Digging out a young cat from a bombed out building in Gaza

This video is both amazing and incredibly sad at the same time. The young cat's cries are heartbreaking. It's nice to see this Gazan man digging out a young red-and-white bicolour random-bred cat from an entirely bombed out building in Gaza. His head just protruding through the rubble. It is horrible to see.

It must have been one of those buildings that was shelled or bombed by the Israelis. We don't know how many people were killed in the building if any at all. All we know is that this cat survived and was uncovered and rescued by this unknown man.

If you watch it to the end, you will see what I believe to be the kitten's mother chasing after her offspring as she/he races away from his rescuer.

My next thought is this: what will happen next to this cat? Life will be incredibly hard. When will the next bomb strike? Will he or she survive much longer?

RELATED: What do cat lovers think about the Gaza vs Israel conflict? This was published in 2014 during a previous Gaza war!

In a normal situation, the rescuer would have placed the cat in a carrier and taken the carrier to a veterinarian for a checkup. And then taken the cat to rescue center. Or adopted the cat or rehomed the cat. Something like that but on this occasion the cat just runs off to face the incredible uncertainties of the near future in Gaza.

Like I said it's amazing and great to see because the man rescued and saved the life of this young cat but it is probable that he does not have much of a life left which is very depressing.

RELATED: Banksy, the graffiti artist, highlights destruction of Gaza with a kitten.

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Note: please forgive any typos. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Saving a young cat from a bombed building in Gaza during the 2023 war

Banish depression by doing hot yoga and living with a cat companion

I have deliberately joined two ways to banish depression because I think together anybody who feels depressed or has been diagnosed with depression should wage a war on that mental condition and what better way to do that than owning a loving cat companion and participating in two hot yoga sessions per week?

Studies have confirmed that companion animals can alleviate depression particularly cats as it happens in one study. Another study recently published found that hot yoga can significantly reduce symptoms of severe depression. This is based upon a clinical trial.

Hot yoga

In nice to know that we have scientists stating that regular Bikram yoga classes, in which the participants pose in yoga positions in humid temperatures of 40°C, are an effective treatment option that can help to put depressed people into remission.

The clinical trial was led by Massachusetts Gen Hospital. They recruited 80 adults all of whom were suffering from moderate to severe depression. They were divided randomly into two groups.

The first group attended 90-minute hot yoga sessions twice a week while the others went on a waiting list.

After eight weeks, 44% of those who participated in Bikram saw big improvements in their depression symptoms to the point where they were no longer classed as depressed. This compared very favourably with only 6% of the control group who felt less depressed.

They assessed the depression using a standard assessment to call the Inventory of Depressive Symptomology Scale.

As mentioned, the participants attended two classes a week but even attending one class per week will help reduce depression, the scientists concluded.

The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Maren Nyer, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the trial said: "Yoga and heat-based interventions could potentially change the course of treatment for patients with depression by providing a non-medication-based approach. We are currently developing new studies with the goal of determining the specific contributions of each element, heat and yoga."

Cat companion

You will find many studies on the way that a cat companion can help alleviate depression in their caregiver. And you will find even more anecdotal stories which supports this conclusion. Many people find comfort in the companionship of domestic cats. They say that they have a positive impact on their mental well-being.

The effectiveness will depend upon the person. Obviously, you've got to like cats and you've got to be able to relate to your domestic cat companion because the closer the bond the more effective the "treatment" is.

Interacting with cats can provide emotional support. The caregiver receives unconditional companionship and love.

And the act of petting a cat has been shown to release endorphins. These are hormones which promote feelings of happiness, contentment and relaxation. 

The famous cat purr is a healer of bones and a panacea for the troubled mind.

And having a cat around the home can help instil rhythms and routines in both the cat and the caregiver which helps to stabilise home life.

And looking after a cat can instil a sense of purpose and responsibility in a person who needs structure in their lives. I'm referring here to retired people. They no longer have their work to help structure their lives. This can lead to a loss of purpose and depression.

Obviously, living with a domestic cat can help alleviate loneliness and loneliness can lead to depression.

But domestic cats are only one aspect of how to tackle depression albeit a major one as far as I'm concerned. There are no substitute for professional help if an individual feels they need it.

Drugs a last resort

But personally, I would regard drug treatments as a last resort. The preference would be to try both the above first because they are non-drug interventions which are far healthier.

All drugs are essentially poisons which means they have side effects. It is far better to deal with these problems, if one can, through non-chemical intervention. You don't want to alter your brain chemistry artificially if you can help it.

Bikram yoga

Bikram Yoga is a way to connect mind and body through breath, movement and sweat!

I would like to tell you what Abby McLachlan says about Bikram yoga. She is the founder of East of Eden, which is a yoga/Pilates and meditation studio in east London. Bikram Choudhury started the trend for hot yoga when he increased the heat of yoga studios in Japan in the 1970s to try to replicate Indian heat.

Abby states that: "Since the pandemic I've seen a rise in popularity for classes and work outs that people can easily replicate at home. Hot yoga very much falls into this category. We heat to 37°C, add high humidity through the use of humidifiers, and use aromatherapy scents to coloured lighting to enhance the experience. There are many benefits to practising yoga in a hot room. 

The heat increases the flexibility of your muscles, which can increase your range of motion and reduce the risk of injury. Your muscles also work harder, making standing postures and balances more challenging, but ultimately more beneficial. 

You might also detoxify in hot yoga through sweating more, and improve your circulation through better blood flow. You also find that your heart works harder in the heat giving you an enhanced cardiovascular workout"

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Please forgive any typos. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Flat-faced Persians bought for social media 'likes' are being abandoned

The title comes from The Telegraph which I can't read because you have to subscribe nowadays to this online newspaper. This, by the way, is a growing trend. The online newspapers simply aren't making enough money through advertising but I don't think people will subscribe to them in sufficient numbers.

Anyway, I digress because I know what The Telegraph is talking about even though I cannot read their article. It's a well-known phenomenon actually.

RSPCA campaign against the flat-faced Persian in which they tell the truth about the breed. Image: RSPCA.

The RSPCA can provide some information. They say that there has been a rise in Persian cats being abandoned to them between 2018 and 2022. 

On Facebook, the RSPCA state that: "Worryingly, there's been a 92% increase in Persian cats coming into our care in the last four years as the popularity of this flat-faced breed continues to rise. These cats are often seen as being cute because of their features, but in reality, they can suffer from: breathing difficulties, eye problems, difficulty sleeping."

They actually suffer from more problems than that such as PKD - polycystic kidney disease (35% of the Persian cats apparently suffer from this disease). And they have tear duct overflow which means the tear ducts are distorted and so tears do not drain away from the eyes but the liquid spills over down the front of the face where they face become stained.

It's a well-known problem that you have to clean the face of a Persian cat regularly. A number of celebrities in the UK have adopted Persian cats. Also, in India you will find that high-profile female celebrities like the Persian cat. In fact, in India, the Persian cat is perhaps the most popular cat breed together with the Siamese. These are very long-standing cat breeds and India has a young, emerging cat fancy and therefore they prefer the old breeds.

Punch-face Persian.

Indians living in India call the flat-based Persian a "punch-face Persian" in recognition of the fact that it looks as though somebody has punched in the face. It is an objectionable label sadly.

For example, in the UK, Kate Beckinsale, is obsessed with her Persian cats, Clive and Willow. They accompany her on her Instagram pages. Taylor Swift has not adopted a Persian cat.

In September 2012, Kim Kardashian adopted a Persian kitten. Although Taylor Swift has not adopted a Persian cat, preferring to select the Ragdoll and Scottish fold, she has promoted the concept of buying exotic domestic cat breeds which I think has encouraged others to do likewise to help create successful social media accounts such as on TikTok and Instagram.

Taylor Swift has, I believe, the highest number of followers on social media of anybody on the planet.

RELATED: Flat-faced Persian cat can’t eat conventionally because the food goes all over their face.

But when a person adopts a flat faced Persian in order to post pictures of them on social media, they will find out about the responsibility that they've taken on in looking after Persian cat which is at a slightly added level to normal. 

They will also find out that it is very hard to acquire lots of followers on social media and have a successful social media webpage. Nearly all of them fail.

So, when they have failed in their attempt to become social media stars, the Persian that they acquired no longer serves their purpose so they abandon the cat to the RSPCA. That, I believe, is the story. It is a great shame because the Persian cat is being used as a means to try and generate social media fame which a lot of people crave. It doesn't work actually unless you are Taylor Swift but then people follow her because of her love because of cats.

Separately, you will find that other well-known cat breeds are also used to try and generate fame for their owner, vicariously. The Maine Coon is a typical example. This is currently a very popular cat breed and because of their size they look very impressive in photographs. 

You will see many TikTok and Instagram accounts in which the account holder shows off her Maine Coon cat and how they develop from kittens to giants. The same objective is being followed for the owner of these cats: to achieve social media fame through their cat.

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Please forgive any typos. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I can't spend long on them as they are not seen by a lot of people nowadays! Sad but true.

People care less about their cats than they do about their dogs

If, like me, you are a cat lover and caregiver, it is rather depressing to think that, in general, cat owners care less for their cats than dog owners care for their dogs but the difference depends on cultural attitudes which in turn depends on the country where you live.

To be honest, I've known this for a long time. Many years ago, I looked up what American citizens spent on veterinary services on their cats and dogs. I went to the AVMA website and in quite a shocking revelation, I noticed that dog owners spend a lot more on their dogs then cat owners spent on their cats in terms of veterinary care. This showed a marked difference in emotional connection between people and their pets as this had little to do with disposable income. Although money is no doubt a factor.

And now we have a quite profound study, an important study, published online which compares cat owners and dog owners and their emotional connection with their companion animals.

In essence, they concluded that cat owners really do care less about their cats than dog owners care about their dogs. Although there is a cultural difference depending upon where you live. In this survey they looked at cat and dog owners living in Britain, Denmark and Austria.

They used for different methods of measuring cat and dog owners' concern about caring for their companion animals:

1. The Lexington attachment to pets scale (LAPS). This is a well-known test for measuring the emotional connection between owners and their pets.
2. Whether owners had taken out a pet health insurance policy.
3. How willing were owners to pay for life-saving treatment?
4. And the expectation of owners as to veterinary diagnostic and treatment options.

The difference between dog and cat owners was greatest in Denmark. Austria was in the middle in terms of treating cats and dogs differently and there was the least difference between dog and cat owners' attitude towards caring for their pets in the UK.

More dogs and cats were insured in all three countries but there was the least difference in the UK in this respect. The difference was much greater in Denmark.

In terms of expensive life-saving treatment, more dog owners than cat owners were willing to spend over a certain amount in all three countries. However, the difference was most pronounced in Denmark compared to the United Kingdom. The researchers felt that this criteria revealed a clear difference in concern for the welfare of cats and dogs.

In Denmark and Austria, dog owners expected more veterinary treatment options to be available than cat owners. But the difference was not noticeable in this respect in the UK.

The researchers concluded that in all three countries, "people care more about their dogs than their cats but with a clear cross-country variation and a very modest difference in the United Kingdom. Therefore, it does not seem to be a universal phenomenon that people care much less about their cats than their dogs.".

What they're saying there is that there is a clear difference between how people care for their dogs compared to their cats; the former getting better treatment than the latter but this difference in caregiving depends upon cultural attitudes in different countries and in Denmark there was the greatest difference whereas in the UK there was the smallest difference.

My personal opinion as to why people care for dogs better than they do cats is because the dog is a pack animal and they look to their owner as the alpha leader for guidance. This helps to generate a better connection between owner and companion animal. And with that better connection on an emotional level the person is more likely to spend more money on their pet because the emotional bond can be greater.

Conversely, the domestic cat is seen as independent which by the way is a misguided myth in large part, and therefore there is less of a close connection in many homes between owner and cat. This leads to the belief that the domestic cat can be left alone to live their lives and come into the life of their owner as and when they need to. This automatically leads to less caregiving and therefore less expenditure in terms of veterinary care.

There are misconceptions about both dogs and cats. For example, the media: books, movies and advertisements and online adverts et cetera can stereotype the dog as being loyal, affectionate and in need of care and attention. They are a "man's best friend". Conversely, cats are sometimes depicted as aloof, independent or less in need of human companionship. This may portray the concept that they require less care.

Domestic cats can lift your spirits and make you smile

This cat has a charming way of responding to their caregiver's loving greeting. Take a look:

So, what can we say about domestic cats lifting your spirits? It happens all the time. Just their presence lifts the spirit by preventing loneliness creeping in if you live alone as I do.

And many other people living alone rely on their cat to help balance their lives. It is very easy to become despondent when you live alone if you don't have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. 

Interacting with your cat is vital. This charming cat responds in a way that I have not seen before. So charming. Both her body language and her sweet voice.

You can see that I have decided that she is female. She has female written all over her as far as I am concerned.

Here are some more thoughts about how a domestic cat can prevent despondency and lift your spirits

Companionship

I mention this above but let me add a few pointers. Domestic cats can be incredibly affectionate as we see in the video. People who don't know cats should understand that they are sentient beings with emotions and their own personalities. Once again, I refer to the video. This charming female cat responds to a loving greeting in her particular and very special way. And just having her there, nearby, can bring a sense of comfort and connection. She made me smile. Cats can do that.

Emotional support

Cats do have a calming presence and they can sometimes sense when their owner is feeling down or stressed. They may come up to you under those circumstances and sit on your lap and start interacting with you. You'll see videos of that on the Internet too. And simply stroking a cat can lift your mood because it can release endorphins in your brain to which you can add the purring sound of your cat which is known to be beneficial to one's health.

It's about the resonance and the frequencies of the cat purr which can help to heal a person.

Playfulness and entertainment

Cats are curious and playful. You can play with your cat. You can occupy yourself in this nice pastime. Both of you will like it. It's cool way to distract one away from any despondency or loneliness that you might be suffering from. And cats entertain their owners when they play because they can be quite funny.

Mindfulness and relaxation.

Simply watching your cat grooming themselves or jumping up onto their cat tree can be calming and a mindful experience. Looking at your cat being relaxed and comfortable can make you feel better as well. That's because you created the environment in which your cat can feel like this. You can pat yourself on the back.

Unconditional love

A lot has been spoken of the domestic cat's unconditional love. It is quite distinct from human love in this respect. They don't expect anything in return. There are no games. There are no conditions. It's a very simple, raw and fundamental connection which is quite special. This could have a positive impact on your emotional well-being. And they have a non-judgemental nature which can be great to create a safe and comforting environment.