Highly recommended: Keep Quiet

On Netflix now. (Incidentally, the local tabby was entranced by the Philip Sheppard soundtrack.)

Interlude – Mazzy Star and kittens on windowsills

It’s been one of those months. So, before I return to posting about violence and cruelty and tragedy, some music and little cats.

Another kitten!!!

Back in November, I posted about the new kitten. Shortly after that, her sister was rescued and joined the family.

Isn’t she gorgeous?

Recommended: “One Year After Charlie Hebdo” - panel discussion on the Charlie Hebdo attack and free expression

(with a bit of levity provided by Caroline Fourest’s cat, Henri)

(also available on C-SPAN)

Kitten!!!

Behold the forehead:

She’s an extraordinary cat - brave, determined, vivacious, shockingly intelligent. It’s going to be so much fun watching her grow.

Zaytouna, kitty refugee

I needed this today.

I’m just sayin'

“…but on the internet people only look at pictures of kittens.”

Banksy in Gaza:

Would you eat them?

A hypothetical* question for carnists: Were hybrid dogpigs or catcows to be created, would you eat them? Why or why not?

* And rhetorical, both because I’m closing comments and because I hope people give some thought to their reasons.

Human football

Best line in Kitten Bowl commentary:

Boomer Esiason (Feline Football League Commissioner): I’m actually looking at players like Beau Catson and Joe Fluffo for possible MVK [Most Valuable Kitten] contenders, based on their performance so far.

John Sterling: Now, Boomer, you were the 1988 MVP yourself, in human football.

Boomer Esiason: That’s right, but we just call it…football.

happy place #17

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Looking forward to the bowl game

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Dear Petco: Bring back the old sponge ball cat toys!

One of the cats used to love playing with the old two-color soft balls. He would drop them down the stairs and chase them, carrying them back up in his mouth. If you threw one against a wall, he would jump up and catch it in the air on the rebound. When he was happily exhausted, he would drop the ball he'd been playing with in a shoe or bag. He played with them until they were falling apart, and it was always fun to get him a new set of four.

The new ones that you've been selling for the past several months are terrible. They're far too big and too hard for him to carry, and he's not interested in playing with them. They're also, incidentally, quite ugly. I don't know why you'd discontinue a great product and replace it with such a ridiculous one. I read the reviews on the Petco site, and every one I read says basically the same thing: "My cat loved the old ones and doesn't play with the new ones." I can't imagine any research was done before introducing the new version.

Please bring back the old ones!