​With the first cat appearing on YouTube in 2005 the accomplishments of famous felines extend far beyond the well-known humour of the simple cat video.

In September 2012 a cat named ‘Tartar Sauce’ rose to fame when her owner’s brother posted the cat’s picture on Reddit. Dwarfism and an under bite gave the cat a trademark scowl, and after a YouTube video proved her expression’s authenticity the cat's fame—known thereafter as, ‘Grumpy Cat’—grew from countless memes and newspaper articles to television and talk show appearances, sponsorships, and even a job at Buzzfeed.

While social media continues to propel the modern cat to stardom famous cats have long made headlines by other means.

In March 1996, the story of Scarlett—a cat with five kittens—made international headlines when she carried each of her kittens out of a fire that had broken out in an abandoned garage in Brooklyn, New York. It was reported that Scarlett’s eyes were so severely blistered from the fire that after rescuing her kittens she touched each of them with her nose, “to ensure they were all there”, and then promptly collapsed.

Other cats made famous by their bravery and bizarre circumstances include Simon of the HMS Amethyst as well as a cat known as Unsinkable Sam.  In World War Two the remarkable Unsinkable Sam allegedly survived the sinking of not one, not two, but three ships over the course of six months. Whilst ship's cat, Simon protected the food stores from rats aboard the HMS Amethyst while the ship remained trapped in enemy waters and under fire for over two months – a feat that made Simon the only feline to earn the PDSA Dickin medal for bravery.

As incredible as the thought of a cat in a sea-battle is, cats have also found appointments in equally astounding positions all over the world.

Since the 1500's the English government has kept a ‘Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office’ (Larry), in order to quell their recurring rodent problem. In 1963, Félicette was the first and only cat to successfully go into space. Appearing on Time magazine’s website, Cooper from Seattle has claimed fame for becoming a photographer – a digital camera on his collar allowing the cat to document his adventures. Finally this year Buzzfeed hailed the character of the cat ‘Goose’ as the star of Captain Marvel – the release of a video depicting the feline readying himself for the red carpet premiere only furthered the cat’s popularity.

It seems the ability to capture the interest and admiration of the ever-curious public is a talent the feline species has down to an art form. And as for that simple cat video? Fret not. For as of 2015 the combined view count of all of YouTube's cat videos comes to a grand total of over 24 billion.

The RSPCA estimates that there are 3.9 million pet cats across Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare from 2017 to 2018 approximately 229,000 people, “began using aged care services” with two thirds of that number receiving residential care.
When entering such care, it is a sad truth that many pets are not permitted to accompany their beloved owners. Sabine Kloss, spokesperson for the Animal Welfare League, stated that one of the hardest responsibilities that falls to their organisation is to assist elderly pet-lovers in surrendering their furry companions.

Besides the obvious companionship that a pet provides, studies have shown that animals—such as cats—have had profound positive effects on both mental well-being and the often tragic symptoms of aging.

The Australian Companion Animal Council’s report, ‘The Power of Pets’ found that professionals had been examining the positive affect pets can have on humans since the 1960's. This report—and others like it—have demonstrated the direct positive impact cats and other pets can have on a person’s quality of life.

One example is the simple act of petting a cat. Doing so stabilises the heart, which prevents the rise of blood pressure – a common health concern among the elderly. Pets have also been proven to increase morale and reduce mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, and depression.

With an estimated 49% of Australian aged care residents suffering from depression it is a wonder that more facilities do not allow their residents to reap the benefits of pet care or (at least) pet visitation.

Seasons Aged Care, a pet-friendly aged care home in Queensland, has seen these benefits in action. Pet care alone requires elderly residents to groom, bathe, walk, feed, and otherwise physically care for their animals. These actions maintain joint flexibility and increase exercise and even social interaction, as reluctant residents begin to interact with other pet-lovers both in conversation and physical activity.

For those residents who are nonverbal, immobile, or without visitors, the mere presence of a gentle pet (such as a cat) can distract residents from chronic pain and loneliness. Welcoming pets into residential care facilities is one of the only permanent ways to, “deliver a noticeably improved atmosphere”, as the Animal Welfare League attests.

At Villa Maria Catholic Homes in Melbourne, dementia sufferers have also found comfort and distraction in cats and other familiar animals. As Dementia Australia explains, their organisation’s namesake can result in behaviour changes including aggression, anxiety, and resistance. Staff at Season Aged Care have reported the incredible improvement pets have had on their residents. One elderly female—who had kept cats as pets—began smiling, eating, and talking after once again interacting with the familiar species. She had previously refused to eat or drink.
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Cats and other pets can anchor residents by providing familiarity, structure, and companionship. For the family member forced to watch a loved one’s decline, the confused dementia sufferer, or the lonely resident unable to leave care: the countless benefits a pet can provide is surely an invaluable resource to aged care facilities everywhere.

Django sat motionless in his cage and stared into the middle distance. It was as if he was trapped in a bubble of sadness and had serenely accepted his fate.
 
Despite his coat of driven snow and hypnotic eyes - one blue and one yellow - Django was not the easiest rescue cat to re-home. When he was surrendered to a council shelter in 2018, Django was about 14 years old. No one knew his precise age but he was completely deaf, underweight and suffering from as yet undiagnosed hyperthyroidism.
 
As well as losing his home, Django’s brother, with whom he was one half of a bonded pair, had recently died. It was no wonder that he appeared to feel very alone and a little lost in his ever silent world.
 
At least Django was largely oblivious to the best efforts of his noisy neighbour to, well, rattle his cage. The jet black cat in the adjoining cage clearly didn’t like Snow White being in such close proximity and hissed and spat at him at every opportunity. Django could certainly sense the war of attrition but at least he couldn’t hear it.
 
I rescued Django and he now lives in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with a much bigger but not at all noisy companion; a black cocker spaniel, herself a rescue dog, who is the most gentle soul imaginable.
 
On his arrival, Django quickly adopted a routine that Count Dracula would have been proud of; hiding in various dimly lit recesses by day only to emerge after dark to converse with the night sky or perhaps the heavens. To varying degrees, this continued for several months. It illustrates the patience that is often required of adopters of cats with special needs or those whose often unhappy former lives can mean their confidence and trust in humans is low and requires careful reconstruction.
 
It’s well worth considering adopting a special needs cat including those, like Django, who are in their twilight years. He has well and truly pierced his bubble of sadness and is now bursting with happiness and confidence. Our house sitter has dubbed him ‘noisy boy’ as he happily chunters away as if addressing a large open air rally without a microphone. He’s certainly a cat whose life, post-rescue, has been turned up to eleven!
 
Gordon McDowall for FFARQ
16 May 2019

What’s black and white, has 2 hearts, 7 legs and 15 lives left? Give up? It’s our resident
besties, Tilly and Steve.

It’s a condition of adoption from Furry Friends ARQ that all cats are indoor only. Tilly is a
perfect example of why we insist on this rule. She was hit by a car, an accident that mangled her back legs so badly that one had to be amputated. She was surrendered to the Animal Welfare League (AWL), and then adopted by another family who also let her roam outside. Again, Tilly had another altercation with a car that saw the remaining back leg broken.

Due to the cost of the medical care, she was again surrendered to the AWL, who took a
chance to save the second leg with surgical reconstruction. After eight weeks in plaster and crate rest, Tilly the Tripod recovered and came into our care in 2016. 

It was when Tilly was moved to her new foster carer’s place that she met her partner in crime, Steve. Steve suffered a bout of cat flu at around six months old, so severe that the vet considered euthanising him. Furry Friends ARQ rescued him in May 2016 and he’s been with Tilly ever since.

Tilly required a lot of rehabilitation after her second accident, and Steve has been there for
her during this time. He gentle played with her, helped her when she needed it and was
always mindful of not hurting her. This might have backfired on him a bit – Tilly is now very
confident and surprisingly fast on her three legs, and not afraid to chase Steve and boss him around. She needs the occasional assistance getting onto sofas, or through the cat door to their outdoor enclosure, but apart from that is mostly self-reliant.

Both Tilly and Steve have defied the odds, and despite their past experiences are cheeky,
affectionate and playful. They are still young cats at around three years old, and with the
right care they will live together for a long time to come. They are looking for a special
family to adopt them as a bonded pair, to love them both and give them the care and
attention they deserve.

Find out more about their personalities by checking out their profiles.

Steve's Profile: bit.ly/Steve0516
Tilly's Profile: bit.ly/Tilly0516
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#tilly0516 #tillythetripod #adoptdontshop #Steve0516