WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO:
We’ve been waiting for spring to come, but the snow keeps coming down.
It’s great for me! But I’m not so thrilled. So I am mostly inside reading a book of poetry, while Lola is outside catching snowballs that Zoe throws to her.
I highly recommend the book “I Could Pee on This and Other Poems by Cats” by Francesco Marciuliano. Zoe’s Auntie Hanne in America sent us the book. Here are some pictures of the book:
I finished the book and I started to get bored. And my paws got cold from playing with snowballs for so long. So Zoe and her friend made us a pyramid palace that we could play in. When it was done, we pretended to be ancient Egyptian cats. That was fun! Here are some pictures of it:
FUN FACT:
Cats are commonly believed to have been domesticated in Egypt around 5000 years ago, but a grave containing human and cat skeletons in Cyprus suggests that cats may have been domesticated there as early as 9500 years ago.
VIDEO PICK:
Zoe says that the only thing that would make me more perfect would be if I were as big as a giant rabbit.
2 BLOGGING CATS 
Nymeria wants to commission a similar house. She says “It is Purrrfect”
Can you imagine sleeping with that humungous rabbit? Sounds cozy.
I had no idea about Cyprus. I read that the cats brought to Cyprus were probably originally from Egypt or Palestine.
love Auntie Hanne
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Hi Johanne, What is neat about that grave in Cyprus is that it’s the oldest archeological remains of domestic cats. But you are right that they were probably domesticated somewere else first.
A molecular study suggests that cats were domesticated at the same time as wheat and barley in the Fertile Crescent region, about 10,000 years ago. This makes sense since wildcats were probably attracted to the mice that were eating the stored grain.
From Lola & Sasha!
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The only thing the world needs more of is cheese flavored snacks and giant rabbits!
– Ana Chin
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You are a genius, Ana! ! !
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Dear Sasha and Lola,
I am writing to ask for advice. I have a friend who loves all animals, she was even an in-home designated wildlife rehabiltator for years. She has a big macho cat who has started bringing her “presents” like wounded birds and dead mice. She lives in a farming village where there is a ton of wildlife. Aside from wearing a bell on his collar how can she dissuade him from gifting her with with all manner of hunting trophies? She doesn’t want to hurt his feeling but would prefer a box of chocolates to a dead mouse on her pillow.
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Hi Johanne, There is really no way to stop this behavior, which is caused by hunting instincts gone haywire in the domestic cat. We have heard that for some people praising the cat when it brings in a dead animal will cause it to be satisfied and to bring in fewer dead animals.
Another thing you can do is to find a recipe for mice or bird stew. (We wish Zoe had done that for us when we brought in mice and birds.)
Good luck from Lola & Sasha!
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That pyramid is too too cool. I’m sure Nymeria would love to play in it, since she already believes she is royalty.
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