Cat Forum: The Eyes Have It

August 5, 2023 | cat9984

Greetings fellow cats and human companions. As you are aware, cats come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and patterns. But one thing that we all have in common is our beautiful eyes. While our ability to see in the dark has been exaggerated, our eyes are pretty amazing.

Cat Eye Watering & Squinting | Cordova Vet

To start with, we have a third eyelid. It sits at the inside corner of the eye. It contains part of the tear gland and produces a lot of tear “film.” The third eyelid assists with keeping your eyes lubricated and healthy. For example, if you get a little dirt in your eye, the tear film helps tears move across the eye to get rid of the irritation. The third eyelid also helps protects your eyes when you’re moving through grass or hunting prey.

Ever Wonder Why Your Cat's Eyes Glow In Pictures?

We also have something called a “tapetum lucidum.” That’s a special reflective structure at the back of our eyes. It’s a little like having a mirror reflect light back onto the retina. If you’ve ever noticed that your eyes glow in certain light, that’s thanks to the tapetum lucidum. It also lets us see better in dim light than the humans can. However, even cats can’t see in total darkness.

Why Cats Have Vertical Pupils | Live Science

Our pupils contract into slits, rather than staying round like the humans. We have a greater variation in pupil size which allows us to see better in the dark. They probably give us better depth perception too.

Cat's eyes matter... - Imgflip

The humans say that we see fewer colors than they do. We have some sensors (cones) in our retinas that process color. But we don’t have as many or the same variety as the humans. We can’t tell red from green. But we can differentiate blues and yellows. Guess that’s why we do so much by smell.

Grey cat with blue eyes by Top Wallpapers

Cats have a variety of eye colors. The DNA we get from our moms and dads determines what color we end up with. The more melanin you get from your parents, the darker your fur will be. It doesn’t really affect eye color. That is determined by pigmentation and blue refraction which are both determined by genetics. Typically, purebred cats have the purest colors. (But not necessarily the prettiest eyes.)

The Cutest Cats With Heterochromia — And Why They Have It

There are a wide variety of color options (the breeds shown are examples, not an exhaustive list):

Yellow/Amber/Brown – Usually found in Bengals, American Shorthairs, Manx, British Shorthairs, LaPerm, Bombay, Sphinx, and Norwegian Forest Cats. Brown eyes may contain a tinge of green, orange, or yellow or be flecked with color.
Hazel (green/golden yellow) – Found in wild cats in temperate climates, especially lynx and bobcats. They are also found in Abyssinian, Bengal, Singapura, Cornish Rex, and Scottish Fold cats.
Green – Found in the Egyptian Mau and Russian Blue. Some cats with green eyes have gold or yellow specks in them.
Aqua/Blue – A pure white cat will almost certainly have blue eyes. The dominant white gene (the epistatic gene) overrules all other color codes. These cats do not have melanin in their irises; the blue eyes are the result of light reflecting off the edge of the iris. Blue eyes are also found in a variety of other cats.
Orange/Copper – Found in Japanese Bobtail, Maine Coon, Persian, Cornish Rex, and Chartreux cats. The color seems to have been bred into existence by cat fanciers. Copper is the darkest color seen in cat eyes.
Blue/Pink/Lilac – These colors are seen in albino cats
Heterochromia – Eyes of two different colors. (Our human brother has this.) One eye is usually blue, while the other is green, hazel, yellow, or orange.
Dichromatic – One iris contains two colors. It’s because cats have varying amounts of melanin in various spots of the iris.

We talk with our eyes. Here are some ways that we communicate with our eyes:

“Smiling” Eyes – When we’re happy, sometimes we close our eyes half-way and relax.
Slow Blink – We think everyone knows that the slow blink is our way of saying “I love you.” Humans even try to initiate it with their cats. Hint: close your eyes slowly, then open them while looking at your human.
Staring – A long, steady stare without blinking is a power move. It is a way of establishing dominance.
Alert Eyes – When our eyes are wide with dilated pupils, we are ready to go. We’re either excited about something or have some extra energy to get rid of.
Wide Eyes – If our eyes are wide and our bodies are tense, something is wrong. We’re either startled or getting ready for a confrontation. Other signs are a fluffed tail and laid-back ears. If you’re petting us, we’re probably overstimulated and it’s time to stop.
Narrow Eyes – When our eyes narrow, we are not happy. And it’s almost time to fight.

Beautiful Eyes – Viral Cats Blog

The most important thing your human can do for your eyes is to stay alert. Pay attention to any changes in your eyes (e.g., squinting, consistent protrusion of the third eyelid, discharge, swelling), and take you to the vet if they notice anything. Otherwise, our eyes are pretty low-maintenance.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Snoops: A Day in the Life

July 22, 2023 | cat9984

Hello Everyone. It’s me, Snoops. Since Kommando Kitty and Sgt Stripes have been writing posts, I thought you might be interested in learning a little bit more about me. After all, I am senior cat and chief defender of hearth and home around here. I am head mouser and Kommando’s protector. Here’s what my average day looks like:

Early Morning

Long before it’s light, I’m up and on the job. The early hours are the prime time for mousing around here. The best place to find them is the pantry. They love the chocolate chips and nuts that Mom keeps for baking. She finally got smart and started putting those things in plastic containers, but the mice still hang around that part of the pantry. I also need to patrol the study and dining room on a daily basis.

I usually leave the mice for Mom and Human Brother (HB). They are TERRIBLE hunters. They think it’s a sign of affection, but I really am trying to keep them from starving. Kommando is also bad at hunting; she thinks mice are toys. Everyone once in a while, I’ll snack on one, but the food is pretty good here.

Morning

Eventually, I hear Mom moving around upstairs. I am not pleased that I no longer have full run of the house. I wish they would finish training Sgt Stripes. The last time he got downstairs, I had to bop him on the head to keep him in line. He runs around like he owns the place.

After what seems like forever, she finally comes downstairs. I jump on the table for morning cuddles then wait for breakfast. She found some new food, that is better than I expected. We’d been eating the old stuff for YEARS and were so bored. Then I join her at the breakfast table for more pets and cuddles before work. She’s pretty well trained. Sometimes I have to share the space with Kommando Kitty. Luckily HB is usually there and can do some of the cuddles.

Right before Mom leaves for work, we get treats. Kommando is really pushy, so she always gets hers first. That’s okay, because she only eats them part of the time. So I get double treats a lot of the time. Sometimes HB leaves after Mom, but he works really weird hours so it seems like he’s around a lot.

Days

HB usually goes upstairs after Mom leaves. So I sometimes chase Kommando around a little bit, but most of the time I settle in for a nice nap. This time of year is great because there are a lot of sun puddles. It hasn’t been really hot in Michigan, so it is very pleasant.

Eventually HB comes back downstairs. Usually to work in the kitchen. Mom says he’s a really good cook, but I’m not sure I agree. Once in a while, he makes tuna and shares with us. That’s really pawsome. But most of the time, his food is revolting. Lots of beans and non-meat stuff. If he does make chicken or fish, you usually can’t find it because of the other stuff he mixes in. I always have to supervise; I keep hoping he’s going to surprise us.

Sometimes HB cleans. That’s not much fun. He’s really loud and moves stuff all over. I have to watch my tail. And his feet. He has almost stepped on me. On the bright side, he usually finds missing toys. I don’t really like to supervise cleaning. I usually look for a place to hide. If he doesn’t vacuum, I can nap or play with Kommando. She’s a good sister – not great – but good.

Days are usually a combination of snacking, napping, bird/wildlife watching, playing with or without Kommando, and supervising the human.

Evenings

Mom gets home around dinner time. Since HB cooks, we wait at the table with her. We help her read email and respond to messages. I don’t know how she’d get anything done without us. Between the three of us (Mom, Kommando, and me), we take up the whole side of the table.

We usually hang around while they eat. I’m not sure why. Like I said, most of the food is barely edible. But I don’t want to take a chance on missing something. Every once in a while, there’s a baked fish in the middle of all of the beans and greens. And chicken shows up fairly often. Besides, they’d be lonely without us.

After dinner, we all hang out in the living room. I usually sit with HB, and Kommando sits with Mom. The humans read or do computer stuff. Sometimes they watch TV. I don’t really like TV, but it does leave their hands free for petting. I usually nap for a while.

Nights

After they go upstairs, I’ll nap for a while longer. Then it’s snack time again. Then more napping before it’s time to wake up for another day.

Kommando Kitty’s Absolutely Awful Gotcha Day

July 15, 2023 | cat9984

Greetings. It’s Kommando Kitty here, and I am not a happy cat. As some of you may recall, Mom has never been good about birthdays/ Gotcha Days. The previous cats were given “birthdays” based on her best guess. She forgot to do that for us. She is not very organized about some things. We forgave her because we get special treats every weekend to make up for not having our own “special” days.

But when Sgt Stripes came to live with us, it happened on his “neuter” day, which was September 9. (Get it – 9/9/22? Even Mom can’t forget that.) So she tried to reconstruct the dates for Snoops and me. (With some help from our human sister who has a memory like an elephant. Her brain is full of useless stuff that comes in handy once in a while.) Best guess is Snoops is June 28 (too bad we already missed it), and mine is July 13 (found out just in time).

When Mom went upstairs on the 12th, she said I would get special treats in the morning. Yummy! But it was only a couple of hours later when the unthinkable happened: Sgt Stripes came bopping down the stairs!

You may recall that we have the house divided between him upstairs and us ladies downstairs. Mom and our human brother have not been doing a very good job of teaching him manners, so he still thinks I’m a toy. It works out okay. Snoops and I like to have our quiet time, and he thinks everything is a game.

He came down and started looking around. As soon as I saw him, I took off for the study. There’s lots of stuff to hide behind in there. He chased me in there, but then he got bored when I wouldn’t come out. It was a REALLY LONG night.

Snoops here. Kommando is right. It was a terrible night. I tried to just ignore him, but he wouldn’t leave me alone. I tried hissing at him. We went around in a circle a few times, but no fight. Finally, I decided to go to sleep behind the sofa. Luckily, he didn’t see where I went.

I had just settled in when I realized that I couldn’t sleep. What if he attacked Kommando? The last time he was out, Sgt Stripes thought she was acting like prey, (truthfully, she was.) and he thought it was a game. The only way I could get him to let her go was to jump on his back. Our human brother broke that up, so I don’t know who would have won. (I think it would have been me.)

It’s me, Sgt Stripes. I don’t understand what the big fuss is all about. My human brother went downstairs, and he left the door slightly open. I just happened to walk past and noticed it. I haven’t been downstairs in a long time, and I was curious. I don’t know what happened to my human brother. The next thing I knew, I was locked downstairs for the night.

I wasn’t trying to scare the lady cats. But Kommando is really jumpy. And she really does look like prey when she hunkers down. I didn’t mean to scare her; it was just instinct. But she really does a good job hiding. I couldn’t find her for the rest of the night. I finally gave up. I wouldn’t have minding playing with Snoops, but she has kind of a mean streak. She kept hissing at me. It was a pretty disappointing night. I ended up hanging out, waiting for the humans to wake up. Finally, my human brother took me back up. I guess Mom was pretty worried when I was nowhere to be found.

It’s Kommando again. For the record, it is terrifying having a big ball of fur come running at you from across the room. Someone needs to teach him some manners. I was so traumatized, I didn’t even eat my Gotcha Day treats. And now I have to wait an entire year. Maybe I can talk Mom into giving me something special.

(We almost forgot. Kommando’s Gotcha Day is also our WP blogoversary. Happy 10 years – or 8 years since the cats took over.)

Thunder Katt Presents: The Treacherous Thunder Tails

July 8, 2023 | cat9984

Greetings friends and your non furry servants! It’s Thunder here. Michigan has been awful to live in lately. It’s had lots and lots of loud sky booms- between the fireworks and the storms, my sisters and I have been quivering messes! (Despite my name, I detest thunderstorms. My name comes from my strong verbal skills). I’ve written a piece based on a combination of “The Three Little Pigs” and “Goldilocks”. Please enjoy!

The sky was blue and the sun was shining. It was a purrfect day to go out and play. Roco, Carrie and Lloyd were taking advantage of the abundance of sunspots and the warm breeze to chase mousies, pounce on rustling leaves, and lounge for naps. Things were going great, when all of the sudden…

Roco: “Do you hear that? What’s that low rumbling in the distance”?

Carrie: “I don’t know, but our sun is going away, too”.

Lloyd: “This stinks. I really wanted my fur to get orange highlights. Being brown all the time is so boring”.

Carrie: “Well, let’s wait and see. Maybe it’s just a blip in the weather”.

As soon as Carrie said that, rain began to fall.

Roco: “Ugh! I’m getting wet! Now my tail is going to be all fluffy and my humans are going to make stupid comments”.

Lloyd: “I see some places that look like decent shelter up ahead. Let’s see if we can find a suitable place to hide out for this travesty”.

Carrie: “Sounds good. Hopefully they have food. I’m starving. I haven’t eaten in 45 minutes”.

Roco: “I wouldn’t mind some food. And a nice soft spot to curl up for a nap. I’m overdue by at least 10 minutes”.

Carrie: “Okay, so a good nap spot and food. Lloyd, do you have any requests”?

Lloyd: “No, I just don’t want to get drenched. Let’s go!”

The three cats skittered off towards the sheltered area. When they got there, they discovered some sort of campground with tents. They were very excited. Just as they got to the campground a loud clap of thunder came. All three jumped in terror.

Carrie saw a large blue tent. She could smell fish coming from the tent.

Carrie: “Let’s go in here! It smells delicious. And this loud sky is going to attack us, I just know it is!”

Roco: “I don’t know, Carrie, what about that small brown tent a few feet over? It looks cozy. I bet there are great nap spots there. And yours smells weird. Like fish but mixed with that stuff humans use to smell better, deodorant I think it’s called? What if the humans in there are mean and get mad at you?”

Carrie: “Don’t be ridiculous, Roco. Yours looks tiny. I don’t need you crowding in and twitching your fluffy tail in my face”.

Lloyd: “Both of those seem like bad options. What about that tent off in the distance? It seems large enough for all of us, and I smell something delicious- catnip, maybe- coming from there. So we’ll get cat friendly people, ample napping spots, food, and shelter. It’s a win-win.”

Carrie: “NO! That’s too far to walk. We’re going with my choice, and that’s final!”

Lloyd: “Carrie, despite your- ambitious- shall we say, personality, you don’t get to always be in charge. I have an idea. Instead of standing here and arguing, all while getting rained on, why don’t we each go to our selected spot? If one doesn’t work out, we can join the others. But I’m not getting wet, and I’m sick of fighting!

Roco: “Sounds good to me. Just know, I’m not going to be moving once I get my prime napping spot.”

Carrie: “Harrumph. Fine. But when you come slinking back to me, remember that I am not sharing any of my food with you!”

Lloyd: “That’s fine. Let’s split”.

Carrie, Roco, and Lloyd split up. Carrie starts to try to paw her way into her selected tent when another thunderclap happens. She jumps and hisses.

Carrie: “Come on, tent! Unzip so I can get in!” Just then, the tent unzipped. Looking back at her was a very unhappy looking human.

Mean Human: “What do you want, cat? Shoo, go away. We don’t need mangy strays with us”.

With that, the human closed the tent. Carrie hung her head and walked away sadly.

Carrie: “Grumpy old man. I hope his fish tastes like water and not actual fish”.

Carrie meets up with Roco at his tent.

Roco: “Well, look at what the cat dragged in. What happened, no fish?”

Carrie: “Stop talking and let me in. I don’t want to talk about it.

Roco: “Well, here is no good, either. The humans let me in, but they’d had their blankets out for a picnic, and they got soaked. I may as well have tried to nap in a mud puddle.”

Carrie: “Oh, that’s awful! Well, let’s go find Lloyd. I doubt he’s had better luck. But we can all be miserable together”.

Just then, more thunder sounded. Carrie and Roco fluffed their tails and ran.

Carrie: “Ugh, this thunder is going to make my furs turn gray! I hope it’s almost done!”

Roco: “Me, too. Oh look, there’s Lloyd’s tent. But I don’t see Lloyd. I hope he’s okay.”

Roco and Carrie run up to the tent and start meowing desperately. Pretty quickly, a kind looking woman opens the tent.

Nice Human: “Oh, hello there kitties! You guys look soaked- and you must be terrified . I think I have one of your buddies; why don’t you come in and wait out this storm?”

Grateful, Carrie and Roco run inside. They spot Lloyd in the corner, curled up and licking his lips.

Lloyd: “Hey guys! What happened to your tents?”

Carrie: “It was awful! The human was mean, and wouldn’t share his fish!”

Roco: “Mine was soaked inside and out. It was unpleasant, at best”.

Lloyd: “Oh no, that stinks. Well, we lucked out here. This person loves cats! She shared her chicken with me, and said I can stay as long as I would like. And look, she’s bringing you some food, too”.

Carrie perked up. “Oooh, food! I’m definitely staying!”

Roco: “And I can get my nap! This place is pawsome!”

Lloyd: “I am glad you think so. Not to brag, but… I told you so!”

Carrie, Roco, and Lloyd hang out for the next few hours while the thunder and rain pass. On their way back to their humans…

Carrie: “Well, today was… Interesting. Let’s not repeat”.

Roco: “Yeah, I just got my tail fluff down.”

Lloyd: “Maybe next time, we should just run home and be protected by our humans from the storm. But for now, I’m going to go home and play with my favorite Mousie toy. See you later!”

Charlemagne T Persian, Grill Master – Part 2

July 1, 2023 | cat9984

Will Those Holiday Leftovers Poison Your Cat? - CatGazette

Where we are: Charlemagne (Charlie) received a grill for Father’s Day and loves using it. He’s impressed family and friends with his skill on fish and burgers. Now he’s looking for a new challenge. He has invited several people over for a new experience: grilled turkey. His wife Maggie isn’t sure it’s a good idea. You can read Part 1 here.

Tommy: Dad! Can I help you with the turkey?

Charlie: Sure! First thing, I need to figure out how to get it on the grill. I had no idea they got so big.

Tommy: That thing is huge! It’s almost as big as you are.

Charlie: I know. They looked a lot smaller in the pictures.

21-step Guide On How To Cook With Cats | Bored Panda

Tommy: I thought up a slogan for you: “The thrill is in the grill.”

Charlie: I like it! Maybe I’ll get that on an apron.

Celeste: Daddy, are you making a butterfly turkey or a regular turkey?

Tommy: Why would he make a turkey out of butterflies? That sounds disgusting!

Celeste: You don’t make it out of butterflies. That’s just what you call it when you cut it up before you put it on the grill.

Charlie: Where did you hear about that?

Dont Show Your Cat on Twitter: "little chef https://t.co/k5lGH40Wrw" / Twitter

Celeste: Angelina at school. Her brother is a gourmet chef, so she thinks she knows everything. She says it’s the only way to cook a turkey on a grill.

Charlie: Hmm. Never heard of it.

Maggie: I’m not sure I trust you with a large knife.

Charlie: Please. I’m a pure-bred cat. I can handle a knife. Celeste, find me the instructions for a butterfly turkey.

Celeste (looking on her phone): It says it’s called spatchcocking. It looks kind of complicated.

Tommy: Maybe we should just drag the whole thing over and dump it on the grill.

Charlie: Why should we do this spatching thing?

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Celeste: The video says it takes less time to cook and it cooks more evenly.

Maggie: Less time on the grill is appealing. Didn’t you say it was going to take hours? You’ll never get the smell out of your fur.

Tommy: Smelling like a smoked turkey would be amazing!

Celeste: Eww!

They all watched the video with Celeste.

Maggie: I don’t think this is a good idea. Look at all that cutting.

Charlie was enthralled.

Charlie: I’m doing it. That looks amazing. I can be a gourmet grill-cat.

Before my mom leaves the house, she sets up the kindle so the cat can watch bird videos in bed. : r/aww

Maggie: You’re an executive at a software company. Kitties love your chase games. You don’t need to be a grill-cat.

Charlie: This is going to be amazing. Tommy, let’s get the bird. I have to get started.

Maggie and Celeste decided it would be a good time to sun-bathe. They heard the sound of the turkey being dragged across the kitchen followed by a large “plop!” as they headed outside.

Charlie: You’re in charge of the social media, Tommy. I want all of this recorded. It’s gonna be impressive.

Tommy: You got it, Dad. We can edit it later.

Splitting the turkey was a lot more work than Charlie anticipated. Because he had to hold the knife between his paws, it was a long series of stabs. Finally he thought it was ready.

Charlie: Okay, Tommy. I’m going to grab one side and you grab the other. On the count of three, pull hard.

They put their paws into the cuts and pulled back. Nothing happened.

Felt cute... Might kill my owner later : r/cats

Charlie: Guess I need a few more cuts.

He stabbed the turkey a few more times before they tried pulling again. Still nothing. Charlie was getting annoyed. He started stabbing harder.

Charlie: Let’s try again.

They braced themselves and pulled as hard as they could. Finally they heard a cracking. Before they realized what was happening, they were both on the floor with the turkey in pieces.

Tommy: I think we pulled too hard.

Charlie: They didn’t mention that happening in the video.

Cat falling off the couch fangies! : r/fangies

Tommy: What should we do?

Charlie: I guess we can just grill the pieces. It should take even less time this way.

Tommy: Excellent!

They cleaned up the mess and were getting ready to take the turkey out to the grill when Maggie and Celeste walked in.

Maggie: My cats! What happened to you two? You look like you’ve been in a cat fight!

Tommy: The turkey was pretty feisty, but we managed it.

Maggie: You need to get cleaned up before the guests get here. I don’t want to be embarrassed by everyone thinking you were beat up by a turkey.

Cat Chillin' in a Grill Like the Boss of All Bosses [IMAGE]

They put the turkey on the grill and then bathed. By the time the guests arrived, the turkey was beginning to smell delicious. Finally, it was time to eat.

Nana Cat: That smells delicious, Charlemagne.

Benji: Have to admit, brother. I didn’t think you’d pull it off.

Charlie: Everyone, have a seat and I’ll serve the turkey.

He slid the turkey onto a platter and brought it to the table.

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Monica: That’s the strangest looking turkey I’ve ever seen. How did you prepare it?

Benji: That’s because you get yours in a can.

Tommy: It’s called spatchcocking.

Celeste: He butterflied it.

Benji: It looks more like he stepped on it.

Charlie: Just a slight issue with the knife. It’s ultra-butterflied.

Tommy: We’re going to call it Turkey Charlemagne.

It was delicious. But the video got lost somewhere along the line. Charlemagne is trying to talk Maggie into letting him buy another turkey.

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images

Charlemagne T Persian, Grill Master

June 24, 2023 | cat9984

Dont Show Your Cat on Twitter: "my boy can work a grill https://t.co/KBUtdyLghu" / Twitter

Mama Cat rushed in from work. It had been a long day. She wondered why she didn’t smell dinner.

Mama Cat: Celeste, where’s Daddy? He’s supposed to be making dinner tonight.

Celeste: He’s out back on the patio.

Mama Cat: What’s he doing out there? Isn’t he going to cook?

Celeste: He wants to try out his Father’s Day gift.

Mama Cat: Seriously? Tonight?

Celeste: He’s really excited. Tommy’s out there with him.

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Mama Cat shook her head. Her husband, Charlemagne (or Charlie), had asked for a grill for Father’s Day. She thought he was crazy, but the kids wanted to get it for him. She had never heard of a cat grilling, but he seemed thrilled when he opened it. She walked out the back door.

Mama Cat: Charlie! You’re not really going to use that thing are you?

Tommy: Hi, Mom! Dad’s almost ready to start. Wanna watch?

Mama Cat watched her large, fluffy husband as he added the last of the charcoal to the grill. He was usually so elegant, but now his paws were covered in soot.

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Charlie: Hi, Maggie! You’re just in time! I’m getting ready to fire it up!

Maggie: I’m not sure that’s a good idea. What if your fur catches fire? I don’t think cats were meant to grill.

Charlie: Didn’t you watch any of the videos I sent you on CatView? It’s the hottest thing with all the hipster cats. I think I’m the first one in our neighborhood. It’s going to be legendary!

Maggie: If you don’t set yourself on fire.

Tommy: He’s not going to set himself on fire, Mom. He’s got one of those long, lighter things to start the fire.

Charlie: OK, everyone. Stand back. Here I go.

cat cooking barbecue | Funny animals, Funny animal pictures, Funny cat pictures

He held the flame to the charcoal. There was a “whoosh” sound, and a large flame.

Maggie: Charlemagne! Was it supposed to do that?

Charlie: Calm down, Maggie! I might have used a little too much starter fluid, but it stayed in the grill. Now we just have to wait for it to burn down to coals so I can cook the fish.

He pointed at a couple of salmon steaks he had prepared in a flat basket.

Charlie: All I have to do is put the basket on the coals and turn it over a couple of times to cook the fish. It’s going to be great!

Maggie wasn’t sure.

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Maggie: All right. What do you have to go with the fish?

Charlie: Go with it? Like what?

Maggie: Maybe some kind of side dish?

Charlie: It’s barbecue. It’s all about the meat.

Tommy: Or fish.

Charlie: Yeah. The fish.

Maggie went back in the house to wait with Celeste. Before long, they were in with the fish.

Celeste: Daddy, this is yummy!

Tommy: Yeah. It’s great.

Maggie: I admit, it does taste good.

Charlie: See? The grill was a great idea.

Maggie sniffed.

Maggie: What’s that smell?

Charlie: What smell?

Sniffing Kitty - Love Meow

Celeste: It kinda smells like something’s still cooking. It’s smoky.

Charlie: I don’t know. I don’t smell anything.

Maggie: That’s because it’s you. The smoke got in your fur. Your beautiful thick fur is full of smoke.

Charlie: Well, that’s a small price to pay for that great fish. Right, kids?

Celeste and Tommy nodded. They really liked the fish.

Tommy: Can you grill some more tomorrow?

Maggie: I’m not going to sleep next to you if you’re going to smell like smoked fish.

Charlie: Fine. I’ll go sit outside until it blows out of my fur. But I love my new grill, and I’m going to keep using it.

Charlie practiced with his grill for the next few weeks and was getting really good with it. Some of the other cats in the neighborhood started to comment on the wonderful smells coming out of his backyard.

Charlie: Hey, Maggie. I think we should have a party for the neighbors. I want to show off my new skills.

Maggie: I guess we could do that. How many fish do you think we’ll need?

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Charlie: I don’t want to do fish. I think I’m ready for something a little bigger.

Maggie: What did you have in mind?

Charlie: I saw a guy grilling a turkey. I want to try that.

Maggie: I don’t think that’s a good idea for a party. You’ve only been doing this a few weeks. You’re really good at fish and burgers. Let’s do that.

Charlie: No. I want a turkey.

Maggie: Charlemagne, that sounds really hard.

Charlie: I have the video. How hard can it be?

Next week: Charlemagne learns that grilling a turkey is different than grilling a fish.

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Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Cat Forum: Cats and Sunscreen

May 27, 2023 | cat9984

Kommando Kitty here, You may not know this, but May 27th is National Sunscreen Day in the US. Why should you care about this human celebration? (I guess it’s a celebration. They gave it a day. But I haven’t seen any ads for it on Amazon, so I don’t think it’s a real holiday.) Believe it or not, even with our fur coats, we can get sunburned. (So can doggos, for those of you with multi-species households.)

As your human probably knows, one of the real dangers from too much sun is skin cancer. And cats are susceptible to something called Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). It’s a skin cancer caused by sunlight damage. Human scientists have determined that white cats (like me) are 13 times more likely to develop SCC than darker-colored cats (like Snoops). Ginger cats are pretty susceptible too. Our skin is lighter colored than other cats. And the older we get, the more at risk we are because it develops slowly (over a period of months or years.)

The most common spots to get SCC are the ear tips, nose, and eyelids. (We can get frostbite those places too.) If you spend a lot of time in the sun, make sure your human keeps an eye out for crusty patches that look like a wound or scratch, but doesn’t heal quickly. An affected kitty can get it in more than one of those places, but it usually doesn’t spread to the rest of the body.

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It’s a lot better to prevent SCC than to cure it. It has to be removed surgically by cutting or using radiotherapy. As an indoor cat, I’m not at much risk. But we’re going to talk about what you outdoor kitties can do to lessen your risk.

How to Keep your Cat Cool in Summer & Hot Weather | Medivet

The first thing is pretty obvious. If possible, don’t spend a lot of time in the sun during the hottest parts of the day. Find a sheltered, shady spot to hang out. (Most of you are smart enough to do that anyway.) You may want to stay in the house for the middle of the day.

I Can Has Cheezburger? - sunscreen - Funny Animals Online - Cheezburger

If you need to be out in the sunlight, you need to have your human buy you some sunscreen. They need to buy pet-safe sunscreen, not that glop they use that smells like coconuts. Even the stuff that’s good for human babies shouldn’t be used on kitties. We’re delicate. The thing about sunscreen is that it’s supposed to go on you, not in you. It’s important to let it dry and not lick it off while it’s still wet. (Don’t lick it off your human either; you will get sick. Think vomiting and diarrhea.)

Why Do Cats Move Their Ears Around? - Catster

Sunscreen SHOULD NOT be used on the eyelids or nose. It SHOULD be used on the ears and above the nose. Have your human apply a thin layer of sunscreen to both sides (inside and outside) of your ears and above you nose. Smart humans will try to distract you afterwards with play or treats while the sunscreen is drying. Smart humans will also be very gentle while applying sunscreen. As I said, we’re delicate. It will get easier for all involved after the first couple of times.

Kitty Clues: 8 Signs That Your Cat Might be Sick - Cat Healthy

If you think you or a loved one may have skin cancer, here is what to look for:

Scabs
Small, black, crusty patches of skin
Weepy, raw looking skin
Red, raised areas of skin
Non-healing wounds or ulcerated areas
Unusual-looking patches of skin that look worse in the summer and improve somewhat in the winter

Remember: Cats with skin cancer, more often than not, have more than one patch of it.

10 Tips for productive medical appointments | Doctor cat, Cats, Funny friday memes

If you have any questions about whether a sunscreen is safe for you, talk to your vet. They are usually really smart humans. Also talk to them if you have any of the signs of cancer. It’s pretty easy to treat if they catch it early,

Enjoy a happy, healthy summer!

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

The Cats’ Mother’s Day Dilemma

May 13, 2023 | cat9984

Snoops here. We decided we should invite the new guy into our planning for Mother’s Day. It may not have been my best idea.

Snoops: Sgt Stripes, you wanna get in on our gift for Mom on Sunday?

Sgt Stripes: What’s on Sunday?

Snoops: The humans celebrate something called Mother’s Day.

Sgt Stripes: She’s not my mother.

Snoops: Yes, she is. She adopted you.

Sgt Stripes: What does that mean?

Snoops: She brought you in and let you stay here. She made you a member of the family.

Sgt Stripes: She’s not my mother. I am a cat. My mother was a cat.

Kommando: We know that. That’s why she’s your adopted Mom. She takes care of you now.

Sgt Stripes: I thought you said it was Mother’s Day.

Cute Photos of Cats and Kittens | POPSUGAR Pets

Snoops: It is. Once she adopted you, she’s your Mom.

Sgt Stripes: Oh. Is that why I had to get her a Christmas present?

Kommando: You don’t HAVE to do it. Don’t you want to do something nice for her?

Sgt Stripes: I guess so. The kibble is really good here. And I didn’t have to go out in the snow this year. That’s probably worth something. What are you getting her?

Snoops: We haven’t decided yet.

Cat and mouse - 9GAG

Sgt Stripes: We should get her something good. How about a mouse?

Snoops: I tried that before. She doesn’t really like them.

Sgt Stripes: But they’re yummy. And fun to play with.

Snoops: She said thank you, then threw it away.

Sgt Stripes: How rude.

Snoops: I thought so. Now I give them to our human brother. He seems a little more appreciative.

Lolcats - mothers day - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words

Kommando: How about a bouquet of fish?

Snoops: There’s no such thing.

Kommando: Are you sure?

Snoops: Pretty sure. I think they only put flowers in bouquets.

Kommando: What a waste. It would be delicious. Flowers really don’t taste very good.

Snoops: I think the humans only look at them. They don’t eat them.

Sgt Stripes: We should get her something she likes. What does she like to do?

Kommando: She likes to sleep.

Sgt Stripes: We could get her a blanket. I really like the blanket she gave me.

Snoops: She already has some of those. We need something unique.

Kommando: She likes to work in the yard.

Sgt Stripes: Let’s get her a mole. It could dig holes for her garden.

Kommando: Where do we get one of those?

Sgt Stripes: I’m pretty sure there are some in the back yard. At least there were last summer.

Snoops: I guess that’s a possibility. But I think if she wanted one of those, she would have brought it inside instead of you.

Sgt Stripes: Oh. I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe you’re right.

Kommando: Maybe we could get her some yarn. Then she could make us a blanket.

Sgt Stripes: I like that idea! And yarn is fun to play with too.

Snoops: It’s supposed to be for her, remember? She’s seemed kinda stressed out lately. Maybe she needs something to help her relax.

Kommando: I thought cats were naturally relaxing.

Sgt Stripes: Yeah. What’s more relaxing than a purring kitty?

Snoops: Excellent point.

Kommando: So it’s settled. Our gift to Mom is going to be to let her spend time with us.

Sgt Stripes: Glad we got that settled.

Pictures (not of us) courtesy of Google Images

Kitty Yelp: What the Cats are Really Thinking

May 6, 2023 | cat9984

We thought we’d take a quick trip around Kitty Yelp to see what’s going on. All ratings are based on a best of five.

Joe’s Bistro

Have been here several times (it’s close to home). The service is pretty good, but the food is very uneven. We’ve had excellent salmon and tuna. But the chef uses a LOT of beans. What cat likes beans? And the chicken always seems to be in sauce. We’re not huge fans of tomato sauce. Definitely call ahead to find out what the daily special is going to be.

😺😺😺

Battery-Powered Fish Toy For Cats | Apartment Therapy

Flopping Fish Toy

Have to admit I was excited when I unwrapped this fish. It was huge. I thought it was for cuddling, or maybe a kick toy. Then the humans plugged it in, and it started to flop around. It was so scary! I thought it was going to whack me in the face. Definitely not for small or timid kitties.

😺

Cat Woman 🙏 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 on Twitter: "Nah! Too energetic for this time in the morning ♥️🌈 #cats #CatsofTwittter#CatsLover #CatsOnTwitter https://t.co/XZuvco9VE9" / Twitter

Dr D’s Catnip Zoomers

The name says it all. These treats are pawsome!!! Eat a couple and you’ll be racing around the house, getting into everything. They’re a little pricey, but definitely worth the money (especially if it belongs to your human). Highly recommend.

😺😺😺😺😺+++++++++

CuddleSoft Electric Bed Warmer

It is definitely soft and fuzzy. But the buttons on the control are hard to push if you’re a kitty. And if the human turns it on at night, it doesn’t stay on all day while they’re gone. I would recommend not moving off of it once you get it warmed up.

😺😺😺

Toasty Soft Throw

It’s really furry. Very comfortable. Not big enough to share with a human, so make sure they have one of their own. Biggest plus is that you can step on the corner and turn it on. The longer you press, the warmer it gets. It is so snuggly!! You probably want one in every room in the house.

😺😺😺😺😺

Pet Camp | Overnight Cat Boarding San Francisco | Affordable Kitty Care

Happy Cat Boarding Palace

It ain’t a palace, and it ain’t full of happy cats. I was stuck there for a week. The humans were okay, I guess. But the name is a lie. They let DOGS stay there too. And dogs are noisy and smell weird. I tried to escape, but they lock EVERYTHING up. I made sure my humans knew what a mistake it was. I am NEVER going back there.

😺- because Kitty Yelp doesn’t allow zero happy cats

Pin by Voodoo Doll Creates on Cat memes I've made | Cat memes, Cats, Cat treats

Simon’s Mega Bucket O’Treats

It is a big bucket of treats, and pretty cheap. Some of them are pretty good, like the salmon and chicken. But some of the flavors are pretty weird. Not sure what “Field Prey” was supposed to taste like, don’t think it was supposed to be grass. There were also some yellow ones. I think they were supposed to be banana. I don’t know any cats who like bananas. I will probably stick with name-brand treats in the future.

😺😺

Now that's a cat buffet, that's how it's done : r/cats

Albert’s Buffet

We are NEVER going back there. They were so rude. We waited in line for a half an hour before we got to the buffet line. Then they told us that we had to use plates. What cat can carry a plate? So they made plates for us, and made us sit in a corner. Away from everything. And they gave us stuff that no cat in its right mind would ever eat. Like green beans and mashed potatoes. When we went back for more fish, they THREW us on the floor. We jumped back up, but then they made us leave. Seriously, why do they let cats in?

😺

Ma Maison

Inside living quarters. Comes with 3 beds, 2 humans, and a bed warmer. Warm and dry. Ample kibble and bits. Sometimes the food smells fishy. Minus points for making me lose my man parts and no wild game. On balance, would highly recommend.

😺😺😺😺

Pictures courtesy of Google Images (except us)

All Hail the Tabby Cat

April 29, 2023 | cat9984

Sgt Stripes here. Did you know that April 30 is National Tabby Day in the US? Isn’t that pawsome? A whole day to celebrate me and my tabbies buddies. I’m trying to get Mom to buy me a pet vole or gerbil for my special day, but she doesn’t think that’s a good idea. Hopefully, I’ll at least get a lot of treats.

I’ve learned some fun facts about tabbies, and I want to share them with you.

A Little History

The humans think that we tabbies originated with an ancient Egyptian breed called a Mau, which was developed by domesticating the African wildcat. The modern descendant is the Egyptian Mau, which has a tabby pattern.

(Daxter)

The Name Comes from a Baghdad Silk

In the 14th century, we were compared to silk from the “attabiy” district in Baghdad. The Middle French word for it was “atabis”, which people shortened to “tabis”. That eventually became the English word tabby. So people have been admiring us for hundreds of years.

(Thunder)

Tabby is a Pattern, not a Breed

Humans are referring to our beautiful coats when they call us tabbies. We come from many breeds and can be pure-bred or a mixture.

“M” on Our Forehead

We have an “M” on our foreheads because of our genetics. It’s a part of every tabby’s coat pattern.

Some people think the “M” came from Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary gave birth to Jesus in the stable, a tabby cat laid next to the baby, keeping him warm and soothing him with purrs. Mary was so grateful that she gave the cat her initial.

Other people believe that the “M” was given by the prophet Mohammed who loved cats. He once cut off the sleeve of a garment so he would not disturb his cat Muezza when he went to prayer.

We Come in a Variety of Colors

A lot of tabbies are basic black with the stripes, but we also come in brown, orange, and gray. The majority (75-80%) of orange tabbies are male. We are all beautiful.

And a Variety of Patterns

There are four main types of tabby: classic tabbies with bold, swirling patterns, mackerel tabbies with narrow stripes, spotted tabbies with large or small spots, and ticked tabbies with tabby markings on the face and agouti hairs (hairs with more than one color) on the body. There are also patched tabbies with tabby pattern on the legs and head. Finally, there are calibies and torbies: calicos and tortoisehells with patches of tabby markings. I like to think of myself as a tuxedo tabby since I have my beautiful white tummy.

We are Camo Kitties

Our patterns assist in camouflage when we are outside hunting. Particularly if we’re hiding in tall grass. Tigers and leopards are both tabby-patterned.

We are Excellent Hunters

We love the thrill of chasing down prey. We are adventurous and love to stalk.

We are Affectionate and Intelligent

We love cuddles and attention. We also know how to get what we want because we’re so smart.

We are Social Creatures

We are friendly sorts and usually get along well with children. Generally speaking, we love people and like to be part of the family.

We are Very Expressive

Tabby cats are good at expressing our emotions. Our humans know when we are happy or sad. Generally speaking, we are friendly, affectionate, and playful. We are also known to be independent, outgoing, and adventurous.

Summary

Affection Level	High
Friendliness	High
Kid-Friendly	High
Pet-Friendly	High
Exercise Needs	Medium
Playfulness	Medium
Energy Level	Medium
Intelligence	Medium
Tendency to Vocalize	Medium
Amount of Shedding	Medium