Saturday 21st August 2004

New page about Sylvester the Cat added to the site today. Sylvester was always a favorite of mine from the Loony Tunes outfit, I much preferred him to Bugs Bunny. His thwarted attempts to catch and eat the little yellow bird were truly hilarious, and his making a complete fool of himself in front of his son, Sylvester Jr., had me in stitches. Most likely the next page that I will post will be a general cartoon cat page, that ties the pages about Felix, Tom and Sylvester, together. And then I guess I will get back to writing about serious real world cats :)

Tuesday 24th August 2004

I've put up the page on Cartoon cats I want to restrict this page to just the animated cartoon cats from the movies and leave out the TV cartoon cats, of which there have been many. The only three that I can think of are Felix, Tom and Sylvester, there must have been more than those and when this tired old brain recalls another, I'll add it to the page.

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If you have a very timid cat that doesn't take to being picked up don't force the issue, try stroking him where he likes to curl up. It will take time and patience but if you can slowly win his trust, and get him to associate your touch with pleasurable feelings, he may come to allowing you to hold him while you pet him. Some cats never overcome their nervousness enough to allow you to hold them, in which case just enjoy the pleasure of their company.

Friday 27th August 2004

It's Friday :0) and work is over for the week. Always a great feeling but even better this weekend as Monday is a public holiday here in the UK. Tomorrow I'm baby-sitting my granddaughter, that's something that I always look forward to.

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The Manx Cats page was a little long, so I've chopped it in two. The information that I've taken off of the page is about the stories and legends concerning Manx cats, I've added a bit and re-posted the information on Manx cat breed myths

Monday 30th August 2004

I really enjoyed baby-sitting my gorgeous little granddaughter on Saturday. She is so well behaved (mostly) and when put to bed goes off to sleep with no trouble (after having a story read to her, of course :0) ) The evening also presented a chance to play with Bonkers, my daughter in law's cat. There I sat, watching the Olympics on TV, with the little cat on my lap. I had been stroking her for about 20 mins. when up came her back legs to scratch at my hand, in the same instant her mouth closed around my finger ready to bite. I had been so absorbed by the athletics that I failed to notice the warning signs! See > Cat Behavior Of course, I pulled my hand away pretty sharply, Bonkers shot off, and that was the last I saw of the cat for the evening :0(

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A new article 7 Good Reasons for Playing With Your Cat. Can you guess what it's about ;o)

Thursday 2nd September 2004

Summers' going. No sooner home from work and it starts to get dark. Ah well, all good things, they say, must come to an end, but what I'd like to know is why they come to an end so soon?

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Found the following information on several sites on the 'net.

Studies have been made that prove a cat has 30% less chance of surviving a fall from the seventh floor of a building than falling from the 20th floor. The explanation given is that it takes 8 floors for the cat to realize that it is falling and make the adjustment to land on its feet!

Now, I don't know the validity of this information, but what worries me is, what do they mean by 'studies'? Did they (whoever they are) just collect reports, from vets maybe, about cats that had accidentally fallen, or did they carry out tests - I sincerely hope not!

Friday 5th September 2004

Despite what I said on Thursday about summer coming to an end, this weekend has been glorious :0) The ginger tabby that I wrote about on Tuesday July 20th was in my garden again yesterday. This time I was able to spend a little time stroking him, he accepted this for a while but must of decided that I was not a supplier of food, so with a leap and a scramble he was over the fence from where he came. I noticed that he still did not have a collar - Cat Collars at PETsMART.com

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I've added an article about photographing your pet written by Kelly Paal. Taking photos of your pet can be a difficult task, this article makes it a little easier.

Wednesday 8th September 2004

I've spilt the Main Coon Cats page in two. The information about the myths and legends now has its own page, leaving the main page for the characteristics of the Main Coon.

I've also put up a page of cat prints. Some conventional and some unusual cat art prints there, why not take a look.

Sunday 12th September 2004

A news report says a resident of Harrisburg Oregon, USA heard a kitten meowing inside a storm drain on Friday. He called City Hall and a public works crew responded. The workers tried for over two hours to coax the cat along to an exit several hundred yards away, trying without success to prod it out by pushing in a pipe-cleaning snake from another direction.

City Administrator Bruce Cleeton said the kitten must have fallen about 5 feet through a storm inlet. Finally, public works employee Don Costello devised a plan to seal off one end of the drain line and slowly fill it with water. After three hours, the frightened little kitten moved close enough to the end of the pipe for Don to get it. The 4 to 5 weeks old kitten dubbed Stormy by the rescuers, was taken to a city employee's home, door to door inquiries will be made to find its owner.

Thursday 16th September 2004

Sorry, I'm a wee bit late posting this blog entry, I've been busy with one thing and another.

No real cat news except that I am planing a page where you can post your own cat stories. You know the sort of thing, readers tales of their cats or kittens, how they came to have their cats, their cat's favorite games, unusual characteristics of their cats, etc. These sort of 'post your own stories' pages seem to be popular, I guess that folks like the opportunity to tell there tales in their own way. I have yet to figure out the best way of setting this up, so it might be a little while before it appears, but when it does I'll be sure to write about it in this blog.

Sunday 19th September 2004

The 'post your cat story' page that I mentioned on Thursday is now online. So, If you have a tale or two about your cat please do not hesitate and send it in. It could be How you came to be owned by your cat, The special characteristics of your kitten, any story at all about your special mouser :0)

Don't worry about your style of writing, just tell us about your cat in your own way. Have fun with it and run with it, I look forward to reading your cat or kitten story. Cat Story

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Also new is a short review I've written about a stunning book of cat photographs, it really is a beautiful and unusual book. You can read the review here> ABC cat

Wednesday 22nd September 2004

The very first submission to 'Your Cat Story' is now online. It is a fantastic story about Lilly, a cat who has her moments of March Madness, you can read about Lilly here Lilly of the Alley. And don't forget to submit your own Cat Story

Saturday 25th September 2004

When a cat is preparing to pounce upon its prey it swings its head from side to side, why? It seems the reason is that it helps the cat to judge the exact distance it is from the prey. If you swing your own head from side to side, you will see that objects that are close are displaced by the side to side movement. Many predators that have binocular vision use this technique.

This information was found in 'Catwatching' by Desmond Morris. You can read my review of this fascinating book here> Catwatching

Tuesday 28th September 2004

A story that has been in most of the UK newspapers this week is about Sam a seven year old tom who tips that scales at 36lbs!. This supersized moggy is five to six times the size of a normal cat, after being fed crisps, sweets and cake by his doting owner. (Doting is the word used by the papers, I'd use an entirely different word! And...

...after overfeeding the poor cat to the point that its health is very much at risk, this doting owner then hands Sam to a Cats Protection rescue center because... "he became too big for them to cope with"! Vets have put Sam on a low fat diet of chicken, fish and vegetables, and quite right too!.

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Another great cat tale has been submitted by a visitor and added to Your Cat Story. Don't forget to tell us yours > Cat Story

Saturday 21st May 2005

Here is a shocking story about 3 Pet Cats Possibly Poisoned to Death (opens new window)

To quote from the news article "The woman's lawyer says "She (his client) is horrified by the prospect that three neighborhood cats may have entered her property and inadvertently consumed noxious material.""

No implication of guilt can be implied here of course, because no one has been tried yet. But, how can you put down food mixed with anti-freeze and say the cats inadvertently consumed it?

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"Cats often devise their own sets of rules that they think we should live by, and they may be quick to chastise us if we fail to adhere to these rules!" Margaret Reister, D.V.M.

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"Always turn and look when your cat gazes behind you with that intent look in her eyes. Some day there might actually be something there." Anonymous

Monday 23rd May 2005

Did you know that our little domestic kitties are not the only members of the cat family to respond to catnip? Lions, leopards, jaguars and ocelots react to it in the same way as domestic cats, whilst the tiger, strangely, pays little attention to it.

Not all cats are responsive to the stimulating effects of catnip, approximately 2 in 10 cats will not respond. Catnip is an aphrodisiac and affects toms more than it does females. Kittens less than six months old who have not yet developed sexually are usually disinterested in catnip.

And it's not only members of the cat family that in enjoy Nepeta cataria (catnip to you and I), humans have drunk the stuff, in a form of tea, for centuries. Said to be good for a number of ailments such as relief for colds, headaches, stomachaches, fevers, and to calm menstrual cramps.

Brighten up your walls with these magnificent Black and White Cat Pictures.

Friday 27th May 2005

This weekend my son, my daughter-in-law, my two beautiful little granddaughters and Bonkers the cat, are finally on the move. Anyone who has ever bought a home in the UK will know what a long drawn out business it is.

Especially so if there is a chain involved, your selling and buying, the folks you are selling to are also selling, and so on and on. The only people that seem to benefit from all the delays and endless legal forms and stuff are the solicitors (lawyers). Still they have their new home waiting for them now and so they are very happy... and I'm very happy for them.

I'm working on a new page about traveling with a cat. The problems encountered by taking a long car trip, or airline travel, with your cat for company. It's been slow progress because it's needed a bit of research. I was sure that I'd get it finished this weekend as it's a public holiday here in the UK, we get Monday off work - yippeee!

But now that I'll be helping my son and family with their move, I'm not so sure that I will get the article finished. Come to think of it, they will be taking their cat on a longish journey to the new house. So ... I can do some first hand research ;-)

Monday 30th May 2005

Well, despite the fact that I've been helping my son pack boxes in readiness for his family's big move tomorrow, I did manage to finish the page about traveling with a cat. Traveling with a cat can be troublesome, or it can be a relatively stress free experience for both you and your kitty with these cat travel tips.

Your little bitty kitty has 230 bones in its body, while you, a great big human being have 206! - how does that work?

"As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind." - Cleveland Amory

Tuesday 2nd June 2005

My son and his family are in their nice new home. But apparently things didn't go smoothly with the move. In fact there was almost a CAT-astrophe!

The removal truck arrived late but the removal team very helpful and loaded the truck efficiently. My son, his wife, Bonkers the cat and George the chinchilla set off in their car to the new house. So too did the truck. My two granddaughters were spending the day with mother-in-law.

My son had to call into the estate agent to pick up the keys, having been told by his solicitor (lawyer) that all papers were in order and it was go,go,go for the move. The estate agent said there was a small problem, and that he couldn't hand over the keys - the vendors solicitor was claiming that there were papers still to be signed, despite the OK from my son's solicitor.

Delays and waiting around, frantic phone calls. Eventually my son was told to go to his new address and the keys would be sent later. Removal truck parked waiting. My son, his wife, Bonkers the cat and George the chinchilla parked waiting. By this time Bonkers' cat carrier needs cleaning. For reasons known only to himself my son did not clean the cat carrier in the locked car, but brought it outside to do the job. Perhaps he didn't read > cat travel tips. You can guess what happened...

Bonkers the cat shot off into a neighbor's garden. Nobody home. So, with the removal team roped in to help, they started an uninvited search of the garden. hopping all the time that their new neighbor didn't return home, not a good way to introduce yourself! No sign of the cat.

Eventually the keys turned up, and as it was now late, they had to abandon the search for Bonkers and get moved in. Just as the last piece of furniture was being carried into the house, in strolled the cat. Typical. I hope to get down to see them soon.

Handsome house cat pictures

A cat is always there when you call her, unless she has something better to do. - Bill Adler

Sunday 5th June 2005

I didn't believe this news story when I first read it. Mayhap one of the reasons for my distrust was that I read it on the Internet version of The Sun. The Sun is a very popular newspaper, but I think that even that papers biggest fan will agree that not absolutely everything it prints is 100% accurate.

So, I checked and found the same story on the BBC site.

Huggy is a cat that loves cheese. The owner of the cat must love him very much, because... he bought Huggy a piece of cheese. Not just any a piece of cheese. A very expensive piece of cheese. In fact he bid £152 ( that's about $290 US, I think) for the extra strong cheddar on a very well known Internet auction site.

Now why was a piece of mouse-trap being auctioned? Probably as a publicity stunt for the extra strong cheese which doesn't hit the shops 'til later this year. But they did not expect the stuff to go to a cat.

I can imagine the scene. " Here Huggy, such a good cat you are, and to show how much I love you I've bought you some cheese. Not just any old stuff, it was really, really expensive" Man breaks off a portion and offers it to the cat. The cat sniffs it, decides whether he will do this crazy human a favor by eating it, or not. Finally cat eats the £152 cheese, gives a non committal 'meow' and strolls off.

Here is the story> The cat that got the £152 cheese

Have you ever had a cat bite at your hand while you were stroking it? Why Does My Cat Bite My Hand When I Stroke Her?

Thursday 9th June 2005

Received an email the other day. Why do cats move their tails? the email asked, I do not have the sender's name. Here's the reply I sent...

Why do cats move their tails? Cats move their tails for lots of different reasons. The tail helps a cat to balance just right if they are jumping from a high place. A tail moving gently from side to side means the cat is happy with the world, but if the tail is quickly and violently swishing the cat is angry about something. The cat uses the tail to greet you, holds it upright and flicks the end a little. An upright tail also means the cat is feeling fine.

I could have added, and I apologies to the sender for not doing so, that cats also move their tails from side to side to mesmerize their prey. As cats cannot see the prey if it still as well as it can see it if it is moving, the tail is swished to encourage movement in the prey. And then kitty pounces.

Don't you just love Applehead cats

Sunday 12th June 2005

Reading one of the popular daily tabloids I found a story about a mysterious creature described as a cross between a cat, a monkey and a kangaroo on the loose in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. The animal was spotted three times on three different occasions, including once by the police who said it had the head of a cat and the gait of a monkey.

A more 'sober' news source says that the mysterious animal is not a member of the cat family at all, but from the 'coatimundi' family - a relative of the raccoon. Folks in the area who have lost an exotic pet are being asked to contact police. The animal is not thought to be dangerous as there have been no reports of it attacking dogs or domestic cats.

I've updated the information about the effect of chocolate upon cats on this page> Cats and Chocolate

Tuesday 14th June 2005

A Reuters news release says that RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) inspectors have cautioned two people after finding more than 350 animals in one house in Cromer, Norfolk, England. The house contained 131 dogs, 48 cats, 80 rabbits and 86 guinea pigs!

What! That's not a love of animals, that's madness! Why were the people responsible only cautioned? I'm glad to say that on Friday a woman who the RSPCA found keeping 271 pets, including cats, in her home in frightful conditions was put in jail for three months for animal cruelty. And quite right too!

Cats have fathers, they don't always know who they are, but they do have them. Those that are owned by cats have fathers, and usually know who they are. Coming up soon is the day to show how much we appreciate dad. If dad is into keeping himself nice and trim, or if he should be (like this dad!) then he could really appreciate this all-terrain bike that is on very special offer - up to June 15th, 2005, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time 30% OFF - Last Minute Father's Day Sale - Mongoose 26" Full-suspension Mountain Bike - Only $129.99

Or, maybe he'd be thrilled with a Swiss Army Knife I've always wanted one of those!

Saturday 18th June 2005

What an absolutely gorgeous day it has been here in the UK. Sunshine all day long... we don't get too many of those.

New page up on this site about caring for orphaned or abandoned kittens. Every year, thousands of caring folks rescue and adopt an orphan kitten or kittens. Orphan kitten care is not that complicated, but of course it does need commitment and patience. The reward of knowing that you helped kitty to survive must make it all worthwhile though. Orphan Kitten Care : caring for orphaned kittens.

Tuesday 20th June 2005

I've updated the kitten names page a little. If you have little kittens to choose a name for, lucky you, you may get a few ideas from that page. But please don't forget that your kitties should be spayed or neutered by the age of six months... you don't want to add to the unwanted cats problem.

I can't believe that I forgot to mention that I was able to get along to visit my son, his family and Bonkers (the runaway cat) at the weekend. What a nice house they have, lots more room than their old one in London, the girls now each have their own bedroom. Nice 'country' area with quiet roads, much better for an outdoor cat. I was really sorry to have to leave to come back here.

Friday 24th June 2005

In last Saturday's blog I mentioned that the weather was unbelievably hot (for the UK). Well things have stayed that way right through the week - up until an hour ago that is. One big rainstorm broke. It was predicted, and for once the weather report has been right. You will note of course that the rain has come just in time for the weekend.

Just before the rainstorm broke there was a ginger cat sitting on the fence in my back garden. I haven't looked but I know that cat is not there now. What creature with any sense would be, and cats have more sense than most creatures. Cats are famous for hating the rain too. Where do all the outside cats go in the rain? Yep, a lot of them will live in homes with cat flaps, but I bet not all do. Some just get kicked out (not literally, I hope) and let in at feeding time. Bet they have their little places for sheltering all sorted out.

The storm has passed now, doesn't feel any cooler though.

Which variety of Siamese cat do you prefer, the Modern or the Traditional

Monday 27th June 2005

Some little time ago I wrote about my friends Geoff and Karen and their new cat Wendy. At that time they decided to keep Wendy as an indoor cat because they live in a busy street. Well it seems that they have had a change of heart. They now feel the their cat is not happy being confined inside all the time so they installed a cat flap and encouraged Wendy to use it. They report that, so far, their mouser has should little interest in the outside world going back into the house at the earliest opportunity. I bet that changes, given a bit of time.

New page in the Cat Breeds section > Abyssinian Cats. Abyssinian cats look very much like the cats of ancient Egypt. They are an active breed known to be very devoted and loving.

Tuesday 28th June 2005

Quick posting to this blog today to draw your attention to something rather special. If you've been reading this page > Build Your Own Website and been giving it a bit of thought ... you may like to know that there is a very special summer special available from now until midnight July 5 "Summer Special" Careful, it could change your life ;-)

Friday 1st July 2005

There was quite a discussion going on at work today. It was about the merits of having a cat or a dog as a pet. Some folks fall firmly in the "it's a dog for me and nothing else" camp. Others prefer the company of cats, whilst still others don't feel the need of the companionship of a pet, or are simply not in the position to keep a pet.

Keeping either a cat or dog is great, or other pets for that matter. But why is it that some folks think that a dog is a man's pet and that cats are for women? I just don't get that. Actually, If I was in the position to do so, I have both a cat and a dog. The only thing that comes out against dogs, as I see it, is having to get on up out of bed extra early to walk the canine, and then go off to a days work. Cats you don't have to do that for, cats are nice and easy.

Don't forget that "Summer Special" that I wrote about in my last post runs out at midnight July 5th... I'm not one to say h-u-r-r-y, but...

Monday 4th July 2005

Happy Fourth of July to all the American readers of this blog, enjoy your day.

Cat calendars for 2006 are here so yesterday I completely updated the Cat Calendars page. They're all there Main Coon calendars, Ginger Cat calendars, Tabby cat calendars, Black cat and Calico Cat calendars and of course, general mouser calendars. Over the coming week I'll get to work and update the Kitten Calendar page.

Wednesday 6th July 2005

Cats are very flexible creatures. The vertebrae in a cat's spine are mainly held together by muscles and not ligaments. This allows the cat to twist and turn when chasing after prey. A cat's front legs are attached straight on to its shoulder blades this means the cat can turn its front legs and grasp its unfortunate quarry with its claws. It also means that a mouser can stalk with its belly close to the ground.

The major part of the body weight of a cat is made up of muscle, not bone, and cats are loose skinned which means they have great freedom of movement.

Saturday 9th July 2005

Thursday saw the slaughter of innocents in London by cowardly terrorists. These low life scum have brought misery and suffering to many cities in many countries. And, like those other cities, London will carry on. We shall not be bowed by them, not a bit. They shall not win.

As I said I would I've brought the Kitten Calendars page up to date and it is now featuring lots of irresistible Kitten Calendars for 2006. These calendars make such giveable gifts, just about everyone loves kittens. Why not secure your order early?

I've also been going through this site updating links to cat and kitten prints and posters that are now out of stock. Lots left to update.

Tuesday 12th July 2005

I've mentioned this site before, but not for some time now, > The Animal Rescue Site. They do so much good feeding rescue animals (including cats of course) all you have to do is click and you're helping to feed an animal. You can click once each day.

My apologies to you if you've clicked on any of the links to suppliers on this page Premium Cat Food checking through www.best-cat-art.com I discovered that the supplier I'd linked to now doesn't seem to be doing business online. Oh well, I've found a better cat food supplier anyway and changed all the links. Why not take a look, they can supply senior cat food, kitten food, dry and canned cat food etc. All top quality with many natural products.

Saturday 16th July 2005

Joy. One whole weeks holiday from work. Lots planned, a big list of things that I need to do, and things that I want to do. I bet that I only get half of the list done. Whether has been superb over the last week, hope that it holds for the coming week too.

I've put up yet another new page. This one is about Avoiding Elderly Cat Health Problems Cats can live to a ripe old age these days, and if cared for properly, can enjoy their senior years without too many health problems.

Saturday 16th July 2005

There are still some honest folks about, and some helpful ones too! On Sunday I went to pay a visit to my elderly aunt who lives in Selsey, West Sussex. Not having a car at present I traveled by train. Spent a pleasant day and caught the train home. Walking out of the station, I realized that my mobile (cell phone) was missing from its belt clip.

Back into the station. Explained the situation to the staff. Immediately they contact a station further up the line for the train to be searched, or at least the carriage I was sitting in. No luck. They took my details and gave me a number to call to see if it turns up.

Well, I thought, no hope there. If someone picked it up that would be the last I saw of it. Wrong. The next day I got a call to say my phone was at Worthing station waiting for me to collect it. It cost me half the worth of the phone for the train fare, but it is heartening that honesty can still be found.

And now onto cats. I'm working on a new article about how long cats live. Many people want to know how long they are likely to enjoy the company of their feline friend. Although there are stories of cats living to some extraordinary ages (like 30 years) these are, of course, very much the exception.

Sunday 24th July 2005

The weather has turned to typical British summer rain. I'm not complaining the weather for my week off work has been very good. Yes the week has gone by so quick, it was good to be home, back to it next week.

I've cut off a chunk of blog entries from the end of Cat Art Blog. I do that now and then, it stops the page becoming too slow to load.

Here's the page of dogs and cats together that I mentioned on thursday... Dog and cat pictures

Tuesday 26th July 2005

Did you know that domestic cats can run at up to 25 MPH? I didn't, and I wouldn't have known that by watching my Basil! (No, I'm not being cruel, I mean before he lost his leg) In fact frightened cats have been known to run up to 30 MPH. Egyptian Maus are said to be capable of running at 36 MPH! (I've not owned a car that has gone that fast) Egyptian Maus are very powerfully built cats and have long hind legs.

I've changed things a little on the Cat books page.

The page now features display boxes such as the one below. These should show relevant cat books and if a book go out of print or becomes otherwise unavailable the links are automatically changed.

Friday 29th July 2005

Can cats see in the dark? Well, not in absolute darkness they can't, but in dim light they can see better than most other mammals, and far better than humans can. A cat in the wild is nocturnal and does its hunting by night so it needs good night vision. The muscles of a cat's iris are made in such a way that they allow its eyes to narrow down to slits in bright light, and to fully open in very little light.

A cat's retina has a reflecting layer behind it called the tapetum. The tapetum increases the quantity of light that passes through the retina, and it is this that causes cats eyes to shine in the dark when a bright light plays on them. Cats are not completely colorblind, they can in fact distinguish a few colors, but not that many.

Monday 1st August 2005

It's my grandson's birthday on Sunday. I had forgotten, I'm hopeless with birthdays I always forget, a very bad habit. Anyway talking to him on the phone and trying to get ideas for a present, all I could get from him was that he would like some sort of construction set.

Now, as it happens he loves sharks. Yes sharks of all things. He loves cats too, and dogs, all animals in fact, but he's crazy about sharks. What do you know, I managed to find a construction set for a shark! He will love it, I hope.

A study by a group of scientists has found that the reason cats do not have a sweet tooth is due to a defective gene. I'd never really noticed that a cat does not like sweet things. Some cats will definitely eat chocolate - but you shouldn't give it to them. But the scientists say cats don't because of a genetic defect. Cats Lack a Sweet Tooth

Wednesday 3rd August 2005

There's a new page on the site. Is your cat pregnant? What are the signs to look for? How long does cat pregnancy last? What about your cat's appetite, how will it be affected? What can you do to prepare.... Cat Pregnancy

Friday 5th August 2005

It's tempting isn't it. You are preparing a meal for yourself and your cat is looking right at you mentally commanding you to give up a sample of your food. Just to see if it meets your cat's approval. We've all done it I'm sure. But not all human food is suitable for cats.

For one thing the food may not fulfill a cat's nutritional needs and the only thing it will do is add needless calories or be indigestible for kitty. Worse some human food can be downright dangerous for felines. Onions, for example, can make a cat very sick and is often 'hidden' in human foods (pizza for example.) And you already know about chocolate not being good for cats, don't you.

Also, you chance setting a habit, that can be very hard to break, you don't want your cat being a major annoyance when you are trying to enjoy your own food.

Tuesday 9th August 2005

I've been offered a cat... and I'm not sure what to do. My son, not the one who has just moved and whose wife has Bonkers, but the one who was divorced a little while back. Well his ex wife wants rid of 'Missy' a (very)little part Burmese cat. I have blogged about her before, she's a killer. The cat, not my son's ex wife. Squirrels, pigeons, snakes, rats, frogs, mice, you name it, Missy kills it.

My son's ex says she's had enough and that little cat has to go. My son has asked me if I'd like her. I'd love her I'm sure. But in no way is she an indoor cat. Missy has always enjoyed the freedom of the great outdoors, living as she does in the countryside. I know only too well what happens to cats that are allowed outside around here. The traffic gets them. How could I keep a cat like that indoors? On the other hand, she is not at all used to traffic, she would not last five mins. outside. The cat would see a prey, chase wherever that prey led and...

As tempted as I am, I think I'm going to have to say no.

Fri 12th August 2005

Just thought I'd let you know...

Just enter coupon code aug15off at the checkout to receive discount

Valid until Aug. 15 2005

Mon 15th August 2005

Choosing a cat. Will you choose a purebred cat or a non-pedigree? A kitten or an adult cat? A cat that is affectionate and demanding or one that is independent in its ways? Just how do you tackle choosing the right cat for you ... hopefully, this page will answer that question ... Choosing a Cat

The latest addition to the Your Cat Story section - Meet William Lambykins Pit-Woofie Slee A Cat Who Paints

Thursday 18th August 2005

I received the following message, I do not have the senders name.

A mother cat has abandoned one of her kittens. I estimate the kitten to be only 1-2 weeks old at most. It's eyes do appear to open. It is very frail. It has been abandoned 2x. Once, she left it up in the roof of my carport. I did not discover the kitten until nearly 3 days after I discovered the mother and other kittens. The 2nd time, she moved her remaining kittens and herself away and left it behind. We found it after only about 12 hours, at most (1 night).

What is our best plan of care to feed the kitten and get it some nutrition.

I could not give to much of an answer, I am not the best qualified person to give specific advice for such circumstances. Here's the reply I sent...

Hi, Thank you for your message.

For basic advice on caring for an orphaned kitten see this page: http://www.best-cat-art.com/orphan-kitten-care.html For more comprehensive advice: http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/orphans.shtml

Please do not feed her cows milk, she will need kitten formula. If you have any worries about her please contact a vet or animal rescue center. Good luck with her. All the best, Larry.

I haven't heard back so I hope that the little kitty is doing OK. It is best not to seek my advice about any concerns that you have about your cat's health. As I said above, I'm not qualified in any way. Any advice that I do have is published in the pages of this site. The very best person to seek advice from is your vet.

Sunday 21st August 2005

I started work on a page about white cats. But I got rather frustrated with it and have basically given up on the idea. You see, apart from the fact white cats coats are white due to the lack of color, the only other information I could find was about blue eyed white cats and deafness.

I searched both the Internet and cat books, and that's about all I came up with. That and information about the gene that causes some blue eyed white cats to be deaf and I could barely understand that information. Just about every page about white cats on the 'net has that information, so I thought "why bother" and decided to write a page about the Russian Blue instead. Of course this will mean more research but I hope to have the page up by the end of the week.

Don't some folks make you sick. Some folks are so low that they hardly deserve to be called human beings. What possible excuse is there for cruelty to defenseless cats. There is none. I hope whatever is coming to this low life couple is severe. Couple nabbed in cat cruelty.

Thursday 25th August 2005

New in the Your Cat and Kitten Stories section an amazing tale of how The Mounties searched for a lost cat. Glad to say that they were successful and that cat and owner were reunited > Frankie The Cat

Saturday 27th August 2005

Cats with very dense and plush coats. An aristocratic look to them, and a loving loyal personality - Russian Blue Cats

It's a holiday weekend here in the UK and that means no work on Monday. I believe that you folks on the other side of the pond have a holiday coming up soon. It's great to have a break from the 9 to 6 but unfortunately you have to go back, if you need the income that is.

One way out of that trap is to build yourself your own income producing income. And the Internet is the place where the little guy (or gal) can do just that. I don't mean those get rich quick plans and schemes that never work. What I'm talking about is building a helpful extra income, and possibly one day in the future developing your business to replace the day job.

I'm always singing the praises of Site Build It (SBI) the software I use to build my little business and at the present they have a very tempting special offer > Site Build It Special

Thursday 15th (?) September 2005

Long time no Cat Art Blog.

Why? Well I did take last weekend out for my son's wedding. This was held in the most south westerly point of England in a fasinating little place called Land's End, in the beautiful county of Cornwall. It all went splendedly well. It's my son's seconed marrage, and, of course, I wish him and his new wife all possible happiness.

But... the main reason for the lack of your favorite cat blog, or absence of any updating of Best Cat Art.com was that I decided to go Broadband. Yes, I thought it time to move into the 21st centuery. Enough of dail-up, waiting for pages to load, downloads taking for ever - and there was a nice offer if I upgraded. So I went ahead, and nightmare, nightmare, nightmare. First, so they told me, the reason I was having dificulty installing the thing was that my trusty 'puter is too old. Funny thing that there was no mention of having an up to date machine before I signed up! Back and forth to their support on the phone, and, as they had taken my dail up access away, all that time I could not get online.

Eventually - bingo! - I did get online with broadband... for about five minuets when I discoverd that I had viruses and spy ware all over my computer. This was because they advise you to turn of virus protection whilst you install. Could not get rid of it using Spybot and Norton, I was deeply infected, I had to call in an engineer and that isn't cheap! (Excuse me while I mention cats a few times, otherwise the search engines will not think this cat art blog is, in fact, about cats and kittens and things to do with cats and kittens) Now where was I? Oh yes, the engineer said that to get rid of the nasty stuff he would have to reinstall Windows. Which of your programs and files do you really need to keep? says he, putting me on the spot. Oh! this, that and definatly that, says I, forgeting about loads of impotant stuff that I've now lost. And......I still can't get the blasted broadband! Now the problem is all the fault of the telephone company (BT) acorrding to the broadband support. "We'll send you another modem" they say. Now if it's all the fault of the phone company I don't know what a replacment modem will do, and it still hasn't turned up. (Just another quick mention of cats. The world is a much better place with cats and kittens, don't you think?) To bring this saga to a close, at the moment I'm using pay as you go dial up. If you are in the UK and are tempted to sign up to Tesco Broadband, well I guess I'd better not say don't do that, I might get sued, but I certainly wouldn't if I could put back time. no, no, no! But...

...things may turn out OK in the end, and my little disaster is nothing compared to what some folks in this world have gone through lately. At least I'm fortunate that my little online busines has been chugging along nicely all the time that I've been offline.The only new something I've got up onto Best Cat Art.com is another great cat story from a visitor, and it's a wonderful one, if a little sad. A Friend Forever

Saturday 17th September 2005

I've finally done the update to Outdoor cats that I'd been planning for some time. It's not been altered drasticly, but now does not read so much like I'm saying Outdoor cats good, Indoor cats bad - at least I think it doesn't. The page is not absolutly the way I want it yet. There's a few things that I can't do untill I get my computer back to its old self.

Reciveing lots of submissions for Your Cat Story which is good ... but unfortunatly some, although great stories, are too short to publish. If only there was a little more written most would get published, and that's a shame. Wednesday 22nd September 2005

Here's a story about a cat found in Plymouth, England. The cat has an identity chip implant which shows the cat lives in the Dutch port of Den Helder more than 500 miles from Plymouth! The news article casts doubt that the cat made its own way across the English channel. But...

Den Helder is a port, lots of ships, and haven't they heard of ships cats? To be more serious the article does show how useful identity chip implants can be, and if your pet has one it's wize to keep your pet's address updated.

Dutch stray cat found in Plymouth

Saturday 24th September 2005

I haven't done much by the way of writting for best cat art.com just lately, well to be truthfull I haven't done anything. I don't know if it's a case of wrters block, or sheer lazyness. I'll snap out of it and create an article or two.

What I have done is add an article writen by Lance Winslow Animal to Animal Telepathy about the possibility of animals comunicating telepathicly, interesting. I've also tidyed up Tabby Cats

Tuesday 27th September 2005

Excuse me if I'm a little confused. Here's a news story about a Cats Theatre. Performing cats? Here in the UK, and it's the same in most parts of the world I believe, animals performing in circuses are banned. Clowns, acrobats, fire eaters et al are all still A-OK. But performing seals, elephants, chimps and of course the big cats are out, not PC.

Now, I don't agree with a lot of PC, but in this case I can see the point. It is said that it is a affront to the animals dignity to 'perform', and training sometimes involves cruelty. Fair enough. But, what is the difference betwixt animals performing in circuses and animals performing in theaters? And what is the difference between 'wild' animals performing and domestic animals performing? Beats me.

Cat Scratching Posts

Sunday 2nd October 2005

Well I think I've finally shook off my little bout of writer's block! I'm finishing off a page about 'Cat Spraying' and what you can do to prevent it. So, why haven't I finished it yet? Because there's something new with Best Cat Art and I've been busy setting it up (and playing with it).

See those little orange buttons in the top left of this page? (if you don't, please try refreshing). You've probably been seeing them on a lot of sites of late, and may know all about them. If you do, please forgive my bumbling explanation!

RSS simply means that Best Cat Art can now come to you - every time that a new page is added, every time that a page is updated, every time that an entry is made in this blog. :-) This does not mean that I don't want you to keep coming here, of course I do!

This page will explain things far better than I can Best Cat Art -RSS And now, I'm off to finish that page on 'Cat Spraying'.

Monday 3rd October 2005

Okay, it's finished, the page about cats spraying urine. I got it finished and online late yesterday afternoon. But those of you who have subscribed to my RSS Feed would know that already ;-)

Why do cats spray urine? Which cats are most likely to do it? Will female cats spray? Is there anything that you can do to combat the problem? This page will answer those questions and a few more Cat Spraying

Wednesday 5th October 2005

Just a quick update to alert you to a coupon special from Art.com

Use coupon code SAV1 to save $10 on a $30 order and SAV2 to save $20 on a $60 order. Those are good savings, and Art.com's prices are pretty keen to start with.

Offer is good until 9th October.

Is it too early to save on your holiday gift shopping?

Saturday 8th October 2005

Here's an amusing news item that reminds us that cats and dogs can often share the same living space and be the best of pals. I love the part about how the dog carries the cat around > "They do everything together" Reminds me of this article I wrote some time back > Cats and dogs the best of friends.

Here is another news item. Unfortunately this one is not so pleasant. Why do people hoard cats and other animals when they are unable to take care of them. >

Today is the last day of the special at Art.com that I wrote about on Wednesday.

Monday 10th October 2005

I've just spent the last 5 mins. reading the funniest thing that I've read in a long time. Whether this tale is true or not, and the owner of the web site thinks it highly unlikely to be true, it's funny - or do I just have a weird sense of humor? Come to think on it, (and you'll know what I'm talking about when you read the story), don't garbage disposals grind up stuff that are put into them. That is, as soon as the garbage is put into the thing? In which case the cats head would have been - yuk! GARBAGE KITTY!

This site is always worht a visit Animal Den - Animal Lovers Gift Shop What a wonderful range of cat products they carry. As you may expect they stock cat tee shirts, cat calendars etc., and not so usual cat items, such as cat clocks, cat wind chimes, coin banks, picture frames, cat jewelry, cookie jars, mugs, mouse pads, floor mats, and even cat umbrellas!

Wednesday 12th October 2005

Cats throw up. Not nice is it, but they all do it at some time or the other. Why do they do it? Hairballs? Eating too fast, or eating something they shouldn't? Could it be something serious? A new page that I've added should answer some of your questions Feline Vomiting

Find Scary Spooky FUNNY Halloween goodies at Amazon.com

Saturday 15th October 2005

Dear Prudence, was it watching you that gave me my love of cats?

Looking for information about something or the other I was surfing the 'net, when I found a page that through me back over 50 years. The page featured a lovable little kitten that I had totally forgotten about. Actually the kitten was a puppet named Prudence the Kitten.

This was one of the very early children's television programs broadcast in the UK. We did not have a television, they were fairly expensive things way back then, but my Grandmother did. I was often taken around to Granny's place to watch the very limited amount of toddler's programs. Those of you brought up in the UK all those years ago will remember Muffin the Mule (and no jokes please. :) ) Prudence the Kitten was one of Muffins friends and later went on to star in her own show with her puppet sister Primrose (who I don't remember at all.)

The photo of Prudence shown on the web page looks like a glove puppet but Muffin and his friends were string puppets, of that I'm sure. Perhaps when she had her own series Prudence morphed into a glove puppet. No that it matters, to kids they were not puppets at all, or kittens, or mules but real little friends that came to life on the wonderful new invention - television.

I apologies for my 'senior moment', nostalgia is what happens when you get older. Can't help wondering though, was it all because of Prudence the Kitten that I became a cat lover?

Cats and Halloween - Keep Your Cat Safe This Halloween Holiday

Monday 17th October 2005

Cats bring home dead things. And sometimes things that are not entirely dead. It's not very pleasant when they do that, but cats are cats. Some cats are very enthusiastic and proficient hunters. I have written in this blog about the little part Burmese cat that my son's ex-wife had. As small as it is, it hunted all manner of wild life. On the other hand my Basil was not so good at hunting (and I do mean even before he lost his leg) Doesn't mean that he didn't try, just was not very successful.

It is cruel, or seems so to us humans, but it is the feline nature. Can you stop your cat hunting? Why do cats hunt when they are well fed? Which cats are the most likely to hunt? Find the answers here > Why Does My Cat Bring Home Her Prey?

Wednesday 19th October 2005

Human beings sicken me (sometimes). Please do not click on this link to a news story if you are easily upset > Story from Daily Mirror

I've updated some of the links on this page > Black and White Cat Photography Cats photograph exceedingly well in black and white I think.

Saturday 22nd October 2005

When I was a kid growing up in the UK, which was, I admit, some time ago, Halloween wasn't celebrated. Of course we knew of Halloween and its association with witches, ghosties, black cats and pumpkins etc. but there was no 'trick or treating' or Halloween parties or that sort of thing. It could be because Halloween comes very close to another date that we did celebrate, and still very much do celebrate, November 5th. This is known as 'bonfire night' or 'Guy Falks night' To try to explain the craziness of 'bonfire night' to someone outside of the UK would be quite a task, so I'll pass on that if you don't mind :)

But over the years we seem to have caught up with celebrating Halloween. Now groups of kids go from door to door trick or treating bedecked in scary costumes and there is all sorts of Halloween stuff on sale. Halloween cakes are on sale in bakers (what are the ingredients in those!) and Halloween displays are in every shop window whether there is with All Hallows or not :)

And here's something where it is a big stretch indeed to force a connection with Halloween - The superb software that helps me to build Best Cat Art are running a Halloween Special - I don't know why, there is nothing scary about SBI, quite the reverse. It would be scary if they left you to figure out all the technical stuff but they don't, they take care of that for you and leave you to build your business.

Anyway from now until the stroke of midnight of Halloween you get a very special deal... spooky.

Monday 24th October 2005

Cats don't get mentioned as much as dogs. Someone who owns a dog is likely to say "Must get home and take the dog for a walk". You are not likely to hear a similar statement from a cat owner (some cats do get walked on a leash, of course.) So, you can know a person for some time before you find out they keep company with a cat.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people insist on thinking of cats as women's pets and dogs as men's pets, I think I may have written about this before. It seems that it is usually men that have never had the pleasure of a cat as a pet that think that way. I don't know why that is, they must have a strange perception of felines. Not that everyone has to like cats of course, there are plenty of creatures that are kept as pets that I wouldn't consider sharing my home with. Snakes for one, no way. I've never seen the attraction in keeping fish. Sure some of those tropical fish are amazing to look at, but something that just swims around in the limited confines of a tank just isn't my idea of a pet. But lots of people are very enthusiastic about their fish, and good luck to them. Now tell me, are fish manly or womanly pets? :-)

Wednesday 26th October 2005

Can this be true? I've just read that the two cool aloof Siamese cats featured in Disney's 'Lady and the Tramp' have fallen foul of the politically correct brigade! It is said that the two cats, Si and Am, have been edited out of copies of the movie by a certain distributor. Why they should be considered offensive is not clear, but one reason given is that Siam is now Thailand! Preposterous! Siam has been Thailand for a long time and Siamese cats are still Siamese cats.

I've tried a search on Google and found nothing about this, so it could be a hoax. I can't see Disney allowing a distributor to mess around with one of their classic movies in this way, unless Disney themselves thought the cats needed taking out. And then they would remove them from all copies, and I'm sure there would be something on the 'net about it.

Political correctness has caused some cat cartoon favorites to be edited though. The housekeeper often featured in Tom and Jerry is now considered to be a racist character and so her voice has been dubbed over and, in some reissue prints, a white maid has replaced her. That's a different thing though to the two Disney cats who couldn't be said to be offensive to anyone.

Cats and Halloween - Keep Your Cat Safe This Halloween Holiday

Saturday 29th October 2005

New page added about collecting cat stuff. Do you collect cat goodies? Figurines perhaps, or postcards of cats, cat calendars, anything with cats on. One lady of my acquaintance collects any items she can find with pictures of cats or kittens on them. Walk into her flat and you would be in no doubt at all that she is very fond of felines. If any of her friends goes away on vacation and fails to bring her back a little cat-related souvenir - she simply does not forgive them! Here is the page > Cat Collectibles

Halloween is almost here - and the stroke of midnight Site Build It's Special Deal says Boo! and is gone If you've been thinking about earning yourself some useful extra income . . .

Tuesday 1st November 2005

Hope that you all had a spooky Halloween and here we are in November already. Only five days until my youngest granddaughter's very first birthday, I can't believe that a year has gone since she was born. But that's a part of getting old, time passing faster and faster.

And mentioning my granddaughter helps me to bring this blog posting onto the subject of cats. I haven't mentioned Bonkers lately. That's because now that my son and his family have moved I don't see so much of them or the cat. (Just in case my son reads this blog, doubtful, I'd better say that I'm not having a moan :-) ) Come to think of it, last time that I was visiting them I can't recall seeing much of the little black cat. Probably she was keeping out of the way of all the excitement. One grandfather making a fuss of two granddaughters and catching up on all the news was probably a bit much for her. And she has all that countryside to make herself scarce in.

Friday 4th November 2005

Nice story sent in by Benya Hager about mom turning from being someone who didn't like cats that much, into a cat lover, good for mom!

I'm working on a page about feline heartworm. It used to be thought that heartworm was not a widespread problem for cats but opinions have changed. A nasty disease, not usually treatable but very preventable.

It's all bangs, whizzes and flashes here in the UK. Tomorrow is bonfire night (a.k.a. as Guy Falwks night) when the country goes crazy. Folks celebrate the occasion by lighting fires and setting off fireworks (firecrackers). It should be tomorrow by tradition, but of late the craziness starts about a week before and last about a week after! Keep all pets indoors.

Saturday 5th November 2005

The new page about feline heartworm is here> feline heartworm disease

I've mentioned this a couple of times before in this blog, and I make no apology for that - The Animal Rescue Site . Just a click from you and food is paid by site sponsors and goes to nonprofit animal welfare organizations, who use it to feed animals living in their shelters and sanctuaries. There is no cost to you and you can click every day!

Tuesday 8th November 2005

I'm writing an article about cruelty to pets, it should be online soon. It has long been known that low life that abuse helpless animals are likely to be violent to people as well. But it was quite a surprise to learn how high the percentage is. A study found that up to 40% of those that abuse pets had also committed serious acts of violence against humans. It is also true, of course, that animal abusers are cowards that take their frustrations with the world out of creatures that can't fight back.

On a more pleasant note, Christmas is coming up fast which means now is the time to snag all the gifts that you need for your friends, neighbors and work associates. What do you get them? Deciding that can sometimes be a headache. Well, if your friends are cat lovers, it is an easy task. Why not give cat gifts that remind your friends of you all year round. Cat Calendars and Kitten Calendars will always be welcomed. And whilst you are at it don't forget to order some for yourself :-)

Friday 11th November 2005

I finally finished the article on pet cruelty. I'm not entirely happy with it, I may go back to it and see if I can make some improvements.

I've had an email from someone asking why she should get her young cat spayed if it is a strictly indoor cat. The cat is not going to be let out at all because the writer lives in a very highly trafficked area and she knows that there have been some animal abductions recently. Well, the fact is that you can't be absolutely sure that your pet will not make an escape into the outside world. Cats can be very quick when they want to be. You only need your door to be open for a second or two. And if she does get out and returns home pregnant?

Spaying will deliver many other benefits too.

Sunday 13th November 2005

These days once you hit the big five-o you are referred to as 'senior'. I don't mind that, and haven't minded it in all the years since I hit 50. But I do get a little peeved when it is suggested that being a little mature is equivalent of having one foot in the grave.

My 'old' friend Alf must feel the same way about it because he is busy putting together a web site of special interest to silver haired surfers > Active Senior Citizens at SilverCitizen.com. Alf is no stranger to building good informative sites and his new one is no exception to that, SilverCitizen will grow and grow, I'm certain of that. I enjoyed his Senior Citizen Jokes page.

Animal Den offers all sorts of cat items, cat jewelry, cat tee and sweatshirts, cat coasters, cat piggy banks huh! I guess I mean money boxes, cat cookie jars, lots of cat stuff on lots of cat breeds in fact. Until December 31st you can snag yourself a 10% discount off any $50 purchase. Just use coupon code ad203 Animal Den coupon code: ad203 Discount expires 12/31/05.

Monday 14th November 2005

I came across this news item about a psychiatrist who is claming a link between cat ownership and schizophrenia. Dr. Fuller Torrey of Washington is examining whether a parasite in cat poo could be the cause of schizophrenia. He says that people that suffer with schizophrenia were more likely to have had pet cats as kids, or their mothers kept cats during their pregnancies.

The Doctor says that his wife thinks that he is going to be assassinated by cat lovers! Now, I wonder why she should think that. Here is the link to the story> update - story now offline

Thursday 17th November 2005

I was late for work this morning. Should have woke up at 05.30 but woke up at 06.15 - panic, rush rush. I hate that. Oh for the life of a cat. Did a cat ever rush for anything? Except when they want to rush, to catch prey perhaps. I hate rushing out the door and having to skip breakfast. Also I hate having to think up an excuse for being late. It's bad enough that they dock your pay, but you also have to tell them why you were late and they don't like to hear "sorry I overslept". So you have to think up something else. Cats never have to think up excuses, cats never have to answer to anyone. They don't have to do something they detest doing from 9-5 or 8-6 just to be able to eat and pay the bills. Everything is taken care of for them (for house cats that is, feral cats must have a rough time of it).

There's no doubt about it; I should have been born a cat. Food laid on, if I want more just meow plaintively and rub up against a leg. Sleep more or less when I want. Out when I want, in when I want. There's just one thing, if I were a cat I'd have been taken to the vet years ago. Perhaps I am better off as I am.

Have you done it all yet? All of your Christmas shopping that is. Now let's see, who have you forgotten? What about Aunt Mary, you must get her something she's been good to you through the years. Your friend at work, she deserves something just for being your friend. And granddad, absolutely you must not forget to get granddad a little something. Hmmm, now what do you get them? Problem solved if they are cat lovers . . . Cat Gifts
and more . .

Saturday 19th November 2005

Brrr winter! Frost everywhere in the mornings now, short days and long nights. I'm not one for the cold, in fact I hate it. You don't see so many cats out on the streets when the weather turns cold; they're definitely not silly.

If you like seafood you will love Liz's Find-A-Seafood-Recipe.com Delicious seafood recipes you would not believe. I happen to know that Liz has a cat called Enoch, I wonder if perhaps Enoch gets to be chief taster when Liz is trying out a seafood recipe :-) Find-A-Seafood-Recipe.com has a rather unusual FAQ page. It's a bit un-pc but I found it hilarious Seafood FAQ

Those of you that have been visiting this site for some time (oh come on, there must be a least one of you!) must be tired of the same questions at the Cat Quiz page . . . so here are twenty More Cat Quiz Questions

Monday 21st November 2005

There is something that I can't believe that I've not made a mention of in this blog. It's not to do with cats, so there's no reason I should write about it here, but I've been telling the whole world. It's such good news, well for me it is. It's even better news for my son Martin. You see he has just won custody of his little boy Jacob - my grandson.

Usually the courts award custody (what a horrible word) to the mother, and in most cases I guess that would be right. But not in this case it wouldn't, and I'm so, so glad that the court could see that. I know that it's the best thing for Jacob to be with his dad and his dad's new wife.

I've put up a new page about Cat Magnets. Well it's not about them but displaying a selection, some of which are quite amusing I think. The picture of the cat on the one called 'can't make me' is a masterpiece I think. That's exactly what the cat's expression conveys "Ya can't make me!"
Cat Magnets

Wednesday 23rd November 2005

I've just read an amazing cat fact. Well it says here that it's a fact but I'm keeping an open mind about it. Apparently in 1879 the town of Liege, in Belgium, started using cats, yes our familiar domestic cats, to carry bundles of letters to villages. It says that this scheme didn't last too long because the cats proved unreliable! Well that's a surprise. It's possible that it's a fact, I've read about daffier things.

Yet another case of cat hoarding on the news sites. I won't post a link to it like I usually do as the news is reported in a rather graphic way. This woman was charged with keeping more than 200 cats in her home. Not only is she awaiting sentence for cruelty and neglect, but she is also going to have to pay compensation to the Animal Welfare Society that rescued the surviving cats. And on top of that there is a claim for damages "upwards of $61,000 to $62,000" from the owner of the house she rented.

Saturday 26th November 2005

My head is not so clear this morning. I was out with friends last night enjoying a pint or three. I don't get out as often as I used to and with Christmas coming up you got to see everyone to wish them all the best for the festivities. Anyway, that was my excuse for going. The UK has just relaxed the law on serving alcohol, pubs can now stay open longer and choose the times that they are open.

This was done, says the government, to end the '11 o'clock swill' when everyone was downing one last drink before having to leave the pub at 11. Trouble was for me last night the last train back left at 11.15 so at 11 o'clock I was hurriedly downing my last pint.

There is an ancient Chinese legend that says the cat is the result of the coming together of a lioness and a monkey, the cat inheriting the characteristics of both. You can certainly see the lioness in a cat. Imagine your little kitty to be lion size, what a fearsome creature it would be, taking into account that it has been domesticated - well sort of! Monkey characteristics? Well, cats are certainly as crafty as monkeys!

Cat related gift ideas

Monday 28th November 2005

Spent the day visiting my elderly aunt yesterday. I don't get along to see her that often, about twice a year. Looking through some old family photos of hers I came across some of a cat that my aunt once had, memories came flooding back. The cat's name was Pinky on account of her pink nose (clever naming eh). The cat must have passed into cat afterlife some 15 or more years ago, and as there were a couple of photos of the cat and me when I was still quite a young man, I asked my aunt how old Pinky was when she died. My aunt answered that she was pretty sure that Pinky was around 25 years old. Could it be? Possible, but 25 would be a good age for a cat.

I also asked my aunt if she would like the company of a cat now that she is on her own. She replied that she would, but was mainly concerned that she could not afford to take care of a pet properly on her small pension. She was particularly thinking about vet bills. I did mention pet insurance to her but didn't press the point when she said even that would take some finding.

New page on the site about Cat Lover Jewelry But you will know about that page already if you are subscribed to my RSS feed. Not subscribed yet? Here's how to do it.

Thursday 1st December 2005

December! Which means that Christmas is upon us. Ah! Fantastic snow scenes, mulled wine, happy children, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, visiting friends and family, peace and goodwill to all, plumb pudding, nuts, tinsel, sleigh bells, etc.

No, I'm not about to say "Bah! Humbug" :-) I enjoy Christmas, but although it may be some of the things above it is also usually a lot of work, rush, panic even. And as for getting pushed and shoved at the shops, forget it. Do your Christmas gift shopping online (heavy hint - preferably at Best Cat Art :-) )

I've received an email form Paul. He's trying to find out the name of a cartoon cat that he remembers from years ago. I'm not sure if it is an animated cartoon or not. The cat was black and white and wore red shoes. I had a think and came up blank. Anyone know which cat this was? If you do, drop me a message and I'll pass the answer on to Paul.

Saturday 3rd December 2005

A rather old joke about cats. Sorry if you've heard it before, but it's a joke I've always liked and I don't think that I've ever told it in this blog.

Four men were telling tall tales of how clever their pet cats were. The first man happened to be an engineer and had named his cat 'T Square'. He shouted "Go!" to his cat and the feline went and sat at a desk and drew a perfect circle, a square and a triangle. The other men said that the engineers cat was indeed clever. But my cat can do better exclaimed the next man who was an accountant. He told his cat to do his stuff. The cat, who was called 'spreadsheet' went and fetched a dozen biscuits and divided them up into three piles of four biscuits each. All agreed that 'spreadsheet' was an exceptionally clever cat.

The next man, who was a chemist, said that his cat was cleverer than even 'spreadsheet'. He told his cat, who was named 'measure' to go for it. Measure took a pint of milk from the fridge, got a 10-ounce glass and poured exactly 8 ounces not spilling one drop. Again all the men agreed that the chemists cat was extremely clever. The last of the men was a government worker and said he believed his cat was cleverer than the three other cats put together. "OK coffee break" he said, "Show 'em". The government worker's cat promptly ate all the biscuits, drank all the milk, pooped on the paper, mounted all three of the other cats and claiming that he hurt his back whilst doing so, filed a report about unsafe working conditions, put in a claim for compensation and went home for the rest of the day on paid sick leave!

OK, apologies to government workers, my son is one so I'd better say that :-)

Tuesday 6th December 2005

This is nice - A good saving (25% in fact) and just in time for Christmas. . .

Art.com are giving 25% off of most of their posters and art prints. All you have to do is use the code 25off at their checkout. Offer ends December 8, 2005 11:59pm PST.

Use coupon code: 25off *Offer excludes Thomas Kinkade Limited Editions, Vintage Originals, Anniversary Collections, and Photos into Art. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts. Offer ends December 8, 2005 11:59pm PST.

Friday 9th December 2005

An art dealer who specializes in porcelain is taking a walk when he passes a cat drinking milk from a dish in a shop doorway. A quick glance at the dish confirms that it is a very old and rare piece of porcelain. The art dealer becomes very excited knowing the cat's feeding vessel is very valuable indeed but he tries to look calm as he walks into the shop. "I wonder if your cat is for sale" he says to the shopkeeper " I'm in need of a cat to rid my house of mice, and I'll offer you five pounds for it".

"Sorry" says the shopkeeper, "I'm attached to that old cat, I wouldn't part with him for under thirty pounds". The two haggle over the price and eventually a deal is struck for twenty pounds. The shopkeeper hands over the cat and the dealer casually says "You've driven a hard bargain, twenty pounds is a lot of money for an old cat, you may like to be good enough to throw in that old dish. The cat is used to it and it will save me buying a new one." "Oh, I couldn't do that" says the shopkeeper, "That's my lucky dish, I've sold fourteen cats so far this week".

Sorry, I can hear you groaning from here, but you will soon be reading far worse jokes from your Christmas crackers! :-)

I'm writing a page about the body language that cats use. It's turning into quite a long page, it's a fascinating subject, cats have many non-vocal means of communicating. I should have the page finished by tomorrow, Sunday at the latest.

Sunday 11th December 2005

It's on the site, the page about Cat Body Language. It took me quite a time to finish it, in my slow plodding way, but I sure enjoyed researching and writing it. A fascinating subject, I think, all the different ways that cats have of communicating non-vocally. Did you know that the 'meow' is basically only used by cats to 'talk' to humans? Here is the page - Cat Body Language

I was out last night, another Christmas celebration. A very good pub meal with a group of friends. There was only five of us this year, last year nine, but that's the way it goes, next year who knows. There was a much larger group in the pub who were also celebrating. Although there was much laughter and noise from the group, it seemed to be an office or works Christmas celebration, I got the impression that not all of them were having such a good time. Like some members of the party didn't much care for others of the party. Now, if I could read human body language like I can read cat body language . . . ;-)

Tuesday 13th December 2005

I've made a small change to the Tabby Cats page. There is a new picture there of Ziggy. Ziggy's photo was sent to me by Lesley of East Devon Guide. East Devon is one of the most beautiful areas of England. Rural, relaxing and unspoiled, England as it should be. If you have ever been to Devon you will have had a cream tea or three - deeeeeeelicious!

You have only to take a look at Ziggy's photo to see that he is 100% cat. And apparently he has 100% cat attitude. Lesley says that Ziggy did not used to move when someone drove on the road where he lives, you had to get out of the car and push the cat out of the way. Ziggy reluctantly moves now though, somebody drove over his tail. You cannot see the tail in the photo but Lesley assures me that it is still there.

Friday 16th December 2005

The last few Christmas cards to be written and addressed, I'll do that before the night is out and get them posted first thing in the morning. I have finally brought all the presents that I need to get (at least I don't think that I've forgotten anyone.)

I'm so lucky. Yesterday I received the best early Christmas present that I could have wished for. I jumped for joy and smiled from ear to ear. What did I get? The news that I'm to become a granddad yet again :-) Can't tell you how pleased I am.

At this time of the year Site Sell the company the company that developed Site Build It! (SBI) traditionally run a very special special.

You can read all about why I think so much of SBI here.

So just what is this very special special? From now until midnight, Dec. 25 when you buy an SBI you get a second absolutely free - yes, "Buy-1-Get-1 Free". So if you have made up your mind that the start of the New Year is when you are going to change your life - you can change somebody else's life also. Play Santa and give your free SBI site to your daughter or son, your spouse, your parents or to a friend. You can, of course, keep it and start two life changing businesses. Full details here.

Monday 19th December 2005

Spent a very pleasant afternoon with my son and grandson yesterday. They had driven up from Brighton on their Christmas visit. Jacob, my grandson, is such a bright little chap. He is seven now, where has all the time gone? "Granddad, where is your Christmas tree?" he asked. I replied that I didn't have one as I live on my own and it doesn't seem worthwhile putting one up. Whether that answer satisfied him I'm not sure. He didn't ask anymore about it but gave me a look as if to say "Scrooge!" Perhaps he was expecting me to say "Bah Humbug!"

There's a great new cat story sent in by Diane Allen about her orange tabby called Tom. Diane has also included a superb poem dedicated to Tom. That has sparked an idea. Would you like a Cat Poetry page on Best Cat Art? Is this something that You would like? Please let me know your thoughts Using this form.

Wednesday 21st December 2005

You may be familiar with the story of Guy Gibson the Second World War bomber pilot and commander of 617 Squadron who were tasked to destroy dams in the Ruhr area. The mission could not be accomplished using ordinary bombs, no matter how powerful, and it took the invention of the 'bouncing bomb' designed and developed by Barnes Wallis to do the job. Richard Todd played the part of Guy Gibson in the old black and white film The Dam Busters.

Anyhow, Guy Gibson had a cat called 'Windy' that flew with the commander on many of his operations. Gibson was killed when his Mosquito crashed whilst returning from a bombing raid on Rheydt, in the Netherlands, on 19 September 1944. It was assumed for a long time that he had been shot down, but following the discovery of the wreckage of his Mosquito, it was found that because of a faulty fuel tank selector the aircraft had simply run out of fuel. I wonder if the cat was with him.

Don't forget - Two copies of Site Build It for the price of one but only until until midnight, Dec. 25 Full details here.

Christmas Eve 2005

There is only one thing to say in this blog today . . .

. . .whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I hope that this Christmas is all that you want it to be.

and a happy Christmas to your cat also.

Monday 26th December 2005

I hope that you are feeling as well fed as I am. Not good for us, of course, all the rich food that we eat over the Christmas period, but what the heck, it's only once a year. Tomorrow I'm off to see my son and his family in East Grinstead. Looking forward to seeing my granddaughters; kids really make Christmas don't they. I expect to see Bonkers the cat too.

Just put up a new page about feline aids. Not a pleasant subject but one that cat owners should be aware of. There is no known cure for the condition but a cat who has the virus may live for quite some time and there is a lot that can be done to give the cat supportive care.

Remember the very special offer of two copies of Site Build It for the price of one? And that the offer was supposed to end at the stroke of midnight Dec. 25th? Well, just between you and I (looks around to make sure no one is listening) the offer is still on the Site Build It site . . . and going on past years they've kept the offer open until the new year. So, if you intended to take advantage and didn't get around to it here's your last chance ;-) Don't tell anyone I told you!

Thursday 29th December 2005

News story in at least one of the national daily papers here in the UK about the lame excuses people give for dumping their pets. One poor cat was kicked out of its home because it didn't match the owner's new carpet! Another claimed that their dog hurt their legs when it wagged its tail! What do these people think that animals are? Items of furniture or household objects that they can just throw away when they are fed up with looking at them? These people should be banned from ever owning a pet again. Here is the story Cat was dumped ... for not matching new carpet

I really enjoyed my visit to see my son and his family on Monday. The two girls were up to their eyes in presents and not knowing which to play with first. Little Rebecca is fast growing out of the baby stage now and getting quite competitive. If Samantha, her sister gets a cuddle then Rebecca demands one too and then of course Samantha demands another one :-)

We took the girls to the local park for a play and Bonkers the cat followed us along the street for quite away, he didn't do that when my son live near here. My son says that often when he goes to work at 06.30 Bonkers will follow, except of course, when the weather is bad.

New Years Eve 2005

Here we are again at the close of a year. I do hope that 2005 has been a good one for you, that there have been more good times than bad times.

Are you celebrating tonight? If so enjoy yourself, but if you are going out to see the New Year in and are likely to have a drink or two, then please let someone who hasn't been drinking do the driving. Lecture over.

Let's look forward to 2006 and all the promise that it holds. Whatever dreams and hopes you have for the coming year I hope that you fulfill them.

I have hopes for 2006 for best-cat-art.com, lots of content planned.

Monday 2nd Jan 2006

How does your cat react to catnip? Does he or she go crazy at just one sniff of the stuff, or does your cat show no interest in it whatsoever? It's hereditary, either the reaction to catnip is in your cats genes or it isn't. Hmmm, getting high on a herb, dashing about in rapturous abandonment could that be dangerous for your kitty? Here's a page that hopes to answer that question - The Catnip Effect

Here's a story about an orange tabby cat that knew exactly what to do when his owner got in difficulties - Sorry, news story no longer online.

That story was kindly brought to my attention by Lesley of East Devon Guide. As a matter of fact I've just enjoyed a rather tasty meal using a recipe from Lesley's Cider Recipes Page "Drunken Chicken" is the name of the dish and you could not ask for something easier to cook - even I made a success of it!

Friday 6th Jan 2006

Saw a sticker in a car's rear window yesterday that read 'Cats Give Life', simply that and the information that the sticker was issued by the Cat's Protection League. I don't think it is part of a current campaign by the league. It sure got me thinking though, what do they mean by 'Cats Give Life'?

After rubbing my two brain cells together long enough to produce heat I'm guessing they mean that cats are good for you, as are most pets. As infuriatingly independent as they can be, they still are company, usually great company, and a whole lot better than coming home to an empty house. But it's not just those of us that, for one reason or another do not live with other humans, some of us that live with more humans than we can shake a stick at also keep cats.

There are multitudinous (always wanted to use that word) reasons to keep a pet, and a cat in particular. It's fun, it's rewarding, it's company and keeping a cat is good for you! I could be wrong of course, the Cat's Protection League may mean something entirely different by 'Cats Give Life', if they do, I haven't figured it out.

Sunday 8th Jan 2006

For some time this page > Cat Questions has been on this site with no answers given. OK, here are the Answers to Cat Questions

Go on, say something! What's the matter, the cat got your tongue? I know, or think I know, the origin of several old sayings involving cats, but I haven't a clue as to where 'cat got your tongue?' came from. So surfing the 'net I go to try and find out. Well, tough as it may be, somebody has to do these things. But . . .

. . . I didn't find a definite answer. What I did find is a variety of theories. A very popular explanation is that a Middle Eastern ruler used to cut out the tongues of those that told him fibs and feed his cat with them. Another theory is that sailors talking too loudly or shouting were given the cat-o-nine-tails as an incentive to be quiet.

Yet another reason given is that mothers used to tell boisterous children that if they did not learn to be silent a cat would bite off their tongue when they were asleep. One explanation is too obscene to repeat in this blog. However, according to one site the expression is not that old. It says that the earliest written example of the phrase listed in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1911.

Wednesday 11th Jan 2006

Surfing around Best Cat Art.com I took a look at this page Cat Poster Bargains. Somehow I hadn't visited that page in a long time, that's bad because the page contained many links to posters that were no longer in stock. I'm sorry about that and will try harder to keep links up to date.

Naturally I've replaced all the links to cat posters that are in stock. There is some nice art there at affordable prices. Cat Poster Bargains.

Saturday 14th Jan 2006

Here I was sat in front of this computer wanting to write something to post to this blog, but my mind more or less a blank. I have added a new page, and will write about that, but I wanted something more to write about and as 'cats' are the subject of this site it would be best if our feline friends came into it somehow. . . but nothing. I tried searching the news sites for anything interesting about cats. There are, sadly, the usual news items about pet cruelty and items about cat shows etc., but nothing inspired my tired old brain.

Giving up on the task, for the time being, I made myself a coffee. Idly sipping the beverage and staring out the window I saw a young fellow who, by the orange florescent bag slung over his shoulder, was obviously a 'paperboy' bending over the front garden wall of a house about five along from mine. "What's he up to?" I thought. Before long it became apparent that he was stroking a cat. This interaction betwixt man and beast went on for a minute or so when the boy straightened and began to walk off, looking over his shoulder at the cat as he went.

The cat however, a tabby with a faded ginger coat that I have seen around a bit, had not had enough. 'Ginger' jumped up onto the wall and did what it took to re-gain the attention of the human 'sucker'. It worked, of course. And so it went on, wall after wall down the street. The paperboy stroking the cat, stopping and starting to move off, the cat then running a little ahead of him, leaping on a wall and getting more attention. I've got a feeling that some folks around here got their paper delivered a little late this morning ;-)

That new page? Cat Cards. Need to post a message to a cat loving friend, what could be better than a cat note card.

Monday 16th Jan 2006

I stopped watching television at home some time back. The thing is in the corner gathering dust. Two reasons - there is nothing but junk shown, and I don't have the capability of watching what I want to watch and then switching the thing off. But there is a television in our mess room at work, and I do watch that on my coffee breaks. Yes, this is leading to something about cats, or rather a cat.

There was a program on this morning called 'Beat the Bailiff' about people badly in dept. The subject was a youngish man who had got himself in deep by maxing out 10 (count 'em) credit cards! The presenter figuring out how much he owed worked out that there was no way that he could prevent the bailiffs coming round to reclaim goods. They then went on a tour of his house totaling up the value of his stuff. He had furniture worth so much, clothes worth so much etc. etc. He also had a beautiful green-eyed Bengal cat, which he said he paid a breeder a tidy sum for. He did have a smart motor car but the presenter said that the bailiffs would not be able to take that because he needed it to get to work.

Things were then set up so the man could watch the bailiffs at work on a TV monitor. The bailiffs arrived and it only took them a few moments to break into his house. What was the first thing that they re-claimed? The television? The CD player? The furniture? You've guessed it, the cat! They just popped the poor feline in a cat carrier and took it.

Now this man was irresponsible to get himself in so much debt, he'd no one to blame for his troubles but himself. But his cat is not an article like a TV set; it's a pet. In this case a somewhat valuable pet, but a pet just the same. Would they have taken the cat if it had been a moggy? Of course not. I did not have time to watch the program further so I don't know what other of his possessions they took, but to take his cat was out of order, I think.

Thursday 19th Jan 2006

If you are English you will know the story of Dick Whittington and his cat. This is a tale of a country lad who believes the streets of London are 'paved with gold', so he makes his way there hoping to make his fortune. Arriving in the city he finds paid work but is treated so badly he eventually runs back to the country now believing that, far from being paved with gold the streets are paved with sorrow.

Before reaching his home however he hears the bells of Bow church ringing and they seem to be saying "Turn again Whittington, thrice mayor of London". So the young man turns on his heels and heads back to London. On his way he gains the companionship of a rather clever cat, and this cat helps Dick to both make his fortune and become Lord Mayor of London.

Over the centuries the tale got mixed up with a tale from Europe called "Puss in Boots" about a talking cat. The tale of Dick Whittington and his cat also became a 'pantomime'. If you don't know what a pantomime is it's a rather strange play, on the surface for children but also on another level for adults. Most of us in England know the story of Dick Whittington but not so many realize that there was a real Richard Whittington who as a boy came to London to make his fortune, ran off, returned and ended up a very rich merchant. Richard Whittington was appointed Lord Mayor not three times, but four times!

In his will 'Dick' left 'the poor of London' a tidy sum. This money was used to build several almshouses, and the first ever public toilets in London which became known as 'Whittington's Longhouse'. To spoil the tale a little there is no record of Richard Whittington ever owning a cat. But . . . he was buried at St Michael Paternoster Royal, a charming Christopher Wren church. This church suffered bomb damage during world war two and when repairs were carried out, along side Richard Whittington's tomb were discovered the carefully buried remains of a . . . cat.

There's an amazing new cat story sent in by Rick Fulton about a cat called Star, you won't want to miss this > Wondering Star

Sunday 22nd Jan 2006

I've revised the Cat Declawing page somewhat. In April 2003 West Hollywood became the first place anywhere in the USA to outlaw the declawing of cats. I was saddened to learn that the ban has been overturned by the Los Angeles Superior Court. It seems that to ban, what I consider to be, this cruel and unnecessary practice infringes the rights of veterinarians who are licensed to perform the procedure.

I don't give a 'balanced' view on the declawing page, I can see only one view and that is that to cut off a cat's toes at the first joint (which is what declawing involves) is inhumane. And that it is a needless procedure - there are many things that can be done to stop a cat scratching without painful amputation. Don't Declaw.

Tuesday 24th Jan 2006

Read a little something yesterday, a saying that I have not encountered before - "If a cat sneezes it is sure to rain soon", the saying was said to be Scottish in origin. You probably have heard the saying "If a cat washes its face over the ear, it is a sign the weather will be clear." These two got me searching on the 'net for more cat and weather proverbs and myths. In medieval times cats were thought to be able to predict a flood. If a cat jumped up onto a high shelf folks predicted that high water was on its way.

In Eastern Europe it was once believed that during thunderstorms an evil spirit took possession of cats, and that lightning bolts were the angels' method of forcing the evil out of the possessed cats. In Iceland it was believed that if a cat laid down with its paws stretched out in front of it then bad storms were on the way. Sailors, seeing a cat chasing its tail said the cat was stirring up a wind. In Japan, tortoise shell cats were once believed to be able to forewarn of a storm.

So it seems that at one time or another our feline friends were thought to be regular little barometers. I know one thing, if it's rough outside a cat has the sense to be inside.

Friday 27th Jan 2006

I did have some cat stuff to write about all planned out (in my head anyway) but that can wait. I've had my attention drawn to something that I'm quite horrified about. It doesn't involve domestic cats, thank goodness, but it does involve animals.

I thought that hunting for animal trophies was a thing of the past. Waste baskets made from elephants legs, deer antlers mounted on walls and the like. To kill a living creature just for so called 'trophies' such as these can not be justified. I was shocked to learn that this sort of thing does still go on and in the USA no less. Now I'm not an American and you might say that as a foreigner it is not my business, but I am an 'animal lover' and as such deplore the practice. Not that my own country can claim to be entirely animal friendly.

Even more shocking is the fact that apparently 'hunters' can get tax breaks for shooting defenseless animals for pleasure. I use the word hunters loosely because I read that these animals are often shot in cages or enclosures, they don't stand a chance.

Anyway I'll give you the URL of a page that has all the scandalous details. You will find a petition there. Stop tax breaks for shooting animals in fenced enclosures