Feral Cats Are Not Stray Cats

Dear Joan: In reference to your column about a woman who was injured by a cat, feral cats get enough of a bad rap without being blamed for behavior of nonferal cats.

A feral cat will not approach a human and will not let a human pet it. I fed a colony of feral cats in Mountain View for a few years. They would come running when the heard my car enter the parking lot, and would come close to me, but would never let me touch them.

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How To Identify Stray And Feral Cats, And How To Help Them Survive

As winter fast approaches, there is a greater need for generosity and kindness toward the stray animals that populate almost every neighborhood in the country.  This month we are helping to raise awareness of both stray and feral cats. The most important part is to share information on how to tell the difference between the two, and how you can help protect them over the coming months.

To read more on this story, click here: How To Identify Stray And Feral Cats, And How To Help Them Survive

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Violence Against Pets Must Be Taken Seriously

In response to the editorial "Man's best friend" (Oct. 13), I am disappointed that The Baltimore Sun turned people's reactions to reported abuse into a competition as to which victims of violent crimes are more worthy of sympathy or outrage. Violence is violence, and none of it is good for our communities.


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Man's best friend [Commentary]

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Man's Best Friend [Commentary]

Montgomery County Judge Richard E. Jordan was so appalled by the actions of former Baltimore Police Officer Alec Taylor that he went outside sentencing guidelines to order the man committed to jail for a year — four times the maximum recommendation of three months.

Mr. Taylor's crime? Beating a dog to death.

The facts of the case are pretty horrific. The officer pummeled "Rocko," a tiny Jack Russell terrier, with a mop, choked him and left him lying on the floor all because the pup had soiled a rug. Mr. Taylor then sent a girlfriend a series of unemotional text messages about the beating, including this one: "Yeah I think he's pretty much dead. Imma throw him out now."

We certainly don't question the judge's outrage over the incident. But we do wonder why similar outrage is so often lacking when the victim is a person.

Witness the string of costly settlements Baltimore City has paid out to people who say they were beaten up by police — charges that drew so little interest from those in authority that for years no one bothered to track which officers faced such civil suits. And it took a public shaming, in the form of a video release, to get the city police department to suspend (with pay) Officer Victor Cosom recently, two months after he was recorded on duty raining punches on a man near a city bus stop.

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Are You a Dog or Cat Person?

Everybody loves the companionship of pets. But are you better suited for changing a litter box or taking a pooch on an early morning walk every day? Take the quiz and find out!

To take the quiz, click here: Are You a Dog or Cat Person?

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Man in Thailand Braves Feces-Filled Sewer to Rescue Puppies (Video)

A Thai man believed to be a naval officer reportedly saved a litter of trapped puppies after crawling through a stinking sewer full of human waste.

The brave man inched his way through 100 meters of disgusting excrement-filled piping to rescue the tiny dogs after hearing their cries for help, according to NineMSN.

A video shows him finally emerging from the tunnel, feet-first, at the end of the daring mission.

Central Park Drinking Fountain Doubles As Dog Bidet

Why pay a fortune to have a professional dog groomer shampoo your four-legged beast when Central Park is already filled with dozens of little sinks, perfectly adapted for scrubbing your pet's anus? Like petite puppy bidets, the push of a button sends a cool burst of water arcing upward—you may have seen other park goers use the stream for their mouths to quench their thirst on a hot day! But you will use them to scrape fecal matter from your dog's matted butt fur.


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Bears Reunited After Cub Gets Stuck in Dumpster (Video)

The mother bear stood by as her cub explored a trash bin surrounded by a concrete wall Thursday morning in the San Gabriel Valley community east of Los Angeles

This mama bear and her cub created quite a scene in Pasadena on Thursday, starting off in a dumpster in a business area, then giving neighbors in their homes quite a show.

To see the video, click here: Bears Reunited After Cub Gets Stuck in Dumpster

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