You try getting 10 kittens to sit still for a photo

We all know herding cats is difficult, but herding kittens is apparently even harder.

This man appears to be trying to line up these 10 squirmy and easily distracted kittens for a photo, but they're clearly not interested in cooperating. "There's so much to explore, human!" their actions seem to shout. "We're new to this world and would very much like to investigate what's under this couch!"

Still, it's amusing to watch the human do what he can to arrange the kittens, from trying to organize them in a line to then trying to bunch them together in the hopes that they would just disperse into something resembling a line. At one point, a kitten is stacked on top of another kitten, and neither seems sure what to do. Maybe that should've been the strategy all along.

Source : mnn[dot]com

Willie Ortiz has been quietly saving homeless cats for 22 years

For the past 20 years, Connecticut resident Willie Ortiz has been selling scrap metal to pay for his expensive side hobby. He doesn't collect trains or race motorcycles; Ortiz feeds his community's homeless cats — all of them. And thanks to online fundraising, he will continue doing so for the rest of his days.

For the past two decades, 76-year-old Ortiz has made daily drives around Hartford and East Hartford, Connecticut, to bring food to homeless cats. He makes a couple of stops throughout the day and another round in the evening. All told, it takes him around three hours. He pays out of his own pocket for the food and gas, as well as any neutering and medical supplies he can afford.

Recently, a friend convinced him to put the power of social media to work by starting a GoFundMe page to help him defray some of his costs. Ortiz was hoping to raise $5,000. So far, he has raised more than $32,000.

Help from around the world

Ortiz's fundraising efforts got some initial help from exposure in the local newspaper the Hartford Courant, but when it was shared on Reddit, it took off, with donations suddenly hitting the page from all around the world.

"I thought it was a mistake at first; I had never seen anything in my life like that," said Kathleen Schlentz, a friend who set up the online fundraiser. "When I called Willie to tell him, he was practically in tears."

According to Schlentz, Ortiz had been feeding 68 cats in the Hartford and East Hartford communities every single day, regardless of the weather or his own health issues, for the past 22 years.

What does Ortiz plan to do with all of that money? Take care of the cats, of course. Ortiz says he will use the money to buy cat food, pay for medical supplies, and pay for spay and neutering surgeries at his local veterinarian. He's also hoping to pick up a cheap replacement for his 1988 Chevy Silverado with 200,000 miles on it that he currently uses to haul scrap metal.

Hopefully, if he does get a new truck, it will be one that the cats will soon learn to recognize.

"The cats come out when they hear the sound of my engine," Ortiz said. "They know my voice and they know the sound of my engine."

Source : mnn[dot]com

Watch this cat do adorable trust falls

Cats are known for their cautious, slow-to-trust natures. However, once you're in their good graces — well, you're never completely in their good graces, but you'll at least be allowed to perform the occasional belly rub.

No cat, however, may be as trusting as Didga. She does trust falls with her human companion, and the sight of it is both adorable and heart-warming. To see a cat, as her companion points out on the YouTube page, defy "the urge to spin to point her feet in the direction falling" is pretty amazing.

Now if only my cat would trust me enough to feed her on time.

Source : mnn[dot]com

15 pets that sure look like they're smiling

We know that animals have feelings. Studies have shown that animals have consciousness and emotions. But if you have a pet, you know this firsthand.

Just think of how thrilled your __dog is when you come home after a long day away or how your cat purrs when you open a can of food.

But do our pets actually smile at us when they're happy?

When your __dog is content, his mouth will be relaxed and could be slightly open, psychologist and best-selling dog author Stanley Coren, Ph.D. writes in Modern Dog. His ears are up, his head is high and his tongue may be lolling out if he's ready to play. This may look like a happy smile.

Morty often has this contented look on his face. (Photo: hookamabutt/Reddit)

Cats typically don't "smile" in the same way, say behaviorists. They might show their affection in a different way with something like a slow blink. Your kitty may look at you, blink slowly and then possibly look away. She's not bored or tired. Instead, she's showing that she's comfortable with you, says veterinarian Dr. Wailani Sung, in VetStreet.

Because direct eye contact or a prolonged stare is considered aggressive in the animal kingdom, your cat is saying she's not threatened or fearful.

"While a slow blink does not always mean your cat wants physical contact with you, it is a way of signaling to you, to another person or to another cat that everything is A-OK and she is comfortable being around you!" Sung writes.

It's a feline way of smiling. Or maybe, like the cat below, your cat smiles too.

This kitty's grin shows off some pretty impressive fangs. (Photo: Reddit)

Here's a look at dogs and cats that sure look like they are smiling. Maybe they're happy or maybe those are just their natural pleasant-looking expressions. Whatever the case, they certainly make us smile.

If I grin like this, can I have a treat? (Photo: smartstocks/imgur)

It's easy to be happy when you're an adorable puppy. (Photo: rock12567/imgur)

This dog certainly seemed to enjoy his first trip to the beach. (Photo: rock12567/imgur)

This cat is either ecstatic or about to get in big trouble. (Photo: pregglt/imgur)

Rambo 'smiles' each time you point a camera at him — or maybe he's just showing off his pearly whites. (Photo: Agr3ss1vePanda/imgur)

Is that a smile or a funny little mustache? (Photo: fashion4ward3/Reddit)

Somebody's happy to be out in the sunshine. (Photo: jango_broughty/imgur)

This dog is smiling so big he can't keep his eyes open. (Photo: chaboijohnny/Reddit)

Odin the kitty looks happy to be on the bed. (Photo: hugo464/imgur)

This dog always smiles when he gets a belly rub. (Photo: BreezyBumbleBre93/imgur)

This dog takes the 'Say, cheese' thing very seriously. (Photo: ifinallyreallyreddit/imgur)

It's easy to smile when you look this good. (Photo: rock12567/imgur)

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Source : mnn[dot]com

Dog makes a run for it ... cage included

This __dog has probably been planning an escape for months. It's been quietly sabotaging all the other cages and changed the paperwork so it didn't end up in a walled-off section with a plastic barriers. (That poor bulldog was supposed to be in the cage!)

Finally, the moment arrived, and the __dog made a run for it! The cage was just a clever ruse to cover the escape. It was all going so well! But the plan didn't count on a resourceful human actually paying attention. Foiled!

Next time, though ... there's always next time.

Source : mnn[dot]com

Ferrets can't get enough of this game of tag

A post shared by Naruto🐝Boruto (@h.n.b2809) on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:01am PDT

Running around and chasing one another is a favored pastime of kids — who don't need an excuse to do it.

Of course, ferrets don't need an excuse either, especially when there's a plastic tube involved.

These two ferrets love running after one other through this loosely knotted length of tubing. Sometimes there's a bit of confusion — how do you back up inside the tube? where's the end of the tube? (poor white ferret wants to know) — but they always find a way.

Source : mnn[dot]com

Why Dog Owners Should Ditch the Chocolate Bunny this Easter

As a responsible pet parent, you know by now that chocolate is toxic to your four-legged family, but do you know why? Or, how much of the forbidden sweet snack is potentially lethal to Fido?

With a natural sweet-tooth, dogs often find the smell of sweets, especially chocolate, irresistible. Add colorful ribbons, fancy foil, and curiosity to the mix and it becomes even more important to take extra precautions to protect your furriest family.

This infographic from Animal Friends details the dangers of chocolate to pets at Easter time: