Tag Archives: grooming

29

The Cats’ Spa Day

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Expert Cat Grooming Feline Exclusive Services in Granger, IN | Gordon's Grooming

Today we are joining the lucky kitties who won the spa day at the Cheeseland Rummage Sale. Gypsy is with Leo and Ophelia at the counter of Ruth’s Premier Salon & Day Spa.

Gypsy: Hi guys. Looks like you couldn’t wait to get your spa day.

Ophelia: We are so excited. Neither of us has ever done anything like this.

Leo: I just hope they’re ready for a couple of Maine Coons. We are bigger than the average cat.

Ophelia: Don’t be silly. They have dog clients too. We can’t possibly be bigger than the dogs who come in here.

The Symbolism of the Irish Wolfhound: Explore the Magical

Leo: That’s true. Although the website did say that they have “spaces” for animals of many sizes. And the pictured cats all look to be her size. (He points at Gypsy.)

Gypsy: I’m sure they wouldn’t have given out a prize that you can’t use. Let’s ask the receptionist. She just came back.

The receptionist is a very elegant Irish Wolfhound.

Gypsy: Good morning, Giselle. Are you well?

Giselle: Very well, thank you. Who are these beautiful kitties?

Watch: This video of a cat enjoying a spa session is the best thing you'll see today | PetsRadar

Gypsy: This is Ophelia and Leo. They won the spa day at the Rummage Sale.

Giselle: How wonderful! Let me tell you about your day. You will start with a light snack of salmon mousse and spring water. That will be followed by a gentle body massage. You will spend time in the sauna, followed by a quick dip in the pool before facials to energize your skin for more luxurious facial fur. Then it’s another light snack, followed by a full body massage. You will end with an all-over grooming session.

Maine Coon | Breed Info and Advice | zooplus Magazine

Ophelia: Ooh. That sounds wonderful!

Leo: Are to able to handle bigger kitties like us?

Giselle comes out from behind the counter and looks closely at the cats. Tipping the scales at 95 pounds herself, she is not a good judge of smaller animals. She is much larger than either of them.

Maine Coon Cat Friend Paw Sad Photo Background And Picture For Free Download - Pngtree

Giselle: We certainly can handle the size. I use the facility myself. However, you are definitely larger than our standard cat client. We normally don’t mix our cat and dog clients. Let me check with someone.

Giselle disappears into the back. Ophelia looks at Gypsy.

Ophelia: Can we get our money back if they can’t take us?

Leo: Don’t worry yet. Let’s see what she finds out.

nci2326-almond-female-adult-grey-tabby-longhair-adk-080321a | Animal League

Giselle comes out with a large tabby.

Giselle: This is Max. He can help you.

Leo: Are we too big for the cat spa?

Max looks them over, then looks at his phone.

Max: Absolutely not. Follow me.

What Should I Feed My Maine Coon? 🍽 ⋆ Sassy Koonz Maine Coons

Once they’re inside the spa, he whispers.

Max: I don’t know why they put her out there. Excellent worker, terrible communication skills. You will love it here.

Ophelia and Leo were extremely relaxed after the snack and light massage. Max took them to the sauna next.

Leo: I’m not sure this is a good idea. We have a lot of fur.

Our cat loves the sauna. | SaunaTimes

Max: You will love the way you feel. It really opens up your pores. When you jump in the pool afterwards, you will really feel refreshed. Or you can skip the water. Some cats really don’t like water.

Ophelia: This really seems like a human thing. It doesn’t sound good for anyone covered in fur. Do animals really enjoy it?

Max: Honestly, I don’t know. We opened it a few weeks ago, and no one has chosen to use it. We’re certainly not going to force you. Would you like to skip the pool as well.

16 Reasons Maine Coons Are Not The Friendly Cats Everyone Says They Are

Leo: Oh, no. We love water.

Ophelia and Leo jump into the pool and play around for several minutes. They shake off the water and follow Max to their facials. They are seated next to each other. The door opens, and they hear a voice behind them.

Voice: Hello. My name is Erin, and I will be doing your facials this morning. Just sit back, close your eyes, and relax.

CAT SPA DAY ASMR

Ophelia and Leo settle in. Ophelia hears a loud splat. She opens her eyes just as the second splat lands on her face.

Ophelia: Eww! What are you doing?

Erin: You’re getting a yogurt and seaweed facial. It’s the latest thing, and your face will look amazing.

Leo: And it tastes pretty good too.

A cat getting a facial with face roller | Facebook

Ophelia: You know our faces are covered with fur, right?

Erin: Of course. Just relax and let me massage it all over your face. You won’t believe how soft your fur will be.

Ophelia tried to relax. The massaging did feel good. But she really didn’t;t like her fur feeling gooey. Leo began purring. Obviously, he wasn’t concerned about the mess in his fur.

Give My Kittens a Facial Spa To Keep Their Cute

Erin: Okay. Now we leave the masque on for 20 minutes to let it do its magic. Most kitties sleep through it.

Leo: That sounds like a good idea.

Ophelia tried not to touch her face. Finally she relaxed and took a nap. Next thing they knew, Erin was back pouring something into a bowl. It smelled nice, like mint.

Erin: Now I’m going to put a warm, wet towel on your faces to soften the masque.

Maine Coon Cat Face - Free photo on Pixabay

Ophelia and Leo were too relaxed to care and the towel felt good.

Erin: That’s good. Now for a quick rinse with spring water followed by a quick massage.

Both Leo and Ophelia felt great and a quick look in the mirror showed that their facial fur looked wonderful. They had another quick snack followed by a full body massage. Afterwards, they were joined by Max.

What's The Price Of A Maine Coon Cat In 2025? | Spot Pet Insurance Canada

Max: How’s it going? Enjoying your day?

Ophelia: Oh yes, it’s been amazing. I don’t remember the last time I felt so pampered.

Leo: Me too. This is great.

Max: I’m glad to hear that. Your final stop is with the groomers. It’s a quick bath with shampoo and fur conditioner, a little trim, and a manicure for all paws. Finally, a warm, dry towel to make sure you are picture perfect.

19 Best Cat lion cut ideas | cat lion cut, cat haircut, cats

Gypsy had been waiting in the lobby to get “after” shots of the freshly groomed pair. Suddenly she heard loud hissing and growling. Ophelia and Leo came running out.

Ophelia: You said “a little trim. This is not a little trim.

Leo: It certainly is not. You butchered my fur. You’re lucky I didn’t pay for this. We are never coming back.

Gypsy looked at them and tried not to laugh.

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.

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

16

Our Tongues are the Cat’s Meow

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How cat tongues work—and can inspire biotechnology

The other day someone said that Snoops’ tongue was weird. We really like this person and know that we’re her first close cat friends. But it was still a little irksome. Everyone knows that cats have pawsome tongues.

Cat Hunting Behavior - When and How Cats Hunt

Our tongues evolved the way they did because we are such amazing hunters. They are covered with little spikes called papillae that are hooked at the end. The papillae are shorter on the the sides of our tongues than in the middle, and the hooks all face into the middle of our mouths.

A Cats Tongue by Wild-Soul on DeviantArt

Not everyone has an equally rough tongue. Mom says that our angel sister Rascal’s tongue was so rough that it would actually rub the skin off if she was too affectionate. On the other hand, Rascal’s sister Critter had a tongue that was almost smooth. Snoops’ tongue is the rougher between the two of us.

As you might have guessed, our tongues are central to our ability to survive. We use them for eating, drinking, and grooming. The details are below:

Protecting Your Nighttime Water Glass from Your Cat

Drinking – Our tongue is vital to our ability to drink. We curl it around to create a kind of funnel, then bend it back like a spoon. You have probably noticed that you only have to put the tip of your tongue in the water, then lift it up and suck in. It’s a fast process that allows for quick hydration. Some humans timed us and found that we can make approximately four licking actions in a second. That skill comes in pretty handy around the drinking hole when there might be predators lurking.

My Cat Is In Pain When He Eats" | Resorptive Lesions May Be Too BlameCherished Companions Animal Clinic

Eating – Since we are predators, we need a way to get the meat off of the prey and into our tummies. Our tongues are perfect for this task. Those little hooks are meant to get meat off of the bones and broken down into digestible pieces. They work wonders on pate and other forms of canned cat food as well. Just how good are they? Good enough that the same design is used by our wild cousins, the lions and tigers. (Wow. Wonder if Rascal confused Mom with dinner one time?)

cats-eating-ice-cream-cone |

We don’t have as many taste buds as humans do. That might be because we aren’t programmed to eat sweets in the wild. Our natural palate runs strongly to the savory side. However, as Snoops will attest, our tongues can be trained to appreciate sweet flavors. And many cats have discovered that those little hooks work really well on ice cream.

Cat Grooming: Understanding Why Cats Groom Themselves

Grooming – The little hooks are good for more than eating. When we lick our coats, we remove the loose furs. It keeps us looking gorgeous. It also removes the scent of anything we might have eaten. We don’t want to smell like our food because we don’t want other animals thinking that we might make a good snack.

The downside is that some of those furs might stick on the the hooks. If you swallow too many of your loose furs, you will end up with a hairball. And most of us know how unpleasant that is.

188 Cats Who Love Sun More Than Anything | Bored Panda

Climate Control – As you may recall from our post about beating the heat, the tongue also has a role in keeping us cool in the summer. When we groom, we wet our fur. As the saliva dries, it has a cooling effect. Cleanliness is vital to comfort in the summer months.

Why Do Cats Groom Each Other? (the Answer Will Surprise You!) – TheCatSite Articles

Socialization – Mother cats lick their kittens to clean them and train them in self-care, but they also do it because they love them. Grooming is a sign of affection.

If you really love your human, you may have attempted to groom them. A lot of humans think that we are kissing them, and in a way we are. However, some of them really can use the extra help in the cleanliness department. (Hint: How often does your human bathe compared with how often you bathe?) Either way, we do it because we love them.

So if a human complains that your tongue is too rough, tell them you like it just the way it is. It is cat-astic.

Cute Cats and Kittens Tongue Sticking Out Pictures - Love Meow

Belated Happy Dominion Day to our Canadian friends. And Happy Independence Day to those in the US.

Have a Safe & Happy 4th of July! | East Harding Construction

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

 

27

Cat Forum: Cats and the Heat

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35+] Summer Cat Wallpaper Images on WallpaperSafari

Greetings fellow felines. We’re here to talk about the heat. You would think that with as much as we all love to curl up with an electric blanket in the cooler weather that summer would be a breeze for us cats. After all, we do adore sun puddles. But there’s warm, and then there’s the ridiculous heat that comes around this time of year.

It’s time to call out your primordial cat and make sure you’re following your instincts regarding the heat. This is no time to go “doggo” and start exercising with your human.

26 Cats Who Are Getting Cozy In The ... Sink? – Meowingtons

Conserve your energy. Sleep when it’s hot; prowl when it’s cooler. Nothing interesting happens in the heat of the day anyway – everything else is avoiding the sun too. It’s the perfect excuse for taking longer naps.

Sleep someplace cool. Tile floors are great in the summer. They stay cooler and don’t retain heat. Sinks work well if you want to avoid being stepped on. Try to avoid the rooms with big, open windows that let in a lot of sun. You don’t want to sleep in those intense sun puddles either.

Cat Drinking Fountain

Groom yourself. As the saliva dries, it will help cool you down,

Hydrate. Drink water whenever you get the chance. You’re thirstier in the heat, and drinking cool water will help you cool down.

Is It Safe To Put Ice In A Cat's Water? | Purr Craze

You also need to talk to your human about things they can do to help you deal with the heat:

Make ice toys. We like to play with ice cubes. They slide nicely and are fun to pounce on. They also help to keep our paws cool. (In case you didn’t know, paws are where we gain and lose heat.)

Cooling mats. If your house is really hot, or if you get overheated easily, a cooling mat is a great idea. Your human can buy one or make their own out of freezer blocks and a thick blanket (don’t let them get the really cold stuff next to your fur/skin). In an emergency, a package of frozen vegetables will work.

Caturday Pootie Diary: Fur Couture

Wet towel. If you’re feeling extra warm, your human can help by wetting your fur with a towel or their hands. It will feel really good as the water evaporates. At the least, dampening your paws will offer quick relief.

Brushing. Our fur coat helps to regulate our temperatures, but loose furs just make us hot. Getting brushed daily helps keep us as cool as possible.

Catster Quiz: Is Your Cat a Hot Mess? - Catster

Watch for signs of overheating. Heavy panting and loss of energy are early signs that we are too hot. Agitation, rapid breathing, skin that is hot to the touch, drooling and vomiting may be signs of heatstroke and are a medical emergency. You need to see a vet.

Multiple sources of water. It is a good idea to have lots of water available in extremely hot weather. Adding ice cubes can help keep it cool. It is especially important to have water available outside this time of year.

Most interesting cat in the attic. : MostInterestingCats

Provide sunscreen. It’s best if you stay inside between 11 am and 3 pm when the sun is the strongest. If you need to be outside, your human can provide sunscreen (feline variety, not human) if you are one of our pale-colored or sparsely-furred kin. Your ears and nose are particularly susceptible to getting burnt. Warning sign that requires a trip to the vet for an outdoor or indoor/outdoor cat: crusty, scaly, or sore-looking skin.

Keep poorly ventilated rooms closed. This isn’t a good time of year to be exploring the attic or the space behind the refrigerator. If you do get caught someplace hot, make sure you drink plenty of water when you get out. And let your human know if you don’t feel well.

15 Cats Sleeping In Weird Places | Cats, Cat sleeping, Cute cats and kittens

Finally, talk to your humans about helping any stray/feral cats who may be around. If possible, offer a shady spot and fresh water. Plastic bowls are better than metal ones because they don’t get as hot and won’t burn if the cat touches it. (Metal is also not recommended in the winter because the cat’s tongue can freeze to it.)

Now that you know how to stay comfy, have a pawsome summer! And send your human out for a mouse-sicle to enjoy.

Cat Facts: 5 Amazing Ways Your Cat Stays Cool In The Summer - CatTime

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

26

The Well-Groomed Cat

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Cute Cats Grooming Each Others - YouTube

Some humans think it’s a little weird how much we groom ourselves (It can take up 30-50% of our waking lives). They never stop to think about how weird we think it is that they bathe so rarely. Or how disgusting that is. We thought we’d take a few minutes to do a little educating on why we do what we do. Once again, it’s time to teach your human. (Our pictures include examples of why this important task should not be left to humans.)

Pin on CATatonic

Grooming helps us cool down – You will notice that, unlike humans, we do not become drippy, smelly messes when it gets hot or we exercise. We sweat through our pads. The drying of the saliva from our grooming also helps us cool down.

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

We can wash our own backs – Remember last week when we were talking about how cool it was that our collarbones don’t attach to the bones in our bodies (only our front legs)? Not only can we squeeze through small spaces, we can turn our heads around to reach our backs to wash them. Even between the shoulders.

Cat Overgrooming: Why Is My Cat Licking Itself So Much? | PetMD

Our grooming may be tied to our general health – Humans don’t need to worry about the amount we groom on a regular basis (we are ultra-clean animals). It’s if we groom more or less than usual. More grooming could mean stress or tension. Less grooming could mean we can’t reach the area anymore or it hurts to groom there. Or it could mean that we got into something yucky.

National Hairball Awareness Day: Help Your Cat Celebrate - Catster

Our amazing tongues are responsible for hairballs. You know how we have those little hooks that help carry the food and water back into our mouths? They also carry any loose furs back there. We have to swallow those furs. Then we have to hack them up. Voila! Hairball. You can use this information as a weapon if you’d like.

Why Do Cats Groom Each Other? - Catster

We bond through grooming – No surprise here. We’re not going to let just anyone put their mouth on our precious fur. Besides, our moms showed us they loved us through grooming. As adults, how else are we going to get the new guy in the house to smell decent? It marks us a one of the family.

Why Do Cats Lick People?

We only groom the humans we love – Once again, we are bonding like our moms taught us. Why do some humans immediately wash off our love? No clue, but we love them anyway. Even if they do smell like human.

Why Does My Cat's Fur Stand On End? | 1-800-PetMeds Cares™

Our furs have muscles – That’s the secret behind how we fluff up when we get scared. The guard hairs use their muscles to stand up. Humans have puny hair compared to us.

Dinosaur Cat Haircuts Are The New Grooming Trend And I'm Not Sure How To Feel

Our furs have cuticles that point away from our bodies – It’s kind of like being covered with overlapping shingles. If the shingles are all pointing in the right direction, we’re smooth and silky. If some of the shingles get moved in the wrong direction, we can get rough and spiky. Sometimes humans think it’s funny to pet us in the wrong direction. Then they get offended when we immediately lick the furs back into place. It feels weird with the furs kinked up. We’re not the antisocial ones, they’re the ones messing up the natural order.

Top 10 Cats With Bad Haircuts | Cat haircut, Cat grooming, Stupid cat

Hopefully, we given you some good conversation starters. If you have trouble getting their attention, a hairball usually does the trick.

14 Kittens -- Licking and Grooming Each Other - YouTube

Pictures courtesy of Google Images

50

Cat Forum: Interview with Kosmo

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Snoops and Kommando Kitty here. Welcome to Cat Forum. We have a  very special guest this month: Kosmo, who comes all the way from Finland. We didn’t know where Finland is, so we had to look it up. It is a LONG way from Michigan. And he speaks really good American cat (which is a good thing, since we didn’t even know there was a Finnish cat language.) Kosmo appears in the blog Photofinland with a lot of really cool pictures. In fact, Horatio Hedgehog convinced us to put a second link further down when Kosmo talks about the hedgehogs he knows.

Finland-Map.jpg (593Ă—478)

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

 My name is Kosmo and I live in the western part of Finland. I am about Four years old. I don´t remember much of my childhood, but one day when I was walking around hungry and tired, I heard humans talking in one yard. So I walked there, a woman was sitting on the steps and I walked straight to her lap. She asked me if I am hungry, and then I knew I will live in this house forever.

Kosmo´s mom: We tried to find Kosmo´s home with no result, nobody had seen him earlier. Kosmo had been a home cat, because he was used to living inside.

Kosmo’s Mom is also an extremely talented photographer

Your humans seem to really love the outdoors. Do you get to help them with their projects?

Not much, because at first I was really afraid to go out, because of my past, somebody had left me out. Dad took me out at first in his lap, then in a leash, and now after three years effort I walk well in a leash. I have my own path and I walk it with Dad twice a day.

You may know that we live with Horatio Hedgehog. Have you ever met one?

Oh yes! Hedgehogs are living in my yard. In a most peaceful corner in my yard is a place for hedgehogs to hibernate. Dad has made two small houses for them and then covered the houses with dry leaves and branches. In our blog are photos of one house and hedgehogs.

It looks really snowy and cold there (and dark). Do you get extra snuggles this time of year?

Yes, my humans like to snuggle with me, because I am snoring really loud, and they love it.

Do you live with other creatures (furry or non-furry) aside from your adult humans?

 No, just we three together. One cat girl comes every day to eat here. She is waiting outside the door, then I invite her to come in to eat. We know where her home is, but our food is better, I think. I just watch her eat, maybe some days we are playing together.

What’s your favorite thing to do with your humans?

 Snuggling, of course, daily brushing, playing “running around like crazies”, and my walks outside with Dad.

What’s your favorite way to play?

Pawball is the number one.

Are there special Finnish treats that you get? Maybe something fishy?

This is really embarrassing, but I am afraid of fish. When I was new here, my humans had real, tiny fishes for me, I and ran away under the bed.

Do you have good cat TV (window viewing) there?

I have two great cat TV’s and lots of birds.

Is there anything you would like to add?

 This interview in your blog is a great honour to me , thank you!

Horatio here. Kosmo really is a good guy – for a cat. If you get to Finland, you should definitely look him up.

 

5

Cat Forum: The Toys of Summer

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Moderator: Welcome back fellow mammals. Today we are once again joined by Super Snooper (SS) and Kommando Kitty (KK) to discuss a subject near to every cat’s heart: cat toys.

KK: Thank you for having us here today. I would just like to clarify today’s discussion will involve several matters related to summer, not just toys.

Moderator: But the focus will be on toys.

SS: Actually, that will be the first topic of several. We would also like to talk about vacations and grooming.

Moderator: My script says that we are going to talk about toys. So let’s get started. How are summer toys different from winter toys?

SS: They are a lot more active.

KK: And easier to catch. Those mice are fun, but they have too many places to hide. (Aside to SS: It would be easier if Mom cleaned more often. SS nods.)

Moderator: Could you be a little more specific?

KK: I think you know we live in an old farm house. It’s really cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Dad says that’s because we have old windows downstairs.

SS: He keeps saying he should fix them, but we really don’t want him to. You should see all the cool toys that fly and crawl in during the summer.

Moderator: You mean you have insects as toys in the summer? (grimaces)

KK: What’s wrong with that? You wouldn’t want them flying all over your house would you? Besides you’re the one who wanted to talk about toys.

Moderator: (knows he’s beaten) So what type of insects are we talking about?

SS: Well, the best are moths. They fly around enough so we get a lot of exercise chasing them.

KK: And they taste good. Nice and crunchy.

SS: Junebugs aren’t bad, but they’re a little slow.

KK: The humans seem to find them disgusting. If they see one, they get rid of it before we get to play much.

SS: Spiders aren’t any good. They’re not poisonous around here, but they spent a lot of time just sitting there.

KK: Flies are good. They’re really fast.

Moderator: So what do you do when you don’t have any bugs around?

KK: We sleep a lot.

SS: He means for entertainment.

KK: I sleep for entertainment.

SS: We watch a lot of Cat TV. The birds and squirrels are fun. And the little chipmunks run around a lot. We don’t go out, and mom won’t let them in the house, so we have to watch.

KK: There are big, humungous rodents out there too. We saw them on human TV at the beginning of February, but they’re on Cat TV every day. Mostly they wander around and eat. But they run really fast sometimes too.

SS: I don’t want to play with them. They have big teeth.

Moderator: Anything else?

SS: Well, since you asked. The humans are talking about leaving us alone for a week with someone coming to visit daily. What are we supposed to do without the humans to entertain us?

KK: I hear there are places where we can go for vacation too.

SS: Yeah, great. I was in a place like that before the humans adopted me. They’re full of big, smelly, noisy dogs.

KK: We could go with them.

SS: They could stay here.

Moderator: Well, enough of that. I think it’s time…..

SS: One more thing – I don’t want Mom to brush me all the time.

KK: But it feels good. And makes you shiny and smooth.

SS: I like my fur just the way it is, thank you very much.

Moderator: Before we close, I think you two have a big announcement to make.

SS: That’s right. Big changes are coming to the blog. We’ll still be around, but we’ll have more friends. More animals, fewer humans. Whispers: I don’t think the Moderator’s contract has been renewed.

KK: Mom’s even looking for a new theme. She’s says there doesn’t seem to be a lot to choose from for our type of blog. (Don’t worry. She’ll be around too.)

SS: So come back next time, and we’ll tell you all about it.

Snoops and Kommando Sleeping