An insurance scam connected with a cat, horrific animal abuse, and a new video festival showcasing the best cat videos on the internet top this week’s cat new stories. There’s news about cats being beneficial to babies health, as well as numerous accounts of abuse.

A 29-year-old Tacoma man who filed a $20,000 insurance claim for the death of a cat he claimed to have loved “like a son” has been charged with insurance fraud and attempted theft.

For a bit lighter news, LOL Funny cats are getting their own  film festival. You can vote for your favorite videos before the Aug. 30 festival. Should be a bit of a blast and more than a tad humorous.

LOL! Funny cat videos finally get their own film festival
New York Daily News
A new film festival is taking place in Minneapolis in August to showcase the best cat videos on the Internet.

Insurance claim over dead cat backfires on Tacoma man
The Seattle Times
A 29-year-old Tacoma man who allegedly tried to scam $20000 from an insurance company with a picture of a cat from the Internet has been charged with fraud and attempted theft. By Christine Clarridge. Seattle Times staff reporter. PREV of NEXT.

Cats face death sentence at county shelter
Sun-Sentinel
So many wild cats roam South Florida, the feral cats face sure euthanasia if they wind up at a county animal shelter.

Cat found buried alive in concrete in Arizona; rescuer alleges religious …
msnbc.com (blog)
A live cat was found half-buried in concrete in Arizona, an act that the man who rescued it believes to be a threatening message from a pro-polygamy religious group, according to local reports.

Dogs, cats make for healthy babies, says study. Bring on the fur.
Christian Science Monitor
A new study says that young babies living with dogs and cats tend to be healthier than those without four-legged friends. What a relief.

Study: Why Dogs and Cats Make Babies Healthier
TIME
What do dogs or cats have to do with your baby’s risk of catching a cold? According to the latest research, they may help lower his or her risk of coughs and sniffles during the first year of life.
Cats Around The World Rejoice at the Launch of A New Video Series Focused …
Albany Times Union
981 Media is pleased to announce today’s launch of a new web series that provides humans with simple tips to keep cats healthy and happy, as well as helping homeless cats find forever homes! The series is hosted by actress Arloa Reston and also uses …

Blind cat is back with its owners after 2-year absence
The State Journal-Register
It took two years, but their cat finally came back to William and Kris Salas.

3 dogs, nearly 40 cats removed from Berwyn home
Chicago Tribune
Authorities say they have removed nearly 40 cats and three dogs from a Berwyn home after getting complaints from neighbors.

‘Big Cat Encounter’ at county fair
WatertownDailyTimes.com
There will be lots of lion around at the 195th Jefferson County Fair, Tuesday through July 15 in Watertown. One of the daily acts, free with fair admission, is the Big Cat Encounter show. The animals in the show come from the Big Cat Habitat and Gulf 

Cat climbs onto TV reporter’s shoulder during live broadcast (VIDEO)
Yahoo! News Blogs (blog)
From the blog The Sideshow: On Thursday, Fox 17 reporter Nicole DiDonato was delivering her live report on ways to beat the summer heat when a stray cat suddenly climbed up onto her shoulders

SUV cats find homes, wolf-dog captured but stories don’t end there
Philadelphia Inquirer (blog)
Wolf-dog of Pennypack park captured. Starving cats pulled from stifling hot SUV adopted. Happy endings to two animal rescue cases that made headlines in the past ten days.

Cat Parasite Increases Suicide Risk?
Care2.com (blog)
A study published in the Archives of General Psychology found that women infected with a parasite that is spread through contact with cat feces may face an increased suicide risk.

Play with cats online through new cam at Wisconsin Humane Society
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Humane Society is allowing animal lovers from around the world to play with their cats and kittens.

Cat born with backwards legs gets new lease on life
AnnArbor.com
Veterinary medicine has come a long way in just a few years, as has an overall attitude in the viability of an animal’s quality of life. Corky the cat is one such animal that was born with physical challenges, and a generation ago, the general …

Common Parasite May Influence Human Behavior
NPR
Scientists say a parasite carried by cats appears to influence the behavior of humans, in this case, women infected with the parasite were slightly more likely to attempt suicide. NPR’s Jon Hamilton reports this is just the latest study suggesting that …

 Is this Munchkin cat Hollywood material?
Westword (blog)
Take a look at these cats: These are the Amazing Acro-Cats, which have skills that make even the cutest..

Chaparral man disputes cat hoarding allegations
San Francisco Chronicle
Authorities say they are prepared to charge Gonnell and his wife with animal cruelty because of the poor health that authorities say the cats were in. Authorities say they found three dead kittens inside Gonnell’s home and that 21 cats had to be …
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