Before the flight to his new home in California, Jack the cat escaped from his travel carrier and disappeared into John F. Kennedy Airport. The airline organized searches and put out food, and animal lovers all over the world helped in any way they could, from performing their own searches of the airport and nearby neighborhoods to getting word out to employees of nearby businesses and other airlines. We’re happy to report that Jack has been found. In two months, he apparently never left the airport. [More]
actually about cats
Buy Cat Food By The Case At Walmart, Pay More
By 10.21.11
Comparing prices between different brands of canned cat food, Gabe made a discovery at Walmart: it’s cheaper to buy individual cans of Friskies cat food than to buy a case of 24 cans. Buying in bulk is supposed to be cheaper for the consumer, but maybe Walmart has imposed a convenience charge for encasing all of those cat food cans in cardboard. [More]
Watch Out For Petco's Fuzzy Kitty Litter Math
By 10.6.11
Just because something is on sale, even a sale only available to holders of a store’s discount card, that doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. Want a real-life example? Here, the sale price of a container of cat litter is higher than the sale price of a container that’s actually larger. Fuzzy math, or subtle bias against customers who aren’t able to carry a 31-pound box? [More]
Do Not Body-Pierce Kittens And Sell Them As 'Goth'
By 6.16.11
Cats are born equipped with defiant attitudes, night vision, and claws, so it doesn’t take anything more to make them “goth.” At least I always thought so. A Pennsylvania woman with kittens to sell had different ideas. She gave the animals ear and neck piercings, docked their tails, and then pierced their tail nubs. Why? She thought it would look “neat.” Then she listed them on eBay for $100, until PETA and the local ASPCA noticed and came calling. She was convicted of animal cruelty, and the Superior Court of Pennsylvania recently affirmed her sentence and conviction on the grounds that no one could possibly be stupid enough to think that this was a good idea. I paraphrase. [More]
Friskies Debuts Free iPad And Android Games For Your Cat
By 6.3.11
It’s a scientifically proven fact that cats love iPads, or at least love to smack things around that move. A few app developers have capitalized on this trend, making games specifically designed for cats. Some cats think that touchscreens are the greatest thing since feathers on a stick. Supposedly, touchscreens are tougher than claws, so the devices won’t be damaged. In a brilliant marketing move, Purina, maker of Friskies, ran with this idea and has created free Android Tablet and iPad games for felines.
[More]
UK Ad Predicts Feline Evolution, Rise To Power
By 3.8.11
Fans know that The Consumerist is the place to go for consumer advocacy, money-saving tips, and news about the oddities of global capitalism. But we also work hard to prepare our readers for the coming rise to power of our feline overlords. This UK milk commercial combines slightly off CGI with a warning about what we’re in for when cats finally evolve opposable thumbs. [More]
Wellness Recalls Canned Cat Food For Low Thiamine Levels
By 3.3.11
Wellness is a higher-end brand of dog and cat food that’s now even carried at Petsmart. After discovering that some flavors didn’t contain enough thiamine (Vitamin B1), an absolutely essential nutrient for cats, the company announced a voluntary recall of all canned cat food manufactured between certain dates. [More]
Hairless Kitten Freezes To Death After Trip In Delta Cargo Hold
By 1.27.11
Snickers, an eleven-week-old hairless kitten, flew from from a breeder in Utah to her new home in Connecticut in the supposedly climate-controlled cargo hold of a Delta Airlines plane. Her new family paid the airline $70 extra so she would be removed immediately. Instead, she sat under the plane for about 50 minutes, on a 10 degree Fahrenheit evening. When she finally met her family, she showed symptoms of severe hypothermia. They tried to warm her up and rushed to a vet, but it was too late. [More]
Yes, You Can Buy A Chia Pet For Your Pet
By 12.9.10
I wanted to file this under “new and exciting products,” but it’s not new. Just new to us. Sure, you can buy c-c-c-cat grass and grow it at home any number of ways, but do those other ways come with annoying commercials? THEY DO NOT. [More]
Ultra Pet Rewards Loyal Customer Generously For Kitty Litter Complaint
By 8.25.10
Liz writes that she tried a different type of cat litter from UltraPet, the manufacturer of her regular brand. The new litter didn’t work as well as advertised, and she contacted the company about the issue. They offered her a refund or a free bag of her regular litter, but she couldn’t produce the original receipt. Liz didn’t expect that the company would send along something better instead. [More]
