Caturday felid trifecta: Cat-friendly hotels; cat tour guides; cats defying gravity; vet with funny signs; and lagniappe

next avenue gives us a rundown on cat-friendly hotels if you don’t want to leave Fluffy at home on vacation. Click to read:

Some excerpts (I’ve put the names of the hotesl in bold)

In fact, the Kimpton brand was one of the first big hotel brands to jump into the pet-friendly hotel biz. “We’ve been pet-friendly since the company was founded in 1981— even our founder, Bill Kimpton, would bring his dog, Chianti, to work,” says Joe Capalbo, CHA, Regional Director of Operations, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle, Americas and General Manager, Kimpton Marlowe Hotel in Cambridge/Boston, Massachusetts.

Kimpton is on the radar of pet parents because of their lax pet policies: There is no size/weight limit for any pets; no limit on number of pets allowed; and a deposit or cleaning fee is not charged. Also, the brand allows all pets, fury, scaly, feathery … “as long as they can fit through the door.”

In a town known for Cheers, where everybody knows your name, Kimpton Marlowe in Cambridge/Boston posts the traveling cat’s name on the chalkboard at the front entrance, and the cat is greeted by name. And key items will be in the room upon arrival — think: cat beds, litter boxes, cat toys and cat treats. And, even if the hotel didn’t have a heads up, the front desk has the cat amenities on hand and will deliver to the guest room, upon request.

Chicago!

. . . . “As a frequent traveler with my beloved tabby cat, I know how challenging it can be to find a truly pet-friendly hotel where we both feel happy and cared for,” says Michael L. Moore. On a recent trip to Chicago, Moore stayed at a Kimpton property in the Windy City with Goofy, his cat.

The best way to welcome pets of all kinds is to surprise and delight them.

“When my cat and I walked in, the staff treated her like royalty, bringing her special bowls, treats, and even catnip toys. Our room was amazing — they’d set up a cat condo with sisal scratching posts just for her.”

Moore also took his cat out on the town.”The hotel also gave me fantastic pet-friendly recommendations on cafes, parks and attractions that welcomed cats, and I could easily go on an adventure together,” says Moore.

. . . . The Broadmoor is a pet-friendly resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has had at least nine lives since opening 106 years ago. The Broadmoor’s founder, Spencer Penrose, had a deep love of animals — especially exotic breeds.

When he opened The Broadmoor in 1918, wildlife roamed the grounds for the guests’ amusement, including seals, camels, giraffes, and bears. Tessie the African elephant served as his caddy when he played golf.

Fast forward to today: the hotel and its three wilderness outposts — The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp, and Fly Fishing Camp — and golf courses have resident dogs and cats that play a key role in guest relations. Also, cat guests are inducted into the Pitty Pat Club which features a dedicated cat menu with dry and wet food and treats.

Litter boxes are in guest rooms and pet walking services are available. There are also Pitty Pat Club parades with guests and their felines on July 4th weekend. The pet fee is $100 per pet/per night with a maximum of two pets per room.

, and has had at least nine lives since opening 106 years ago. The Broadmoor’s founder, Spencer Penrose, had a deep love of animals — especially exotic breeds.

When he opened The Broadmoor in 1918, wildlife roamed the grounds for the guests’ amusement, including seals, camels, giraffes, and bears. Tessie the African elephant served as his caddy when he played golf.

Fast forward to today: the hotel and its three wilderness outposts — The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp, and Fly Fishing Camp — and golf courses have resident dogs and cats that play a key role in guest relations. Also, cat guests are inducted into the Pitty Pat Club which features a dedicated cat menu with dry and wet food and treats.

Litter boxes are in guest rooms and pet walking services are available. There are also Pitty Pat Club parades with guests and their felines on July 4th weekend. The pet fee is $100 per pet/per night with a maximum of two pets per room. [JAC: that’s EXPENSIVE!}

and one where my alma mater is!

Michael Donovan and his wife recently traveled with their little boy and cat, Snickers, from Boston to Williamsburg, Virginia for a long weekend. “As cat owners, finding a place for our furry friend to stay with us was really important when planning our vacation,” says Donovan.

After doing some research online, we decided to stay at the Red Roof Inn Williamsburg. I have to say, I was really impressed with how pet-friendly the hotel was. They let you bring dogs or cats for free, with no extra fees — which is awesome when you’re traveling with kids on a budget.”

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If you enjoy making cats part of your travels, as I do, then this article tells you which cities give you the best chances to see cats:

Maddie and Patrick, two world travelers from Phoenix, Arizona, like to have everything planned for their visits to incredible places. But sometimes, they throw their plans out the window after a cat appears. They say they often “follow cats all over the world way more than we should.”

After visiting places all over Europe, they say their favorite countries for encountering cats are:

• 🇬🇷 Greece

• 🇭🇷 Croatia

• 🇲🇪 Montenegro

• 🇮🇹 Italy

The site has some photos and movies of local cats, including cat “tour guides” that you simply follow around, and can lead you to unexpected places. I can vouch for Greece, where I often fed cats bits of fish from my plate in the Mani.

HOWEVER, they left out the most cat-friendly city I know (it’s partly in Europe): Istanbul. The Turks love their cats (Muslims revere them), and here are a few photos I’ve taken over the years in Istanbul. This first photo is one of my favorites: a real cat restiong in an ancient cat sculpture

Cat in a cemetery in a mosque

Another one:

. . . and another:

A Turkish Van cat with odd-colored eyes:

A local petting another local:

This rug store owner had a good gig going: the cats lure people in and then they buy rugs and weavings. I actually bought a nice rug here:

And me feeding Gli, a very famous Istanbul cat who was a resident of the Hagia Sofia. I always carry a box of dry cat food with me in Turkey.  Gli, who died in 2020, has her own Facebook page but I didn’t know she was famous until I returned home. I just fed her because she was there.

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A video about the jumping ability of cats. How do they do it?

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From Snow Snob we have a vet who’s a bit of a wag (click to read):

The drivers passing the Carroll County Veterinary Clinic in Maryland and those who follow them on Instagram have enjoyed witty and hilarious messages on their signboards for years. It doesn’t matter what pet you have, or if you have one at alll – you’ll still get a laugh out of these!

Photos are from the Instagram page, shown on Snow Snob

The folks at the Carroll County Maryland Veterinary clinic also answered this age-old riddle which has caused debate for generations. They agree with Dr. Berkeley that it would make a noise. However, on their humorous roadside sign, their answer states that “If a tree falls in the forest and no ones there to see it, a chihuahua 500 miles away will bark at it.” You can’t beat that logic, so they must be right.

We have all experienced our dogs acting like garbage disposals, devouring everything in the blink of an eye, including substances not considered edible. For example, the plastic packaging the actual food came in. You would swear they are half-starved and uncertain when their next meal will be when they gobble the last piece of turkey you left on the counter while you fetched something to drink or when they nearly take your fingers off while accepting a treat.

Have you ever participated in the age-old debate of where socks disappear once they enter the washer or dryer? Well, the Carroll County Maryland Veterinary clinic thinks they have the answer. Their sign suggests, “If you lose a sock in the dryer. It returns as a Tupperware lid that doesn’t fit any containers.” That is one possible answer, as there are often a few extra stray lids taking up space in the Tupperware draw, and there is always a sock that has gone astray.

Here’s a cute one from the Carroll County Veterinary clinic to make you giggle. “When bees move into a new hive, do they have a house-swarming party? Oh dear, we can feel a whole lot of crazy puns and silly dad jokes coming on. Bee warned! Not to worry, though, because bee puns are good for you. They are high in vitamin Bee! Do you know what bees like to chew? Bumble gum!

One more (you can see a lot on the Carroll County Veterinary Clinic Instagram page.

This next one by the Carroll County Veterinary clinic is very open-ended and leaves a lot of self-interpretation. Their roadside sign and Instagram post read, “She believed she could, but her cat was asleep on her lap, so she didn’t.” What did she believe she could do? And did she have the TV remote or book within reach? What about something to eat or drink?

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Lagniappe from reader Jon sent in March (his words are indented):

Yesterday I went to a reception at a woman’s modest house that has long served as an art gallery in San Francisco’s East Bay. (My wife, who is now an artist, has exhibited works there.) I noticed this time that a cute cat illustration had been pasted to the bathroom door.

h/t: Ginger K., Reese, Jon