Face Kitty

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

Cat just chillin' (Video)

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:16:23 -0500

Just chillin' on a Sunday afternoon. Junior the cat knows how to relax!
Look at Junior The Cat - Watch more free videos

Other posts I think you might be into:

The true story of Christian the lion...

Guest Blogger Anthony talks about cleaning cat urine in the house...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:20:16 -0500

This is a guest post from our friend Anthony H..

Cat urine emits a real foul odor and can make your house stink. It can be a real nuisance if the cat urinates on your carpet because it will just seep through the fibers in the carpet and cause mold. So you are now faced with two foul smelling problems instead of on. But your problems worsen if the cat urinates on a wooden floor, because it will sink right through and cause a stench that will just not go away even after you have rubbed the surface off.

While it is best to clean the wet urine, sometimes you may not notice the 'accident' until the smell hits you. In such an event, you might like to try some of these tried and tested methods that will help you to quickly and easily get rid of the cat urine odor and the ungainly stains.

1. Use absorbent cloths to soak up the urine wet area.

2. If you are trying to clean a wooden floor, wipe away the residue with a slightly damp cloth, and then dab dry.

3. Next, use either a household cleaner to remove the stain. Alternately, you can use:

a. A solution of hydrogen peroxide that is diluted to about 3%. Simply spray this over the stained area. Wait for around 5 minutes and blot dry.

b. A mix of baking soda and hand soap to work out the stains and the smell of cat urine.

c. White vinegar that has been diluted to around 25-30%. Just spray it on the affected area and blot after a few minutes.

d. Baking soda to remove cat urine odors from carpets and upholstery. But it doesn't work on cat urine that has seeped through wooden floors.

e. NOTE: Before even attempting to do this on a large area, it would be best to first test it out on a smaller area to be safe just in case it goes horribly wrong.

If you are not looking for home remedies, you may want to try out cat urine cleaners that available in pet stores. Most such products contain ingredients that destroy the bacteria in the urine, and this helps to get rid of the annoying stains or odors.

Other posts I think you might be into:

The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...

3 Sumatran Cubs at 12 days old

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:38:16 -0500

I've been following the growth of the 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs born at the Auckland Zoo. Yesterday, I posted a video of the cubs at 10 days old. This video is of the cubs at 12 days old by themselves in the den while the mommy, Molek is in another den. They are getting so chubby, their little bellies look very full as they nap and wait for Molek to return.

Other posts I think you might be into:

Christian the Lion remembers his human friends after he was released in the wild

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

Auckland Zoo's 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs - 10 days old (video)

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:03:02 -0500

Recently, I blogged about the 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs born at the Auckland Zoo. That video showed the cubs when they were 6 days old. Now they are two weeks old and looking plump and cute. Still no word as to the sex of the cubs. Here is a video of the cubs at 10 days old with their mom, Molek.

Other posts I think you might be into:

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

Why do my cat's farts smell?

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:47:11 -0500

So I'm working on the computer the other night and my cat Maddy jumps on my lap for loving. Nothing unusual here, this happens every night. So I'm petting her and she's purring and everything seems to be all right. Suddenly, a strong sulphuric scent ruined the moment. My cat farted! I've had Maddy for about six years and she's probably farted a handful of times that I know of. This led me to wonder, why do cats fart? Is this a sign of a greater problem?

Here's what my research turned up:

If your cat eats a high grain diet like IAMS, your cat will be more prone to let one loose more often. IAMS isn't exactly the best cat food and is typically loaded with filler like corn that your cat can't digest. In worse situations, your cat can suffer from a bad stomach if he or she can't digest the food correctly. The next time you go to the store or vet, take a look at the ingredients in your cat food. If the ingredients are proportionately high in corn, wheat, soy, By-products, BHA, corn syrup, meat and bone meal (may include anything from road kill to dead pets), artificial colors, Ethoxyquin and beef tallow/lard you might want to start looking at a better brand of cat food.

Cat food with Ethoxyquin in particular can be very dangerous to the long term health of your cat. Although I'm not a vet, my research tells me that Ethoxyquin has been linked to leukemia, liver cancer, chronic diarrhea, immune deficiency syndrome, loss of hair, liver damage and kidney damage. Ethoxyquin was initially developed as a herbicide and it's also still being used as stabilizer in rubber production. Sound healthy for your cat? Probably not.

Many believe that wet food for cats make them pass gas more than dry food. I'm not so sure about that. My cat has been eating a combination of mostly wet and dry food for six years and she rarely farts.

Having said all of this, if your cat is having a consistent issue with passing smelly gas, you might want to take your cat to the vet to have his/her stool examined more closely. My cat rarely farts so I'm not worried about it and I don't think you should be either if it rarely happens. It's always a good idea to talk to the vet just in case though.

Another way to look at your cat passing gas is that he or she is so comfortable with you that it simply flows out of them without any resistance. I've noticed that my cat has only farted when we've been cuddling. I'm squeezing her gently so that might be the issue too! Either way, I look at it is as a compliment.

Other posts I think you might be into:

The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...

24 Orlando pet cats go missing. Stupid resident still leaves her cats out!

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:26:32 -0500

Another reason to keep your cats indoors! Residents near the Orlando Airport have reported that their cats have gone missing. A mysterious animal caught on tape could be the reason. The animal looks like a coyote or feral dog. Coyotes have been known to hunt down cats for food.

Surprisingly, the resident interviewed by Local 6, Leah Smith said she still leaves her kittens outside even though 24 cats in her area have disappeared. "Our older cats stay indoors now," Smith said. "The kittens don't roam around but we do check everyday to make sure we've got everybody back on the front porch."

What? you check every day? a lot can happen to a kitten in 24 hrs! is she crazy? The last thing I would do if there was a cat eating animal in my neighborhood is leave my cats outside! A kitten is just an appetizer, if the coyote finds more than one in her backyard, well it is just a buffet dinner of furry cuteness! What is she thinking?

Other posts I think you might be into:

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

Christian the Lion hugs his human friends after being in the wild for a year - true story (video)

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:44:31 -0500

These two guys, Ace and John bought a lion cub from Herod's of London in the 1960's and named him Christian. But Christian, although quite tame, got too big and British officials would not allow them to keep him. So with the help of George Adamson, the first human to establish the idea of wildlife conservations, they took him to Africa to learn how to live in the wild at Kora National Park.

Now this story is already pretty interesting, in the 60's apparently you could buy a wild animal at a department store and take him home with you. But the story gets even better, after this lion was taken out to Africa, and was taught how to be a wild cat, Ace and John went back to Africa to see him. They were told by George, the man who trained him to be wild, that he had not been seen for 9 months. Which means that Christian has fully adapted to life in the wild. They were told that Christian won't remember the two men because it had been so long since he saw them last.

Here is where it gets really interesting. The night before John and Ace were to arrive at the camp out side the conservation area where Christian now lived, Christian, his lionesses and their cubs all showed up at the camp. Christian was waiting for John and Ace on top of a rock! According to George Adamson, who spent significant time with lions in the wild, he believed that lions have a mysterious, telepathic communication ability with humans. This was proof of that, Christian, who had no reason to come back to camp, returned with his pride to meet with his human friends.

This video shows Ace and John meeting with Christian and you can actually see Christians face change when he sees his old friends, then he runs to them and embraces them. This video shows the human like emotions that a lion is capable of feeling. Apparently, after the video, the three friends hung out at camp until the middle of the night when Christian returned to his pride leaving Ace and John exhausted.

Read the full story, complete with quotes and facts Christian, the lion who lived in my London living room. You can also get a copy of the DVD Christian the Lion if you want to see the whole story in a full length movie.

Look for the part when the lion first spots them at 0:35 secs. He recognizes Ace and John immediately! Then as he runs to them, you can almost feel Christian's excitement!

Other posts I think you might be into:

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

What to do if you find and catch feral kittens?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:35:38 -0500

A story of three little ferals found by Alma and Nikki, who left a comment here. They found three feral kittens but don't have the time to socialize them properly so they are asking for help.

I was a little surprised to find out that a number of feral cat organizations don't actually provide shelter to ferals that are found. Their focus is on trap neuter and return, which is very noble and a very important part of feral cat care. But what do you do if you find 3 kittens too small for adoption, but that you can't care for? Where do you take them?

Most shelters will euthanize them. They get killed just because they are feral. Horrible. Everyone knows that feral kittens can be socialized and they make great companions. Neo, my own cat was a feral kitten and I have never known a more loving cat in my life!

So what do you do? The first thing, is take precautions, sometimes they carry diseases and if they bite you or break the skin, you will have to see a doctor. But if the kittens are small enough, their hiss is much worse than their bite so you will be safe from any diseases they might be carrying.

But they have to be checked out by a vet right away. It is easy to get attached to found kittens but if they are sick, you may not be able to tell right away and when the symptoms do show up, it will be a very sad day if you have to euthanize them. Sickness in cats from fleas is a big problem for feral kittens.

So here is what you do if you find and catch feral kittens.

1. Handle the kitten with towel. Wrapping a towel around the kitten will keep you from getting scratched and biten.

2. Keep them contained. They are small and can run and hide far out of your reach if they get scared. A dog cage or cat carrier would work well.

3. Groom them using a brush or comb for cats. Their mothers groom them, so if you start, they will transfer their parental dependency onto you which helps them become socialized.

4. Take the kittens to a vet for a complete check up. Your vet might also be able to suggest families that have just lost cats that would be willing to care for your ferals and keep them.

5. If you can't keep them or if you are not around much to socialize them, the only thing you can do is find someone who can take them or contact your local shelter. If the local shelter won't take them and care for them until they can be adopted, they will be able to provide information on the nearest feral cat shelter. But before you take them anywhere, ask what their policies are, you might end up taking the kittens to their death!

Unfortunately there isn't that much support for feral kittens who need shelter. It is up to the people who find them to take charge of their futures. Make sure they are healthy and provide food and shelter and socialize them. And in some cases, find a new home for them. There really is a void out there for people like Alma and Nikki, who find kittens and want to help them, but can't keep them.

I'll keep you posted on the outcomes of these 3 kittens.

Catnip, is it good or bad for your cat?

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:08:50 -0500

Figuring out if it makes sense to give your cat cantip or not? Here's a couple of factors to consider:

Catnip has a chemical compound that is thought to mimic the effects of a pheromone.

The effect catnip has on cats is similar to what LSD does to humans. (without the harmful effects)

Catnip is a perennial herb that is now native (originally from the Mediterranean region) to Canada and America.

If you live in certain climates, you can actually grow cat nip in your garden. Like Mint, if you're not careful, it will take over your garden.

Up to 30% of cats feel no effect from the plant. Some young kittens and senior kittens do not respond to it at all.

Although it is said that catnip is chemically related to the cannabis plant, your cats will not be harmed by it and will not become addicted to it.

So if you have a young kitten or an older cat, there's a chance that your cat may not feel the effects. The bottom line is that catnip is not harmful to your cat in any way. I'll actually be giving my cat catnip for the first time next week, I'll post the video for you guys to see its effects. In the mean time, check out this YouTube video showing cats on catnip. It's pretty funny actually.

Other posts I think you might be into:

The European Cave Lion was the largest cat that ever lived...

Amur tigers move to Alaska (video)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:56:50 -0500

It's a good week for tigers in the news! Yesterday, it was revealed that three Sumatran tiger cubs were born at the Auckland Zoo. Today, the Alaska Zoo announced the arrival of two Amur Tigers. They had three Amur tigers that died of old age and received these two 4 year old brothers Korol and Kunali yesterday. Amur Tigers or Siberian Tigers are one of the 12 endangered big cats.

They were on the "red-eye" from New York to Alaska and arrived in a bit of a grumpy mood as you'll see in the video below. But the zookeepers are confident they will like their new home because it more closely resembles their natural environment of the Russian Far East. Amur or Siberian Tigers are the largest of the wild cats at up to 500 pounds and they live 15 - 20 years. Here's to the long life of Korol and Kunali! Read the full story about Alaska Zoo gets 2 new rare Amur tigers from N.Y.

Other posts I think you might be into:

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!

Auckland Zoo's 3 Sumatran Tiger Cubs (video)

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:08:25 -0500

You may have heard that the Sumatran Tiger is on the endangered species list and is expected to become extinct by 2020. But thanks to Molek, the female Sumatran tiger at the Auckland Zoo, the Sumatran Tiger Population increased by 3 cubs less than a week ago. The zoo had 2 Sumatran tigers, Molek and a male named Oz who is the father of the cubs. Now they have 5 healthy and happy Sumatran tigers.

The keepers have stayed away from Molek and her cubs for the past week so that they will have a chance to bond. But yesterday, the keepers went inside the tiger enclosure to get the first footage of the tiger cubs. Molek is a very confident and content mom as you can see in this video.

The Auckland Zoo has a Web Camera they call a CubCam so you can watch them grow and interact with each other and their mom. Read more about New Zealand zoo reports birth of 3 rare Sumatran tiger cubs.

Iowa city's cats need your help.

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:13:24 -0500

Iowa is under many feet of water and the Humane Society of the United States together with local shelters has been working to rescue people and their pets. See a slide show of some of the rescued pets and their people.

But there is so much more to be done. The animals need your help. Here is a list of donations as of today. But this list will keep changing. Check Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center for updated lists of needed items.

Donations List: The most urgent need is for large outdoor kennels for dogs, the chain link kind. Please drop kennels off between 12-3 at Barn #1. These don’t have to be new kennels, but in good working condition. Other needs are: medium, large and extra-large dog collars and harnesses; 6 ft. long heavy (1”) nylon dog leashes; cat havens; small (ceramic is best) food and water dishes for inside cat cages; copy paper; photo paper for Kodak Easy-Share camera; hand sanitizer; liquid hand soap; kitchen sponges; towels and sheets to use as bedding/cat cage covers; monetary donations to purchase medications, medical expenses, and care for animals with special needs.

Donations can be dropped off at the Fairgrounds between 10:00AM and 5:30 PM daily. Donations to the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation for both regular and emergency animal care can be made online or mail to Friends of the Animal Center Foundation at PO Box 1345, Iowa City, IA 52244-1345.

Routine Number: 319-356-5295

Phone Number for Emergency Animal Rescues Only: (612) 219-8510

It is so important to have an evacuation plan ready before these disasters happen. Find out how you can prepare your cat for evacuation.

Other posts I think you might be into:

See a 400 lbs African Lion hug and kiss his rescuer!