happy new year!

dottie started the party a little early today. whether you're out living it up tonight or staying at home with the furrkids, madcat would like to wish you a safe, happy and healthy new year full of kitty kisses!

if you're not interested in making resolutions you will never keep, check this out. goals are better than rules anyway!

now to go dress gabby up as the new year's baby....

another year, down the drain

year-end "best of" lists are everywhere. but who really cares about which pop star sang the loudest or which millionaire made more millions? rotorooter is where the cool list is, because we all knew weird stuff gets put down the drains all the time. even, maine coons.

fur ban in europe

the european union took another progressive step towards making the world a better place for dogs and cats. this fur-ban and the previous bans on declawing are making the usa look bad.

let's hope that russia, china and the rest of the world will eventually follow suit. to help make that a reality, check this out.

ping!

we have a new happy cat at monroe st. we call him mr. ping-a-ling but you can call him ping for short. he's a very striking boy with black and white markings and a goofy personality. fetch seems to be his game of choice but he's also happy to lay around and purr up a storm.

for more info on ping and all the other kitties looking to get a good start on the new year please check out the happy cat club of madison.

on dottie, on gabby, on morty and lucy!

people like to ponder how Santa gets to every single house in just one night . the fact that NORAD tracks and reports his location tells me it's a cover-up. ok then, you say - how does he do it? cats. yup, cats...

SAD kitties?

as it turns out the wintertime blues aren't just for people anymore.

want to know dottie's cure-all? catnip. lots and lots of catnip. it makes everything better!

holiday hours

to celebrate the upcoming holidays madcat has a few schedule changes. we will be open until 5:00pm on Dec. 24th and will be closed on Dec. 25th and for new years we will close at 6:00pm on Dec. 31st and open at noon on Jan. 1.

so if santa is bringing any special toys to the furrkids this year, he may want to do his shopping early.

have a holly jolly festivus everyone!

another happy cat has found his home

we are proud to announce that remmy, the gorgeous lion of a cat, went to his forever home yesterday and is loving every minute of it. here is the big guy with his new "mom", karen. don't they look great together? this is what it's all about, folks.

interested in finding your own happy cat?

rescue gabby!

being that we just got dumped on by a foot of snow we would like to extend an offer of "help" to anyone who may be stuck in the snow or who may just need a little pick me up.  all you have to do is call for.....RESCUE GABBY!  she will come through rain, sleet and snow to bring you a little comfort and a warm nuzzle.  you can even wear her over your shoulders like a high-fashion, cruelty-free stole!  so remember, when in need just give a little whistle or shake a food bag and furry help will come to the rescue!

*offer void anywhere in the real world.

ligers!

yes, they are real. yes, they are awesome.

No Kill China

In a surprising turn of events we've seen some movement, albeit small, of a definitive call for no kill in china. ''these cats, they are like our children," said cui qingzhen, a 56-year-old woman who said she has been feeding street cats for six years. "we can't let these people do this to them." this is the beginning of the snowball. thank you, cui.

in related news, here's another call for president-elect obama to install a cat in the white house. who knows? this may be the final push china needs to just knock it off already.

and now, we resign ourselves to the snow gods. may they be gentle with our feeble humanity.

2 cats are better than 1

cats like companionship. adopting two cats has numerous benefits, the best one being that they can keep each other busy so you have to worry less about a lonely kitty getting up to mischief. plus there's the whole saving lives thing.....but really, that's secondary to the whisker kisses.

contacts for kitty

just imagine what doors this may have opened up for our feline friends. quality of life is about to take on a whole new meaning. though, personally, i'd like to see dottie cat sporting a pair of hairy potter glasses; she's too nerdy for contacts. plus there's the whole "specs appeal" angle.

kitlers

we've all seen them. they are always a bit unsettling, but still cute nonetheless. now to find some meow tse-tungs and genghiss kahns.

what's your kitler story?

christmas tree kitties

tis the season to be extra vigilant about keeping the cats out of the christmas tree. here are some good tips for those of us with the most tenacious tabbies who can't resist a giant, sparkly fortress of lights. another suggestion would be to get the cats their own cat-tree, just for them, especially if it's taller than the christmas tree. that way they can look down from on high and laugh at that puny thing you call a tree.

if you build it....

.....a cat will likely destroy it.

no-kill news

looks like the mission of no-kill is starting to pick up steam! animal shelters in both indianapolis and houston, two major urban areas, are considering the switch to no-kill methods. nathan winnograd, himself, of the no kill advocacy center, is being requested by the houston buruea of animal regulation and care for his recommendations and mad skillz. here's to hope and compassion, and the dream of no kill everywhere.

meet remmy

let me introduce you to mr. remmy, currently hanging out with dottie and the gang down on monroe st. he's a gorgeous orange tabby with a flair for the finer things in life. he enjoys head-butts, catnip and lazy naps in the middle of the floor. if you think you need a little gentleman in your life then this guy is for you. make him a happy cat and he will love you forever.

snooooooooooow!

since it's snowing like crazy here in madison, today, and everyone is a little down about all the shoveling, i thought it'd be fun to show you a most unlikely video of a cat who actually loves the white stuff. what a nut!

another adoption at monroe!

good news, everyone! our adorable happy cat, chai, went to his forever home yesterday! if you are interested in bringing home your own happy kitty, check out their awesome site.

pretty kitty pictures

i'm pretty sure that if we strapped a camera to dottie's collar all the pictures would consist of would be food, bed, food, bed, food, bed, food. what a fascinating idea, though, and beautiful pictures, too. good job, cooper! can we hire you for our next family photo?

cats rule, robot cats drool

now there is no refuting it, cats will dominate the robot war.

hello kitteh!

nursing home and hospice cats are old news. now it's the hello kitty maternity hospital in taiwan! apparently the cartoon cat helps to calm mothers with her cute, yet vacant, stare.

"I wish that everyone who comes here, mothers who suffer while giving birth and children who suffer from an illness, can get medical care while seeing these kitties and bring a smile to their faces, helping forget about discomfort and recover faster," he told Reuters.

spaghetti cat

ok. this is a clip from the e channels' the soup. no one is quite certain what was going on here. a normal talk show on normal topics quickly became an internet sensation. just wait until the 14 second mark for the saucy surprise.

edit: here's the explanation for spaghetti cat. very interesting and doesn't make it any less humurous.

as old as mischief

isn't it great that the cats who get the most publicity have the best cat-names ever? mischief is the cool cat who just turned 29, that's 100 years in feline time, and creme-puff is the oldest kitty ever at 38 years old.....and she's from texas! creme-puff! what's next? mr. precious twinkle-toes? senorita sillykins?

in case you missed it...

....this is kind of a sad story. but hey, at least the deer got to get in a few punches. i'm telling you, soon the pigs will be walking. it's animal farm time.

making happy cats at monroe

we're proud to announce that since the inception of our in-store happy cat adoption program two weeks ago we have already seen two happy guys go to forever homes. first redford, the beautiful calm kitty, and then bw, the black and white heartbreaker, burrowed their way into hearts and never looked back. now we are delighted to be in the company of a playful, talkative fella named Chai. though he's fun to hang out with i sure hope he doesn't hang out too long. i'm sure there's a family out there somewhere already thinking of waking up to his furry face on these cold winter mornings.

free food for kittehs!

check out this neat site that asks you to answer trivia questions in exchange for donating free kibble to oregon animal shelters. bonus, it's good food, too. good enough to get dottie thinking of starting a site of her own. she's always looking for more food and another sucker to give it to her.

lone wolves?

it's so unfair that kitties have been stereotyped as "loners." while some may be a little shy at first every cat needs a good chin-scratching every once in awhile. even our adorably feisty miss nikki.

cat + printer = fight!

even cats have tough days at the office. this is proof, once again, that cats will dominate in the robot war. look out flatbed scanners. you're next!

giving thanks at madcat

turkey day (tofurkey day, for some of us) is coming up fast this year. since we will be stuffing our faces with family and friends madcat will be closed at all locations on thursday, nov. 27th. have a happy holiday and remember, you can even get some of merrick's "thanksgiving day dinner" for your thankful kitty!

seniors for seniors

i love this program. people helping cats help people.

"This is a marvelous opportunity to capitalize on what has been proven over and over again," he said. "That is, having animals around assists the elderly in terms of their health and mental outlook. Obviously, it also helps the animals."

robots!

we all know that in the great robot war of 2028 humans will fall to machines. however, this video makes me wonder if cats might be the ultimate victors.

no-kill stays afloat in the economic downturn

this is a testament to the power of people. the message of no-kill is one of love and compassion. luckily, those things aren't measured by the dow index.

madcat monroe - bright and early

good news! madcat on monroe is now opening at 9:00am monday through friday. so come on down, get your coffee next door, and spend a little time with dot in the early morning sun.

fast and furrious

this new toyota commercial is pretty cool. i wish i had a cool cat-head like that.

a cat gameshow?

the idea could actually be kind of cool. too bad the execution is a little off. not to mention the whole meow mix thing. i think our cats deserve better.

devious cats

check out this story on the new book, the devious book for cats. notice anything familiar in the story pic? that's right, the author's photo was taken right here at madcat-monroe, in the presence of the queen, herself, miss dottie madcat.

big cat rescue in wisconsin

check out dottie's bigger cousins at the big cat rescue of rock springs, wisconsin. they sure are cute. i'll bet the dot-ster could out-eat them in a race, though. she's like the takeru kobayashi of cats.

russian cat gymnastics

alright. this is insane. i don't know whether to be horrified or tickled pink. i can't stop laughing at the white-ish cat. his glare of hatred while riding that bike is simultaneously the saddest and most hilarious thing i've ever seen.

dottie, get your track suit on. training is about to begin.....

"like night walking"

after years of fears that black cats would be adopted out near halloween only to be tortured by modern-day witches, some humane societies have started programs to promote their adoptions using the holiday as free marketing.

i think black cats are cool because they are sweet and hilarious while being the total absence of light. they are like the black holes of catdom. how awesome is that?

no-kill keeps on keeping on

from the los angeles times, an update on the wild cat "problem" at cal state long beach. looks like the philosophy of no-kill and tnr is picking up speed despite the many bureaucracies bent on doing things the "old-fashioned way." good job, cal state!

why not a cat?

during his acceptance speech in grant park tuesday night, president-elect obama mentioned that his daughters would soon be getting a dog to take to the whitehouse. mrs. obama has confirmed that they intend to adopt a shelter dog, another long shot candidate, if you will. well now the internets has lit up with people asking, "why not a cat?" here is a petition that asks the obamas to open their hearts and their future, white home to a shelter cat, too. give it a sign and maybe we can persuade our future president to bring a washington fat cat home with him.

footsie

this is one exceptional cat. footsie works at a library in little rock, arkansas where he selects his favorite children's books with the help of a human assistant. he not only helps blind children learn to love reading but he also has a physical peculiarity that endears him to his public. he is polydactyl, and sports 22, versus 18, toes. it is said that poly cats can be calmer than their normal-toed brethren so he must fit in perfectly with the quiet library atmosphere. i'll be those extra toes make it a little easier to turn the pages, too!

election day - Gobama!

ugh. it's election day and i'm far too anxious to come up with something witty or clever so you'll just have to settle for this.....kitty boxing! it's kind of election-themed, right? two competitors sparring for a coveted title? man, am i good or what?

cats in costumes are hilarious

how are the candy corn hang-overs coming along? to celebrate the day-before-the-election, and hopefully to assuage some dooms-day jitters, i thought it would be fun to look at cute cats in funny costumes. the leprachaun kitty is my favorite!

angelo, a madcat kitty, looks pretty fierce as feline-spiderman. i wonder if he gives upside-down kisses, too?

happy meowloween!

boo! all hallows eve is upon us yet again, and with it's devious delights come some common pet-related worries. any holiday with a lot of decorating and commotion can be pretty scary to our furkids but when you add in spooky costumes and ringing doorbells it can create the perfect storm of terror for you kitty. here are some tips to help keep them safe and happy while you do your best to scare the bejeezus out of the neighborhood kiddies.



"Don’t dress the dog or cat in costumes unless you know he or she will love it. Otherwise, it puts too much stress on the animal."

as if my cat doesn't love dressing up like rambo? as if!

cats help hearts

having lived with cats my entire life i've always been under the impression that cats make everything better. have a cold? cuddle a kitty! lose a sock? cuddle a kitty! get scratched? just get back on the bike and cuddle that kitty!

well it turns out i am right, well at least when it comes to heart attacks. a university of minnesota (shout-out to my homies!) study has concluded that owning a cat can reduce stress and help prevent heart attacks. what i find most interesting is that they are unsure yet if it is the actual cat-ownership or the personality of the owne that is the key. interesting. more fodder for the cats vs. dogs people.

"If we assume that cat ownership is directly responsible for the benefits, then the most logical explanation may be that cat ownership may relieve stress and anxiety and subsequently reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases."

an enterprising young lady in new york has come up with a new way to fund local cat rescue and her methods are really sticking it to the man. she is even able to raise enough money that she doesn't even have to go out and beat the streets. she really whipped her small rescue operation into shape. i could go on like this all day.

"It's kind of funny. I spend all day as the master of men, but when I get home, I'm ruled by my cats," said Haley, who asked that her real name not be used."

in all seriousness she is doing a great job and as long as the cats are happy nobody should torture themselves over it.

in memory....

though I hate to do it, every now and then i have to report on a rather sad story. this one is a little less sad, though, because this is the story of a hero. scarlett was the brave calico cat who rescued her five kittens from a fire back in 1996 and rose to international acclaim as a sort of iconic mother-figure. she will be missed but her memory will live on in all the brave kitty mothers who battle significant odds out of love for their babies.

onion story has me all red in the face

while perusing the onion archives the other day i stumbled across this humorous story that made me really embarrassed. its about those commercials that use cute talking animals in their adds to sell stuff and how much people love them. people....like me! i know it's all a carefully master-minded manipulation of my maternal instincts but i just can't ignore how cute they are. talking cats will always put a smile on my face. isn't that part of the reason why lol cats are so popular? who doesn't love talking cats? well, as long as i never phone my sister to discuss a cat littler commercial i think i'll be alright.

"Dale, who missed a majority of the 30-second spot, managed to race back to the living room in time to see the cat's owner hold out a bag of Fresh Step cat litter, to which the sass-talking feline responded, "Meow you're talking!"

LOL!

the story of my life

this video is the perfect example of what it's like to share your bed with a cat. they are all warm and cuddly and look so cute sleeping away, off in kitty-cat dreamland......at first. then, come 5 or 6 o'clock the unwelcome wake-up calls start. by 7 o'clock the ear-grabbing, hair-licking, face-dusting and cheek pinching is in full-swing. so why do we do it? to save money on alarm clocks? nah, because deep-down we really love it.

new sabre-toothed cat discovered; dottie jealous

tuesday is science day for the new york times, so i figured we can have fun with science today, too. the folks over at science news have broken a story that should cause a chill to overtake your frail, human bones. the discovery of a new species of sabre-toothed cat, nicknamed the "cookie-cutter cat" due to its serated teeth and precision bite, had the largest arm-span of all the big cats for grabbing prey and ripping it into bite-sized morsels of yummy goodness.

“This was the sumo wrestler of big cats.”

i sure hope they don't try and pull an encino man stunt with this guy.

monroe's new look

ok, I have to apologize for not posting anything in awhile. sorry! we've all been crazy-busy with the monroe st. store remodel. now that we are done with the big stuff (like ripping out walls, laying carpet and generally pimping our store) i promise to post more funny pictures and amusing links in the coming days. for now, though, let me leave you with a few pics of what we've been up to.

winter kitties

the humane society of canada has some great tips on how to keep your furry friends safe, happy and healthy in the coming winter months. especially close to our hearts is the risk of kitties climbing up into the engine blocks of cars to keep warm. if an engine is started with an animal inside it can result in severe injury or even death. so honk, honk, honk and scare the bejeezus out of any sleepy kitties before you drive off into the sunset.

real men love cats!

this story from the new york times is an indicator that the times they are a changin'. gentlemen, it is officially cool and completely acceptable to not only have a cat, but to love your cat unashamedly. let fe-love reign!

"This line of thinking does not surprise cat lovers, many of whom believe that only pillars of virility and masculinity would dare to own one."

station master tama

this is another great tail (see what i did there?) about the positive impact a cat in the workplace can have not only on employees but also on the public. tama is the cool cat who was promoted to station master of the kishi train station in kinokawa, japan. since her arrival to the station as a kittn, tama has become quite the celebrity and is responsible for bringing over 10 million dollars into her city's economy from curious tourists and cat-lovers alike. plus, she wears a cute little hat! who wouldn't like a cat with a hat?! maybe we could get morty to wear a beau chapeau. maybe....

garfield minus garfield

so this may be a stretch as far as it's relation to cats goes, but i just had to share. garfield minus garfield is one of the best sites i've seen in a while. it's simple comedy, just remove garfield and all of his blurbs from the three-panel garfield comics and laugh at john arbuckle's insanity.

i guess this is how we cat people must look to everyone else.

hugo - the cat of a thousand faces

robo-cats

we all laughed at those robot-dog toys they came out with a few years ago; they sat, stood up, barked and wagged their cold, metal tails. i don't know about you, but the news that the defense department is building a cybernetic cat brain kinda scares me. dottie gets mad enough when her breakfast is a little late, i'd hate to see her in charge of a robot army. on the other hand, i guess the good news is that the great robot war of the future could probably be won with a laser pointer.

kitties like pumpkins, too

meet juno, another adorable madcat kitty! she enjoys climbing cat trees, playing with her doggie-brother and good old-fashioned catnip-pumpkin fights.

dottie brite!

i can't say enough great things about working with a cat. spending my days with dottie has been a fun, challenging and extremely rewarding experience. it's a great thing to be able to disconnect from a work for a second and look over at her doing something incredibly goofy and just laugh.

this story about dewey, the library-cat, is a great read.