Cats

This cat needs a home

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Gunther (also known as Ernie) is a very friendly Hemingway cat that needs a home badly. He’s already been to the vet and is neutered. I’ve been feeding him for a while and a few other people are also feeding him. He’s been trying to get into my apartment, but I can’t take him in because of my other cats. When he sees me, he rubs against my legs and wants to be petted.

Gunther

Cats prevent heart attacks

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Kevin Drum writes: A recent study shows that cats help protect us from heart attacks & strokes. Dogs don’t have the same effect.

The study, by researchers at the University of Minnesota, found that feline-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats.

Yet dog owners had the same rate as non-owners. “No protective effect of dogs as domestic pets was observed,” said the study, presented Thursday at the International Stroke Conference in New Orleans.

Dr. Adnan Qureshi, a stroke expert at the university, said he decided to raise the question because other studies have suggested pets can help reduce stress. He and his team analyzed a group of 4,435 people who had answered questionnaires about pet ownership and other risk factors.

But the cat-dog differential came as a surprise. “We don’t understand this,” he said, but “it’s probably not a coincidence.”

Here are my two protectors:
MidnightCody

Bigfoot

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photo.jpg, originally uploaded by mike3k.

This polydactyl cat (6 toes on each paw) has been hanging around here and terrorizing the other cats. He often comes to my door and howls loudly. Today I caught him spraying outside my window. He isn’t fixed and seems to be wild.

Cat Fight

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Cody spends most of the day outdoors now, but he’ll come in when I call him, usually to eat and then he’ll be whining at the door until I let him out again. I always make sure I get him in to stay before it gets dark.

Today he started getting a little too adventurous. Until now he stayed around my cluster of buildings and had a few hiding places. A few times today he tried to leave he condo complex, but someone caught him before he got out.

He also met my friend’s cat Toby in person for the first time. Until now they only saw each other through a window or screen. Cody hissed threateningly at Toby, who’s a lot smaller than him, and instantly Toby turned into an orange whirlwind and attacked Cody. We separated them & Cody growled and bit me when I picked him up. Neither of them has front claws and nobody got hurt. I couldn’t stop laughing. Toby always seems like such a sweet, gentle cat so I never expected that from him.

Outdoor Cat

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Cody’s getting to be quite an outdoor cat. Every day he stares at the door and meows until I let him out & he stays out most of the day. He usually stays around my building and will come when I call him. I make sure he comes in before I go away. He seems a lot happier & more relaxed since I’ve been letting him go out.

Outdoor Cat

First trip outdoors

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I haven’t written about my cats for a while, so it’s time for a cat post.

This afternoon Cody snuck out for his first trip outdoors (not counting rides in a pet carrier to the vet). Since he doesn’t have claws I always avoided letting him out. I was afraid he’d freak out being outdoors for the first time, but he didn’t. He stayed in my garden & ate a lot of grass (which means he’ll probably be puking). I was able to get him back in easily, after which he sat by the door meowing loudly. He seemed to enjoy it and he didn’t wander far, so I’ll probably let him out during the day when I can keep an eye on him.

I hate mornings