MSI Press Blog

    photo from Animal Friends Shelter Two weeks ago, our Caturday post focused on the  plight of animals and their caregivers in war zones .  It focused as the first in a planned series on Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza City.  Animal Friends Shelter Last Saturday, we updated the information available from Tamir and Samir, two selfless cat godparents weathering the war in Gaza City (and, of course, beyond).  This Caturday, we can report that we last heard from AFS yesterday. We know from the news reports that the Internet is not functioning in Gaza right now, but we hope and pray that AFS is able t continue caring for its family of cats, who, yesterday, were squabbling a bit over rationed food.   Animal Friends Shelter is on Twitter:  Animal Friends Shelter (@AnimalFriendsAF) / X (twitter.com) And for those who wish to donate (AFS is a charity) to help -- PayPal.Me . Now, with an invasion going on and the Internet is down, donations may take a...

  Some holidays seem destined to meet. This year, Halloween falls on Caturday, the internet's unofficial weekly celebration of all things feline. If there were ever a day for cats to claim complete domination of social media, this is it. Then again, perhaps they already have. Halloween has long belonged to black cats, mysterious shadows, glowing eyes, and creatures that slip silently through the darkness. Cats themselves seem perfectly aware of their role in the season. They appear unexpectedly. They stare at things no one else can see. They knock objects off tables without explanation. They patrol the house at 3 a.m. as though responding to emergencies invisible to human eyes. If dogs are the cheerful participants in Halloween festivities, cats are the event planners. Of course, real cats deserve better than the old superstitions that once unfairly linked them to bad luck. Today, cat lovers know what black cats and their colorful cousins truly bring into our lives: companionship, ...

  Caturday Reflections: Guardians of the Quiet Realms Today’s Caturday honor goes to those furry protectors of peace — the cats who keep silent vigil over our homes, our hearts, and perhaps even the unseen. Whether they perch in windows or curl near altars, cats seem to know where the energy settles. They follow the hush, the vibration, the gentle rise of breath. They are not merely companions; they’re spiritual sentinels. A cat’s gaze lingers where your thoughts retreat. A paw rests where the worry knots. 🐾 In folklore across the world — from Norse tales of Freyja’s chariot pulled by cats to Egyptian mythology where Bastet reigns — cats are guardians of thresholds: between waking and dreaming, earth and spirit, seen and unseen. So, on this Caturday, honor the quiet guardianship of your feline friends. Light a candle. Leave a window open. Let them guide you into the peace they already know. Learn more about cats. See our many  Caturday  posts. Be entertained. See all...

  This week, our household held its breath. Tiger—Fawn’s longtime feline companion, guardian, and self-appointed service animal—had stopped eating. No peeing. No pooping. No tolerance for being touched, let alone placed in a carrier. But still, he stood. Still, he watched over Fawn with his signature blend of reduced ferocity and unwavering command. Still, he took his daily rest break on the catio, as if to say, “I’m not done yet.” We kept vigil. The carrier sat open on the floor like a silent invitation. We wondered: would he weaken enough for us to lift him? Would he let us help? He didn’t. Not until Friday morning. As I administered Fawn’s IV antibiotics, Tiger looked at me. Then, in a gesture so deliberate it felt sacred, he walked over to the carrier, stepped inside, and sat down. No drama. No resistance. Just readiness. He knew. We closed the door and drove an hour to the regional animal ER and diagnostic center—an expensive place, yes, but the only one equipped to handle eme...