The morning routine. Everybody has one. For me it involves a lot of not getting up, eventually getting up, then walking from one end of my apartment to another, and going back and forth several times before beginning to consider doing a thing.
It’s not ideal, but at least it doesn’t work.
What I was *not* aware of is that most pets out there ALSO have morning routines. And if these examples from Reddit are anything to go by, they might just put mine to shame.
The foster mom, Kiki, told Bored Panda that Lulu had been surrendered by her owner to be euthanized, but rather than putting the malnourished kitten to sleep, the veterinarian called Best Friends Felines, on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
“Lulu was riddled with fleas, loaded with hookworm, totally emaciated, and mostly bald as the babies were so hungry they ate each other’s fur to try and get some nutrition and sustenance into them.”
It’s a heartbreaking story, but thank goodness for Lulu that she was taken to the right vet who knew just what to do for her.
“She was tiny but mighty with such a will to fight to live.”
As she recovered at Kiki’s, she immediately stole the foster mom’s heart–and demanded lots of attention, not just because she was sickly and needed lots of TLC.
“She has the biggest personality, boldly confident and super outgoing. She was never ashamed to yell for your attention and demand cuddles! She adored everyone she met, from humans to other cats and dogs.”
As bad off as she was, little Lulu could have been in even worse shape.
On a proper diet, and with the fleas and worms under control, she grew quickly filling out to the proper size that a kitten ought to be.
Once out of “intensive care” at Kiki’s, Lulu moved in with another foster who had a single kitten in similar condition, called Peach.
Though I will admit that if I’m going to get one as a pet, it’s more likely to be a cat. I kinda dig their self-sufficiency. They’re got their own projects going on and I can respect that.
In any case, they’re all adorable and wonderful, and these tweets are for anyone and everyone who loves either one.
15. A dumb person
Oh man, sick burn.
being a “dog person” or a “cat person” is FAKE! if you don’t love both cats and dogs you are a “dumb person”
someone said cats are a lesson in consent and so many controlling people hate cats because they can't control them and i haven't stopped thinking about it since
Isn’t is weird how we have one million dog breeds and everyone is like “goldendoodle” this or “chihuahua mix” that and if you ask someone what type of cat they have it’s just like “an orange one”
His heart is in the right place and that’s what counts.
People say "I love dogs b/c my cat would never pull me from a burning building," but my cat tries and fails every day to save me from the shower. What is he going to do? He weighs 8 pounds.
I don’t believe anyone is exclusively a dog person or cat person because each animal serves its own important function. If you want a loyal friend who trust and loves you implicitly, get a dog. If you want to know where the ghosts in your house are, get a cat.
Her name is Apricot, and though she hasn’t had a DNA test to prove it, her rescuers believe her to be what’s called a “chimera.”
Although “chimera” sounds more like a mythological monster than a sweet, cuddly, kitten, according to My Modern Met, Apricot is half tortoiseshell and half ginger tabby, while her brother is just an ordinary tortoiseshell.
She looks like two cats merged into one, and in fact, that’s exactly what she is. Apricot is a rare chimera cat, which means she was born with two sets of DNA. She’s the result of two embryos fusing together inside her mother’s womb. In other words, Apricot is technically two fraternal twins combined into one individual cat.
Apricot was rescued along with her brother, Pretzel, from inside the wall of a newly constructed home.
When the mama cat didn’t return for them, the family contacted the Nashville Cat Rescue, who quickly placed them with Kiki, a cat foster mom who also happened to have two nursing females perfect for Apricot and Pretzel.
The goal of Kiki and her partners at Nashville Cat Rescue is to stop the cycle of feral cats having litter after litter that need more and more homes to take care of them.
She cares for the cats (and some dogs, too!) until homes can be found, ensuring that the adult cats are spayed before they leave foster care.
And if you’re heart broken that you didn’t get to be the one to adopt them–you can still buy a mug of the unique kitty, with proceeds going to support the continued care of all her feline friends.
— Nature And Science Zone (@ZoneNature03) May 12, 2021
And we all know how they feel about boxes.
If I fits, I sits! Data collected from citizen scientists suggests cats like chillin' in invisible boxes just as much as they do regular ones. https://t.co/FSaPB2lgeR
But could it be that all this sitting in tight places is because secretly, cats want tiny bedrooms of their own?
One family recently found out.
After adopting a tuxedo kitty called Wyatt from a shelter, Bryan Davies really wanted to make the cat feel at home.
His bedroom had a sort of secret, unused cupboard and so Bryan renovated it for his feline friend, complete with cat-sized furniture and pictures on the wall.
It’s the perfect, cozy little container for a cat.
And because Wyatt was an avid birdwatcher, they completed the setup with a wall-mounted tablet for watching YouTube videos of birds and other wildlife.
According to this new study, squares and rectangles, the actual shapes are what often attract cats.
I am obviously here for all the cat research – "a new study has found that pet cats will also spontaneously sit inside an optical illusion that merely looks like a square." https://t.co/rMTDTn9aDK
My family had two cats when I was growing up, and while I don’t love cleaning the litter box, I love the way they purr. Life isn’t really suitable for a cat at the moment, but lately, I find myself wishing I had one. They’re so soft, standoffish, and adorable.
Our neighbor’s cat comes to visit us sometimes. He used to do his business in a planter in our garden. When we had to get rid of the planter (aka his toilet), he waited on the front porch for us to come home from work, just so he could give us the evil eye. I want to adopt him.
Things always get heated when animals are involved…and you’re about to read quite a story from Reddit’s “Am I The A**hole?” page.
It features dogs, cats, and a dispute over some vet bills.
Let’s see what happened.
AITA for not paying the medical bills for my neighbor’s cat?
“Let me start off by giving the details.
My backyard is completely fenced in with a metal 6 ft high fence, and so is my neighbor’s. I have a 3 year old husky, they have a cat. My dog has full 24/7 access to my backyard through the use of a doggy door for 2 years now, and we’ve had no issue before.
Every now and then my neighbor’s cat would be sitting on top of the fence and my dog would bark at it, but the cat would run off. Not really an issue.
So now we’re at the part where I’m being accused of being an a**hole, a terrible person, and my neighbor is rallying up the whole block against me.
THEIR cat came through MY doggy door. My dog was alerted within seconds and reacted way faster than I could ever. The cat did recieve some damage, but I managed to save it from my dog. I then rushed it to the neighbor’s, and I drove them to the vet (they didn’t have a car.)
Their cat was okay, hurt, but okay. I brought them home and as I was saying my goodbyes and giving my condolences, they asked about medical expenses. I have pet insurance for my own dog, so I had reassurance that I would be able to afford my own animal’s medical expenses.
I wasn’t financially prepared to handle someone else’s. And I told my neighbor this, but they told me I’m at fault because it was my dog who attacked their cat. I failed to see how it was my fault, as the animal was trespassing in my own home, and my dog was reacting because it’s territory was being infiltrated.
They said same choice words but I ended up refusing to pay by saying “I’m not paying for your cats medical bills, forget it” and I walked away. Other neighbors are now giving me dirty looks and I just don’t feel welcomed here.
I do plan on replacing my doggy door with an electronic one that will only open for my own dog, so I’m not ignoring the issue. I just don’t think I’m to blame, especially when I did what I could to help.
So, AITA?”
Hmmmm. Let’s see how people responded on Reddit.
This reader said that, while they love cats, the cat in the story entered the house so you can’t blame the dog for attacking.
This individual said that cats tend to terrorize their neighborhoods and that this owner only cared when bad something to their cat…while ignoring everything else it does.
Whether you’re a cat lover or not, there’s no denying that cats make the word go ’round – or at least, they make the internet the place everyone wants to be.
Cats, cat videos, funny videos of people giving thoughts to their cats…whatever it is, if there’s a cat in it, people are down.
For all of the people in the world who love cats, though, do we really know everything there is to know about living with (and catering to) our feline friends?
If you’re looking to know more, we’ve got 50 facts that run the gamut from basic to totally interesting, so snuggle up your kitty and take a gander!
50. People have been showing cats since at least 1871.
Cats groom themselves for several reasons, such as toning down their scent to avoid predators, cooling off, promoting blood flow, and distributing oils naturally through their coats.
Shared grooming sessions also serve as a sign of affection between cats, and experts also believe their saliva could contain enzymes that serve as a natural antibiotic.
However, they also purr when they’re sick, stressed, hurt, or even while giving birth.
Basically, don’t assume the sound means they’re happy.
46. Cute cat videos predate the internet.
This clip all but proves cat videos have been making the world go ’round long before they took up permanent residence on the top of the YouTube charts.
Thomas Edison (totally on brand) filmed two cats “boxing” inside a small ring in 1894.
45. Purring could help improve their bone density.
Experts, like associate veterinary school professor Leslie A. Lyons, aren’t sure why cats purr, but one hypothesis is that the sound frequency of a purr – between 25 and 150 Hertz – can “improve bone density and promote healing.”
She wrote in an article for Scientific American, “because cats have adapted to conserve energy via long periods of rest and sleep, it is possible that purring is a low energy mechanism that stimulates muscles and bones without a lot of energy.”
44. There was a video game based on Socks, President Clinton’s cat.
Socks, a black-and-white tuxedo cat, lived in the Oval Office during Bill Clinton’s tenure as President.
During the early 1990s. Super Nintendo Entertainment System created a game called Socks the Cat, which featured the First Feline in Chief.
It was never officially released and was even thought for a long time to have been lost, but recently collector Tom Curtin bought the only copy in existence.
He also purchased the rights and partnered with game publisher Second Dimension to bringSocks the Cat Rocks The Hill out in 2018.
The herb catnip contains several chemical compounds, including one called nepetalactone.
Cats can detect that particular chemical compound with special receptors in their noses and mouths, which triggers those odd behaviors we associate with “kitty weed.”
That’s why you might see your beloved cat sniffing, shaking or rubbing their head, and rolling around on the ground.
In the 1960s, a man named Henry Helb lived in the Dutch Embassy in Moscow with two Siamese cats.
He noticed his pets were arching their backs and clawing at one of the walls, and Helb, convinced the cats could hear something he didn’t, went looking behind them.
He found 30 tiny microphones, and instead of busting the spies, he and his staff used them to pass wrong or irrelevant information onto whoever was listening.
If you’re a female cat, copulation isn’t the funnest time, and it could be part of the reason why they tend to be loners.
Male shafts are barbed in order to stimulate the female’s privates, which inspires an ovulation – and also keeps her from running away before he’s done.
If you’ve ever heard cats yowling in the night (probably because a female is being forced into mating), you’re probably not surprised to learn they really don’t consider what humans listen to pleasant music.
At least they have people like composer David Teie on their side; in 2015 he partnered with animal scientists to make an album calledMusic for Cats.
According to his website, the songs are “based on feline vocal communication and environmental sounds that pique the interest of cats.”
Hmmm. I wonder if it’s on Amazon Prime Music…
36. College graduates are more likely to be cat owners.
According to 2010 research collected by the University of Bristol, people who have graduated from college are about 1.36 times more likely to own a cat than other people who own pets.
After studying the more than 3,000 survey responses about the person’s pets, geography, and academic history, researchers believe they can chalk up the slightly higher chance of cat ownership to the fact that they’re typically more low-maintenance than a dog, and therefore better suited to people with thriving careers.
A group of kittens all born to the same mama at the same time is called a “kindle,” and I have to believe that Amazon knew that when they chose the name for their e-reading – cats and books just go together, right?
If you’re curious, a group of adult cats roaming the street isn’t a pack – it’s a “clowder.”
Abraham Lincoln could vie for the craziest cat man in history, though – once, when his wife Mary Todd asked about Abe’s hobbies, he reportedly replied “cats!”
It should be noted that Lincoln also owned and loved dogs, which proves he was just an all-around good guy in my book.
Specifically, Sphinx cats are hairless, or furless, but still manage to maintain an average body temperature around four degrees warming than a typical cat.
Some cats doenjoy the occasional dip, though, including the Turkish Van, Maine Coons, and Bengals – no matter the species, there always have to be a few who go against the grain!
26. The world’s oldest living cat is a thirtysomething.
The average lifespan of a cat is between 12-18 years, and while most of us have known a cat who made it to – or a bit beyond – that upper threshold, I doubt they’ve lived to be 35.
The current oldest living cat just passed his 35th birthday – he’s a tabby living in Britain, and his name is Henry.
25. But there’s no Guinness World Record for the fattest cat.
There used to be records for the fattest animals, but Guinness found that people are terrible (not news) and would intentionally overfeed their pets in an attempt to get into the record books.
If there were a record attained somewhat naturally it would be Katy, a Siamese cat who lived in Asbest, Russia.
She was given hormones to stop her from mating and the treatment had a surprising side effect: it made her ravenous.
So ravenous, in fact, that at one point she weighed more than 50 pounds.
The phrase “if it fits, I sits” means cats will squeeze themselves into very small spaces whenever possible, and animal experts think that’s because it makes them feel more protected, secure, and important – sort of like being back in the womb.
Shelter workers have known this for some time, as any time they’re given boxes to snuggle in the adjust more quickly and are less stressed than cats left alone in their cages.
Sleeping in a smaller space also helps cats retain more body heat, and so they can stay relaxed and get more rest, too.
23. A massage from a cat is more than a kind gesture.
You might find it sweet when your cat kneads your leg or your belly (as long as their claws stay retracted), but experts believe your cat is actually marking you as part of their territory through the process.
Cats have scent glands in their paws, which is part of why kittens knead their mama’s belly while nursing – it stimulates milk production.
So it makes sense that if the behavior carries over to adulthood, those glands would still be useful for something.
Cat experts do know why kittens meow – it’s to get their mother’s attention – but as to why full-grown cats might do the same, they’re not totally sure.
They think the behavior grew out of their connection to humans, since cats don’t meow when interacting with other cats.
Instead, they use those noises they made as kittens to convey their emotions and needs to their human “parents” in the same way.
21. At least one cat painting is worth nearly $1m.
More often than not, cats do land with all four paws solidly on the ground.
Cats have a great sense of balance, even when they’re falling, and can use their flexible backbone to adjust their bodies in the air.
The can also spread their legs out to “parachute” down, and since they’re small and light-boned, that often means falls won’t be as hard as they would be for another creature.
That said, people shouldn’t go around testing this theory, because the cat could get hurt – it’s not a 100% of the time thing.
18. They spend the majority of their lives asleep.
A 2018 survey found that the most popular cat breed in America was the Exotic – a flat-faced cat that’s basically a short-haired version of a Persian cat.
The second most popular was the Ragdoll, with the British Shorthair coming in 3rd.
Personally, my favorite is “the cat who showed up on my porch and wouldn’t leave.”
Bodegas are known for keeping a resident feline, and the Algonquin Hotel, which has graced midtown Manhattan for a century, also has kept a lobby cat since the early 1920s.
The current resident is known as Hamlet. He assumed his post after the passing of Matilda III, who “moved on” in October of 2017.
15. T.S. Eliot thought cats were downright poetic.
We know because in the 1870s, the city of Liege, Belgium, tried giving them the job.
Their attempt to train 37 cats to deliver letters in waterproof bags tied to their necks didn’t go all that well – the letters were late when they got to the correct address at all.
Anyone who has ever tried to train a cat is not surprised.
Dogs, horses, and other breeds might come to mind first when you’re thinking about fast animals, but the fact is that your house cat could probably give some of them a run for their money.
The average running kitty can clock around 30mph, after all, so don’t bother giving chase if one darts away from you.
All across Western civilization, you’ll find the myth that black cats are a bad omen, but no one really knows how it began.
As early as the Middle Ages, superstitions arose surrounding black cats being the reason for the plague pandemic.
Little did anyone know that by expiring cats, they were also getting rid of the best chance they had to get rid of infected rats, who actually carried the disease.
They eventually became associated with witches, because older, single women often adopted alley cats as companions.
4. In some countries, black cats are considered good luck.
In the United Kingdom and Japan, however, a black cat is a symbol of fortune.
New brides are given black cats to bless their marriages in England, and in Japan, they’re considered particularly lucky for single women.
The Germans throw their beliefs way back to Ancient Rome, when anything that came from the left was ominous – so a black cat crossing from left to right was a bad sign, but if it crossed from right to left, the omen was good.
Many of us, cat owners, start to worry when our cat has been gone for a few hours. Is my cat okay? Is she lost? Did something happen? These are common thoughts to plague our minds. Well, as it turns out, cats are pretty well equipped to find their way home, and you probably shouldn’t worry too much. We have all heard the fantastic stories of cats walking back home from across the country to be reunited with their families after months or even years. How much of that is accurate, and how do cats find their way back home?
We might think that we know our pets well and we know what’s best for them, but when professional groomers talk, we should all listen to what they have to say.
A groomer in Canada named Vanessa De Prophetis has made several TikTok videos for pet owners highlighting things that she thinks they need to know about their pets.
This video she shared shows some behind-the-scenes realities of pet grooming and how it’s not all fun and games. And also how it isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination.
And here’s another video from De Prophetis where she talks about some of the things that pet groomers might not be comfortable telling owners about their animals.
And one of the most important videos that De Prophetis posted is directed towards people who want to have an “end of life” grooming for their pets and why that really isn’t a good idea. This is really good to know.
(@hleneeh) 
Vibrant Mer
More pics coming 
