapy cat as well as the chief mouser at Parliament. He goes out to visit people to make them smile and be happier.

He said that "We've had the odd MP ring up and say, including the Clerk of the House, 'there is a mouse in my office, can we borrow Attlee?'"

His cat loves Dreamies which is a dry cat food and a particularly tasty one. The reason why he wants cats across the house, as mentioned, is because "There's nothing better than seeing a cat. Anybody who likes cats are nice people."

He's right. A slight problem is that some people don't like cats or some are frightened of cats but I would thoroughly agree with him. I think more cats at Parliament would be beneficial. And a dog or two would help to of course but there would have to be some management because you don't want dogs chasing cats! The issue is about managing the cats. Feeding them and providing toilet facilities etc.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle soon after adopting his new Maine Coon kitten Attlee. They touch noses in a friendly greeting

When he was interviewed for the article to which I'm referring and which is published on the Independent newspaper online he said that his tortoise, Maggie, was on the terrace. That is the area outside the Houses of Parliament in between the building and the Thames. It's a very pleasant area where they sometimes have marquees for social gatherings I believe.

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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.

Cat companion is the ears of their deaf caregiver and provides incredible support

NEWS AND VIEWS: For Ms Moss of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, her cat Zebby is her ears and general helper. She is deaf but can hear with a hearing aid. Zebby has been trained to pick up the day-to-day sounds to which a caregiver needs to respond such as the front door bell or the phone ringing.

Genevieve Moss said she is ‘so proud of Zebby for showing the world how intuitive and caring cats can be’ (Lucy Ray/PA)

He does more than that; he fetches her slippers! And he picks up the post at the front door in the morning and brings it to her. How about that?!

Zebby has been named Cats Protection's National Cat of the Year 2023 in recognition of his wonderful support for Genevieve Moss, 66.

She said:

“Without my hearing aid, I can’t hear anything, but now I have Zebby to help me. He’ll come and tap me when the phone is ringing, and then I can pop my hearing aid and speaker on and take the call."

And if there is an unusual noise in the night, he will bat her on the head to wake her up to alert her to it. And if someone is at the door, "he will pace about in front of me until I get the message."

She added that, "He is very helpful and likes to bring me things – he’ll get the post from the doormat and pick it up in his mouth before dropping it in the bedroom."

Zebby beat thousands of other pets to be named the overall winner in Cat Protection's award. Ms Moss couldn't envisage a world without her cat's help. She regards him as a hero.

Cats protection's National Cat Awards organiser, Ashley Fryer said: “From the moment we read his entry form, we knew Zebby was something special. Zebby is clearly devoted to Genevieve, and their story highlights the powerful bond that exists between people and their cats.”

Comment: I love these stories. Firstly, they tell us that domestic cats are not just about keeping their own a company or entertaining them. They can also be "utilitarian" in the same way that dogs are. Dogs are regarded as more utilitarian and therefore more useful on a practical level than cats but it is not always like that. Cats can be trained to help practically as is wonderfully illustrated in this warm story.

Rats as big as cats in the UK! Rat catching cats don't stand a chance.

To those of us living in the UK we are seeing more headlines about rats getting larger. They say they are as big as cats. If it's true there is little prospect of domestic cats being usefully employed as rat deterrents. Today's domestic cat ratter will just run away from these monsters.

Massive rat as big as a cat. Image by MikeB based on an image in the public domain.

But in general, I think they are mythical. People like to believe that they are very large. It adds to their story of woe. But if they are larger, it must be an evolutionary process over a very long time.

Animals may evolve to be larger over time as a result of natural selection. Larger individuals may have advantages in terms of survival and reproduction. For example, larger animals may be better able to defend themselves against predators, compete for resources, or attract mates. Additionally, larger size can confer other benefits, such as the ability to travel further or withstand harsh environmental conditions.

However, it's important to note that evolution is not always directional, and animals can also evolve to become smaller or stay the same size over time, depending on the specific environmental pressures they face. Furthermore, evolution is a slow process that occurs over many generations, and there are many factors that can influence the size of a species, such as the availability of resources, predation pressure, and climate change.

AI says this about rats getting larger

There have been reports in the media suggesting that rats in the UK are getting larger, but the evidence for this is mixed and controversial.

Some studies have suggested that rats in urban areas may be increasing in size due to factors such as access to more food and reduced predation pressure. However, other studies have found no evidence of size increase and suggest that the average size of rats in the UK has remained relatively constant over time.

It's important to note that size variation in rats can also be influenced by a number of other factors, including genetics, environmental conditions, and disease. Additionally, different rat populations may exhibit different size trends depending on their location and specific ecological conditions.

Overall, while there may be some evidence to suggest that rats in certain areas of the UK are getting larger, it's difficult to make generalizations about the entire population without more comprehensive data.

Cold climates

Normally animals of the same species living in cold climates are larger such as the puma in North America compared to the same species in South America.

The same difference applies to the tiger. The Siberian is larger than Bengal. The Sumatran is the smallest. Evolution ensures that the bigger animals can keep warmer because of an improved mass to surface area ratio.

This is supported by prey animals also being smaller in warmer climates which feeds into the evolutionary process ensuring that predators such as the tiger is smaller too.

On that basis rats in the UK may be getting bigger to keep warmer as it enhances survival and the evolutionary process is supported by the presence of abundant food supplies because of an increased human population in the UK.

Ratters

The old idea that domestic cats are good at deterring and killing rats hardly applies today. Domestic cats are not great rat catchers. They can be intimidated by a big rat. 

They don't want to risk being injured so leave it alone. It depends on the individual cat. They may even run away from a marauding rat. Rats can be very aggressive and courageous. They are good predators themselves. They've been involved in the extinction of some species on islands.

GB's greatest rat catcher

The UK's greatest rat catching cat was a female living in and around the now non-existent White City Stadium. She is said to have killed no fewer than 12,480 rats in her life. A daily average of 5-6.

A formidable achievement which reflects the reason why the wildcat was domesticated in the first place around 10k years ago. They were utilitarian, working cats as well as companions.

Companions now

Domestic cats nowadays are almost exclusively companions and entertainers to their caregivers.

Japanese company adopted nine office cats to improve productivity

Tokyo, Japan, 2017: This is a reminder that having companion animals, either cats or dogs, in the workplace can improve productivity. Dogs are probably easier than cats but in this instance a Japanese company, Ferray Corporation, took the plunge and adopted rescue nine cats. 

Japanese company adopted nine office cats to improve productivity. Photo: Ferray Corp.

The company is office-based and provides Internet solutions. They are located in Tokyo. Before I go on, this brings to mind Apple Inc. which also allow companion dogs in a part of their huge office complex in California, America. The same reasoning applies namely that it improves the work environment. This leads to better productivity and more contented employees.

Of course, you have to have somebody or several people who take on the responsibility of looking after the cats. This is a fairly big responsibility. So there's a downside there in terms of effort. But the enlightened management in this company decided that overall the upside was greater than the downside.

The pictures show that the cats are healthy and happy. One aspect of this which is very positive is that in Tokyo there are very few landlords who allow renters of  apartments to keep pets. Perhaps this is why they have cat cafés where people can mingle with cats. There must be many people in Japan who want to live with a companion but can't because they can't afford a property and the only type of apartment they can rent prohibits the keeping of pets.

This company helps to fill that gap in their lives. That's probably partly why it is a success. The boss of the company says that he likes them there and that there has been a noticeable increase in inter-office communication. Apparently the employees talk more. I hope they talk more about work than cats! They say they feel less stressed. This is a known quality of being with domestic cats: they help reduce stress. That has been scientifically proven by the way studies.

Another potential downside is that there's lots of computer equipment in this office with cables and sometimes cats like to nibble at cables. That can be dealt with through sensible protect.

In a further cat incentivised environment, Ferray Corporation offers a bonus of $42 a month to any worker who adopts a cat while at the company. Amazing. The top man or woman must love cats and good luck to them.

Cat wearing hard hat lines up with construction workers

It is said that this relaxed cat was used as a PR exercise for the annexation of Crimea by Russia. I have no idea if it's true but it is claimed on Twitter. But was it a joke? As I said, no idea. But there has to be a story behind this cat and I can't find it. You can see that the construction workers are being interviewed by a reporter from a Russian TV station. 

It doesn't really help me much except to confirm that this is probably a Russian or Crimean ginger tabby-and-white cat (male as gingers are nearly always male). And the guys look like Russians but I could be stereotyping. The cat is probably a good luck charm for the workers who adopted him. Stray cats are good at inveigling themselves into the lives of humans so they are cared for and good for them. 

The photos were probably taken in Russia or Crimea. I favour the latter. The guy on the left is wearing a hard hat that is 3 sizes too small (at least). I cannot see how it can protect him :) !

Cat wearing hard hat with construction workers. Photo: Twitter.

Cat wearing hard hat on construction site in Russia or Crimea. Photo: Twitter.

Picture of working cats detecting dangerous microbes in baggage of visitors to Britain 1935

This is probably a fiction but it is a cute thought: working cats sniffing for dangerous microbes in baggage belonging to travellers entering Britain in 1935. True working cats but impractical. But dogs are made for this work and they do it most impressively today all over the world, detecting a range of illegal imports from money to drugs.

CLICK FOR PAGES ON WORKING CATS

Poster of working cats detecting dangerous microbes in baggage of visitors to Britain 1935. Image believed to be in the public domain.

Domestic cat prevents cobra from entering a home

Domestic cat prevents cobra from entering a home. Photo: Twitter.

Below is the tweet which says it all. It has to be said, by the way, that the wildcat ancestor of the domestic cat is very capable of dealing with a snake. Therefore, this domestic cat has inherited that skill. Although cats will recognise snakes as dangerous, they are able to confront them. Perhaps the most capable of all cat species in confronting and killing a snake is the diminutive sand cat. They feed on snakes in the desert. No problem, no fuss, they are quicker than snakes and they have a very cute face to boot!

SOME PAGES ON SNAKE BITES ON CATS

Odisha | A pet cat stood guard to prevent a cobra from entering a house in Bhubaneswar

Cat has prevented Cobra from entering inside for nearly 30 min till the Snake Helpline reached the spot. Our cat is around 1.5 years old & live with us like a family member: Sampad K Parida pic.twitter.com/dWZXTMf9V5

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2021

Cats living in greenhouses. Is it a good idea?

There's a story online today about cats living in greenhouses and it is described as something which is very good and in general terms I agree with that assessment. I love to see domestic cats in the working environment making the place more pleasant and giving it some soul. 

Oakridge Nursery & Landscaping resident cat. There are others. Photo: the nursery.

But is it a good idea because garden nurseries are full of plants (obviously)? The reason why I stress the word "plants" is because there are hundreds of plants that are poisonous to domestic cats. And, to compound the matter, some cats like to nibble plants in the same way that they like to nibble grass which, after all, is also a plant.

I'm not saying that it is automatically dangerous for a domestic cat to wander around a garden nursery, inside one of their large greenhouses as you see in the photograph. However, if I was a garden nursery owner and had a couple of working cats at the workplace, I would be anxious about their welfare. It would be a shame because I would love to have them there but I wouldn't allow it as much as for my well-being as for the cats'. I would not like to be in a state of constant low-level anxiety about the welfare of my cats. I've therefore got to come to the conclusion that it is not a great idea to have cats in greenhouses.

The story, incidentally, concerns Oakridge Nursery and Landscaping in Brandon, South Dakota. They have had cats at their workplace for many years, without problems? We are told that they weave in and out of annuals, perennials and gardening supplies. The cats are related and they are all named after plants such as Annabelle hydrangea! Great name by the way.

I am sure, too, that they amuse the customers and contribute to the profitability of the business. Working cats in stores always do. Visitors love to see them as they make the place emotionally warmer and more pleasant visit. Garden nurseries are already nice places to visit because of the smells and because they are about nature. Nature is very healing even if people don't realise it. But it is the reason why garden nurseries are pleasant places. Some people visit them just to have a coffee in the canteen!

No criticism is intended of this garden center. It looks great. I am highlighting a potential problem and in the worst-case scenario it is a serious problem.

See a page on house plants NOT poisonous to cats. And a page on the most popular house plants being poisonous to cats.

Source: Daily Paws via Yahoo.

Bodega cats make great pictures

Admittedly the photographers are pretty good but Bodega cats make great cat pictures. Why is this? Firstly, they are working cats. People like to see domestic cat earning their living sometimes. It makes them more useful. They are doing more than just entertaining and keeping a person company. Working cats are an asset and Bodega cats keep down the mice and rodent population in these corner shops of which there are about 10,000 in New York City.

Bodega cat insists on equal rights to human customers. Photo: Facebook

Although the authority in New York City which is charged with standards of  health and hygiene object mildly to their presence because they present a potential for food contamination. But I do not think that people care that much and it seems that the law is unenforced. There is a fine apparently of $300 but as I understand that there is an equal fine for the presence of rats and rodents in stores. Net result: the cats stay.

And I am sure that customers like them, at least in general. If you did a survey on whether customers liked or objected to Bodega cats I believe that you would have a 90% approval rating. They add soul to a place as a well-known author said. I am convinced that they help increase sales.

Bodega cat insists on staying on the vegetable and fruit scales. Photo: Facebook

Personally, I love them. I am a great fan and I believe in cats living in shops, libraries, storage facilities and any other suitable place where there is somebody who can take care of them. And I do not believe that there is a genuine hygiene problem. Cats live in millions of homes and they eat their food in the kitchen where there is human food. Nobody complains about food contamination inside a home.

Tortie among the tortilla chips. Photo: Facebook.

And the danger from toxoplasmosis is highly exaggerated in my view. It can be ignored. I have ignored it all my life. If you are risk-averse, female and are about to become pregnant then all you have to do is take precautions with the cat litter. Far more infections of toxoplasmosis occur because people don't wash the vegetables properly or don't cook meat properly. Direct contagion from domestic cat poop is low down on the scale. There are more important things to worry about in terms of contagious diseases.

Rescued shelter cats suited to a barn cat life

The Bangor Daily News has a nice article about barn cats and domestic cats suited to the barn cat lifestyle. It's a reminder to me that some domestic cats like the old-style way of living. And this is the old-style way of living because it's the way people related to domestic cats long ago in the past. It's a question of individual cat personality as some cats are really suited to being left alone to their own devices. All they need is veterinary care, a food source, a warm place to go to when it gets cold and some general interaction with their human caretakers but to relatively low level that are normal.

 Rescued shelter cats suited to a barn cat life. Photo in public domain.

One rescue centre in Brunswick, USA, Midcoast Humane, have a Barn Buddy programme designed specifically for these types of cats. They are cats who are shy around people and who typically prefer to live outdoors. They going to be happier, this rescue organisation believes, living in a barn or warehouse or in the backyard provided they are given food, freshwater, a place where they are protected from predators and the elements in the snug den to curl up in when it gets cold.

The rescue organisation refers to them as independent and self-sufficient loners and one hopes that they are also experts at catching mice and other rodents. They might need some patience. They certainly need kindness and over time they might learn to trust people more. Perhaps they end up coming into the home in the long term.

The point being made is that these cats, with this particular type of personality, are better suited to this way of life and I think we should remind ourselves that they exist. Perhaps sometimes (and I am guessing of course) they are pigeonholed into a full-blown domestic cat lifestyle which is unsuited to them. This may lead to them failing as a conventional domestic cat which may in turn lead to relinquishment of the cat back to a shelter where they might be euthanised as having behavioural problems.

 Rescued shelter cats suited to a barn cat life. Photo: in public domain.

Kate McHugh-Westfal of the Midcoast Humane shelter said that: "Cats are versatile workers. There are lots of different options for cats who are much happier being outside or want little or no interaction with humans."

I mentioned domestic cats with particularly independent personalities but of course this group of cats may include feral cats or semi-feral cats. Or perhaps cats who have been deemed to have behavioural problems when brought to the shelter for the first time. They are checked out for being spayed and neutered (and if not they have the op), they are vaccinated and microchipped, ready for their new life as a barn cat.

They are usually at least six months old because the shelter believes that cats younger than this can be socialised and adopted conventionally. McHugh-Westfal believes that kittens and young cats develop their feelings during the first 16 weeks of life. If you can get a feral kitten before then you can develop them to be a good indoor domestic cat.

One aspect of the Barn Buddy program is that it is turning the problem of domestic cat predation on native wildlife species on its head. Lots has been written about how to prevent cats preying on wildlife but in this instance they are working cats whose job is to prey on what humans consider to be vermin and pests. It's a particularly nice solution for that reason.

They recommend that when a barn buddy is first adopted they are placed in a large dog crate where they should live for two weeks. Then once they are let out they recognize the location as home and where their food source is. They also recommend that there should be at least two working cats together at the same time because it helps to prevent them wandering off because they have a friend. The key, they say is that they should have plenty of food and water at all times. The rest, they can deal with themselves. 

Another plus for the cats is that they can make friends with other domestic animals such as the horses and livestock. Barn cats and horse go together really well.

These cats are being loved but in a way which is best suited to them, they say. For them, being inside a home would be a bit scary and make them anxious and unhappy. Letting them live outside is the best course of action for them.

I recently wrote about a couple who, because the wife was allergic to cats, were forced to let their domestic cat live outside or his life in the backyard in the garage. It sounds sort of cruel but it actually worked out very well. You can read about that story if you like by clicking here.

Boston USA: Cats Required To Kill Rats

According to a recent Animal Planet article, Boston, USA has a huge rat population and is ranked runner-up to New York as the world's worst city for a rats. The rats have suddenly become visible. In one area, they have become noticed because of a certain ginger tabby cat called Linus who has been killing dozens of rats of late.  His human companion is Peggy Flattery.  And they live near the corner of Everett and Adamson Streets, which seems to be the hunting ground of Linus and he's having a field day.

There seems to be a need for more cats on the streets catching rats because the current rat problem has been tied to recent the development of vacant lots which appears to disturb the rat into making themselves visible causing concern amongst the authorities.

John Meany, the director of environmental services at the Inspectional Services informs us that the rat problem is a priority for the mayor.  He is concerned that property developers are not acting responsibly in ensuring that their sites are kept free of rats by treating them as if they were their homes.  He expects a higher standard from developers in the interests of public health.

Apparently, Boston's laws in respect of maintaining development sites are not strict enough with a maximum fine of about $300 a day, which I guess for a large developer is peanuts.

The solution is cats. Mr Meaney should have a chat with Linus's human companion, get some tips and then work out a strategy to place good quality rescue cats (with a pedigree of hunting skills!) at development sites to catch the rats.

However, no doubt, people will then start complaining about the nuisance caused by stray cats. However, if a development site was fenced off so that the cat or cats were confined to the site for a few days and provided the cats were well cared for during those few days we could reasonably expect the cat(s) to substantially reduce the number of rats at that location.  Let's put the rescue cats to good use like they were back in the mid 1800s (Maine Coon farm cats).
Story

Kansas Animal Shelters Looking to Place Cats In Businesses

This is an imaginative new program by the Great Plains SPCA to place shelter cats into businesses such as The Raven Bookstore in Lawrence KS. There are several things that I like about this program.

It is imaginative. It seeks new ways to save the lives of shelter cats. It is time to do this sort of thing: to think out of the box. Also,  cats placed in businesses become working cats, really, and I like it when cats become really useful. It creates a pleasant balance between the domestic cat and the person and I think this is a healthy balance because in almost all cases the domestic cat is cared for by a cat guardian. Perhaps cats like to be useful.

Another benefit of this program is that, provided the business is enlightened enough, they discover that having a cat around improves work productivity and if the business is a shop or store it improves the ambience in the outlet and customers generally welcome it.

The presence of a domestic cat totally changes the feel of a place. It makes a place calm and gives it a soul. That might be a philosophical exaggeration but I think people will understand what I am getting at. One thing for sure is that the presence of a domestic cat makes people feel better.

So we can save the lives of cats and improve the lives of people under this program. This has to be a good thing.

Obviously there are things to think about and concerns about how to make it work. Some people are allergic to cats and some people don't like cats. And the cat requires maintenance. There has to be somebody on hand to look after the cat and there has to be teamwork within the business to ensure that a cat is content, happy and well looked after in his workplace. There is, therefore, some organisation to do but like all benefits to a business there has to be some input and work to achieve those benefits and this is a case in point.

The sort of businesses that particularly suit the presence of a domestic cat are bookshops and coffee shops (the cat cafe immediately comes to mind, of course). But there are also workplaces, offices, where a cat can make employees more productive. Certainly businesses that are involved with the Internet and writing code would suit the presence of a cat, in my opinion. These are semi-unstructured workplaces. They are modern thinking workplaces and therefore should be open to the possibility of having a domestic cat joining them.

I really hope that this program does well and I would like to see lots of shelter cats, some of which will be destined for euthanasia, finding their way into local businesses. It is worth remembering, I think, that this program probably suits adult cats more than young cats because adult cats are more stable and experienced therefore more able to cope with the change of environment.