Archive for January, 2012
The Mainstreaming of a Feral Cat – Part Two
Christine Michaels, caretaker of the Riverfront Cats Downtown Miami, was what you would call a classic and devout “dog person” for most of her life. Like many people, she had serious misconceptions about the feline species and now admits that her mindset was due to ignorance. She never had a cat of her own to care for from kitten to adulthood and reflects that she based her opinion other people’s cats rather than her own experience.
As we continue part two of the series, The Mainstreaming of a Feral Cat, we find out how her life took a profound change in direction and why she now so tirelessly dedicates herself to her greatest passion – educating people about the misconceptions of stray and feral cats and saving their lives. Read more
The Mainstreaming of a Feral Cat – Part One
Imagine if you would, waking up from the only home you ever knew. Your bed is gone, all your treasured photos and mementos in your house have vanished, your trusted food source has changed and you no longer know where you are. Would you be scared, disoriented, frightened and try to find your way back home? If you are a feral cat who is being re-located from the only home you ever knew, of course you would.
And that is exactly what is about to happen to the feral cats residing on the once pet-friendly Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando if we cannot convince management that relocating these cats from their property is not a safe and viable solution. These cats that were once part of a very successful and managed Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program were ordered in a reversal of decision by David Bartek, Director of Operations, at the end of 2011 to trap them from the premises and bring them to a shelter for a most certain death. The reason cited – they were a liability. Read more
The Year of the Cat
According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Dragon. Well, I happen to believe 2012 is the Year of the Cat. Almost out of the gate, the year began with a sense of positive energy and excitement as we cheered on our favorite Cat Behaviorist, Jackson Galaxy of “My Cat From Hell” to get people to watch Season 2 of his show. There is absolutely no doubt that due to the collective efforts of the cat blogging community, that we broadened his viewership base and therefore have helped to educate people about the positive ways of correcting problem behaviors in a cat so that they can peacefully and happily coexist in a human-feline environment. Read more
The Feline Quotable Photo Series – Zoey in Motion
I always enjoy quotes about cats and thought it would be interesting to apply them to images of my own cats. Dan has taken such a stunning collection of photos throughout the years that I felt this would be an enjoyable and unique way to share them with you in the months to come. In the first of the series, this photo of Zoey exquisitely captures the essence of both motion and stillness in the quote by George F. Will in which he compares the cat to a graceful vase. Read more