Is Your Cat Clawing Up Your Beautiful Furniture?

New furniture already destroyed by your cat? If this scenario sounds familiar, there are things you can do to limit the damage.

Consistent Training

First, even if your cat is an adult when it joins your home, you can still train it not to destroy your best furniture. The key is to start training from day one and be consistent. Discouraging the cat sometimes and turning a blind eye at other times only teaches the cat to keep clawing until you cause a fuss.

Understand that cats need to scratch to keep their claws from growing too long. You cannot discourage this impulse completely, but keeping claws trimmed will reduce the need. Buy a claw clipper at the pet shop and make sure you don’t cut close to the quick.

Your cat may not let you do a whole paw at once, so keep the clippers in your pocket and get a nail or two at a time, and be sure to reward your cat with praise and petting afterwards. If your cat likes to be brushed, follow claw clipping with a good brushing as a reward.

They need to do it

Cats also claw furniture because the stretching, flexing and resistance involved feel good. Since most of our homes don’t have mice to chase, domesticated cats have few opportunities to get natural exercise. Playing with your cat is the only way to ensure it gets the activity it needs. A daily play session or two will keep it from clawing out of boredom.

Because the need to scratch cannot be completely suppressed, you must provide the cat with something it enjoys scratching. This, as most cat owners learn, is seldom the expensive three-tiered gym that takes up most of a room. It is your job to keep trying items until you find something to the cat’s liking.

The inexpensive scratching box of corrugated cardboard is appealing to most cats, but preferred items also include a split log with the bark on and facing up, an old wicker basket, a coir doormat, a discarded leather purse or an old running shoe. Rubbing catnip on the item increases its appeal.

Chairs & Such

For living room chairs, opt for upholstered swivel rockers. Cats don’t like sharpening their claws on things that don’t provide resistance for them to pull against.

To safeguard the couch and other good furniture, invest in attractive, good quality throws and drape them over favorite scratching spots. The cat won’t scratch the throw because it isn’t anchored down, and throws can be quickly whisked aside when company comes.

Make sure your cat has a comfortable place to sleep. Cats often take over furniture because they have no spot of their own. Once a cat adds a piece of furniture to its territory, clawing is likely to follow.

Finally, don’t overlook the power of scent. Cats have a keen sense of smell, and mark furniture with their scent to let others know it’s theirs. You can win the battle for territory by misting your furniture with a fabric-freshening spray or buying a cat-repelling product at a pet store. Smells cats particularly dislike include citrus, mint and pine.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Are Converting Their Tennessee Farm into a Wildlife Sanctuary: Following in the Footsteps of Steve and Terri Irwin

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are known for living a quiet life outside of Hollywood in their Nashville mansion.

And now the notoriously down-to-earth couple are reportedly set to become even more anti-Tinseltown - by converting their Tennessee farm into a wildlife sanctuary.

According to the latest issue of New Idea, the twosome are keen to follow in the footsteps of Steve and Terri Irwin, and want their daughters, Faith and Sunday, to be raised around nature like Bob and Bindi were.

“It was Nicole's idea to create the wildlife sanctuary for their girls,” New Idea quotes grocer Bobby Saucier as saying, who manages a local restaurant that Keith reportedly buys sandwiches from.

He continued,” Nicole liked what the Irwins’ did for Bindi... Spending time in a down-to-earth place like this, in the country, is important to them.”

The happily married couple's 16-hectare farm sits in Leiper's Fork and is worth $3.5 million. It's located just 25km from their luxury $4.9 million dollar mansion in Nashville.

The stars currently split their time between their Nashville home, L.A. for work, and Nicole's sprawling luxury farmhouse in rural New South Wales.

New Idea reports that when in Nashville, Keith and Nicole regularly come into town and mingle with the locals, and can often be spotted getting ice cream with their kids or riding around the countryside on Keith's motorcycle.

The 48-year-old country singer's work schedule is about to become a lot less busy soon with the final season of American Idol, set to wrap up in the next couple of months - giving him more time to focus on the wildlife sanctuary.

Another celebrity couple with a home in Tennessee's Leiper's Fork is Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, who own a $4 million dollar estate on 126.63-acres.

Timberlake is also known for his love of wildlife, and has previously visited the Irwins' Australia Zoo during his 2014 Australian tour and even donated $100,000 to the zoo back in 2007.

Back to nature: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are reportedly planning to turn their Tennessee farm into a sprawling wildlife sanctuary.

Following in their footsteps: According to New Idea, the Aussie couple were inspired by Steve and Terri Irwin.

"Nicole liked what the Irwins did for Bindi... Spending time in a down-to-earth place like this, in the country, is important to them," grocer Bobby Saucier told New Idea.

Livin' large! The 16-hectare farm is located just 25km from Nicole and Keith's $4.9 million dollar mansion in Nashville.

In good company: Nicole and Keith's farm is located in Leiper's Fork, where fellow wildlife enthusiast Justin Timberake also happens to own a multi-million dollar estate.

Thirteen Bald Eagles Found Dead on a Maryland Farm: May Have Been Poisoned

Thirteen bald eagles found dead near a farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore may have been poisoned, authorities say, in the largest single die-off of bald eagles in the state in 30 years.

Officials with the Maryland Natural Resources Police said they received a call around 2:30 p.m. Saturday from a man who said he was out looking for antlers that deer might have shed. The man came across what he initially thought was a dead turkey in a field on a farm in Caroline County. He discovered it was four dead bald eagles.

When officers arrived, they found nine additional dead bald eagles in the field on Laurel Grove Road in Federalsburg.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the birds to die, but there were “no obvious signs of trauma with these birds,” according to Candy Thomson, a natural resources police spokeswoman.

“A working theory is poisoning,” Thomson said Monday night. She added that someone may have sprayed a new chemical on a field that adversely affected the birds. Or someone may have used poison to kill rodents; if the rodents died outdoors and the eagles consumed their carcasses, the birds could get sick too.

 “We just don’t know right now, which is why we’re asking the public if they heard anything, if they saw anything, we want to know about it,” Thomson said.

A reward of $2,500 is being offered for information in the case.

The discovery of 13 dead bald eagles was the largest single incident in decades for the state, officials said. At least three of the birds were mature, with the signature white heads and brown bodies. Two of the birds were close to being mature birds, officials said, and the rest were considered immature birds with no white feathers.

“It’s been 30 years since we’ve seen anything like this involving this many dead bald eagles,” Thomson said. “Three mature eagles, the ones we all love that look like the national bird, are gone.

“It’s sad that we have three eagles of mating ability that have been eliminated from our population.”

Thomson said the birds were tagged and the scene was photographed. The natural resources police and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the incident.

Thomson said half a dozen investigators were at work on the case. They combed the field to look for other dead animals — none were found — and sent the dead eagles for examination to a lab in Oregon, which Thomson called the “best lab in the world.”

“This is significant,” said Catherine Hibbard, an agency spokeswoman. She said one investigator on the case said “he’s never seen that many dead at one time” in his eight years of work on the Eastern Shore.

Thirty years ago, officials said, eight bald eagles were found dead in Maryland. Officials said they believe those birds may have been poisoned.

And two years ago, two bald eagles were shot and killed in a week in Montgomery County. It is illegal to shoot eagles without a permit from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

In that case in Montgomery County, one eagle was found shot Christmas Day in a field in Brookville. The bird was feeding on a deer carcass when it was shot, officials said.

Officials had said they thought the Brookville case was one of mistaken identity where someone might have seen a bird sitting on a carcass of a deer and thought they were shooting a vulture.

A few days later, another eagle was found near a residence in Darnestown. That bird was found alive, but it died of its injuries. Police said an X-ray showed the eagle had been hit by bird shot. In the Darnestown case, officials said they were worried because someone came into a residential area and was possibly shooting where they should not have been.

Bald eagles are no longer on the endangered species list, but they are considered a protected species, according to the natural resources police.

Anyone with information is asked to call 410-228-2476.

  

Residents in a Washington, D.C. Community Say Dog Feces and Urine Are Dripping Down onto Their Balconies

Washington, DC -  Residents in a D.C. community say dog feces and urine are dripping down onto their balconies from the neighbor upstairs.

Keita Vanterpool says the disgusting situation is ruining her quality of life.

"I'll smell the stench of the urine and feces. It's unbelievable," said Keita Vanterpool.

"It's limited my capacity to even open my door and enjoy fresh air. I can't have my nieces and nephews over to play because the balcony is always contaminated."

Norma Brooks said her balcony is contaminated too.

"I don't want that! You know that's horrible," she said.

WUSA9's Stephanie Gailhard went two floors up to talk to Vanterpool's neighbor about the droppings.

Paul Travis admitted to Stephanie he washed dog feces and urine off his balcony at least once.

Vanterpool said the problem has been on-going for the last six months. She even took her concerns to city officials.

"I presented the information to authorities and they said we have to be out here when he does it."

She said he pours the animal feces and urine off his balcony around midnight when authorities are off the clock. She said she has pleaded with property management to do something.

"They have this attitude of we will get to it when we get to it and we will do it at the last minute so we are not cited and fined."

Vanterpool is taking Travis to court next month. She hopes he gets the message.

"You need to stop this. It is not right you would not like someone pouring animal excrement onto you and causing you extra stress. It is just not right."

WUSA9 reached out to city officials and property management at Marbury plaza, to ask them about the neighbors concerns. So far no one has called us back.

San Diego Zoo Global Releases New Video of the Largest Cheetah Litter Delivered at the Zoo

Get ready for more cheetah cubs than usual as San Diego Zoo Global releases new video of the largest cheetah litter delivered at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s off-exhibit breeding center.

Addison, an 8-year-old cheetah, gave birth to the six cubs in November. The litter is above average for cheetahs, according to zoo officials, and it was a surprise for Addison’s keepers.

Officials say they spotted three or maybe four cubs in the mother’s womb so after the cubs arrived, they were surprised to count six cubs in the birthing center.

Addison has had successful litters before. Her most recent one was four cubs.

These cubs will stay with her for a year. After that, zoo officials said they may go to other sites to help bolster the population of cheetahs.

Currently, it’s estimated that there are 10,000 cheetahs in the world today. That’s down from 100,000 in 1900, according to San Diego Zoo Global.

A Callous Exotic Pet Keeper Dumped His Chameleon in a Garden Bin on One of the Coldest Nights this Year

A callous exotic pet keeper deserves bad karma for dumping a chameleon on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Throwing the strikingly beautiful reptiles away inside a bag was effectively a death sentence for the cold-blooded creature.

RSPCA inspector Zoe Ballard took the veiled chameleon to a specialist vets for treatment but there was nothing they could do and it had to be put to sleep.

The animal welfare charity is now appealing for information to track down the cruel reptile owner who left the animal in garden rubbish in Hastings at the weekend.

“The poor little chap was clearly very unwell and to be dumped in a bag in this cold weather is completely unreasonable and inhumane,” said Inspector Ballard.

“Like many other reptiles, chameleons cannot regulate their own body temperature so rely on the environment they are in to keep at the correct body temperature.

"They are also very susceptible to infection and they are more at risk when placed into a dank environment.”

The RSPCA is witnessing a rapid rise in the number exotic creatures such as snakes and lizards being neglected and abandoned.

Last year, it received 4,990 calls about reptiles, a 37 per cent increase over the last decade and a result of more flamboyant and fascinating creatures being offered for sale, particularly over the internet.

Sadly, for the animals, naïve owners quickly find out caring for snakes, lizards and other unusual animals is both expensive and requires thorough research and expertise.

“It is a possibility that the owners took on this animal but were unable to provide the care he needs and decided to dump him,” added Inspector Ballard.

“This poor chameleon was dumped outside in freezing temperatures and left for dead.

"This is a terrible thing to do to any animal but it is particularly harmful for a chameleon as they are very sensitive and will suffer when placed in an incorrect environment.

The fact that he could not be saved is evidence of that.”

Anyone with information about this chameleon or how he came to be dumped in the garden is urged to contact the RSPCA Inspectorate Appeal Line in confidence on 0300 123 8018 and leave a message for inspector Ballard.

                      The beautiful reptile was thrown into a garden bin.

      The chameleon was dumped on one of the coldest nights of the year.

               Chameleons cannot regulate their own body temperature.

There was nothing vets could do and the chameleon had to be put to sleep.

Drunk Monkey Chases Men at Brazilian Bar After Drinking Leftover Rum

This is the bizarre moment a drunk monkey picked up a kitchen knife and began terrorizing men in a bar.

The capuchin became aggressive after drinking leftover rum at the venue in Paraiba, Brazil.

It grabbed a foot-long knife and began chasing the male drinkers – but not the women.

The bar owner was forced to call the fire brigade as the monkey rampaged out of control.

Fire chief Lt. Col Saul Laurentino said: “It was a bar staff oversight that ended with the monkey drinking some rum and taking the knife.”

A video posted on YouTube shows the animal scraping the roof tiles with the blade before it dashed off.

Firefighters eventually managed to capture the animal after the incident earlier this month and released it into a nature reserve, it was reported by Ninemsn, which cited a Rede.

But the feisty capuchin had to be caught once again after it began terrorizing nearby residents.

Officials are now trying to decide whether to release it into the wild again or place it in captivity.

A recent study found that capuchin monkeys can have quite a temper and will punish others who get more than their fair share.

Researchers found they will yank on a rope to collapse a table that is holding another's food.

Chimpanzees, meanwhile, will only do so if they feel a crime has been committed by another monkey, such as stealing the food.

A video last year also showed a capuchin lashing out in anger at being filmed.

This is the dramatic moment a drunk monkey picks up a kitchen knife and begins terrorizing men in a bar.

Monkeying around: The capuchin became aggressive after drinking leftover rum at the bar in Paraiba, Brazil.

Locals managed to film the animal scraping the roof tiles with the blade before it dashed off.

Not Everyone is into Chocolates for Valentine's Day: Oddities Shop Sells Dead Puppies for Valentine's Day

Some might prefer, say, a dead puppy preserved in a jar.

Jason Haack, owner of Bonez by Dezign Custom Lamps and More, in Sioux Falls, S.D., said the romance-themed weekend brought several customers into his Sioux Falls oddities shop.

"You've got to have a little bit of a morbid side to you," Haack said, as he sat in the corner of his shop between a shelf of bones and a wall of taxidermied animals.

The business started in the back room of his mother's flower shop and has expanded to the front room with a section of collectibles for sale in one area of the shop.

Haack sells various animal bones, skulls and skeletons. He also has a shelf of wet specimens, meaning animals preserved in jars.

That's where the puppies are kept, in jars that look like in another life they could have held jam.

The puppies come from different breeders. They are all stillborn. None of them lived outside the womb, and none of them were killed for purposes of making collectors items.

"It's never been somebody's baby," Haack's mother Jodie Haack said.

But Haack has seen his fair share of criticism. When he posted a picture on Facebook of the puppies in jars, he received death threats, his mother said.

He saw another wave of criticism on social media after he posted a Valentine's ad for the puppies. Some commenters raised question as to the legality of Haack's operation.

It's all legal, though, Haack said.

"Just because somebody doesn't like it doesn't mean it's wrong or illegal," Haack said.

Customer Ashely Nielson became interested in collecting wet specimens after seeing the TV show "Oddities." She has purchased a puppy, a kitten, a bat and a scorpion from Haack's shop.

She's also heard people call her hobby "weird" or "gross," but she replies, "To each their own."

"I don't think people should judge other people's hobbies and what they like," Nielson said.

Nielson views her collection as a chance to give love and attention to these animals who never had a chance at life.

She said she would love to receive a wet specimen for Valentine's Day.

"That would be better to me than roses or jewelry or anything like that."

Jason Haack is the owner of Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. Haack buys, sells and trades unidque and odd items.

A puppy is preserved in a jar at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. The puppy was stillborn.

Carson Damiata, 14, shows a snake, puppy and calf preserved in a jar at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

A snake is preserved in a jar at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

Carson Damiata, 14, shows various animals bones, skulls and skeletons for sale at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

Bonez By Dezign buys, sells and trades unidque and odd items in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

Carson Damiata, 14, shows a skull from 1895 at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.

A zebra lamp at Bonez By Dezign in Sioux Falls, S.D., Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.