Tag: animals

Wildlife Need Water

wildlife Picture2
~ McPusspusses ~ Leave a comment

In the UK, we are in another heatwave pattern, particularly in central and southern areas. 

We broke temperature records in May and June, and these hot spells have lasted for several days and not just the odd extreme day.

Nature and wildlife will struggle.

Badger cubs have a high mortality rate anyway, but in dry ground and hot conditions, they struggle even more. Many badger groups are reporting dehydrated badger cubs being found.

When temperatures soar, badgers leave their underground homes throughout the day, searching for hidden resting places amidst plants. They will come out needing water too.

The ground is so hard; they are not getting moisture from that and it’s too hard to forage.

We have a cat litter tray out at the bottom of our garden as a water trough, and the wildlife will use it.

TJ’s Freedom

~ TJ and Bart ~ Leave a comment

Hello! Dis is TJ. I have a special column this week.

Dis is Bart. Don’t you mean we have a special column?

TJ Well Bart actually I am writing about you.

Bart: You are?

TJ: Yes! My brother Bart. He’s a cute little doggo.

Bart: I’m not that little!

TJ: Bart the froggies look you eye to eye.

Bart: Dat not true!

TJ: Also, I don’t know if you all believe in past lives, but I think in a past life Bart was a raccoon. He is always in the kitchen wastebasket. It is so weird.

Bart: Dere might be food there, TJ!

TJ: Bart, we get fed multiple times every day!

Bart: You never know! And I see you eating gwass sometimes!

TJ: What’s your point, Bart?

Bart: I don’t see why you are writing this.

TJ: You always twying to eat my tweats.

Bart: So? You snooze, you lose!

TJ: I want to savor my food!

Bart: I want to savor your food!

TJ: Eat your own food!

Bart: I do!

TJ: Maybe things were better when I was on my own.

Bart: You would miss me, TJ!

TJ: Maybe. You are a good mascot.

Bart: A mascot?????

TJ: You know, little things.

Bart: I know what it means. Next time I am going to write about you! About bigger doggies who fear brooms and fireworks!

TJ: You’d better not!

Bart: I’m starting now!

TJ: Anyone want to adopt a little bro dog?

Nipclub July 9, 2026: Sekurity Update

Nipclub July 9 2026 sekurity update
~ gameraglow ~ Leave a comment

Nipclub July 9th, 2026, Sekurity Update by Slinky, @Slinky_the_Cat, Sekurity Agent, Late Nite shift

We’re skydiving tonight!

I jumped out of a plane right into the Nipclub parking lot! It was so cool. A couple of pals were jumping tandem right before I landed.

Alfie was in the DJ booth playing a splendid set of skydiving-themed tunes, including ones by Poly Styrene, Weezer, and Whitsett. Pearl served cookies with parachutes on them and blue sky-colored cocktails when I walked in.

We discussed those dreaded sky zombies, kind of like UAP’s only smaller. I zapped some with my laser!

Ragamuffin showed us her hurt paw, but it seemed survivable and was getting better after a vet trip and some medicine. Mizz Bassie and Angus were here, as well as the usual pals.

More snacks arrived that included little pretzel-bite pigs in a blanket that Gator made earlier, parachute beer, and delicious quesadillas with fresh pico de gallo.

Angus jumped out of a plane and was having a blast! He made about 5 or 6 jumps before LATE NITE started!

Gator experienced X difficulties: reaching a threshold, facing lockout, then regaining access. On and off invisibility! Gator said they’re having a heat wave at their house with high heat and humidity! Sounded awful.

Louis showed up talking about ducks again. It’s time for LATE NITE music about flying, and Louis switched with Alfie for DJ duties. He played more themed songs such as Steve Miller Band, Lenny Kravitz, and Ozzy Osbourne. Louis and Angus, such great friends, chatted about music nonstop in the DJ booth, and they were excited about each musical selection.

TJS showed up on time and greeted everyone.

With Gator still present, music played loudly, while Pearl provided us with cocktails and additional snacks. We enjoyed our conversation concerning music.

4PupDad showed up; we haven’t seen him for ages! What a pleasant surprise!

Gator lamented the loss of the free TweetDeck app when it was easy to pre-program music set lists and see all conversations at the same time. It was cool!

I remember using Hootsuite years ago when it was still free.

More snacks kept coming out of the kitchen: cheesecake cookies and Leap of Faith cocktails! Additional music flowed from many requests, with Louis and Gator contributing their own selections.

I made some song suggestions, and another pal we hadn’t seen for a while showed up, Amber and Precious!

We talked about state fairs with free or cheap concerts, the majestic Frisian horses, and other attractions at fairs such as SummerFest and the California State Fair in Sacramento. The free live music shows were the best.

After Pearl went home, I served Aviation cocktails and more pretzel piggies to the LATE NITE diehard crew. It seems like we never sleep!

The falling from the sky theme just kept going. They took the theme to the nth degree with Joe Satriani’s “Surfing with the Alien,” REM’s “Fall On Me,” and Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces,” and we were there for it!

Moo, Gator, Angus, Louis, and TJS were still there, and I was getting ready to wind it down, but the rest wanted to keep partying! I asked Gator or TJS if they could lock up this time.

I walked outside and floated away as they kept it going for another hour.

Until next week!

Slinky the Cat

Nipclub July 2, 2026: Sekurity Update

Nipclub July 2 2026 sekurity update
~ gameraglow ~ Leave a comment

Nipclub July 2nd, 2026, Sekurity Update by Slinky, @Slinky_the_Cat, Sekurity Agent, Late Nite shift

Area 51 party tonight! We know the truth is out there!

Sekurity dressed just like the actors in Men in Black. Gator and 21 others were already in the bar, drinking and carousing. Jeego and P were talking about Seafair (a traditional Seattle summer festival) and a July 4th fireworks display! Humans remembered it back in the day as mainly boat races and fireworks. Hydroplane races were the coolest. It was always a great time that created wonderful memories.

Mizz Bassie and Gator were here, and Gator showed off a photo of his new buddy, Koda the Catahoula mix dog. He’s very handsome! We watched the sky, and I looked for suspicious activity. So far, I’d seen orbs flying around the bar outside.

Pearl served grilled salmon and alien shot drinks inspired by the film Alien. She made me a plate as I downed a Xenomorph blood cocktail shot and went outside. I looked for evidence of any close encounters, such as crop circles or tiny grey creatures running around.

I saw some cows beaming up, so I zapped the ships with my sekurity laser, and they let the cows go, gently letting them land on the ground again before lumbering off. The ships sped away, leaving no trace. At least the cows were unharmed.

Back in the bar, I finished my salmon, and Louis announced an alien and UFO-themed playlist! Time to kick off LATE NITE the Area 51 way!

Pearl served flying saucer pasta and purple butter and some superb green cocktails in sparkly glasses. Louis was in the DJ booth and started off with a cover of Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm! It’s a ‘90s classic! He played fun music such as The Steve Miller Band and Black Sabbath, while we ate space burgers with crazy cocktails!

We danced like crazy while Louis and Angus kept up the tunes. I had a song request, a ska song by an obscure band, and Louis found it! Martian Girl! by the Aquabats. I requested another song, Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps, to mix things up, and Louis played it. He had not heard of it before!

Pearl left, which left me in control of the bar until closing. More music such as Jefferson Starship and Rob Zombie, while I served alien green cocktails and green tea eggs that looked like alien pods, plus lobster mac and cheese, as you must have some normal-looking food sometimes!

Louis played alien-themed songs interspersed with a few patriotic songs to celebrate the upcoming 250 Years of Independence. TJS showed up again towards the end of LATE NITE for some dancing. We wound it down with dessert: red velvet cake-cheesecake squares with fresh blueberries in anticipation of this holiday weekend, with some Irish coffee shots.

I set everyone up with to-go bags of alien cookies, cheesecake squares, and other snacks and sent them on their way before I set the alarm, locked up, and tipped my hat toward our alien friends in the skies. 

Until next week!

Slinky the Cat

Ruff Riderz June 20, 2026 Madagascar Ride Review!

~ tjsfromx ~ Leave a comment

The latest RuffRiderz ride was an absolute amazing one as we headed to Madagascar!

My team, Tyler’s Titans, was there, of course, and we saw all the beautiful sights and sounds of the amazing country! It was outstanding as always to see every team’s pics and videos of their adventures!

We saw the beautiful ocean and beaches of Madagascar! We traversed a rope bridge, quite high for my comfort, yet we reached safety. The amazing food of the country was also taste-tested and was delicious!

This ride, as always, was so well done. I have to applaud the leaders of the RuffRiderz, Pumpkin’s and Angel Jerry’s moms! We couldn’t do any of these rides without them!

I, and everyone at Tyler’s Titans, are already looking forward to the next ride in September!

Badger Article 5

~ McPusspusses ~ Leave a comment

Badgers cubs

Cubs having snuggled down in the sett since February, it is time from May to venture above ground

Badger cubs in the UK are typically born in February. They spend their first eight to ten weeks underground in a safe sett, only emerging above ground for the first time in late spring, usually around mid-to-late April or May.

Here is how they grow and develop:

Birth (February): Cubs are born blind, weigh between 75 g and 130 g, and have fine white fur.

5–7 Weeks: Their eyes open for the first time.

8–10 Weeks: Cubs peek above ground from the sett entrances.

12 Weeks: The mother weans them and they learn to forage alongside her.

5–16 Weeks: They are mostly independent and can forage alone.

In the UK, badger cub mortality is extremely high, with an average of 50% to 66% of cubs dying in their first year. Only one out of every three cubs typically survives to reach one year of age.

Primary Causes of Mortality

Starvation and Climate: Lack of food availability is the primary natural driver of cub deaths. Drought years significantly decrease the survival rate, as it severely limits their major food source (earthworms).

Road Traffic Accidents: Badgers are habitual creatures, and roads built across ancient paths lead to major casualties. UK roads kill over 50,000 badgers of all age groups every year, and these accidents leave many dependent cubs orphaned.

Predation: While adult badgers have no natural predators in the UK, young cubs can occasionally fall prey to foxes

The local badger group, on which Mummy is on the committee, has orphaned cubs to look after each year. Experienced members hand-rear them. Once strong, they relocate to the wildlife hospital, joining others within a larger enclosure.

The badger group then always tries to find somewhere suitable to build an artificial badger sett to release the cubs together. The badgers receive food support initially, but then they return to the wild and their own sett. They often then build their own outlier setts in the area.

Badger Article 4

~ McPusspusses ~ Leave a comment

Badgers in Spring…..

Badgers are very active in spring after keeping warm and conserving energy throughout winter.

February marks prime cub birth season within the UK. A litter normally has 1-5 cubs, and they will remain tucked up in the sett, feeding from their mum. They will stay underground for a few months.

February and March are key mating times. Badgers use delayed implantation to ensure cubs are born between January and March. While mating can occur 11 months prior, actual gestation is only 6-8 weeks, as fertilized embryos (blastocysts) remain dormant in the uterus until early winter. 

February through to May is a very active time for badgers, with them needing food, especially nursing mums.
There can be hierarchical changes and territorial fights.

Regrettably, increased activity presently heightens badger transit and their vulnerability to road fatalities.

Our mummy is a volunteer for our local badger group, and that means the sad role of going out to deceased badgers on our roads to check they are not lactating females. Should that be true, finding the abandoned cubs requires urgent attention to ensure their survival. This is especially relevant to lactating female foxes too at this time of year.

We can see that our visiting mama badger is lactating, so we will hope to see cubs in the forthcoming months

For more information, visit The Badger Trust and Wildlife Trusts