Weekend Cat Blogging: The Heat

The temperature hit 97F (35C) yesterday, which is exceptionally hot for San Francisco. Felt great to me, but it's a bit too much for the ketzela.

Here we see Luna trying to beat the heat resting under her new favorite table:

Even in the heat, she seems to have a sense of style. And fun. Note the cardboard furniture box to the left. Luna has always been fond of cardboard boxes, and this new one is no exception. Lots of fun for the teeth and claws, especially when you don't have to move far to reach it.

Like we said, this has been an exceptionally warm few days. It is famously cold and foggy during the summer months (June, July and August), though less so in our neighborhood. But it has been delightful to spend warm evenings out on the patio; and that “incipient warmth” in the morning, where the air still has a chill but one can feel it disappearing quickly. And with the energy of the city all around us…


It's never too hot for Weekend Cat Blogging, which is going on at Chey's Place.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is returning home to the Bad Kitty Cats Journal this weekend.

The Carnival of Cats will be going up this Sunday at Artsy Catsy

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging: A Busy Week

Every week is a busy week here at CatSynth, but this past week has been exceptionally so. Of course, there was the show and all the preparations. Work was more intense than usual as well. Also a fun this week, good food and drink and friends; and a volunteer activity. And lest we forget, the Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos last weekend.

But in the midst of all of that, Luna makes sure to get the attention she deserves:

As the studio takes shape, old activities return, like pawing at my chair for attention, and resting in the beanbag.

And now, we rest:


Some very sad news from our friends Megan and the Bad Kitty Cats. Braum Kitty and Rimbaud have passed away in tragic circumstances, and are dearly missed by their family. There is joy as well, with the new kittens the “Three Blind Mice.” And they will be hosting the Carnival of the Cats this weekend.

The Cat Blogosphere has this wonderful tribute to mothers, feline and humans.

More food and friends. Weekend Cat Blogging #153 is being hosted by sher and Laura and Pumpkin. Laura is growing and looking more like Luna.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is being hosted by Sleeping Mommy. And of course the Friday Ark #190 is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging: Wildcats, House Panthers and "erf day"

Luna continues to enjoy her “House Panther” status and all the warm compliments. But this weekend, we celebrate cats both domestic and wild, just as we did last year on Earth Day (or “erf day”).

We start again with the Cat Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union (CSG), but focusing on something positive. They are featuring a study of the jungle cat (Felis chaus) and leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), pictured to the right:

The family Felidae is well represented in India, with 15 species occurring here, making it the richest in cats worldwide. However, except for the large cats the rest figure very poorly in research and conservation policies in the country, probably because of their rarity and elusive nocturnal habits, coupled with cumbersome bureaucratic formalities in studying rare species. Fortunately, in the past few years non-invasive molecular techniques have been introduced in wildlife research in India, which has made small cat research easier.

Another endangered cat of India and Southeast Asia is the Fishing Cat. It is a close relative of the leopard cat, and shares some of the same habitat. However, the fishing cat (not surprisingly) is better adapted to hunting and eating fish, and is an excellent swimmer.

The fishing cat is one of many species featured in The Smithsonian National Zoo's Cat Conservation Project.

Note that these are all “small cats”, which often do not get the attention of the larger cat species, which are of course magnificent and also seriously endangered in many cases. Certainly, the small cats share some of the endearing qualities in appearance to our domestic felines (which are believed to be descendants of African wild cats).

Few wild cats resemble their domestic counterparts more than the Oncilla of South America. However, it seems relatively little is known about this species of cat. According to the CSG, it has never been studied in the wild, and little is known about its behavior or population. However, it is been trapped in the past for the fur trade:

n 1971, 28,000 pelts were counted in Brazilian warehouses, and in 1983, 84,500 skins were exported from Paraguay (Broad 1988)

The Oncilla closely resembles the better known Margay, which inhabits both Central and South America, and is not considered endangered. They are skillful tree climbers, and sometimes referred to as “Tree Ocelots,” taking the name from one of the more well-known wild cats of the Americas.

If you interested in this topic, please visit last year's article, which discusses some of the worlds most endangered cats, including the Iberian Lynx, which continues to be the most endangered in the world, with an estimated population in the hundred. Also, the intriguing little Andean Mountain Cat, illustrated to the right.


And speaking of house panthers…

Weekend Cat Blogging #151 is hosted by Luna's “twin” Puddy, along with Katie of A Byootaful Life.

And that's not all. The Carnival of the Cats is being hosted by the Diamond Emerald Eyes (whose mom created Luna's collage at the top of this article) at House Panthers!

The Bengal Brats may not be “house panthers”, but we still love them. They are hosting the Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos at Pet's Garden Blog.

And lest we forget, the friday ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging: Luna and Geometry

Cats, geometry, mathematics and art have been a theme of late here at CatSynth.

Remember this photo of Luna next to one of our geometric glass tables? Well, Luna seems to quite enjoy spending time in and around it. So there is now quite a collection of photos contrasting her organic shapes with the linear geometry of her surroundings:

We had some more surreal green kitties this past Wednesday. And Luna gets into the “green theme” as well:

And with Earth Day approaching, “green” seems quite appropriate. Of course, it's always green here at CatSynth with Luna's emerald eyes.


Weekend Cat Blogging #150 is being hosted by Mog, Meowza and Cece at Mind of Mog.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos will be held at the Cat Blogosphere.

This Sunday, the Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Aloyisius at Catymology.

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and more: A beautiful and sad weekend

It's been a weekend of contradictions, of warmth and fun and rest and work and excitement and fear and sadness.

We lost a friend and former colleague this past week. But we also got to see friends we haven't seen in quite a while. We are still saddened and worried at frightened for our feline friends caught in a terrible fire (UPDATE: we just heard that they are alive!). But we continue to settle into our own home, and things are taking shape.

And it's been warm and sunny hear at CatSynth HQ, perhaps the best weekend since we moved to the city. And there is so much to do, both fun and work, but at the same time we just want to lie around, and enjoy a little of what's important.

We have watched our friends, locally and online, deal with much sadness and tragedy over the past few months. For us, there is an exciting but anxious new life beginning.

Sometimes it's hard to write. But here we are.


A special edition of Weekend Cat Blogging will be jointly hosted by A Byootaful Life, HotMBC and Kashim and Othello at the Cat Blogopshere.

Kashim and Othello are pulling double-duty, actually, as they are also hosting Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted today by Mr. Tigger at M-Cats Club.

And of course the Friday Ark is at modulator.

Carnival of the Cats #212

Luna and I welcome everyone to Carnival of the Cats #212!

We had quite a turn-out this weekend.

First up is “Kaua'i Kitty”, a charming cat who follows tour groups at the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii. The garden looks like a great place to visit, if and when I finally make it to Hawaii. And having a resident cat is always an added bonus – we love to meet cats when visiting new places. Check out Kaua'i Kitty at Rickety Contrivances of Doing Good.

Hakuna enjoys sunbathing at Blog d'Ellison. Sunshine brings out the best in cats and cat photography, so do have a look at the full-size versions.

Wild World reminds us of the dangers and cruelty of snares. Please not that some of these photos are disturbing, and disheartening. They also have a petition to ban snares that you can sign.

The Poor Mouth presents Oscar, a handsome stray cat they took in in 1989. There is a photo of Oscar from 2002, the same year he passed away. It sounds like he had a good life, but he is missed.

Laurence has a message for the cat-bloggers to say “no” to the Chronicle's cat-blogging collective. But do continue to support the efforts of independent cat-bloggers through events like the Carnval of Cats.

At Texas Oasis, the doctor pronounces Henry to be totally cute. We have to agree.

Watermark shares an old poem “God is Watching Us”, which features the observations of a cat. Appropriately, a black cat peers out the window.

Mycah is caught doing something odd with a bag full of ice cubes. Watch the video at TacJammer.

At manx mnews, Abby has one thing on her mind. Feed me!

More feline dialog with Rudy, who drives a hard bargain for access to the cube at Perfectly Parker.

Chica and Pumuckl remind us that cats are good studies of human behavior, and can adapt some of our quirks as well.

They have a feline divining rod over at The Scratching Post. It's great for finding sources of water, so long as you know how to turn on the tap.

Human and cat share the joy of reading a book together at This is Cyprus.

Maus likes to stay well informed at composite drawlings. And she has so many sources of information, including windows, books and magazines.

Cubby and Mouse are bookends at This That and the Other Thing. “Ain't we just too cute for words?” Cubby also examines a glass for this week's photo hunt, and the boys have a little wrestling match.

Turns out that Shadow dispenses tech tips. Find out more at The Junk Drawer. “My cat wants a job in tech support. She's off to a good start!”

Andrée of meeyauw shares a lectionary reading from the LOLCat Bible for the Third Sunday of Easter. As always, there is the presence of Ceiling Cat.

JB remembers the Taffy, who passed away in 2006. Taffy was a beautiful cat, as well as easy-going and tolerant.

Rosie ventures outside the window, at Gattina's “My Cats and Funny Stories. But she is still very cautious and doesn't stay out for long.

Thanks to the miracles of modern technology, a photo of napping turns into a dynamic action shot at sisu. Meanwhile Tiny interprets the instructions of a model ship.

Aloysius ventures out into the spring, after dodging a little bit of snow. But the sunshine was worth it, especially if one has a well-trained human who will shovel a path.

A very regal portrait hangs at Snow and Forest. Do take a closer look.

More fun out in the sun: An Almost-Double Dactyl for Her Ladyship at Elms in the Yard.

Audace and Ruce play hide and seek with a rolled up area rug. Who can resist such fun?

Missy Blue Eyes shares 13 things she is thankful for. She also introduces a new canine friend.

Boni needs to straighten out her valentine (from Edsel) at the House of the (Mostly) Black Cats.

Check out Isis, the Sunday Guest Star at Chey's Place.

Meanwhile, Puddy master the art of the guilt trip at A Byootaful life. Better not let Luna see these photos of Puddy, or she'll adopt the exact same look.

Diamond Emerald Eyes demonstrates a Saturday Morning Stampede. “Anyone up for a good game of Thundering Herd of Elephants?”

Ming of Mog features another photo of Cece because “he?s just such a good looking kittycat.” More Cece on the wall, and still more at iInfidel. Meanwhile Meowza enjoys some flowers. And it looks like the “Moggies” are moving to a new blog.

It's starting to feel like spring and China Cat enjoys sitting out in the sunshine. Willow also enjoys the sunshine, and you can even see them together.

StrangeRanger presents another hungry cat with a baseball bat, while Ivy wonders what all the fuss is about.

Samantha and Mr. Tigger are celebrating their 1st Blogoversary! Congratulations, and looking forward to another year with our friends at Life from a Cat's Perspective.

Finally, we are sending good thoughts to our friend Pet Campbell at Pet's Garden Blog for a speedy recovery.

That concludes this edition of the Carnival of the Cats. Thanks to everyone for participating and reading.

And now, we rest.

Carnival of the Cats coming to CatSynth this weekend

We are happy to be hosting Carnival of the Cats this weekend!

To participate, use this handy carnival submission form.

The Carnival should be posted by Sunday evening Pacific (US) Time.


Weekend Cat Blogging #148 is being hosted by Megan and The Bad Kitty Cats. We're glad to see them back online.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos will be hosted by Ms. Mog & Kitty Cats at Mind Of Mog. Optional theme: to be determined. (We're trying to figure if that's actually the theme.)

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and more: Glass and metal

This weekend, Luna relaxes by the glass and metal table, just like she used to in our previous home:

Perhaps this is a good weekend to join some of our friends in Photo Hunters, as the theme this weekend is “metal.” Or “Easy like Sunday”, even though it's Saturday.


It looks like more of our friends are experiencing the joy that is moving one's home. Megan and the Bad Kitty Cats are moving. We wish them well. Samantha and Tigger have stepped in to host this weekend's Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos.

This seems to be a rather mobile weekend, and the “cat boys” Kashim and Othello will host Weekend Cat Blogging #146 just as soon as they get back from their Easter trip.

The Carnival of the Cats will be also be this Sunday at Chey's Place. And of course, the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Our thoughts this weekend are with the family of Smudge. He passed away this Friday.

Weekend Cat Blogging and more: "Light"

This weekend we have some interesting “bright” photos:

It is amazing how the diagonals in both photos seem to line up.

In the first we have Luna peering off one of the balconies, as she is wont to do . The second could be an “easy like Sunday” photo, but one can also see the bases of Luna's paws, which is the theme of this weekend's Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos. No chaos here, of course.


Some sad news this weekend from our friend's at What Did You Eat. Upsie has being diagnosed with cancer. Her prognosis is pretty grim. She does at least get to go off of her diet and enjoy some of the pleasures of life for last few months. We at CatSynth extend our thoughts to Upsie and to our friend sher – they also lost Sundance last summer.


Weekend Cat Blogging #145 will be held at the The Cat Blogosphere.

The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos will be hosted this weekend by Pet & The Bengal Brats at Pet?s Garden Blog. The optional theme this weekend is “toes and claws.”

Carnival of the Cats will be on this Sunday at This, That and The Other Thing.

And of course Friday Ark #182 will be at the modulator

Weekend Cat Blogging and more: Art and LOLs

The theme for this weekend's Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is LOLcats. We at CatSynth enjoy LOLcats, though I have never really had Luna as the subject of one. But we could really use a laugh this weekend, so here's our contribution, based on Luna's V-Day photo:

funny pictures
moar funny pictures

I guess more “sweet” than “funny.” But still, it works for us.

I also created a cubist mod of the same photo:

I felt like doing something nice for Luna by creating this images, but I think she would probably prefer a “cheezburger.”


The Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos is being hosted this weekend by Astrid and the “cat boys” Kashim and Othello. It's the LOLcat Edition.

Weekend Cat Blogging #144 is being hosted by the bengals at Pets Garden Blog. Happy Birthday to Tigger and Pet!

The Carnival of the Cats will be at Artsy Catsy this Sunday. How appropriate for our attempt at feline art.

And of course the Friday Ark is at the modulator.