April 24/2019

Feature:

Pretty Kitties

   “…Catwalk: Tales From the Cat Show Circuit…is a documentary, & veteran directors Michael McNamara & Aaron Hancox..provide more insight about cat shows than anyone would have thought possible…

   ‘People understand what a dog show is. People can’t wrap their heads around what a cat show is,’ Kim Langille says at the beginning of this documentary.

   Langille knows of what she speaks. She is a competitive cat exhibitor & one of the main focuses of this offering. That is, Langille & her white Turkish Angora named Bobby.

   When shooting begins on the Canadian feline-show circuit, Bobby is the king of the cats, having cleaned up in competitions over the last few years.

   But wait- there’s another puss on the circuit who wishes to unseat Bobby from his throne. Say hey to Oh La La, a fetching Red Persian who has come out of retirement for one last scratch at glory. Her handler, Shirley McCollow, is hell-bent on Oh La La going out a champ.

   Langille soon realizes her Bobby has never faced an opponent as formidable as Oh La La, especially when at one show a seasoned American guest judge concedes that the latter cat has given him ‘more goosebumps’ than any feline he has ever felt…

   McNamara & Hancox were in the dark about competitive cat shows until the latter stumbled upon one 2 years ago…

   ‘These cats are not your regular (distant) cats,’ Hancox says. ‘They’re fancy cats, who are bred to be show cats & are bred to be fondled & handled. They are also socialized at an early age…’

   ‘What makes these cats so special is their amenability to be in show,’ McNamara says. ‘Oh La La, in particular, is a real ham. She really loves to be looked at. People’s mouths drop when Oh La La, this huge bouffant of a cat, is paraded around by (McCollow). She even has her own groupies.’

   ‘It’s fascinating to see how the judges handle them, too. They stretch them out to see what their musculature is like.’

   …to the victors go the spoils & the glory. That showboat Oh La La has gone on to do Whiskas commercials & won’t ever have to worry about an empty food bowl…

   …McNamara says ‘…these cat people have a real sense of humor. They come from all walks, but they’re just crazy about cats. And we’re just kicking ourselves for not doing this 20 years ago.’”

Bill Brownstein

The Gazette, Montreal

March 22/2018    

Cute Cat Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

April 17/2019

Feature:

Why Do Cats Knead?

“If you’re lucky enough to have a kitten or a cat in your life, you’ve no doubt bore witness to an interesting kitty trait known as ‘kneading’, which looks as though your cat is practising her technique to bake bread…she rhythmically alternates her paws, pushing in & out against your lap & giving you a massage…

Expressing affection

When is your cat most likely to knead? It’s probably when you’re petting her, she’s purring loudly & maybe even drooling a little bit. It’s obvious that she’s very content in this situation, & feeling the affection. So, kneading might be her way of helping you feel her affection as well.

Unfortunately, her way of showing affection may be more painful than pleasant for you. This is especially true if she is feeling very, very happy. This is because the better she feels, the harder she’s likely to knead – & if her nails are long, you’ll know it…

Getting ready for bed

Another kneading theory traces its roots to our domestic cats’ wild ancestors, who would knead grass to create a soft sleeping spot…if your cat is kneading your lap, sit back & relax because she’s likely preparing for a nap.

Kittenhood comforts

A third theory looks to your cat’s infancy. Cats start to knead instinctively as kittens, when they are nursing, to help stimulate their mother’s milk. While your cat might have outgrown the nursing stage, she might still enjoy that comforting feeling she associates with kneading.

Staking a claim

Kneading might also be your cat’s way of ‘claiming’ you. In other words, you’re not just being kneaded, you’re being marked by the scent glands on the soft pads on the bottoms of their paws…think of it as her showing that she cares enough about you to let the feline world to keep their paws off you.

Staying loose & limber

Finally, a kneading cat might just be a stretching cat. With so many naps filling her day, your cat needs to take a break now & then to stay limber, at least until her next scheduled snooze.

While many theories exist, there is no straightforward answer as to why cats knead. We hope that these kinds of mysteries will make you love your cat even more. Sometimes the best things are hard to explain."

Purina.ca

Cute Cat Pics

Weekly Chuckle

April 10/2019

Feature
Cat Breeds: Manx

“Best-known for its lack of tail, the Manx is native to the Isle of Man, located between England & Ireland…

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Though plump & round, the Manx has a compact body with solid muscles. The most striking feature of the cat is its small ‘stub’ of a tail, which is classified into 4 varieties: rumpy, rumpy-riser, stumpy, & longy. Rumpy tops the popularity charts…these have no tail, with just a dimple present in its place. Stumpy has a short curved tail while longies… possess a normal tail.

There are also 2 types of Manx coats: shorthair & longhair (formerly Cymric). The shorthair’s double coat is glossy & padded, while the longhair has a silky & plush double coat. There are many different types of accepted color & varieties, including white, black, brown spotted, silver tabby, & black tipped.

Curiously, the Manx has a rabbit-like gait, appearing to hop around rather than walk.

                                            

PERSONALITY & TEMPERAMENT

This fun-loving cat is a great companion. It adjusts easily, bonds well with other household pets (especially dogs), & enjoys playing fetch & leaping on high shelves, but will still find time to curl up with you for some snuggling.

                                        

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The Manx has a long history & has lived on the Isle of Man -- which lies in the Irish Sea…for centuries. There are several tales of how they first arrived on the island.

According to one story, the cat was traveling with the Spanish Armada when it was wrecked on the Isle of Man in 1588. The cats swam to the island & made it their home. Another story is that they were brought to the Isle by Phoenician traders, who arrived from Japan. Others claim that the cat was introduced to the island by Viking settlers who colonized it.

Inhabitants of the isle also have many fanciful tales to account for its lack of tail, which is most often attributed to a spontaneous genetic mutation that occurred many centuries ago. According to one story, the Manx was a result of a cross between a cat & a rabbit. Another imaginative tale narrates how Irish invaders stole the cat’s tail to make plumes for their helmets. Yet another interesting story suggests that the Manx was brought to Noah’s Ark but since time was short & as they were the last passengers to climb aboard, Noah slammed the door on their tails.

According to early American registry records, the first Manx cats were imported from the Isle of Man over a century ago, but as demand for the breed grew, breeders began to rely on Britain & France for new imports.

Though it is still considered a rare cat, the Manx has Championship status in all associations.”

Petmd.com

                                               

Cute Cat Pics

Cat Chuckle

April 3/2019

It's that time again...E.B.W. Critter Corner's annual Cat Month!

Feature
Felines in awe of these food-makers

   “While videos of cats on YouTube are not a new concept, cooking with them might be.

   Popular YouTube channel JunsKitchen stars 3 house cats- Kohaku, Poki, & Nagi- who watch as their owner Jun Yoshizuki prepares classic Japanese staples such as omurice, ramen, & tofu.

   JunsKitchen is one of 4 YouTube channels run by Yoshizuki, 29, & his wife, Rachel, 30. While most of their channels focus on their life & travels in Japan, JunsKitchen features basic cooking tutorials…

   He posted just 7 videos to the channel last year.

   ‘As someone who suffers from depression & anxiety; Rachel & Jun’s videos have become a form of meditation for me,’ one user wrote on Reddit…

   …Each of the channel’s 25 videos have more than one million views. The most popular, with more than 37 million views, is a tutorial on polishing a rusty knife…As his cats look on & an upbeat rock song plays, Jun polishes the knife until it gleams. The moment he holds the restored knife & demonstrates its sharpness is triumphant. A cat looks on seemingly with awe as Jun carves a radish rose.

   ‘As soon as people got a hold of ‘cat watching man cook,’ people started sharing his videos everywhere,’ Rachel said.

   Rachel & Jun had been on YouTube for 7 years…They both live in the Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture & generally post videos of life in Japan for English-speaking viewers…

   Their 3 cats are essentially characters in the videos, with their own personalities.

   For JunsKitchen, you’ll most likely find Kohaku- in frame while Jun’s cooking- on the fridge or in a chair alongside Nagi. Jun often passes ingredients to them for inspection as he makes a meal, especially if it’s a piece of fish or a can of tuna. Watching Kohaku watch Jun, it’s easy to graft emotions & coy facial expressions.

   To capture these magical moments, Rachel & Jun say it takes countless hours of editing before they hit publish. It may take Jun 40 minutes without filming to make sushi…for the cats. (&, yes there’s a video of sushi for the cats).

   In the videos, the camera never focuses on Jun, just the food & his cats. Those are the stars…”

Teddy Amenabar

The Washington Post

In The Gazette, Montreal

March 16/2019

Cute Cat Pics

Cat Chuckle

Memorial
Arthur (2009) RIP

Cricket (2012)