Top Garden Cat Blog Posts of 2018

Looking back at 2018, we had a few posts that performed heads and whiskers above the others. Who says black cats are unlucky? They are clearly the most popular among garden cats fans! Here are the top posts in reverse order:

3. The Allotment Cat

Robert the Allotment Cat is a cat living on an allotment site (community garden) in Birmingham UK. He is doing a great job trying to teach us humans about cat ways.

2. Wonk Cats

These kitties making a home at DC's Armerican University are a hit with the college students and cat lovers everywhere.

1. And the Black Belt goes to... Farm Ninja

Bethany Karn shared these photos of Jack, the Flower Farm cat at M and M Plants in Dickerson, MD. Jack (pictured at top) is the perfect garden cat companion - full of abundant energy, but he also know when to stop and smell the posies.

Honorable Mentions:

- Sunset Kitty is a legend in my neighborhood and is gaining a following outside the area.
- Little Wizard has an irresistible kitten face that makes you want to squeeee.
- Warning: Pemethrin and Cats was an important notice that was spread far and wide.

What were your favorite Cats in Gardens posts of 2018?

#gardencats

A Community Cat Garden

Video via ABC 7 news

The Humane Society of Silicon Valley (HSSV) in California has the "Garden Cat Adoption Program At The Marilyn & Fred Anderson Community Cat Garden" for placing feral, outdoor-loving cats into homes that will allow the cats to roam. Above is a news clip about the innovative program.

They note that: "Cats available for adoption in the Garden Cat program are looking for a home in settings such as a barn, warehouse, corporate campus, or plant nursery. In exchange for room and board, these cats help their owners by keeping rodents away."

This unique program has led to more than 260 adoptions.

"A feral cat coming into a shelter is actually a death sentence because there aren't alternatives in some cases for those animals," said Carol Novello, president of the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. "So we wanted to come up with an alternative so that those animals were given the second chance that they deserve."

Vintage Garden Kittens

HARRY WHITTIER FREES (1879–1953) was an American photographer who used his photographs of posed animals to create novelty postcards and children's stories. This collection dates back as far as 1914.

He said of his work: "These unusual photographs of real animals were made possible only by patient, unfailing kindness on the part of the photographer at all times. Speed is essential in securing these pictures, but very often it is impossible to be quick enough." He reportedly had to discard over 2/3 of the film he shot.

On his live animal subjects, he wrote, "the kitten is the most versatile animal actor, and possesses the greatest variety of appeal." We are sure you‘ll agree that the garden kittens are especially enchanting.

Good-Also Good-Best

This cartoon by @natalyalobanova on Instagram says it all:

Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp5lx1kHpNH/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet

Cat Nap Art

Afternoon Nap by Marilyn Barkhouse

This sweet art print of a garden cat is available to order from UrbanLoftArt.com. If you check out Marilyn Barkhouse's portfolio on their site, you'll see she has many other garden cats in her collection, along with dogs and butterflies and lots of flowers.

Her artist bio says she "is an award-winning artist who was born in the Canadian Maritimes on Prince Edward Island. Marilyn is inspired by the wildlife that she can see from her studio window, including deer, coyote, bald eagles and fox. She works from her studio located near the Cape Blomidon provincial park - a very popular park in Nova Scotia. She enjoys the serenity and quietness of a pastoral, rural life along with an extensive menagerie of pets, all previously abandoned or abused animals to which she has given a loving and warm home."