Note to self: need to stop buying expensive toys and get a box!!
Month: February 2014
The secret life of a cat: find out what your cat does when you are not around!
Sorry for not giving you any Brucy news for such a long time – I was away in London for a few days for work! As I love English TV so much, yesterday morning, I couldn’t resist watching some English shows. I came across a fascinating program on BBC about cats.
The experiment was to see what cats do when their owners are not around. A group of researchers attached very light micro-cameras with GPS tracking devices to the collars of different cats in Surrey, UK and studied their movements for a few weeks. The maps of their routes from a 24-hour period were then mapped and compared. The map shows exactly when are where each cat went and what it did (played with a string, chased the birds etc.)
What’s also were interesting is that the collars were specially designed for each cat to make sure they are the right size and weight.
I think this is a fascinating experiment that shows how much the characters of the cats differ and how active they are during the day despite what we think!
Check out the maps and the video recordings of the cats’ movements here!
The Cat Herders
Everyone at works knows about my passion for cats. Thus, now, every time someone sees an article, photo or a video about cat, they send it to me. Today one of my colleagues shared this amazing video with me. This commercial was filmed in 2006 by EDS to show how versatile their company is by making a comparison to cowboys herding cats! I love how well this ad is filmed that makes it so memorable! Some information on the ad:
Agency: Fallon, Minneapolis
Creative director: David Lubars
Art director: Dean Hanson
Copywriter: Greg Hahn
Executive producer: Judy Brink
Agency producer: Marty Wetherall
Director: John O’Hagan @ Hungry Man
Producer JD Davison
CGI: Sight Effects
Post producer: Bob Wendt
Editor: Gordon Carey @ Film Core
Sound and music: Margarita Mix de Santa Monica
Chief engineer: Jimmy Hite
Music: Asche & Spencer
Your thoughts? 🙂
The best cat tree in the world?
I am absolutely in love with this bookcase and cat tree in one – CatCase! I remember spending days looking for a cat tree that is not in neon or in awful leopard print.. This is the perfect solution for people who search for a cat tree that is functional and design!
The best part is that your books are safe as the shelves containing them are protected by a back wall. The only tiny negative is the price – I am sure that many of you agree that 1249 euros is a little bit steep.. But what if we would construct an alternative using the basic Ikea shelves? Anyone wants to take the challenge? 🙂
Giving your cat a shower?
My favourite Russian advertising website AdMe published a hilarious post with a collection of photos of cats who just took a shower. Without hesitation, we can conclude that baths certainly don’t add beauty to our fluffy friends!
But what to do when you need to give you cat a shower because it is dirty, has ticks or is too hot? Should you force your cat into it? Most vets suggest showers when it can’t be avoided and the cat doesn’t seem to mind them. We make Brucy take showers because she doesn’t go outside, but she often gets wet because she loves falling into the bath when it’s full…
Do you have photos of your cat after a shower?
Neko Chigura – the Japanese rice straw cat basket!
Next thing on my shopping list for Brucy is definitely a Neko Chigura! Neko Chigura or Neko Tsugura is a car bed/cradle hand-made in Japan out of rice straw. It is a whole folk craft popular in a town Sekikawa, Niigata and the weavers are called neko chigura kai (the cat cradle committee). In this area, there was a custom of using rice straw to make baskets for babies and then they thought of trying to weave cat baskets as well! Interestingly enough, the baskets become the town’s main source of profit during the winter months, when they stop selling rice.
The baskets quickly became a massive success for their original design (pot-shape) and natural materials. The cats love the baskets as they keep warmth well and are nice to dig claws in. The baskets are available in different size starting from US $60.
Each cradle takes around a week of work but there is currently a one year waiting list to get a cradle! So, if you are looking for a perfect Christmas present for your cat for next year – order now!
Neko Chigura order webiste : http://www.nekochigura.com/
Information source: http://www.ohmycat.fr/2009/11/10/nid-nippon/
Image source : http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/04/japanese-cat-baskets/
Awful French man found guilty for torturing Oscar!
(Printscreen from the video – you can view the awful video by searching for “Oscar cat Marseille”)
Last week, the entire France was shocked following a video of a man throwing a kitten into the air and onto the pavement. This horrible man, Farid Ghilas, 24, filmed himself throwing a tiny kitten, called Oscar, towards the building and then falling hard on the ground. The man seemed quite proud and happy of his actions in the video.
Following the release of the video, the kitten was immediately taken away by the French Society for the Protection Of Animals, who said that the kitten had a stomach injury and a broken foot. He is still is a shock-state but is expected to make a full recovery.
Farid Ghilas, was found guilty of cruelty acts towards animals and was jailed for one year.
I find such actions completely mortifying and I hope this case will serve as an example for others and help us prevent further cases like this in the future!!
Oscar is currently recovering in the shelter!
Most Funny Cats Fail Compilation!
To cheer everyone up this cold Thursday evening – I decided to share with you this amazing cat -fails compilation video! Impossible to watch these kittens without laughing!
Cutting cat’s nails – mission impossible?
I was looking towards last weekend for a very long time. And no, it has nothing to do with sport events – it was Brucy’s yearly vaccine day!
And what’s so exciting about this vet’s visit, you may ask?
I love taking Brucy to the vet because the vet cuts her claws. Let me explain – Brucy is a lovely, adorable cat, but despite the numerous scratching posts that fill up our apartment, she has scalpel-like claws. Cutting them, I am afraid to admit, is mission impossible. Even when three people try holding her, the moment I take out the scissors, Brucy turns into a screaming and biting wild animal that doesn’t calm down until she gets away.
So this Saturday, I took Brucy to the vet, looking forward to the manicure. Small note: last time Brucy went to a vet (a different one), she bit the vet’s finger and the vet started bleeding, so we had to stop. This time, following my warning, the vet and her assistant prepared for the cutting. But the second Brucy saw the scissors – she bit into the vet’s hand and it became clear that the manicure will not happen.
The vet said that maybe once Brucy got hurt when we were cutting her claws and that is why now she hates it..
Do you manage to cut your cats claws?? If so, share your secret!!
The Paris Cat 