Cat News by Kitten-World | November 2020
CAT GOES MISSING
A chubby, grey tabby cat went missing in Thailand, returning home after 3 days but not without creating some trouble.
While the cat was away from home, it incurred some debt – three mackerels to be exact.
After 3 days of worrying, the owner spotted the feline sitting at a distance outside their home, and on closer inspection notice a new collar and card hanging from its neck.
The Card had a handwritten note, saying: “Your cat kept eyeing the mackerels at my stall, so I gave him three”. The shop owner also identified herself as “Aunty May at alley no. 2”, given her phone number as well.
Facebook page Chang Phuak shared the cute story along with the photos of the chubby tabby using hashtag ‘cat slave’, making it viral.
The netizens thought it was funny, some saying that the cat was super cute, and it looked totally unapologetic.
Meanwhile, we all wonder if Aunty May wanted the owner to pay for the fish or for the owner to let her know the kitty was safe?!
INSECT PROTEIN IN YOUR PET’S FOOD
The Beyond Nature’s Protein line, that it is Nestle’s Purine brand, is launching a pet food using insects.
The line will be launching this month in Switzerland, available in two variations – one using chicken, fava beans and protein from black soldier fly larvae and the other using chicken, pig’s liver and millet.
Both will be available for dogs and cats at Swiss retailer Coop, which already sells insect-based snacks and burgers for human consumption.
Nestlé is trying to compete with smaller brands like Yora and Green Petfood’s InsectDog, by providing pet food that is more eco-friendly and allergen-free diets.
They have seen an increase in demand for diversified sources of protein for pet food products, because of limited planetary resources and decreasing meat consumption in Europe.
In a blog post last year, the British Veterinary Association endorsed insect-based pet food, recommending it to owners who wanted a livestock-free diet for their pets.
One leading supplier of insect protein in Europe is Dutch company Protix, founded in 2009, which sells ingredients made from the black soldier fly, mealworms, crickets and locusts.
More Details: https://www.reuters.com/article/nestle-purina-insects-idUSKBN27L0P6
SAY GOODBYE FOREVER TO MARTY
Marty the Cat who has patrolled the Mount Washington Observatory in North Conway, N.H has passed away, right before retiring from the weather station early 2021.
Marty was a black Maine Coon cat, that has been on the job over 12 years, was hit by an unforeseen illness.
Both observers and park staff are sad to see the weather observatory mascot go and said Marty was a special companion and entertainer. Marty loved to follow the weather observers keeping them company during their days-long rotations living at the summit, chasing mice and greeting state park visitors.
The Observatory had plans to retire Marty in early 2021, to another home off the mountains. They will be adopting Marty’s successor from a local Human Society earlier that they had expect.
More Details: https://www.nhpr.org/post/marty-cat-dies-after-12-years-mt-washington-observatory#stream/0
MAN ACCUSED OF BEATING ROOMMATE’S CAT TO DEATH
Detectives together with LCSO’s Animal Crimes Task Force, Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Unit responded to a home in Fort Myers, Florida after receiving a tip of someone abusing a cat.
They had a search warrant that allowed the detectives to search the home where they found animal blood on the walls.
Antonio Rodriguez, 29, was arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty. He beat his roommate’s cat to death with a metal pole and then tried to get rid of its remains.
More Details: https://nbc-2.com/news/crime/2020/11/08/fort-myers-man-arrested-for-aggravated-animal-cruelty-towards-a-cat/
NEW APP TO TRANSLATE CAT MEOWS INTO WORDS
Javier Sanchez, a former Amazon engineer who worked on Alexa, is now project manager with Bellevue-based tech company Akvelon and has developed MeowTalk.
MeowTalk is an app that reportedly translates what your cat is meowing, everything from, “I’m hungry” to “I’m happy” and even “I’m in pain.” The app translates based on tone.
Since cats don’t meow to each other out in nature, researcher Sanchez and his team realize that there are nine intents that all cats have, and these are basic emotions and messages that MeowTalk builds upon.
Sanchez was intrigued by the NPR series “The Secret Language of Cats,” and was motivated to use his experience working on Alexa to develop a new tool for cats.
MeowTalk is still not perfect, but the team is working hard to perfect the application. They have plans in the next couple of weeks to release an update in numerous other languages besides English.
The app allows users to record their cat’s meow and decodes what it means, they can also note when they believe the translation is wrong and offers the ability to update with custom messages like, “I want my toy!”.
The researcher team hope to eventually make a collar that will translate with voice response. Javier Sanchez not only hopes that MeowTalk will be fun for the cat owners, but perhaps provide some better understanding during this time when so many people are stuck at home and isolated with their cats.
JOE BIDEN BRINGS A KITTY
The newly elected President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, will be bringing a cat alongside their two German Shepherds, Major and Champ to the White House.
Joe has promised to give Jill anything she wishes if he won the election and she decide on a kitty since she loves animals around the house. She got Champ over a promise that if he and Obama won 2008 election, he would get her a dog.
The cat will be coming soon into the family and White House.
Biden’s cat and his dogs will be the first pets back to the White House since Barack Obama’s Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny.
Abraham Lincon was the first president to bring a cat into the White House, but the house hasn’t had any kitties since George W. Bush presidency.
More Details: https://www.today.com/pets/joe-jill-biden-are-bringing-cat-white-house-t201481
MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING CAT WITH FRYING PAN
Ryan T. Carleton, 43-year-old from Portland, Maine, is been accused of killing his father’s cat with a frying pan on Thanksgiving, one day after he was released on bail for a separate incident.
Ryan’s father was the one who called the police in Piscataquis County and reported that he had found his cat’s body after he let his son stay with him the night before.
Ryan has been arrested and is facing charges including animal cruelty and violating the conditions of his release.
More Details: https://nypost.com/2020/11/29/man-accused-of-killing-dads-cat-with-frying-pan-police/
