Oregon: "They wired his jaw, removed broken teeth and now we wait to see how he does through the night. He will lose one of his eyes"

OREGON -- Kristine Hayes posted on Rockaway Coast Community & Surrounding Areas On the Tillamook Coast Facebook page December 8, 2017

Our beautiful family cat Stanley was attacked by a pit bull that lives off of S. 6th & Coral.

Only one day after the same pit bull was reported to RBPD for aggressive behaviors toward a woman jogging through our neighborhood.

Stanley’s jaw is broken, and he has a pierced trachea. We do not yet know if he will make it through the weekend.

The pit bull has a blue grey coat, and is EXTREMELY aggressive. Please monitor your children & animals in that area. He is let off leash daily, and often freely roams the neighborhood unsupervised.

This is not at all about the breed of dog. I firmly believe in good owners cultivating good dogs. It saddens me to see an animal act so aggressively. I also believe the RBPD is doing everything in their power to monitor the situation.

Please no controversy in this post. Keep our cat in your thoughts. I just thought it was imperative for those in the neighborhood to be aware of the situation.

UPDATE
Update on Stanley: he made it through surgery. They wired his jaw, removed broken teeth and now we wait to see how he does through the night. He will lose one of his eyes probably. He is very strong and was a little fat to begin with, so that’s in his favor.

  

  

 

Australia: Family devastated after their cat Pearl is mauled to death inside their own garage

AUSTRALIA -- A shaken family has urged owners to keep their pets indoors after a brutal dog attack resulted in the “heartbreaking” death of their beloved cat.

Kathleen Dawe watched her three-year-old Ragdoll-cross-Himalayan cat “Pearl” die in her arms from internal injuries after two dogs attacked in the open garage of her Kooringal home around 6am on Anzac Day.

I can't bear to look at this photo. The pain and confusion
in her eyes.. 'Mommy what happened to me?' It must
be a horrible, helpless feeling knowing you can't do
anything for your baby who's dying in your arms.

Ms Dawe’s daughter Maddison Salmon heard noises and ran to Pearl’s rescue, as one of the dogs jumped on Miss Salmon, attempting to attack her arm.

Miss Salmon kicked one dog away before watching on in helpless horror as Pearl was viciously pinned down.

Pearl as a baby

“My daughter said she wishes she had been bitten because then these dogs might be put down,” Ms Dawe said.

“Being an animal, people don’t see it in the same light but it was absolutely horrifying.”

 

 

An indoor cat, the family left Pearl outdoors after she had snuck out during the night and couldn’t be coaxed inside.

“I keep thinking what if she hadn’t of been outside that morning, what if the garage had been finished and the dogs couldn’t get through,” Ms Dawe said.

“None of the 'what ifs' will bring her back though.”

Ms Dawe said the family weren’t the only victims of the vicious incident, claiming a neighbor’s cat was also killed on the same morning, matching the description of the two attacking dogs.

“I want to find the dogs who did this; someone needs to take responsibility for them,” Ms Dawe said.

“I want to remind others to keep their pets inside and always keep a close eye on them. There are memories of Pearl everywhere we walk.”

(Daily Advertiser - April 27, 2017)

New Hampshire: Three arrested on animal cruelty charges in Barnstead; Thirty-four cats found in dwelling in poor health

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Three people are facing charges after 34 cats were removed from a Barnstead home last month.

Barnstead police received a complaint Jan. 23 of possible ongoing cruelty to animals at 189 Hartshorn Road.

  

 

 

Police and the Pope Memorial Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigated the complaint, and 34 cats were seized on Feb. 1.

Investigators determined that the cats were being cared for improperly, and all the cats were found to be in poor health.

A veterinarian from the Pope Memorial SPCA diagnosed the cats with a variety of conditions, including upper respiratory infections, mites and conjunctivitis. Some cats also had dental problems, such as rotten teeth, gingivitis and severe tartar.

An arrest warrant was issued for the owners of the cats, who were identified as Philip Harford Sr., 63; Marsha Harford, 63; and Philip Harford Jr., 40.

All three were arrested on two counts of cruelty to animals and will be arraigned on May 18 at 8 a.m. at the 4th Circuit Court-Laconia Division.

The cats are currently being treated at the Pope Memorial SPCA and are up for adoption.

VIDEO:

(WMUR - Mar 22, 2017)

Earlier:

• New Hampshire: 30 cats removed from Barnstead home; Police chief says conditions in home worst he's ever seen

New Hampshire: 30 cats removed from Barnstead home; Police chief says conditions in home worst he's ever seen

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Dozens of cats were removed Wednesday from a Barnstead home where conditions were the worst that the Barnstead police chief said he has seen in his 30-year career.

A father and son were told to find another place to stay after more than 30 cats were taken from the home.

"In my 31 years of law enforcement, this is probably the worst living conditions that I have ever seen," Chief Paul Poirier said.

Poirier said investigators were tipped off about possible animal cruelty at the home on Hartshorn Road. After securing a search warrant, police officers, fire fighters and a health inspector entered the home.

"There's mold everywhere. The ceiling is falling down. There's feces and urine throughout the home," Poirier said. "You can smell it from out here as soon as you open the door."

The health inspector deemed the structure uninhabitable. Police said the homeowner's wife used to breed cats.

"She no longer resides here," Poirier said. "They used to have litters of cats. This is our first complaint, though, that we've received."

Authorities said the cats were found all over the home, from the basement to the attic. Some were hiding in the eaves. Many of them were loose, but others were in cages.

"They were in crates, three in a crate, four in a crate, and that's not regular standard for care of a cat," said Tona McCarthy, cruelty investigator for the Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Some cats had long hair, which was severely matted with feces inside the mats. Out of the 34 cats, only one was neutered and one of the cats is pregnant.

The cat breeds included Himalayan and Persian.

Investigators said they believe the cats could have respiratory issues from poor living conditions, but they're mostly in good spirits and are expected to make full recoveries.

"I think they just let it get out of control, and sometimes it's by accident," McCarthy said. "It's not always on purpose."

Police said charges are likely, but it's unclear if both the father and son would face charges.

The cats are being taken to the Pope Memorial SPCA of Concord-Merrimack County to be cared for until they can go up for adoption.

VIDEO:

(WMUR - Feb 4, 2017)

Illinois: Missing cat found living just down the block for over 2 years, but finders refuse to hand him over

ILLINOIS -- One cat. Two families. And a whole lot of mystery about what happened over the past two and a half years.

One woman says her cat went missing in September of 2013.

Another woman says a cat was begging to come into her home at exactly the same time. She and her husband let it in and kept the cat for two and a half years claiming they couldn't locate the owner.

 

Meanwhile, the original owner has been living three doors away from the cat and never knew it all this time

Joey is the Himalayan cat at the center of this tale and he is tugging at the heart strings of two Bloomingdale families.

Joey was adopted by Nichole Milone in March of 2011. With taxes, she paid $1100 for him and has the papers to prove he was micro chipped.

But Shawnie and Steve Godke have been caring for Joey for the last two and half years after the white cat darkened their door day after day, they claim.

Shawnie says the cat was abused, neglected and unwanted. 2013 photos show Joey when his fur was matted, dirty and he was filled with burrs.

That cat, she and her husband contend, found them.

"He was trying to come in for months upon months upon months,” she says. “And we said, ‘Here is food and water, now go home kitty cat. You need to go home to your owners.’"

But he kept coming back, she says.

Meanwhile, just three doors down in September of 2013, Nichole Milone filed a police report, contacted her microchip manufacturer PetKey and posted a hundred or so of these fliers all over town at animal shelters, the police station, even local grocery stores looking for her indoor/outdoor cat Joey. Nothing.

"I assumed he was probably taken by a coyote or something,” Nichole says.

Fast forward two and a half years later to April 29, 2016.

Nichole was entering her yard from the back and happened to glance up at her neighbor’s home where she says she saw her own cat.

“What is the possibility that my cat is three doors down from my house this whole time?"

Pretty good apparently.

Nichole called police, had his microchip scanned and it was indeed Joey.

Police won't press charges and the Godkes refuse to give up their prized pet. They admit they never reached out to police or any animal shelters when they took Joey in. They relied solely on the microchip system to reunite this cat with its rightful owner.

One problem: Their vet looked up the chip number on just one website: RFID-USA Microchip Registry - USA. It showed "microchip unregistered". If you plug in that same 10-digit number on the American Animal Hospital Association site, missing cat Joey comes right up and links you with the PetKey people.

And when you simply Google "Joey missing cat Bloomingdale Illinois,” PetKey's link is the first one listed.

Also, the Godkes have been calling the cat Joey from almost the start. How is that possible if they never knew the animal before it showed up at their home? They say a neighbor in the same subdivision told them about the name. So they went with it.

Shawnie says, "This neighbor that told our neighbor said that this cat must be from somewhere in the subdivision and that woman heard his name must somehow be Joey. … My focus was on what was best for this animal. And if this person that decided to give it that type of life wanted it back, then that person was going to have to come and make themself available."

Nichole says she has tried.

"I have a cat that has a chip and I can't get it back. So what's the point of the chip? I'm not furious. I’m not mad at them. I think it's sad how they are handling the situation. I feel the same way that they did. He was part of my family."

 

So what now? Police say there is no criminal intent in this case. They refuse to press charges. Both sides have hired lawyers.

They both want Joey the Cat. In fact, the Godkes have even requested a no-trespass order from police so the Milone family risks arrest if they try to go to the Godke home.

A "for sale" sign already sits in the Godkes front yard. Shared cat custody not a likely resolution.

So there was no "criminal intent"... but they did NOTHING to find the owner, never notified the shelter that they had this stray cat in their possession, didn't post any flyers in the neighborhood. This is theft and they need to be prosecuted. If you found a car sitting on the side of the road, could you simply tow it home and keep it???

 (720 ILCS 5/16-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 16-1)
    Sec. 16-1. Theft.
    (a) A person commits theft when he or she knowingly:
        (1) Obtains or exerts unauthorized control over property of the owner; or
        (2) Obtains by deception control over property of the owner; or
        (3) Obtains by threat control over property of the owner; or
        (4) Obtains control over stolen property knowing the property to have been stolen or under such circumstances as would reasonably induce him or her to believe that the property was stolen; or
        (5) Obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of any law enforcement agency which any law enforcement officer or any individual acting in behalf of a law enforcement agency explicitly represents to the person as being stolen or represents to the person such circumstances as would reasonably induce the person to believe that the property was stolen, and
            (A) Intends to deprive the owner permanently of the use or benefit of the property; or
            (B) Knowingly uses, conceals or abandons the property in such manner as to deprive the owner permanently of such use or benefit; or
            (C) Uses, conceals, or abandons the property knowing such use, concealment or abandonment probably will deprive the owner permanently of such use or benefit.

(WGN - June 28, 2016)

Fierce feline who terrorized family stumps TV host

OREGON --  In what truly epitomized the title of his TV show, "My Cat From Hell," feline behaviorist Jackson Galaxy is calling his attempt to tame the Portland cat notorious for attacking a baby and boxing his panicked owners into a bedroom "the hardest case I have ever worked."

It got more difficult after the happy ending for the cat named Lux soon unraveled.

In the reality show that aired last weekend, Galaxy persuades another Portland couple to take Lux while the cat is treated with antidepressants and anti-seizure medication. A veterinarian diagnosed Lux with feline hyperesthesia syndrome, which can trigger violent behavior.

But after the episode's taping, Lux attacked his new guardians and they gave him up for their own safety.

"It was the worst letdown," Galaxy told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I don't think I've ever had a bigger shock. This is the hardest case I have ever worked."

But take heart, Lux supporters.

The 4-year-old cat has become Galaxy's buddy, and the reality star says he hasn't given up. He's placed Lux in a veterinary clinic where the cat receives medication while undergoing treatment to try to identify what turns this feline Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde.

Lux became one of the most notorious cats in pet history after his owner called 911 on March 9 as the cat terrorized his family. Lee Palmer told dispatchers Lux had scratched his son's head and was out of control. The family barricaded themselves in a bedroom, and Lux could be heard screeching menacingly in the background.

Lux's original family who had to call 911

Galaxy set up a series of meetings with Lux and his owners, who did not return messages seeking comment. The episode shown Saturday demonstrated the difficulty in solving the puzzle that is Lux.

In their first encounter, Galaxy walks into a bedroom where the cat's fearful owners have sequestered him. Galaxy sees Lux peeking out from behind a box. The cat's eyes are dilated, a sign of distress. He growls.

After making eye contact at the cat's level and offering treats, Galaxy is able to pick up Lux and put him on his lap. The cat returns Galaxy's affection as the tattooed TV host pets him.

"I do not see a vicious cat," Galaxy says. "I do not see a killer."

In the show, Galaxy temporarily puts Lux in the care of another couple to see whether the cat would be violent in a different home. Lux attacked one of its new owners. A Portland veterinarian suggests Lux be medicated, and the new owners agree to take Lux back.

At first, it went well. But after the show wrapped, the couple called Galaxy to say the cat had several violent episodes.

Galaxy said the cat was a danger to them and he understands why they couldn't keep him.

Despite the outbursts, everyone seems to fall for Lux, a long-haired cat with a sweet face. That's the case for Galaxy, who has dealt with thousands of difficult cats.

 

"I fell in love with him the second I met him," Galaxy said. "He's the sweetest boy in the world."

The reality star has made saving Lux from euthanasia his personal crusade.

The cat is at a clinic - Galaxy won't divulge the location - where specialists are trying to better understand the complicated feline. Galaxy works with them on treatment, and it's going well so far.

The medication is starting to work. Staff members at the clinic put Lux in different social situations to see how he responds. Galaxy hopes they can modify Lux's behavior so the cat can someday find a home.

"I'm going to keep working with this cat," Galaxy said. "I've got to be sure I give him the best shot."

(Turnto10 - June 18, 2014)

[Note: Using "attacked by own dogs" label because I don't have one for cats.]

Earlier:

• Portland attack cat is in the doghouse, but couple has no plans to give him away
• Portland attack cat Lux winds up at animal shelter while owners wrestle with decision to keep him
• Cat whisperer heading to Oregon after attack

Cat whisperer heading to Oregon after attack

OREGON -- The large cat that attacked a baby and trapped an Oregon family in a bedroom touched off an Internet uproar that worries Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet's "My Cat from Hell."

Cats don't become ferocious felines that turn on their families for no reason, says the cat behavior expert, who is heading to Portland soon to work with the 4-year-old part-Himalayan pet named Lux.

Galaxy will film the visit for his show's fifth season, which kicks off April 26.

"Every parental site on the Internet blames the cat for this confrontation. Every pet site blames the family," he said, adding that something is wrong if the cat is acting out. "We need to step away from the hysteria. There is a story behind all this. Don't assume anything."

Lux became a worldwide phenomenon after owner Lee Palmer called 911 and said the cat had cornered him, his girlfriend, their baby and the family dog inside a room.

Palmer says his 7-month-old pulled Lux's tail, and he kicked the animal after it scratched the child.

Then, the cat "just went off over the edge," Palmer told an emergency dispatcher after the family barricaded themselves. "He's charging us," Palmer said, as the cat was heard screeching in the background. Officers arrived and caught Lux with a dog snare.

Palmer said the cat had a history of violence, but the family kept Lux until Monday, when they turned him over to a Portland-area shelter. But the family assured Animal Planet they were going to keep the cat and agreed to therapy with Galaxy.

Palmer didn't return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday.

There are many reasons a cat can turn aggressive, and there is no universal way to deal with it, Galaxy said. But the star feline behaviorist provided five ways to tame out-of-control cats:

— Never leave a young child unsupervised with a cat.

— Take it to a vet at least once a year. If a cat is acting suspiciously, the owner needs to pay attention. "Know what suspicious looks like," Galaxy said. "If they're not feeling well, cats will socially withdraw themselves, or they will lose weight, or they will gain weight, or they'll be howling in the middle of the night when they never did before.

"I've known cats who acted out similarly to Lux because of an abscessed tooth, a brain tumor, hyperthyroidism or diabetes."

— Make sure cats can literally climb out of a situation. Having a space up high, like a cat condo, to get away from children and other pets is crucial, Galaxy said. "Make sure the cat can make the choice to get away from the kid," he said.

— Timeouts are good things. "We associate timeouts with punishment, but in the world of cats, timeout is not a punishment." They can go to a designated place where they can settle down, come back to a peaceful moment or ground themselves, he said.

— Stop fights between felines with "timeout drills." With simple pieces of cardboard, left strategically around the house, you can stop a fight between two cats. Put the cardboard between them, blocking their vision and providing a moment of disorientation when you can lead them to their timeout spot. It's especially important to have the drills with aggressive cats.

Galaxy said he was going to Portland to act as Lux's advocate and find out what's wrong.

"I have no idea what made Lux aggressive," he said. It could be a chemical imbalance, a history of stressful environments or because he was kicked.

"If you want a blanket statement on how to deal with aggression, how about, 'Don't set the cat up for failure,'" he said.

The behaviorist, who has worked with tens of thousands of cats, said the thing that bothered him most about Lux was his continued aggression the day Palmer called 911, including the animal's ongoing assault on the door even though the threat was gone.

But the word "attack" doesn't sit well with Galaxy because 75 percent of the time, it's tied to a grouchy mood or a warning, he said.

"If I have a headache, I won't be the nicest guy in the world. I may snap at you," he said. "This may have been Lux's way of snapping. Hypothetically speaking, someone pulling his tail may have been the last straw."

(Sioux City Journal - Mar 22, 2014)

Earlier:

• Portland attack cat is in the doghouse, but couple has no plans to give him away
• Portland attack cat Lux winds up at animal shelter while owners wrestle with decision to keep him

Portland attack cat Lux winds up at animal shelter while owners wrestle with decision to keep him

OREGON -- The owners of Lux, the 22-pound Himalayan cat who cornered them, their baby and the family dog in a Northwest Portland apartment last week, has taken up residence in the Multnomah County Animal Services shelter.

The couple contacted Animal Services workers Monday morning and asked them to come get the cat, said Mike Oswald, director of the shelter in Troutdale.

"They are wrestling with the decision whether to keep the cat,'' Oswald said. "They said they are going to think about it tonight and we will talk about it Tuesday."

The decision to give up a pet is a difficult one, but Animal Services is willing to work with pet owners, he said.

"Sometimes, owners change their minds,'' he said. "If they decide they don't want him back, we will go through the adoption process."

The meow heard 'round the world began March 9 when Lee Palmer and Teresa Barker’s 8-month-old son, Jesse, crawled after Lux and pulled his tail. Lux reacted by swiping at Jesse’s face and drew blood from the baby’s forehead.

Palmer kicked the cat away. And then Lux, according to Palmer and the detailed 911 call, went ballistic.

The cat's behavior was so alarming, the couple took Jesse and their black Pomeranian dog, Smokey, and locked themselves in the bedroom of their apartment at The Yards at Union Station. Lux wailed and screamed outside.

Palmer couldn't get through to Animal Services, so he called 911.

In short order, Portland police arrived and captured Lux on top of the refrigerator using a snare.

A week ago, police issued a news release detailing the rescue. The story went viral, attracting worldwide attention and keeping both Palmer and Barker’s cellphones ringing all last week.

Barker and Palmer also got a call from the producers of the Animal Planet show “My Cat from Hell.”
Palmer said Monday he wasn't ready to talk about Lux's future with the family.

(Oregon Live - Mar 17, 2014)

Earlier:

• Portland attack cat is in the doghouse, but couple has no plans to give him away

Portland attack cat is in the doghouse, but couple has no plans to give him away

OREGON -- If a cat could ever be in the doghouse, Lux, a 22-pound Himalayan was there Tuesday:  He retreated deep under Lee Palmer and Teresa Barker’s bed after the story of his baby attack made global news.

“It’s a little overwhelming to have all these cameramen up in your new apartment,’’ said Baker, a student at Portland Community College. “We’re just really trying to keep it calm.”

The meow heard 'round the world began Sunday, when the couple’s 8-month-old son, Jesse, crawled after Lux and pulled his tail. Lux reacted by swiping at Jesse’s face and drew blood from the baby’s forehead.

Before he could continue, Palmer kicked the cat away.

Lux, according to Palmer and the detailed 911 call, went ballistic. The cat's behavior was so alarming, the couple took Jesse and their black Pomeranian dog, Smokey, and locked themselves in the bedroom of their apartment at The Yards at Union Station in Northwest Portland. Lux wailed and screamed outside.

Palmer couldn't get through to Multnomah County Animal Services, so he decided to call 911. In short order, Portland police arrived and captured Lux on top of the refrigerator using a snare.

On Monday, police issued a press release detailing the rescue. The story, too, went ballistic, attracting worldwide attention and keeping both Palmer and Barker’s cellphones buzzing and ringing into Tuesday.

“He attacked our baby, so we got a bit of adrenalin rush,” Barker said. “If you had a cat and you had a baby… I assure you, you’d do the same thing. We were worried about the baby; we could’ve cared less how the cat felt.”

In addition to the media attention, Baker and Palmer have been fielding calls from people who want to adopt Lux and others offering psychological counseling for the cat. Barker and Palmer are also expecting a call from the producers of the Animal Planet show “My Cat from Hell.”

They've granted several interviews, including with "Inside Edition." The entertainment show paid the couple for the interview.

What they aren't considering is giving up on or giving away Lux, Barker said.

“It’s not going to happen — I’m not getting rid of my cat right now,” she said. “I’ve raised him since he was a baby … we’re taking different precautions.”

Later Tuesday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it would offer to help Palmer and Barker find Lux a new home.

"There are many ways to foster appropriate behavior in our animal companions, but violence — including kicking and spanking — should never be one of them," Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA senior vice president of cruelty investigations, said in a statement. "PETA encourages all families to use positive reinforcement, which allows animals to learn quickly without losing trust in their guardians."

In response, Palmer admitted to getting angry at the time.

"I should not have kicked him, which I did barefoot and not even hard, but I don't believe in hitting animals," he said. "But when I saw my son bleeding, I lost my temper."

For now, Barker and Palmer are keeping the baby away from Lux and Lux away from the baby. The couple don’t think Lux will continue to stay hidden under the bed.

“The cat never attacked the baby until he pulled on his tail,’’ Barker said. “The baby runs after the kitty and goes ‘ki-ki’ and tries to grab the kitty. He does the same with the dog. The only difference is the cat attacks and the dog doesn’t.


“We gotta watch the cat around the baby. Period.”

(Oregon Live - Mar 16, 2014)

Gilbert police found dead cats in ice chest

ARIZONA -- Dozens of cats have been removed from a Gilbert home in what police say is a hoarding case.

 Gilbert police spokesperson Jesse Sanger said there were at least 28 expensive cats that Jill Hopper, 45, was breeding and a few are even somewhat famous. Two of her cats were in actor Denzel Washington's movie The Book of Eli.

Hopper is a breeder of Ragdoll, Himalayan and Persian cats.

The Gilbert Fire Department was called to the townhouse in the 1600 block of East Lakeside Drive, near Val Vista and Baseline roads Thursday because of a reported smell of ammonia. They checked the levels and they were much higher than they should have been.

"The smell was overwhelming ... tested air quality, safe is 15 parts ... they read 50 parts inside the residence," Sanger said.

The Gilbert Fire Department has condemned Hopper's home due to toxic levels of ammonia. Cleanup crews had to wear masks and were limited to 15 minutes inside the condominium to work.

Gilbert police said several cats were dead and were packed in an ice chest.

The cats were sold on the website, Dixie Willow Ragdoll Cats [as of 9/27/13, site shut down], but are now going to the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control west shelter.

Melissa Gable with Maricopa County Animal Care and Control said the cats have been taken to a county shelter. She said Hopper has not signed the cats over to the facility so there will likely be a court case.

Police have charged Hopper with animal cruelty.

(KPHO - Sept 26, 2013)

Although she shut down her website, there are still ads advertising her as a breeder on other sites:

Dixie Willow Ragdolls
Breed Type: Ragdoll
Services Provided: Breeding
Description: Sweet, floppy Ragdoll cats and kittens who are spoiled rotten from the very beginning.

Grand Champion bloodlines with a special emphasis on temperament and health; we have all colors and patterns including lynx. Although our Ragdolls have become therapy cats, successful show cats, and made a number of television & movie appearances, they are loved as pets first and foremost.

Kittens and young adults available occasionally to select homes who will spoil them as they have come to expect. :-)

Contact:
Website: www.DixieWillow.com
Name: Dixie Willow Ragdolls
Location: Arizona
City: Phoenix

Me-wow! Colonel Meow sets record for world's longest fur

CALIFORNIA -- Spare a thought for the amount of time his owners have to spend vacuuming the house after him.

Colonel Meow - a Himalayan-Persian cross-breed who lives with his owners Anne Marie Avey and Eric Rosario in Los Angeles, California - is officially the cat with the longest fur in the world.

The two-year-old feline, whose hair reaches an astonishing 9in (23cm), is now being recognised in the new Guinness World Records 2014 book out next month.

Miss Avey said: ‘We already knew that he was the best cat in the world, but to be recognised in the Guinness World Records book takes it to the next level.

But she added: ‘Literally everything in the house has hair on it, including us. I feel like I’m always vacuuming.’

Colonel Meow, who was adopted as a rescue cat, has to have his fur brushed up to three times a week - and it takes both Ms Avey and Mr Rosario to complete the job.

The couple said that they never use products on Colonel Meow’s fur - applying only water and brushes if he gets dirty.

Colonel Meow has become an internet sensation with the launch of his own website, Facebook page and YouTube channel - which has already been viewed more than 2 million times. 

His fur measurements were taken by three independent vets, recording an average length based on 10 hairs. The evidence was then sent through to Guinness World Records to verify the new record.

Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said: ‘Colonel Meow is being groomed for stardom, and I know the furry feline will be a big hit with readers.

‘He’s an incredible creature, and he’ll undoubtedly inspire people all around to the world to whip out their rulers and start measuring their own cat’s fur.

‘We’re pleased to welcome him into the Guinness World Records family - and as you’ll be seeing shortly, he’s just one of the many spectacular record-holders that feature in the new book.’

(Daily Mail- Aug 29 2013)

Albany woman accused of neglecting 45 cats

OREGON -- A 51-year-old woman has been charged with animal neglect after authorities seized 45 cats from her home in Albany.

Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller says deputies and the SafeHaven Humane Society raided the home of Jean Primrose (aka Jean Marie Primrose) on Saturday and found unsanitary conditions and a large number of cats that needed immediate medical care.

He says officials found cat urine and feces on furniture, walls, clothing and on Primrose and her two elderly parents who also live there. A number of cats was suffering from urine scalding, ear and eye infections, malnourishment and dehydration.

Primrose has been charged with 45 counts of second-degree animal neglect and has been released from custody.

She relinquished ownership of the animals and the cats have been taken by the society for medical care and adoption placement.

(The Oregonian - August 22, 2009)