This made me smile:

BBC: Cat 'arrested' for break in at Brazilian prison



The moggy was caught entering the prison with files, drill-bits, a mobile phone and charger strapped to its body.

And I liked the quote from the prison authorities: "It's tough to find out who's responsible for the action as the cat doesn't speak."

May I introduce you to - Kircher's cat piano. It's easy to build your own: collect 7 or 8 moggies and place in pens according to the pitch of their miaows, connect sharp spikes to the keyboard which, when a note is struck, will impact on the appropriate moggie's tail.
There, you're ready for your first recital.

A kinder way to utilise your spare moggies and one which would provide an income as well.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2012/10/2012101492136121271.html

Gawd with all those cats on the tables and work benches etc how on earth does that cafe pass health inspections? Wouldn't touch that place with a barge pole.

Latest best seller

I know my cat is plotting to kill me ... I accidentally shut her in the laundry room last night (they are not allowed in there for just that reason but she must have sneaked in while I was loading the machine) and she was stuck there for about nine hours until I found her early this morning!

"Grateful" doesn't exist in her vocabulary but she was nevertheless quite relieved to be released, despite her acting all miffed and aggrieved.

But I think that now as dinner time aproaches, although she has neither forgotten nor forgiven my transgression, she is willing to put it aside .... at least until after I've given them their food. After that? Well I guess we'll have to wait and see whether I deserve amnesty or not...

I wasn't going to put anymore stuff on this thread, but............

"We are most certainly not amused!"

Despite our leader's reservations about the quality of our postings here, the phenomenon of the enormous presence of cats on the web is starting to receive more serious interest.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/cats

There's also a couple of current(ish) exhibitions addressing this too. http://www.lolcattehexhibishun.com/ and http://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/felines-photography-and-the-web

Now I enjoy, as you've noticed, an amusing cat picture as much as the next feline enthusiast but what's this all about? How come the wee furry ones are almost as ubiquitous as pornography on line? Are we talking surrogate children or families here or is it something more basic about people in developed countries trying to reconnect in a somewhat bizarre way with the natural world?

I trust you'll see the nifty cross threading with 'What is Art'. It's not great art obviously but, is there a connection?

I don't understand this either. It seems to be a growing trend - I don't recall this so much earlier.

Cats have been in the news here recently. One of our best known wealthy economists/entrepreneurs/conservationists/adventurers has condemned cats as a threat to our native wildlife and in need of eradication (I don't think he means we should kill our pets, just not replace them). It has caused a fuss. One site is trying to change his mind with fairly silly cat ideas - Ways to Turn Gareth Morgan into a Cat Lover. Here

i suggest that the amusement with cats is because we are ham strung in expressing humour by the PC'ness of just about everything else we used to be able to rib without malice intended. Other animals also have humour applied but cats being cats with many interesting traits, it is open season on cat humour.

Deleted.

Animal Planet, National Geographic and like channels have a lot to do with the trend, I think. Aside from the general wildlife programmes there is plenty of domestic animal stuff too, pet rescue, pet police, cat and dog training (for pets with behavior problems!), cat and dog breeds, various vet stuff, zoos and the list goes on. Whether agreed with or not, pets are seen, ever increasingly, as members of the family.

Why did you delete your post Temp? I thought it was good.

Hi ID,

I honestly felt I'd been a bit impolite! The conversation was about why moggy stuff is so popular at the moment, and I launched in with something quite different.

May post the story of Tom aka Blackie tomorrow, or at the weekend! I was just amused at how a seemingly devout, Christian cat was actually leading a double life.

PS Why I deleted my witterings on the On This Day thread too - off-topic and barging in.

Please tell us about Tom/Blackie Temp, I was just musing on something on the BBC news and wondering why there are 40000000 sites about 'Funny Cat Pictures' on google.

I've just checked the two moggie threads here and the first one has 1,563 views for 83 replies, this second moggie thread has 1,046 for 109 replies. Second only to the DA thread, 2,466 views for 166 replies and the doggie thread is up there also with 1,056 for 83 replies. Mmmm, I'm not sure I like what that indicates! Mutterings from his supreme Dictatorness can be heard from here.....

Temp, please put Tom aka Blackie back here where he belongs.

Tom aka Blackie coming up in a bit, ID and ferval!

1706 first.

It's true that there are lots of silly cat websites, but Purr 'n' Fur - despite the terrible, twee name - is really good.

There are lots of sections, including Cats in Wartime, Cat Heroes of the British Empire, Working Cats, Literary Cats - even Cats on Stamps.

I like the potted lives of various Church and Cathedral Cats. Tom's story is here:

http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/featuring/church01.html

In 1912 Tom presented himself at St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, as a starving, abandoned kitten. He was adopted by the church verger and, to all intents, constructions and purposes, the little tabby became a devout Christian. Tom attended Church regularly, purring his way through many services - he even joined the church choir.

"He would process with the choir on occasion, and also liked to sit by the organist's side during rehearsals and for part of the services. The cat was recalled by blind organist Alfred Hollins, who mentioned in his 1936 reminiscences that Tom would sit beside him on the organ stool. He also often liked to sit on someone's lap in the congregation! — but he wasn't allowed in the chancel and would be removed if he went there. He was said to have attended many more church services than any one of the clergy."

When Tom died he was given an impressive funeral. A grave was prepared for him near the church door and he was carried there in a little coffin, solemn organ music playing all the while within the church.

But it seems Tom had, from 1912 to 1927, been leading a double life. He had another - perfectly normal - home just up the road from the Church.

Purr 'n' Fur were contacted around 2005 by a Mrs. Diane Robins who alleged that Tom was actually Blackie, the moggy owned by her mother's Aunty Alice who was a cleaner at the Church. Seems everyone knew but the verger.

"Mendacity! Mendacity!" as Tennessee Williams would say (I've just been reading "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof").



Fooled. Eli Richards, the kindly verger, who was completely taken in by Tom aka Blackie.



Tom aka Blackie's grave.

Oh no, the dreaded cross red. Please restore my pictures.

The website doesn't like outsiders linking to their pics. I've "borrowed" them.

Thank you. Hope that hasn't caused too many problems.

Some nice info here about the British Museum moggies, especially Mike, who became a favourite with Sir Ernest Wallis Budge, the Keeper of the Mummified Cats at the museum:

"Early in spring 1909 [some accounts give 1908 or 1910 — Ed.] Sir Ernest Wallis Budge, then Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities, who looked after the Egyptian cat mummies in the British Museum, was leaving his residence one morning when Black Jack appeared with an object in his mouth. Coming up the steps of the house, he deposited it at the Keeper's feet and then, solemnly and inscrutably, walked away. His part in history was played and we know nothing more about him. The object he had brought to Sir Ernest was a tiny kitten! The little mite was named Mike, taken in, cared for, and luckily accepted by the two cats already resident at the house.

Mike was to become the most celebrated of the Museum's cats and was to form a lifelong friendship with Sir Ernest; then, as he grew up he also made friends with the gatekeepers at the Museum's main gate and started to frequent the lodge, where he was always made welcome, and so effectively had two homes. "

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

Mike was a frequent visitor to the museum's famous Reading Room, but he did not enjoy being stroked or petted by visitors there.

I like Mike's Memorial Poem:



Was going to post a picture of Mike, but perhaps had better not.