Space went to the cats, that is, a re-enactment on how a cat can right itself in mid-air and land on all fours. While there wasn’t a cat on board the International Space Station, the first space to Earth Google Hangout, last week, showed Astronaut Tom Marshburn showing how this could be done in zero gravity.

CatNews Friday looks at how the internet cat craze has even penetrated space. However, on a more serious note, CatNews has a disturbing update on efforts to make New Zealand catless. We also take an interesting twist and look at weather raccoons, opossums, or skunks could replace our beloved cats as pets, and at a new treatment to ease pain for arthritic cats.

In the Google Hangout, upon receiving a video request, Marshburn’s imitation of a falling kitty proved to be one of the highlights of the hour-long video chat. Over 30 questions were sent in via YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and real-time hookups with kids across the country.

Dustin, a rocket engineer and  the host of the “Smarter Every Day” webcast series, asked astronauts if they could replicate the video of a falling cat righting itself in the air to land on its feet. They did. More on this, can be found at the following link:

NASA’s spacey Google+ Hangout shows off zero-G antics – and cats!
NBCNews.com (blog)
“We don’t have any cats onboard,” said space station commander Kevin Ford, “but we have a medical doctor who maybe can try to demonstrate the next best thing to a cat.” Marshburn, who’s a physician as well as an astronaut, then proceeded to float in …

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Gareth’s Morgan attacks last week to rid at least a part of New Zealand of free roaming cats didn’t come without some fur flying and claws out, but after heated debate, a show of hands, revealed his resolutions passing.

They included:

• The SPCA should stop its support for wandering cats;
• That Wellington City Council should reintroduce pounds for wandering cats and dispose of strays;
• And Karori should strive to become Wellington’s first cat-free suburb by requiring neutering, and prohibiting the introduction of new cats to the area.

Even though members of the SPCA pleaded for compromise, it appears the cat battles in New Zealand are heating up. For more on this, visit the following link:

Gareth Morgan’s Attack On Cats Extends To SPCA Staff… | Stuff.co.nz
By SHANE COWLISHAW
Gareth Morgan has shown his claws in a public catfight with an SPCA board member…

With all the hullabaloo about cats being murderizers, CatNews Friday looks at the following article. Can you imagine replacing your pet cats with a raccoon, opossum or a skunk? No way, but for fun, check out the following story.

Diagnosis and treatment now possible for osteoarthritic cats
Phys.Org
Scientists at the University of Montreal’s Quebec Research Group in Animal Pharmacology have found a way to recognize and treat osteoarthritis in cats — a condition that the owner might not notice and that can make even petting painful. Credit: GREPAQ

On the Love of Cats and Persons
WNYC
When his favorite cat Biscuit went missing, Peter Trachtenberg set out to find her. He talks about that journey, which took him 700 miles and into the history of his relationships with cats and with his wife F., who may herself be on the verge of ..

Cats and Art From Way Back: Marcel Broodthaers’ “Interview with a Cat”
The L Magazine
All hail cats. For better or worse, Nyan Cat, Kitler, and LOLcats have burned their way into our Internet-based memories. They’ve been nuzzling their way into our lives for ages, and for one such historical reminder, look no further than Belgian artist …

Editorial: How to cope with Concord’s feral cats
Concord Monitor
Randy Cilley and Carla Cochran have spent years and sacrificed much time and money to improve the living conditions of downtown’s feral cat community. While we respect their dedication and sacrifice, the right number of feral cats in Concord is zero…

Meet the man who turns big cats into movie stars
CNN International
Editor’s note: As a teenager Thierry Le Portier dreamed of one day owning big cats. Pumas, lions, leopards and tigers — he wanted one of each. Nearly half a century later and Le Portier’s remote farm in the west of France boasts over 60 animals, the …

SNIP helps feral cats survive in Contra Costa County
San Jose Mercury News media center
Veterinarian Dr. Bev Penzien, of Martinez, spays a female cat during the 2013 SNIP (Spay Neuter Impact Program) Spay Day at the Contra Costa Animal Services Department in Martinez, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. Karen Kops, executive director of …

Lending a helping paw: Cats roam free in local shelter
Western Front
Two white cats cuddle up on a skywalk while a fat, orange tabby cat is sprawled out on a yellow bridge. A friendly gray cat named Squirt is king of the tree, and warmly greets everyone who walks by. Tiny beds and forts serve as accommodations for the …

Resident’s 10 cats apparently escaped York Township fire
York Dispatch
A fire in York Township Thursday afternoon destroyed a home, February 21, 2013. (Bil Bowden). Ten cats are believed to have gotten out of a York Township apartment that was all but destroyed in a fire Thursday afternoon. Andrew Laucks, who lives near …

Prison inmates get rescue cats ready for adoption
KSLA-TV
Five felines currently reside at the prison as part of a cat adoption program coordinated with the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society. The inmates socialize the cats and get them ready to be adopted. Jerry Warfield is caring for a cat named Jinx, who …

Cats and Ceiling Fans Took Over Prada’s Mysterious Show
New York Magazine
In other words, it was like a genteel post-apocalypse, with nothing left but some cats and crazy ladies meandering about — sort of Grey Gardens meets Casablanca, if you will. This vibe was reflected in the clothes, too, which were asymmetrical and …

North Texas Group Rescuing Siamese Cats
CBS Local
CORINTH (CBSDFW.COM) – There’s a red house in Corinth that, from the outside, looks like a cat lover’s heaven. Step inside to see it is actually the cat haven known as Texas Siamese Rescue. Just as director Alisa Lee set down breakfast plates for the …

Up to 80 cats found in Pasquotank County building
The Virginian-Pilot
SPCA of Northeastern North Carolina is working with the Sheriff’s Office to relocate the cats until the investigation with the District Attorney’s office is complete. The news release said the District Attorney’s office is determining what charges …

Feral Cats Should Be Killed, Bird Lovers Tell Anti-Cruelty Society
DNAinfo
Yet a recent study showing that cats kill 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals a year caught the attention of County Board Commissioner Larry Suffredin after the Sun-Times wrote an editorial on it earlier this month. Suffredin has called a ..

Northwest News: Prison inmates help ready rescue cats for adoption (links)
OregonLive.com
Prisoners at the Silver Star Unit at Larch Corrections Center employ jingly toys, kindness and patience to address kitties’ special needs. Some of the feline issues being worked out are shyness, obesity and aggressiveness. Each cat resides with two …

**Feral cats? Minneapolis to consider St. Paul’s approach to the problem
MinnPost.com
In St. Paul, the number of cats impounded dropped after the trap, spay/neuter and release program was started in 2007. The year before that, 1,148 cats were impounded, typical for the 16 proceeding years. In 2007, that number dropped to 874, the lowest …

Overweight Cats Are An Epidemic
ChicagoNow (blog)
Loads of Americans have developed spare tires around their middles, and so have many of our pets. Cats are particularly portly; about 55 percent of tabbies are tubby, says the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. Some suggest this is a conservative…

**Killer cats? Not so fast, animal welfare groups say
Medill Reports: Chicago
The article, compiled by scientists from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, surveyed more than 100 studies on bird and mammal deaths as well as estimates on the number of cats roaming outdoor…

Tiger Tourism: Can Travel Help Save These Big Cats?
National Geographic
They are the world’s largest cat and can live across a wide range of habitats, from mountains to coastal wetlands. Most of the world’s tigers live in India within the borders of a number of national parks and tiger reserves; but their numbers are …

Dakin Humane Society takes in cats displaced by Superstorm Sandy; homes still..
MassLive.com
The Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, located at 171 Union St., received 19 cats from the Hudson Humane Society in New York and 20 cats from Liberty Humane Society in New Jersey. While some have already been adopted, many still need homes…

Score one for cats.
Boston.com (blog)
In a month that seems it’s gone to the dogs, it’s nice to hear a story about cats. Yes, between the Puppy Bowl, Westminster Dog Show (by the way, shout out to Banana Joe – that face is just too cute) and the recent announcement by the Marines of a new …

**Cats Have Been Walking All Over Us for Centuries
Gawker
“Has your cat ever walked across your keyboard?” asks Dr. Becker on his Facebook page, where the image has been shared thousands of times. “Well, it’s not a new problem. Medieval book historian Erik Kwakkel recently Tweeted this photo of a 15th century …

Officials rescue more than 40 cats from mid-Missouri home
STLtoday.com
HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. • A central Missouri animal shelter is working to find room for more than 40 cats that lived at a home. Holts Summit police and animal rescue volunteers began removing the animals from the home Monday morning and will continue to ..

Over 40 cats removed from Alpharetta home after woman’s death
WGCL Atlanta
A woman called FCAS after her mother passed away and she couldn’t take care of all the cats in the home on Rucker Road. Animal services officers captured two “truckloads” of approximately 30 cats and are returned Tuesday to capture around 20 more…

City considers neutering, releasing feral cats
WBIR-TV
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. (AP) — The animal shelter in South Pittsburg has stopped euthanizing feral cats while the city considers an alternative. According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the city is considering trapping cats, spaying or neutering …

Cats in famous album covers
Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)
I figure there are enough cats on the internet, and people who need lots of cats know where they can go. So this isn’t really a cat post. More of an album art post. So: Here is the tumblr devoted to classic album covers that replace people with cats …

Woman hospitalized in Hayward fire; five cats dead
Marin Independent Journal
HAYWARD — A woman rescued Sunday from an electrical fire inside her home remained hospitalized on life support Monday, authorities said. Five of the woman’s 10 cats died in the blaze. Fire crews were called just before noon to the 77-year-old woman’s …

Cats Burned in Gahanna House Fire
ABC6OnYourSide.com
Twenty-one cats were inside a home on the 200 block of Rocky Fork South Dr. when a spark from an electrical cord set the living room couch on fire, according to the Mifflin Twp. Fire Department. The cats belong to Colony Cats in Dublin, but had…

44 rescued cats still looking for homes in Springs
Colorado Springs Gazette
Agencies say this is a slow time of the year for cat adoptions, plus they are moving slow on purpose. Many of the cats had to be treated for ear mites and about a third remain a tad frightened, living as they did in cages in a garage packed with other …

Cats taken from Holts Summit home
KRCG
As many as 40 cats were removed from a Holts Summit home Monday. Neighbors filed complaints last year, prompting an investigation by the Holts Summit Police Department. Animal rescue volunteers began removing the animals from the home, located in …

**Get a new attitude on feral cats
ABQ Journal
The news that free-roaming cats are responsible for killing up to 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals every year — a death toll that makes cats a greater threat to wildlife than nearly any other human-linked cause — is enough to make any cat …

Oakland County shelter keeping cats away from dogs to stop illness, euthanasia
Detroit Free Press
Who doesn’t know cats and dogs don’t mix? And nowhere is that more apparent than in animal shelters, where research shows that feline proximity to canines — along with sanitation and caging practices — can lead to widespread illness in cats, pushing …

Deborah Fox: Saving cats is what it’s all about
News & Observer
Deborah Fox spent money from her IBM stock options, and most of her time since retiring from the company seven years ago, securing a safe home for stray cats, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s all about the cats here,” says Fox, 57. “If …

Big Cats Find New Home in Eureka Springs
5 News
“Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a refuge for abused and abandoned big cats,” said Tanya Smith, founder and president of the refuge. “We specialize in large carnivores: lions, tigers, bears, things like that. So it’s just natural we are here to …

What do you think about the Google Hangout and the astronauts simulating cats freef-all to all fours? Or weigh in with your thoughts on replacing cats with racoons, skunks or opossums. Can you imagine??