Top Cat Stories of 2007

When Menu Foods first announced its recall of a number of cat and dog foods on March 16, 2007, panic, fear, and speculation ensued among cat owners. The slowness of the FDA to respond and the backpedaling by Menu Foods changed our collective emotions to anger along with demands for facts and more stringent controls. From the initial supposition of Aminopterin (a rat poison) as the tainted ingredient, to Melamine, to a combination of melamine and cyanuric acid, all imported from China, consumers continue to demand action and justice for their lost pets.

News continues to unfold even today, as acetaminophen has been found in tainted pet food. It has become increasingly apparent that more news will continue unfolding, well into 2008.

Scientists announced a possible link between PBDEs (polybromonated diphenyl ether and hyperthyroidism in cats, following a study by the U.S. EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL). PBDEs are used as flame-retardant in dozens of household items: carpet padding, upholstered furniture, and electronics. As with other environmental toxins, it is believed that cats' propensity for cleanliness leads to the ingestion of dust-hosted PBDEs, thus they have been likened to "canaries in coal mines" as indicators of high amounts of PBDEs in the home environment.

Since my cat Bubba (pictured here) died of complications of hyperthyroidism in 2005, I will be following these studies with interest.

When Butch was Cat of the Week in April, he had been caged in the Friends of Wayne Shelter in Wayne N.J. for over six months, and volunteer Linda Wade was hoping he would find a new home. As Linda wrote me, "I don't know why Butch is so special, he's really just an ordinary little guy, but he does deserve a lap, not a cage."

Butch was voted for April Cat of the Month, and four months later Linda sent me the great news that Butch had been adopted. A special lady, Cheryl, who lives in Ohio, didn't let distance get in the way. She contacted FOWA by phone, and after interviews with the shelter directors, was approved to adopt Butch. Cheryl flew to Wayne in July to take Butch to his new forever home, and everyone rejoiced at the news.

The Morris Million Cat Rescue, dedicated to facilitating the adoption of one million homeless cats, reached the halfway mark in Santa Monica CA, in September, 2007, when MTV star Audrina Patridge adopted the 500,000th cat. Patridge later presented a $10,000 check to a local animal shelter.

Morris, the sturdy red "Spokescat" for 9Lives, was present at the ceremonies. Randy Jackson, popular songwriter, producer, manager, and Judge of American Idol, had other commitments. After stops in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Denver, the tour went on winter hiatus. It will continue again in 2008 and grow even closer to its goal. The folks at 9Lives recognized the plight of homeless cats in organizing their resources for this project.

"The California wildfires are like Katrina in size and scope but not in animal need. There are more people willing to help than tasks", said Richard Crook, Rapid Response Manager of Best Friends Animal Society. KAT 5 Animal Rescue (named after Hurricane Katrina) was told early on that they were "not needed on the ground at this time."

Although it is certain that some pets lost their lives, most homeowners were able to evacuate with their dogs and cats, and most lodgings accommodated household pets. The larger need was for horses, which could not be readily evacuated, and the ASPCA moved in for help in that area. As evacuees returned to the area, free pet food was donated to financially-strapped people who had lost their homes.

Many will wonder "What does this have to do with cats?" The HSUS provides a good explanation:

Some owners train their dogs for fights using smaller animals such as cats, rabbits or small dogs. These "bait" animals are often stolen pets or animals obtained through "free to good home" advertisements.

Dog fighting is one of the most despicable activities disguised as "sport" that I know of, and any victory over cruelty to animals is a victory for cats, in my opinion.

The ASPCA played a large role in the investigation and subsequent conviction and sentencing of Vick to 23 months in federal prison.

Moving forward, the ASPCA has partnered with the NFL in a new program to help prevent animal abuse.

Since the first cloning of CC ("CopyCat") in 2002 (pictured here with her mother), cats have been popular subjects for similar scientific experiments for either commercial gain or research. Chinese scientists claim the latter reason for their recent cloning of cats that glow red under UV lights. Researchers at the Gyeongsang National University accomplished this by modifying the genes of Turkish Angora cats by inserting a virus under the skin.

Ostensibly, the purpose of this experiment is to open the door to other genetic coding in animals to further research into genetically-caused human disease. With this "success," cats join cloned pigs and mice in an artificially-created state of florescence.