Injectable birth control will be available in the near future for feral cats in the U.S. (Photo by ShutterStock) Earth is up to its whiskers in kitties- feral cats to be more specific. For ailurophiles, that’s Heaven; for the rest of the world—not so much. There’s an estimated 600 million domestic cats in the world.[1] Eighty percent of them are free-roaming.  In the U.S. alone there live between 60-100 million feral cats.[2] Girl kittens can find themselves in the family way as early as four months of age and can push out as many as three families a year. Holy cat, that’s a lot of cats ..read more

New scientific research means kittens may longer have to be sacrificed to study Toxoplasmosis gondii (Art by Dusty Rainbolt from Shutterstock photos.) VETERINARY MEDICINE (Grenoble, France) Toxoplasmosis gondii is an indiscriminant single cell organism that can infect most warm-blooded animals worldwide (including humans and even birds). While it’s not picky about whose muscle tissue it inhabits, it’s very shy where it does the nasty. Out of all the living organisms in the entire universe, within the privacy of a cat’s intestines is the only place where the magic happens.  (That’s big cat ..read more

Dusty Rainbolt at the Charming Cat Corner Aloha Friends–Just in time for Halloween! Wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be at a meet and greet at The Charming Cat Corner in Lewisville on Saturday, Oct 1 from 1 until 4. (Details below.) Come by and say hello. Meet all the Charming Cat’s adorable and adoptable kitties and pick up some very cool cat memorabilia. The store carries Ghost Cats 2, so there will be plenty of books available for everyone. Let’s visit and trade stories. I’ll be holding drawings for free books and other cool things. So be there or be square. #charmingcat#kittysave#dust ..read more

The post Ghost Cats 2: More Afterlife Encounters with Feline Spirits – The Book Trailer appeared first on Dusty Rainbolt's Universe ..read more

BREAKING NEWS: Cats are more aware of what’s happening around them than we realize. A first of its kind study revealed that our kitty companions, who have the reputation for ignoring us, have actually been eavesdropping on us. “I want people to know the truth. Felines do not appear to listen to people’s conversations, but as a matter of fact, they do,” lead researcher Saho Takagi said to The Asahi Shimbun. New Research Takagi’s research shows cats not only know their own names, they recognize the names of other cats in their home, and even their owner’s names. The study was published in the A ..read more

By Jeffy the Journalist Ringworm is never on a kitty’s Christmas list to Santa. (Composite photo Dusty Rainbolt from DepositPhotos.com) Ringworm. The word strikes fear in the hearts of animal shelter staff and any human who lives with kitties (or pooches or kiddos). I can assure you, it’s never on the list we send to Santa Claws either. Not a Worm In the spirit of full disclosure, ringworm is a fungus among us. It got its name because of the round lesions that appear on the skin. No worm hitchhikers are involved. It’s not dangerous. It’s not the end of the world, except if you’re an animal in ..read more

This week I had the opportunity to interview television legend, Burt Ward, who played The Boy Wonder on the 1960s series, Batman. Burt has gone from TV superhero to super rescuer. He and his lovely wife Tracy have rescued over 15,000 large breed dogs (and a lot of small pooches as well.) Fellow ailurophiles, not to fret. He’s helped a boatload of kitties as well. The post Interview with Burt Ward, from Caped Crusader to Canine Crusader appeared first on Dusty Rainbolt's Universe ..read more

July is Lost Pet Prevention Month. Sometimes kitty escape just happens. Here are some myths about lost cats that may help you get your cat back. July is Lost Pet Prevention Month. Losing a pet is something no one wants to thinks about, but it can happen to anyone. The cat slips past the door when you bring in the groceries or when someone leaves the door ajar. Cat owners make a number of assumptions about their pets becoming lost, and unfortunately, many of them are wrong, which could have tragic consequences. Finding Your Lost Cat has been award the Certificate of Excellence from the Cat Writ ..read more

Hurricane Dorian may reach a Cat 3 by the time it reaches Florida. Hurricane Dorian is intensifying as it speeds toward the Florida coast. In its path, families are trying to determine whether they should flee the area or stay and protect their home. Regardless of whether you bug out or stay behind, here are some hurricane safety suggestions to help you keep your pets safe during the impending disaster. If you manage cat colonies go the Alley Cat Allies website for keeping feral cats safe. Microchip your cat / dog. If he’s already chipped, contact the chip registry database and update your co ..read more

Buzz Aldrin (and friend) stand at attention for the American flag “Space, the final frontier.” Nobody could say it better than Gene Roddenberry long before mankind went to the moon. Today is the 45th anniversary of the day Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the Moon. Michael Collins held down the fort and stayed with the command module. I remember my Mom, Dad and I huddling around our black and white television the moment when when the lunar set down. I held my breath as Armstrong called out the lander’s elevation. And finally, he spoke those immortal words, “Houston ..read more