Bag Follies Return

Pierre: Newt, come quick, you have to see this!

Newton: What is it?

Pierre: I think she thinks she’s hiding in there.

Cupcake: I can hear you out there. Isn’t this what you did, Mr. Newton?

Newton: Not really. My paws were inside, not waving around for the world to see. That looks a little embarrassing.

Cupcake: Like this?

Newton: That’s more like it. Now you try to see how long you can stay in there. All the way until you need to visit the litter box.

Cupcake: Thanks! I like knowing how to use the bag like the big cats do.

Newton: Aah, the sweet feeling of an afternoon without being pounced on by a tuxedo terror!

How to Celebrate World Cat Day

It’s World Cat Day!

Are you wondering how to celebrate? We have a few ideas.

Donate to a Local Cat Rescue Organization

Most communities have cat rescue organizations, and if they don’t, they have animal shelters for both cats and dogs. It’s expensive to keep a shelter running, so shelters always need donations.

If you don’t have cash to donate and happen to do your shopping at Amazon, head over to their Amazon Smile site to do your shopping. Once you designate your shelter as your charity organization of choice, .05% of eligible purchases automatically go to your charity of choice. You just have to remember to go to the Amazon Smile site instead of Amazon site. Check with your shelter to see if they have an Amazon Affiliate link, because that gives a higher return for them.

red tabby cat at computer keyboard, image credit: depositphotos/belchonock

Orange tabby cat at computer keyboard. Image credit: depositphotos/belchonock

Don’t forget that most shelters and rescues don’t just need money. Most organizations have wish lists, which often contain things like towels, paper plates, bleach, etc. They may not be the first thing you think of as donations, but they can save a rescue money by not having to use their funds to purchase cleaning supplies and other necessities, allowing their funds to instead go toward care of the cats at the organization.

Volunteer for your Local Shelter

Your local animal shelter or rescue organization could use your help! I can say this without knowing where you live because every shelter or rescue is always shorthanded. Volunteers are scarce.

A lot of people think they can’t volunteer to help at a rescue because they worry it might make them feel sad. Others worry they will end up adopting more cats than they intended because they can’t resist a hard luck case. So they just don’t volunteer.

Senior cat awaits a home in shelter cage at Great Plains SPCA

But your local shelter probably has ways you can help that don’t put you on the rescue organization’s grounds. You can see some of them from home in the comfort of your pajamas. Our friends at Island Cats have more information about Non-Traditional Ways to Volunteer with an Animal Shelter or Rescue.

Visit a Cat Cafe

Do you have a local cat cafe? Most US cat cafes work with local rescue organizations and feature adoptable cats in comfortable, home-like environments where you can visit with them.

Orlando Cat Cafe adoptable brown tabby cat

Cat enjoys a chin scratch at Orlando Cat Cafe

Who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love and adopt a cat who needed a home you met on World Cat Day!

Bag Follies

Cupcake: Mr. Newton! What are you doing in there?

Cupcake: I know it’s you. I would know that tail anywhere.

Newton: This bag is occupied, kid.

Cupcake: It’s okay, Mr. Newton. I’ll rescue you!

Newton: I don’t need rescuing. Hey, watch the ear!

Cupcake: I’ve got you!

Newton: I was fine without the getting, kid. Really.

Cupcake: I didn’t do anything!

Newton: Sure you didn’t.

Cupcake: I’ll just wait right here for you to come back.

Newton: Do you see what I put up with?

Cat Show Glimpse

Last weekend, I went to learn about cat agility. It just happened to be at a cat show, so of course I had to walk around and visit there, too.

I made the mistake of walking in at lunchtime, so almost everyone was busy eating rather than wanting to talk, so I didn’t take a lot of photos. Most of the cats were in their enclosures, waiting for their turns in the ring. Unlike the previous cat show I visited recently, this one wasn’t as dominated by Maine Coons, so there was a bigger variety of cats.

One of the most surprising things that happened was when I paused by a woman who was eating a personal pizza in front of her cats’ enclosure. She had two cats inside her enclosure, and her Bengal kitten was howling for some of her lunch. I didn’t realize Bengals had such a distinct voice. I made a comment about her kitten wanting her lunch, and the woman said, “Oh, she’s just a brat!” Then she unzipped the enclosure, took out the kitten, and handed her to me.

I was totally flabbergasted to be handed someone else’s cat out of the blue like that. I don’t know if she thought I was asking to hold her cat, which I know would be really impolite at a cat show or anywhere else. Maybe she thought she might be able to sell the kitten to me. Either way, I don’t know which of us must have had a more surprised expression on our face, the kitten or me. We stared at each other a minute, then the kitten scrambled up on to my shoulders. I didn’t have the presence of mind to take selfies, but I did get in a very nice visit with the kitten before I gave her back. My cats haven’t forgiven me for bringing Cupcake into the house, so adding another kitten isn’t in the cards right now.

In addition to the usual fancy cats, there were a lot more household cats at this show than the last one I attended. This kitten was a three-month-old bottle baby at his first show. Doesn’t he have wise eyes?

One of my favorite things at the cat shows are the local vendors who bring out their wares. I discovered a wonderful new cat tree builder, Furkid Furniture, at this show. He usually builds more traditional cat trees, but his whimsical ones are really adorable. I think he really missed his calling by mostly sticking to the carpet-covered type of tree when he can build tulips for a cat to lounge in!