A cat was reunited with his owner in Germany after being missing for 15 years. Boots received a commuted sentence from the Cook County Probate Court because his rich mom, with an estate of $1.4 million, had willed all her cats she owned at the time of her death, to be euthanized.

Cats in Northern Ireland weren’t so lucky, being poisoned with antifreeze. Several garbage bags with the remains of cats and other animals was found off the Hutchinson Parkway in Westchester County. And Alley Cat Allies denounces Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Portofino, and Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resorts in Orlando, Fla., after eyewitnesses reported cruel treatment by a trapping company hired to remove a longtime colony of feral cats living at the properties, and called on Loews to stop the trapping immediately.

They cite reports of cats being held outside in traps for up to nine hours, baking in the hot sun and in temperatures of 90 degrees with no food or water. Eyewitnesses have posted photos of cats who have been injured from the frantic struggle to free themselves – at least two with a bloody nose, another with a gash on her head.

Here’s a recap of some of the top news stories affecting cats around the world.

Missing ginger cat Poldi going home after 15-year absence
BBC News
A stray cat missing for 15 years in the Munich area of southern Germany is to be reunited with his lady owner, the city’s animal sanctuary says. The emaciated ginger tom was found in woods about 30km (19 miles) from the city.

Dead cats may have been poisoned
BBC News
Police are investigating whether a number of cats were poisoned in Mallusk on the outskirts of north Belfast. One cat died last month and another two died in the past week at Hydepark Manor. A post-mortem examination on one of the animals found …

Court overturns order in woman’s will to put her cat to death
The Seattle Times
Trust officers at Fifth Third Bank, which was appointed to manage the estate of an Illinois woman, were squeamish about carrying out one part of their client’s will pertaining to Boots, the cat: a death sentence.

Police investigate 30 dogs, cats found dead along Hutchinson River Parkway
The Journal News | LoHud.com
HARRISON — More than 30 dead dogs and cats, and a large South American lizard, were found discarded in garbage bags alongside an entrance ramp to the Hutchinson River Parkway on Thursday, police said. Westchester County police are investigating the …

Alley Cat Allies Calls on Loews to Stop Cat Trapping After Cruelty Exposed By …
MarketWatch (press release)
Alley Cat Allies, the only national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats, today condemned the Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Portofino, and Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resorts in Orlando, Fla., …

Though there was a will, Fifth Third found a way to save Boots
Chicago Tribune
In a will she drew up more than 20 years ago, she stated that any cat or cats that she owned at the time of her death be euthanized “in a painless, peaceful manner” by a veterinarian’s lethal injection. But trust officers at Fifth Third Bank, …

Registration could address Salina’s cat problems, says resident of N. Syracuse …
Syracuse.com
By The Post-Standard View full sizeStephen D. Cannerelli/The Post-Standard 5/7/1998 file photo – A stray cat looks out of cage at Wanderer’s Rest animal shelter on Route 5 near Canastota. The Post-Standard recently reported that Salina residents, …

PetFix cuts fees, snips more than 350 cats; dog auction ban lacks sponsors …
Plain Dealer
PetFix Northeast Ohio slashed its cat-neuter fees last month to encourage low-income cat owners and the caretakers of stray cats to get them sterilized before breeding season. “Cat owners struggling to put food on the table and those caring for …

Cat hoarders related to sisters charged in Bennington incident
Bennington Banner
HALFMOON, NY – The three people accused of hoarding more than 130 cats in a filthy Halfmoon trailer home are related to the two sisters who had at least 80 cats in their care two years ago, police said. Arthur Millard, 53, Earl Millard, 26, …

Feral cats linger in Rehoboth
Cape Gazette
By Ryan Mavity | Apr 04, 2012 Photo by: Ryan Mavity Feral cats around Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach are becoming less common. Those who work on Baltimore Avenue’s beach block say that, while the cats are still around, their numbers appear to be …

Board opposes feral cats plan, cites health risks
Amarillo.com
By RUSSELL ANGLIN Amarillo Bi-City-County Public Health District Board members Tuesday night unanimously voted to issue a statement opposing the introduction of a trap, neuter and release program to control the local feral cat population.

DON’T EAT CAT: New Byliner Fiction by Jess Walter
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Don’t Eat Cat is available as a Kindle Single at Amazon, a Quick Read at Apple’s iBookstore, a Nook Snap at Barnesandnoble.com, and at Kobo. In this brilliantly entertaining send-up of zombie lit, Edgar Award winner and National Book Award finalist …

Anti-Aging for Cats | Care2 Healthy Living
By Celeste Yarnall, Ph.D
As we baby boomers incorporate anti-aging protocols, such as organic foods, exercise, and nutritional supplements into our own health regimes, we can also examine the best of these principles and adapt them in a way that is safe and …
Care2 Healthy Living

Cats of St. James win archdiocese reprieve
Philadelphia Inquirer (blog)
When we first learned of the cats of St. James last month, they were being evicted from their courtyard residence in the historic Lower Manhattan church. Even worse, the cat caregivers, who dutifully fed, watered and provided vet care, …

Florida man wants his 700 cats back
The Imperfect Parent
A Florida man who operates a cat sanctuary wants the return of almost 700 cats that were confiscated from his property. Caboodle Ranch, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., was started by Craig Grant in 2007, after his growing number of cats grew complaints …

Cat rescuers face cash crunch
New York Daily News
By Amy Sacks / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Marmaduke, a feral cat, was released back into his Washington Heights colony after being rescued by Sheila Massey, an independent TNR rescuer. The city’s animal overpopulation crisis may go from bad to worse.

Leading Cat Behaviorist Expert’s Book Recognized by About.com Reader’s Choice …
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Already recognized with multiple awards, “Naughty No More” by Cat Behaviorist Marilyn Krieger wins the award for the best book about cat behavior in About.com’s 2012 Reader’s Choice Award, winning with 72% of the votes. Redwood City, CA (PRWEB) March …

Club connection: Cat Fanciers members are few but purr-oud
Knoxville News Sentinel
By T. Wayne Waters Special to the News Sentinel T. Wayne Waters/Special to the News Sentinel Tennessee Valley Cat Fanciers club member Dana Taylor with Aaron, a new breed of cat called a Burmilla, at the recent “Springtime in Tennessee” cat show at …