Innehållsförteckning för November 2023 från Your Cat

Caring for your cat during Halloween and fireworks nights is crucial to ensure their safety and well-being. These occasions, while enjoyable for humans, can be highly stressful for felines due to the unfamiliar sights and sounds. To make this period less distressing for cats, here are some essential tips to consider. ✶ Firstly, we strongly recommend to keep your cat indoors, both during Halloween and fireworks displays. Loud noises and sudden flashes of light can trigger intense anxiety, causing your cat to become frightened and disoriented. Ensure that all windows and doors are securely closed, as cats may attempt to escape out of fear. ✶ Create a safe and quiet space within your home where your cat can retreat to. Set up a cozy spot with their favourite bedding, toys,…

My ancestor, Sir Roger Smith, of Edmondthorpe in Leicestershire, lived most of his life in Kelmarsh in Northamptonshire. His first wife Jane died a tragic death in 1599 and he married again, to Anne, the daughter of Thomas Goodman of London. Anne was the mother of Erasmus Smith, who was the uncle of Mary Dodson, who married my own direct ancestor Austin Cooper in about 1642. Hence my connection. “with glittering black eyes like a bird of prey” I discovered a musty old book among my family papers, in which I found the following story… Sir Roger’s second wife, the Lady Anne, was a dark and handsome woman and, when the villagers first saw her ride by in her grand black coach with the arms of the family emblazoned on…

We are deeply connected with our cats, and because they are sensitive creatures, they can feel our energy, just as we can feel theirs. As a cat guardian, have you ever looked at your cat and known something is wrong? You can’t quite put your finger on it, you can’t articulate it, but you just know. The reason you can’t articulate it is because it’s not a logical response; it’s an energetic response. You can feel something is wrong or "off" with your cat. These connections that you share with your cat will help to develop your energy-sensing skills. Trust them. Cats have been in my life for as long as I can remember, from our first kittens, Sam and Missey, when I was six years old, to my current…

DESCRIPTION: The black panther is not a distinct species but a melanistic variant of the leopard (Panthera pardus). Melanism is a genetic condition that causes excessive dark pigmentation, resulting in an almost entirely black coat. Despite their name, black panthers are not a separate species of big cat; they are a colour morph of leopards in Africa and Asia and jaguars in the Americas. Black panthers have sleek and muscular bodies adapted for stealthy hunting. They are known for their striking, jet-black fur, which can appear almost entirely black, though some individuals may have faint spots or rosettes that are only visible under certain lighting conditions. They have a distinctive silhouette with a broad head, powerful jaws, and strong legs. Their eyes are usually golden-yellow, and their senses of sight and…

BAMBINO was a loyal companion of Mark Twain. Their close bond brought the famous author great comfort after the death of his wife. BLACKIE was onboard the ship that carried Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, to a secret World War Two meeting. After getting a cuddle from Sir Winston, he was renamed Churchill. BLACKWALL was onboard the RRS Discovery when Robert Falcon Scott and his crew sailed to the Antarctic in the early 1900s. He kept up morale while the crew spent two winters stuck in ice. CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT was shipped from America to Britain in 1941 to help the war effort. His mission: to “cross the path” of Hitler and bring him bad luck, (cats prefer to say he brought the Allies good luck). EMPEROR UDA’S CAT was the…

With Halloween upon us, I thought I’d recount a very spooky cat visit. Of course, while cat-sitting, involving as it does, stroking cats, isn’t normally seen as frightening (apart from the litter trays), it does have its moments, and the following visit was one of the strangest. In truth, it wasn’t even a visit, but rather a pre-visit, whereby I nip round a customer’s house to receive a list of unreasonable demands about things like exactly how their V.I.F. (very important feline) would like his prawns served in the morning. I arrived at the house just as light was fading, one drizzly evening and found it to be impersonating the Marie Celeste. The Marie Celeste, of course, was a ship found adrift, completely devoid of crew. There were no signs…

BLACK CAT OODIE SLEEP TEE Chill out with this oversized, stretchy black cat Oodie sleep tee! Covered in adorable black cats, it’s the snuggliest, comfiest t-shirt you’ll ever wear. Made from a special blend of bamboo and elastane to keep you cool and comfortable all night long. One size fits most. www.theoodie.co.uk CAT SLIPPER SOCKS Super soft, cozy, made of high-quality coral velvet and sherpa fleece lining. They’re so comfortable they make you feel you are walking on cotton. www.amazon.co.uk JELLYCAT CASPER CAT It’s good luck if Casper crosses your path! www.jellycat.com Enter at www.yourcat.co.uk/competitions Competitions closing date: November 8th 2023. See website for full T&Cs. No internet? You can still enter our competitions – simply send your name and address on a postcard/envelope to: Your Cat October Competitions, Warners…

Cats may be carnivores, but a new study led by an academic from the University of Winchester suggests that our feline friends might be better off eating a vegan diet. A statement from the university’s press centre continued: “The findings could prove important in reducing the environmental impact of the protein-consuming pets who number around 400 million worldwide and have a massive ‘carbon pawprint”. The vegan versus meat-based cat food study, was authored by Professor Andrew Knight, a visiting Lecturer at the University’s Faculty of Health and Wellbeing. The study concluded: “The pooled evidence to date from our study, and from others in this field, indicate that cats fed nutritionally sound vegan diets are healthier overall, than those fed meat-based diets.” INTERNATIONAL CAT CARE RESPOND… “One of our core Cat…

“Alleged witches were accused of causing sickness or death” We all know the trope of the witch and her cat. Inseparable in popular culture, the cat is seen as a collaborator and friend to women who wield magic. Hermione Granger has Crookshanks, Sabrina Spellman has Salem, and Kiki and her cat Jiji ride together on a broomstick. Yet there is more to this than fiction – and the truth is weirder, darker and often sadder. Cats are frequently mentioned in records from the witch trials, which ran from the middle ages through to the early modern period, first in Europe, later in North America. Alleged witches were accused of causing sickness or death, destroying crops, and generally bringing misfortune. Many things could identify a witch. Often it was bad luck…

A horrible belief of the past was that bricking up a cat in the walls of buildings would bring good fortune. The mummified remains of one such unfortunate feline were discovered at the Old Mill Hotel in Sudbury, Suffolk. Despite his tragic end, the cat’s spirit takes affront at any attempts to move him. An art store, where he was displayed, burned down leaving the cat unharmed in the midst of the ashes, while floods and other disasters have followed subsequent rehoming efforts. But all has apparently been peaceful since his repatriation beneath the hotel’s floor in reception. Two other victims who met the same tragic fate as the Mill Hotel’s cat now haunt Ye Olde Starre Inne, in York – and are not above a bit of teasing of…