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In a first for the iconic Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, a cat named Oli has made history as a unique participant. This event, which started as a casual cruise down Australia’s east coast in 1945, has seen various colorful competitors, but 2023 marked the first time a feline has joined the ranks of the sailors. Skipper Robert Williams and his cat Oli participated aboard the yacht ‘Sylph VI’ in the 78th running of the 628 nautical mile race. Oli, approximately 10 years old, has been part of Williams’ life for five years and has adapted well to life at...

Exotic species such as pythons, Asian carp and cane toads often dominate the invasive species discourse. Few biological invaders, however, have wreaked as much ecological havoc as one of our most cuddly companions: cats. Despite their small stature and memeable mugs, domestic cats (Felis catus) are perfectly adapted killing machines, armed with retractable claws, sharp fangs and night vision. And these potent predators are anything but picky. As humans have spread cats around the world over the past 9,000 years, these ferocious felines—which were likely domesticated thousands of years ago in the Near East—have terrorized native creatures on every...

New medical research suggests that owning a cat could double the risk of developing schizophrenia. To reach that conclusion, scientists in Australia analyzed 17 studies published over the last 44 years from 11 different countries, including the US and the UK. “Our findings support an association between cat exposure and an increased risk of broadly defined schizophrenia-related disorders,” the authors wrote in their analysis, published in the journal Schizophrenia Bulletin. “We found that individuals exposed to cats had approximately twice the odds of developing schizophrenia,” wrote the research team from the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. Schizophrenia is a...

Cats have always been known for their mysterious and independent nature. They can be a source of unconditional love and comfort for their humans, but they also possess a streak of cunning and aloofness. In a recent incident, a homeowner found himself locked out of his house, with the keys safely inside. Little did he know, his feline companions held the power to either let him in or leave him stranded outside.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hundreds of stray cats that roam a historic seaside tourist area of Puerto Rico’s capital where they are considered both a delight and a nuisance will be removed over the coming year, under a plan unveiled Tuesday by the U.S. National Park Service. The agency said it will contract an animal welfare organization to remove the 200 cats estimated to live on 75 acres surrounding a fortress at the San Juan National Historic Site that the federal agency operates in Old San Juan. If the organization fails to remove the cats within six months,...

Whether it is a lion prowling the African savannah, a tiger catching prey in a forest in India or a domestic feline searching for mice in a back garden, cats are renowned as hunters – and carnivores. Yet a newly published study claims domestic cats fed a vegan diet may be healthier than those who eat meat. Prof Andrew Knight, a veterinary surgeon and professor of animal welfare at Griffith University in Australia, who led the study, said that “for every single general health indicator studied”, the cats included in the study “had better health outcomes when fed vegan diets”....

A Russian woman has been arrested after dressing her cat up to look like a baby in order to stash its clothing with drugs. After reportedly arousing suspicion, the mother, with what appeared to be her two children, was taken for questioning by police in the Russian city of Nizhny Tagil. The woman had been walking with her young daughter in the holiday resort with what appeared to be a baby sitting snug inside a pram. After being intercepted by police, officials realised the young family wasn't quite what it seemed as instead of a baby, they discovered something with...

A Thai man travelled some 300km from Bangkok to Korat with his 11 cats in tow on a motorcycle, attracting praise and “likes” from cat lovers online. Choowong Thepkoh, 65, who sells amulets and other knick knacks at flea markets in Bangkok, had travelled to Korat to sell his goods at a popular annual flea market. Choowong also hails from Korat, and wanted to bring his “kids,” or his cats, to visit his birthplace. Facebook page, Kingdom of Tigers – dedicated to cat lovers, and whose followers know of Choowong as an ardent fan of cats – raised funds to...

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when little was known about the novel virus, the U.K. government briefly considered asking the public to exterminate every cat amid fears that the pets could spread the disease. Lord Bethell, a former deputy Health Minister from 2020 to 2021, revealed the news Wednesday during an interview with Britain’s Channel 4 News.

An Arizona mother went viral after she showed up to a school board meeting in a cat costume and makeup to mock what she says is the school's 'woke agenda.' Lindsey Graham, a conservative and published author who hosts the 'Patriot Barbie' podcast, made headlines after video showed her in the feline getup, inspired by board member, Paul Bixler. Bixler, 72, a retired teacher and principal, identifies as transgender woman. She was appointed to the Liberty School Board, which covers eight schools on the outskirts of metropolitan Phoenix, in 2021 after the election was canceled and is slated to serve...

While cats are known for bringing unusual objects home, one ambitious kitty took the cake after dragging a — wait for it — whole alligator head into a house in Wisconsin. Photos of the hairy headhunter’s ghoulish trophy are currently going viral as paw-struck viewers scratch their heads in disbelief. “He was very proud of himself,” owner Wendy Wiesehuegel told Fox News of the “unexpected” discovery, which occurred Sunday in Waukesha county.

Last year, my aunt-in-law passed away after a long battle with cancer. She had 4 relatively old (13-15 y/o) cats at the time, and unfortunately she did not have a will. She was renting at the time from friends who are now being forced to sell the house, and she had no other living family. The cats are all relatively healthy: they're all spayed/neutered, they're not declawed, and are very well socialized indoor cats. Since the house is nearby, my wife and I have been taking care of the cats: feeding, changing litter, etc (we can't bring them to our...

mittens the murder kitty 🤣🤣

My latest song. Purr purr purr.

This gives Pussy Riot new meaning. A man discovered a lonely kitten on the side of the road — only to have a pack of tiny cats emerge from the brush. In a now-viral clip, the lone baby feline meows at the man where the grass meets gravel — but in the next minute, Louisiana’s Robert Brantley is ambushed by a stampede of meowing kittens. “Oh, my gosh!” he exclaims in the video, which shows a seemingly never-ending kitten rampage. “I can’t take ya’ll. Oh, my gosh.” One by one, the little kitties sprang from the tall grass that towered...

Does anyone here breed kitties?

The devices—developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX—have a warming feature to prevent snow built up from disrupting the signal “Starlink works great until the cats find out that the dish gives off a little heat on cold days,” For those concerned about cats outside in cold weather, Taylor clarifies they do have access to heated cat house. But even when temperatures reached minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit, the kitties still used the satellite dish as a $500 cat bed. “When the sun goes down, they head back to their house,”

My latest song. This piece is a bit of a departure for me - I hope it doesn't cause a departure in you.

A 19-year-old cat named Gus was brought into a North Carolina shelter recently, and the Humane Society of Catawba County’s executive director, Jane Bowers, said his owner was “heartbroken.” Bowers told Daily Paws they were forced to surrender him because of unforeseen circumstances, the website reported Thursday. At the shelter, Gus received a screening that showed he was enjoying good health. However, even with the organization’s funds for extra health care and help from another location, Bowers said there was still concern about him having to spend the rest of his life in a shelter. But it was not long...

When given the choice between a freely available meal and a meal trapped inside a puzzle, scientists have found most animals, such as dogs, bears, pigeons, pigs, goats, mice, rats, monkeys and other primates, prefer to work for their food - a concept known as contrafreeloading. When researchers provided a small sample of indoor cats with a food puzzle and a tray of food in a home environment, the pets ate more food from the free tray than from the puzzle. Even the most energetic individuals preferred to stick to the easy meal, according to activity sensors they wore during...