If you’re at work today, you can forget about getting anything done after reading this. I came across this simple — and incredibly addictive — web-based game called Chat Noir. You simply click on the light green circles to turn them dark green. Each time you click, the little black cat jumps to another circle. The goal is to encircle the cat with dark green circles before he reaches the edge and scurries away. It’s really tricky! Try it for yourself.
For those of you in the US, you just found your Fourth of July weekend activity.
Just a few more days left to vote for Moderncat in the “Best Eye Candy Blog” category of the 2009 BlogLuxe Awards. Thank you so much to everyone who has already voted. This is a great opportunity to share Moderncat with other readers who might like to join our little (well, not so little!) online community.
The last day to vote is July 6 and you can vote once everyday until then. Moderncat needs to be in the top five to make it into the finals. Thanks again for voting!
I’m guessing that almost everyone knows who Sockington is, but in case you don’t, he’s the famous Twittering cat who currently has almost three-quarters of a million followers. Sockington, or Socks, is a rambunctious grey and white guy with a penchant for Twittering. And he’s very good at it! I think his tweets are hysterical! Equally funny, but in her own sophisticated way, Socks’ sister Penny, or Pennysylvania, also has her own Twitter page, plus she maintains their website sockington.org.
Sockington was recently immortalized on a t-shirt, which will no doubt become a collector’s item (I just purchased mine). The fabulous illustration was created by artist Megan Hopkins.
But even more importantly, since Socks has been receiving so much media attention, he started getting requests from all sorts of animal rescue organizations in hopes that he would Twitter about them to help raise awareness. So he created a special new Twitter page, SocksArmy, where all of these requests can be posted. Now that’s a great use of Twitter! Good job, Socks!
Check out the guest post that I wrote over at the interior design resource blog The Design File. The post includes a summary of my top ten Moderncat must-haves of the moment.
Thanks so much to Lesley for asking me to contribute to her awesome blog!
Moderncat is doing well, but we need to be in the top five to make it into the finals for the 2009 Blog Luxe Awards. You can vote once every day from now through July 6! We’ve been nominated in the “Best Eye Candy Blog” category.
The fabulous Cynthia Petrovic, creator of everyone’s favorite moderncat Red Tango, is offering another fab giveaway for Moderncat readers. This time you get to put your name in the hat for this sweet patent vinyl purse with front pocket and black and white striped interior. The bag has its own metal Red Tango badge plus Cynthia is throwing in a Red Tango mirror compact and pill box.
Cynthia will be exhibiting at Comic-Con 2009 to be held at the San Diego Convention Center July 22 - 26. This is your chance to meet her in person! If you’re in San Diego stop by and show her some Moderncat love! Check out all her other creations at tangoland.com.
Making interesting use of materials as well as a play on positive and negative space, Fill In the Cat is a project by designer Oscar Nunez, presented at the website Industrial Design Served. There isn’t much information about it, other than the following project description:
Three characters disappear from large, solid white blocks, and their absence suddenly makes them important. The resulting emptiness is filled with the user’s belongings and through this action the silhouettes’ meaning shifts. The pieces suggest a continuous play between interaction and representation, where daily use generates a continuously changing story: a cat that reads Italo Calvino, a book filled with coins, a living room where birds come to eat the cake’s crumbles…
Um, okay. That’s some serious design-speak. I just think it’s cool.
These mysterious and captivating little sculptures are actually lights that can sit on the table or hang on the wall. Made from plaster, they are the creations of French designer Loïc Beuchet. I can find only minimal information at Atelier Sedap, and it is all in French, so please leave a comment if you know anything else about these.
Moderncat reader Lydia created this cool little kitty graphic based on her sassy moderncat Maddie. You can get Sassy Maddie on a T-shirt or on some notecards. Lydia even created a Sassy Maddie rubber stamp and 100% of the profits go to raise funds to finish off the cat house at Tenessee-based rescue organization, A Place to Bark and Meow.
You can win a set of six Sassy Maddie notecards! Just leave a comment on this post to enter. One lucky winner will be chosen in a random drawing on June 21.
Moderncat has been nominated in the “Best Eye Candy Blog” category in the 2009 BlogLuxe Awards. Please visit the BlogLuxe website and cast your vote for us! You can vote every day if you feel so inclined. There’s no big prize or anything, just recognition amongst peers and a chance to share Moderncat with some new readers.
If you’re a Moderncat fan and you happen to collect designer vinyl toys, then you need to know about these fine specimens from Italian designer Simone Legno’s Tokidoki line. The first two are Skeletrino and Skeletrina, the pet cats of Legno’s characters Adios and Ciao Ciao. The spiky kitten is Carina from the Cactus Friends collection.
These collectible toys are producted by StrangeCo and can be purchased through the Tokidoki website and at other designer toy retailers. (Not for cats to play with, just for you to look at.)
Granted, a cat hat is not for every moderncat, but if you have a mellow kitty who likes posing for the camera, then take a look at these beautifully handmade little hats from Etsy seller To Scarborough Fair. Hand felted designs each have unique details. The hats are lightweight and comfortable, attaching with an elastic band.
These cute cat handbags are more than just stylish, they are part of Hong Kong-based Morn Creations’ campaign to raise awareness of animal protection. The company is completely against the use of animal skins in their products and uses alternate materials instead.
Bags range from $22 to $50 USD. See the complete line at Yes Style. Thanks to Moderncat reader Emily for the tip.
There’s a new category on Moderncat: Coupons & Discounts. Keep an eye on this category to see the latest deals on Moderncat finds. Just click the category title in the sidebar when you’re looking for a bargain.
Thank you so much to everyone for your wonderful comments and emails regarding yesterday’s post! I’m just thrilled to read how much you like the blog. It really keeps me going when I hear about how many people are reading and finding inspiration here. Cat lovers are a special group and I’m honored to have so many of you as readers. You’re the best!
I have received some comments about the high cost of certain items posted on Moderncat, such as the new beds by Kilowatt Design. I’d like to point out that these beds, and many of the other more expensive items posted, are handmade using all natural materials — they are an artisan craft. I post items like this because I want to support artists and craftsmen whenever I can and their work is usually much more expensive because it is unique and very high quality, not mass produced overseas using cheap materials and labor. The prices can seem a bit out-of-line when compared to mass-produced goods, but if you consider the quality and that you are supporting a craftsman, I think it can justify the cost.
I also try to post inexpensive products and lots of DIY projects that people can make for their cats with little or no cost. I know I couldn’t afford most of the things on the blog myself, but I find a lot of the high-end items very inspiring and hope my readers do, too.
That’s what Michael, a student who lives near Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, tried to determine for his science fair project. Using a series of three tests, Michael and his mom gathered data from some of the cats at Best Friends. First, they dangled a toy in front of each feline participant and noted how many left- and right-paw swipes were taken. Next, they placed some treats inside a skinny glass jar to see which paw the cats used to reach for the treats. And finally, a spoonful of food was held just out of reach, causing the cats again to grab for the goodies.
What were the results? With a sample size of around 30 cats, 59% demonstrated left-pawedness, 26% right-paw, and 15% ambidextrous. Now that’s my kind of science project! Great job, Michael!
Read the whole story here. Photos by Gary Kalpakoff.
Air travel (or any travel for that matter) can be very traumatic for cats. If they are under the 15 lb. weight limit and can fit in a carrier under the seat, at least they can be near you, but those are awfully cramped quarters for a long plane ride. And worse yet, if they are over 15 lbs. they may be forced to travel in cargo, something I would never want to have to do. Well, now there’s another option. Pet Airways is a new pet-only airline launching this summer offering flights to select major U.S. cities.
The travel experience sounds ideal: drop off your pet at a special “pet lounge” before your flight. Pets are loaded into individual, secure pet carriers and placed in the lighted and climate-controlled cabin on a special plane that carries up to 50 pets. Pet attendants are with your pet the entire time — while they wait in the lounge and in the cabin on the plane. At the end of the flight, pets are transferred to another lounge where you pick them up. Attendants remain with your pet until you arrive, even if your flight is delayed.
The service will be offered between New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and Washington D.C. at first and will expand to other cities. The cost is just $149 for a one-way flight for your pet, about equivalent to the cost of taking your pet on a regular flight. I wonder if they will offer a discount for multi-cat travel?
