Watermark

Watermark in the New York Times

Two weeks ago, I received a message that a reporter from the New York Times wanted to speak to me about my blog. 

Was he interested in my fine, sensitive poems?  Or perhaps my incisive political commentary?

No.

He was interested in Friday Cat Blogging. 

The article is here. Yes, it requires registration -- but you can always make something up, and besides, it's cats.   

I think the reporter, Daniel Terdiman (who also writes for Wired News) did a good job (though I have been blogging for ten months, not three)  stressing what is most important to me about Friday Cat Blogging:  that it brings together folks from all around the web who otherwise would not connect.  And, of course, it offers a little relief from what has lately been a heavy dose of seriousness. 

I hope those of you who are visiting from the Times will take a minute to visit my main page.  There is much more than cats on offer here, including poems, politics, and other minor matters.  If you came just for the cats, you will find many cat links here.

[Crossposted to Big Sky Blog]

Halloween Cats

One more week to prepare for the favorite cat holiday, so today we will explore the many options for a cat-themed Halloween. 

Planning a party?  Here is a recipe that's sure to be a hit, Cat Litter Treats. For table decorations you can have something cute or something kitschy.

Kitty need a costume?  You can find one here or here or here; it would be pretty hard to match the one pictured, though (click for larger image.) And of course you will need a costume.  Here's a racy CatWoman costume; here's a hideous (as in ugly) White Cat Halloween mask.  CatAnna's Cats Costume Page has some much more attractive options, and here is a long list of  Black Cat Halloween Costumes available for sale to the quickest bidder. And we mustn't forget the dog.

Boo doesn't need a costume;
she's scary enough already.

The Back Fence Cat Club cats are preparing for Halloween, and have a Halloween Adventure to share.  There is an extensive list of Halloween Cat pages at Crowley Cats' Halloween Links. Really extensive.  Also cute. 

On the serious side, a Halloween Safety Guide, with tips for protecting our pets from those who take this season as an excuse to act on their evilest impulses; and the dangers of chocolate and other seasonal hazards.

Laurence has registered a new domain, carnivalofthecats.com.  There you will find  everything you need to know:  Carnival of the Cats FAQ; links to all previous Carnivals; a schedule of upcoming Carnivals; and instructions for entering your cat posts in the Carnival. 

This week's Friday Ark is up -- lots and lots and lots of cats, including a spooky one; and this week's Carnival of the Cats is here.

Next week's Friday Cat Blogging might be on Thursday, and might be very special; don't miss it! 

Virtual Cats 2

I completely forgot about friday, my own virtual cat, who lives on my About page! Bad kitty mistress, bad kitty mistress! 

adopt your own virtual pet!

friday is a flash kitty (so if you don't have flash enabled, you will not see her) from bunnyhero labs.  They also offer a puppy, duck, bunny, and penguin (one of which lives at Abide.)  These are all interactive, and you can choose what color you would like yours to be.

I bet you can guess why she's named friday.

ADDITION Saturday 16 October 02004:

I've just discovered that Blogger offers a Blog Pet, and of course, it's a cat:

Click your mouse on various parts of the Blog Pet picture, and it will talk to you. 

Virtual Cats

Today we will further explore the possibilities for those unfortunate souls who want a cat, but can't have one, due to allergies, landlords, or other impediments.  For some folks, even robotic cats are too much trouble (all those batteries.)  For them, virtual cats are the way to go. You have lots of choices here, including cats that live on your desktop and cats that live on your website. 

Felix is a particularly sweet choice.  He lives on the desktop, has a toy box with a variety of amusements, and can be picked up and moved around by the scruff of his neck.  He may, however, come with some unwanted extras; Spybot and AdAware were very busy in the days after I downloaded him.

And of course, there's Neko Neko:

Neko is a little cat that sits on your desktop and chases the mouse pointer until he catches it, then goes through a series of absolutely adorable activities, such as cleaning himself and taking a nap.

Neko has been around for a very long time, in virtual measures.  Now you can also have Neko on your web page. I have once seen Neko used as a favicon, though I've no idea how it was done -- and now I can't remember what blog it was (if anyone knows, please drop me a note so I can link it to this post.)

Then there's the strange world of virtual cat adoptions:

You can adopt a kitty sprite at SMG World.

At Madame Alto's Cat House, you can adopt any of several animated kittens, or, if you really like sweetsweetsweet, a Kitty Angel (sorry, I can't bring myself to put one here.)

You can adopt a siamese cat or a colorwash cat or an orange kitten or a blue kitten at Gingo's Cyber Pet Adoption Agency. 

Mr. Free Free has a whole list of free virtual cats for download, black cats, white cats -- even a cat named Spike.  But my favorite virtual pet is the Useless Blob, from Spacefem, one of which lives on my Links page.  I think it's my favorite because it doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. 

And finally, via ~Fractured~Somehow~, a virtual quiz:

"What kind of cat are you?"

Sweety cat
You are a sweety! You are polite and kind. Go you
there aren't many like you out there anymore.

Those of you who live with real cats (or dogs, or people, or anything else living) -- go hug them now, and be glad they are not virtual.

********************************************************************************

Oops, almost forgot again:  this week's Carnival is still here; next week's will be at  signaleer; send your entry to cats[AT]isfullofcrap[DOT]com before 1800 Central Time on Sunday. And don't forget Friday Ark.

Carnival of the Cats

   

Henry and Lucy are delighted to present
The 29th Carnival of the Cats

A Contented Misty at VegasBaby!

Friday Cat Blogging is on Thursday Today at Blog d'Elisson

This Cat Was Born Near The Ocean at planeta hilda

catnip cat at monkeycats

Black Cat at Athenamama

Friday Cat-Blogging at Your Moosey Fate

VICTORY!!! Kinda, Anyway... at bloggg

Creepy Kitty at What Is Flig?

Ripley & 'Puss Puts Up at aka cooties

Pablo, el Gato Diabólico & Pablo, Dehydrated at feministe

Krissiebutt, Who Hoo!, Silly Animals, & Been Sleeping, all at Mind of Mog

Elvis and Sugar & Good Kitty, both at Sugarfused [Sugarsnaps is currently down; hopefully to be back soon]

Kitty Survivor Episode 2: MouseHunt & Cats With Uzis both at When Cats Attack!!

Einar practices his feigned studied indifference at The People's Republic of Seabrook

Chew at TBIFOC

Someone enjoys my blog at Ogre's Politics and Views

Friday Cat Blogging at Trish Wilson's Blog

Ain't she sweet? at Sisu

Cat Fancy! at The Secret Life of Shoes

AuTumN KaTz at Feste...a foolsblog

Mouse 2, cats and humans 0 at Cat Out Loud

Photoshopped Cats at Watermark

Thanks to everyone for participating -- great turnout this week! Next week's Carnival will be at signaleer; folks take turns hosting the Carnival, but entries can always be sent to cats[AT]isfullofcrap[DOT]com. 

And we have a new venue for creatures -- Steve at Modulator has begun Friday Ark|Cats, Dogs, Spiders and ?:

I'll post links to sites that have Friday photos of their chosen animals as I see them (no photoshops and no humans).

Here are links to Friday Ark Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3.

Also, the Carnival of the Dogs is up at Mickey's Musings.

Photoshopped Cats

I've recently discovered the filter feature of Photoshop Elements.  Not meant for serious photographers, I'm sure; but handy for snapshotters like me, to make a boring image more interesting, or to salvage a bad photograph (like the one of Boo with an overexposed corner.)

So here are the results of some of my playing around this week (click the images for larger versions):

Boo

   

   

Spike

   

   

This week's Carnival of Cats is at Laurence's place; next week's is here at Watermark.  Get those entries in before 1700 mountain time on Sunday.

Friday Cat Blogging II -- Review: Juvenile felis catus

This is just too good to pass up.  Via Slashdot, which says; "The review goes over everything from how to acquire one, to required maintenance, to storage, to a comparison against other ways of spending your money . . . The article is full of useful and informative links such as your average kitten's standard configuration. A well reasoned and interesting review."

 

Review: Juvenile felis catus

While domestic cats are a common feature of many computing environments, IT review sites have proven oddly unwilling to investigate this popular computer room accessory.

Dan's Data goes on to do a thorough, techie review of 

An immature member of the species felis catus (also known as felis domesticus, and hereafter referred to as "a kitten"

including the necessary table displaying

a rundown of the relative merits of four options for the computer enthusiast - a kitten, a puppy, a baby, and (as a representative example of the more usual kind of home information technology purchase) a new video card.

He is reviewing this juvenile felis catus in particular.  Go to his review to check his Comparison and Conclusion and see which is the best option: the kitten; the puppy; the baby; or the video card.

[Two cat blogging posts in one day.  Somebody help me.]

Spike & His Bear

This is Spike and his Bear.  They look so innocent, don't they?  If you are stout hearted, you may see a slideshow of Spike relating to his bear, here. 

This is not for children, the easily offended, or other sensitive souls.  I'm not certain, but I think you may need to have flash enabled to view this spectacle. 

Almost forgot -- this week's Carnival of the Cats is here; next week's will be there, too.  Get your entry in to  cats (at) isfullofcrap.com by Sunday afternoon. 

And it's HERE, at Watermark, the Sunday after that -- October 10. 

Kittie Photos

Kittens

Cat in a Basket and Cat Salad, from growabrain

Kitties, from jenett.radio

Flickr Kitten Slideshow


Check in on this week's Carnival of the Cats; next week it will be here.

Cats & Politics

Oh, my, this campaign is becoming far too serious.  Now even the kittens are mobilizing:

This kitten is an obvious forgery
via feministe
 

We found Sadammmm!!!!!!


Cats Hate Bush

Bush
Hates
Cats?

The Bush Administration should be grateful that cats have not organized their own political party, given that

A new poll of calico cats across the country reveals that a great majority of them are deathly afraid of Attorney General John Ashcroft, many of them stating that he is, in fact, a sign of the Devil.

Some cats are, however, running for office themselves:

    

Bill Hall would say that this is only to be expected, as cats and politicians have a great deal in common:

In short, a cat can look half its size when attacking and twice its size when bluffing. Hence a cat looks four times as large on defense as on offense. The same is true of politicians. The more trouble they are in, the louder they yowl and the larger and more terrifying they try to appear.

Are cats Democrats or Republicans, do you think?  Damnum Absque Injuria has a theory (very well-constructed, by the way; you must go read the whole thing) that liberals prefer -- and blog about -- their cats, while conservatives prefer -- and blog about -- their dogs:

Then again, maybe I’m reading too much into this cat/dog dichotomy. Perhaps it all boils down to the tendency of conservatives to live in rural or suburban homes, which are suitable for dogs, while liberals tend to live in apartments or small condos, which are not.

Of course, this doesn't speak to the politics of the beasts themselves, and in my house I would have to say that Boo is a bleeding heart liberal, and Spike an uncompassionate conservative.

This week's Carnival of the Cats is still up; next week's will be at Your Moosey Fate.

ADDENDUM: I see that Shelley has also found two of these items, and has designed a flag in honor of Talk Like A Pirate Day.   She should be in the Carnival of Cats, but I bet she isn't -- so I'm taking this opportunity to send you to her truly wonderful site.


ADDENDUM 2:

I don't know how I missed this one
[Thanks to Braised Lambchop]