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The European Lynx

Cat of the Month ~ October 2007

The European lynx is cat-like in appearance but is much larger than a domestic cat at just over 1m in length and weighing between 30 – 40Kg. They have a very short tail and ear tufts with a grey-brown spotted coat.

The European Lynx

The European Lynx live mainly in pine forests and mountain areas of northern Europe. They are solitary animals and have a large home territory which the mark and defend from other Lynx in the area. Their main prey are roe deer, hares and rabbits. Sometimes they will eat sheep. An adult lynx eats on average 1-2 kg of meat a day.

Unfortunately there are no longer any Lynx in Britain (other than in Zoos). They lived here about 1,000 years ago but became extinct probably due to hunting and loss of habitat.

Lynx mating takes place between February to April with usually 2 -3 young born 10 weeks later. The mother cares for and feeds her kittens on her own with no help from the father. Young lynx live with their mother until about ten months old and then move away. Most adults live for around 4 – 5 years but survivors can reach 17 years of age.

Some more facts about European Lynx:

  • There are several Scientific names for the Lynx. They are ‘Lynx Lynx’ (Siderian), Lynx Pardinus’ (Iberian), Lynx Canadensis (Canadian) or Lynx Rufus.
  • Lynx are rare animals with only small numbers present in just a few countries of Europe.
  • Some people are allowed to hunt lynx in Europe for their fur and skins.
  • Lynx have been reintroduced to some European countries to help them increase their numbers.
  • Some people want to return lynx to the wild in Britain.
  • It is thought that Scotland has enough wild places for about 350 lynx. However farmers may well be against this happening because lynx sometimes kill sheep.

    • Link to one of many Lynx websites

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Another scrap

Hi reader, Norman reporting..

Well I really went and did it this time. Had my morning bowl and went out for a stretch. Just patrolling my boundary on Friday morning with a bit of scent marking here and there and along comes this fur ball monster of a puss. Noses out from under the fence he does. I was duty bound to protect my territory and wasn’t going to let him step on my ground for a minute. Sadly I knew I was doomed from the start.
In seconds Claw and Fur were flying and I didn’t feel it at first. I saw him off alright but suspect he just went home for his breakfast as I was an easy target for the brute. I’m a bit nervous now of that patch of dirt by the fence in case his face appears there again. And for my bravery I have a half inch slash across my forehead which is claw deep…and what’s worse a further result was….well see for yourself.

Looking rough in my ruff

Me in my medical Ruff. Stops me licking the wound.

My owner took this photo to prove the battle was indeed real. And the Ruff..well you see I just cant keep from licking my wound so I’m now trussed up like Mary Queen of Cats.

Hope you like my tale, so..until the next time…

Ciao,

Norm.

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Snow Leopard

Cat of the month ~ August 2007

snowleopard

Snow Leopard at rest

The Snow Leopard Trust.

Founded in 1981, the Snow Leopard Trust is the largest and oldest organization working solely to protect the endangered snow leopard and its Central Asian habitat.

Conservation Philosophy

How do you save a snow leopard? Or a tiger, rhino, rare butterfly, or for that matter a patch of rainforest? These are the questions that every conservation organization faces, and that challenges all of us. Conservation actions can take many forms; setting aside lands, answering critical research questions, working to change government policies, partnering with communities, enforcing anti-poaching laws, or some mix of these and other efforts.

The Snow Leopard Trust use a combination of approaches that focus on partnering with communities in snow leopard habitat. They build community partnerships in addition to using science and research to determine key snow leopard habitat, assess wildlife-human conflict levels, and identify potential resources for conservation programs.
High priority areas are then chosen including key snow leopard habitat, with a history of conflict between predators and the communities, and potential resources to sustain a community-based conservation program.

When the science and research identifies an area as a priority site time is spent with local residents, listening to their hopes and concerns, and only then is a conservation program jointly developed.

Conservation efforts must meet four important goals.

1. The protection of snow leopards and their habitat, involving local communities in this effort.
2. An improved quality of life for the members of the community.
3. The program developed must have a path to becoming self-sufficient � where after a time it is no longer dependent on donor dollars.
4. The results of the program must be verifiable through monitoring programs.

The Snow Leopard Trust strives to follow these principles in all its community-based conservation efforts.
Visit the website via the link above and read about the different projects that are being implemented.

The Snow Leopard Trust constantly endeavor to improve our conservation projects to better meet the needs of cats and humans, and they are seeing wonderful results at their project sites. Here the livelihoods of families and communities have been improved greatly whilst snow leopards are being protected and their populations growing.

[Extract and Photograph from the Snow Leopard Trust Website]

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Cat Cartoons

Cat Cartoons! Here’s a selection of Cat cartoons and animations, a few of which I’ve tuned into over the years. Anyone got any others to add?… there must be thousands!, Ed.

Topcat

Topcat (US/UK TV Program)
Garfield Cartoon Cat

Garfield (Cartoon / TV Series)
Walt Disney Aristocats

The Aristocats( A Walt Disney Cartoon & Movie)
Bagpuss

Bagpuss (UK TV Program)

A list of just a few more cat cartoons. The original list was compiled by the
pictures-of-cats.org website. I’m updating it to include new cartoons (I’m finding on the www) and some details of the cartoon release dates and authors/creators too (get a life comes to mind!). Lets see if we can get just a few more cartoon images posted soon.

Stage and Screen Cats

Cat [Appeared In] [Series/Comic/Film] [First Shown] [Created By]
□ Alley-Kat-Abra [ Zoo Crew ] [DC Comics] [February 1982] [Roy Thomas-Scott Shaw]
□ The Robber Kitten [ Silly Symphonies ] [from 1929] [Walt Disney]
□ Attila [ Mother Goose and Grimm ] [2004] [2004] [Mike Peters]
□ Aunt Evelyn [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Aunt Reba [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Autocat [ Motormouse and Autocat ][TV][1969][Hanna-Barbera-Bourne]
□ Azrael [Smurfs] [TV] [1958] [Johan & Peewit]
□ Babbit and Catstello [A Tale of Two Kitties ] [1942] [Bob Clampett]
□ Bad Cat [ Augie Doggie ] [Animation] [1959] [Michael Maltese]
□ Baggypants [Baggy Pants and the Nitwits] [US TV] [1977] [NBC]
□ Bat Cats [ Mighty Mouse ] [Animation] [1942] [Izzy Klein]
□ Bella [ Otto ]
□ Benny the Ball [ Top Cat ]
□ Bette Noir [ Poosy Gato ]
□ Beverly [ Fumbles ]
□ Big Bertha [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Bill the Cat
□ Black Cat [ Courageous Cat ]
□ Blue the Cat [ Orson the Piglet ]
□ Boo
□ Boom Boom Pussini [ Heathcliff ]
□ Boopsie Meow [ Kamikaze cat ]
□ Captain Amerikat [ Spider-Ham ]
□ Captain Jack
□ Casual T. Cat
□ Catfather, The [ Heathcliff ]
□ Cat Gut [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Cattanooga Cats
□ Cattenstein [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Catula [ Count Duckula ]
□ Charlemange [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Chester Cheetah
□ Chops the Cat [ Augie Doggie ]
□ Chuck [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Cinderkitty [ Count Duckula ]
□ Claude Cat
□ Comet Cat [ Spirit ]
□ Cool Cat
□ Corporal Bruiser [ Heathcliff ]
□ Count Gatto [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Creepy Cat
□ Cuffy Cat [ Supermouse ]
□ Delbert [ Smilin’ Ed Smiley ]
□ Della Pussywillow [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Delroy [ Maxwell ]
□ Desdemona
□ Doc [ Mr Jinks ]
□ Douglas [ Supermouse ]
□ Dark Batfang [ Hot Dog ]
□ Erma Felna
□ Fancy Fancy [ Top Cat ]
□ Fat Cat [ Rescue Rangers ]
□ Fat Freddie’s Cat
□ Fatkat
□ Feline Faust [ Zoo Crew ]
□ Felis [ Defiants ]
□ Fencer [ Foofur ]
□ Figaro
□ Firkin [ Maxwell ]
□ Flop
□ Fluffy [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Fraidy Cat
□ Frankenstein’s Cat [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Furrball [ Hamton ]
□ Gabrielle [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Gertie [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Gideon [ J. Worthington Foulfellow ]
□ Goldie [ Top Cat ]
□ Guido [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis ]
□ Hairball [ Pound Puppies ]
□ Heathcliff [ Heathcliff ] [comic] [1973] [ George Gately ]
□ Henry [ Heathcliff ] [comic] [1973] [ George Gately ]
□ Henry’s Cat [ Henry’s Cat ] [UK TV] [1983] [ Bob Godfrey ]
□ Horse [ Dog[2] ]
□ Inky and Dinky [ Felix the Cat ]
□ Jane Feline
□ Jaune-Tom [ Mewsette ]
□ Jenny [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Joey [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Julius the Cat
□ Kamikaze Cat
□ Kat Karson
□ Katnip [ Herman the Mouse ]
□ Kirby Cat [ Mr. Wild Wolf ]
□ Kitty
□ Kitty [ Dagmar ]
□ Kitty [ Doctor Whoot ]
□ Kittycat [ Barfy ]
□ Kitty Cuddles [ Buzzy the Crow ]
□ Kitz ‘n’ Katz
□ Klondike Kat
□ Korky the Cat [ Homeless Hector ]
□ Kosmo W. Kat
□ Kosy [ Kitz ‘n’ Katz ]
□ Krazy Kat
□ Kyle [ Tom and Jerry ]
□ Lionheart
□ Lola [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Lucifer
□ Madame Rubens-Chatte [ Mewsette ]
□ Manx [ Fred ]
□ Maxwell
□ Mehitabel [ Mewsette ]
□ Meowrice [ Mewsette ]
□ Mewsette

Mewsette

Mewsette ~ Character in the Animated Film musical ‘Gay Purr-ee'(released by Warner Bros. in 1962)

□ Milton
□ Miss Kitty [ Porky Pig ]
□ Miss Lil
□ Mr Jack
□ Mr Jinks
□ Mrs Kat [ Krazy Cat ]
□ Mostly [ Bitsy ]
□ Motley the Cat
□ Ms Arda Chevious [ Bucky O’Hare ]
□ Muffie [ Miss Lil ]
□ Naif the Waif [ Urban Gorilla ]
□ Nermal [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Oil Can Harry [ Mighty Mouse ]
□ Oliver the Cat
□ Oliver Wendell McDuffy [ Bulldog Drumhead ]
□ Ollie the Merry Mouser [ Toby the Badger ]
□ Omaha the Cat Dancer
□ O’Malley the Alley Cat [ Aristocats ]
□ Percy [ Little Roquefort ] [TV Cartoon] [1950] [TerryToon 20thCF]
□ Pete [Pete the Cat] [Childrens cartoon story] [Various sources]
□ Pierre [ Top Cat ]
□ Punkin Puss [ Punkin’ Puss & Mushmouse ] [Animation/TV] [1963] [Hanna-Barbera]
□ Pussyfoot [Pussyfoot] [Animation] [1952] [Chuck Jones]
□ Pussy Willow [ Kosmo W. Cat ]
□ Puttypuss [ Houndcats ]
□ Robespierre [ Mewsette ]
□ Radio Catts [ Kid’s Cat ]
□ Reddy [ Ruff and Reddy ]
□ Sad Cat [ Possible Possum ]
□ Salem
□ Scat Cat [ Aristocats ]
□ Scratch [ Biskitts ]
□ Sebastian [ 1 ]
□ Seymour [ Rude Dog ]
□ Shadow [ Atomic Mouse ]
□ Shelley [ Omaha the Cat Dancer ]
□ Siamese Twins, The [ Heathcliff ]
□ Si and Am [ Lady and the Tramp ]
□ Silver Dollar Dan [ Kat Karson ]
□ Snowball [ Tom and Jerry ]
□ Soapy [ Neil the Horse ]
□ Sonja [ Heathcliff ]
□ Sourpuss [ Gandy Goose ]
□ Spook [ Top Cat ]
□ Spooky
□ Spot [ Hong Kong Phooey ]
□ Steaky the Super-Cat
□ “Stupid Cat” [ Snoopy ]
□ Stutz [ Houndcats ]
□ Super Snooper
□ Terrible Tom [ Supermouse ]
□ Three Little Kittens [ Three Bears ]
□ Tibs [ Pongo and Perdita ]
□ Tiger [ Feivel Mousekowitz ]
□ Tuffy the Cat [ Mervin ]
□ Tuffy the Cat [ Supermouse ]
□ Uncle Barney, aka Aunt Bernice [ Garfield ] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Arno [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Berle [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Bernie [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Bob [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Great Uncle Buchanan [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Rodger [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Uncle Ed [ Garfield ] [comic/film/TV] [June 19, 1978] [ Jim Davis]
□ Victoria [ Jane Feline ]
□ Vocal [ Cyborg Gerbils ]
□ Waldo Kitty
□ Waldo the Cat [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Whizzy [ Streaky the Super-Cat ]
□ Winston [ Fritz the Cat ]
□ Wizard of Paws [ Count Duckula ]
□ Zipper [ Care Bears ]

…. And for good measure a list of fictional cat references from many sources and genres (provided once again by Wikipedia.org)

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