The Asbury Park Press recently published the amazing story of Roadrunner, a three-year-old trained, distance running black cat.
Her story began one morning in 2008, when Michael Greenblatt, a fitness trainer, was shocked to find a homeless kitten keeping pace with him during his morning run. Every day after that, the cat would show up at his house for their 5:30 a.m. workout sessions, and then quickly disappear afterward.
Greenblatt eventually decided that he had to adopt the unique cat as his own, and began "training" her on a daily basis. Like any athlete, Roadrunner drinks water, stretches, and warms-up before she gets started. After two years, the quick kitty can run 154 yards at more than 5 mph, improving her time from just under two minutes, down to 54 seconds.
The fit feline gets attention wherever she goes, and there's even a children's book about her in the works.
Visit Roadrunner's official website to learn more!
Source: [Fitness trainer turns cat into running partner. - Asbury Park Press]
Meet Roadrunner, America's Only Long Distance Running Cat
I was sitting around minding my own business, watching the Academy Awards, when this new commercial for Fancy Feast came on, and there was no way I could resist jumping online to post it!
Hypnotic kitten says, "Look deep into my eyes and buy Fancy Feast!"
Impossibly furry Persian cats, home makeover montages, surprise proposals, Chinese take-out - All in the span of sixty seconds!
Fancy Feast just might be the answer to world peace.
From the YouTube video description:
"Fancy Feast® cat food brings you The Engagement -- Immerse yourself in the story of loving couple Sean and Lisa as they embrace a new kitten and a new page in their relationship. Fancy Feast® Gourmet Kitten Food - the best ingredient is love. Watch this Fancy Feast cat food commercial and visit us at www.FancyFeast.com or www.Facebook.com/FancyFeast for more information."
Update: Watch the "Something Borrowed" Storybook Wedding commercial HERE!
New Fancy Feast Commercial Tugs Heartstrings You Didn't Even Know You Had
It's that time of week again when we get to kick back, relax, and learn more about some truly pawesome kitties from across the country (and sometimes even from around the world!).
This week, I'm excited to get you up close and personal with reader Kait's two furry phenoms, Molly and Franklin! Happy Caturday, friends!
Good Golly, Miss Molly!
"Precious little face!"
Kait writes:
"This is my adorable baby, Molly. I adopted her from the Washington Humane Society in 2008 (can't believe it's been that long!) I had recently moved into a new apartment, and living halfway across the country from my family and furry siblings, I was missing the cuddles. My best friend was a volunteer at the shelter, and she suggested we take off after work that afternoon and go by the shelter. I was too excited to wait, and ended up browsing the shelter's website to get a sneak peek. A newly listed cat jumped out at me, and I just melted. Her mis-matched eyes and her precious little face! I hoped to get to meet her. Upon our arrival, we were taken to see the cats available for adoption. Since it was the middle of the afternoon, everyone was quite contentedly napping... except for Molly. The moment she saw people in the room, she started purring up a storm and doing her best to appear adorable. We took her upstairs to the playroom to get acquainted, and I fell completely in love. I filled out my paperwork, and the very next weekend my boyfriend and I drove over to pick her up."
"She is the sweetest kitty I have ever met, and her favorite place to be is where the people are. Once, while we were watching Star Trek, Molly took notice of a rat running across the screen on the show. I mentioned it to my boyfriend, who insisted she wasn't, and backtracked to play the scene again. After three or four replays, Molly leaped from the bed to the desk, trying to catch the rat on the screen. Unfortunately, she collided with my boyfriend's bowl of cereal and glass of V8 juice, which ended up all over him, her, and the carpet. I was laughing so hard I was crying."
Molly is a stunner, and it sounds like she has quite a personality too! Also, a white cat and red tomato juice?? I imagine the scene looked a bit like this:
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Sweet Molly might be her baby, but Kait also has a "furry sibling" back home, and she spilled the beans about this loving guy too!
She continues:
"Next up is my family's cat, Franklin. My sister adopted him after her other cat turned up missing. When Franklin was a baby, he liked to sleep on top of people's heads, like a hat. He especially liked sleeping with me on my visits home, because I would take my sister's top bunk, and of course being up high is just the best."
Ready for his close-up!
"On one of my visits home, I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. It was not a pleasant business, and I was heavily medicated for the first few days after the surgery. Because of this, I had to sleep on the bottom bunk, I couldn't lie on my side at all, and if I tried to get out of bed on my own I'd bounce off the walls like a pinball while trying to walk straight. Luckily, my mom had taken off work for the first couple of days after the surgery, and my boyfriend had flown down with me and was working remotely."
"Apparently sensing that I needed constant monitoring, Franklin and our dog, Woodrow, became my bed nurses. Woodrow laid across my legs, Franklin laid on top of my chest, and if I tried to dislodge one or the other to get up, Woodrow would go straight to the nearest person to report by running in circles and barking and whining while Franklin dug in and attached himself to the blankets or my sweatshirt, making himself as much a nuisance as possible. Since then, Franklin has kept growing and is now the size of a beagle."
I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed two years ago, so I know the painful recovery process, and it's beyond sweet that Franklin teamed up with doggy pal Woodrow to nurse her back to health!
Molly and Franklin truly are a precious pair, and I'm so grateful to Kait for sharing them with us this week!
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Want to see your cat(s) on Catsparella? I'm now taking submissions for my weekly Caturday post! Please email your best kitty pics to catsparella@gmail.com, and include the cat's name and anything else you'd like to add. I can't wait to hear from you!
Just because Oscar statuettes are only given out to human actors, it doesn't mean feline thespians can't get in on the action. Here's a quick rundown of all the kitty related Academy Awards news you need to know before the big show on Sunday night!
This Saturday in Eatontown, NJ, participating groups with Best Friends Network Charities will "rock the aCATdemy Awards, an exclusive and star-studded celebration that will spotlight over 200 adoptable VIP cats and kittens!"
More from the official press release:
"This red-carpet event will honor up-for-adoption feline celebrities and recognize superstar adopters with Oscar statuettes.
In preparation for this day of high fashion, select celeb kitties will receive the full-makeover treatment: fur styling, claw pedicures, glitzy glamour wear and all-around primping. These four-pawed Hollywood stars will then be chauffeured to the event in a luxurious limo to make their grand entrance.
In addition to being awarded aCATemy awards, adopters will receive free cat food and litter, and a new family photo taken by a professional photographer and other goodies."
To help promote the event, Liberty Humane Society created these cat-centric movie posters featuring some of their adoptable feline stars. I've included just a few, but be sure to check out the rest, and find out more about the event by clicking here!
She's also having a fun contest, where if you pre-order the "Hey Pais Best Picture Nominee Theatre" mini-comic book for six bucks, you'll also get to guess which movie will win best picture. If you're right, she'll refund your money and you'll get the book for free!
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You probably already know that the American Humane Association recognizes films by giving them the “No Animals Were Harmed” certification, but did you also know they annually award "Pawscar" Awards too? Well, they do, and this year the lone feline winner was in the category of "Best Villian."
"Forget Hannibal Lecter and Darth Vader. For a portrait of pure evil, look no further than the diabolical villain Kitty Galore in “Cats & Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore.” Although Kitty Galore herself was created by computer-generated imagery (CGI), props and special effects, she was real enough to give you nightmares for weeks after seeing the movie. Don’t be fooled though — this project was a mixture of CGI and live action and, therefore, called for American Humane Association’s Certified Animal Safety Representatives to ensure the safety and well-being of all the animals involved."
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And finally, let's not forget to send good wishes to real life animal loving Best Actor and Actress nominees like:
A few weeks ago, I posted a few images from the upcoming V Magazine "Cat Power" photo spread, featuring artificially colored kitties posing with pricey pocketbooks. (How many fashion shoots do you know of have their own "cat colorist"?)
Since then, the mag has unveiled more sneak peeks, including this amazing shot of an aubergine colored cat named Sabrina, perched against an equally sumptuous purple Louis Vuitton purse.
Sabrina with “Art Deco Trapezio” bag by Louis Vuitton
Rocco with “Papier” python tote by Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière
Patootie with “Blanket Frame” bag by Ralph Lauren Collection
Don't miss the entire layout, featuring Sabrina, along with fellow feline models Homer, Patootie, Silver Surprise, Rocco, Mittens, and Sky Blue, when it hits newsstands next week!
Hi guys! It's me, Stephanie's cat, Priscilla! Back for another recap of Must Love Cats, Episode 2!
First of all, I have to apologize for putting this post up so late. I type everything with my own two paws, and that can be pretty time consuming! Maybe I'd be able to write faster if I had a set of thumbs like this cat, named Jimmy!
Anyway, I loved this episode of Must Love Cats even more than the last one (if that's possible), so let's get right into it!
Joey The News Cat
The first stop on John Fulton's continuing tour around the country to find the coolest cat stories, was to visit the biggest television star in Little Rock, Arkansas - A 3-year-old tabby cat named, Joey!
When Joey was a kitten, he wandered into the news garden of Today's THV, and the rest is history! The station quickly adopted the feral cat as their own, and now he's got a REAL job helping to present the news every morning.
Co-workers claim that Joey is, "always doing something cute," and that he goes into "diva mode" whenever the cameras come on. The little charmer has "true catitude," and and brings joy not only to everyone at the station, but to all of the viewers who tune in to watch him!
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The Cat Engineers
Paul Klusman and TJ Wingard are just two crazy cat guys from Kansas who are professional engineers by day, and YouTube celebrities by night! They created a series of cat videos, starting with one called "An Engineer's Guide To Cats," that have truly allowed them to express themselves in a "really cute, but manly way."
John met the main cast of kitty characters from their videos, Ginger (the "Blonde Diva"), Zoey ("The Star"), and Oscar (not quite sure what his designation is), and got a peek into the "laboratory" where their videos are shot.
After an impromptu lesson in Cat Yodeling, John also stopped in to meet Reginald, a beautiful black cat who was adopted because of the engineer's efforts!
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Kitty Prosthetics
Moving on to Colorado, John meets with a brave black and white kitty named Cassidy. The poor 12-year-old is missing his back paw, but luckily for him, the Must Love Cats crew has come to help! They travel to an an amazing treatment center in Denver called Orthopets, that specializes in braces and prosthetics, custom designed to help "disabled pets have a chance to live normal and pain free lives."
Once they arrive at the hospital, the medical team fits Cassidy for his new "kitty ski boot," and send him off to adjust to his new foot! A few weeks later, John comes back to visit Cassidy and his owner, who says he's doing just great!
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Cat Trees
Back in Kansas, John heads to a farm to meet a man who crafts unique "cat trees" out of, well.. actual trees! After selecting the wood (Osage Orange, Maple, Cherry, or Walnut), the artist, Ray Smith cooks it in a kiln for several days before the finishing touches can be applied. The one-of-a-kind trees cost between $900-$1,800 each, and Smith uses his "expert tester," an orange kitty named Little Z, to ensure customer satisfaction!
Little Z approves!
***
Cedarhill Sanctuary
Next, it's time to go down south to Caledonia, Mississippi where John meets the cats of Cedarhill Sanctuary. Created in 1990, Cedarhill is a lifelong sanctuary for exotic and domestic cats, and is home to 12 tigers, 5 lions, and over 200 kitties!
Founder Kay McElroy came up with the idea to start the sanctuary after rescuing an abused cougar cub in 1987. She was unable to find anyone able to care for it, so she decided to start her own place of refuge. Much like The Cat House on the Kings featured in last week's episode, Cedarhill costs $42,000 a month to run, and relies entirely on donations. One big difference between Cedarhill and Cat House on the Kings, is that the cats at Cedarhill never leave, as they all have had "traumatic pasts" and have been deemed "unadoptable." While this is sad news, to be sure, it's also good to know that they eventually found the purrfect feline paradise to call home!
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Evergreen Cat Lodge
Speaking of paradise, for the final stop of the week, John checked himself in to the Evergreen Cat Lodge, a "cats only" boarding facility located in the foothills of Denver, Colorado.
The "Jungle Cat" Suite
For $35 a night, your cat gets access to one of 32 well appointed VIP suites (see more pictures here under "Gallery",) that hold up to 3 cats each. Your pampered pussycat has free-run of their room, furnished with all the comforts of home, and then some! All of the rooms have glass doors so the caretakers can check in on kitty without disturbing her, the litter boxes have ventilation systems to keep everything smelling fresh, and they even have toasty fireplaces to keep your cat warm on cold Colorado nights!
Premium wet and dry food are also provided to guests at no extra charge, but some cat owners prefer to provide their own, or even have custom meals prepared on the premises. John hits the kitchen where he whips up (and samples) a delectable combination of turkey, rice, and sea salt for one fortunate feline. Bon appetit!
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Well, that's all I got for this week, kitties! Don't forget to tune into an all new episode of Must Love Cats this Saturday at 8/7 P on Animal Planet, when John explores the Midwest and meets the creator of Garfield, and a cat that has four ears!
P.S. If you're looking for even more information about any of the stories featured in this episode, check out the handy resource guide below!
Etsy seller MeMe Craftwork is currently stocked with an lovely selection of unique, Japanese craft books and DIY kits. The item that really caught my attention in the shop was the book, Cat Goods Made From Cat Hair ($24.00), that claims to have instructions for creating "goods" out of old Fluffy's fur!
From the item description:
"Master Kaori Tsutaya has a great idea – use your cat hair and make cute items from it! You will learn from how to collect the hair to finish your product. This small book is full of fun."
The 79-page book, which is written in Japanese, has instructions on how to make cat puppets, book covers, bags, storage boxes, pin cushions, buttons, mittens, gloves, hats, and a neckerchief - All out of your own precious cat's discarded fur!
I can't read Japanese, but I'm pretty sure this book would be worth it just for the pictures alone (I mean, what's the cat on the cover thinking??).
Also, who wouldn't want this amazing collection of..
Stylish Cat Hair Totes!
Whimsical Cat Hair Buttons!
Playful Cat Hair Book Covers!
And Space Saving Cat Hair Storage Boxes!?
"I do declare, I am not made out of cat hair!"
Maybe cat hair accessories aren't up your alley, but some of these other beautiful books or craft kits might be more your speed. The Master Susa Sachiko Collection Handmade Felt Wool Cat Book ($26.00), is also written in Japanese, and will show you how to craft tiny kitty figures NOT out of cat hair.
And finally, if you're looking for something a little more fancy, the Kitty and Morning Glory Kimono Art Japanese Craft Kit ($50.00), is a super cute splurge. It comes complete with materials to recreate the cat, cushion, and potted flower. The high price tag is due to the inclusion of the high quality Japanese kimono fabric, which you'll receive in addition to matching thread, a bell, eyes, wire, green tape, a pattern, and instructions (all in Japanese, of course!).
I better start signing up for some foreign language classes!
Getting back to the cat hair crafts, though; I have a friend who had yarn made out of her dog's fur, and plans to knit some fab items when her knitting skills improve. I'm personally all about the idea of crafting with pet hair, but when I mentioned it to another friend, she thought it was "gross."
So tell me guys, what do YOU think? Yay or nay to cat hair crafts?
Update: An English version of the book will be released in November 2011! Click here for details!
Artist Paige Thompson creates intricate animal paintings, like this jaguar and black cat, on her lips and then photographs them. You can check out more of her amazing designs over in her online gallery.
Every year, zoos around Japan hold drill sessions to make sure they are prepared in the event of an animal escape. Instead of using real wild animals, they dress up humans in furry big cat costumes and chase them around until they are captured.
Tama Zoo just released a video of their 2011 Siberian tiger escape simulation, but my favorite example is this video taken last year at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. I know that runaway tigers are serious business, but I dare you not to laugh!
Last week we saw cozy cat hats grace the runway of Anna Sui's Fall 2011 fashion show in NYC, and the kitty craze has now gone global!
Designers PPQ just debuted their fall line at London Fashion Week, with a pack of supermodels sporting fitted hats that are decidedly more Catwoman-cool, than Sui's more innocent and cutesy kitten-lady chic. Can we now say that cat hats are officially a trend?
Elsewhere on the London catwalk, Topshop Unique showed off their latest line, jam-packed with..Dalmatian doggie prints!? Boo-hiss!
However, feline fashionistas shouldn't despair, because a few cat related items made their way in too. My favorite was this cheetah print jumpsuit, topped off with animal ear-esque hair buns, and an itty bitty kitty nose.
I'm super in love with these "Itty Bitty Kitty Committee" cupcakes by Caro Wallis, but sadly, their adorable faces probably wouldn't last very long around me!
Have you created or spotted any kitty-themed confections lately? I'm not just talking cupcakes - I'd like to start featuring an even wider array of catty culinary creations! Think you've got what I'm looking for? Submit your sweet tips for Cat Cupcake Tuesdays to catsparella@gmail.com!
Would you be able to resist this face? At less than a year old, this gorgeous cat named Pangur Ban has already managed to invade his human's webcomic! Taking one look at those big, blue eyes, I think it's pretty easy to see how!
Pangur Ban's story begins with his owners, Holly Golightly, and her husband Jim Balent. He pretty much hit the jackpot right there, because a comic loving kitty could not ask for a better pair of human caretakers!
Holly has been a professional comic book artist for 15 years, and has worked on popular characters such as "Josie & The Pussycats," "Sabrina," "CosmoGirl," and more, while Jim was the DC artist on "Catwoman" (a Catsparella favorite!) for 7 years!
Back in 2000, the couple founded their own company, BroadSword Comics, and Holly G. started her owntitle called "School Bites," which she describes as, "Sort of Harry Potter meets Sixteen Candles but with fangs."
This past year, Holly transformed her manga into a successful webcomic, and as of late, their new Balinese kitten, Pangur Ban has been demanding Fridays as his feature day!
First sketch of Pangur's comic counterpart
Holly sent me a few of Pangur's "Kittygarden School" strips that have been uploaded so far, and you can check out more, plus the rest of her webcomic at www.schoolbites.net, or on the COMICS+ app under the BroadSword Comicspublisher's listing.
(Click images to enlarge!)
Still learning a lot..
Six-month birthday celebration!
Steam punk kitten loves getting gifts!
After reading the strips, I wanted to know more about how Pangur Ban came into Holly and Jim's lives, and I thought some of my feline readers might be equally interested in learning how one goes about taking over their owner's webcomic.
Fortunately for all of us, Holly was nice enough to share the entire Pangur Ban tale with us!
Read on for more!
Bewitching Bru
"Our kitty story...I'd say it starts with an ending. Our precious black cat, Brujah, who was the inspiration to Jim's character Pooka, passed over after 16 wonderful years with us."
Pooka the Goblin Cat
"Because of Bru's medical struggles, my heart couldn't bear having a new kitty that might have intense medical needs, so we decided to check into a breeder.
We'd recently seen the film, The Secret of Kells, that featured a white kitty called Pangur Ban. It was a song to him that made me totally lose it, it was so beauty!"
Holly got it in her head that she wanted a white cat, and had heard that Burmese kitties were very sweet, so she got right to work investigating!
"We found a wonderful site called Kittentanz, and there I saw an all white fuzzyball! AND they had a live cam so you could see the kitties play.
I contacted them and they put the white cat and his Balinese brother in the cam room. The white kitten kind of stayed to himself, but his bro (the soon to be Pangur Ban) cuddled the breeder, Michelle! His personality just shone through the internet...and love was in the air! Of course we thought about taking both of them, but I've always thought I'm a one cat kinda gal...
The breeder being in Georgia, got Pangur his airplane tickets and he flew first class to his new family on December 31st!
I felt like we were adopting a baby from China - and he's perfect!"
Pangur indulging in some kitten yoga after a hard day's work
"I had never raised a kitten before - all my other kitties I adopted from the ASPCA in NYC when they were around a year old, so I was a little nervous and relied on all those episodes of "It's Me or the Dog" to train him...Well they don't have a "Train Your Cat" TV show - do they?!!! (Ed note: Not that I know of!)
But Pangur's character was so uber from day one, that my comic book brain just saw everyday with him as a comic strip!
Usually I had pin-ups or extras on my webcomic, but I just HAD to draw Pangur!!"
And that, Holly says, is how the "Kittygarden" strip began, and how she can rightfully claim that her cat invaded her webcomic!
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Enormous thanks to Holly for providing so many great pictures, and for sharing the story of Pangur Ban with us!
Be sure to check out "Kittygarden School" when it appears on Fridays as part of her "School Bites" webcomic. For more information, visit the official "School Bites" and BroadSword Comics sites, and follow them on Twitter for all of the latest udpates!
"My Cat Invaded My Webcomic!" The Tale of Holly G. and Pangur Ban
