The following is a guest contribution by Carol B. – If you’d like to contribute to our publication please email info@katzenworld.co.uk
Cats are gifts from above, conceivably beyond the stars, with the wisdom of Buddha, the transcendence of Allah and the supremeness of Amen Ra.
Their beauty is beyond compare, with kaleidoscope eyes reflecting prisms of color that peer into the darkness and identify shapes that mystify and belie.
Their bodies are anatomical wonders of balance, grace, flexibility and litheness, with the coiled strength of an athlete, the carriage of a ballerina and the attitude of a diva.
They live on their own terms and unimaginably domesticated themselves. They will not compromise their reality, negotiate their stance, grant concessions, or concede under any circumstance.
They are expert but somewhat subtle communicators. There are many behavior nuances and subtleties interwoven with omnipresent curiosity.
They can be impervious, self-serving, entitled and ineffable. After all, what would would you expect from a species that was worshipped by an ancient civilization and has yet to be toppled from its tree-high pedestal.
Everyday is a pleasure to be in their presence. They are serenely oblivious to wokeness, political correctness, what constitutes acceptable behavior and the zeitgeist of an era.
They are ancient beings that will not blend, assimilate or connect to the current condition. They have traveled through centuries and never betrayed their essence. They have remained the same.
There are numerous accounts of cases where cats have intervened and saved a human’s life. Today from Review Tales, I wish to discuss this matter and hope that you enjoy reading it.
Although cats are not known to be man’s best friend. There are numerous times where they have made a difference.
Tara, the cat, famously fought off a dog that attacked her four-year-old autistic owner as he rode his bicycle in the driveway of the family’s Bakersfield home in May of 2014. The video of this attack was broadcasted everywhere showing how the dog attacked the boy while he was playing outside on his bike.
In 2017, a family of 8 were recused by a cat from a house fire. The cat was insisting on waking them up and notified them that way from what was going on.
A cat named Pretty Pippa saves her owner’s life more than 20 times a day. All she does is wake her 8-year-old owner everytime her sugars are dangerously low.
Many believe that unlike dogs, cats are not that protective of their owner, and generally do not take action in order to save or help humans. Well this thou
Throughout our lives, we have been taught and told many things. Some we have just accepted and some we have questioned. Did any of you here ever think as a kid, how did cats become pets? Why cats? When did a cat become a domesticated animal to keep, love, take care and cherish? Today from Review Tales, we will discuss this matter and hope that you enjoy reading it.
An interesting fact revealed by Jared Diamond’s 1997 book titled “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” states the fact that certain animals failed to be domesticated; it appears to have had some certain criteria in order to determine if the animal was suitable for such a thing. For example, the animal had to grow and mature at a rate that made economic sense. They had to not act out of sorts. Their social structure had to be strong, and they had to be breed well in captivity. It is no surprise that Zebras failed this test in the 19th century or Grizzly Cubs were found unsuitable. According to the author, only 14 animals passed the test of domestication.
Domestic Animal Sleeping Kittens Cute Cats Pets
Archaeologists have found evidence to suggest that Cats were domesticated around 9500 years ago. When it came to dogs, humans deliberately bred dogs to be more adorable and then the other animals came along after that. For instance, sheep and goats were domesticated around 11,000 years ago. Theories suggest that as men collected grain, it attracted mice and that brought cats into the place.
On a final note, cats can be essentially considered as the ultimate domesticated of animals but what strikes me is that we clean their litter, love them, follow after them, feed them and unlike dogs, they only come to us when they want to. It is no surprise to ask yourself, who really ended domesticating who?
Cats can be wonderful friends for humans, if there is some level of mutual understanding and acceptance between human and cat. There are two lovely cats in my life who know what to expect from me, and I know some of the things I can expect from them. I noticed how much easier it was to get a cat on my lap if I didn`t force it, I had to make it interesting for the cat.
Being present with a cat is magical, because they don`t have to come to you, they do so because they want to. I guess that goes for many other animals we keep as pets, but there`s something extra special about cats. After all, it`s the only animal which can not be “tamed”.
I think cats can pretend to be tamed, and try to please their owner to get treats for instance, but then do forbidden things when the owner is out. 😉
What are your thoughts and experiences with your own cats?
A family of cats are warming themselves near a log fire in a house half way up a mountain in Italy. There are four of them, alternately grooming and snoozing. Read this heart warming story of how one of them, Stevie Mouse tries to explain Christmas.
Stevie Mouse Tries To Explain Christmas
It All Started With Fairy Lights
Treacle
“I really don’t get it!” said Treacle, a grey tabby cat, out of the blue. “Why does Mummy have all these little lights everywhere?”
Stevie Mouse, another grey cat, stretched and purred. “Mummy is like me, she doesn’t like bright lights.” Stevie Mouse is partially sighted and bright lights hurt her eyes. “She said that she only has soft lights and why not make them fairy lights?”
“But where are the fairies?” asked Treacle, still looking completely puzzled.
“They aren’t really fairies, silly,” replied Stevie. They are just tiny little lights that look pretty. Mummy says you don’t have to wait until Christmas to have them.”
Treacle sighed. “Okay, why do I get the feeling I am going to regret this? What is Christmas Stevie?”
There was a snort of laughter from the back of the sofa where Malteser, a brown and white cat, was stretched out, supposedly asleep. He gave a knowing look to his sister Lucy, a calico cat who was also laying on the sofa. It was going to be a long night.
Ms Stevie Mouse Tries To Explain Christmas
Stevie Mouse
Stevie frowned and concentrated hard. “Ummmm.” She started, while Treacle sat expectantly, the fire crackling in the background. “It is something humans do that go back a long time. Longer than Mummy and Daddy and as you know, they are really old. I don’t really understand why they do it. They are celebrating something important. It starts with Mummy and Daddy getting all excited and starting to do lots of cooking in the kitchen. Well, Mummy does anyway. Daddy tests the red liquid that comes in a glass bottle. Mummy usually starts playing funny music that has lots of bells and she sings along.”
Stevie Misses The Christmas Tree
“They used to have a big Christmas Tree they would put up in the living room that had twinkling lights. Emmy got into trouble because she loved the lights and tried to climb the tree and it all fell over. Then I got into trouble because there was a reindeer toy under the tree and I bit off its horns. Since then, they haven’t put up the tree. I miss it. One year I went on strike and put myself into all of Mummy’s art pictures as a protest. Our friends on Facebook thought I was right and Mummy gave in and put up the tree, but Emmy wrecked it again. I think I heard Mummy say they had given it to charity but I don’t know who she is.”
There was a moment’s silence while they all remembered the lovely Emmy, a calico cat who had epilepsy and died a few years ago. Stevie had to take a moment to compose herself; she misses her friend so much as told in the story Stevie Mouse And The Feather.
“Allow me, Stevie,” said Malteser, who at the age of 12 was the head of the cat family. Stevie nodded, graciously allowing Malt to speak.
Malteser Pays Homage To A Legend
Malteser
Glancing at Lucy, who nodded with approval, Malteser said, “There is someone who is a legend when it comes to Christmas trees. His name was Thomas, and before she died Bluebottle told us the story of how he nearly died one year because of a Christmas tree! She had been told the story by Jimmy, the only cat who travelled from the UK to Italy. Another legend!”
There was a sharp intake of breath from Stevie and Treacle, and the sound of a slight giggle from Lucy.
Thomas And The Christmas Tree
Thomas
“Well, Mummy had a group of cats when she lived in the UK. Thomas, a ginger cat, was known for climbing the Christmas Tree. Mummy would come home from work and find all sorts of baubles and decorations strewn across the floor. He would sometimes hide inside the tree until someone walked into the room carrying a tray with drinks and then stick his head out suddenly which always startled them.” The other cats were giggling, Treacle thought he would remember that one for future use.
“But one year,” Malteser continued, “Thomas outdid himself and nearly paid the ultimate penalty. Tommy would spray everywhere. Mummy couldn’t have long curtains or tablecloths on side tables because Tommy would urinate on them. Once, Nanny and Mummy brought home a lovely cushion with a ginger cat on it. Mummy placed it proudly on the sofa and Thomas immediately got up and urinated on it, completely ruining it!”
Stevie Mouse was shocked, “Oh poor Mummy, what did she do?”
“Well,” said Malteser, “she loved Thomas so much that she put up with his behaviour. She did everything she could to stop it happening but Thomas was a very naughty boy. A bit like you, young Treacle.”
Treacle was now looking sheepish. He was regularly in trouble for urinating on the furniture or in corners. Stevie looked at him and winked.
Lucy cleared her throat. “The Christmas tree, brother, the Christmas tree”.
A Near Death Experience
Christmas Tree Window
“Ahem, oh yes”, said Malteser. “One day Mummy walked into the living room just as Thomas was lining up to urinate on the Christmas Tree. Only the lights were switched on. Mummy shrieked but couldn’t get there in time and as Thomas urinated there was a loud bang and the smell of burning as the lights on the tree blew out. Thomas was very traumatised and Mummy rushed him to the veterinary clinic to be checked. The vet said that he was lucky to be alive, and that he must have urinated in short spurts – if it had been a continuous stream he could have been electrocuted”.
This was greeted with gasps of horror from Stevie and Treacle.
“Let that be a lesson young Treacle. Not all things that seem like a good idea are healthy!”, said Lucy.
Stevie Picks Up The Story
Treacle was now looking very crestfallen. As the stories of Christmas had started, he was getting excited that he was going to hear something wonderful, but it turned out to be a ticking off he didn’t feel he deserved. Stevie Mouse tries to explain Christmas again.
Stevie Mouse As Santa
“But Christmas is fun too, Treacs,” she said. “Mummy and Daddy buy us special treats and then they have big parcels covered in paper and ribbon. We get to play with the paper and ribbon and sometimes, just sometimes, there is a box big enough to play in. I love boxes!”
“There is special food for everyone,” said Malteser. “All of the cats get something. Mummy even has Christmas lights on the roof of the cat garden so the cats can enjoy Christmas decorations.”
This merely seemed to confirm for Treacle what he already knew. Mummy is nuts.
“It is more than just food, though,” said Stevie. “It is a time to remember those we have lost, like Emmy and Bluebottle, and those who aren’t lucky enough to have found forever homes like we have.” The others all nodded. How wonderful it would be if all cats could have a home like this one – fairy lights and all!
Where To Read More Cat Short Stories
Dorothy Berry-Lound
If you enjoyed this story, there are more cat short stories that you can read on my blog. I am an artist and blogger living halfway up a mountain in Central Italy with two rescue dogs and 15 cats, including the Supreme Being, Ms Stevie Mouse. Read more about me and my work on my website.
Please find below a guest post by our friends over at Pets Best on fun Halloween themed cat names!
5 Most Common Halloween-Themed Pet Names
The spookiest time of year is approaching, and many dog and cat owners enjoy including their four-legged family members in Halloween fun. Some pet owners even keep the holiday thrills going year-round by giving their animals Halloween-inspired names. Ranging from adorable to spine-tingling, several Halloween-related names have become especially popular.
In an effort to highlight this new tradition, Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC has gathered the most common Halloween-themed dog and cat names from its database of insured pets across the U.S. The top Halloween-themed names, in order of popularity, include:
1.Pumpkin 2.Candy 3.Boo 4.Spooky 5.Monster ?
These aren’t the only Halloween-inspired names that stand out. Pets Best has also identified a number of other creepy monikers from its pet database that deserve honorable mentions. These include: ?Cujo ?Hannibal ?Wolfie ?Moonshadows ?Dracula ?Witch Baby ?Boogyman ?Demon ?Goblin ?Buffy the Vampire Slayer ?Gravedigger ?Zombie
If new or prospective pet owners are considering a Halloween-related name for their dogs and cats, Pets Best suggests identifying holiday treats, monsters and decorations that fit their animals’ personalities or looks. It also doesn’t hurt to simply pick something fun about the holiday that people love.
For more information about Pets Best, visit www.petsbest.com.
About Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC
Jack L. Stephens, president of Pets Best, founded pet insurance in the U.S. in 1981 with a mission to end euthanasia when pet owners couldn’t afford veterinary treatment. Dr. Stephens went on to present the first U.S. pet insurance policy to famous television dog Lassie. Pets Best provides coverage for dogs and cats and is the only veterinarian founded and operated pet insurance agency in the United States. Dr. Stephens leads the Pets Best team with his passion for quality pet care and his expert veterinary knowledge. He is always available to answer questions regarding veterinarian medicine, pet health and pet insurance. The Pets Best team is a group of pet lovers who strive to deliver quality customer service and value. Visit www.petsbest.com for more information.
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Cat Writer Mollie Hunt is the author of two cozy series, the Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries and the Tenth Life Mysteries. Her Cat Seasons Sci-Fantasy Tetralogy features extraordinary cats saving the world. Mollie also pens a bit of award-winning cat poetry.
You know when you stumble upon a new cat and you immediately bond!
Well, this unknown street beauty actually put on a proper show for me.
I don’t know her/ his name but because of the grace he/ she demonstrated I will call this cat “Ballerina”.
Ballerina was hiding at first when I rocked up on the street but after a brief hesitation came over and started pirouetting for me.
It was great to see Ballerina trust me enough to show me some underbelly.
I feel with cats, it’s all about the personality that keeps you on your tows and keeps your guessing their next move.
Ballerina was fun but retained some of her mysterious charm while rolling around.
This cat let me get close but petting was out of the question. Every time I got a bit too close, Ballerina was peering suspiciously at me as if to say “No touching or else!”
Then quickly got back to being cute.
Of all the street cats I’ve come across, I’d say Ballerina is the most elegant. Playful paws, gliding tail and the most beautiful green eyes.
It lives in Oxford which means intellectual as well!
The very first time I met Ballerina, I was eating an ice cream and the cat was extra keen on trying as well. Then disappeared in a back garden. A local lady passing by said Ballerina is a regular around the neighbourhood and knows everything!
The belly looks extremely soft but looks can be deceiving as this cat is very agile and quick when it wants to be.
Try to touch him/ her and you’ll find out!
Ballerina also has a favourite place to scratch:
I try NEVER to interrupt when his/her scratching time because once I was pretty close to a nasty biting…
As a dedicated cat lover, I couldn’t resist following Ballerina around and enjoying some tummy exposure (no rubbing though!).
A very nice and friendly cat when you know you have good intentions, Ballerina will show you how fabulous he/she is.
You may spot Ballerina if you ever visit some of the small roads in Summertown, Oxford.
Our youngest, Luna, is quite the docile kitty, spending most of her days laying in her favourite bed soaking up the sun, only appearing when food is on offer or when Daddy is in a meeting. Not much can tempt her to be active, but should a fly ever wander past her gaze she will pounce into action like a little fluffy Ninja. That’s why this rod and teaser seemed like an obvious choice to buy.
As soon as it arrived, we couldn’t wait to get it out of the packaging and see what she would make of it. First impressions of the rod were good. It’s a fairly thick stem which looks like it should hold up to plenty of play, and the handle is a nice size with a good grip.
The attachment also feels very well made and sturdy. The string is braided which makes it feel strong and durable, definitely a selling point for us since both our kitties love to chew string. The centipede insect at the end is double-jointed which makes for plenty of movement and the bright colours certainly catch the attention of our fluffy kitties.
So far, our kitties have had plenty of fun flying through the air and chasing the centipede along the ground. If you also have a kitty that loves to chase flies around the house, or even just likes to chase anything with bright colours, I would definitely recommend this teaser rod. We’ll definitely be buying more attachments in the future to give the kitties some more options, but for now I suppose I should let them rest and recuperate from their afternoon of “strenuous” exercise and excitement.
With the first annual World Geoffroy’s Cat Day just behind us, I reached out to researcher and founder of the Geoffroys’ Cat Working Group (GCWG), Flávia P. Tirelli, to find out more about the vital conservation work taking place to help save the Geoffroy’s Cat and her role in leading a movement to celebrate and protect local wildlife.
Image Credit: Instagram
Please tell me about your background and why you decided to focus on the Geoffroy’s Cat?
I was born in southern Brazil in the Pampas and since I was a little girl I often heard tales of the wild felids that inhabited the region. My grandparents, who are farmers, would always tell me how common it was to see wild cats when they were young, but now they were seemingly vanishing. Inspired by this, I set out to study these small wild cat species to understand their ecology and fight for their conservation.
How does your research help the Geoffroy’s Cat?
My studies aim to provide a clearer understanding of the Geoffroy’s cat populations spatial dynamics in a human-dominated landscape in the Brazilian pampas, which is paramount to the development of viable regional management plans for this felid – by viable, we mean actions that will assemble economic activity and fauna conservation.
Additionally, understanding the patterns of variation in the biology and ecology of the Geoffroy’s cat across its range of distribution should help design effective conservation strategies that allow the long-term persistence of this felid in the variety of habitats in which it occurs.
To engage and empower local communities, especially teaching the young ones, is crucial for the species survival. I know we can do it because it happened to me. I am from a local community, I studied and now I have a PhD in Zoology working on wild cat research and conservation.
What surprises most people when they first learn about this tiny wild cat?
Their preference for natural areas like native forest and water, their avoidance of roads, and their essentially nocturnal habits, with diurnal activity limited to native forest, in the Brazilian pampas. These are likely to be behavioral characteristics that enable this small cat to persist, with a reasonably high population density, in a human-dominated landscape in which other felids have already declined or disappeared completely.
The geographical variation in the relationship between body size and home range size across their range which suggests that the ecology of this felid, is strongly influenced by sexual selection.
They are not as solitary as we think. They overlap home ranges even with no kinship relation, or sex organization (where both sexes overlap). This indicates that inter-individual tolerance and relaxation in territories may occur in the Geoffroy’s cat.
In South America, what are the attitudes towards the Geoffroy’s cat like?
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the population does not even know these cats exist. Even in local news whenever a cat is found, usually in the form of roadkill, it is referred to as an ocelot’s cub. That shows how important it is for us to spread the word about the small felids of the Brazilian Pampas.
What would you consider to be the most pressing issue facing these cats?
Habitat loss is the main threat among its entire distribution, but each different region has theirs own threats that should be mitigated locally.
You recently formed the GCWG along with the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation. Please tell me about your role as coordinator and importance of this collaboration.
The GCWG was created on the 1st of December 2020 as part of Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation. We aim to help the survival of Geoffroy’s Cat populations and their natural habitats across its entire distribution range by providing financial and technical means to enact actions. It is a global network of researchers and conservationists who are committed to engaging in conservation actions to preserve this small and little-known cat.
My role as coordinator is to collect members that work locally with the species, to involve them in a network for the species conservation, to engage them to create mitigation action locally, to define our strategy and management, to organize our budget and to help find funds for GCWG.
Image Credit: Instagram
How will the GCWG help change attitudes towards the species?
We plan to start by spreading the word. People need to know the species, their biology and conservation threats in order to become supportive of our efforts. The main strategy is to sensitize people and help those who live in close proximity to these animals, relate to the wild cat that lives in same places they live.
How important is it to engage and empower local communities so they can be part of conserving their wildlife heritage?
To engage and empower local communities, especially teaching the young ones, is crucial for the species survival. I know we can do it because it happened to me. I am from a local community, I studied and now I have a PhD in Zoology working on wild cat research and conservation.
What is the best way for people, especially those who live in South America, to get involved in helping the Geoffroy’s Cat?
I would say the most important way people can help and support our work is to get to know the cat.
Learn their characteristics and how to identify them in the field
Understand the threats they face
Share this information with as many people as possible
This base knowledge will enable us to create and work with a network of volunteers, who will then act as the eyes and ears on the ground. Volunteers could, for example, use their own phones to take pictures, exchange information, etc… and actively help these cats to survive and thrive.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We all need to come together to build this network to help the Geoffroy’s Cat. This includes local communities, conservationists, researchers, governmental institutions, children, artists, media and many other players. We all can have a role in helping!
For more information and how to help:
Follow the Geoffroy’s Cat Working Group on Instagram
For those in South America, in particular in Brazil, please check out Pro Carnivoros.org
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