People who love cats enjoy nothing better than exchanging stories about their own cats. Our mutual respect for cats often forges lifelong bonds of friendships and it's only natural that we gravitate together to talk about our cats.

At About.com our Show & Tell application makes it easy to share true stories about cats on a variety of topics. Featured here are several of the popular subjects with selected readers' true stories and photos. After you've read them take the opportunity to publish your own true cat story. You are encouraged to post up to two photos of your cat, as well.
_{Photo of Big Kitty &copy zakallen}

Readers Share True Stories About Cats originally appeared on About.com Cats on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 17:04:09.

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Do you think you can tell the sex of a cat at first glance? It may not be as easy as you think. Even gender-based color patterns are not always a solid clue. Names may not be a giveaway either.(I once had a female cat named Arthur [long story]), although I've never seen a male cat named Betty.

Many of the cats pictured here have already appeared in picture galleries on this site. Links to those pages will be included with the answer sheet.

You can choose your own "difficulty level" by selecting the number of questions you want to answer. Then, when you've finished, you can return and take the quiz again. The pictures are scrambled each time, so each time you take the test they'll be in a different order. Study the picture, then select your best guess. This is a javascript-based quiz, so be sure your browser supports javascript.

Let's have some fun with this Boy - Girl cat quiz. For starters, do you think the cat pictured here is a boy or a girl cat? Since I first posted this in September of 2006, 19 people have guessed at the picture. I wonder how many of them actually took the entire quiz? Those who didn't missed most of the fun. Click the link, Peeps.
_{Photo © Jan Kama}

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Cats Photo Quiz: Boy Cat or Girl Cat? originally appeared on About.com Cats on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 05:55:32.

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Okay, so there wasn’t much sun this weekend. This photo is older.   I have my eyes closed and am enjoying it, because as you may have gathered, there hasn’t been much sun around here at all.

I did enjoy getting together with my friends. I am happy for those who were for the Saints.  I am sad for those who were for the Colts.  I’ll be on a team side when the Hams play!

Well Cory Cat found me (with no help from my human at all–well not intentionally!).  Simba started us off with the reminder that my human had gone skiing.  Eric and Flynn knew that too but they didn’t know WHERE she had gone skiing. They said, “Yeah, we thought it was probably where the Woman just came back from,BUT WE DON’T KNOW WHERE SHE WENT!!!! Did you ever tell us where she was going? We looked back but can’t find any clues.”  Ernie, Wally and Zoey also looked so officially, no apparently the Woman didn’t say where she was going.  It must have been on Facebook…

The Woman may have helped Cory by telling Cory that she really wished she wasn’t doing a work thing with her office mate because that meant she couldn’t bring down a sock to give to her.   So Cory had a better idea than most where my human was skiing.   

So, Cory said, “Ha! Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood Oregon! Did you see Jack Nicholson?”

And of course, no I didn’t see Jack, which is good.  For those who don’t know, Timberline was used as the Lodge in the movie The Shining.  It’s really a nice Lodge that sits up on Mt. Hood.  It’s at about 6000 feet.   The ski lodge is in front and it’s a walk across the parking lot to get to the Lodge where I am lying.  It’s actually a hotel.   Ski runs go up behind the big Lodge as well as down below.   Above the Lodge is the glacier.   Timberline is one of the few places you can ski in the US on the fourth of July.   However, you need to get up early because by July ski hours are usually 6 AM to 2 PM… and skiing for skiers (rather than boarding for boarders) is usually too sloppy much past about noon if not earlier.  Some years you can ski all the way until August.  The earliest it’s ever closed was in June (at least as far as the Woman knows).

The Woman did not stay at Timberline Lodge. It’s fairly expensive.   She stayed cheaply down in almost to Rhododendron in a friend’s cabin.   It had a nice wood stove and she and her office mate (who makes GREAT fires) burned a whole lot of wood!.   The day they went to Timberline, as you can see from my photo, had some gray and cloudy light.  In fact that was probably the better part of the day as it started snowing harder, so they didn’t actually ski–just looked around the lodge and enjoyed a bit of chai…

Simba did ask if Cory got this one fast–as in record fast–but no.  Someone once got it on the first guess and Friday even before the Woman went to bed!

We've been talking a bit about mistakes we've made with cats lately. Readers have given some interesting input with their true stories about "My Dumbest Mistake With Cats." And my article, "Top Mistakes of Cat Owners" has been widely-read since its conception a few years ago. An abundance of our mistakes originate through the belief of common myths about cats. A case in point: That female cats should always have one litter of kittens before being spayed. Pah.

The world of cat lovers, particularly those who frequent the Internet, abounds with myths and misconceptions about cats. This list addresses the most common of those myths and states the true facts about each misconception. Here's the first one, but there are nine more in the article:

Myth: Cats Are Low Maintenance Pets who Can Take Care of Themselves
_{Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy}

Fact: Cats' aura of independence fools some people into thinking they need only minimal care. The truth is that the average age of stray cats. . .read more

Top Myths and Facts About Cats originally appeared on About.com Cats on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 00:12:51.

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Romeo is a beautiful, pristine white cat. However, Jennifer has written one of the most compelling arguments I've ever seen for keeping cats indoors, sufficient reason alone for me to include him as a Cat of the Week. I hope others who read this, who might be on the fence about making their cats indoors-only will take the plunge. She writes, in part:

Romeo has been my best friend since 2002. I am convinced that God made him especially for me. In 2005, he developed Glaucoma as a result of a toxoplasmosis infection. This disease was transmitted to him when he dined upon a rodent. I swear I feed him - he just enjoyed doing the kitty cat serial killer thing. I have since domesticated him entirely. He only goes outdoors on a leash. He is the talk of the neighborhood when he struts his stuff along the streets like any dog would do. If there is one thing that I have learned is that he is living a very happy life as an indoor cat.

He came to me as a stray and I was afraid that I would kill his spirit if I made him an indoor cat. I eventually learned that allowing him to roam the hills was exposing him to so many dangers. I made the decision to keep him indoors after his

. . .Read more

You may submit your own white cat photos by following the Photo Submission Guidelines. (Please use "White Cat Photo" as the subject of your email.) If you write as compelling a story as Jennifer did, your cat may even be selected as a Cat of the Week on this site.

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Cat Picture of the Week: Romeo originally appeared on About.com Cats on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 15:12:08.

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Bandit is a Snowshoe Siamese mix cat, who was given up along with his housemate, Chance when his owner relocated to New Jersey. Richard Partridge volunteers at Granville County Animal Shelter, and was concerned that the cats would be put down. Richard now fosters both cats, and hopes they can find forever homes with understanding, caring humans. Bandit is five years old, neutered, and fully vetted.

He has overcome traumatic events (attack by a dog when he was young, and later, Hurricane Katrina), and with Richard's patient, loving care, has come out of his shell and is becoming more assertive. Richard describes him as definitely being "a 'Watcha doin?' little fellow." He would like to see Bandit placed in a home with no young children, but with other cats to satisfy the Siamese's need for company. The ideal adopters would be a retired person or couple, or someone who works from home.

You can read more about Bandit, and if you live in North Carolina and have room in your heart and home to give this most deserving fellow a forever home, you can contact Richard by email (address given on Bandit's page.)

A side note: Richard also volunteers for Tailless Cat Rescue, and Cindy, its founder, has generously let him list both Bandit and Chance on her web site and Petfinder list.

Adoptable Shelter Cat of the Week: Bandit originally appeared on About.com Cats on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 13:25:27.

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The Cat Who Cried for Help is a timeless tome on the psychology of cats. For those of us who might view cats' behavioral quirks as "problems" (and I admit use of that term more often than I should), the title is a reminder that cats are not inherently bad, and when their behavior is undesirable from our human point of view, it really is a cry for help.

And help is exactly what Dr. Dodman offers here, help we can understand, so that we can help our own cats.

Please read my full review of this book so you will understand why I recommend it so enthusiastically.

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Review: The Cat Who Cried for Help originally appeared on About.com Cats on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 16:13:03.

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A reader wrote about a sudden behavioral change in her male cat, which initiated during the time she and her husband were away on a trip. She wrote:

My husband and I were on a week-long vacation, the first time we've left our cat, Jimmy, since we adopted him six months ago. We did have Lisa, a close friend, stay with him while we were gone, because we didn't want to board him in a kennel. The minute we returned home, it was obvious that something was wrong. There was a very strong scent of urine all over the house. I am desperate for any information on how to remove urine stains from my rug as well as ways to keep this kind of incident from happening again. Can you help me?

Since this seemed like a two-part problem including both urine spraying and urinating outside the box, my reply went into considerable detail in order to cover both issues. This information should be helpful to anyone who has either problem with a male cat.
Read my Reply

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Help me Stop my Cat Spraying Urine originally appeared on About.com Cats on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 14:57:38.

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I missed Wordless Wednesday this week, but they're sure having fun over at Shelley Esaak's place. Shelley, the About.com Guide to Art History, posted a painting by George Caleb Bingham, with the title "Name That Animal" for her Wordless Wednesday feature.

Shelley initially pegged the animal sitting in the bow of the canoe as a cat, and (as the resident cat expert), I had to agree. After all, if it looks like a cat, walks like a cat, and talks like a cat, it must be a CAT, right? A whole lot of art (and animal) connoisseurs had their own opinions, though. One made a convincing argument that the rascal was a raccoon, reasoning that "coonskin caps" were very popular in that era. Another made a reasonable argument that it was a fox, pointing out that black fox pelts must have been rare, indeed. Others pointed out that it had to be a bear cub, and one intrepid canine fan thought it absolutely had to be a dog.

I'll leave it to my readers to speculate, but to give weight to my own argument, I've posted a similar photograph above. Yes, the cat is in a bathroom sink instead of a canoe bow, but the pose is very similar. Post your comments there or here; it makes no never-mind to me.
_{Photo Credit: © Karly Corona}

Cat, Fox, Bear, Raccoon? DOG? originally appeared on About.com Cats on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 12:40:35.

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February is the last big push of winter, and represents the glistening snow that blankets the budding crocuses beneath. You won't feel cold at all, though, with a white February cat to warm your heart and your lap. Our February white cats reflect the pristine brilliance of snow, along with the purity of their souls.

Interesting genetic fact about white cats: Most, but not all, white cats with blue eyes are deaf. However odd-eyed (one blue and one green or yellow eye) are deaf only on the same side if their heads as the blue eye.

Pictured here is Vanna, one of the cats in the 2009 gallery. Vanna was also a Cat of the Week for February, 2009. You may submit your own white cat photos for a 2010 gallery by following the Photo Submission Guidelines. Sorry, but I will be unable to publish your photos without all the requested information.
_{Photo Credit: © Kitty Elder}

2009 White Cats Picture Gallery originally appeared on About.com Cats on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 21:24:42.

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Thursday is the day for my regular weekly newsletter. It has a brand new look and feel, with more links than ever to content on the About.com Cats web site. Today's edition is "All About the Cat," and I hope you enjoyed it.

If you haven't yet subscribed, please take this opportunity to do so now. You can subscribe here to the weekly cats newsletter, as well as to any of the cat email courses on this site.

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Did You Get Your Cats Newsletter Today? originally appeared on About.com Cats on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 15:39:19.

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Something interesting is going on at the Food Network.
Instead of the usual fancy pants chefs we are treated to watching home cooks work with ingredients most of us would not see on our own shelves in a million years.

I can't wait to see who ends up winning the best of the worst!

I am driving a much taller vehicle now.
A car that is tall enough to take out mailboxes with the rearview mirror.
Yes, that would a good thing to remember.

There is a lot of squealing going on in the bachelor house this week as the first week of date cards start rolling in.

Truly this is the most annoying cast of beauties ever.
Screaming and running to take photos with The Bachelor.
Screaming and running to ride amusement park rides with The Bachelor.

The Bachelor himself mentioned the girls are acting like 12 year olds.
(Sadly, he seemed to like them that way)

Of course the big twist last night, was not really a twist at all because the spoilers have been all over the internet leading up to this weeks 2 hour episode.

One of the Rosette's had some kind of "inappropriate relationship" with one of the staffers.

The other future Mrs. Cute Pilots are shocked at the news which seems kind of wierd because we get a view of the sleeping quarters and it seems unlikely a full blown affair could be going on and no one noticed.
Whatever.

After Jake composes himself, he asked Chris to have his rose returned..

Two are sent home and viewers are left again shaking their heads at his choices.

See you next week!

It is very rare for us to be below freezing and will be
glad to see it warming back up this week

Shark Tank is back and the Sharks are as delightful as ever.

Would be inventors and small time entrepreneurs present their wares to a panel of investors (sharks) in the hopes of launching or growing their product or business.

It is very interesting to see people ask for thousands of dollars, especially when they are able to work out a deal with one or more of the Sharks.
VERY Cool!

What is even more interesting is to see people ask for thousands of dollars especially when they are unprepared to answer the Sharks financial questions.
NOT Cool!

This weeks favorite Shark Bytes:

"WRONG ANSWER"
"You haven't done your homework"
and most painful of all
"you can't GET that loan from a bank or you
would have already DONE it"

Swimming anyone??

A local family will be getting a new home thanks to ABC Extreme Home Makeover.

This will be great coverage for our area, as many people are still struggling to rehome themselves post hurricane Ike.

The Biggest Loser is back with the largest cast ever.

I love watching this show but have seen a trend that bothers me. The trainers are constantly talking about "inspiring America" however more than 45 minutes of last night's show was devoted to the weighing in and voting off process.

They also spend a lot of time plugging products such as Britta water, chewing gum, turkey, 24 hour fitness and SubWay on a show already breaking way too often for commercials.

I think that if BL really wants to inspire they could edit down the scale/house dramas and spend more time explaining the workouts and showing viewers more about the diets these folks are on.

TV Squad Review

Yes, the show we all love to yell at is back!

This season our Bachelor is Good Guy Jake.... the cute pilot from Dallas that was dumped last season by previously dumped Canadian Good Girl Jillian.

This season starts like all of the others.
25 "beautiful women" already half sauced stumbling out of limos to meet what they are all positive will be their future husband.

10 must go and Jillian and Ed are on hand to help interview the candidates.

As in previous "journeys" our bachelor keeps around some questionable choices.

This may very well prove to be "the most dramatic season ever"
Stay tuned!

Season Recap from Digital Spy

I finally gave up and deleted that old Wendy's post from May of 2006 that you insist on rudely commenting on over and over and over.
Now please get the hell out of my blog.
Thankyou.

Lezley

A pear-shaped cat contemplates the Winter SolsticeThe shortest of days has come againFreezing rain and darkness fallingThe humans keep a candle burningTo call the sunlight back to earthLater, they’ll go to bed and dreamOf peace for earth and all its creaturesWhile I keep watch throughout the nightMy eyes refracting paradise.--Blessings be to all critters and their humans!Aloysius Pangur Ban

What I thought was going to be a really tough year was really tough but still I was able to sell 3 more homes than last year.

Liar!

I think the boys have a new career path in mind. Yesterday I made the mistake of leaving my purse open on the bedroom floor. I walked into the bedroom to find that Arthur had removed some tissues from my purse and was shredding them. Beowulf had removed my wallet from my purse and had pulled a receipt from it and was in the midst of shredding it.

Think I can hire them out as professional shredders? Get companies to give me their sensitive documents so the boys can shred them?

Of course the whole going into my wallet thing has been put into prospective this morning as I found Beowulf tearing open an envelope on Avram's end table. Ironically it wasn’t just any envelope it was from the pet insurance company, a reminder that we have to renew the policy we have for the boys.

I think I need to check my wallet and make sure he didn’t take my credit card and is now booting up the laptop and paying his insurance online.

This fireplace is our latest addtion. It puts out
quite a bit of heat for a fake one.

We had a wonderful holiday, in fact it was so fun we forgot to take any pictures.
I did take a few when we stopped in San Antonio on the way home, like I have no pictures from there...sigh.

Yes we're still here and all are healthy and doing well, we just have been busy with real life and our cuddle boys havent been up to too much more than cuddling, giving us lots of love and purrs and in their own quiet way celebrating the end of baseball season and the crazy human shouting and cheering at the television.

I sought them hereI sought them thereI sought those chipmunks everywhere!Are they in heavenOr are they in hell?Those damned elusive . . .Oh, what was it I was looking for, again?Jump aboard the Friday Ark at Modulator. On Sunday, the Carnival of the Cats will be at Adventures in Cat Philanthropy,

The timber tiger is what I seek.His stripes are bold; his bulging cheekIs filled with nuts and seeds and bird eggsAnd bugs and worms and even frog legs!I can hear him chittering.Underneath the steps he’s skittering.I know if I am very stillI’ll have a chance to make a kill.And what else to do on a cloudy dayBut lie on the patio and dream of prey?Now, for the Modulator's Friday Ark. And on Sunday

After the sad news from last week, I needed a laugh. Fortunately, some humans just keep sending me LOL messages, like this one. This guy doesn't need a vacation; he needs a copy editor.No matter how old your cat is, it is never too late to ensure that he is comfortable and that you are doing everything you can to maximize his health.After all, your cat is your companion and you want the best

Alas, I'm all alone on the patio. Where have all my chipmunks gone? Earlier this summer, my backyard was full of the little rodents. I would chase them and chase them all the time--although I never caught one. Then, a couple of weeks ago, they all disappeared. My humans found a dead chipmunk on the grass, and they thought that I had done it in. But I didn't.Yesterday, the next-door neighbor

After the reaction to my Gotcha Day post, two wonderful cats have contacted me and asked if I can be of any help. They are Amber and Dora, both female and neutered, about 3 years old. They have lived with their human for the past two years, and they love each other dearly; however, the human's grandson is very allergic to cats and can't visit his grandmother while the cats are in the

Most cats think of their Gotcha Day as they day that humans adopted them, but I've got a better idea. The Gotcha Day I celebrate is the day I got my humans. That was September 12, 2003, which means I've owned these humans (and their furniture) for six whole years!I remember when I first came here. Right away my humans showed me where they kept the cat food and the litter box and they let me

Too Much time spent in bed cuddling. Don't let those lazy looks fool you :) they are adept at "nagging" and manuvering things so they get their way.

Humans are holding an event to learn how to relax! This actual event takes place at the historic James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Minnesota tomorrow, August 15, which is National Relaxation Day. Clueless humans! They are hiring a trainer to teach them how to relax, when all they would have to do is watch a cat for a few hours. Better yet, they could curl up with a cat in a nice, cushy

Matilda, the gorgeous cat who reigns over New York's Algonquin Hotel, invited me to her birthday party. It's a benefit for the North Shore Animal League. Unfortunately, I can't fly to New York. But maybe some of you cats who live there can encourage your humans to check this out. It is bound to be a fabulous event. Go to the hotel's website for more about the famous cats of the Algonquin.

I love to be out on the patio at dusk. Not only does my fur contrast nicely with the red flowers, but I can hear those chipmunks rustling around underneath the foliage. I wish I could go in and out all night, but eventually my humans want to go to bed and make me come in. Silly humans!See more cats at Modulator's Friday Ark and at Sunday's Carnival of the Cat--hosted by the M-Cats Club,

My human made me pose for this picture! That's the filter thingamajig that goes in the furnace and catches some of the fur I shed. Then she went on the internet and sent the picture to the 3M company that makes the filters. They promise to send a coupon for a free filter. But hey, you know, I think I look pretty handsome in this picture. Maybe they will offer me a job as the 3M spokescat.Check

Moses the cat and Matilda the dog may be of different species, but they have something in common: both of them were rescued by amanuensis' niece. They now live happily together in the Ohio countryside. Apparently no one told Moses that he's supposed to dislike dogs, because he really seems to want to cuddle up to Matilda.They'll be boarding Modulator's Friday Ark today. On Sunday, the

Some of my friends have stopped by and asked what's up with me, because it's been quite a while since I posted anything. Well, I've just been hanging around like any cat would, indulging in my favorite hobbies--birding and napping. Yes, it's finally spring here. The snow's been gone for some time, and there are birds singing constantly. That's one reason why I'm napping now. Every day I get

Yes we've been a long time between posts but well we've been too busy cuddling to post :) See our boys have learned a new trick or two. Sure Arthur is the master of the flirt, teasing you into the bedroom and onto the bed where he will ensnare you with belly rubs and purrs until hours are lost and you dont know how.

Beowulf has masterd the purrbush (another type of ambush) he'll wait till you go into the bedroom and corner you there on the bed curl up and begin the loudest purrs and make you feel guilty for leaving him and before you know it hours are lost and you don't know how you let yourself get caught, again.

Well the newest trick they've learned is how to get us to bed. The actual time varies but we know when they are starting to get us ready for bed. They will begin with meows and when they have our attention a not so sublte heading to the bedroom. This will persist until we finally give in and go into the bedroom. But not just go in there and then leave. This is their signal that it is time for their humans to go to bed. The "nagging" does not end and escalates until we have done our pre bedtime preparations, climbed into bed and shut the lights off. Then and only then do they cease the nagging and curl up in the bed happy now that we can all go to bed :)

See what I had to go through to get out to my backyard! This was a little while ago before the snow finally melted.First I tried walking down the downspout.Ish! Then, my humans thought of putting a plank out across the snow. I sniffed it.But I didn't like it. Something smelled fishy, and not in a good way.Finally, I took off across the snow, determined to reach the sunny part of the backyard.

Today I'd hoped to celebrate the coming of Spring, but when I woke up and looked out the window, everything was covered with a layer of snow! I had to go back to my archives to find a photo of myself sitting in the sunshine.All I'd like to do is go out in the backyard and cat around a little. I'd even step across the snow that's still piled up in the shade next to our back steps. But today is

We all know that many humans treat their pets like children, but how many treat them like fashion models? Lilly is a gorgeous young coal-black long-haired cat who really seems to get off on being dressed up. The Star Tribune gossip columnist C.J. recently interviewed Lilly and her human, Carol. There's evan a video of Lilly getting dressed, and her human talking baby talk to her.Carol complains

More wildcat news. Last week, hunters used their dogs to tree this gorgeous cougar, apparently a wild one, near Spooner, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin officials who came to look have said that wild cougars are rare in Wisconsin and next door here in Minnesota. I sort of wonder whether the cougars might not be migrating. After all, in some parts of the country, it's spring, and young cats have