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The Private Life Of A Cat - Silent Film Circa 1944

 The Private Life Of A Cat was directed by avant-garde filmmaker Alexander Hammid in 1947. (Update: We discovered the film was released in 1944). Originally a silent film, I’ve added some music by Korla Pandit, Philippe Besombes and Jean-Louis Rizet.

The film was shot in the apartment that Hammid shared with his wife filmmaker Maya Deren on Morton street in Manhattan.

Part narrative, part documentary, the story is simple and yet deeply expressive.

Via Dangerous Minds

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Hot-Weather Tips for our Cat & Dog Companions

When summer arrives, it is very important that we take the proper precautions when dealing with our pets. Here are a few important tips and facts that should help protect our furry friends.

Heat stroke can kill an animal. Dogs and cats should NEVER be left alone in a car or truck, even briefly. Even with a window open, a vehicle can become a furnace much more quickly than you would ever expect. It doesn’t matter if you park in the shade, because the sun shifts during the day. With their extra-long soft palates, small nostrils, and narrower-than-usual windpipes, brachycephalic breeds (breeds with the short snouts and “pushed-in faces”) have an especially tough time in the summer heat. English bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston terriers are examples of these breeds.

Always travel with a thermos of cool water that you can offer your dog throughout the day.

Keep your dog’s exercise to a minimum, especially after eating, during the hottest hours of the day. Any exercise should be done in the early morning, when it’s coolest, or in the evening, after sundown.

Minimize the amount of time your dog spends standing on the street. Asphalt radiates a lot of heat, and dogs are closer to the ground than we realize. They can heat up pretty fast, and they can burn their paws on the hot asphalt.

Avoid taking your dog to the beach unless you can provide a shady spot, and have plenty of fresh water for him to drink.

Hi-rise syndrome increases dramatically during the summer months. Hi-rise syndrome is what we call it when cats and (less commonly) dogs fall out of a window. Do not open windows during hot weather unless the window is protected by a screen.

Long-haired dogs are especially prone to overheating. Shaving a long-haired dog so that the hair is 1-inch long helps prevent overheating. Shaving any shorter than 1-inch might predispose your dog to sunburn, so don’t go any shorter than 1 inch.

Antifreeze can be deadly to cats and dogs. Animals are attracted to antifreeze because it has a sweet taste. Unfortunately, the main ingredient in antifreeze, ethylene glycol, can cause severe, sometimes fatal kidney damage if ingested. Be careful when changing the coolant in your car, and try to prevent your pets from drinking antifreeze from puddles. There are several brands of antifreeze that are designed to be non-toxic to pets. They have propylene glycol, a safe chemical, instead of ethylene glycol. Consider switching to these safe alternatives.

If your dog spends much of it’s time outdoors, make certain that it has access to shady areas. A properly constructed doghouse is perfect for this. If you can’t provide proper shade, bring the dog inside during the hottest hours of the day.

Carefully check your pet’s body at least once a week in the summer, looking for fleas, ear mites, and ticks. Bring your pet to the veterinarian for a good spring/summer check-up, and use a good flea and tick repellent based on your veterinarian’s recommendation.

Follow the above recommendations, and hopefully your pet will experience a safe and problem-free summer.


SEE ALSO:
First Aid for Your Cat: What to Do in an Emergency | First Aid for Your Kitten: What to Do in an Emergency
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Ages and Stages - The Cat Age to Human Age Comparison (Part Three)

Ages and Stages
A New Chart Helps Pet Parents Calculate Their Cats' Age in Relation to Human Years
by Dr. Arnold Plotnick published in Cat Fancy September 2011

Cats are living longer than ever before, and I suppose it is human nature to wonder how a cat’s age would compare to a human’s. In talking with many people, I’ve discovered that the myth that dogs and cats age seven years for every one year is alive and well. I don’t know exactly how this notion came about, but I suspect many years ago someone decided that dogs live, on average, ten years, and people live, on average, seventy years, so dogs age approximately seven years for every one human year. This myth has been perpetuated for years, and frankly, it drives me crazy. First of all, cats live longer than dogs; this immediately skews the calculations regarding cats. Second, if you think about it, it’s not uncommon for some cats to live to be 18 or 19 years old. By the seven-to-one system, an 18 year-old cat would be equivalent to a 126-year old person. It’s true that people are also living longer than ever before, however, I’ve seen many 18 year old cats. I’ve yet to meet a 126 year-old person.


Cats age faster when they’re younger, but this slows down as they get older. At 6 months of age, a female cat can already reproduce. (If you use the seven-to-one rule, a 6 month old cat would be equal to a 3 ½ year old person, and 3 ½ year old people cannot reproduce.). In my chart, I figured that humans can reproduce around age 15. At 1 year of age, cat bones fully stop growing. This occurs in people at approximately 24 years of age, give or take a few years. Using this information (and 23 years of veterinary experience), I tried to devise a more realistic cat-human age chart that ends the seven-to-one rule once and for all. I thought my chart was pretty neat, until the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association released their Feline Lifestage Guideline chart.

This new chart is great for a number of reasons. I like that cats are no longer classified simply as either kittens, adults, or seniors. As a feline practitioner, I always felt uncomfortable with this system, as I felt it was naïve and one-dimensional. Where do you draw the line between adult and senior? Eight years of age? Nine? I never felt comfortable calling an eight year old cat a “senior”, especially with cats routinely living to the age of 17 or longer. The new Feline Lifestage Guideline chart breaks the feline lifespan into six discrete stages:

Kitten: 0 - 6 months
Junior: 7 months - 2 years
Prime: 3 years - 6 years
Mature: 7 years - 10 years
Senior: 11 years - 14 years
Geriatric: 15 years and older

This separation really seems to hit the nail on the head. Rather than call eight or nine year old cats “senior”, the term “mature” seems more appropriate. I also love the "junior" classification. Previously, kittenhood was said to come to an end when cats turn one year of age. I see many cats that are 18 months old, and while not technically "kittens", they've still got that wild and crazy streak that makes me reluctant to label them as "adults". Calling them "juniors" is perfect.

The part of the chart that I think is most compelling, however, is the age comparison. While it is very similar to the chart I devised a few years ago, this new chart is much more detailed when it comes to the early years.

(click to enlarge)


I’m sure this chart will be revised in a few years. In fact, I hope it is, because that would mean that cats are living even longer and that the chart is no longer accurate. Cats living longer – this is always a good thing.
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Current Kittens Available at Manhattan Cat Specialists (July 2011)

In late 2003, at the urging of my staff, our hospital began our own adoption program.  Working with a very limited number of reputable rescue organizations, our hospital obtained kittens (and the occasional adult cat) in need of loving and caring homes.


We have four new several-week old kittens available for adoption at Manhattan Cat Specialists for July 2011.  (located at 230 W. 76th Street. New York 10023)

click to enlarge
If you’re looking to adopt a kitten available for adoption now, contact our office 212-721-2287.


Please help us by spreading the word.  Please share this blog post with your friends and family.  If you're on Facebook, you can share this info poster
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10 Epic Drama Cat Videos

Sometimes accompanied with a contemporary cinematic orchestra, and sometimes without, Youtuber ignoramusky delivers the goods when it comes to epic cat drama videos.

Here are some of my favorites:




















At least this one kitty is at peace.
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20 Close-Up Photos of Cat Tongues

20 Close-Up Photos of Cat Tongues.  (Hiromi is not going to like this post.)

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    At least this one is a pretty color. via At least this one is a pretty color.via
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    What a beautiful cascade of...cat tongue hair. via What a beautiful cascade of…cat tongue hair.via
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    Also a pretty color. via Also a pretty color.via
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    This is actually a cat with "tongue lesions." via This is actually a cat with “tongue lesions.”via
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