The purr-fect Valentine's story (via Daily Mail)

Lonely stray cat with a big HEART on his chest has found a loving new home - Read the full Valentine's story on Daily Mail Online and let this lovely photo speak for itself:

Study: Income is Major Factor When Owners Avoid Sterilizing Cats (via VPN)

Veterinary Practice News 15 December 2016: "A study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found regular veterinary visits by low-income cat-owning households to be a luxury most say they cannot afford.

In fact, nearly 70 percent of people who divulged their annual household income as less than $25,000 said they never took their cat to a veterinarian before they visited a low-cost sterilization clinic.

The study was conducted by Valerie Benka, MS, MPP, of the Center for Animals and Public Policy at Tufts University and Emily McCobb, DVM, Dipl. ACVAA, a clinical associate professor in the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
» Read more and see the study results

A cat's tale: Ralphie's amazing journey

Daily Messenger 7 May 2016: "The city life appears to be as much of a lure to Ralphie the tomcat as catnip is to a housecat.

Or maybe Ralphie likes hanging around with Nancy Yacci — the cat whisperer, as a friend calls the Gibson Street resident — so much that he keeps coming back.

“She is the protector of all felines in the city of Canandaigua,” joked Dave Sauter, who owns a barn in the town of Canandaigua.

Or, as Yacci said: “I have sympathy for strays.”

Whatever the reason, against all odds, perhaps in a way only a Disney movie could tell, Ralphie is back with..."
read on.

‘C’ word has become the elephant in the room

THE conservation lobby/industry/movement . . . call it what you will . . . is something most of us would support.

illustration by original post

Edinburgh News 18 April 2016: Mention the “C” word and we think of the many species being wiped out around the world as man industrialises their native environments; the perils facing big cats and elephants facing extermination at the hands of brutal hunters and poachers; and even native, UK, hedgerow wildlife that has been drastically reduced by large scale, open-field farming, or the paving, patios and fences in suburban gardens.

But there’s another side to conservation. It belongs to the body of scientists and academics who want to preserve species by interfering with nature... read more.

Video: Cats react to Robot Cats

For the sake of science, but with so many needy strays around, why do we need robot cats?

New program at Pendleton prison giving cats a new home

Noce idea. At the Pendleton prison there is a new program for stray cats.

Welcome to the Islands of Cats

A new kitten on the blog! We are an author and a photographer, with a shared passion for the Maltese Islands. We moved here in 2012, and soon observed that the Islands were also home to an abundance of cats! No matter where we went, we would meet cats bathing in the sun, or lying leisurely in shady corners. Even though  their permanent residence is in the streets, it doesn't go unnoticed that the strays are well fed and in top condition, gleaming with glossy fur and bright eyes. It is rare to see one that is unkept and sickly. Investigating even further, we noted ‘feeding stations’ where plates and bowls with food and water had been left for the feral cats.

We were as curios as a cat. Who was sustaining the purry felines?

In search of the answer, in October 2015 we embarked on an enlightening quest through the Maltese Islands, meeting persons from both genders and walks of life who, with a huge amount of self sacrifice, have not only  committed themselves to the welfare of their feline fellow residents, but in doing so have silently helped the Maltese environment.

And we are still travelling! Our journey will lead to a book dedicated to these devoted men and women. Introducing the reader to some of the individual caregivers, delve into their history and the reason for their chosen vocation. In the mean time, this blog shall serve as a permanent platform for stories and news about cats in Malta and around the Globe.