The post Hang Ten: Counter Surfing in Cats by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Hi‚ I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats‚ Pancake and Tiller. Do you have a Kelly Slater at home? A feline Kelly Slater? Cats on counters. It’s such a common occurrence in the feline world that it’s even garnered its own term: counter surfing. And it’s apparently so appealing‚ that even some dogs are joining in on the fun… If you own a cat‚ counter-surfing is often all too common. Cats‚ after all‚ are still considered recently domesticated‚ and retain many of their natural instincts. These instincts include retreating to different heights for sleeping and playing‚ which can provide a sense of security‚ while also allowing a better vantage point‚ and increasing active behaviors. Studies on preference for scratching posts show that cats prefer vertical posts to horizontal scratch pads.1 And current trends in environmental enrichment promote vertical spaces‚ as they effectively increase a cat’s territory‚ especially within limited spaces‚ such as for pet cats that are housed predominantly indoors.2 This can include elevated beds‚ shelves‚ ropes‚ cat trees‚ and climbing poles. But‚ such feline behavior isn’t necessarily congruent with our modern lifestyles‚ when it comes to co-existing. For instance‚ neither of my cats is allowed on the kitchen counters or kitchen table‚ which emanates from early training when they were kittens. (It truly took me a week and a lot of coaxing to get a photo of Tiller on the table specifically for this article- possibly why she looks so annoyed!) So‚ what’s the deal on why it’s not advisable‚ and where is the happy medium? Tiller is not pleased to be sitting on the table… Counter Surfing: Why Not? I’m personally a strong believer that (1) cats will be cats and you can’t change their inherent nature; (2) regardless‚ cats should not put their feet anywhere I don’t put mine; (3) cats definitely should not put their butt where I wouldn’t put my feet (e.g. my breakfast toast). It may sound pedantic‚ but as much as I love cats‚ I don’t want ANYONE’s butt on my breakfast toast. And‚ there are zoonotic risks. Zoonoses are diseases that people can catch from animals‚ just as reverse zoonoses are diseases that animals can catch from people. For humans‚ parasitic diseases such as tapeworms‚ cryptosporidium‚ and salmonella are all potential concerns from things tracked onto the counter from well-intentioned cats. True‚ counter surfing is not a well-known form of zoonotic transmission. But the risks don’t end there. Cats‚ themselves‚ are at risk of dangers on countertops. Hot stoves‚ that curious cats step on‚ can lead to severe paw pad burns‚ with subsequent ulcerations and significant pain. I see it at least a few times a year‚ when working in clinics. Cats jump onto a stove‚ burn two or four feet‚ and are in pain for a few weeks‚ afterwards‚ requiring treatment. Similarly candles on counters often attract heat-seeking felines‚ and lead to melted whiskers‚ hair‚ or even burns. If it’s a cooking surface‚ sharp items like knives and breakables like glasses can also be unsafe for curious kitties. Luckily‚ there are other ways to hang ten! Alternative Ways for Cats to Hang Ten So how do you keep a cat off a counter? Or stop them from Kelly Slater-ing? Tips to keep cats off the counter: Start young! Don’t wait until your cat is an adult to enforce cat-free areas‚ and give them alternative places to replace what they seek. Kittens are most pliable for learning boundaries and good (and bad!) habits‚ especially before 1 year of age Teach your cat the “No” command and be consistent with it Add vertical spaces to your house: cat shelves‚ cat trees‚ cardboard towers Noise aversion techniques DON’T work on cats (e.g. clapping‚ key shaking‚ coins in a tin can) Squirting water is also a behavioral no-no! I’ve personally found smells to be a good deterrent: spicy items wafted under the nose of a wayward cat (e.g. chilli flakes‚ or Frank’s Red Hot) immediately after they jump up can help enforce a no-go zone Substrates (such as tinfoil or double-sided tape) can also deter some cats from stepping onto places they aren’t welcome Give them their own dedicated outdoor viewing space to enrich their environment: a window suction bed‚ chair by a window‚ etc. Many counter surfers are simply interested in a better vantage point- not so much the counter itself! Adding vertical shelves or cat trees for active play and jumping behaviors‚ to replace jumping onto a table or countertop Don’t leave tasty food items out on the counter‚ which can encourage curious cats to investigate So‚ it’s entirely possible to hang out with your cat‚ while providing them with alternatives to “hanging ten”. Tiller and Pancake are living proof! Even though those toe beans are adorable‚ they belong anywhere but the table or countertop! The post Hang Ten: Counter Surfing in Cats by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

It is eleven thousand years from now… A lot has happened‚ and yet a lot is still very familiar. Author Robin Sloan expands the Penumbraverse to new reaches of time and space in a rollicking far-future adventure. We’re thrilled to share the cover of Moonbound‚ available June 11 2024 from MCD Books. In Moonbound‚ Robin Sloan has written a novel with the full scope and ambitious imagination of the very books that lit the engines of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: an epic quest as only Sloan could conceive it‚ mixing science fiction‚ fantasy‚ good old-fashioned literary storytelling‚ and unrivaled enthusiasm for what’s next. It is eleven thousand years from now… A lot has happened‚ and yet a lot is still very familiar. Ariel is a boy in a small town under a wizard’s rule. Like many adventurers before him‚ Ariel is called to explore a world full of unimaginable glories and challenges: unknown enemies‚ a mission to save the world‚ a girl. Here‚ as they say‚ be dragons. But none of this happens before Ariel comes across an artifact from an earlier civilization‚ a sentient‚ record-keeping artificial intelligence that carries with it the perspective of the whole of human history—and becomes both Ariel’s greatest ally and the narrator of our story. Moonbound is an adventure into the richest depths of Story itself. It is a deeply satisfying epic of ancient scale‚ blasted through the imaginative prism one of our most forward-thinking writers. And this is only the beginning. Buy Moonbound from: Cover art and design by Na Kim Robin Sloan grew up in Michigan and now splits his time between San Francisco and the internet. He is the author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and Sourdough. As with Robin’s other books‚ the hardcover edition of the book will include glow-in-the-dark ink.

It’s January: for those of us in the northern hemisphere‚ the nights are long and the days are bitterly cold. For many‚ now is a season of new beginnings; of setting goals and fighting to achieve them. But thriving in January can feel—sometimes—an awful lot like trying to rise from the depths of a pond whose surface has frozen over. If you’re struggling to break through the hard shell of January into the new year‚ these twelve poems might be just the thing you need. Not optimistic but stubborn‚ they tell tales of ice and persistence in the gloomiest month of the year.   “Shelter From the Storm” – The Stupendium No gold or silver‚ coal’s the only thing of worth to me The only precious metal to our name would be the mercury That fragile strip of burgundy that ever hurtles to the deep Alerting us as Mother Nature’s taking every cursed degree… Unlike the other poetry on this list‚ “Shelter From the Storm” is a song‚ created by The Stupendium—a musician known for their nerdy verses inspired by various video games. This particular song tackles Frostpunk‚ a city-building survival game which takes place in an alternate-19th century London beset by an intense volcanic winter. With its tight rhyme scheme and intricate lyrics‚ its chorus reminiscent of a sea shanty or work song‚ this song paints a picture of hardship and endurance‚ and is motivating to listen to even if you’ve never played the game.   “Undoing” – Khadijah Queen In winter traffic‚ fog of midday shoves toward our machines—snow eclipses the mountainscapes I drive toward‚ keeping time against the urge to quit moving… There is something gritty and indomitable woven through this poem by the winner of the 2021 William Carlos Williams Award for poetry. It evokes bleak environmental fears with precision as cutting as the cold—yet even as the ice closes in‚ the narrator is determined to keep going.   “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” – Robert Frost My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year… This quiet‚ wistful poem from 1923 captures a brief moment of stillness in an unnamed traveller’s nighttime journey through the snow. What is his story? Why has he paused? There’s something eerie about this tranquil scene‚ and much opportunity to speculate.   “Tinnitus: January‚ thin rain becoming ice” – David Harsent The spirit lamp in that house on the headland could easily fall and spill and the fire burn all night… This frosty seaside scene is rich with ominous detail which truly captures the uncertainty of January. Read this poem and you’ll find yourself hearing the ghostly whisper of waves upon the shore.   “January Thaw” – Rosalie Dunlap Hickler There was rain in the night‚ a dull delivering rain That washed the air of sparkle and hard blue gleam… Penned in 1930‚ this poem illustrates the turn of the seasons: from bright‚ hard‚ sparkling ice there rises determined plant life and rushing water. And with it‚ laughter. If you’re in need of a reminder that this winter won’t last forever‚ look here and watch the first tendrils of spring as the cold recedes.   “Winter Flowers” – Stanley Moss Once my friends and I went out in deep paradise snow with Saint Bernards and Great Pyrenees to find those lost in the blizzard that God made for Himself because He prefers not seeing what happens on earth… Building on the tentative optimism of the previous poem‚ this one follows its narrator through a snowy landscape. The narrator‚ on their journey‚ is inspired into a surreal and speculative back-and-forth with God.   “Blizzard” – Linda Pastan The snow has forgotten how to stop it falls stuttering at the glass… Just as it seemed the seasons might be turning—here comes another relentless snowfall. With short‚ abrupt lines and beautiful simile‚ this poem narrates a cold snap in a way that will make you yearn for a blanket.   “January” – Nancy Schoenberger Two-faced god‚ looking fore and aft: Do you really belong to past glories‚ boredoms‚ indignities?… This poem from 1998 (almost the turn of the millennium!) marks the turn of December into a new year with a contemplation of Janus‚ the two-faced Roman god of duality for which January is named.   “Iron Burns Out” – R.B. Lemberg Sól ek sá (I saw the sun) when I was by a great grief stricken‚ tilting out of this world; my tongue was as trees in winter ok kólnat at fyrir utan (and around me‚ coldness)… In evocative‚ fantastical language‚ this poem describes the feeling of having no time to rest despite a dire need for it…of putting other things—more important things—first. The verses dance between ice and snowmelt‚ exhaustion and resolve. If you’re already feeling the pressures of the new year‚ this might be a good poem to read.   “Cradling Fish” – Laura Ma Winter storm: lightning flashes old ghosts on my blade. The metal light as a carp piercing through the dragon’s gate. When shÄ«fù still lived: she taught me that growth is a shattering of murky fins raining into silver scales‚ that a promise means swimming against the current‚ flailing up from the river to chance immortal wells… This beautiful wuxia poem begins with ice and ends with summer. With vivid imagery‚ it illustrates the shifting of relationships that comes with the shifting of the seasons.   “January‚ 1795” – Mary Robinson Pavement slipp’ry‚ people sneezing‚ Lords in ermine‚ beggars freezing; Titled gluttons dainties carving‚ Genius in a garret starving… The oldest poem on this list‚ this piece by Mary Robinson takes you back to a very specific January in 1795. Though over 200 years separate us from its creation‚ there is something deeply familiar about the scenes it brings to life in rhyme. A reminder that people have always been people‚ and January has always been January.   “Unlike objects‚ two stories can occupy the same space” – Charles Peek Out along the last curve in the brick walk the grass has begun to green‚ with the freezing cold and coming snow its certain fate… This final poem encapsulates the themes of all the previous: of cycles‚ of ice and summer locked in a dance. There may be false starts‚ and the progress made in spring or summer may feel as though it’s been undone by the harshness of the cold seasons when they arrive. But this—Peek reminds us—is okay. ***   Do you have any favourite poems about snow and ice? And what are you doing to dust off the ice at the start of this new year? Let me know in the comments. Holly Kybett Smith is a writer and a recent graduate in MA in Victorian Gothic. A keen lover of historical and speculative fiction‚ she specialises in all things dark‚ whimsical and weird. Her work has been featured in Issue #2 of the New Gothic Review.

Error codes always put a damper on our days when trying to play a game‚ and various issues can cause them‚ and it can usually be annoying to solve. One of these is the error code 31-4302‚ and we’re going to run over how players can resolve this code within Genshin Impact. Genshin Impact: How to fix error code 31-4302 Genshin Impact has easily become one of the world’s most recognizable games over the years‚ and it’s easy to see why. The always online title has ample content for players to dive into‚ but this can all be interrupted thanks to pesky error codes. Error code 31-4302 has been plaguing players for numerous years‚ and it’s one of the more annoying ones that we have to deal with. Thankfully‚ there’s some reliable workaround related to this code‚ as the routeing problem of the error is more than likely related to Genshin’s files. While uninstalling and reinstalling the game is perhaps the most drastic solu...

Now that we know more information than ever about Diablo 4 Season of the Construct‚ we can tell you about all the nice quality-of-life updates arriving. With each new Season comes exciting features‚ but smaller updates and changes can be exciting as well. Here’s everything you need to know about these updates. Diablo 4 Season 3: All quality-of-life updates and changes According to a new Blizzard blog post detailing information about Season 3‚ there are a bunch of changes coming that’ll make life easier for you. Although we’re a few days behind the patch notes reveal‚ here are all the quality-of-life updates coming to Diablo 4 Season of the Construct that we know about. Image: Blizzard First off‚ a feature many players have been asking Blizzard for is W-A-S-D movement. Normally while playing on PC‚ you need to use your mouse to move your character. Finally‚ PC players will get the chance to use the W-A-S-D keys to move their cha...

After defeating the four main Bishops in Cult of the Lamb‚ you’ll break the last seal that leads to the central chamber. There‚ you have the opportunity to face off against the game’s ultimate challenge. Here’s our Cult of the Lamb final boss guide to help you defeat The One Who Waits and see the possible endings of the campaign. Cult of the Lamb final boss and endings guide – How to beat The One Who Waits There are several milestones you must meet before taking on the final boss in Cult of the Lamb. One is defeating all four Bishops. The other is having 20 Followers. Related: How to start the Cult of the Lamb Sins of the Flesh DLC Although the central doorway will have its seal broken‚ you won’t be able to go to the final area until you have 20 Followers. I recommend buying Followers from the spider in the main lobby before selecting a dungeon. That‚ or go on a dungeon run and choose the path with the most interactions wi...

If you’ve learned a bit more about Season of the Construct for Diablo 4‚ have you heard about all the new Governing and Tuning Stones coming? Well‚ if you haven’t‚ these little Stones can help augment your Seneschal Companion and make it stronger. There are many different types of these Stones‚ so here they all are. Diablo 4 Season 3: All Governing and Tuning Stones We now know a lot more about this Season before it has even begun due to this helpful blog post. During Season 3’s duration‚ you’ll get the chance to have a little robot companion follow you around. But it needs some upgrades‚ so if you’re preparing to go hunting‚ here are all the Governing and Tuning Stones in Diablo 4 Season of the Construct. Image: Blizzard Governing Stones You can equip two Governing Stones to your Seneschal Companion‚ and each one will give your robot a different attack or ability. There are a few different ways you come across t...

The Sharran Sanctuary is a small location you can find within the Shadowlands‚ so don’t feel bad if you haven’t found it. We’ll let you know how you can find and enter the Sharran Sanctuary in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is very easy to miss if you aren’t paying close attention to the area. But it’s well worth going to find some extra insight into Shar and for an opportunity to gain approval from Shadowheart. Baldur’s Gate 3: Solving the Sharran Sanctuary puzzle First things first‚ in order to get inside the Sharran Sanctuary in Baldur’s Gate 3 we need to solve a little puzzle. Luckily we’ve already covered where you need to go and what to do. So be sure to check out our guide on solving the plaque puzzle before moving on. Once inside‚ you’ll be greeted with a spiral staircase and an ominous statue of Lady Shar herself below. But there’s not much to do in this room that’s immediately...

Seventy-five years ago‚ as both the Cold War and aviation technology were ramping up‚ the newly formed United States Air Force wanted to show the world the reach of its air arsenal. The recent development of functional mid-air refueling techniques by the British allowed Strategic Air Command’s commander General Curtis LeMay to demonstrate to both friends and foes that long-haul bombing missions of almost unlimited length and duration were now possible. On February 26‚ 1949‚ Lucky Lady II‚ a SAC B-50A bomber commanded by Captain James Gallagher‚ took off from Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth‚ Texas‚ in an attempt to become the first airplane to fly nonstop around the world. Gallagher’s expanded crew of 14 included three pilots who rotated in four- to six-hour shifts‚ while an extra fuel tank located in the bomb bay increased the airplane’s range. Four mid-air refuelings from KB-29M tankers—over the Azores‚ Saudi Arabia‚ the Philippines and Hawaii—allowed Lucky Lady II to stay aloft for 23‚452 miles over 94 hours and one minute before returning to Carswell on March 2. The day after Lucky Lady II landed‚ the New York Times commented‚ “Wings have brought us far since Magellan’s ship Vittoria took about 1‚000 days to make the first circumnavigation in 1519-22.” (That was four days for Lucky Lady II versus two years and nine months for Magellan.) Gallagher and his crew were each awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the flight won that year’s Mackay Trophy. Heady days indeed—but there was a cost. Overshadowed amid the celebration was the fact that the third refueling tanker had encountered storms on its return route and had crashed over the Philippines on March 1. All nine servicemen aboard lost their lives. Soon after its record-breaking flight‚ Lucky Lady II suffered serious damage in a belly landing and was dismantled. By the late 1960s‚ the surviving fuselage had made its way to the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino‚ California‚ which still displays this singular piece of aviation history. this article first appeared in AVIATION HISTORY magazine See more stories Subscribe now