'Keeping our borders secure'

The problem‚ of course‚ is the double standard

A Hamilton County‚ New York driver hit a supposed Bigfoot that was carrying a deer along Route 8 in July 2014. The incident was never reported to the police.I received the following account:“Hello. I was driving home through the mountains from a concert on July 11th‚ 2014 on Route 8 in Hamilton County‚ New York. It was 12:37 AM. I hit a creature that was carrying a deer with my car. My car was damaged from the hood to the rear by this creature and I know it was at least injured and its DNA may have been on my car.The speed limit was 55 and I was not able to stop in time when I saw the creature who was carrying a deer about to step into the road. I hit the brakes but I was only able to slow down before impact. I did not really believe in Bigfoot before that night and I'm still shaken up and I have not been able to share this story with anyone. I wanted to stop and see if the creature was okay but I was scared out of my wits to stop and get out of the car.The creature was huge‚ at least 7 and 1/2 ft tall. I've seen drawings and such of Bigfoot and this creature looks similar but had white around its hairline and its fur was dark brown almost black.I'm shaking writing this and I'm in such disbelief that this happened to me. I didn't even report the accident to the police and I didn't know what to tell my insurance company. My car was totaled. The creature crushed my windshield wipers together broke many pieces off the passenger side and left smears of dirt and blood all over the rear window.Please keep my name out of the post. Thanks.”NOTE: I'm going back through the police logs for that date to see if anything was reported.This is not the only cryptid account that I have received from Hamilton County‚ New York:A hunter in upstate New York encounters 2 large-headed quadruped coyote-like dogs that literally transform into 8-foot-tall upright canines with green eyes.The following account was recently forwarded to me:I was staying with my brother and father at a cabin on a hunting retreat in the upper part of New York state near Speculator. We had gone out there to hunt deer during the 2016 black powder season.I was up late‚ sharpening knives for the dressing and cooking of anything we managed to take. It was about 2 am and I was getting ready to go to sleep once I finished the last knife. I saw the security light outside flick on and got up to go look at what it was. You’re not allowed to take deer at night‚ but I figured there was no harm in just looking at one‚ seeing which way it went‚ so we could track it tomorrow. And if it wasn’t a deer‚ it would still be nice to see the local wildlife before I retired for the night.So I look out the window‚ and I see these two big‚ coyote-looking dogs with HUGE heads outside‚ on all fours. I initially thought they were coywolves‚ a hybrid between a coyote and a large dog‚ which happens sometimes in this area. So I watch these things sniff around. We had grilled some hot dogs earlier. They must have come looking for the smell. I watch them for a few minutes‚ and then one of them does this weird‚ jittering motion. It sort of stretched its hind legs out one at a time‚ and even through the glass‚ I could hear a popping sound. A really horrible noise.This thing did one leg‚ then the other‚ and then it sort of rolled its shoulders‚ made another popping sound‚ and stood up on its hind legs! We had put our bags of deer scent and stuff into the tree. Like you would keep bears out of it‚ tied up into the tree. It reaches up‚ grabs at the bag‚ and pulls it down.The thing rips it open and tears through it. It finds the deer urine in there and sniffs it‚ then seems almost angry‚ and throws it into the wall of the cabin. At this point‚ it spots me. This thing looks at me‚ locks eyes‚ and the second one stands up on its hind legs! They look at me for a few seconds‚ staring me down. I literally thought I was going to die.They seemed angry I had seen them‚ or upset about it. They turned and ran off‚ still on their hind legs.I broke down crying‚ locked myself in the bathroom‚ and refused to leave the cabin for the rest of the trip. I stayed there and dressed and cooked the deer‚ I wouldn’t go outside and actually covered the window in my bedroom because I was convinced I was going to wake up to one of them staring in at me.I estimate both creatures at about 8 to 8 and a half feet tall. I couldn’t see genitals on either of them. They had green luminous eyes and were colored like coyotes‚ tan with grey on the back and white or cream bellies. They had tufts on the end of the ears‚ like a bobcat. Long tails‚ like a wolf’s tail‚ fluffy like that" Name withheldThe Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of CrueltyOperation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to AmericaHaunted Hills and Hollows: What Lurks in Greene County‚ PennsylvaniaArea 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military BaseThe Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War (Civil War Trilogy)Monsters Among Us: An Exploration of Otherworldly Bigfoots‚ Wolfmen‚ Portals‚ Phantoms‚ and Odd PhenomenaA Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid CreaturesALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSAlligators in the sewer myth is true: City workers find out in jaw-dropping videoElectric Eels Can Zap DNA Into Nearby Animals‚ Shocking Study FindsCHICAGO/LAKE MICHIGAN MOTHMAN UPDATE W/ TOBIAS WAYLAND - LIVE Chat - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREThe secretive X-37B space plane is headed back into orbit with a boost from SpaceXBoy Mauled to Death by Dogs Before SchoolPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

On 18 April 1943‚ four teenage boys from nearby Stourbridge‚ Robert Hart‚ Thomas Willetts‚ Bob Farmer‚ and Fred Payne‚ were in the woods poaching. It was a chilly spring day in the rural Midlands area of England. They came upon an old hollow elm tree and decided it would be an ideal place to search for birds’ nests. Bob Farmer attempted to clamber up into the tree‚ but as he glanced down inside the hollow trunk he suddenly saw the empty eye-sockets of a whitened skull‚ staring up at him from among the twisted branches.At first‚ he didn’t realize what he was looking at and thought it must belong to an animal‚ possibly an opossum. But as he pulled the skull out from the gnarled branches and saw a small patch of rotting flesh on the forehead‚ the remains of some hair‚ and metal fillings in the teeth he realized what he’d found. The boys panicked...they were on the land illegally‚ after all‚ and were afraid of being punished for trespassing. They vowed to forget their grisly find and tell no one.After hours of hand-wringing the youngest boy‚ Tommy Willetts‚ felt uncomfortable about keeping such a secret and decided to tell his father what they’d found. Naturally‚ his father then told the Worcestershire County Police‚ who went to the site the following morning. Inside and around the old tree they found not only the human skull but an almost complete skeleton‚ a crêpe-soled shoe‚ and some fragments of rotted clothing. During a careful search of the surrounding undergrowth‚ a severed hand from the body was also discovered buried nearby.The task of examining the body fell to Prof James Webster‚ then head of the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory in the West Midlands. After a detailed examination at the lab at Birmingham‚ Professor Webster ascertained that the woman was probably about 35 years old and five feet tall. She had mousy brown hair and a malformed lower jaw. There was a cheap gold wedding ring‚ no more than four years old‚ and she had given birth at least once. He estimated that she had been dead for at least 18 months before she was found.There were no marks of disease or violence on the body‚ but her mouth had been stuffed with taffeta and one hand had been severed and buried at the foot of the tree. The coroner declared the cause of death asphyxiation and estimated the time of death to be around October of 1941‚ a year and a half before her body’s discovery. He stated that the woman was probably murdered and then pushed into the hole while still warm‚ as the body would not have fitted into the hollow trunk after rigor mortis had set in.Professor Webster was able to reconstruct almost exactly what the woman had been wearing at the time of her murder‚ and it was then possible for the police to issue a description that must have been very close to the actual appearance of the mystery woman.Most of the investigators thought it would only be a matter of time before she was identified. But the most unusual detail was that despite exhaustive searches through dental records‚ no trace of the woman was found. Even after a description of the woman and the specific irregularities of her lower jaw was published in dentists’ journals‚ and even though she’d had a tooth taken out from the right side of her lower jaw within a year of her death‚ there was no response. The only thing that the police were fairly certain of was that the woman was a stranger to the area. There were no local missing persons whose description matched that of the victim. As well‚ only one clue came from anyone in the vicinity of Hagley.This clue was in the form of a report from the executive of an industrial company. In July 1941‚ he had been walking to his lodgings in Hagley Green‚ when he heard a woman’s screams coming from Hagley Wood. A couple of minutes later he met a schoolteacher walking in the opposite direction who had also heard the screams. The men phoned the police who arrived and searched Hagley Wood‚ but nothing was found. This incident was exactly 20 months before the body was discovered‚ and‚ considering the pathologist’s estimate that the woman had been dead for at least 18 months before she was found‚ seemed extremely promising. However‚ as with many clues in what the press were now calling the “Tree Murder Riddle‚ it was to lead nowhere.Around Christmas 1943‚ graffiti began to appear on the walls of empty buildings in various parts of the West Midlands area.The first message‚ written in large blocky letters in white chalk‚ said WHO PUT LUEBELLA DOWN THE WYCH-ELM? In the following weeks‚ the graffiti changed into WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM?...and so it has remained for over six decades.Though the graffiti seemed to be the work of a hoaxer‚ there was the slim possibility suggested by the slogans that somebody knew something about the crime. Appeals for the mysterious graffitist to contact the police proved futile‚ though the messages continued to appear‚ and have so‚ intermittently up until the present time. However‚ the immediate result at the beginning of 1944 was that the unknown woman was given a nickname that even the police adopted.There were and still are many theories as to the identity of ‘Bella’ and the mystery of her murder. But perhaps the most controversial was put forward at the time by Professor Margaret Murray‚ of University College‚ London. She was a respected anthropologist‚ archaeologist‚ and Egyptologist‚ but her theories on the origins and organization of witchcraft‚ with her suggestion that it pre-dated Christianity‚ were controversial‚ and not taken seriously by many of her colleagues.Professor Murray drew attention to the fact that the hand was missing from the skeleton when found and suggested it was the sign of a black magic execution. She linked it with ‘The Hand of Glory’‚ traditionally obtained in the dead of night when it would be cut from the body of an executed criminal hanging from the gibbet or gallows. The hand was supposed to possess powerful magic and was used to protect its owner from evil spirits‚ to reveal where the treasure was buried or even to put people to sleep. She also drew attention to the ‘ancient tradition’ that the spirit of a dead witch could be prevented from causing any more harm by being imprisoned in the hollow of a tree. Inevitably no evidence was ever found to back this up and some people believed that an animal could have been responsible for removing the hand from the skeleton.Another major theory‚ somewhat less extreme than the witchcraft explanation‚ and with a little more evidence to support it‚ emerged ten years after the discovery of the body and came in the form of a letter to the Midlands newspaper The Wolverhampton Express and Star. The letter was sent to the columnist Lt. Col. Wilfred Byford-Jones‚ who in November 1953‚ had written a series of articles on the Hagley Wood murder. The mysterious person who sent the letter claimed to have information about the murder and signed herself ‘ANNA‚ Claverley’. According to this “Anna”‚ Bella was actually a foreign spy who had been part of a ring scouting out munitions factories in the area and reporting back to the Luftwaffe. The murder victim‚ ‘Anna’ claimed‚ was a Dutch woman who had arrived in England illegally about 1941 and had become involved in these activities. She had accidentally learned too much about a British officer who was a mole involved in the spy ring. To guarantee her silence‚ the officer and another spy killed Bella before dumping her body in the woods. The letter named the British officer involved‚ but he was discovered to have died insane in 1942.Eventually when Byford-Jones and the police met ‘Anna’ they learned that the officer involved had been a close relative connected to a spy ring selling secrets to Germany. According to Byford–Jones‚ some of Anna’s facts were subsequently verified‚ and apparently‚ both MI5 and the police investigated her claims. Richard Deacon in his book‚ 'Murder by Witchcraft: A Study of the Lower Quinton and Hagley Wood murders' mentions that there was contact with an ex-Nazi called Herr Franz Rathgeb‚ who had spent time in the English Midlands during the war‚ and knew a German agent named Lehrer who had a girlfriend also working a German spy. She was a Dutchwoman possibly called Clarabella Dronkers‚ who had lived in Birmingham‚ was about 30‚ and had irregular teeth. It is a known fact that a Dutchman named Johannes Marinus Dronkers was executed for spying by the British in December 1942‚ but whether there was ever a Clarabella Dronkers has never been proven.Rumors that two German parachutists had landed and vanished in the Hagley area early in 1941 seemed to add more weight to the ‘spy’ theory. It all sounded somewhat promising when all of this came to light. The public became convinced that Bella had either been a spy or mixed up with spies. And when it emerged that her skeleton had disappeared from the Birmingham University Medical School‚ an outcry of conspiracy and cover-up began...though no proof was ever presented. Certainly‚ if she was discovered spying for Germany by the British she would have been arrested and questioned and not executed and stuffed in a tree.There were other theories‚ of course‚ that Bella was a prostitute who had picked up the wrong 'john' - that she had been a refugee fleeing the Blitz and had met a rapist in the woods - that she was a gypsy murdered by her tribe for some horrible misdeed. But for the people around Hagley Woods‚ the first two theories still held the most weight.However‚ if Bella was a local woman sheltering from the blitz‚ then some clues should have turned up to her identity by now‚ either from relatives attempting to locate her or from relevant dental records‚ but nothing has ever been found‚ and it seems no-one knew anything about her.The case is still open‚ though it has long since gone cold. With the body missing and over six decades between the murder and today‚ the only clear thing is that the chances of anyone uncovering Bella’s true identity and that of her murderer are so slim as to be impossible. Just as we may never be sure of Jack the Ripper’s identity‚ so too will Bella become a figure of myth and folklore.But the mystery of Bella will not rest so lightly it seems. On August 18‚ 1999‚ a 200-year-old stone obelisk on the Hagley Hall estate was found one morning covered in graffiti in tall white letters‚ ‘WHO PUT BELLA IN THE WYCH ELM?'Sources:brian-haughton.comcriminalelement.commysteriousbritain.co.ukparanormaldatabase.comforteantimes.commysteriouspeople.comBBCThe Science of Evil: On Empathy and the Origins of CrueltyOperation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to AmericaHaunted Hills and Hollows: What Lurks in Greene County‚ PennsylvaniaArea 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military BaseThe Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War (Civil War Trilogy)Monsters Among Us: An Exploration of Otherworldly Bigfoots‚ Wolfmen‚ Portals‚ Phantoms‚ and Odd PhenomenaA Menagerie of Mysterious Beasts: Encounters with Cryptid CreaturesALIEN DISCLOSURE: EXPERIENCERS EXPOSE REALITY - AudiobookRegister a SNAP EBT CardTHE MEME HUMANOIDS: MODERN MYTHS OR REAL MONSTERS - AudiobookTry Audible PlusPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTFeel Free to Post PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS DIRECT LINKS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA &; WEBSITE. Thanks For Your Support!Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAccess Phantoms &; Monsters Posts on Twitter 'X'-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS-----ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONORDER THE AUDIOBOOK VERSIONProject Threshold: Team Riker: Division A-----TODAY'S TOP LINKSAlligators in the sewer myth is true: City workers find out in jaw-dropping videoElectric Eels Can Zap DNA Into Nearby Animals‚ Shocking Study FindsCHICAGO/LAKE MICHIGAN MOTHMAN UPDATE W/ TOBIAS WAYLAND - LIVE Chat - JOIN US! Lon Strickler (Host)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS REPORTS &; CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE‚ LIKE &; SHAREThe secretive X-37B space plane is headed back into orbit with a boost from SpaceXBoy Mauled to Death by Dogs Before SchoolPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS READING LISTCONSIDER ADVERTISING ON PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIOLET'S DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONSClick the link for our Media KitCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistPHANTOMS &; MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on Spotify**********Your financial support of Phantoms &; Monsters and our other pursuits is much appreciated. Please click the banner above. Thanks.Have you had a sighting or encounter?Contact us by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonAlso available with audiobooknarration by Terry Springs‚CBS-TV Las Vegas affiliate.The Dark Arts of MISTER SAM SHEARON - Original Prints &; MerchandiseThis blog and newsletter are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Work 3.0 United States License.Registered trademark PHANTOMS AND MONSTERS ® / PHANTOMS &; MONSTERS ® - USPTO #90902480 - Lon D. Strickler© 2005-2023 Phantoms &; Monsters - All Rights Reserved

To say young four-stringer Shannon Wilk is simply a “bassist” would be doing her a disservice. Sure‚ she’s young‚ but her resume is already beginning to sprawl‚ as she’s not only shared the stage with some of her formative heroes‚ such as Steve Brown‚ Pat Travers‚ C.J. Snare‚ and Stevie D‚ but also interviewed the likes of Nita Strauss‚ and Lzzy Hale as an aspiring music journalist. But that’s not all; ever-creative‚ Wilk not only scribes about rock and metal‚ but she snaps photos‚ too. That said‚ Wilk’s greatest strength is her creativity‚ which oozes from her good-time‚ old-school approach The post Shannon Wilk: 10 Albums That Changed My Life appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

A 49-year-old recently had to live with friends so she could afford to continue her studies when her rent rose. But she’s just won the keys to a stunning Chelsea townhouse worth a whopping 5 million in West London. She’s the latest winner of a charity draw organized by Omaze—after buying a ticket for the […] The post Student Nurse Had to Couch Surf for Housing–But She Just Won a $5M Home in London appeared first on Good News Network.

The post How to Throw a Cat Birthday Party for Your Kitty: Fun Tips &; Ideas by Crystal Uys 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’s time to break out the party hats! Your cat is turning a year older‚ so what better cause to celebrate? You may wonder how you can throw a party for your cat since human parties and cat parties don’t look 100% the same (depending on how you like to party‚ of course!). Our advice is to determine what your cat likes before planning a party. But if you’re looking for inspiration so you can throw the greatest cat birthday party of all time‚ we have you covered. In this article‚ we’ll give you five tips to throw the best cat birthday party ever. Before You Start Before the day of your cat’s birthday party‚ there are a few factors that you should keep in mind. Namely‚ you should prioritize your cat’s comfort and learn to manage your expectations. Consider Your Cat’s Comfort When planning a party to celebrate your cat‚ think of what will truly cause your cat to feel loved and appreciated. While you may be tempted to invite several friends and family to honor your cat’s birthday‚ the heartwarming party may be anxiety-inducing. From your cat’s perspective‚ their calm‚ peaceful home has suddenly been invaded by loud‚ large strangers! As the birthday kitty‚ all of the guests will be eager to smother your cat in affection‚ which may irritate your pet. Although there is nothing wrong with celebrating your cat’s milestones with your loved ones‚ think about how you can appreciate your cat in a way that feels good to them rather than what feels good to you. Image credit: AJR_photo‚ Shutterstock Manage Your Expectations When throwing a birthday party for a human‚ certain expectations will be met‚ like singing Happy Birthday‚ blowing out candles‚ and opening presents. When throwing a birthday party for a cat‚ prepare to throw all of your expectations out the window. In a perfect world‚ your cat would let you dress them in a birthday outfit and sit still for a thousand pictures‚ but the reality is that your cat will do as they please–and that likely means going against your wishes for a fun party. Your cat will likely go into another room when party guests come over. To ensure the party is a good time for everyone‚ it is best to go with the flow and let your cat do whatever makes them comfortable. Our 5 Tips for Throwing Your Cat a Party Planning a cat’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a challenge. As long as you consider your cat’s comfort and manage your expectations‚ the party is sure to be a smashing success! For more ideas on how to throw your cat a birthday party‚ take a look at these five tips below. 1. Make Sure the Timing Is Right If you want your cat to be somewhat involved with the party‚ timing is everything. Cats are crepuscular animals‚ which means that they are more active around dawn and dusk. Most partygoers aren’t eager to attend gatherings at dawn‚ so scheduling your cat’s party around dusk is a good idea. This is especially important if you invite other feline guests to the party. If other cats are coming over for a birthday playdate‚ you’ll want them wide awake and ready to party! Image credit: Ajlatan‚ Shutterstock 2. Bring Out the Decorations What’s a party without the decorations? To host the best kitty party ever‚ make sure you have plenty of fun decorations to brighten up the whole home. It’s advised that you use inexpensive decorations‚ just in case your feline guests get a little rowdy at the party and break things. For the same reason‚ your decorations should not include sentimental items‚ and any valuables should be safely stored away. You should also ensure that your decorations are not a danger to your cat. Decorations that your cat could become tangled in or cut by should be avoided. In addition to decorations‚ providing goody bags for your guests is a great way to celebrate. If your guests have cats themselves‚ add feline treats and toys to the goody bag so that all of the cats can celebrate. 3. Provide Feline-Appropriate Food If you’re going to have human and feline guests‚ make sure you can feed both of them. The food you offer your human guests is up to your discretion‚ but your feline guests should be given commercial cat food or freshly cooked lean meat‚ such as chicken or turkey. Any meat should be boiled and served plain. You can also provide healthy feline treats. Some foods that you should never offer your cat guests include those with alcohol‚ chocolate‚ onions‚ and garlic. They are highly toxic for felines. These are not the only foods that are toxic for cats‚ so make sure you do your research before offering a meal to your feline guests. Image Credit: Nils Jacobi‚ Shutterstock 4. Play Lots of Fun Games! A great way to keep the kitty party going is to play fun feline games. You can construct obstacle courses‚ provide puzzle feeders‚ and offer interactive toys. If your other feline guests and their owners are feeling up to it‚ you may even be able to attempt relay races with each owner and cat duo on their own team. While games are tons of fun‚ it’s also essential to know your cat’s limits. If your cat or their fellow feline guests look tired‚ overwhelmed‚ or agitated‚ it’s probably a good idea to take a break from the games and give the cats some alone time so that everyone continues to enjoy the party. 5. Give Your Cat a Special Gift There are few better times to give your pet a special gift than on their birthday. Knowing what your cat likes will be a great way to determine the perfect gift for them. For example‚ if your cat loves to eat‚ look for a healthy and tasty feline treat. You can also search for toys for playful cats or cozy beds for sleepy cats. If you want to give your cat a little bit of everything‚ you can order a pet box. Even if you order a one-time box‚ you can get your cat an assortment of treats‚ toys‚ and supplies‚ depending on which subscription you choose. Image credit: 5 second Studio‚ Shutterstock Final Thoughts Celebrating your cat’s birthday is a great way to express your love for your pet. While it can be tempting to throw the biggest birthday bash your neighborhood has ever seen‚ it’s often best to set up low-key‚ calming get-togethers with people your cat is already familiar with. This allows you to celebrate your cat in a pleasant way for everyone involved. Sources https://www.petmd.com/cat/emergency/poisoning-toxicity/e_ct_human_food_poisoning   Featured Image Credit: AlonaPhoto‚ Shutterstock The post How to Throw a Cat Birthday Party for Your Kitty: Fun Tips &; Ideas by Crystal Uys 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.

The post Why Do Cats Have Black Lips? How This Trait Evolved by Crystal Uys 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. Cats are fascinating animals‚ not only because of their silly antics but also how close they are to their wild counterparts. Domestication has only influenced 13 genes in our pets. Selective breeding has had a greater impact‚ yielding the 73 breeds accepted by The International Cat Association (TICA). They come in a broad spectrum of colors‚ patterns‚ and sizes‚ from the relatively enormous Maine Coon to the regal Persian. Among the apparent differences are the variations in the color of the animals’ noses‚ ears‚ and lips. Have you ever noticed that your cat has pure black lips and wondered why? Again‚ selective breeding is at work‚ with official standards for each one. However‚ cats with black lips can trace their origin back 130‚000 years to a wild common ancestor with the African Wild Cat (Felis silvestris lybica). Therein lies the fascinating answer to this question. Come with me as I explain more! What Is Melanism in Animals? Melanism describes the condition of a high concentration of the pigment melanin that accounts for the dark coloration of scales‚ fur‚ and hair in the animal kingdom. It also applies to a cat’s lips. Melanism isn’t always an all-or-nothing thing. Think about the color variations you see in many species‚ such as coyotes‚ chinchillas‚ and cats. Scientists refer to this trait as polymorphism for melanism or multiple variations. The benefit is clearly demonstrated by the evolution of the so-called peppered moth. Environmental pressures caused by the Industrial Revolution led to a novel adaptation in these insects that allowed them to survive. The reason was camouflage. The change in coloration made it more challenging for predators to find their prey. That also explains polymorphism for melanism in cats. Image credit: Slava Dumchev‚ Shutterstock Melanism in Felines Cats are obligate carnivores and must hunt for food to survive. Many felines stalk their prey and rely on stealth. Most are either active during dusk and dawn or crepuscular or come out at night and are nocturnal. Camouflage comes in handy for these lifestyles. It also explains the range of melanism‚ from the spotted leopard to the tabby coloration of the African Wild Cat. The takeaway message from the peppered moth case is that white makes you visible to your cohorts and prey. A cat with light-colored mucous membranes will similarly stand out when they open their mouth to yawn. It doesn’t take much to put a prey species on high alert. It’s worth noting that felines aren’t always successful hunters‚ with many only prevailing 60% of the time or less. Black lips can be advantageous. We must also put melanism in context with feline communication. Felines rely heavily on smell for a good reason. Your kitty has 200 million olfactory receptors to your 5 million. That ability allows them to detect prey from over 650 feet away. However‚ remember the typical cat’s activity period. They are hunting during low-light conditions. And felines don’t see distance well compared to our vision. Why Aren’t All Cats Black? That means a dilemma exists of being an all-black feline. Visual communication is essential‚ especially between conspecifics and offspring. Many species have white or light-colored fur on the backs of their ears to make it easy to be seen when it’s important‚ such as bringing food to their kittens. It’s also a distinguishing feature of the African Wild Cat. The placement of the light coloration is significant. It allows the animal to communicate visually with cohorts while preventing prey or other predators from detecting their presence. It also explains polymorphism in melanism with its varying degrees. Interestingly‚ research has shown being an all-black feline is a limiting factor to evolutionary success because it interferes with necessary visual communication. That’s true for wild felines‚ but it’s a different story with domestic cats. The same study suggested a decrease in the normal appearance of our pets because the same environmental pressure doesn’t exist. That’s why you’ll see entirely black cats‚ including their lips and ears. The chances are your pet follows your household’s activity pattern and is diurnal instead of crepuscular or nocturnal. However‚ there’s another wrinkle to our tale that we must discuss. Image Credit: xiclography‚ Pixabay Abnormal Pigmentation Some cats that have light-colored lips and mucous membranes may develop black spots on these areas‚ typically occurring under 1 year old. Veterinarians usually see it in orange male felines‚ referring to this condition as lentigo. This coloration is also similar to the African Wild Cat‚ supporting a genetic link to its development. The spots are not cancerous nor a cause for concern. Final Thoughts Black lips in cats are likely a holdover from the distant past when wild felines hunted the grasslands and steppes of their native land. They may have given them a competitive edge to improve their success and survival. After all‚ it’s not easy making a living‚ even if you are an apex predator. Evolution is nature’s selective breeding‚ with the ultimate goal of passing your genes onto the next generation. Sources https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1410083111 https://tica.org/breeds/browse-all-breeds https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5612713/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3668657/ https://www.livescience.com/53466-carnivore.html https://catsinternational.org/the-amazing-sense-of-smell/ https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Felis_silvestris/ Featured Image Credit: Kaan Yetkin Toprak‚ Shutterstock The post Why Do Cats Have Black Lips? How This Trait Evolved by Crystal Uys 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. 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The post Conscious Cat is Now a Part of Catster by Catster Editorial Team 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. Since our humble beginnings as Cat Fancy Magazine‚ Catster has been dedicated to being a one-stop shop for all things ‘cat’. How did we do that? We made it our mission to provide the most comprehensive feline resources available in the world. The challenge of any mission is to never stop growing‚ learning‚ and changing. With that in mind‚ we are pleased to announce that Conscious Cat is now a part of Catster. Conscious Cat: History &; Evolution Conscious Cat was founded in 2009 by Ingrid King. At a time when blogging was in its relative infancy‚ Ingrid quickly came to personify everything that was best about the art form – combining passion‚ interest‚ and a healthy dose of scepticism. Quickly rising to become a preeminent force within all things ‘cat’‚ Ingrid had a primary focus on ‘conscious living’ as it translates to our feline friends‚ i.e.‚ holistic and alternative care for our feline companions.The site attracted a dedicated and substantial following for its unique first-person narratives and expert advice on topics ranging from nutrition‚ behavior‚ grooming‚ training‚ and everything in between. Ingrid’s perspective wasn’t only well-regarded by her readers‚ but by the industry as a whole. From winning the Cat Writer’s Association ‘Certificates of Excellence’‚ to the ‘Nose-to-Nose’ award for Best Cat Blog‚ her work has continually raised the bar in a distinctive and memorable manner. What Does This Mean for Catster? As cat owners‚ we’re always looking for ways to keep our cats happy and healthy‚ in ways that compliment our lifestyles. Sometimes we feel like a different approach to a problem may warrant investigation. Conscious Cat’s content has a clear place within this for two reasons: A wider variety of content‚ including a mindful approach to cat care. Expert contributors with alternative insights. Changes to Conscious Cat Content Image Credit: islam zarat‚ Shutterstock Fans of Conscious Cat will be happy to hear that all your favorite content is available on Catster‚ so you can continue to enjoy the mindful approach to feline wellness. We’ll try to keep changes to a minimum‚ only ensuring that content is up-to-date to keep cats and their carers as healthy and happy as can be‚ for many years to come! The post Conscious Cat is Now a Part of Catster by Catster Editorial Team 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.

LEGO Fortnite has an abundance of items‚ which is a good thing‚ until you’ve got to store them all. With low stack sizes and so many needed resources‚ you’ll find that the simple Small Chest simply doesn’t cut it. Although even bigger chests will soon be desired‚ the Medium Chest will do just fine‚ and it’s cheap once you’ve managed to unlock it. Unlocking the Medium Chest in LEGO Fortnite If you’re looking to build a better chest‚ the Medium Chest‚ in LEGO Fortnite‚ then you’ll need to unlock the recipe for it first. To do so‚ you’ll have to advance rather far into the game. Upgrade your Crafting Bench to access uncommon tools to gather uncommon materials. Build the uncommon Forest Axe‚ as this will allow you to harvest Knotroot in the caves. When in there‚ make sure to gather at least a full stack of 30‚ as you’ll be needing it a lot in the short term. With this Knotroot‚ make some Knotroot...