Papal paw pal
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | April 21, 2008
We didn’t realize Pope Benedict XVI was a cat person.
It reminds us of visiting the Torre Argentina cat sanctuary in Rome. Here’s a bulletin on one of the locals:
MAGNESIASTOP MAGNESIA GOING TO CHURCH!
For the last four years, Magnesia has lived happily in the archaeological ruins. Recently, though, we think she has undergone some sort of mystical or religious conversion, as she has started going to church! Normally, this would not be a problem – we tolerate all sorts of feline eccentricities at Torre Argentina – in Magnesia’s case, however, it is potentially fatal.
The church she has chosen to perform her frequent devotions is the Catholic Polish Church which is about 250 metres away and to get to it she crosses a very busy street. This would be dangerous for any cat but Magnesia has only three legs. The chances of her surviving all the street crossing involved in her regular church attendances are very poor.
Magnesia is a lovely and very affectionate cat and we have no doubt that she has sought religious consolation as a substitute for a good home. If you want to save a needy cat, please consider Magnesia.
Although clearly a Catholic herself, she is a broadminded cat who would not discriminate regarding the religious affiliation of any new owner, as long as they give her lots of love and plenty of pats.
Cat Lovers Appreciate Soul Mate in Vatican (New York Times)
Torre Argentina Roman Cat Sanctuary
Topics: Rome, Pope Benedict XVI | No Comments »
Now what?
By admin | April 20, 2008
Not pictured: third frame where she realizes that cat-interference was just an excuse hiding the fact that she has nothing to say.
I Can Haz Repose? (Ephemerist)
Kitt-In Box (The Refined Feline)
Topics: Business | No Comments »
Pinky
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | February 19, 2008
We’ve been away for routine new human maintenance — be back soon!
Topics: people | No Comments »
Paw power
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 28, 2008
Baby Girl: “a little bit wild”
Five-legged cat to lose two paws (BBC News)
Topics: ferals, other cats | No Comments »
Ponderables
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 25, 2008
Modern Yoga versus Traditional Yoga (Swami Jnaeshvara Bharati)
Topics: yoga, helpful cats | No Comments »
The cat came back
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 23, 2008
Oscar and Arthur: What dreams may come
But Oscar’s love for his friend would not die – and during the night, he pulled the cat from his grave, carried him inside, laid him in the basket they used to share and gently cleaned him up.
We’ve were reading a few people’s tumblrs and were alerted to a bit of old news — a touching story of mixed-species friendship. Are we the only ones who suspect Arthur planned this? One last special “present” for his people, after a career of mice, squirrels, birds and lizards…
Dog retrieves his best friend - a cat buried in the garden (Times Online)
Dog and cat’s friendship continues after death (Metro.co.uk)
Topics: dogs, death | No Comments »
Pass the Lasagna Cat
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 17, 2008
Once as grade-schoolers we had a long conversation about how bizarre the Peanuts gang would look as real people: bald, big-headed Charlie Brown, stringy-haired Linus, filthy Pigpen. Perhaps that’s why our favorite part of Fatal Farm’s new series of Garfield comic strip reenactments/music video tributes is the actor who plays Jon Arbuckle. We choose to post this one, as it includes G’s classic Monday hatred (as well as a classic, Prince-written Bangles song), but the series as a whole explores such a wealth of different styles in bringing Jim Davis’ creation to disturbing life that all the videos are worth a look.
Of course, some maintain that Garfield is disturbing enough on its own. They theorize that an uncharacteristically dark series of strips from October 1989 reveals the horrible truth behind Davis’ art — that the comfy domestic squabbles comprising the bulk of Garfield gags are but an illusion, the fantasy of a stray cat slowly starving to death in an abandoned house:
Death of Garfield? (Boing Boing)
Topics: Lasagna Cat, Garfield, art | No Comments »
We move like cagey tigers
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 16, 2008
I just really feel like I need some space, you know?
British “cat behavior counsellor” Vicky Halls tells it like it is:
Cats are highly adaptable and have lived alongside us very successfully, but there is no doubt that most of the behavioural problems we are now seeing, such as indoor spraying and soiling, nervousness and aggression, are caused by the environment we put our cats into and our unrealistic expectations of them. Cats are by nature solitary and can’t be expected to provide emotional support for lonely owners.
Memo to our own, personal feline pets: we won’t ask you to make us feel better about our poor social skills if you’ll get your ass off our computer keyboard.
Topics: how they think, cat ladies, other cats | No Comments »
Only in New York, kids…
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 10, 2008
We made the Post! While we always thought that time we got drunk and tried smoking catnip would be what landed us in our favorite tabloid, turns out we were wrong. Post pet reporter Julia Szabo was gracious enough to include Hodge Shall Not Be Shot in her round-up of animal-themed blogs. This more than makes up for that Page Six blind item about our litter-box. Consider us honored!
‘Net for Pets (New York Post)
Topics: Julia Szabo, other cats | No Comments »
New Hampshire Claw-cus
By Hodgeshallnotbeshot | January 10, 2008
… was the best we could do for this post’s title. We hope you will be compelled to read this important 2008 election announcement anyway:
Marty has won 53% of the vote to become Mount Washington Observatory’s newest mascot:
Marty ‘08: “We Can Has Wet Food”
He takes over the mountain perch left empty by the retirement of Nin in December:
Congratulations, Marty. Keep those Yetis away from our telescopes!
Mount Washington Observatory says new mascot is cat named Marty (Boston Globe)
Mascot Primary (Mount Washington Observatory)
Topics: politics, famous cats | No Comments »