Do you love yoga? Do you love cats? Then we have the video for you.

Uploaded to YouTube by Sho Ko on May 8, the “yoga with cats” video is pretty irresistible for yoga and cat fans alike. Shorty and Kodi gracefully run through a number of common yoga poses with their master, and seem to possess an almost zen-like chemistry as they work out together.

“Become one with the breath and the purr through this yoga sequence for you and your cats!” the video description reads.

The video starts with a laugh, as Kodi is lifted into “Lion King pose,” which is exactly what it sounds like. There’s another pose called “Cuddlecatasana,” which, again, is exactly what it sounds like.

Various “warrior” poses have been re-branded “purrior.” Cute. Also, Kodi shows a specific distaste for the upward and downward dog poses.

Shorty and Kodi actually have a pretty vibrant online presence, as well. The yoga-doing duo have a Facebook fan page with over 7,000 “likes” (which you can check out here) though their Twitter account could use a bit more love with only 300 followers and change.

Though Shorty and Kodi are minted viral stars, there’s quite a bit of love for their human in the comments as well. One user commented “i need to marry this guy! ” with another agreeing: “Thumbs up if u wanna marry him!!”

The video has almost 1,500 “thumbs up,” so it seems like he’ll have no problem securing a mate. Whether Shorty and Kodi will allow it is another story.

Check out the “yoga with cats” video below and let us know what you think!

Yoga With Cats: Instructional Video Is Purr-fectly Adorable [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lock-picking skills increased to 14!

Cat Opens Door [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

I had to break my hand punching the wall just to reclaim my manliness.

Animals Trying To Stay Awake Compilation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Would probably ask grumpy cat to lose some weight…

Work It Kitty [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lil Bub the cat has become an online internet sensation after various Facebook and Twitter images of the feline appeared on the internet, and have earned her legions of fans.

She has now amassed her own clothing label, as well as millions of followers on social networking sites, a book, and even has a debut film being shown at Tribeca Film Festival.

Lil Bub is a disabled cat who suffers from a rare bone deformity that means her tongue always sticks out of her mouth, which she can’t close, and she also has deformed paws too. Her disease also means that she has no teeth and just six claws.

But how did Lil Bub rise to such stardom? It started after owner, Michael Bridavsky, began to take pictures of her with music artists who recorded work at his Indiana studio.

At first they were just for his friends, but after they spread around the internet, he soon began to be contacted by strangers that wanted more. On Facebook, Lil Bub has now amassed over 125,000 fans alone, whilst thousands of people also follow her on Twitter and Youtube.

Her fame has now expanded to the point that she has her own book, Lil Bub’s Lil Book: The Extraordinary Life Of The Most Amazing Cat On The Planet. She has even been held by Robert De Niro at the Tribeca Film Festival, where she attended the premiere of a documentary about famous cats, called Lil Bub and Friends.

Lil Bub’s explosion in popularity comes after Tardar Sauce became the internet’s grumpiest cat. Her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, explained, “Tardar has what looks kind of like an under bite. She looked unique, as did her brother, at birth, with a flat face, bubble eyes, and a short tail.”

What do you think of Lil Bub? Would you like to see a picture of Lil Bub and Tardar Sauce together?

Lil Bub Is Officially The World’s Most Adorable Cat, Now An Internet Sensation Too is a post from: The Inquisitr

Can I has Vacuum too?

Just A Cat Loving The Taste Of Vacuum [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Go ahead and laugh, but when I finally master ninjitsu, I will slaughter you all.

Saori The Cat Does A Ninja Trick [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

That cat be crazy all chilling and riding his human like that!

Cat Takes A Bike Ride Around The City [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Human look just as stupid when their strung out on drugs, cats just aren’t afraid to show it.

Cat On LSD is a post from: The Inquisitr

Software Error: Goat Operating System incompatible with kitty hardware.

Kitten Forgot How To Cat [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Evil comes in all shapes and fluffiness.

Cats Being Jerks [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kitteh iz pro at stuff-catching.

Will Kitty Catch It? [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bathtime? You go first, cat!

Dog Pushes Cat Into The Bathtub [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Just kidding. There is no way to keep a cat off the keyboard. Urgent pets time is urgent pets time, hooomin.

How To Keep A Cat Off The Keyboard is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ninja cat attacks! We wish this was a video so we could see the final outcome.

Ninja Cat Attacks is a post from: The Inquisitr

Or is it a Jedi Feline bending the force to his will?

Rave Cat [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

These cats are not happy about their house’s air conditioning unit breaking down during a heat wave.

Cats Can’t Handle The Broken Air Conditioner is a post from: The Inquisitr

There are very few things on the internet at the moment that are more popular than cats and the members of One Direction. So what happens when you find cats that look like One Direction? Pure internet gold of course!

Posted by YouTube user aboybaz on January 28, 2013, the video has already received 12,168 views (at the time of this post).

So what do you think: Do the boys from One Direction look just like a bunch of cats?

Cats That Look Like One Direction Singers is a post from: The Inquisitr

My cat tried to sell my cheeseburger just to score some catnip.

Catnip: Egress To Oblivion [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

You can’t even trust cats these days.

Cat Gets Caught Entering Prison With Saws And Cellphone [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

You’ve probably seen them, and perhaps even “liked” them on Facebook, but pet pages are around if you look hard enough. Well, cats are about to get their turn at a social network that’s all about them. Kinda makes you think the Egyptians were on to something.

Have you ever caught your feline stealing jealous glances at your laptop screen? Do you ever wonder why they sometimes sleep on the keyboard? Turns out they’re not trying to catch your attention or sneak heat from your lap. All they actually want is for you to get off Facebook so they can have their turn.

OK, that’s a lie, but the world’s smartest and often funniest pets are quite due for their own social network. Thanks to developers in Malaysia, they just may have landed the opportunity they craved.

The site is called Catmoji, the brainchild of Matthew Phiong and Koekoe Loo Wan Koe.

The Penang-based programmers told Betabeat:

“We want to be Facebook for cats.”

Realistically, the site resembles Pinterest more than it does Facebook.

Then again, a picture and video-based social network just makes sense when cats are your subject. None of that pesky text that plagues sites such as Catster or United Cats. Given the universal appeal of cats, that’s probably for the best. Catmoji does offer the option to tag and filter cat pics according to their emotion, says Yahoo News.

So the next time Fluffy turns his nose up at Lolcats, show him to Catmoji and let him take a whirl.

New Social Network Launched … For Cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

You could say that the battle between the federal government and Hemingway’s cats has been a long one. To put a finer point on it, the strange case of the furry creatures versus the feds has been in the court system for nearly 10 years.

The case centers around the 40-plus cats that roam the property of the iconic Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West, Florida.

The felines are thought to be descendants of Ernest Hemingway’s beloved polydactyl kitty Snowball. Like the polydactyl Snowball, many of the kitties have six toes. Polydactyl cats have a congenital physical anomaly that gives them an extra toe on one or each of their paws.

American Thinker writes that the museum considers today’s Hemingway cats to be part of the charm of visiting. Hemingway Home is currently toured by approximately 250,000 visitors each year. The cats wander the property freely but are well taken care of by staff and given weekly veterinary visits.

For many years the United States Department of Agriculture has fought through the courts for the right to regulate Hemingway’s cats. It’s not a matter of improper care by the museum. In fact, when the USDA sent PETA to see the felines’ conditions, a representative said:

“What I found was a bunch of fat, happy and relaxed cats. God save the cats.”

Instead, the USDA believes the cats fall under the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 which allows regulation of animal exhibits. According to an article in The New York Times, the USDA referenced advertising materials that featured the cats as part of the museum’s attractions.

Earlier this month, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit begrudgingly agreed. Although the court expressed sympathized with Hemingway Home and acknowledged their proper care of the animals, the subsequent ruling sided with the USDA.

What do you think of the court ruling in favor of the feds versus Hemingway cats?

Hemingway’s Cats Versus The Feds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is there anything in the world cuter than the kitty known as Lil Bub?

Singer Andrew W.K. sure seems to be a fan.

The Frisky writes that a new holiday video making the rotations on YouTube pairs the rowdy rocker with the insanely adorable feline. The duo have joined forces in an effort to bring support to local animal shelters this winter. The video makes note of the fact that even the much-loved Bub requires a lot of energy, care, and resources.

In the video W.K., born Andrew Wilkes-Krier, gives a number of amusing reactions to Bub while she spends much of the video nuzzling her cookie treats. The singer appears thoroughly enchanted by the squish-faced furball.

One can hardly blame him and he’s certainly not alone in his adoration.

The cat’s unique looks have brought Lil Bub much love across the internet world. Her photos frequently make the rounds alongside those of her whiskered friends Grumpy Cat and Colonel Meow. She has over 81,000 “likes” on her Facebook page and 25,000 fans following her feed on Instagram. Her face graces calendars, tote bags, t-shirts. She is the subject of tattoos and a plethora of fan art.

But there is also a serious side to Lil Bub. The biography on her Facebook page says the following:

“BUB is a “perma-kitten”, which means she will stay kitten sized and maintain kitten-like features her entire life. She is also a dwarf, which means her limbs are disproportionately small relative to the rest of her body. She has very short, stubby legs and a weird, long, serpent-like body. Her lower jaw is very short compared to her upper jaw, and her teeth never grew in (yes, that’s right, she’s toothless!), which is why her tongue is usually hanging out. Don’t worry, BUB has a very healthy appetite and eats dry and wet food with no problems. Additionally, BUB is a polydactyl cat, meaning she has extra toes, and in her case, one extra toe on all of her four paws. Her front paws each have two opposable thumbs. And then of course there are her big, bulging, wonder-filled green eyes. Some think she can see into the future with those things.”

This may be why Bub spends a lot of her time helping out other animals. She is quick to rally support for furry friends and donates a portion of all official “Lil Bub” merchandise proceeds to organizations supporting animals in need.

What’s next for Lil Bub? The Huffington Post informs that you’ll soon be able to catch her in an upcoming documentary called “Lil Bub & Friendz”. The film will be brought to you by the folks at VICE, a Canadian global media channel.

Watch the Lil Bub and Andrew W.K. holiday video below:

Lil Bub And Andrew W.K. Team Up For Special Holiday Message is a post from: The Inquisitr

St. Louis, MO – A FBI suspect allegedly plotted to pin a murder on the victim’s cat. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Brett L. Nash was trying to avoid foreclosure on his home. Nash hatched a plot to abduct and hold a supposedly rich lawyer for a $30,000 or more ransom. The intended victim had a romantic interest in Nash’s wife, a former dancer the lawyer had known for several years and who had a key to his house.

Prosecutors claim Nash had considered various murder plots, including a hot-tub electrocution by a knocked over radio that he would blame on the victim’s cat. But death by kitty was not Nash’s main focus. The FBI charged that Nash’s primary plot was to hold the unnamed lawyer at home for weeks, forcing him to write checks and hand over cash.

One plan involved fooling the victim into thinking he was wired with explosives, an idea that reportedly came from a TV show plot. Another blackmail plot involved smearing the victim’s fingerprints on a knife and threatening to kill the lawyer’s female friend with it unless he cooperated.

The cat murderer tried to solicit the help of his wife, but she refused. The arguments and ensuing physical violence led to Nash pulling out some of his wife’s hair, which he threatened to leave at the potential crime scene.

For help, Nash turned to a coworker on a barge who had a criminal record. This fellow union member turned Nash into the police after recording conversations with the cat murderer.

When the FBI arrested the cat murderer, they found a pellet gun, ski mask, handcuffs, and diagram of the lawyer’s house. Nash faces 20 years in prison when he is sentenced March 13.

Nash is now denying he ever plotted to pin murder on a cat. As part of Nash’s guilty plea to a charge of solicitation of a crime of violence, prosecutors agreed to drop other charges, which included murder-for-hire. But kitty cat death plots will probably haunt Nash when he’s in prison.

Murder By Cat: Suspect Plotted To Pin Homicide On Kitty is a post from: The Inquisitr

Monday night’s episode of Hoarders featured a woman who took cat obsession to the extreme.

According to TODAY, the cat obsessed hoarder’s name was Terry. As the episode started, she explained what inspired her fascination with cats by saying:

“I really feel like the reason I collect cats is that I have this feeling in me that I’m helping save something.

Terry believed that she was her feline friends’ saving grace, but she wasn’t helping them or herself in the conditions that they were living in. Her floors and counters were completely covered in excrement and sick animals.

Terry guessed that “the complete number is probably about 50 cats” when trying to remember exactly how many cats live with her.

However, the guess of 50 cats only included the living felines. The dead cats greatly outnumbered the living ones.

Terry said:

“I probably have, in frozen and refrigerated cats, between 75 and 100 — if not more.”

Terry original plan was to have all of the dead cats cremated, but her finances didn’t allow her to do that. Since she couldn’t cremate the cats,  she tried to save them all in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the appliance was not up to the task of preserving the dead cats.  In fact, the Hoarders crew found out that many of the cats had liquified.

The removal process was incredibly difficult for Terry. She broke down many times and finally started to see that her hoarding was a problem.

Terry tearfully said:

“I can’t even say anymore that I love animals ’cause I treated them so horrible.”

Most of the mess and all of the cats were out of the home by the end of the show.

‘Hoarders’ Woman Kept Almost 100 Dead Cats In Refrigerator is a post from: The Inquisitr

Meow means meow.

Cuddling Your Cat is a post from: The Inquisitr

Santa Ana, CA – More than 50 dogs and cats were seized from a home animal service workers described as “filthy” on Wednesday. Nancy Richling, 62, may face animal cruelty charges for the conditions the creatures were living in on her property.

The animal hoarding seizure included 49 flea-ridden cats, many of which were also reportedly plagued by mange and other diseases, according to ABC News. The Santa Ana Animal Services agency allegedly tried to work with Richling for months before entering her home and rescuing the dogs and cats. Some of the animals had eye infections, ear mites, abscesses, and torn corneas, according to the Contra Costa Times.

Animal Services Supervisor Sondra Berg had this to say about the hoarding case:

“There’s a lot of feces and urine, the carpet is completely soaked throughout the house. This is only the beginning of a long process. If they don’t seek help for the illness that they have, then the recidivism rate is 97 percent, so we’re going to be back out here doing this again eventually. ”

Nancy’s neighbors were reportedly very glad to see the animal services workers arrive. Folks living near the animals which were alleged housed in unsanitary conditions were voiced concerns over possible health issues for humans in the neighborhood.

An unnamed neighbor had this to say about living near the Richling residence:

“Our yard is full of fleas right now, and the house, you’ll see fleas here and there. You’ll sit down and a flea will crawl up your arm. It’s a nightmare.”

Some of the rescued cats are feral, posing yet more neighbor concerns about health issues. Berg noted that she and her coworkers had to watch out for one another inside the home because the cats huddled in a fairly concentrated area and often jumped on the rescuer’s back and tried to attack their faces.

All of the cats and dogs taken from the California home will be given medical care at a local shelter and hopefully be available healthy enough for adoption in the near future.

Animal Hoarding: More Than 50 Pets Removed From California Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

Think you’ve seen the most adorable cat videos the internet has to offer? Say hello to Tardar Sauce, the web’s favorite grumpy cat. In the latest feline-oriented video to make the rounds, viewers are introduced to a cat with a perpetual frown. Although it seems to be having the time of its life with its owner, the fuzzy creature’s face suggests otherwise. Then again, the poor little guy could be having a natural reaction to his most unfortunate name.

Tardar Sauce, or “Tard” for short, isn’t angry at the world. According to News.com.au, this seemingly grumpy cat is actually a very happy and loving kitten. “Tardar has what looks kind of like an under bite. She looked unique, as did her brother, at birth, with a flat face, bubble eyes, and a short tail,” owner Tabatha Bundesen explained.

However, the grumpy cat’s owner did admit there might be other reasons the feline is a little testy. “Tardar is not as coordinated as a normal cat, so she is likely a little angry about that. I think she likes to be held and petted some times, but being the pet of a 10 year old could make anyone grumpy,” Bundesen admitted.

What kind of cat is Tardar Sauce, you ask? According to a helpful reader at Paw Nation, the grumpy cat is a Snowshoe Siamese. “Unfortunately, this one has some very bad genetic defects,” the visitor wrote. “The likely cause is inbreeding due to the small gene pool available for breeders. Do a Google search for this breed to see what they are supposed to look like. They are actually a stunningly beautiful cat. This one, of course, has his own kind of beauty!”

Although others have suggested that the internet’s favorite grumpy cat is nothing more than the work of a Photoshop artist with a sly sense of humor, Tardar Sauce’s owner Tabatha Bundesen assures the world that her pet is the real deal. To see the grumpy cat in action, take a look at the video embedded below.

Meet Tardar Sauce, The Internet’s Favorite Grumpy Cat is a post from: The Inquisitr

After becoming trapped inside its owners suitcase, a feline from Ohio hitched a ride on an airplane bound for Florida. Destination: Fun and excitement courtesy of Disney World. According to the New York Daily News, the cat managed to survive the entire trip with all nine lives intact. Unfortunately for the furry stowaway, he’s not tall enough to ride Space Mountain.

Ethel Maze, who hails from a town near Columbus, takes a trip to the “Happiest Place on Earth” every year, though this is the first time her cat Bob-Bob tagged along for the ride. Maze still isn’t sure how the cat managed to sneak into the luggage without being spotted.

“We have a young man who helps out and gets our luggage ready and he said it looked like a suitcase was moving but he thought he was imagining things,” she said. “We had been up all night getting ready so we thought nothing of it.”

Bob-Bob, as you can imagine, was a little freaked out by the experience. “He was so frightened,” the cat’s owner said, explaining that her feline companion was probably stuck inside the suitcase for nearly 10 hours. “He hid for about seven hours in our hotel room and only in the middle of the night came out and started licking us and purring.”

The question remains: How did the cat manage to make it through security and luggage checks at the Port Columbus International Airport? ABC News reports that TSA representatives explained the problem away by stating that their equipment is designed to detect bombs, not furry stowaways.

“Our machines are very sensitive to picking up explosives and other threats to aviation,” Transportation Security Administration spokesperson Sari Koshetz explained to the Orlando Sentinel. Cats, apparently, don’t qualify as a threat.

Although Bob-Bob was understandably shaken up by his impromptu vacation to Disney World, his owner explained that the kitty is starting to feel better. “It’s really taken until today for him to get normal,” Maze said. “He’s still kind of shaky. Today is the first day he’s really eaten any canned food.”

Cat Sneaks Into Suitcase, Takes An Unexpected Vacation To Disney World is a post from: The Inquisitr

They are not always friendly.

Captions On Cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

We’ve always known that cats are much deadlier predators than they let on, but a recent report shows that our feline friends are actually harder killers than we’ve ever thought before.

When house cats are allowed to roam about freely outside, only a slim margin become hunter-killers of various critters. Roughly 30 percent of cats kill yard pests, but that 30 percent is more battle-tested and bloodthirsty than we previously thought, reports USA Today. “That mouse carcass Kitty presents you with is just the tip of a very bloody iceberg,” writes Elizabeth Weise, introducing a research project that put small cameras (dubbed “kittycams”) on house cats to document their habits 0f slaughter.

Based on a U.S. house-cat population of 74 million, “cat predation is one of the reasons why one in three American birds species are in decline,” said the president of the American Bird Conservancy. “The previous estimates were probably too conservative because they didn’t include the animals that cats ate or left behind,” said a University of Georgia researcher.

Though cats bring home trophies, these corpses represent a mere quarter of what they actually kill; most casualties are left to rot where they died. Cats aren’t picky killers either, notes Newser. Though cat owners primarily see birds, lizards, snakes, and frogs that make up 41 percent of the animals killed, mammals like chipmunks and voles make up 25 percent, insects and worms 20 percent, and finally, birds at 12 percent.

Cats aren’t just effective killers, they are also a danger to themselves, the research found. The cats in the study demonstrated little regard for themselves, engaging in risky behaviors like crossing the street (45 percent), eating and drinking pretty much anything they find (25 percent), exploring storm drains (20 percent), and entering tight spaces where they could get stuck (20 percent).

Interestingly, male cats were more likely to engage in such behavior than female cats.

Here’s a video report, which reveals the secret and murderous lives of household cats:

Cats Are More Hardened Killers Than We Thought [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Jar Kitty,” the cat that somehow managed to get a jar stuck on its head, has finally been freed of its cranial prison after 20 days of confinement, according to WTAE. The unfortunate kitten was first spotted by Greensburg, Pennsylvania resident Janine Quinn, who tried for nearly three weeks to catch the skittish critter. Being a feral kitten, the poor little cat was obviously frightened and avoided Quinn’s attempts on numerous occasions.

“I never wanted to give up on her even though it got really, really bad and I just walked around and cried the whole entire time thinking that she was gone,” Quinn explained.

However, her persistence eventually paid off. On Friday, Quinn was finally able to get her helpful hands on the cat, who was severely malnourished at the time. Sadly, the kitten also suffered from an eye injury and nerve damage, which were treated by a local veterinarian.

“The jar was so tight around her neck I couldn’t even get my fingers up there around her but it fit her head completely,” Quinn said. “When I got the jar off it smelled like infection. It smelled like death. I thought she was dying. She’s an amazingly lucky cat.”

What surprised Quinn and Dr. Becky Morrow the most is that the cat somehow managed to get enough water to survive 20 long days with a glass jar locked around its neck. Since water is essential to life, the kitten was obviously able to collect enough water to stay alive, although just barely.

Quinn, being the kind-hearted soul that she is, has decided to keep the little guy for the time being, though outdoor adventures are currently off limits. As soon as the kitten is back in tip-top shape, Quinn hopes to find someone willing to give the fortunate feline a happy new home.

Cat With Jar On Its Head Finally Rescued After 20 Days is a post from: The Inquisitr

Here’s a happy way to spend your Sunday afternoon video viewing. This little girl quickly realizes that her big fluffy cat is about to become Corgi nibbles and she jumps into action.

Watch how quickly and fearlessly the little girl picks up her favorite pet, even though the cat is the same size as the little girl.

If her single act of heroics isn’t enough for you the little girl then walks away with the big fluffy cat which is nearly her size as the corgi continues its attempted attack.

This little girl has a future in animal protection.

Little Girl Rescues Cat From Corgi [Happy Sunday Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you a die-hard fans of Cannes? Perhaps you can’t live without the Toronto Film Festival. Well now there is the Internet Cat Video Film Festival, an event created by the Walker Art Center in an attempt to celebrate all the crazy and often hilarious things our cats do on a regular basis.

The Walker Art Center’s blog describes the event:

Walker Open Field welcomes cat lovers (and challenges haters – c’mon, you know who you are) to openly release your cat-video-induced giggles and emotions that are otherwise muffled by computer screens and constrained by cubicles. Rejoice and be free like my favorite triumphant slow-motion kitten playing in the video below. Let’s transform this singular small screen viewing experience into a shared celebration with the larger-than-life projection of these silly clips out on the Open Field.

You can submit your favorite personal cat videos until July 30th and the film festival will take place on august 30th, 2012.

The group says everyone is invited to attend the event and they joke that you don’t have to be a cat lady to attend because even dog-lovers will have a few good laughs at some of the silly antics cats can get themselves into.

So what exactly would qualify as a good cat video for the film festival? Here’s one example provided on the centers blog:

Crazy cat moments, hilarious cat fails, what you choose to submit is up to you, as long as its entertaining and family friendly you have a chance at a spot in the festival.

In the meantime here are a few more examples of hilarious cat fails:

And one more just for fun:

Would you like to attend the Internet Cat Video Film Festival?

Internet Cat Video Film Festival Promises Plenty Of Laughs, Currently Accepting Submissions is a post from: The Inquisitr

The trope of the “cat lady,” essentially a woman who has failed in all attempts to acquire human companions (which has resulted in ever-increasing numbers of feline friends to fill the void of her lonely singledom) is one associated with loneliness and depression, but a new study has actually linked the idea of a “crazy cat lady” to increased risked of suicide.

The crazy cat lady suicide study comes out of Denmark, and included more than 45,000 women. Researchers discovered that women who are infected with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) — found not only in cat poop, but undercooked meat and unwashed vegetables — are possibly at a higher risk of suicide. Even more worryingly, the higher the levels of T. gondii in a participant’s system, the more risk of a suicide by violent means (such as leaping from a high building, cutting or stabbing oneself with sharp implements or shooting) increased as well.

T. gondii was described in the cat lady suicide study as a “major public health problem,” and indeed, the parasite has, in the past, been linked with mental illness, schizophrenia and major behavioral changes. Among those generally infected, the risk of suicide was about one and a half times higher, but again, this risk increased among those who had more severe infections.

Senior author of the cat lady suicide study, Teodor T. Postolache, MD, is a professor of psychiatry and director of the Mood and Anxiety Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Postolache explains that while the link is not definitive, it is compelling:

“We can’t say with certainty that T. gondii caused the women to try to kill themselves, but we did find a predictive association between the infection and suicide attempts later in life that warrants additional studies. We plan to continue our research into this possible connection.”

Postolache continues:

“Is the suicide attempt a direct effect of the parasite on the function of the brain or an exaggerated immune response induced by the parasite affecting the brain? We do not know. In fact, we have not excluded reverse causality as there might be risk factors for suicidal behavior that also make people more susceptible to infection with T. gondii. If we can identify a causal relationship, we may be able to predict those at increased risk for attempting suicide and find ways to intervene and offer treatment.”

One third of the world is currently infected with the parasite studied in the cat lady suicide research.

Cat Lady Suicide More Likely, Study Says, Cat-Related Toxin Eyed is a post from: The Inquisitr

…is a notorious trap, and one should be fully aware before venturing forth.

The Cat Part of YouTube is a post from: The Inquisitr

The designer was chatting to WWD about the tour of his traveling exhibition with Carine Roitfeld, “The Little Black Jacket,” yet talk soon drifted onto Lagerfeld’s home life, and the female who shared his abode: his nine-month-old Siamese cat, Choupette. Reflecting on his beloved pet, Lagerfeld revealed:

“She is like a kept woman. She has a strong personality. She has lunch and dinner with me on the table, with her own food. She doesn’t touch my food. She doesn’t want to eat on the floor. She sleeps under a pillow and she even knows how to use an iPad. She has two personal maids, for both night and day. She is beyond spoiled.”

Yeah bitches, Karl Lagerfeld’s cat has two personal maids. But it gets better, because Choupette has a diary. And Choupette’s inability to write means there’s somebody out there who is paid cash money to write the diary of Karl Lagerfeld’s cat. What a life, my friends, what a life. And we haven’t even got on to the subject of Choupette’s 20 iPads, have we? Lagerfeld did us the favor of tweeting a pic of Choupette playing on one of her personal tablets.

As for how he dresses his moggy, it seems Choupette won’t ever be one of those cats posed in sunglasses for a lolcats site:

“I don’t like animals in human clothes. I think that’s very circuslike.”

Yeah, that’s just weird. And Karl doesn’t do weird, guys.

Karl Lagerfeld’s Cat Owns 20 iPads, Has Two Personal Maids is a post from: The Inquisitr

A woman in Israel adopted one too many cats.

The Times of Israel is reporting that a man filed for divorce at the Rabbinical Court in Beersheba because his wife adopted 550 cats. The man claims that he was not able to sleep because the bed was constantly covered in cats. He also claims that it was impossible to eat in the house because the cats kept trying to steal his food.

The Times of Israel writes:

“The man, in his divorce request, complained that the cats also blocked his access to the bathroom and did not allow him to prepare meals in the kitchen… When he sat to eat, cats jumped onto the table and stole his food.”

The court urged the couple to reconcile their differences. The husband asked the woman to cut down on the cat companions but the woman refused, choosing instead to agree to the divorce.

Do you think the woman wanted the divorce all along?  I mean, you can’t walk into a house with 550 cats and not expect some sort of retaliation…

Man Divorces Wife After She Adopts 550 Cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are notoriously bad at measuring amounts, particularly in their kibble dish.

Cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jason Louis Wilmert was arrested on Feb. 3 and is being held in Kern County Jail after police arrested him on charges of using a pet or domesticated animal for food and a charge of animal cruelty. The 35-year-old has also been charged with resisting a peace officer.

The Californians home was searched after the sheriff’s department received a call about cats wailing and screeching from inside the man’s home.

In responding to the case Sheriff’s spokesman Ray Pruitt said he had “never seen anything like this.”

Wilmert will appear in court on Friday to be arraigned.

Neighbor Joe Nuno who phones police told a local television news station:

“I heard a cat cry really, really loud.”

Wilmert then looked in the backyard where he said there was “a little burner going” which smelled like “awful meat.”

It’s still unclear where Jason Louis Wilmert was obtaining his various cats from, more information will likely come out on Friday.

California Cat Eater Caught By Authorities is a post from: The Inquisitr

We love our cats but there are some people who love them maybe just bit too much and seem to collect them like other people collect stamps or bottle caps the only problem is that at some point they cross the line from being a cat lover to being that crazy cat person that we all like to make fun of.

In fact if the research of evolutionary biologist Jaroslav Flegr from the Charles University in Prague is even close to being on the money those crazy cat people could be suffering from a medical illness due to those cats that they love so much.

Now it is a well know fact that cats carry a very tiny organism that gets excreted in their feces and is potentially dangerous to humans. This is one reason that pregnant women are warned to stay away from cat litter boxes during their pregnancy as the parasite can be transmitted to their unborn child and could lead to brain damage or death.

The parasite is called Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii or Toxo for short) and Flegr believes it can also affect a healthy person’s brain.

But if Flegr is right, the “latent” parasite may be quietly tweaking the connections between our neurons, changing our response to frightening situations, our trust in others, how outgoing we are, and even our preference for certain scents. And that’s not all. He also believes that the organism contributes to car crashes, suicides, and mental disorders such as schizophrenia. When you add up all the different ways it can harm us, says Flegr, “Toxoplasma might even kill as many people as malaria, or at least a million people a year.”

via The Atlantic

Flegr has been pursuing this theory in relative obscurity for decades, and a certain ridicule from those that have seen his research. However that may change as some scientists, like Robert Sapolsky from Stanford, think that Flegr may actually be onto something with his theory.

 Flegr’s “studies are well conducted, and I can see no reason to doubt them,” Sapolsky tells me. Indeed, recent findings from Sapolsky’s lab and British groups suggest that the parasite is capable of extraordinary shenanigans. T. gondii, reports Sapolsky, can turn a rat’s strong innate aversion to cats into an attraction, luring it into the jaws of its No. 1 predator. Even more amazing is how it does this: the organism rewires circuits in parts of the brain that deal with such primal emotions as fear, anxiety, and sexual arousal. “Overall,” says Sapolsky, “this is wild, bizarre neurobiology.” Another academic heavyweight who takes Flegr seriously is the schizophrenia expert E. Fuller Torrey, director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, in Maryland. “I admire Jaroslav for doing [this research],” he says. “It’s obviously not politically correct, in the sense that not many labs are doing it. He’s done it mostly on his own, with very little support. I think it bears looking at. I find it completely credible.”

via The Atlantic

So folks, the next time you see some crazy cat person disappearing into the home full of cats you might want to think twice about making fun of then because they may in fact be ‘crazy’.

It seems that the Crazy Cat Lady may have a medical explanation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jaroslav Flegr has been studying cats for a while now, specifically the parasite known as Toxoplasma Gondii which lives inside of cats and cat be transferred to humans. While Toxoplasmosis, the disease we contract from the Gondii parasite is typically only dangerous to the fetus of pregnant women, Flegr believes it could be altering our brain activity.

The Atlantic reports that some of the biggest names in neurobiology are backing up the researchers claims. He posits that taxoplasma gondii which is most often transferred through cat feces doesn’t just infect humans, make them sick for a short period of time and then lie dormant in the brain forever, but rather that it changes our neural pathways.

Research has shown that rodents infected with T. Gondii become less wary of predators and have slower reaction times which makes them more attractive prey for cats.

As the hypothesis goes, the parasite is trying to work its way back into the cat where it has the capability to reproduce.

Conducting years of personality studies Flegr found that infected men become more introverted when they have been infected. He also found that men dressed more poorly and were more reckless in their general day-to-day lives.

In infected women toxoplasmosis made them more outgoing while they tended to be more well-dressed, and rule-abiding.

In both men and women it was discovered that reaction times slowed and both sexes were more prone to car accidents.

Flegr even posits that taxoplasmosis might be responsible for as many deaths each year as malaria “or at least a million people a year.”

More research is still needed but with the backing of renowned neurobiologists it’s likely Jaroslav Flegr will now have more help along the way.

Cat Feces Might Be Changing Your Brains Activity is a post from: The Inquisitr

Explaining YouTube is a post from: The Inquisitr

Maybe next time you’ll wise up and be a bit quicker with the gooshy food.

[Source Unknown]

Kitties and Phones is a post from: The Inquisitr

While you’re off doing kegstands, Gemma Correll is having the best party ever.

How Shy People Party is a post from: The Inquisitr

Taylor Swift’s new kitten has stolen the collective heart of the Twittersphere, after the country singer tweeted a pic of herself with Meredith, her unreasonably adorable adopted kitten.

The 21-year-old country singer told her nine million followers that she was “Hanging out with my new roommate, Meredith” late last week.

Meredith, for the record, is a rare breed of kitty known as the Scottish Fold. I know from personal experience of trying to acquire one (for a friend, because I’M A MANLY MAN AND ONLY KEEP ROTTWEILERS AND STUFF*) that these cats are rare as chicken teeth. A gene mutation in the breed leads to their ear cartilage containing a fold, which in turn leads to D’AWWWWWW.

Anyway, the cats usually weigh in at around $1,000 for a healthy, vaccinated animal, with demand for the kittens exceeding supply. While Swift probably had no issue sourcing a Scottish Fold of her own, most people who want one often find themselves on waiting lists, and little wonder – just look at that damn thing.

And hey, Meredith already has a celebrity admirer. Upon seeing the pic, fellow pop star Katy Perry tweeted Swift to ask:

“OH MY GOSH. Is this kitty for real!?!?”

“Yes!” came the obvious reply from Swift, who added, “And currently chasing her own tail. PS I miss you!”

* It was totally for me.

Taylor Swift’s New Kitten Charms Twitter [Pics] is a post from: The Inquisitr

When it comes to pets I guess I am rather pedestrian since anything beyond cats and dogs belongs out in the wild or possibly a zoo. Throughout my life I have had both cats and dogs as family pets and can attest to the fact that they can make your day feel a little better when chilling out with either (or both) by your side.

However the idea of going to a cat cafe to get my daily dose of feline comfort strikes me a just a little strange, however it would seem that residents of Tokyo feel differently as cat cafes are becoming all the rage among the upwardly mobile citizens.

Granted Japan has always had a rather weird obsession with pets. After all this is the home of the mobile pet cremation service and the dog washing machine but cat cafes?

It seems that in order to even enter one of these shrines to kittydom you first have to go through a cleaning ritual and then through an education room where you learn the finer points of interaction with the furry felines in the cafe.

Once you are done with that you are introduced to a roomful, meaning hundreds, of cats that were reclining in comfie chairs, couches, or just wandering around mingling with the rather large number of people that  can be visiting one of these cat cafes at any given time.

Of course you can relax and enjoy a fine cup of coffee and a snack all the while enjoying the comforting purr of a cat just sitting there waiting for you to pet it.

I think I’ll stick with my dog Ruby and a walk in the park for my calming time of the day.

via Fast Company

You to can be a crazy cat person but without actually owning any cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

“I love every kind of cat. I really love cats. I just want to hug all of them, which is crazy ’cause I can’t hug every cat.”

Pet All the Cats! is a post from: The Inquisitr

Scientists studying the feline immunodeficiency virus (the cat’s equivalent of HIV) have managed to create glow in the dark cats for study purposes.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic created the glow-in-the-dark kittens through gamete-targeted lentiviral transgenesis which uses a cats eggs and various genes to create the glow in the dark pet.

Researchers needed to create the glow in the dark effect which is noticeable under a special blue light so they can track modified genes and cells in the animals.

In an interview with  LiveScience Mayo Click researcher Dr. Eric Poeschla revealed:

“We want to see if we can protect the domestic cat against its AIDS virus, if we can protect any species, eventually including ours, against its own AIDS virus.”

The research not only helps study SIV but could ultimately be used in humans one day. The glow in the dark part of the animals could also help stop late night tripping hazards which sends thousands of people annually to the ER, while also preventing cat-based smothering while sleeping.

The cats in the study have been named by researches as TgCat1, TgCat2, and TgCat3.

Personally my cat freaks me out without looking radioactive, what do you think about glow-in-the-dark cat research?

Scientists Invent Glow-in-the-Dark Cats is a post from: The Inquisitr

While it’s slightly nerve-wracking to watch this baby obviously so enamored with this baby cat, it’s also the cutest thing you will probably see all week. Maybe all month.

[via TDW]

[Cutest Video Ever] Baby Hugs Kitten, Adorably is a post from: The Inquisitr