Cat Talk

RIP Paddles

New Zealand sensation is killed

Fans of New Zealand's famous Internet cat, Paddles, are sad today. The beloved animal was run over and killed by a car on Tuesday, leaving Paddles' family to mourn the cat's untimely death. Not only was the ginger cat the "first cat," as it belonged to the country's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, but it was also followed online by thousands of subscribers, including those of the cat's Twitter feed. The cat's extra claws, which resembled adorable Dr. Seuss-character-like thumbs, were another reason why it was so beloved.

The cat was adopted from the New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and officials are asking those who would like to pay tribute to Paddles to make donations there in the cat's name.

Did you follow Paddles on social media? What was your favorite moment featuring the famous cat?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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How to Prevent Cat Scratching

We all could use some tips!

Does your cat or kitten attempt to destroy all of your furniture, rugs and soft things in your home in search of something to scratch? You can't blame him or her if you haven't provided something to scratch. Cats have a natural need to scratch so as their owners we have to find something to satisfy this urge.

There are many cardboard posts that are inexpensive and easy to use. You just put one wherever your cat tends to scratch to encourage scratching to take place there instead. You can also add some catnip to attract your cat if he or she enjoys the herb.

You can make your own scratching post out of lumber, old carpet, rope... There are hundreds of tutorials available for free, including cool geeky ones if you're into Star Wars and other pop culture.

There are also ways to discourage scratching. From using tin foil or anti-scratching tape on your furniture to spraying your cat with water (or spraying the area with something unpleasant, like vinegar), you can deter the scratching, but ultimately kitty's not going to stop without an alternative.

What do you do to help with your cat's scratching?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Cat Bacteria Can Be Deadly

No kisses from kitty!

If you have a cat or dog, it's a good idea to not let your pet give you kisses, no matter how sweet it seems. It turns out that your pets' bacteria can be deadly. There can be up to one million live bacteria in a single gram of cat hair. Bacteria found in the saliva of healthy dogs and cats can get into the human bloodstream and kill us.

If your pet licks a wound on your body (even a burn!) you can get this bacteria in your blood. Up to 15% of dog bites can become infected as well. While you won't always die from an infection, it's also possible to lose a limb. About a quarter of people who get infected with one common bacteria die from it.

Yeah, I think I won't let my dogs lick me even more now after reading this! My cats don't usually lick but you never know.

Do you let your cats and dogs give you "kisses" and will you keep doing so even with this information? Share your thoughts below.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Geeky Cat Toys

Buy or make your own!

If you're a fan of cats and geek culture, you're in luck: you're living in the best time (so far) to celebrate both! People have been creating incredible geeky cat toys, towers and other goodies to keep both you and your kitties happy. From litter box covers to scratching posts, toys to lasers, there's something for everyone in multiple fandoms.

Love Lord of the Rings? You have to check out this Eye of Sauron scratching post. No, you can't order it, but you can make your own! Think Geek, on the other hand, has a bunch of cat lover items. Do a quick search on geek cat toys and you'll find giant At-At towers and other cool goodies!

What geeky cat items do you have at home?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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What Your Cat is Trying to Say to You

It's a lot more than "Meow"

If you've noticed your cat talking to other cats, you've probably heard a series of chirps or hisses. That's because cats typically don't "meow" at each other but rather at us. It's a language they developed just to speak to humans which is pretty amazing!

Maybe they tell us to let them in or out, or to feed them, but there are some really funny things that plenty of people speculate cats are saying that, while probably not fully accurate, will make any cat lover laugh. Here are a few hilarious examples. You can find more here. I think my favorite, however, is the list of texts that cats would send us if they could!

Have you come across any funny cat memes or jokes this week? Share them in the chat.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Keep Black Cats Safe

This month as well as all other months

While Halloween stands for a time of celebration, frivolity and even reverence to some people, to others it unfortunately means cruelty. The long-held superstitious beliefs surrounding black cats has resulted in a gruesome custom of torturing and killing black cats for some cruel people. Some say it's an urban legend and some vets confirm it's true, but there are a couple of things you can do to help black cats whether it's true or not:

1. Adopt a black cat!

2. Keep your black cat indoors. Keep all cats indoors if you can, especially during holidays that might stress them out.

3. Educate about cats to all who will listen.

Personally I know that the "urban legend" can be true, since I know some teen boys who bragged about killing our black cat when I was in college. We couldn't prove anything but they thought it was hilarious. They say it was because she was a black cat but the cruelty in their hearts could apply to anyone.

Do you have any tips on protecting cats? Share them in the chat.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Black Shelter Cats Go Unadopted

They are also first to get euthenized

It's so hard for me to understand why black cats are the last cats to get adopted and therefore the first to get euthenized. Why don't people love black cats like I do? My first cat was black, fluffy, gorgeous and one of my best friends. I still miss her to this day. Since then, I've never been without a black cat, owning three others so far. I'm sure I'll never be without one.

People actually still believe them to be unlucky, which just blows my mind. Do these people also throw salt over their shoulders and avoid stepping on cracks? Some people even steal and kill black cats around this time of year, which is just monstrous. The cat I mentioned? A car ran her over on purpose in her old age. I was away at college but my sister had to deal with the culprit bragging about it at school. When she got upset, she was the person to get in trouble, not the cat-killing teenager.

To highlight the issue, this photographer takes pictures of black cats at the shelter to help promote how cute they are and how they need adopting, too! Her pics are adorable and hopefully will help paint black cats as something to love and not fear or hate.

Have you ever adopted a black cat? We'd love to see your photos in the chat.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Nope, Cats Are Not Kids

No matter how much we love them

Can you leave your cat home without hiring a babysitter? Can you sleep through the night without having to feed your cat every 2-3 hours from your body? Do you worry about your cat constantly, especially when it refuses to eat or gets a fever or needs to go to the hospital because of RSV or is born prematurely and needs to stay in the NICU for three months or pay thousands of dollars to fix its teeth or give it a good education or try to help it become a responsible citizen or or or...

You don't? But you call your cat your baby, your child! Your FUR baby. You're its parent, so you say, despite the fact that your cat's about 46 in cat years (and still living at home? tsk, tsk) and that it is pretty much independent of you. Look, I LOVE my cats, but I don't call them my kids. I've been seeing so much child hate lately ("crotch goblins"? Really?) and while it's understandable that you don't want to have kids, there's no reason to hate children because other adults project their expectations onto you--nor is there any reason to call a pet a child. A pet is a pet. (And while you're at it, if you haven't saved your pet from a burning building, quit it with the "rescue" crap. It's another way to feel smug about your pet. Everybody has pets, unless they have allergies, and if you paid for your pet from a shelter, you adopted it, you didn't "rescue" it.)

What annoying things have you heard said about cats lately? Share them in the comments.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Train Cat Cafe in Japan

Event raises awareness about stray cats

Cat cafes are popping up everywhere. Little eateries where you can play with cats while you sip tea and have a snack, they have increased cat adoptions in the communities in which they exist. In some cities, cat cafes are so popular that reservations are required in order to have a meal next to a group of cats.

In Japan, an event just occured to highlight the homeless cat population even more: a cat cafe on a train! Passengers were able to pet and play with cats during travel. Thirty cats freely roamed the car while passengers ate boxed lunches and enjoyed tea as well as the cats' company. It's a revolutionary way to raise awareness as well as provide a fun service to both the cats and people of Japan. Maybe it will catch on and become a regular thing!

Have you ever been to a cat cafe? Which ones have you visited and how did you like them?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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