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Many thanks to all who read Wasim's story and shared the memories. I have been told and do believe that writing about the lost one is cathartic. Mary

It is just on 3 years since I lost the best cat ever. It has taken me that long to finally write a celebration of his life. It is a little lengthy but I hope others will enjoy and perhaps gain comfort from it. The URL is http://www.angelfire.com/sc2/petswelfare/special.html Mary

Here's another update, which will explain more fully the likely future of Podell's research. http://www.theotherpaper.com/substory1.html The PCRM information is excellent too, I don't have the address to hand but for those interested it's accessible through "Issues" on my site, this organization...

In Defence of Animals http://www.idausa.org is currently campaigning to replace the idea of "ownership" of pets (or more correctly, companion animals) with "guardianship". Six US states and/or cities have already adopted the change. It will give animals greater legal standing in that it will be...

Is Cally locked in the house all weekend on her own except for occasional visits from your mother? Young cats in particular need a friend and/or lots of behavioural outlets. Solitary confinement and the attendant boredom and loneliness contribute to litterbox problems. Older cats though often...

Podell's ghastly AIDS research using cats at Ohio State University has been halted, hopefully permanently. These cats were infected with FIV then given amphetamines in an attempt to loosely mimic what happens to human AIDS sufferers who are amphetamine users. Part of the dreadful research...

I recently came across the following worrying information and thought it worth relaying to this group. Small animals, especially cats, are particular targets. "First Strike http://www.hsus.org/firststrike/index.html is a project of the Humane Society of the United States that has been at the...

Can you let your dog run free in your yard? This would be the best solution, even if you have to invest in fencing. There's often disputes in my neighbourhood about cats making free with everyone else's gardens, which they will do, it is the nature of cats. The people with dogs on the loose in...

The neutered males of any species can develop so-called castration cells. These cells are often found in association with the pancreas, miles away from where the testicles once were. They produce a small amount of testosterone, which can result in some masculine behaviour. I had a gelding once...

IMO the kneading is a hangover from kittenhood and nursing behaviour. Some neutered males will paddle with their back legs when happy, it's an instinctive remnant of mating behaviour. Re the claw clipping, it's not necessary unless the cat is old and gets no or very little exercise. When you...

Amocito, also sincere sympathy over your loss. But what a weird story, like Greyfriars Bobby (the little dog in Scotland who guarded his master's grave). Unusual enough in a dog but even more so for a cat. So sad about the mouse offering, it must make it doubly hard for you. I've never heard of...

I've had a situation like this twice that I can remember, in many years of owning (being owned by) cats. The first was some years ago, two neutered males that started off life together when one was 18 months old the other a kitten (I had other cats as well). They were the best of friends for...

There is nothing, but nothing, more comforting than having a cat or two cuddling up in bed - and they never get squashed. I've slept with 4-week old kittens that lost their mum and I think that even though you're sound asleep yourself, you're conscious of being careful not to lie on them. Re the...

Yes, I know of and very much support the work of PETA, even though they have attracted enormous criticism at times, which may in some cases be justified, I'm not sure. A problem with some animal rights advocates is their militant approach, uninformed ranting and rudeness. I think this turns...

I used to be involved in teaching vet nursing and we always took each group of students to at least one cat show a year to help them with breed ID. This was my only contact with purebred cats and it last happened 11 years ago now, so my knowledge of breeds is out of date. But in about 1988 or...

Dear All I've been made aware from a thread on the About.com cats forum that unbelievably cruel experiments are being carried out on cats at Ohio State University in the name of science and AIDS research. The information comes from reputable sources. The first message in the thread begins as...

Catherine, the Turkish vans in this country are known for having a few temperament problems. I'm wondering if they do in their country of origin? Are they widespread in the ME or just more or less confined to Turkey? They are always talking here about trying to clone a Tasmanian tiger from DNA...

Amazing and enlightening story about Big Guy and his kin, Catherine. I'd give a lot just to see cats like that, let alone have one accept me as a friend. Don't feel too bad though about neutering a member of a threatened species. You may know what they did to the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger)...

Sandie - Yes, I agree it's tempting to try to link colour with temperament. When I was a child I had a tortie (female of course) and she was my first great cat love, in fact the one who really cemented my great love for cats, even though I was brought up in a predominantly dog-owning family that...

"I read about some breeder in the states getting spotted cats from a particular set of parents and giving it a name and breeding true enough to register the breed." Was this an Ocicat? First appeared about 1966 but took a lot of years before finally being given breed status. The Bengal also has...