From BoingBoing we have a Hawaiian moggie who likes to swim and surf. He’s a true aquaphile!
From the site:
Hokule’a is a kitty who loves the rain, ocean, pool, and catching waves. His parents first realized he liked the water when he would choose to stay outdoors on a rainy day. Soon after that, he proved to be a fantastic swimmer who also enjoys riding on the front of a surfboard in gentle waters.
His human dad built him a little nest to sit in on the surfboard, so he can be secure while riding the waves. His parents say he enjoys being in the water for about an hour at a time. After spending some quality time at the beach, Hokule’a goes home to take a bath and rest. This cat is a be
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CNN Business has a cat-related article: it’s about a pop-up Italian restaurant in NYT called Gatto Bianco. it served human dishes inspired by Fancy Feast cat food, but it was open for only two days.
Gatto Bianco, which means “white cat,” is described by Fancy Feast as an “Italian-style trattoria,” and will be open for dinner reservations on August 11-12 only, according to a news release from Purina, which produces Fancy Feast.
The human-friendly dishes were inspired by Fancy Feast’s new “Medleys” cat food line, which feature options like “Beef Ragú Recipe With Tomatoes & Pasta in a Savory Sauce” for the cat with discerning taste..
From the news release:
Fancy Feast, the most popular brand of gourmet wet cat food in the U.S., announced today the opening of “Gatto Bianco by Fancy Feast”, a limited-time, Italian-style trattoria and culinary experience in New York City, to celebrate its new globally inspired Medleys recipes. Gatto Bianco will bring the mealtime experience of cats to life for cat owners and cat lovers and includes a special appearance by the iconic Fancy Feast cat herself. The dishes (for humans!) take inspiration from Fancy Feast Medleys recipes and pay homage to traditional Italian cuisine, with a menu developed by Fancy Feast’s in-house chef, Amanda Hassner, along with Michelin Star winning Italian chef and acclaimed New York restaurateur Cesare Casella.
Here’s the place (click on headline to read). Note that the words “Fancy Feast” aren’t mentioned.
The human-friendly dishes were inspired by Fancy Feast’s new “Medleys” cat food line, which feature options like “Beef Ragú Recipe With Tomatoes & Pasta in a Savory Sauce” for the cat with discerning taste.
Le Chef (caption from press release):
Only a lucky few will have the opportunity to try the Gatto Bianco pop-up, located between Manhattan’s Far West Village and the Meatpacking District. The experience is limited to a total of 16 guests, who will each enjoy a complimentary tasting menu free of charge. The menu was designed by Fancy Feast’s in-house chef, Amanda Hassner, and New York restaurateur Cesare Casella, Purina noted.
“Food has the power to connect us to others in meaningful ways and take us to places we have never been,” said Hassner in Purina’s release. “The same is true for our cats. The dishes at Gatto Bianco are prepared in ways that help cat owners understand how their cats experience food — from flavor, to texture, to form — in a way that only Fancy Feast can.”
This isn’t Fancy Feast’s first foray into human dining. In 2021, the company released a cookbook with recipes cat lovers can make to pair with their cat’s food.
The object of the cookbooks is apparently to allow you to dine at the same time as your cat, and eating related but not identical food.
The article above doesn’t describe the dishes, but I found that in a TimeOut article, which also included photos:
Whatever the case may be, we must admit that the tasting menu that the diners will be served sounds pretty delicious. Offerings include a branzino all’Isolana (baked sea bass with tomato, capers, olives and oregano), a dish of costine alla Toscana con rigatoni (Tuscan-style spare ribs with rigatoni), a brasato di manzo con spinaci e polenta (braised beef with spinach and polenta) and a torta di mandorle al cioccolato (almond cake studded with chocolate).
Some photos of the hooman fudz, which don’t look too shabby:
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I found this three-minute video of cat agility on Facebook. The penultimate clip—the big Bobcat Leap that I’ve posted before—is the best.
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Lagniappe from Malcolm and Divy about cat-haters:
Special extra lagniappe: rare photo of Princess Elizabeth, before she was Queen, holding a moggie:
h/t: Bob, Barry
I wonder how easy it is for those cats who got into the bottles to get back out again. Some great videos of cats doing amazing things.
Whenever we give the cats wet food (becoming difficult to find the kinds they like consistently), I am reminded of the episode of The Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon gets cats. At one point he takes a can of cat food and turns it upside-down over a plate. It plops onto the plate. He is somewhat startled, and observes, “That’s not fancy at all.” I often repeat that when dishing up.
In the TV ads, Fancy Feast is served up in a fine crystal dish, which helps set the right mood.
What a fun post! The surfing cat amazes me. I’ve never seen a cat who loves water like that. What a great life she/he has!
A fine trifecta (plus two). The CFTs are always a relaxing part of my Saturday routine.
An excellent trifecta as always – thanks! A surfing cat – now I’ve seen everything.
Video didnt work for me. I clicked over and over and it never started. This has happened with other photos on this site. I dont know why. Others work fine.
I enjoy seeing photos of Elizabeth as a person before a queen, and even as a young queen (while fixing lories in WW2 and such). The cat photo is stellar. Is that Margaret, beside her? What’s with the uptight sailor fellow? Lots going on. Thanks for the special extra lagniappe…