Cat Talk

If you search for cat videos this week, you might find some nefarious information. And that's just one of the many weird cat stories in the news this week! Apparently videos and photos of cute cats are being used to spread misinformation online by various groups of people, so beware if that cat flushing a toilet is captioned with some conspiracy theory.

A woman was caught trying to breastfeed a hairless cat on a plane this week. The poor cat was yowling and the woman refused to place the cat back in its carrier when asked to do so repeatedly.

Around a third of people in the world have been infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite that cats spread, but now researchers are discovering that the parasite is being spread among wildlife.

What other weird cat news stories have you read this week? Share them with us in the chat. 

As animal advocates ask for Covid-19 vaccines for zoo animals and pets, experts say that the vaccines, while developed for animals, may not always be necessary. We've seen zoo animals sadly pass away from Covid, and it turns out that the vaccine they are given was originally developed for companion animals--dogs--in the first place. The reason it's not being made into a priority is an encouraging one: our companion animals aren't as affected by the disease as we are.

Dogs and cats aren't getting Covid at the rate we might expect, and those who are aren't spreading it to humans or even having nearly as many complications from it as other animals. Some experts say that the risk among them is so low that a vaccine for them may not even be worth it. That said, there's been less than two years to analyze this information, and who knows how many pets may have Covid and their owners don't even know? Many pet owners only go to the vet for emergencies, after all.

Would you support a vaccine for your cat? Do you think it's necessary? Share your thoughts in the chat. 

A man is getting a lot of heat for swapping his cat in secret, without telling his wife, in order to get a better-behaved pet in the mix. Six years ago, he got rid of his wife's hissing, scratching cat, brought home an "identical" one and they've since gotten married without her even knowing. He swears it was because the previous cat wasn't one that could be tamed any better but most people don't think it was a very kind thing to do, to say the least.

At least now the man feels very guilty over the decision, especially when his wife calls the cat the former cat's name and talks about how much better it became living with them. He ended up taking the first cat to a shelter and was anxious about her realizing it. If she finds out, I wonder what it would do to their relationship?

Have you been in a similar experience before? Do you think he should tell her? 

Support animals come in all shapes and sizes. We normally hear about support and service dogs, which are fantastic, but there are also plenty of cats providing comfort and support for people. Take Truffles, the glasses-wearing cat! Truffles "works" with her optometrist mom in helping kids accept and celebrate their glasses. As a kid who hated to wear my glasses, I'd have to say that it would be very comforting to see a cat with them on, too.

Many of the kids who visit Truffles have other worries plaguing them, too, from eye surgeries and other uncomfortable treatments, like patching. Truffles even patches along with the kids, covering one side of her glasses with a patch to match the patients. Dr. Crull, her owner, says that she's truly magical, and we don't doubt it. How cool to have a support buddy like Truffles by your side.

What other cats have you heard about when it comes to service and support? Share their stories and links in the chat.