Cat-Human Relationships: capture connections on camera for charity photo competition

 International Cat Care (iCatCare) has once again started its search for the world’s best cat photographers, with the 2019 launch of its annual photography competition.

iStock.com-LindaYolanda
from iCatCare

This year, in collaboration with Britain’s best-selling cat magazine Your Cat Magazine, the charity is looking to celebrate and showcase the complex and fascinating cat-human bond and the many different forms it can take with a brand-new theme of ‘Cat-Human Relationships’. 

Amateur and professional photographers from across the globe are invited to enter photographs of cats and humans together. The judges want to see a range of relationships covering an assortment of situations, locations and ages. For instance, entries can include but are not limited to: pet cats with their owners in the home, street cats with the public and cats with those who work with them eg, veterinary professionals with their patients and homing center workers with the cats in their care.

Since its launch in 2013, the competition has collectively attracted over 15,000 entries from all over the world. Eve Davies, who runs the competition, said: "Whilst we tend to think of our relationship with cats as that of pet and owner, cats and humans can have a huge variety of unique connections with each other and we would love to see this reflected in the entries."

photo courtesy of iCatCare

Twelve winning images will be selected by the iCatCare and Your Cat Magazine judges to feature in the charity’s 2020 calendar (and other materials) which will be sold to raise funds for the charity’s work, with one of these being crowned the overall winner and gracing the front cover. All twelve winners will each receive a certificate, copies of the calendar and a selection of iCatCare merchandise. The overall winner will also receive £500 in prize money.

Emily Wardle, Editor for Your Cat Magazine, said: ‘We are delighted to be teaming up with iCatCare to launch this photography competition with a topic close to our heart. As our readers know, there’s nothing more special than the bond between cat and human — and this can take many forms. We can’t wait to see the entries and publish the winning images in the magazine to share them with our readers.’

To find out more and to enter, visit: icatcare.org/photography-competition. The competition is now open for entries and will run until 10 am (BST) on 1 July 2019. Winners will be announced on iCatCare and Your Cat Magazine’s social media accounts shortly after.

"The Poetic Mews: Cats and Their Poets" by Elizabeth Wager (Proceeds to support International Cat Care (iCatCare) Guest Post

A brand-new poetry book 'The Poetic Mews: Cats and Their Poets' written by Elizabeth Wager, is being sold in support of the charity International Cat Care (iCatCare). 

Courtesy of iCatCare

Perfect for the literary cat lover, this beautifully illustrated poetry book, is a wonderful collection of poems which tell the story of some of history's literary giants through their cats, written in their own singular literary style. The resulting collection of 20 beautiful and highly entertaining poems, takes the reader on a historical romp from Beowulf to Dylan Thomas via the likes of Shakespeare and Milton. 

The book's author, Elizabeth Wager, is definitely not your usual kind of feline poet! She is a science writer with her own publications consultancy and has a self-confessed obsession with the English Language. And while cat poetry as a genre can occasionally lean towards sentimentality, Elizabeth's work stands out as stylish and witty, infused with both historical scholarship and a breathtaking mastery of poetry.  

Elizabeth-Wager at launch
Photo Courtesy of iCatCare

As you'd expect, Elizabeth is a serious cat fan. Her love for cats is not only evident from her poems, but she has also very generously decided to donate the proceeds from the sale of the new collection to International Cat Care, a charity that supports owned and unowned cats worldwide.

Elizabeth said: “I’m thrilled to be publishing this book in aid of iCatCare. I’ve been writing these poems for many years and sort of wondered if they might be publishable but, until now, always dismissed the idea. But seeing them in print is really exciting, especially with Gloria Cavicchioli’s lovely illustrations. And knowing the money will go to such a good cause makes the feeling even sweeter.”

On Thursday 18^th October, Elizabeth joined International Cat Care and poetry fans at Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium in Shoreditch to launch the book. There was also a launch at The Dukes Wine Bar in Elizabeth's home town of Prince's Risborough.

The book is available for £9.50 (UK price), from the International Cat Care online shop: https://icatcare.org/shop/publications/the-poetic-mews

 FROM CAT CHAT WITH CAREN AND CODY: We are trying to get iCatCare to send US  a copy to review...stay tuned!

Kittenhood: capture a kitten on camera for International Cat Care (iCatCare) photo competition

If there’s one thing the internet loves, it is kittens and this year feline charity International Cat Care (iCatCare) is searching for photos of kittens for its annual photography competition.

With the brand-new theme of ‘Kittenhood’ the charity is inviting both amateur and professional photographers from across the globe to enter images of adorable newborns and curious kittens (up to six months of age) – whether they’re snoozing, playing, or just looking irresistibly cute.

©iCatCare_Shaun Foster-Henson (1)

Now in its sixth year, the competition has collectively attracted over 12,000 entries from all over the world. Eve Davies, who has run the competition for the last three years, said: ‘Over 2000 images were sent into last year’s Street Cats competition and the resulting calendar sold out! We’re hoping that this year’s competition will be more popular and successful than ever to help us celebrate our 60^th anniversary and to raise vital funds for our work.’

Twelve winning images will be selected by the iCatCare judges to feature in the charity’s 2019 calendar (and other materials) which will be sold to raise funds for the charity’s welfare work, with one of these being crowned the overall winner and gracing the front cover. All twelve winners will each receive a certificate, copies of the calendar and a selection of iCatCare merchandise. The overall winner will also receive £500 in prize money.

Cody as a kitten!!!

another "oldie" of Cody as a Kitten

To find out more and to enter, visit: www.icatcare.org/photography-competition. The competition is currently open and has attracted 1,500 entries already. The competition will close on 1 May 2018, and winners will be announced on iCatCare’s social media accounts shortly after.

About International Cat Care (iCatCare)
International Cat Care is a charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of cats worldwide.

The International Cat Care vision: all cats, owned and unowned, are treated with care, compassion and understanding.

The International Cat Care mission: to engage, educate and empower people throughout the world to improve the health and welfare of cats by sharing advice, training and passion.

For more information, please visit http://www.icatcare.org or https://www.facebook.com/icatcare

Charity launches International Declaration of Responsibilities to Cats (Guest Post)

Life is tough for many cats all over the world. Those that are un-owned can struggle to survive on the streets, and may face inhumane methods of population control. For pet cats, welfare issues arise when people do not understand or fulfill their needs, or when veterinary care is not as good as it could be. Human desire to create certain looks for cats through breeding has resulted in cats suffering with serious health problems. These are just a few examples of the many ways in which cat welfare needs to be improved.

A number of different entities are responsible for feline welfare, ranging from individual owners caring for their pets, to central governments setting welfare legislation. Although it is important for everyone to play their own part in helping cats, it is also essential that these different bodies work together, if cat welfare is to be improved.

That’s why International Cat Care (iCatCare) has developed the "International Declaration of Responsibilities to Cats." This document defines best practice for all those responsible for feline welfare, and provides a clear framework for a collaborative and coordinated approach to the protection and improvement of cat welfare.

International Cat Care is encouraging everyone to sign the Declaration. The gathering of signatures will achieve three goals:

1)   Those signing will be acknowledging that they have read the document and agree that we need a collaborative way forward to help the global cat population.

2)   The gathering of signatures will act as a petition, helping iCatCare to show the world how many people care about cats and want their welfare to be improved.

3)   Supporting the Declaration will enable organisations to use the document to help convince other parties to work together or develop new laws or responsibilities which can help deliver better cat welfare.  

Once individuals have signed the Declaration, they can declare their support for improving feline welfare by sharing a photo on social media with one of the charity’s downloadable signs, using the hashtag #catdeclaration.

If you believe that the quality of life of every single cat matters, whether it lives in our home or on the streets, please sign the Declaration. To read and sign the document, and to download iCatCare’s Declaration signs, go to: www.icatcare.org/declaration.

About International Cat Care (iCatCare)
International Cat Care is a charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of cats worldwide.

The International Cat Care vision: all cats, owned and unowned, are treated with care, compassion and understanding.

The International Cat Care mission: to engage, educate and empower people throughout the world to improve the health and welfare of cats by sharing advice, training and passion.

For more information, please visit http://www.icatcare.org or https://www.facebook.com/icatcare

Antifreeze Poisoning And Cats From (iCatCare) Get Your Free Poster!

For many of us the weather is becoming colder and it is a sad fact that, with the arrival of winter comes an increase in the number of cats poisoned by antifreeze.

Most antifreeze solutions (often used in cars in the winter) are based on a product called ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is very toxic to all animals when ingested, causing rapid and frequently fatal injury to the kidneys.

Cats are particularly susceptible due to their specialized metabolism. Cats only need to drink a teaspoon or less of antifreeze for it to cause serious illness and even death. So a curious lick or two from a small spillage could be enough to cause serious poisoning.

International Cat Care (iCatCare) has produced a free poster warning of the dangers of antifreeze to cats. This can be used to raise awareness of this issue and provides advice on keeping cats safe.

The poster can be downloaded for free here 

It can also be ordered from the iCatCare shop and a hard copy sent to you for a postage fee.

iCatCare’s advice  to avoid accidental poisoning:

• Clean up any spills immediately, no matter how small, and make sure pets cannot access the area until it is clean and safe.
• Never add antifreeze to garden water-features or ponds.
• Always keep antifreeze in clearly labelled, robust, sealed containers, away from pets and their environment.
• Always dispose of antifreeze safely and responsibly. Contact your local authority for advice.

If your pet shows any of the following signs

 take them to a vet immediately:

• Increased urination
• Increased drinking
• Vomiting
• Depression
• Lethargy (being abnormally sleepy)
• Appearing drunk and uncoordinated
• Seizures (fitting)
• Abnormally fast heartbeat
• Very fast, shallow breathing

The sooner veterinary treatment is received, the better their chances of survival. If left untreated pets can suffer, and will die.

Help International Cat Care  raise awareness of this serious risk and keep cats safe this winter.

For More Information click here 

Attention United Kingdom Cats! Cat Naps: Capture Your Sleeping Cat On Camera For Charity Photo Competition!

Logo Courtesy of  http://icatcare.org/

2016 iCatCare Photography Competition

International Cat Care’s annual photography competition is back for its fourth year with a brand new theme – Cat Naps!

 The charity, in association with Your Cat magazine, is searching for beautiful and unique images of cats asleep or resting to feature in its 2017 calendar (and other published materials) that will be sold to raise funds for the charity. Images can be of cats sleeping alone or with other cats or animals, cats asleep in weird and wonderful locations or of cats simply curled up. Basically any image that shows a cat engaging in one of the species’ favourite pastimes – sleeping! Twelve winning images will be selected by the judges from iCatCare and Your Cat magazine. These will feature in the calendar with the overall winner appearing on the cover. Images entered into the competition may also be used in other iCatCare materials and on the charity’s social media. Any image used will always be credited to the photographer. The overall winner will receive £500, plus a year’s subscription to Your Cat magazine. The other competition winners will receive £100 each and all winning photographers will be sent a certificate, three copies of the calendar and a selection of iCatCare merchandise. Winners will also be invited to attend iCatCare’s annual awards event at Kensington Roof Gardens in London. The competition opened on 1 April and will close at on 15 May 2016. Winners will be announced on iCatCare’s social media shortly after. For a chance to win and to find out full terms and conditions, visit: www.icatcare.org/photography-competition. International Cat Care has also included some top tips on how to take the perfect picture of cats from past winners of the competition. -ENDS- 05/04/16

About International Cat Care (iCatCare)

The International Cat Care vision:

All cats, owned and unowned, are treated with care, compassion and understanding.

The International Cat Care mission:

To engage, educate and empower people throughout the world to improve the health and welfare of cats by sharing advice, training and passion.

For more information, please visit http://www.icatcare.org or https://www.facebook.com/icatcare

www.icatcare.org

International Cat Care is a charity with the vision of a world where all cats, owned and unowned, are treated with care, compassion, and understanding. We work closely with the veterinary profession through our veterinary division, the International Society of Feline Medicine. All our work is reliant on donations and legacies.

International Cat Care is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in England

In full disclosure: We received no compensation for sharing this information.