Cat trapped in Stranraer recycling bin - via Tabitca Cope

The Scottish SPCA has appealed for information after a cat was found dumped in a recycling bin in Stranraer.

A dog walker found the animal trapped inside the bin on Friday in an area known locally as The Approach.

The cat - which has been named Dusty - had been left with a puppy blanket but no food or water.

It is now being looked after at the charity's animal rescue and re-homing centre and being treated for eye and ear injuries.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Geraldine Lawrie said, "Dusty is a very friendly and affectionate wee man so he's obviously belonged to someone.

"He's lucky that he was found by the member of the public whose dog took an interest in the bin.

"Dusty was inside the bin with the lid closed."

She said that a vet who had seen the cat was confident it would recover from its injuries.

"We are appealing for anyone who has any information, or noticed any suspicious activity to get in touch with our animal helpline on 03000 999 999," she said.

The Scottish SPCA said that abandoning an animal was an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

It said anyone found guilty of doing so could expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or for life.



Source

Wandering cat missing for two weeks finds his way home on the train - and even got off at the right stop!

Tyrone Marshall / 04:30 Thursday 24 September 2015 

A WANDERING cat who had been missing for two weeks found his way back home on the train – and even managed to get off at the right stop.

Thirteen-year-old Charlie vanished from his home in Accrington a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t been seen since, until he got off a busy commuter train in the town on Monday.

Rail staff believe Charlie, who only moved to Accrington in April, had boarded the train in Colne and spent half an hour on the service, ignoring stops at seven stations before getting off at Accrington.

Owner Kinder Kaur, of Whalley Road, jokingly suggested Charlie might have needed a holiday or some time on his own to deal with a mid-life crisis.

Andy Richards, of rescue centre East Lancashire Cats, was stunned when he got a phone call to tell him a feline had just got off a train at Accrington.

He said: “A friend of mine got off the train and rang me to say she had just seen a cat get off it.

“I couldn’t believe it but I went to have a look and sure enough he was just sat there on the platform.

“The train staff think he got on at Colne because the doors are open for a long time there.

“We took Charlie in and he turned out to be microchipped, which is very rare for a stray cat, and when we checked it suggested he belonged to an address in Warrington, but when I rang the phone number it said it was out of service.

“I then posted a photo on Facebook and amazingly a friend from the centre who re-homed Charlie recognised him and put me in touch with the owner.

“It was an amazing piece of luck to finish an incredible story. It’s bizarre. I’ve never heard of anything like it.

“I just don’t know how he knew to get off at Accrington. They say cats have an amazing homing sense but I’ve never known this before.”

Mrs Kaur said it was not the first time that Charlie had gone missing since they re-homed him more than five months ago.

She said: “He went missing a few weeks before this, but he was in the gardens of the nursing home down the road.

Continued ...

Ozzie the mystery globetrotting cat dies before being reunited with his owners - update

08/07/2015 - 09:22:09

Ozzie the mystery cat, who made international headlines when he turned up in Ireland despite being registered in Australia, has passed away before he could be reunited with his owners.

The ginger cat generated wide interest when he was handed in to Armagh Cats Protection last month - and a scan for his microchip revealed he should have been in Australia.

Adding to the mystery was an unbelievable birth date in 1989 - making Ozzie ten years older than his life expectancy.

While many parts of Ozzie's mystery were solved over the coming weeks, it was too late for the worldly feline, as he passed away on Monday in Armagh from kidney failure.

After Australian media picked up the story, Armagh Cats Protection was able to reach his owners - who were themselves world travellers. They had brought the much-loved Tigger – Ozzie's real name – with them on their journeys to London and Ireland.

Continued ...

Wash. 'cougar' sightings turn out to be house cat

LYNDEN, Wash. —

Police in Lynden, Wash., say the multiple reports they received of a "cougar" sighting near the fairgrounds turned out to be a very muscular orange-colored domestic cat.

Police Chief Jack Foster tells the Bellingham Herald (http://is.gd/DXbhYv)that one woman said she saw the cat twice. Police first learned of the sightings on Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, a new sighting was reported. This time Foster says an officer was able to get within a few feet of the creature and report that it WAS a big cat - a big domestic cat.

The chief acknowledges that from a distance the animal did resemble a cougar.

He says the original witness confirmed it was the same cat she had seen earlier.

Foster says cougars have been seen in the community near the Canadian border - twice in the past two decades.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019022574_apwanotacougar.html?syndication=rss

Cat Flap: Dead Pet Turned Into Helicopter

An artist has turned his cat into a flying helicopter after it was killed by a car.

Dutchman Bart Jansen stuffed Orville before teaming up with a radio control helicopter expert to attach propellers to each of its four paws.

The cat - named after pioneering aviator Orville Wright - is now a piece of artwork. The "Orvillecopter" is on show at the Kunstrai art festival in Amsterdam.

Jansen said his creation is "half cat, half machine", and part of a visual art project to pay tribute to his pet.

"After a period of mourning he received his propellers posthumously," he said.

The Orvillecopter currently struggles to fly steadily, a problem Jansen has promised to fix.

"He will receive more powerful engines and larger props for his birthday. So this hopping will soon change into steady flight."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/cat-flap-dead-pet-turned-helicopter-083942417.html

Cat survives two-hour washing machine ordeal in South Africa

 CAT survived after it was tossed around inside a washing machine for almost two hours in Johannesburg, the South African newspaper The Star reported.

Karin Bennett, 63, heard meowing noises coming from close to her washing machine and began to search for her cat Tabitha.

She searched her neighbor's house - where the adventurous cat likes to visit - and her kitchen cabinets, oven and fridge but was unable to find the animal.

When her washing machine cycle finished, she went into the laundry and discovered Tabitha's furry face looking back at her through the machine's glass.

The cat was inside the washing machine for one hour and 45 minutes.

Tabitha was treated at a local vet for hypothermia and shock but was not seriously injured during the incident.

"It could happen to anybody. She must have been sleeping in there," Bennett said.

"The vet told me she [the cat] had lost seven of her nine lives."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/the-other-side/cat-survives-two-hour-washing-machine-ordeal-in-south-africa/story-e6frfhk6-1226347427407

Miracle cat survives 20-story plunge

NEW YORK (CNN/WCBS) - Forget that superstition about black cats and bad luck. One curious New York kitty is super lucky, surviving a 20-story fall.

Meet "Gloucester," better known as "G" to his owners. His friendly face was subject to plenty of fireworks on the Fourth of July, surviving a 20-story plunge from an Upper West Side apartment building. The cat crash-landed on the pavement with barely a scratch.

"According to the vet, when you're 10 floors or above, you actually have an increased chance of surviving it, because you have a chance to kind of right yourself and get ready to land," said Barry Myers, Gloucester's owner.

Myers has owned "G" since he found the cat in an abandoned building 16 years ago. He mistakenly left a window cracked open when leaving for a long weekend, not knowing the danger in store for his curious cat.

"In all the years we've been here, he's never even looked at the window, let alone peeked his head out or anything. I assume he saw something and leaned out and tried to take a swing at it," said Myers.

Lucky for "G," he was discovered by a woman out walking her dog. She gave him water and called for help.

"Everything came back pretty negative. He was obviously in shock for a while," Myers explained.

"G" is now on the mend, a little wobbly and eating through a feeding tube, but miraculously he didn't break any bones.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpps/news/strange/miracle-cat-survives-20-story-plunge-ob11-jgr_3880565

The real Pink Panther: The kittens whose fur changed colour after being bathed in cement

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 5:35 PM on 18th May 2011

This adorable sight is one that could have easily been a tale of tragedy.

Four kittens were found abandoned in a concrete factory in Redruth, Cornwall, weak and malnourished.

But they are now being nursed back to health and are very much in the pink - in more ways than one.

Staff at the Cats Protection charity were given quite a shock when they tried to wash the four-week-old cats and they couldn't remove the reddish hue from one, earning it the nickname 'Pink Panther'.

She was rescued by workers along with her two sisters and a tom cat - called Clouseau, Dusty and Cerise. It is thought that they came into contact with red pigment used in concrete manufacturing which had caused their unusual appearance.

The dying is less obvious in three of the cats but Pink Panther has a creamy fur so she appears bright pink.

Attempts have been made to wash the dye out because different variations of red are seen as 'danger colours' to animals but they failed.

Instead, Cats Protection manager Claire Rowe says they will have to wait until the pink fur has grown out.

She said:'They are absolutely adorable, but Pink Panther is probably the pick of the bunch. It's amazing. Until we washed her we had no idea what her natural colour was.

'As we shampooed her, the pink has slowly started to fade, although it may be that the fur has to grow out before we see her full colour, which could take months.

'It appears as though she's actually a creamy beige, and she has been dyed by the red pigment used in the concrete.

'We think the kittens were abandoned by their mum but we're hopeful they will fully recover and be able to enjoy a bright, but preferably not pink, future.'

The kittens were rescued from Ladds Concrete Factory in Redruth after staff heard their faint meows. They were spotted cowering between a set of pallets and have been temporarily fostered until they are strong enough to be rehomed.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388227/Pink-kitten-The-real-Pink-Panthers-fur-changed-colour-bathed-cement.html
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)

Cat with thunderous purr makes record attempt in UK

In this handout photo released by Northampton College,
Smokey, a gray and white tabby cat prepares to receive a treat
from owner Ruth Adams, in Northampton , England. A British
community college says it has a recorded a house cat whose
lawnmower-like purr hit 73 decibels, 16 times louder than the
average feline. Northampton College in central England said
Wednesday, March 30, 2011, that it had dispatched a music
team with specialist sound equipment to record 12-year-old
Smokey. The recording has been submitted to the Guinness
World Records. (AP Photo, Alisdair Tait, Northampton College)

March 30, 2011
LONDON (AP) -- A British community college has recorded a house cat named Smokey whose lawnmower-like purr hit 73 decibels, which is 16 times louder than the average feline.

Northampton College in central England said Wednesday it received a request from Smokey's owner, Ruth Adams, to provide the equipment needed to file a world record application.

The college agreed, dispatching a team with specialist sound equipment to record Smokey purring in the comfort of Adams' home in the nearby village of Pitsford, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of London.

The recording has now been submitted to Guinness World Records for vetting.

The 12-year-old gray-and-white tabby has already made several media appearances, with journalists comparing the purr to the sound of a Boeing 747 from a mile away. A video posted to the cat's website made it sound more like the cooing of an angry dove.

"Sometimes she purrs so loudly it makes her cough and splutter," the site said. "She even manages to purr while she eats."

Smokey is camera-shy, according to Adams, who said in a statement that the recording session had to be kept quiet and low key to keep the cat from getting upset.

All the attention may have made the Adams household media-shy as well.

"Oh God," said a man who answered the phone at the Adams' home Wednesday. "You're not the only caller." He then hung up.

Guinness World Records spokeswoman Amarilis Whitty said that she was "anxiously waiting" for the recording to see if it meets the group's standards.

http://newsok.com/cat-with-thunderous-purr-makes-record-attempt-in-uk/article/3553850

Cat Survived Earthquake and Reunited with Family

Mar 16, 2011

A woman returned to her house that was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami to look for her cat.

She was shocked by the damage in the house as she was rummaging through the rubble. While she was talking to the reporter, a miracle happened. Her cat came out from the stairs and started meowing.

Non-non the cat was hiding upstairs when the tsunami hit. The little one survived.

Though the kitty was still a little shaking and overwhelmed by the whole disaster and afraid to come back downstairs, it was absolutely heart-warming and hopeful to know that Non-non made it safe.

Rough Translation:

Voiceover: After the earthquake, the citizens return to their changed town.

Woman: I had a cat, and when the tsunami came, I looked for it. But I couldn’t find it, so I had to escape.

Voiceover: When they go into the house…

Man: So what was this room?

Woman: This was the dining room.

Man: That’s a tree from outside?

Woman: Yeah, that’s amazing…

Woman: Ah! The cat’s alive! I can hear it!

Man: That’s great! It looks like it escaped to the second floor when the tsunami came

http://lovemeow.com/2011/03/cat-survived-and-reunited-with-family/

Suburban birds have deadly stalker: your cat

By Darryl Fears
Tuesday, March 15, 2011; 5:03 PM

Cats stalking adorable and helpless birds is the stuff of cartoon legend, starting with the lovable Tweety Bird.

But a study of bird kills by domesticated house cats in the District suburbs found that it is no laughing matter.

The study, published recently in the Journal of Ornithology, chronicled predatory behavior by free-roaming cats that happens many times over in cities and suburbs nationwide, resulting in up to a half-billion bird kills each year.

Domesticated cats pounced on baby birds, often after they first flew from their nests, at three sites that were studied in Takoma Park and Bethesda, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems.

"Cats are predators, non-native predators," said Peter Marra, a research scientist at the Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. "Cats are the only domesticated animal that's allowed to roam free," Marra said. "Cats need to be put indoors. They cause major reductions in a number of animals and birds."

Researchers for the study, published in January, followed a gruesome trail of bird kills in Spring Park and Opal A. Daniels Neighborhood Park in Takoma Park and Bethesda. They climbed trees, checked nests, studied eggs and tied transmitters to birds that in some cases continued to send signals where the house cat killed them.

A culprit was not located for all bird deaths, but "fledglings found with body damage or missing heads were considered symptomatic of cat kills," the study said. Seventy-nine percent of all bird deaths at the three sites were fledglings.

"Birds do provide a variety of service to ecosystems," Marra said. "They spread seed. They're pollinators. They provide a sense of place. Robins are now singing, providing a much healthier environment and a nicer place to be."

A few dead birds here and there might not seem like a big deal, Marra said. But the deaths add up.

There are about 77 million pet cats in the United States, according to the American Bird Conservancy, and about a third are kept exclusively indoors. They kill about 500 million birds yearly.

Another 60 million to 100 million undomesticated cats kill even more birds. A University of Nebraska at Lincoln study, Feral Cats and Their Management, estimated that feral cats kill 480 million birds yearly in the United States and are responsible for wiping out 33 species worldwide.

Feral cats - also known as "alley cats" - wiped out the wren on New Zealand's Stephens Island in 1895 and today threaten bird species on the Hawaiian islands, according to the study.

Marra said some animal rights groups and cat lovers are adamant about allowing all cats to roam free. "They defend cats like you wouldn't believe," he said.

But the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is not among them.

"What, do you love animals but you don't care about wildlife? It's ridiculous," said Martin Meresereau, PETA's director of emergency response.

"The list of reasons why we want to keep our animal companions inside with us is limitless," Meresereau said. Free-roaming house cats are too often nabbed by people who use them to train fighting dogs or sell them to research labs.

"I've gotten a dozen cruelty workers with cases stacked up to the ceiling, and the majority of those are cats," Meresereau said of cats that were allowed to roam outdoors.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/14/AR2011031405577.html

Man arrested for making 'cat bombs'

Published: March. 3, 2011 at 12:58 PM

 

HEDGESVILLE, Md., March 3 (UPI) -- Authorities in West Virginia said a man arrested on an explosives charge was making "cat bombs" to scare felines away from his yard.

West Virginia State Police said Brian Michael Bailey, 42, of Hedgesville, was arrested Monday after several complaints were lodged about him setting off some manner of explosive devices at his home, The (Hagerstown, Md.) Herald-Mail, reported Thursday.

Bailey told troopers he had been making "cat bombs" from combining aluminum foil and toilet bowl cleaner in empty plastic soda bottles and throwing them into his yard, frightening away roaming cats with the resulting explosion. Troopers said they found three exploded bottles at Bailey's home and two bottles of The Works toilet bowl cleaner.

Bailey was charged with a felony count of illegal possession of destructive devices, explosive material or incendiary devices.

 

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/03/03/Man-arrested-for-making-cat-bombs/UPI-51721299175135

Is Lucy, 39, the oldest cat in the world?

She may be deaf and a bit stiff in the morning but when you consider Lucy the moggy has just turned 39, it’s understandable.

At 172 in human years, the tabby, who lives with Bill Thomas, 63, in Llanelli, South Wales, could well be the world’s oldest cat.

‘She’s gone deaf but apart from that she’s in good shape,’ he said. ‘She still looks for mice every day.’

He continued: 'We have researched Lucy's past and found she was born in Thomas Street, Llanelli in 1972.

'We have spoken to other people who can verify seeing her in the fish and chip shop in the early seventies.

'She appears to be the genuine article.'

A spokesman for Guinness World Records said there was no entry for the world's oldest cat.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/851885-is-lucy-39-the-oldest-cat-in-the-world

See also: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/09/time-worn-tabby-at-39-is-lucy-the-oldest-cat-in-the-world/

Urban marmosets avoid pet threat

Black-tufted marmosets living in Brazil's city parks are going to surprising lengths to avoid unusual predators - domestic cats.


The small urban-dwelling monkeys return to favoured sleeping sites - something jungle-dwelling marmosets do not do.

Cats often make multiple attempts to catch the monkeys each day, but have difficulty accessing tall trees with smooth bark and fewer low branches.

So the monkeys habitually return to these tall trees to thwart the cats.

Details are published in the International Journal of Primatology.


Marmosets usually live in rainforest canopies but have adapted to life in Brazil's urban green spaces.

Marmoset researchers observed the behaviour whilst investigating the affect of city noise levels on urban populations in Belo Horizonte City Park in Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil.

In their study, Marina Duarte and Professor Robert Young revealed how the black-tufted marmosets make sleeping site choices.

The park contains more than 3,000 trees, but the nine resident marmosets only slept in 12 particularly tall trees, all of which had high first branches and smooth bark.

The monkeys also showed a preference for trees that could only be accessed by jumping from neighbouring trees.


This behaviour has not been observed in black-tufted marmosets living in more traditional rainforest habitats.

"Normally, in nature the animals prefer to sleep in several different trees so that predators do not learn to find their sleeping places," explained Ms Duarte.

Approximately 115 domestic cats live in the park and researchers recorded an average of three attempts at marmoset predation by cats per day.

However, the cats were unable to scale the tallest trees or those without suitable climbing supports like rough bark or low hanging branches.

By adapting their choice of sleeping sites, the marmosets were able to evade the exceptionally high number of predators.

Feral predators
Unwanted pets have been abandoned in the park for the last 20 years, greatly increasing the cat population.

Scientists studying how marmoset and tamarins adapt to urban environments have also recorded their communication in groups and interaction with humans.


In the past, these sap-feeding species have been identified as particularly adaptable to urban environments where they can find suitable food sources.

The small monkeys are also popular with exotic collectors and it remains unclear how many of Brazil's urban marmosets were once pets.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9271000/9271898.stm










By Ella Davies


Earth News reporter

Fat cat flap invented for overweight moggies

As a survey reveals one in four cats is fat, a new futuristic cat flap with sliding doors allows overweight felines to get in the back door.

Research shows that out of the eight million pet cats in the UK, one in four are now obese.

If this trend continues, 50% of cats will be too fat to fit through a standard cat flap by 2020.

2 stone moggy Max tries out the flap for fat cats

But if you don’t fancy putting your precious puss on a diet, never fear.

Instead of losing weight, you can now just get a bigger cat flap instead.

More Than pet insurance and TV vet Joe Inglis have teamed up to launch ‘Cat Flap of the Future,’ an extra large cat flap with sliding doors operated by a paw recognition system.

At 32cm by 35cm, the fat feline’s futuristic dream is twice the width of a regular cat flap.

And if you’re wondering how your overweight moggy will make it to the cat flap, you don’t need to worry on that front either.

The new invention also includes a cat conveyer belt to carry your feline friend from ground to flap level.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/849300-fat-cat-flap-invented-for-overweight-moggies#ixzz17GgVaKN8

'Sick prank' leaves cat dyed pink in Swindon

24 September 2010

The RSPCA have criticised a "sick prank" in which a cat had its fur dyed pink and was then thrown over a garden fence in Swindon.

Officers are looking for the owner of the cat, which was found by a man in his garden in Wesley Street on 18 September.

The two-year-old, who has been named Pink, is said to be in good health.

However, vets have not been able to wash the dye out of her fur and she will have to wait for it to grow out.

It is thought the naturally white domestic short-haired cat is either a stray or has been abandoned.

This is because the fur around her neck has a pattern which suggests she has been wearing a collar fairly recently.

'Poor creature'

But the RSPCA said she could be someone's missing pet who was the victim of a prank.

Veterinary surgeon Penny Gillespie, who is caring for Pink at Cheldene Veterinary Centre and Boarding Cattery, said: "We have no idea what the dye is or how long it will last.

"It is clearly not toxic but still unpleasant.

"The person responsible has covered her thoroughly all over but avoided putting any around the animal's eyes and nose.

"Further washing would stress Pink and probably would not help to remove the colour so it will be case of waiting for it to grow out."

RSPCA officer Carl Hone said: "When I got the call I thought perhaps it would be a cat with something natural on their coat or which had rubbed against wet paint but this poor creature has been dyed completely pink, except around her eyes and nose, so she looks like she has a white mask on."

He added: "We are very keen to trace the person responsible for doing this to the cat and I would urge anyone with information, or who knows who she belongs to, to please call the RSPCA."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-11407516

Kitten survives full machine wash cycle

A Burmese kitten has survived a full machine wash and spin cycle after apparently falling asleep in a pile of dirty linen.

Owner Liz Fear was unaware that 7-month-old Suki was in the front-loading machine until she went to remove the washed clothing last Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.

"I lifted her limp and lifeless body out and she was really cold and colourless and I held her in my arms," she said.

Explaining how the incident occurred, she added: "We just thought she was taking time out somewhere and - doing four loads of washing a day - I just closed the machine door after the kids had put their clothes in and didn't think any more about it."

Liz and her husband Tony rushed Suki to a Fitzroy vet and then to Kensington's Advanced Vet Care for specialist treatment, where she was diagnosed with swelling over the eyes, minor brain trauma, purple gums and membranes, fluid on the brain, water on the lungs, hypothermia and severe diarrhoea due to detergent ingestion.

Clinic owner Sam Snellin said: "It is testament to a cat's abilities to survive against the odds that Suki had probably not been initially expected to survive but pulled through the night.

"By midnight on Friday she was able to sit up, at 5am she was sniffing food and then the next morning, she was walking on her own feet, albeit a bit wobbly."

Suki is expected to make a full recovery and will continue to be monitored.

Earlier this year, 4-month-old Persian kitten Kimba also survived a wash cycle after sneaking into a machine unnoticed.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a278238/kitten-survives-full-machine-wash-cycle.html?rss

UK cat dumper Mary Bale to appear in court on animal cruelty charges

MARY Bale, the British woman caught on CCTV throwing Lola the cat into a garbage can, is to appear in court next month to face two criminal charges of animal cruelty, prosecutors have confirmed.

Bank clerk Bale sparked outrage in August after security footage posted on the internet showed her calmly dropping Lola by the scruff of the neck into a large green bin outside an address in Coventry, central England.

Four-year-old Lola remained trapped there for around 15 hours but was eventually recovered unharmed.

The 45-year-old will appear before Coventry Magistrates Court on October 19 on charges of causing unnecessary suffering to a cat and of not providing the animal with a suitable environment, under the UK's Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The case was taken to court by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), who quizzed Bale over the footage.



Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/uk-cat-dumper-mary-bale-to-appear-in-court-on-animal-cruelty-charges/story-e6frfkyi-1225927073385#ixzz109e0fg7mLola's owners, Stephanie and Darryl Mann, originally posted tape of the incident on Facebook after they watched the footage to see how Lola had ended up in the bin.

Newspapers from China to Sweden covered the case of the mysterious cat trasher. Bale was put under police protection after being identified as the woman in the video due to numerous death threats.

She later apologised to Lola's owners and said her actions were "completely out of character."

"I certainly did not intend to cause any distress to Lola or her owners. It was a split second misjudgment that has got completely out of control," she said in a statement last month.



Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/uk-cat-dumper-mary-bale-to-appear-in-court-on-animal-cruelty-charges/story-e6frfkyi-1225927073385#ixzz109dxoWjK

Man Builds Cat-Sized Village for Homeless Cats

Photo via caboodleranch.com

And this sanctuary was built by someone who doesn't like cats.

By Jerry James Stone
Wed Sep 8, 2010 12:51

Craig Grant doesn't like cats. But that all changed when his son moved out, leaving his cat Pepper behind. And just when Craig was getting used to having one cat, he found out Pepper was pregnant. Five kittens later, Craig was ready to adopt them out until his son said they must stay with their mother for 8 weeks. "It wasn't long before the kittens were swinging from my curtains," he notes on his website.

The cats started to be a problem for Craig. Not only were neighbors complaining but the cats were being harassed, like being shot with B.B. guns. A newspaper advertisement led him to a tree farm 100 miles away from his Jacksonville condo. A home he wasn't quite ready to give up with its short walk to the beach and it was also close to his work.

He immediately loved the tree farm and bought 30 acres where he quickly erected an office trailer as a cat shelter. It had pet doors, padded shelving for long cat naps. The sanctuary is in the middle of 100 acres of wildlife.

Craig moved there himself in 2003. By that time he had 11 cats, he had been adopted strays and abandoned cats. By 2004, he had 22 cats. As you can tell by these pictures, he now has quite a few more than 22.

"We [currently] have 660 cats, we have barely touched on the first 5 acres of the 30 acres of land," says Craig. But that many cats in one location comes with serious concerns. Outdoor cats definitely affect bird populations to the measure of being an invasive species.

All of the expenses for the sanctuary have come out of Craig's pocket and he even travels 250 miles roundtrip to work many times a day to keep the cats safe and cared for. Because each cat costs about $550 a year to tend to, and that is without extraneous vet bills. For all cats are spayed or neutered, and their shots are kept up to date.

And while Caboodle Ranch is beyond cute, it is also hard work. Craig puts in 14-plus hours a day. The ranch's biggest challenge is finding dedicated volunteers. The novelty of the sanctuary surely attracts visitors, about 30 or so each month, but they don't always stick around.

But don't go to Caboodle Ranch looking for a pet. The cats are not up for adoption. "The reason the cats are there in the first place is that there were not enough homes [for them]. The cats at the ranch have their forever home now. We prefer people adopt cats from humane societies, animal control etc, where those cats are on death row and are in desperate need to be saved," says Craig.

Check out his Facebook page here.

More photos at: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/man-builds-cat-sized-village-for-homeless-cats.html
(Submitted by Richard Freeman)

Cat ticklers

31 August 2010 16:30 GMT

Tourists are reportedly flocking to a Taiwanese coal-mining town to tickle some of its 100 cats with feather-tipped sticks.

While just 200 people live in Houtong, cat-loving tourists are said to be descending upon the town to buy feline-related souvenirs and catch a glimpse of the stray cats, which love to be tickled.

One visitor from Tapei said: "It was more fun than I imagined. The cats were clean and totally unafraid of people. I'll definitely return."

The former industrial town was going through economic decline until it reinvented itself as a cat-lover's haven and it is now hoped Houtong will carve out its future as a tourist resort.

http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/194954-cat-ticklers/