Sometimes, they come back:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-31018677

I was reading about black cats when I came across this site:

http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/antarctic.html

Sadly no pic to endorse this episode. A friend's cat  - with some difficulty  with the cat flap - has presented his owner with half a mouse - and an entire mouse trap with it. Gift or 'get this off for me, woman, will  you?' It was difficult to tell but the cat was in a grumpy mood.

Plans to re-introduce the Lynx to Britain;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-31793404

Something else for feeble English cricketers to worry about outside of the pavilion.

Excellent idea, I've already told the Scottish Wild Life Trust to get on with it.
Not to forget these wee beauties though.

                                                                         

but at least there's something being done at last.
http://www.wildcathaven.co.uk/

Now, when are the wolves coming back?

How's it supposed to work just getting a few lynx-friendly land owners? We occasionally get lynx here - the neighbours saw one in their garden, once - but that's the thing, they have huge territories which they patrol over the course of a year. They're not like beavers that establish fairly permanent homes with small home territories. But if enough get established I reckon they'll do well even in Britain, being shy, elusive and not really much of a threat to livestock or pets since they prefer secluded forest. Get them established in the Forest of Dean and they might even start to control the numbers of wild boar by taking some of the little piglets.

Here we're all watching with interest to see if wolves can get themselves established again. Two males were confirmed to have been living in the mountains here for about seven years now and they have since been joined by others that have been gradually migrating from Italy across southern France. There are now thought to be about half a dozen resident in the local mountains. And wolves are already well-established on the Spanish side of the High Pyrénées only a few hundred km away to the NW. That sort of distance is nothing really to a wolf so it's likely the two populations will soon meet up and then maybe establish a viable breeding population here, which would be good.

But I'd like to see the bears doing better ... they're hanging on in a few remote valleys of the High Pyrénées but their numbers have had to be boosted with bears brought in from Slovenia. Sadly, despite being heavily protected, the last pure bred Pyrénean bear, a female, was shot about five years ago by a hunter who claimed he had to shoot her because she attacked him! Quite rightly the magistrates questioned what he was doing in a nature reserve, known as the last refuge of bears, just when the bears might have cubs, and with a loaded rifle ... and sent him to prison! But that didn't bring the bear back.

How's it supposed to work just getting a few lynx-friendly land owners?

Well, they could start with the 'Unknown Malaysian' who owns 1,600,000 acres, plenty of room for a few wee pussies there, and the Forestry Commission has about the same.   http://www.highlandclearances.co.uk/clearances/postclearances_whoownsscotland.htm

It's a miracle there's any room for the other 5,000,000 of us.

Well quite, although I was actually thinking about England and Wales ... you have a lot more areas of contiguous wild land in Scotland, regardless of who actually owns it.

 ..... and talking of which, what news of Paul Lister's Alladale Wilderness Reserve?

As you'll have gathered I'm all in favour of these re-wilding projects, and frankly would be happy to see bears and wolves re-established here. And I don't mean just up in the mountains, but here around me in the forested valleys and foot-hills. The wild boar population needs a bit of predation other than man, and the semi-wild oak/chestnut forest here would benefit from the presence of aurochs/wild cattle to graze and maintain the natural riverside meadows and woodland glades. And I'm sure we could find space for a few wee wildcats too ... although we'd have to get rid of all the damned feral moggies first.

I haven't heard any very recent updates from Allandale re the re-wilding for a wee while but his accommodation business is thriving, it looks wonderful and quite reasonably priced too. Bear Grylls runs one of his survival courses there as well so the cash flow seems to be healthy.

It would be so much better to have predators to control the red deer population but stalking is a very lucrative business - they will still charge you around £600 per stag, even if you completely miss!
http://www.easthaugh.co.uk/shooting-and-stalking/red-stag-hunting.htm

Venison is very popular now so even culling is profitable and wolves don't have credit cards.

Larry to get extra security after the Crufts dog poisoning;

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/david-cameron-promises-to-double-security-around-larry-the-cat-after-crufts-poisoning-scandal-10098770.html

Terry Pratchett's moggy was curled up beside him on the bed when he died. That, I must admit, made me cry.

Terry Pratchet also said in an 2009 interview with the Mail on Sunday:

"I intend, before the endgame looms, to die sitting in a chair in my own garden with a glass of brandy in my hand and Thomas Tallis on the iPod, the latter because Thomas's music could lift even an atheist a little bit closer to Heaven. .... Oh, and since this is England, I had better add, 'If wet, in the library.' "


.... I just thought you'd appreciate the Tallis comment, Temp..

(and I guess that should have been put on another thread .. but he ho, there it is).

Meles meles wrote:

He also said in an 2009 interview with the Mail on Sunday:

"I intend, before the endgame looms, to die sitting in a chair in my own garden with a glass of brandy in my hand and Thomas Tallis on the iPod, the latter because Thomas's music could lift even an atheist a little bit closer to Heaven. .... Oh, and since this is England, I had better add, 'If wet, in the library.' "


.... I just thought you'd appreciate the Tallis comment, Temp..

Yes indeed - I appreciate the whole quotation, MM.

I'm hoping to go out to Spem in Alium myself. This is for Terry:



EDIT: This too is on the wrong thread, but I'm sure Trike won't be fussed.

And Topcat,  Ursa Major, mister Aurora Borealis (or should that take the masculine, Auroro ... ?) .... ummm. Well anyway, (s)he who must be obeyed, ain't around at the moment, so there you go ... Thomas Tallis, it is!

“I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.”
― Terry Pratchett, Sourcery

Has Brother Louis been an evil feline?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11476100/Saint-or-sinner-Louis-the-Wells-Cathedral-cat-accused-of-a-string-of-savage-attacks-on-dogs.html

That Louis is a wrong 'un, all right. Just look at the eyes - and that tail, that tail.

The Grail has been found! And it's on sale for a very reasonable £7.99


                                                                                       

This is for you, ferval!

http://catswhiskerstours.com/2014/11/visit-scotlands-cat-heritage-visit-scotland/



•Rare Scottish Wildcats ( a separate breed from domestics) can be viewed at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie, Scottish Highlands.
•Clan Chattan: A confederation of twelve Scottish clans which uses a cat logo.
•Caithness: A region in the N.E. Scottish mainland. The name derives from a (a first millennium) Pictish tribe named the Cataibh who gave their name to Caithness which means ‘cat headland’.
•Rare, Pictish carving of a cat in Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum, Central Scotland. This dates from the late first millennium.
•William the cat at Rosslyn Chapel. A cat from the village of Roslin who has adopted the Chapel and, owing to the huge number of visitors, is probably the most petted cat in the world! William now features in various merchandising at Rosslyn Visitor Centre.
•Roman-era statue of Lioness from Cramond, near Edinburgh.
•1980s carving of cat incorporated in architecture, West George Street, Glasgow.
•Catlaw in Angus and Lochan a Chait in the Ben Lawers corrie, Perthshire have cat (probably wildcat) origins.
•Glenturret Distillery in Central Scotland has a long history of ‘employing’ a cat for rodent control purposes.
•Embroidered canvas panel featuring a cat in Royal Collection at Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. This was the work of Mary, Queen of Scots during period 1569-84.

An interesting if somewhat eclectic mix of feline connections stretching back 2000 years.


This is William from Rosslyn - the moggy on the mug in ferval's post:

Anybody remember "I'm sorry I'll read that again" - a radio show from the 1960s which featured Tim Brook-Taylor and John Cleese et al before they became known in TV shows such as "The Goodies" or "Monty Python".  They had a (long) sketch about "Champion the Wonder Mouse" (obviously a skit on "Champion the Wonder Horse").  Well I think Champ has taken up residence chez-moi and Pebbles, my cat is so laid-back.  She shows interest but doesn't chase.  I just noticed this cheeky, large mouse (I'm pretty certain from how it moves and its tail it is NOT a small rat) yesterday.  I did some research on the internet and they say cover your pet food at night so the critters can't get at it - so maybe the critter got big on Pebbles' food.  I've used up all my wire wool but must now go round with a caulking gun and I also have some stuff like pollyfilla but not pollyfilla but may need expanding foam if I block any external holes.  Plan A is to make a humane mouse trap - if that doesn't work I'll have to think about getting a companion for Pebbles but one that is a better mouser.

Temperance wrote:

That's a fearsome looking article, Temperance.  Harking back to my previous post, there seem to be a few critters around this year, not just near me.  I've shot off an email to the Pest Control department at the local borough council.  I won't hear anything until tomorrow of course.  I've asked for advice.  If they come out I think they charge....

Tell Pebbles to be careful when hunting that mouse, LiR - even the rodents are getting fully equipped for battle these days.  

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/missing-cat-found-after-spending-64-days-trapped-inside-a-mattress-10329734.html



and nine lives or nine air tickets?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/06/18/cats-protection-cat-travelled-australia-northern-ireland_n_7613904.html

I needed treatment after trying to give a cat his medicine. It cost but I took him back daily for his - the surgery had 5 people to get it done. Thereafter they came up with other ways to get stuff into him. Possibly tranquilizer - or was that what my Dr gave me? Thinking of you ferv - but pleased that all seems well with your mog. I'm not allowed to have one because my husband gets too upset when we lose it . I bet he'd re-marry faster iif I keeled over.

Triceratops wrote:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/missing-cat-found-after-spending-64-days-trapped-inside-a-mattress-10329734.html



and nine lives or nine air tickets?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/06/18/cats-protection-cat-travelled-australia-northern-ireland_n_7613904.html

And the really adventurous ones enjoy the wind in their fur........

Meet goddess Tama, the honourable, eternal station master. Well, you really can't, because she's dead.



But she has a shrine.  


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/29/tama-the-cat-3000-attend-elaborate-funeral-for-japans-feline-stationmaster

My cat, Pebbles is a short-haired tortie and white too.  You'd never get her to wear a uniform though.

Pebbles who looks like (a bit) the late, revered Tama has been a silly cat this morning.  Next-door's dire wolves were pushing their snouts under the in-between fence (it's a big fence but I live on the side of a hill so there is a slight slope and on the lower side of the fence piece they can just about stick their noses through.  The cat gave one of them a biff on the nose.  Of course she has the whole of the garden to lie in but the bit that gets warm is where the dogs can see her - and cats do like their creature comforts.  The intervening fence kept her from harm today.

By the way, if Temperance happens along here - is the cartoon of "Me cat - you meal ticket" (paraphrasing) from the work of the late Terry Pratchett?

I don't like Christmas adverts and the John Lewis effort is ludicrous on every level but I enjoyed reading Mog to the kids and so here is something that makes me smile:

Oh the Mog ad is clever, Ferval, and I also enjoyed watching the short film about the making of the ad showing how they set up the stunts (is that the right word in this context?) and inserted the CGI figure of Mog.

Cats to the rescue in Belgium.



http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/22/national-emergency-belgians-respond-with-cats

I liked the police response too ... a big thankyou to eveyone and a huge bowl of croquettes for all the cats:

On a lighter note:





Right, back to good ol' history now - enough of religious angst, hangovers - and daft pictures of moggies.

A new moggy has just moved into the Foreign Office; his name is Palmerston and he is black and white. Palmerston was whisked past the media cameras earlier today, and was taken straight to his new job. His official title is "Chief Mouser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office". He is not paid for out of tax payers' money: there is a staff kitty to provide for his food and other necessaries.

No picture of Palmerston has yet been released, although he did pose briefly for BBC News an hour or so ago. I will post a pic when one becomes available (unless Trike beats me to it). Meanwhile, here is a pic of Lord Palmerston, after whom Palmerston is named.






No comment as yet from Downing Street; but Larry won't like this young newcomer. Remember those unedifying scraps Larry had with the Chancellor's moggy in front of No. 11? Mind you, that was four years ago, so Larry is nine now - probably too old to be bothered to fight - even with a cat named after a Prime Minister who defected to the Whigs in 1830.

EDIT: An official picture has been released:




http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/13/palmerston-the-cat-arrives-for-work-at-the-foreign-office/

Temperance wrote:

Mind you, that was four years ago, so Larry is nine now - probably too old to be bothered to fight - even with a cat named after a Prime Minister who defected to the Whigs in 1830.

My eldest cat will be 25 this year and she still regularly duffs up the dog, her daughter, the neighbour's dog, and occasionally even me. And she's still a good mouser too.

PS : I see that Palmerston is a boy .... but girls are usually the better mousers, as you Temp, know from your experience with lazy old Bosworth.

Oh, that has cheered me up! Thank you, Trike.

TC with a library in his posh dustbin!!

30 year old Scooter is named the world's oldest living cat;

Scooter

In all the political chaos of the last couple of weeks, no one has given a thought as to what would happen to Larry post-Brexit. But he's going to be all right: apparently Theresa May is willing to keep him on at Number 10. Thank God for that. But we must demand regular sightings of Larry. Trust no one - remember Humphrey.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36772515

Here he is weighing up her leopard-print flats:

And here's Palmerston, the Foreign Office cat - I wonder what he will make of Boris? Has he just heard and that's why he looks so surprised and rather shocked?

I posted a picture of Palmerston above!  (April 13th) He's a lovely moggy.

I hope Boris likes cats.

National Archive site about Government cats;


Cats at the heart of Government

Is there a proxy war between No 10 and the Foreign Office? Looks like it and Theresa appears to have Boris at her mercy.

A feline furball as Larry takes on Palmerston;





You beat me to it, Ferval.

Snap

There are over 100 of these Wildcats, all differently painted, scattered around the village of Newtonmore;

The Wilcat Experience