Latest news with #CornishRex
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
What Hungry Cat Does in the Kitchen Shocks Internet: 'They're Evolving'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A rescue cat named Klaus has gone viral after pulling off an unexpected kitchen trick that has left internet users both amused and slightly concerned. The viral TikTok video shared on Friday by his owner, under the username @caits182, shows the black and white cat perched on the kitchen counter, energetically pawing at the microwave door, until he finally manages to open it. "Ever seen a cat open a microwave?" the caption says, as the poster rushes to remove the cat from the appliance. In a post shared later in the week, the poster explains that Klaus, who has a history of documented shenanigans on social media with his lookalike sibling, Wesley, is a 1.5-year-old who was rescued at 5 months and is a "a softie who loves cuddles." Cats are indeed smart creatures, but unlike humans their intelligence isn't measured by an IQ but rather by their cognitive abilities and the way they interact. Studies have found that cats have a sense of object permanence, and are able to recognize when an object is hidden from their sight. They have working memory and a well-developed long-term memory, which helps them achieve their goals. They can also distinguish between different time intervals and can recognize different quantities. They also look for human cues and gestures, to respond to human moods, and are able to recognize specific human voices and become attached to people in their lives. Compared to dogs, a cat's intelligence manifests differently. Dogs often seek human guidance while cats prioritize independence. Signs of a smart cat can vary, but they usually include problem-solving, demonstrating persistence, or immediately sensing when you're having a bad day and cheering you up. The smartest cat breeds include Abyssinian, Siamese, Scottish Fold, Persians, Cornish Rex, and Turkish Angora. A stock image shows a tuxedo cat hanging out on his owner's kitchen counter. A stock image shows a tuxedo cat hanging out on his owner's kitchen counter. getty images The video quickly went viral on TikTok and it has so far received over 3.8 million views and 737,600 likes on the platform. One user, LoveSyrinaIRL, commented: "As a cat expert, this can be very dangerous for him, as he might start cooking his own food and become a chef and open his own 5-star restaurant." Ednc said: "God forbid a cat shows he's capable of reheating his own food." Laura added: "They're evolving. The end is in sight for us." Newsweek reached out to @caits182 for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Boston Globe
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Beyond ‘crazy cat lady': Dispelling myths at Catsachusetts show
'People still somewhat stigmatize cat owners,' said Christian Cherau, northeast regional director of the He has heard all the hissing about cats. A black Bombay cat meows during the judging at the Catsachusetts Cat Convention. 'They're dirty; they can't be trained. That they can be mean; their kids aren't good with them; that they fight with dogs,' he said. 'I think we can prove every one of those myths wrong.' The show, held last week in Boston, featured 120 cats including 36 different breeds. Advertisement 'People don't know a lot about cats,' Cherau said as the feline faithful checked in. 'They don't know there's a breed of cats. They don't know that cats can do tricks, that they can be trained, that they can be bathed, that they're not just going to be dependent on to catch a rat.' Cat judging is done on seven tables, each equipped with a scratching post. It's hands-on and not a parade. There's also an agility ring and therapy cats, who are both contestants and stress relievers. The Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden, it is not. The event took place at a dry ice rink in East Boston. But it is a fun event, not snooty, or high pressured. There's even a category for house cats. Advertisement Although the cats are kept briefly in cages during the judging, they spend most of their time in cushy minishow houses where they are pampered. Judge Harley DeVilbiss, has a Salvador Dali/Rollie Fingers handlebar mustache and beard that attract the curiosity of some cats. Meteora, a Cornish Rex gets up close and personal with judge Harley DeVilbiss' handlebar moustache during the Catsachusetts Cat Convention. One cat, a Cornish Rex named Meteora, licks the judge's face and even gets tickled by his stache. The judge awards the cat a first-place ribbon, saying the flattery 'didn't hurt.' He also issues a suggestion: 'You could use a TikTok. I'm sorry. She needs a Tic Tac because her breath was bad.' Elsewhere in the Porrazzo Memorial rink, an Ocicat named Riverspot's Comet of Sunflame leaps through hoops at the agility ring. It looks like he's reenacting Bobby Orr's 1970 Stanley Cup-winning goal. 'A lot of people think they can't be trained. He does sit, stay, rollover. He plays fetch. He jumps through his hoops,' said trainer Kim Dustin of Somersworth, N.H. Dustin also walks her cats with a harness, prompting snarky remarks from some. Amber Lilyestrom of Lee, N.H. combs the hair of Juniper, a Himalayan cat. 'There are a lot of people who have dogs who think that I shouldn't be on the same trails as them,' she said. 'They give me crap for having a cat even on the trail.' Traveling with cats can be a problem. Some hotels worry about scratched-up furniture and exposing guests and employees who are allergic to cats. 'There aren't a lot of cat-friendly spaces,' Dustin said. 'A lot of hotel chains will say they're pet-friendly. They mean dog-friendly. They don't mean cat-friendly. So that frustrates me.' Kathy Lynch of Arlington knows she looks like King Kalvyn, a Shaded Silver Dollface Persian. Advertisement 'Actually, after I got that cat, I let my hair go gray, so I look more like him,' Lynch said. 'And then I had this silver tinsel installed in my hair so that I could actually be a shade of Silver Persian myself.' Gus, a Siberian forest cat, he has been a therapy cat for six years with 'Caring Hearts Pet Therapy." She's a professional cat sitter. Single with eight cats. 'Everybody I know says when they die someday, they'd like to come back as one of my cats and be treated to the royal life.' There's also plenty of good karma here. Last year, Gwyneth Hayes of Caring Hearts Pet Therapy, a nonprofit Pennsylvania volunteer group, brought her two cats to 160 nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and libraries last year. Juniper, a Himalayan cat, poses with some of the ribbons she's won. She says 30 percent to 40 percent of people in nursing homes don't have anybody that visit them. 'Being able to bring that joy and make every visit count is what it's all about,' Hayes said. But she still sees the antifeline feelings everywhere. 'People . . . are more willing to accept a dog than cats' she said. 'It's just because cats are seen as unpredictable, even though they're not. You can see their body language and read them really well.' Linda Manning of New Haven, hugs King Fisher, a Maine Coon Polydactyl, after the judging. Maine Coons are the only long-haired cat breed native to the United States. One was awarded Best in Show in a legendary cat show in Madison Square Garden in 1895. It was an era where cats shows were gaining in popularity. Today, social media loves both cats and dogs. But on the streets, cat women take more grief (except for Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry). Advertisement 'I mean, you still get to hear, 'Oh, it's the crazy cat lady,' ' Manning said. 'But [cats are] wonderful. They can tell what your feelings are. If you approach every cat (negatively) like, you're not going to care about me, the cat's going to be like, 'yeah'. Give them a chance.' Amber Lilyestrom of Lee, N.H., a brand and business coach for female entrepreneurs, loves both dogs and cats. 'If you earn the love of a cat, then you're doing something right,' Lilyestrom said. 'There's a level of patience required, I think, with cats. It's a different energy. But I think it's special that when a cat chooses you, it's a really beautiful thing.' Kathy Lynch of Arlington says she dyed her hair to look more like King Kalvyn, a Shaded Silver Dollface Persian. @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Regular; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Bold; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } .dipupnext_hed { font-family: "MillerHeadline-Bold", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: .75px; text-align: center; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1; margin-top: 3px; color: #000; width: 100%; font-weight: 600; } .dipupnext_cap_cred { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Regular", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: left; margin: 3px 0px 5px 0px; font-weight: 200; color: #000; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; } .dipupnext_photo { max-width: 100%; height: auto; padding-top: 15px; opacity: 1; } .dipupnext__form:hover { opacity: .5; text-decoration: underline .5px; } .dipupnext__form{ opacity: 1; } .picupnext__container { width: 100%; position: relative; margin: 0 auto; } .dipupnext__content { width: 100%; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 3fr; } .cdipupnextcontainer { display: block; width:100%; height: auto; margin:0 auto; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; } .upnext { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Bold", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: .5rem; letter-spacing: 0px; color: #000; padding: 8px 8px 4px 8px; margin-top: 5px; letter-spacing: .5px; } .upnext:before, .upnext:after { background-color: #000; content: ""; display: inline-block; height: 1px; position: relative; vertical-align: 4px; width: 32%; } .upnext:before { right: 0.3em; margin-left: -50%; } .upnext:after { left: 0.3em; margin-right: -50%; } .theme-dark .upnext:before { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext:after { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_cap_cred { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_hed { color: #fff; } @media screen and (min-width: 800px){ .dipupnext__content { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; grid-column-gap: 40px; } } UP NEXT Stan Grossfeld can be reached at
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Further cat food recalled amid bird flu concerns with more cats falling ill
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued another raw cat food recall amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak in the US. Almost two weeks after the first voluntary recall of Wild Coast Raw food, two cats in different households in Washington tested positive for bird flu. One cat was euthanized, while the other had to spend time under veterinary care. Two lots of raw food products from Wild Coast Raw came under the voluntary recall, but it's not known whether the cases in Washington are linked to the recalled items or not. Now, Wild Coast has recalled further products, identified by lot numbers #22653, #22641, #22639, and #22672, all with a best-buy date of December 2025, along with #22660 and #22664 – as they all share similar production dates. The recalled products are all in small round white plastic containers with green labels. Two of Christine Knopp's 11 cats had to be euthanized after eating raw pet food, with another requiring a stay in intensive care. All of the cats who had eaten raw pet food later tested positive, with only one, who was kept apart from the others and fed canned food, remaining negative. Knopp, who lives in Portland, Oregon, and breeds and shows Cornish Rex cats, has fed her pets raw cat food for years, and believed that the Wild Coast food was being testing for bird flu. She told The Guardian, 'I've since learned, I don't think there's really a safe way to trust if someone says they're testing it,' she said. She's now switched to canned food for all of her cats. The USFDA, meanwhile, told cat parents: 'People who fed pets the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu in their pets, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness. People with pets exhibiting these signs after feeding this product should contact their veterinarian.' Here are 11 more signs to take your cat to the vet, too, because it's always best to err on the side of caution. No human infections have been identified as a result of handling the recalled products, but people should wash their hands after handling raw pet food and sanitize contact surfaces. 'People who handled contaminated products should watch for symptoms of bird flu, including eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting,' per USFDA advice. Looking to swap your cat's food? Here's our guide to the best dry cat foods on the market
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Second US company recalls pet food as bird flu spreads to cats through tainted meat
As the bird flu outbreak continues gaining force in the US, a second company selling raw pet food issued a voluntary recall after cats from two different households in Oregon contracted H5N1 from the tainted meat earlier this month. Two more cats in different households in Washington state have tested positive for bird flu after eating the same brand of raw pet food nearly two weeks after the recall, officials announced on Wednesday. One cat was euthanized, while the other remains under veterinary care. Two lots of the raw food, made by Wild Coast Raw, fall under the voluntary recall. It is not clear whether the new cases in Washington are linked to recalled lots or others. Related: Two people in US hospitalized with bird flu, CDC reports Since 2022 in the US, nearly 100 domestic cats have tested positive for bird flu, which can be fatal, and it may be possible for cats to transmit the virus to humans. On 6 February, Christine 'Kiki' Knopp noticed one of her 11 cats was running a slight fever. Within days, two of her cats had to be euthanized, and a third was in an intensive care unit. All of the cats that had eaten raw pet food would later test positive for bird flu. Only a male cat kept apart from the others and fed canned food stayed negative. Knopp is an artist in Portland, Oregon, who breeds and shows Cornish Rex cats. She has fed raw food to all but the male cat for years, and watched recent notices about tainted raw pet food carefully. She believed the food from Wild Coast was being tested for H5N1. 'I've since learned, I don't think there's really a safe way to trust if someone says they're testing it,' she said. Wild Coast did not respond to the Guardian's media inquiries about why the company waited a week to issue a voluntary recall after being notified of possible contamination, and whether it was reaching out to vendors and customers about the recall. If Knopp had known, she would have 'immediately' switched to canned food – a move she now recommends to all cat owners who were feeding raw food they bought or made on their own. 'It is not safe,' she said. 'Immediately: do not feed raw poultry or raw chicken, raw any table scraps, to cats currently – not even raw eggs.' Raw milk is similarly risky, since milk can contain enormous amounts of virus, and raw beef has also been found to harbor H5N1. 'Especially right now, feeding raw food is just all risk,' said Steve Valeika, a small-animal veterinarian with a public health background. H5N1 joins a host of other pathogens – including salmonella, E coli, campylobacter, listeria and toxoplasmosis – that have been associated with raw pet food. One of the most unnerving parts for Knopp: her cats never displayed the classic symptoms of respiratory infections, like congestion. Some of the cats had fevers, rapid breathing and eyelid swelling, and one eventually had difficulty walking – a sign of neurological impairment. But nothing pointed to influenza until X-rays revealed two of the cats with rapid breathing had developed severe pneumonia. That's when they tested for bird flu. 'Your average person probably wouldn't take them to the vet with a minor fever that comes and goes,' Knopp said. 'Your average person might not notice a sudden increase of breath rate, especially for a cat that's maybe more reclusive. So I wonder how many cases are also under-reported.' Knopp was concerned that she might become infected and spread the virus herself. 'I don't want to be known as 'Bird Flu Mary',' she said. Her local health department conducted daily symptom check-ins, she started wearing face masks when she went out in public, and she requested a test to see if she had gotten sick. The result was negative for influenza A and B. In 2016, cats in a New York City shelter transmitted H7N2 to at least one person. 'We know that cats can at least transmit another strain of bird flu directly to people,' Valeika said. 'I do think these cats potentially present some risk to humans. We don't have any idea how big that risk is, but it's definitely one that should be taken seriously until we know better.' It is not clear how tainted poultry is entering the raw pet food supply. All facilities processing meat for humans are inspected by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). While some meat intended for pets flows through FSIS-inspected facilities, 'obviously, a great deal of protein is produced outside of FSIS-inspected facilities and is never intended for human consumption', said Eric Deeble, deputy under-secretary for marketing and regulatory programs at the USDA, on 16 January during the last call health officials held with reporters. US officials were investigating whether any of the H5-positive pet products had gone through such a facility, he said, though no results have been released to the public yet. 'Birds from affected flocks that are depopulated as part of USDA's efforts to control H5N1 are not permitted in any food product at all,' Deeble said. Valeika added that he had 'no good idea as to why we're seeing so many sick birds making it into the [pet] food supply – because this must just be the tip of the iceberg'. There are other steps pet owners can take to protect animals, and themselves, from bird flu, Valeika said: don't let cats outside, and don't let dogs hunt or play with birds, including in ponds and lakes frequented by migratory birds. Mice and rats, especially near dairy and poultry farms, have also tested positive for H5N1. Knopp has been posting about her experiences and holding 'ask me anything' sessions about cats and bird flu on social media. 'I've channeled a lot of grief into work and into education,' she said. For the two cats who were euthanized, she said, 'their death gets to mean something. It can save other animals. It can save some people grief.'
The Guardian
28-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Second US company recalls pet food as bird flu spreads to cats through tainted meat
As the bird flu outbreak continues gaining force in the US, a second company selling raw pet food issued a voluntary recall after cats from two different households in Oregon contracted H5N1 from the tainted meat earlier this month. Two more cats in different households in Washington state have tested positive for bird flu after eating the same brand of raw pet food nearly two weeks after the recall, officials announced on Wednesday. One cat was euthanized, while the other remains under veterinary care. Two lots of the raw food, made by Wild Coast Raw, fall under the voluntary recall. It's not clear whether the new cases in Washington are linked to recalled lots or others. Since 2022 in the US, nearly 100 domestic cats have tested positive for bird flu, which can be fatal, and it may be possible for cats to transmit the virus to humans. On 6 February, Christine 'KikI' Knopp noticed one of her 11 cats was running a slight fever. Within days, two of her cats had to be euthanized, and a third was in an intensive care unit. All of the cats that had eaten raw pet food would later test positive for bird flu. Only a male cat kept apart from the others and fed canned food stayed negative. Knopp is an artist in Portland, Oregon, who breeds and shows Cornish Rex cats. She has fed raw food to all but the male cat for years, and watched recent notices about tainted raw pet food carefully. She believed the food from Wild Coast was being tested for H5N1. 'I've since learned, I don't think there's really a safe way to trust if someone says they're testing it,' she said. Wild Coast did not respond to the Guardian's media inquiries about why the company waited a week to issue a voluntary recall after being notified of possible contamination, and whether it was reaching out to vendors and customers about the recall. If Knopp had known, she would have 'immediately' switched to canned food – a move she now recommends to all cat owners who were feeding raw food they bought or made on their own. 'It is not safe,' she said. 'Immediately: do not feed raw poultry or raw chicken, raw any table scraps, to cats currently – not even raw eggs.' Raw milk is similarly risky, since milk can contain enormous amounts of virus, and raw beef has also been found to harbor H5N1. 'Especially right now, feeding raw food is just all risk,' said Steve Valeika, a small-animal veterinarian with a public health background. H5N1 joins a host of other pathogens – including salmonella, E coli, campylobacter, listeria and toxoplasmosis – that have been associated with raw pet food. One of the most unnerving parts for Knopp: her cats never displayed the classic symptoms of respiratory infections, like congestion. Some of the cats had fevers, rapid breathing and eyelid swelling, and one eventually had difficulty walking – a sign of neurological impairment. But nothing pointed to influenza until X-rays revealed two of the cats with rapid breathing had developed severe pneumonia. That's when they tested for bird flu. 'Your average person probably wouldn't take them to the vet with a minor fever that comes and goes,' Knopp said. 'Your average person might not notice a sudden increase of breath rate, especially for a cat that's maybe more reclusive. So I wonder how many cases are also under-reported.' Knopp was concerned that she might become infected and spread the virus herself. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'I don't want to be known as 'Bird Flu Mary',' she said. Her local health department conducted daily symptom check-ins, she started wearing face masks when she went out in public, and she requested a test to see if she had gotten sick. The result was negative for influenza A and B. In 2016, cats in a New York City shelter transmitted H7N2 to at least one person. 'We know that cats can at least transmit another strain of bird flu directly to people,' Valeika said. 'I do think these cats potentially present some risk to humans. We don't have any idea how big that risk is, but it's definitely one that should be taken seriously until we know better.' It's not clear how tainted poultry is entering the raw pet food supply. All facilities processing meat for humans are inspected by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). While some meat intended for pets flows through FSIS-inspected facilities, 'obviously, a great deal of protein is produced outside of FSIS-inspected facilities and is never intended for human consumption', said Eric Deeble, deputy under-secretary for marketing and regulatory programs at the USDA, on 16 January during the last call health officials held with reporters. US officials were investigating whether any of the H5-positive pet products had gone through such a facility, he said, though no results have been released to the public yet. 'Birds from affected flocks that are depopulated as part of USDA's efforts to control H5N1 are not permitted in any food product at all,' Deeble said. Valeika added that he had 'no good idea as to why we're seeing so many sick birds making it into the [pet] food supply – because this must just be the tip of the iceberg'. There are other steps pet owners can take to protect animals, and themselves, from bird flu, Valeika said: don't let cats outside, and don't let dogs hunt or play with birds, including in ponds and lakes frequented by migratory birds. Mice and rats, especially near dairy and poultry farms, have also tested positive for H5N1. Knopp has been posting about her experiences and holding 'ask me anything' sessions about cats and bird flu on social media. 'I've channeled a lot of grief into work and into education,' she said. For the two cats who were euthanized, she said, 'their death gets to mean something. It can save other animals. It can save some people grief.'
