Cat News Stories Can Be Drivel

How many stories about cats have you read that are quite frankly drivel. The cat is not only vulnerable on the streets of many cities, it is also vulnerable to exploitation by news media. I think this is an extension of the celebrity cat phenomenon. It all started off with funny cat videos and LOL cats. When is it going to end?

In this instance, we have a local British newspaper called the Norwich Evening News reporting "Aylsham residents terrorised by attacking cat". It is almost as if we have been transported to the midwest of America describing a mountain lion prowling around the suburbs of some nondescript town terrorising God-fearing residents. But no. This is a small, black and white domestic cat, possibly unneutered, who spends a lot of time outside, as often happens in Britain.

We are informed that there had been two cat attacks in this sleepy town. In one, an old lady was knocked over in her back garden by this "aggressive animal" who bit her leg. The cat was probably defending himself. Domestic cats don't attack people without reason.

Helen Copperthwaite, who is 65 years of age says:

“I have seen the cat around in my garden and was amazed at how aggressive it was. It turned on me and started to hiss and growl like it was going to fight.”

The cat is described as being distinctive having white paws and white chest. This is not a distinctive domestic cat! This is a standard black-and-white cat - a tuxedo cat, in fact. Often the paws of the cat are white when the cat carries the piebald gene which is also called the white spotting gene.

I'm afraid that I agree with one of the visitors who has commented on this article in which he stated that it is drivel. It is simply the case of a newspaper that has temporarily run out of something to say and in these situations both the domestic cat and the big cat tends to pop into the minds of reporters.

In America they would probably have euthanised it for being rabid.

Business Treating Feral Cats Humanely

Cat advocates like to see businesses treating feral cats humanely even if it does place a small burden upon the business by way of an overhead.  I think there are benefits to a business who treat feral cats on their property humanely.  It is good publicity so you could argue that it is a sensible business decision as well.

In this instance, I'm talking about the Parx Casino Racetrack in Bensalem, USA.  Not only is this a racetrack for horses it is also a home for about 300 stray and feral cats. Strays, let's remember, are often wandering domestic cats.

The racetrack management were becoming concerned about their growing population because of their impact upon the business.  There were rumours that they were going to react to their presence in a way that is not untypical of many businesses: kill them.

Refreshingly, they change their mind and now they are working with the Pennsylvania SPCA and other organisations in a coordinated effort to do what we all know is the best way to treat feral cats: carry out an extensive trap-neuter-return program.

They hope to be able to trap and neuter up to 200 cats over a period of about a week. If you try and relocate them more cats will simply  replace them and if you kill them the same thing happens.  It is far more efficient to leave them where they are while preventing them from procreating.  

Over time the population simply reduces and the whole situation is managed humanely and perhaps as important is the effect that this process has on the community.  People will notice that the racetrack is behaving in a decent way.  There are many cat lovers and cat advocates who are concerned about the treatment of feral cats.

The feral cat has been at this racetrack complex since it was built. In fact, it's not the first time that trap-neuter-release has been practised in this complex because the adjoining casino had implemented the same program some years ago.

As a cat lover myself I very much like to see business behaving responsibly towards the feral cat.

Original story

Author: Michael (see horizontal menu for my details).

 

Super Cat Hug Based on the Smell of the Owner

This is a good example of a domestic cat enjoying a cuddle with his owner. I hate to say the word “owner" at any time but when watching this video it seems to be particularly inappropriate. This gentleman does not own his cat. They are simply best friends.

My assessment is that not only does this cat like to be close to his human caretaker, which as you know is very common and normal, he also likes to smell the scent of his caretaker.  It is that, in fact, which keeps in so close to his caretaker.

You can see this beautiful orange tabby cat embedding his chin into the neck of his human companion, which allows him to smell the scent from this man.

Scent plays a central role in the life of the domestic cat.  It is as important as seeing. They remember you years later by your scent.  In fact, it may be more important because the olfactory skills of the domestic cat are highly advanced - far superior to ours - whereas a cat's visual skills are less advanced than ours or perhaps it is more accurate to say that they are attuned to crepuscular activity, meaning activity at dawn and dusk and therefore attuned to dark conditions.  In that respect their eyesight is far superior to ours.

This video, for me, is all about olfactory skills and that all-important scent off the cat's companion, which in this case is a human but it could just as well be another cat or any other animal to which he or she is socialised.

Paw Project-Utah and PoC Helping a Declawed Cat

Millie

PoC, the website, works internationally. That is the nature of the internet. I am proud to say that we, at PoC, have worked with the Paw Project - the most respected anti-declaw organisation - to help a declawed cat living in America.

Mollie is a traditional type Siamese cat (actually more "applehead"). Her caretaker, Tina, was concerned about her welfare. She was unsure but wanted Mollie's forepaws X-rayed to see if there was something wrong due to the declawing operation. This is not uncommon. Research is being conducted at present on how commonly bone fragments are left in the paw and how common claw regrowth occurs after declawing.

Tina lives in American and PoC is based in London UK. PoC donates funds to charity monthly. The site has donated thousands of US dollars over the years. Tina requested financial help and we responded.

$200 was provided (by PayPal) for the X-rays. The x-ray was performed by Dr. Serena Heig at Canyon Lake Veterinary Hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota (near Millie's home). There followed a great team effort of myself, Jo Singer, Kattaddorra, Carla Kreb and veterinarian Dr Kirsten Doub and Millie was checked out. Dr Doub is a wonderful and brave advocate of the anti-declaw campaign. It takes courage to step out of line and risk being ostracised by one's peers in the interest of cat welfare.

Millie does not have bone fragments in her paws. But that is not the end of the story. Cats can be affected psychologically and as their gait is affected they can develop arthritis.

Accordingly, Dr Doub provided her advice which applies to all declawed cats. You can read her advice on this page.

Study On Cats Grooming Other Cats

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