Unfortunately, Paul’s daytime job as a rocket scientist is really eating into the time he has available to make cat movies, so he is sending out a request that everyone send a letter to his employer, requesting that Paul be laid off (making him eligibile for unemployment) so that he can make more cat movies. Details are in the video.

[SOURCE: AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com]

1) Frank Zappa

John’s an electrician in Kankakee, Illinois and Baby Cat is his new sidekick, going on calls with John in the company van.

“We have two other cats and this guy seemed to prefer the garage to hanging around the house with them,” says Cat Guy Capriotti. “So one day, he jumped into the van and I said: ‘You want to go for a ride? Then let’s go.’ And I figured he’d jump out. But he didn’t, and he’s been going with me ever since.”

All winter, Baby Cat has ridden with Capriotti on house calls, waiting in the van during stops at hardware stores, and often cadging a bite or two of his buddy’s sandwiches.

“He’s a good companion, but not always under foot,” he added. “He might get out at the job for a little while, but mostly he likes to sleep on the dashboard while I work.”

And Capriotti always parks where Baby Cat can get some sun.

“I keep a litter box in the truck and some water, but he seems fine waiting for his meals at home when we’re done,” Capriotti said. “When it was real cold, I’d leave the heat on for him. But when it gets real hot, I’ll probably have to leave him at home.”

“We got him from a farm in Bonfield and they only had yellow cats. That’s not my favorite kind of cat, but he’s pretty good,” Capriotti said. Spoken like a true Cat Guy.

Sullenberger is a cat lover who has fostered scores of kittens over the years for Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF).

“Sully’s the cat person. I’m the dog person,” his wife Lorrie told PEOPLE Magazine in a recent interview.

Lorrie and Sully care for the kittens until they can be neutered or spayed for adoption. Like many who foster, they ended up adopting one of their charges, the 2-year-old calico, Kitty (right).

“(Sully) loves that cat,” says Lorrie. “He has a special affinity for that cat. He desperately wants her to be a lap-cat. Since the accident, she’s actually been leaning up against him.”

Craig Grant is the first to admit he didn’t always like cats. Now he owns and runs Caboodle Ranch, a Floridian Feline Farm that’s home to about 500 cats. How’d he get here from there? By accident, of course:

I was renting a two bedroom condo by the beach with my son. Then my son moved out on his own for the first time. He left his cat, Pepper, with me because he couldn’t take it with him. I didn’t like cats but I agreed to keep him. I wasn’t used to being alone and I guess Pepper wasn’t either. We slowly began to get along.

A couple months went by and I found out Pepper was pregnant. Oh great, now what? She had five kittens. I wanted to give them away because I didn’t want my beautiful home destroyed, but my son told me they had to stay with their mother for 8 weeks. Over that time I learned that every cat had his own unique personality and it wasn’t long before the kittens were swinging from my curtains. I didn’t care. Something had changed… I didn’t want to give them up.

But with six cats, complaints started from the condo owner and the neighbors. I knew I had to look for other places to go. They weren’t safe in the neighborhood. I found a B.B. lodged in the side of one of my cats and another was bitten by a pitbull that I know was set loose on purpose. Something had to be done.

I wasn’t sure what to do at first, so I built a shed in my son’s yard and lived in it for a while. Then I found an advertisement in the paper from a realtor offering five acre partials on a tree farm; owner financing, low money down and low monthly payments… the problem was that it was 100 miles west of Jacksonville.

I drove out to see it and I loved it. Over the next months I bought five more partials. I now have 25 acres.

I cleared a small area and bought an office trailer as a shelter for my cats. I put in a pet door and padded shelves for them. We moved out there in November of 2003, the day after Thanksgiving. By that time I had 11 cats. I had taken in abandoned and stray cats from the neighborhood and areas that I work as a contractor. I had 22 cats by the spring of 2004.

I moved the shed out to the property and made a little cabin out of it. I thought it would be for me, but many of my cats wanted to sleep next to me… so I moved back into the office trailer where we had more room.

I no longer have any of my old furniture; material items aren’t important to me any more. My cats have made me happier than I’ve ever been. They truly are the best friends I’ve ever had. (See for yourself in the following video.)

In a reader? Click here.

Caboodle Ranch is now a permanent sanctuary for cats who have been kicked around by heartless people. There are many sad stories between all the cats I’ve taken in. Some almost starved to death, some of them wounded strays. I’ve seen many locked in cages for months in animal shelters and have taken in some of those, too.

Cats should be able to roam free, and at Caboodle Ranch, that’s what they do. We are in the middle of 100 acres of wildlife. The cats follow me through the nature trails that I put in and maintain, they climb in tree forts that I’ve built and hide in underground dens I’ve dug for them.

All cats have been spayed or neutered, all shots are kept up to date and I keep regular visits to the vet for each of them. I travel the 250 miles round-trip many times a week to work and back again to keep a safe haven for them to live. Every one of my expenses have come out of my own pocket and I do with very little so I can give them a happy life, but it isn’t always easy.

Caboodle Ranch is a 30-acre 501(c)3 non-profit cat sanctuary that almost 500 cats call home. Just this week, Craig rescued 46 cats from death row at Animal Control. Craig retired from his business so that he could live on the ranch and care for the cats 24/7. He works 14+ hour days, but his love for these cats keeps him motivated and energizes him.

Grant does not adopt out any of the cats at Caboodle. Instead, he urges people who want a feline in their life to go to their local animal shelter. Caboodle Ranch has the seal of approval from the Tallahassee Humane Society and Tallahasee/Madison County Animal Control. If something should happen to Craig, he has a plan in place for trained workers to come in and work and maintain the ranch.

All of this comes at a cost, and the costs are rising with the current escalation in the number of cats that are being abandoned, even as donations are drying up due to economic uncertainty. You can help this extraordinary Cat Guy continue his work by making a donation or buying Caboodle Ranch merchandise.

• Visit the Caboodle Ranch website
  
• Caboodle FAQs
  
• More Caboodle Videos
  
• Tallahassee Magazine Article
  
• ZooToo coverage

The sanctuary is named for one of the great loves of Rosenberg’s life: Tabby, his cat of 15 years who died in 1999. All of the cats come from shelters and were scheduled to be euthanized. So far, he’s adopted out about 550 cats, more than 100 of whom were “special needs” cases. But even if they’re not adopted, all of them will live out their lives with medical care and love – even if they don’t really want it.

Watch this video for a CBS profile of Tabby’s Place:

In a reader? Click here to view.


The cat, whose name is Lupin, belongs to a staffer who was out of town. No one knows how Lupin got into the studio. Kachelmann said, “I noticed him when he rubbed against my leg and thought people might wonder what was happening. I figured it would be easier to control the cat by picking him up. Cats get annoyed if they feel ignored. So I made sure he didn’t feel ignored.”

I am pretty sure Kachelmann is a Cat Guy.

Catster Mom Louise sent me this story about her Cat Guy partner, Graham:

My partner, Graham, is a cat guy. When we met (17 years ago, gulp!), he had fairly recently split up with his girlfriend, and was living alone in his house with two cats.
I had always loved cats so made a real fuss of his babies, Sybil and Beardsley, but Graham played down the cat lover thing, saying “oh yes, she left these cats behind and I’m stuck with them but it’s not fair to them to rehome them etc”. So I felt it was left to me to make a fuss of them.

Until I moved in….I caught him one morning feeding them saying “come on Sybil, duck and heart flavour. Your favourite” Busted! In fact he cared so much about Sybil and Bea that once when Sybil was at the vets being investigated with a mystery ailment, he got stopped for speeding on his way to pick her up, he was able to tell the policeman that his little girl was poorly and got let off! Because he meant it I think!

Both Sybil and Bea lived to good ages (19 and 21) and after they both passed away in the space of three months apart, he was devastated and wouldn’t consider getting another. Until I suckered him into visiting this poor little deaf cat (Bruce) who needed a good indoor home, and his friend (Titch). Of course he was smitten! They came home with us and we are so glad Graham fell soft!

Bruce is a complete Daddy’s boy and barely tolerates me if Graham’s there, where as Titch is my Momma’s boy and my shadow.

Here’s to Cat Guys! I’m lucky to have one myself!

By JUDI BASOLO
Who wouldn’t want to double their pleasure, double their fun, with two dads, yes two dads, oh yes it could be fun. Well it’s precisely what Franklin Winston, a San Francisco blue eyed rescue Tabbie cat is humming these days when he focused his sapphire blue cat eyes on not one, but two savvy San Francisco residents, Sam and Ethan.

This incredibly irresistible and confident Tabbie eventually was bestowed a double distinguished name – honoring Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill and firmly knowing what he wanted in life, the kitty chose these two guys to be his landlords, bankers and in-home-chefs – yes….as in two all-inclusive dads. Perhaps Franklin Winston could have been both Chief Cat of State and the Prime Minister Kitty in one of his former lives – he’s regal, a little bit royal and definitely dapper.

Finding himself at Maddie’s adoption center at the San Francisco SPCA in the Spring of 08, and perplexed about what he’d done to lose his long-time home at the age of five years old, Franklin questioned what future his paws had, while he recovered from health issues. The gracious blue-eyed tabby was laden with medical conditions that kept his kitty self from going onto the adoption floor for quite some time. But miracles happen and thanks to the astute medical staff at the SF SPCA hospital, the adorable feline known at the shelter then, as “Mister Lucky”, was finally on the meow mend. And assuredly he was extremely lucky when he focused his big blues solely at getting a new home that would work well for him, not just a home, but a double dad home.

One day in June, two dashing dads arrived at Maddie’s, professing they were ‘just looking around’ for the umpteenth time for a new cat. A few months had passed since their 12-year old cat Otis had passed away, and the guys were now ready to find their new feline roomie. It was a fortuitous day for Mister Lucky.

Recently I interviewed Franklin Winston in his San Francisco Castro district residence, where he gave me an insight to his tactics for finding not one but two Dads:

JUDI: How did you prepare yourself that day to find your two Dads? Did you strike a Vogue pose or bat your big blues?
FRANKLIN WINSTON: For many weeks at Maddie’s, I sat in my kitty condo and crossed my paws as well as, I focused my big blue eyes on a real strategy, in a grown-up way. As you know I’m an older cat and I do believe that being five years old was an obstacle – I wasn’t desirable to everyone – you and I both know some folks just want inky dinky kittens and they fail to remember it will grow up to be my size in the not so distance future. So many people oohed and ahhed at me in my kitty condo, but I didn’t put my best paw forward to them as I knew they weren’t the right match for me. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I had my Dad’s selected before they even opened the door that day, and I was just lying in wait for them to enter.

JUDI: What attracted you to Sam and Ethan?
FRANKLIN WINSTON: They seemed to be nice and extremely gentle guys who really wanted a kitty to take care of them. I’ve always been into focusing on the cause and without a doubt, I figured these two potential Dads were in need of my talents, and I had my work cut out for me – oh my gosh with two of them! So I figured it was the right time to put my sincere caring paws forward at the shelter and seal the deal. And when I heard them say they were looking to adopt a more mature cat, well I knew we were destined to be a threesome.

JUDI: Does one Dad do things different than the other Dad?
FRANKLIN WINSTON:By all means, as you know, no two cats nor humans are the same and either are my two dads. I’ve got the best of all worlds with Sam giving me great chin scratches and rubbing my tummy. And Ethan is the bestest playmate with all of my toys! He knows exactly what toy I want to bat around and when! I’ve worked on it and now I’ve got both of my Dad’s wrapped around my tail!

JUDI: You have a large San Francisco flat and it looks like everyone has their own space, but do you have a Dad that you slumber with or do you share your kitty cuddles with both of them throughout the night?
FRANKLIN WINSTON: I sleep most of the night on my overstuffed down comfy kitty bed in one of my Dad’s room and then when both Dad’s are catnapping deeply, I cat walk down the long hallway, making sure they’re both in a deep slumber, and then I proudly pounce upon my other Dad’s bed which is like a trampoline. Now this is great fun because it wakes him up! This normally will result in a little extra midnight snack if I play my paws just right!

JUDI: What’s it like being a “Catstro Cat”? You’re in a great San Francisco neighborhood so tell me what you do all day when your Dad’s are at work. And do your Dad’s have different work schedules or are you home alone during the day.
FRANKLIN WINSTON: My days are very busy with my job: I’m the house watch cat so I breakfast early with Ethan Dad as he leaves when the sun is coming up (we live in fog land so we don’t see the sunrays every day!). Sam usually will pop in and out during the day en route to his meetings and we’ll have brunch or lunch together (he always sneaks in a chin scratch and belly rub!) and then Sam Dad zips out the door saying “I’ll be back soon – hold the house down”. Then I lounge over looking our garden, bird watch a bit and get ready for my two Dads to come home again. Can life get any better than this? And I love being a Catstro Cat – my neighborhood is vibrantly alive and makes me purr. And we’re famous here for “MILK” !

JUDI: What would you tell other cats the very best thing about having 2 Dads is?
FRANKLIN WINSTON: Double the attention and sometimes if I work it just right- double the food too! OK, the cat’s out of the bag, yes I play them both and I can be very convincing (or do you call it conniving?) that I am starving so more times than not, they both refill my bowl with my favorite snacks! My mature self is blessed being the sole housecat caring for two Dads!

JUDI: Are you an advocate for mid life mature meowsters?
FRANKLIN WINSTON: But of course, my paws will continue to tout the benefits of being a two Dad cat – but even one great parent is a gift. We middle aged felines can offer positive and immense attributes: if you just take a moment to access the situation and get to know an older cat– the fabulous feline may be wiser, trained and ready to please YOU– without you having to do all the training. Look at me! I’m undeniably a poster cat for mature felines! You see, you never ever want to give up on your dreams, at any age.

JUDI: The proof is in the purr and Franklin Winston was at the right place at the right time. But so were his two Dads when they specifically went to rescue a middle-aged adult cat–they knew it’s not always easy to find a home for an older feline. Franklin definitely doubled his fun and doubled his pleasure with two Dads, and I’m not convinced which of the three of them is the happier … Something tells me they’re all purring.

Judi Basolo most recently starred with Guido on Meow Mix’s “Think Like a Cat” game show on the Game Show Network. Judi Basolo helps Guido the Italian Kitty publish “The Guido Gazette,” a weekly compendium of kitty fun. Subscribe here. Read the Cat’s Meow interview with Guido here.

Franklin Winston was photographed here by Mark Rogers (right, with Guido), voted San Francisco’s #1 Pet Photographer by readers of the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com. Mark is also Guido and Skeezix’s purrsunal photographer, and he is magic behind the camera. Check out his work!