Happy Friday to all you cat lovers! Here are some of the highlights of today's Newsletter

Two kittens found blinded in Bradford

Two blinded kittens were found on the streets, believed to be victims of cruelty. Roman and Rolla, both ten weeks old, were discovered in Bradford's Red Light District and taken to an animal shelter. Bradford Cat Watch Rescue is currently fundraising for their necessary eye removal surgeries.

A spokesperson for the sanctuary suspects another act of cruelty on Bradford's streets. It is likely that something was poured or sprayed in their eyes, causing immeasurable suffering.

Animal lovers on social media expressed their distress and anger over the cruel harm inflicted on the kittens. Comments included: "Humans are horrible. Thank you for your efforts." and "It's heartbreaking and despair-inducing."

Cat put down after being 'kicked or stamped on

Police are seeking witnesses or information regarding a seriously injured cat. Allison Riches discovered her pet, Peanut, unable to move his back legs. A vet determined that the injuries indicated possible kicking or stamping. Due to the severity of the injuries, the family chose to euthanize the 20-month-old cat.

"I felt sick to think there is a person who can actually do that to an animal" said Mrs Riches, who lives with her husband and two grandsons.

The vet found that Peanut had a damaged tail, spine, and bowel, along with a mark on its fur resembling a boot. Mrs. Riches expressed gratitude for the support of neighbors who raised funds for a reward, hoping to encourage anyone with information to come forward.

Suffolk Police have asked any witnesses to contact them directly.

Cats can mentally map their owner’s location from voice alone

Domestic cats can locate their owner based on their voice. Previous studies have shown that cats can track objects that are out of sight, demonstrating "object permanence". However, little research has been done on how cats use their senses to track objects and people.

Saho Takagi and colleagues at Kyoto University in Japan tested cats' hearing by studying 50 domestic cats. 27 cats lived at "cat cafes" where people can interact with them, while the other 23 were house cats.

The team tested cats in a room with two doors and a window. They used two speakers placed at least 4 meters apart. Five video cameras were set up to observe the cats. The researchers played recordings of the cat's owner or a stranger calling the cat's name. The voice was played twice, 2.5 seconds apart, from either the same speaker or each speaker once.

Eight people evaluated each cat's response to video footage. The results suggest that cats show little surprise when their owner's voice is played twice from the same speaker or when a stranger's voice is played twice from the same speaker or once from each speaker.

However, if the familiar voice of the cat's owner is played from one speaker and then the second speaker 4 meters away, the cats show signs of surprise. The authors suggest that cats can track their owner's location using their voice and exhibit surprise when their owners seem to "teleport" to a new place.

This indicates a previously unknown socio-spatial awareness in cats. Angelo Quaranta at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy, says understanding cats' socio-cognitive abilities is crucial for improving human-cat and cat-cat relationships and cat welfare in the domestic environment.

Beans the ginger cat

Today's cat of the day section is dedicated to the incredibly cute and undeniably beautiful feline known as Beans, the charming ginger cat. With its striking orange fur and captivating eyes, Beans has stolen the hearts of many cat lovers worldwide. We invite you to join the ever-growing community of Beans' admirers by following its delightful adventures on Instagram. Prepare to be enchanted by its adorable antics and irresistible charm. Don't forget to shower Beans with likes and affection, for this remarkable cat truly deserves all the love and adoration it receives.