I’ve been in love with the snow leopard since the first time I saw one, which I believe was in the Denver Zoo in the 1970s. Many years later, as I planned a trip to San Antonio, I learned that their zoo housed a beautiful snow leopard. So I made arrangements to go there. I checked and double checked to make sure the snow leopard was there. But when we arrived and couldn’t find him, we asked and learned that he didn’t do well in that climate, so they had to relocate him to another zoo. That was disappointing.
This week I came across a news release in Science Daily announcing a newly discovered subspecies of the snow leopard in the Himalayas. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170511141941.htm
I guess it’s not unusual for the big cats to have subspecies. But the snow leopard, because 
of its geographic location is evidently the last to be studied. And they discovered and identified the subspecies through the cats’ scat. Evidently there’s more to the big cats than most of us know. They aren’t just a tiger or a lion or a cheetah. These cats have subspecies, as well. Here’s a list of the big cats and their subspecies: http://bigcatswildcats.com/list-of-big-cats/
Here, you’ll learn that the tiger has 9 subspecies. Three of them are extinct, but there are the Bengal, Sumatran, South China, Indochinese, Amur, and Malayan tiger. The leopard has 11 subspecies, including the Indian, Javan, Arabian, African, Sri Lankan. There are over thirty subspecies of our native big cat, the cougar.
(Pencil art by Susan Colla)
Cats sure can generate smiles. One interesting thing cats do is to explore and often hide in, under, and behind unusual places—boxes, bowls, clothes hampers, closets, sinks, dressers, sofas and other cubbies. The Internet is busy with photos of big cats who’ve skinnied themselves into tiny spaces and odd places. I’ve seen pictures of cats in (or trying to fit into) fishbowls, salad bowls, a tea kettle, jars, shoes. Here are some. I dare you to look at these pictures without at least smiling. 
cats seek out snug spots in which to nap or just hang out. For warmth and for an element of safety (a throwback from their wild ancestors). Cats feel secure in tight quarters. If you’ll notice, when you put up a shade or shelter for your small children to play under, your cat is likely to join them. When a package arrives in the mail, as soon as you open it, your cat jumps into the box. I’d say part of that behavior is curiosity.
At our house, whenever we get a package from UPS or in the mail, we always leave boxes out for a few days for the cats to play in before recycling them.
How can one person cause so many problems for cats and the people who want to help them? Evidently, an apartment dweller in Queens was hoarding cats. When the building was condemned, this person moved out without an iota of regard for all of the cats they’d collected over the years. And when the demolition team arrived and started the process of tearing the building down, they began to see a cat here and there. Upon checking, they discovered that the place was full of cats and kittens—around forty of them.
to climate change and they say it’s because they eat so much meat. Because of the environmental impact caused by our pets’ food consumption, they’re now looking at perhaps finding new sources of protein. Here’s the link to that article, in case you’re interested in knowing what sort of fight could be ahead of us? Will there be a movement to reduce the number of pets we can have in our home, will they take stricter measurements to quell human intervention in maintaining feral cat colonies or worse? 
Here’s one of those nice stories about cats and cuddles. In Las Cruces, New Mexico, county officials there have created a cat library on premises at the county offices for stressed employees. When an employee needs a sweet moment (that doesn’t involve calories), they can “check out” a cat or kitten to spend time with. Isn’t that why most of us have cats in our household—for those cuddle sessions. 
Authors love to get reviews. And I find it interesting how many ways there are to praise a book. Certainly not all reviews are positive, and that’s okay. Everyone has an opinion, moods that might sway an opinion in that moment, and expectations. I’ve actually had readers ding my Klepto Cat Mysteries because he/she doesn’t like cats or cozy mysteries. Why they chose to read my cozy mystery stories which obviously involve cats is a mystery to me.
Today is our Sophie’s 13th birthday. And we probably won’t celebrate, except to give her extra petting, spew endearing words about what a good girl she is, and make sure she gets all the attention she wants. Sophie is a formerly feral tortie who still carries some of her feral roots. Although, she’s come a long way, there are still things she won’t tolerate, being picked up is one of them. She’ll cuddle in our lap, allow endless petting (from us only), but you can’t pick her up.
Sophie wants to spend this and every other day of her life.
The process of searching for cat news that I can use here at the Catscapades blog is a mixed bag. I love, love, love seeing cute videos of cats and kittens. I adore being treated to heart-warming stories involving cats and discovering interesting news related to cats.
This is blog post number 642. This blog site has been bringing you news, facts, stories, theories, photos, art, etc. all about cats for eight years. You’ve had the opportunity to learn about cat burglars, how cats think, various health issues that plague cats, how cats relate to people and other animals, the plight of the feral cat, cat breeds, cat-related holidays, people who love cats, people who help cats, cats in the news and so much more.
Not with the Internet, my friend. While many of the ideas and much of the material in this blog come from my own wonderings about cats, experiences with cats, observations, etc., research is a huge part of the process of creating and maintaining it. For that, I thank all of the experts in various aspects of cat, journalists and authors who love writing about cats, and other bloggers. And I’d like to mention friends, family, and others who share their wonderful cat stories. Let’s hope that the concepts, idioms, and facts that I bring to the table create fodder and inspiration for other writers. But mostly, I’m proud to make a difference for catdom and the plight of the cat through education and enlightenment. Anything you can offer to this end is most welcome and appreciated.
Those of you who are familiar with Rags and his thieving ways, will be interested in knowing that he’s not the only klepto cat around. Of course, when I decided to feature a cat burglar in my cozy mystery novels, I’d read about cat burglars over the years. I think the veterinarian who wrote “All My Patients Are Under the Bed,” told the story about a cat burglar. And then there’s Dusty, the cat whose stealing sprees went viral.
obsessed with water. Yesterday, I visited our local Human Society Animal Shelter and found this tiny kitten enjoying a sip from this big bowl. I also chuckled at an adorable kitten who was lying wrapped around his water bowl in a recovery pen and even had one paw dangling in the bowl. Yes, it was rather hot in that room.
Yesterday, we talked about how kids help cats. Here’s an article focused on how cats can help children with anxiety and depression. And this piece is written by a teen. Angie Bailey has written other articles related to children and cats. So how does Angie believe that cats can help troubled kids? Here are a few of the ways they can bring comfort: they invite and encourage touch, they can be a distraction for an overloaded or disoriented mind, and they provide friendship without judgment. I think you’ll enjoy reading Angie’s article. 
of children growing up in a home with pets. I always stressed, however, that it’s up to the parents to teach and guide their children so that no child or pet is harmed. There are positive methods of teaching children responsibility and compassion through pet ownership.
