13

A Gator’s Guide to Hurricane Season

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Featured Animals - American Alligator - CMZoo

The school year had just begun, and Suzy and Justine were going through their backpacks retrieving all the paperwork.

Justine: They need you to fill out the emergency contact forms, Mom.

Adele: What happened to last year’s forms?

Suzy: They expired.

Adele: I’ve given them the same information every year since you girls started school. Why can’t they just use that?

Suzy: Guess they want to make sure you and Dad haven’t killed each other over the summer.

Adele: What else?

Brave the Adventure at Gatorland: A Thrilling Experience in Florida - Truck That Beach

Suzy: They’re looking for parent volunteers for the lunch room

Adele: No chance.

Stan: Do they feed me?

Justine: You can chaperone the fall social.

Adele: Nope.

Justine: Want to bake cupcakes?

Adele: Next paper.

Cheeky alligator crashes students' picnic lunch - and then helps himself to sandwich - Mirror Online

Justine: Are we signing up for school lunches?

Adele: I wish. You girls hate the school lunches.

Suzy: It’s not our fault they serve so much mystery protein. They act like alligators will eat anything.

Stan: Uh. Actually, we’re kinda known for that.

Justine: It’s disgusting, Daddy. My body is a temple, and I want to take care of it.

Suzy: Yeah. If I’m going to eat snake, I want to know I’m eating snake. I don’t want it ground up looking like hamburger.

Adele: You two are princesses. No school lunches. What else?

Firefighter Fights To Keep Pizza, Cookie Loving Pet Gator He's Had For 50 Years - YouTube

Suzy: Our first fund-raiser is selling pizzas.

Adele: That doesn’t sound too bad. What are you raising money for?

Suzy: We need new mats in the gym. Apparently someone ate the old ones.

Justine: Eww. Probably had too many school lunches.

Suzy: Here’s the last thing.

American Alligator | Stone Zoo

Adele: A Gator’s Guide to Hurricanes? What’s that?

Justine: It’s part of the new school safety project.

Adele: It says that alligators can sense when a storm is approaching. When the barometric pressure drops, we can feel it in our skin.

Stan: That’s true. Granny always knows when a storm is coming.

Adele: Your mother swears it’s going to be a hurricane every time she gets an ache in one of her joints. Most of the time, it’s just a thunderstorm.

Stan: Those sensors probably don’t work as well inside.

Suzy: I think we should just watch the Weather Channel like everyone else.

Justine: Or the Weather Gator app.

Alligator crawls out of Mobile storm drain

Adele: It says that when we “sense” a bad storm coming, we should seek shelter someplace we can get into and out of easily. They recommend a storm drain.

Justine: It also recommends heading for the water since we can stay under it for a long time.

Suzy: I cannot stay under water. I’d drown.

Justine: You’re supposed to come up once in a while to breathe. Don’t be a doofus.

Adele: They also say the swamp is a good place to hide. We can submerge there.

Suzy: This all sounds really uncivilized. Why can’t we just head inland?

The Alligator in the Backyard: 5 Things to Include in Your Home Quote - Alliance Insurance

Adele: The brochure says that hurricane season is an excellent time to go house-hunting. Particularly if you live in a neighborhood near humans.

Justine: That’s probably true. Most of them leave.

Stan: I think they’d want their houses back after the storm.

Justine: Yeah. They do usually come back. I wonder why they think we would steal someone’s house.

Stan: Or their belongings.

Can Alligators Climb Trees? - Wildlife Informer

Suzy: I think that brochure is crazy. It also says that we can wait out the storm in the hole of a tree or a cave. It makes us sound like barbarians.

Adele: It does seem a little primitive. Where did you say it came from Justine?

Justine: Let me see what it says.

She flipped the brochure over and looked at the back.

Justine: I found the problem. It was written by a human “for the benefit of my reptilian companions.”

Suzy: I knew it! We alligators are much more civilized.

Nice' alligator dons tux, serves as ring bearer in central Pa. wedding - pennlive.com

We wish all our readers in hurricane territory the best during the storm season.

(Pictures courtesy of Google Images. )

14

Cats and the Weather

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We’ve been reading all your blogs and noticed that some of you have been having really bad weather this summer. We live in Michigan, and, truthfully, it’s been very pleasant. Cooler than usual and not very humid. Excellent lounging weather. Not quite enough sun for superior sun puddles, but no extreme heat or excessive storms.

Scared Cat Meme - Imgflip

Until a couple of days ago. It got really hot and humid. Then we got a HUGE thunderstorm. It woke everyone up and went on almost all night. The next day was really hot. Then another night-time storm. It was really windy, and we lost power for that night and most of the next day. It was really scary hearing all that wind and thunder. We are please to report that things are pretty much back to normal. (Although the humans did nothing to compensate us for the trauma we went through.)

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

But it did make us wonder. Why don’t humans pay any attention to us cats when it comes to weather? After all, we are much more attuned to nature than they are. If they would just listen…

Why do cats like to carry socks around? - Quora

Of course, humans do have some pretty silly superstitions about cats and the weather:

  • Some people thought that cats carried storm magic in their tails. They had to keep the cats happy so they wouldn’t swish their tails and release a storm.
  • If a cat plays with your sock, a bad storm is coming.
  • If a human is mean to a cat, there will be rain at that person’s funeral.
  • You can end a drought by baptizing a cat in mineral water. (Do NOT try this.)
  • A cat’s tail always points in the direction of the wind.
  • If a cat sneezes, it’s going to rain.

The scent of a feline | Burgess Pet Care

On the other paw, we cats generally do know when bad weather is coming. It appears that we can sense a change in atmospheric pressure right before a storm arrives. We can also use our superior noses to smell rain and feel the humidity change before it rains. There are a couple of things that we routinely do before the weather changes:

Here's Why Cats Groom Themselves

Licking – If we seem to be taking an extra-long bath, rain may be coming. Keeping our fur wet helps cut down on the static electricity it collects due to the change in humidity. We are a lot more comfortable without the extra static. (The humans will be too if they touch us.)

Why Some Cats Like Earwax - Petswelcome.com

Ear Grooming – If we’re being extra careful to clean behind our ears, it may mean a storm is coming. We can feel the change in atmospheric pressure in our ears, and the licking helps counteract the pressure change.

How to Stop the Cat from Yowling or Excessively Meowing. (Blog #93) - NutriSource Pet Foods

Sudden Change in Behavior – Sometimes, we just act a little “different” because we can sense the weather changing:

  • We get a little grumpy for “no” reason
  • We get more vocal (some cats yowl when a storm is getting close)
  • Social cats hide out (they don’t want to be around the noise of the storm)
  • Some indoor kitties try to get out when they sense a storm (looking for a safe place)
  • A calm kitty may suddenly have a burst of “zoomies”

(Of course, sometimes we just act a little “different” because we want to act a little different.)

catloaf - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Humans have documented all of the following behaviors in their furry friends:

  • Cats becoming agitated and hissing at their human prior to an earthquake or a bad storm
  • Cats becoming very “frisky” before a thunderstorm
  • Cats licking their fur against the grain prior to hail
  • Cats sleeping with all four paws tucked underneath before cold weather
  • Cats sniffing the air obsessively before rain or snow
  • Cats listening obsessively before rain or heavy wind

I think he liked that we put his bed in front of the fireplace : r/WhatsWrongWithYourCat

And finally, people feel pretty strongly that if a cat is sleeping with their back to the fire, expect cold weather, snow or a storm.

Bottom line – We cats know what’s going on. We may just choose to not share it with the humans.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

18

Cat Forum: Cats and Stress

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Greetings fellow felines. It’s me, Sgt Stripes. The lady cats say that I am causing them stress. I don’t mean to; I just want to have a happy home. I thought that maybe I would do some research to help them (I love Mr Google). Here’s what I found.

How to Introduce a Puppy to a Cat | Argos Pet Insurance

The Most Common Causes of Stress

  • Living with other cats – Hmm. wasn’t really expecting this to be the number one answer. Apparently we don’t naturally live with other cats. Guess we all like to have our own way.
  • Strange cats coming into your home. That’s what they say I did. But it’s not true – Mom invited me. Besides, I’m not strange.
  • Putting our stuff in the wrong place or not taking care of it. We like our litter boxes clean and our food and beds in quiet areas. That’s just common sense, don’t you think? And most of us prefer not to share that stuff.
  • Changing houses. More common sense. Who wants to adapt to a new space? (Unless the old one was icky, like the shelter.)
  • Renovating or redecorating the house. A bunch of noise and confusion. And kitties really don’t like change.

Petting May Stress Some Cats Out | Live Science

  • New animals in the house. It’s not just other cats that can make us nervous. Dogs can do it too. Especially if it’s an energetic, noisy puppy.
  • Unsuitable handling. Not all of us like to be petted or fussed over. Some of us will paw back or bite a little. Those are the kitties who know how to maintain their boundaries. There are others who suffer in silence and get stressed out about it.
  • A new baby. Not a surprise. They’re loud and smelly. And take away time from us.
  • Guests visiting. Some of us like people, and some of us do not. And some humans are loud and obnoxious. (Just a personal observation.)
  • Fireworks. Is it even necessary to explain this one? They have loud, scary noises and bright lights. They are awful from a feline perspective.

Feeling stressed? - Meme Generator

How should you let your human know if you are stressed? Different cats handle it differently. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes your human needs to pay attention (which they should be doing anyway.)

Useful Guide to Feeding Cats and Kittens - Parkside Vets

Physical Symptoms of Stress

  • Change in eating habits. We kitties love our food, but we are also generally creatures of habit. Any obvious changes should be looked at closely. For example, we shouldn’t be eating non-food items like plastic or wool (it’s called pica). If we started eating a lot more or a lot less, it might be due to stress.

Quotes About Cat Litter. QuotesGram

  • Change in toilet habits. Stress can cause diarrhea and/or vomiting. It can also be responsible for  us not using the little box as often as we once did. Severe stress can even lead to cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder that causes painful, bloody urination.
  • Changes in the way we look. If you notice bald patches or sores due to over-grooming, the cause is likely to be stress. A generally less-spiffy looking coat may be the result of the other signs of stress.
  • Stress-induced “cat flu”. We might get a runny nose and eyes for no apparent reason if we are under stress. Stress can also make it tougher for us to deal with chronic illness or recover from being sick.

Aggression in Cats - Causes and Solutions - Cat Chat

Behavioral Symptoms of Stress

  • If you notice a kitty who is just not acting like themselves, it may be due to stress. Look for changes in litter box use, spraying/defecating outside the litter box, or excessive scratching.
  • Kitties who become aggressive may be stressed out. They might attack their human or other animals in the house. They may also meow excessively. (Not sure how you tell in those kitties who already talk constantly.
  • A change in a kitty’s interaction with their human is also important. Either wanting a lot more attention or avoiding the humans can be a sign of stress.
  • A general lack of interest is a warning sign. Some kitties stop wanting to play, some don’t want to come inside anymore (or go outside).
  • A kitty who paces around meowing is generally a stressed kitty. (Unless it is a kitty who is trying to get their human to FINALLY feed them.)

10 Signs Your Cat Might Be Stressed | PetMD

The Look of a Stressed Cat

An alert human should be able to see the signs of a really stressed cat fairly easily:

  • Crouches and looks tense when not hunting
  • Ears rotate backwards and flatten
  • Wide eyes with dilated pupils
  • Stares at the floor with a fixed expression
  • Rapid, frequent grooming
  • Frequent head shaking
  • Twitching skin on the back
  • Exaggerated swallowing

Therapist Cat | Funny animal memes, Funny animal photos, Funny animal pictures

What Should You Do if You are Really Stressed?

Humans say that the first step is a trip to the vet. That’s particularly important if there are problems with eating or using the litter box. They even have kitty therapists to help with behavioral change. Of course, sometimes the humans have to change things like moving our food station or litter box.

Why Is My Cat Sniffing Everything All Of A Sudden? - Cats.com

I don’t think the ladies downstairs are quite at that level of stress. Mom tried stress-reducing treats. Not really sure how they would have worked. They tasted so nasty none of us would eat them. Now she’s going to try a pheromone diffuser. Guess it’s supposed to make us think of our cat moms and help us relax.

Why Do Cats Like Being Up High? - Catster

Other possibilities for less-severe stress is taking our minds off whatever is causing it. Some humans experts recommend food puzzles to distract us, more vertical space, more scratching posts, and more safe outdoor access. If we’re thinking about something else, we won’t be thinking about being stressed out. It might work: Snoops doesn’t seem stressed out when she’s hunting mice.

Hope the ladies read this and feel better.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images. (Except us.)

14

Forget the Dog Days; It’s Time for the Cat Nights

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It seems like whenever humans talk about the heat this time of year, someone brings up the “Dog Days of Summer.” Some folks thought they were called that because all dogs want to do this time of year is lay around avoiding the heat. The official Dog Days are July 3 – August 11, so they just ended. In the Northern Hemisphere, they generally coincide with the hottest days of the year.

Canis Major | StarDate Online

The Dog Days actually refer to Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog). It is the brightest star visible from any part of Earth. In the summer, it rises and sets with the Sun. On July 23, it actually rises and sets in conjunction with the Sun.

Roman Cats Torre Argentina Cat Santuary the oldest in Rome

Because it is so bright, the ancient Romans believed that it actually gave off heat, adding to the Sun’s warmth. It was their explanation for why that part of the year was so excessively hot. (In reality, it is too far away to provide any warmth.) The Dog Days of Summer refers to the 20 days before and the 20 days after the alignment of Sirius with the sun.

Why Are Black Cats Associated with Halloween? – Furtropolis

But enough about dogs, their days have ended for this year. Let’s move on to something a little more interesting. We are only a few days away from the beginning of Cat Nights. There is an old Irish legend that witches could turn themselves into cats. If they did it eight times, all was well. But a witch tried it a ninth time on August 17 and couldn’t turn back. She was permanently turned into a cat. This legend was the beginning of the belief that cats have nine lives. People also noticed that cats are particularly “yeowly” this time of year. They attributed it to wanting to return to witch form. More likely it has to do with the hot weather.

Why Is My Cat Yowling At Night? Causes & How To Stop Caterwauling

There’s even a poem associated with it:

Cat Nights

By old Irish lore
on the 17th of August
more cats are among us
than ever before.

It is said that witches
can turn into a cat.
But no more than eight switches
as a matter of fact.

On the ninth switch
they cannot regain
their life as a witch.
A cat they must remain.

So if in mid August
you should hear the cats yowl
amongst sounds of the locust
when cats are on the prowl

Then you will know
as lore was told over time
that cats will show
lives as many as nine.

By V. Neumann

15 Orange Cat Breeds You Should Know – PureWow

And let’s not forget that it’s also the time of year for Leo cats. Leo the lion is the zodiac sign that most closely resembles the domestic cat. Leos are born between July 23 and August 22 and are ruled by the sun. Their element is fire, their metal is gold, and their colors are orange and gold. They are born rulers. (Mom says she’s a Leo, but we don’t believe her. There is nothing orange about her.)

Regal Cat Names – [140+ Elegant Ideas!] - Find Cat Names

Leo cats are regal. They are full of confidence, and tend to enter a room with a royal bearing. They are loyal to their subjects and love their humans. As long as they are treated as royalty, all will be well in the kingdom.

Grooming Your Cat | Cat Care | Cats | Guide | Omlet UK

They enjoy the finer things in life and prefer to have things their way. They love their humans, and are usually confident around visitors. They are loving family members. But they have a tendency to not be very patient. They love to be groomed and hate being laughed at. They have an inner jungle cat that needs a lot of play time.

How To Keep Your Cat Warm This Winter | Lily's Luxury Retreat

As a fire sign, Leos like to be warm. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fireplace, sun puddle or warm blanket. They are generally not great at sharing. (After all, they are royalty.) They like to be in charge of whatever is going on.

As you can see, the beginning of summer may have belonged to the dogs, but we are now in cat season.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

15

Cat Forum: The Eyes Have It

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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.
12

Happy Take Your Tiger to Lunch Day!

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International Tiger Day: All The Tiger Subspecies—Extinct Or Endangered

Just kidding. But it is International Tiger Day. It was first celebrated in 2010 when the humans realized that there were only about 3,000 of these magnificent creatures still living in the wild. International Tiger Day was created to make more humans aware of this dire state of affairs and try to stop the potential extinction. The humans in charge are also trying to protect and expand tiger habitats around the world.

Tiger Fact Sheet | Blog | Nature | PBS

Here are some interesting facts about tigers:

Tigers are the largest wild cats in world. Males weigh up to 680 pounds and females can grow to 370 pounds. They are generally six to ten feet long. That is a lot of kitty!

Tigers are carnivores. They only eat meat. Favorites are wild boar and deer. They also eat monkeys, buffalo, sloth bears, and leopards. They have been known to consume crocodiles, cattle, and goats. Our guess is that they can eat whatever they want.

Can jaguars swim better than tigers? - Quora

Tigers hunt alone. They often hunt at night, quietly stalking their prey until they get close enough to pounce. They generally bite the neck or back of the head.

Tigers like water. They are good swimmers, and often cool off in pools or streams. They also will follow prey into the water. They are capable of crossing small lakes and rivers.

Tiger Roar Wallpapers - Top Free Tiger Roar Backgrounds - WallpaperAccess

Tigers can be loud. They growl, roar, chuff, and moan. (But they can’t purr.) They generally growl as a warning to other tigers, and use chuffs and moans to communicate with each other. Roaring is used as a battle cry or long-range communication. They have been heard almost two miles away!

Tigers are fast. Tigers can run up to 40 miles per hour (65 km/h). The only faster cats are the cheetahs.

Tiger stripes – unique and beautiful - Mixreading

Tigers have been around for a long time. They have found fossilized remains of tigers in China believed to be 2 million years old.

Every tiger looks unique. Tiger stripes are like human fingerprints; each tiger has a unique set. Most tigers have over 100 stripes. They act as camouflage in nature, looking like moving shadows in the grass and trees.

Turns Out, Tigers Have Spots That Look Like Eyes On Their Ears To Confuse Prey | Bored Panda

Tigers have fake eyes. They have a white patch of fur on the back of each ear so it looks like they can see behind them, even when they’re sleeping. Makes them even scarier!

There are five subspecies of tiger. They are Bengal, South China, Indochinese, Sumatran, and Amur (Siberian) tigers. The Amur tigers are the largest, growing up to 680 pounds and 10 feet long. The Sumatran tigers are the smallest, topping out at 310 pounds and 8 feet. The Caspian, Bali, and Javan subspecies have become extinct.

Stalking Tiger in Grass | A young Siberian tiger stalks his … | Flickr

Tigers are generally loners. They usually only interact for mating and occasionally to share a kill. Once in a while, they will join together to hunt a large animal.

Male tigers take up more space than females. An adult male’s territory will usually overlap several females’ territories. The strongest male gets his choice of territory.

My daughter's eyelashes, the tiger's tongue, and other grooming devices -Dr. David Hu, Georgia Institute of Technology – Biomimicry Alberta

Grooming is important to tigers. Tigers have rough tongues and use them to remove loose hairs and dirt from their fur. They also use their tongues to spread oils from their glands across their furs. Which is why their fur looks so glossy.

Tigers can be good neighbors. They peacefully coexist with leopards, Asiatic wild dogs, brown bears, and wolves throughout most of their range. They usually avoid the other animals because they are mostly nocturnal while the others are active during the day.

Big cat safety law ends 'Tiger King'-style attractions - E&E News by POLITICO

Sabre-toothed tigers weren’t tigers. Those big teeth were pretty scary, but they’re from a different family of cat.

Tigers are closed related to house cats. We share about 95% of the same DNA. For example, we are all obligate carnivores. Tigers love to play just like us (but with bigger toys). We all learn to hunt early in life. Finally, we all sleep up to 18 hours a day. Take pride in your royal heritage!

Cute Tiger Wallpaper (56+ pictures)

So raise a glass to your royal relatives!

Global Tiger Day, also known as International Tiger Day, is an annual event celebrated on July 29 to promote awareness for tiger conservation. : r/Tenere

15

Snoops: A Day in the Life

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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.

21

Kommando Kitty’s Absolutely Awful Gotcha Day

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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.)

14

Thunder Katt Presents: The Treacherous Thunder Tails

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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!”

16

Charlemagne T Persian, Grill Master – Part 2

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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?

Why Is My Cat Sniffing Everything All Of A Sudden? - Cats.com

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.

Cat Signals for Expressing Happiness and Mood

Pictures courtesy of Google Images