Jodie Foster would join social media if it was only about cats and dancing

I really like Jodie Foster. I always have since she became an adult actress. It's difficult to find out exactly whether Jodie Foster does in fact likes cats although I think it's pretty certain she likes dancing because she likes to see dancing on social media, I understand. 

Jodie Foster. Picture: Wikipedia.

But apparently she suffered a traumatic experience with a big cat after, it is reported, a lion mauled her. I don't know the circumstances but she appears to have a fear of big cats but the opposite for domestic cats. How do I make that latter assessment?

Well, there's a headline on the People website which goes like this: "Jodie Foster says she'll use social media 'If it was just dancing and cats: I'd be all for it'".

So she would like to look at dancing or presumably look at anything to do with dancing on social media and domestic cat stuff but other than that social media doesn't interest her. In fact I think she'd have her own channels of social media if it was limited to cats and dance.

The reports are that she is very "normal". On the basis that that is true, it's a fantastic endorsement for her because to be normal is wonderful if you are a top film star. And personally, I love normal by which I mean well balanced and rounded. Although we don't really know what "normal" means but I think you can use your imagination and have a good guess at it.

She is 61 years of age at the moment and says that she would be all for joining social media for the reasons stated.

She's received praise for her show True Detective: Night Country. Fans have responded positively to the series. She is proud of it and she said that she wouldn't like to change anything about it whereas often in the films she's been involved with but not as a director, she would like to change some things.

Perhaps, we might be able to link being normal and not being involved with social media. What I mean is that if you are normal, well-balanced and sensible you should avoid social media!   

It is because it can be quite destructive and an entire waste of time as 90% of social media is waffle, achieving little. Strong words and perhaps I'm being a little bit over-the-top but I do think that a lot of social media is a waste of time and it is known that it can harm young people. I think it's a good part of the Internet if you use it to achieve something rather than allowing it to use you.

Also, there are some great animal rescue channels on Facebook which wouldn't be anywhere near as successful as they are without social media. These are personal views and I totally accept that perhaps the majority of people will disagree with me.

Lewis Hamilton reveals that he once had black cats thrown at him

Hamilton has admitted he has faced hostility from Ferrari fans in the past:

"I can’t remember if it was here or somewhere else, I got black cats thrown at me,” 

He was speaking to reporters as he spoke about Ferrari followers ahead of the Monza race.

This is my image to illustrate what he said. He does not explain what he means. Does he mean real black cats (plural?). Because I don't see how that could have happened on a race circuit. Perhaps he means cardboard cutouts of black cats or plush toys! That's my guess.

Thing have changed and the Ferrari fans now love him.

“I remember there was a period of time when we couldn’t wear the team shirt into the circuit to now just having such a warm welcome from the Italian fans and the last God knows how many years just feeling really welcome here in a place that I’ve loved since I was 13,”

Two celebrities who promote an unhealthy cat breed

• Welfare charity Cats Protection wants to stop the bleeding of Scottish Fold cats.
• The ever popular and admired Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran both live with Scottish Fold cats.

It is unfortunate and perhaps unintentional that these two very high-profile celebrities decided to adopt a Scottish Fold cat.

Perhaps at the time they didn't know that the genetic mutation which creates the cute face because the ears are flattened to the skull can also cripple the cats because it affects the cartilage in the ear flaps and can also affect the cartilage of the joints. They will have learned about this. It may be an issue for them both but once you create a massive following for your cats you can't surrender them to a shelter! 😎.

RELATED: Scottish Fold cats health problems. Beware.

Ed Sheeran and his Scottish Fold, Calippo. Photo: Instagram.

Cats Protection are unhappy, the Mail on Sunday reports, that A-listers are perhaps innocently promoting this breed which the Germans would say is the result of "torture breeding". In Germany it is banned as I understand it.

Both of these celebrities are highly influential. Millions of mainly young people follow their every move. And it is through young people that we can change the culture of society.

Until recently, people accepted cat breeds that have been created from deleterious genetic mutations. But things are changing slightly perhaps because of a greater awareness of what is natural, of nature because of global warming.

And there is a greater awareness of conservation. Conservation is about protecting nature and the wild species that live within it. It is about a sensitivity towards animals which can extend to a sensitivity about the cat breeds and their health.

The cat associations have negligently allowed these inherently unhealthy breeds to be created. It goes against their ethos and even their policy to not breed unhealthy cats. But they allow it, nonetheless.

It is an anomaly which needs to be rectified. Popstar Taylor Swift regularly shares pictures of her two Scottish Fold cats with her 230 million Instagram followers. As I recall, she has the most followers of anybody on the planet on Instagram.

It is nice that Ed Sheeran loves cats. There are some charming photographs of him with his Scottish Fold, Calippo and Dorito, a tabby. They are collectively known as The Wibbles on my research! They've amassed almost 400,000 fans and probably more because the following grows almost exponentially.

That's the influence that someone like him has and it has probably dawned on him that he has a responsibility to promote companion animal health. As mentioned, I sense that he adopted his Scot Fold innocently after being attracted to their appearance and has since learnt that there is a health aspect.

There is nothing in the law in the UK which prevents breeders creating unhealthy individual cats of unhealthy cat breeds. The same applies to the USA. Germany appears to be an exception. There may other countries that follow Germany's lead in this regard, but I don't think so.

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: ‘Anyone breeding cats in England must protect them from unnecessary suffering. Failing to may lead to imprisonment, a fine or both.

‘Owners considering breeding cats should seek advice on the risk of inherited conditions.’

Public are outraged by Kurt Zouma's cat abuse. I'm pleased.

The public are outraged by Kurt Zouma's Bengal cat abuse. I'm very pleased. I am also surprised by the strength of the sentiment. And it isn't just the public; the news media have come down hard on him too. It is great. Anything which supports cat welfare is progress as far as I am concerned.

There has been an outpouring of anger against Kurt Zouma because of his obnoxious behaviour in drop-kicking one of his Bengal cats and also slapping the cat while the cat was being held by a child. And he slapped the cat hard. Arguably that is also child abuse. He is at least potentially psychologically damaging this child and he is certainly teaching his child that it is all right to behave like that was an animal. Shame on him.

RELATED: Premier League footballer videoed kicking and slapping a Bengal cat.

Kurt Zouma. Photo in public domain.

And to compound the bad behaviour, his brother videoed the whole thing and uploaded it to social media. And to make matters even worse his brother laughed while he videoed the abuse. It was terrible but what is delightful is the fact that the public have got behind cat welfare. They want to see Zouma punished. They don't want him to play in the forthcoming football matches. He has been fined two weeks wages which has told the world how much he earns because the fine is £250,000.

Ironically, his playing colleagues are complaining that they are underpaid because they have, for the first time, discovered what he earns. David Moyes the West Ham manager insists that he will play in the next match this weekend against Leicester. He was criticised by the public and others including Garry Lineker for playing him in the match against Watford which occurred 24 hours after the cat abuse incident. Garry Lineker accused West Ham of being tone deaf to the gravity of the event.

And this is what I really, really like about the story. People are concerned about cat welfare. I do not think that this would have happened like this 10 years ago. There is much more awareness about animal welfare nowadays than in the past. I believe that this may be a result of a concern for the planet in general because of global warming. People are concerned about the environment and what they do that might damage the environment.

It is quite a short step from this way of thinking to be concerned about animals. In part this is because the way we treat animals has an impact on the environment. I'm referring to livestock and meat eating.

Some people have been surprised. One person wondered if cat abuse is as bad as racism. I don't think that you can compare the two. But if a premiership footballer was prosecuted for racism or homophobia or was punished by the club for a racist remark, this person argued that he would be punished less than Kurt Zouma will be for abusing his cat. I get the point but this person is guessing how Zouma will be punished. We don't know. The RSPCA is investigating on behalf of the police and we expect them to make a statement about their intentions soon. They've seized his two cats. They may or may not return them depending on the outcome of their deliberations.

Here are the screenshots from the video of Zouma kicking and slapping his Bengal cat. Please click on the links.

• Kurt Zouma forcefully slaps his Bengal cat. Photo 1.
• Kurt Zouma drop-kicks his Bengal cat. Photo 2.
• Kurt Zouma drop-kicks his Bengal cat. Photo 3.

Zouma's brother - the guy who filmed the abuse - has been dropped by his football club which is in one of the lower divisions (Dagenham and Redbridge). A different approach. Moyes wants to play Zouma because he is a good footballer (left back) and Moyes is desperate to finish in the top four in the Premiership to enable West Ham to play in the European Championships next season. It is money over morals.

They should prosecute him under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for animal abuse and cruelty. I expect that to happen. And if he's convicted, he will be punished but the punishment will not be severe. Although he could, technically receive a five-year prison sentence as a maximum, this is not going to happen. The abuse was not as bad as that. It was bad and callous and stupid and it betrayed an ignorant person but he will be fined if he is prosecuted and convicted.

There are much wider issues too, which come out of the story. A lady on LBC radio made the point that the UK is not a nation of animal lovers. This is the opposite to what people in other countries believe. Great Britain is portrayed as a place where animal welfare is prioritised. It isn't true. Of course, it is better than all the countries of Asia and South America and the Middle East but there is still lots of animal abuse in the UK. There are lots of idiots in the UK would like to harm animals. We could do a lot better.

Freddie Mercury has been reincarnated as a cat because he loved cats so much

I hope this is in good taste. I think it is. Freddie Mercury was one of those guys who loved domestic cats. He really did. If you believe in reincarnation, and a lot of people do, this is him. He returned as a cat. A feline image of Freddie. Reincarnation is also known as rebirth or transmigration. The non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death.

Mostaccioli is the cat's name. She can be seen on her own Instagram account @izanami.and.mostaccioli and has taken the internet by storm by closely resembling the late Queen frontman.

RELATED: Freddie Mercury: his ten cats and Bohemian Rhapsody the film.

Freddie Mercury has been reincarnated as a cat because he loved cats so much. Image in the public domain.

RELATED: Last known photo of Freddie Mercury was with his cat Oscar.

Freddie loved cats and there are many images of him with his cats. I have several pages on this site of Freddie and his cats. One of them is said to be the last photo taken before his early death with his cat Oscar. It is so wonderful that such a high profile person loves cats. It helps cat welfare. Celebrities can change people's minds. If more people loved cats there would be less cat abuse.

Fearne Cotton's 20-year-old cat, Lula, dies

Fearne Cotton announced on her Instagram webpages that her domestic cat companion of 20 years, Lula, has passed. She adopted Lula from the Mayhew Animal Home. She adopted her with another cat, Keloy. Lula must have been very young at the time although we don't know her age at the time of adoption.

Fearne Cotton and Lula. Photo: Fearne Cotton on Instagram

She took them home to her little cottage in Harrow, UK. Subsequently she moved around a lot and "they've stuck by me through thick and thin".

She says that Lula saw her at her best and at her worst without judgement. She brought love into her life for which she is eternally grateful. And the passing is like an end of an era to her because she can't remember a time when she was not around.

She said:

"Old bird, I will never forget you and the love you gave me. I hope you know how loved you were. You will always be in my heart."

Fearne Cotton describes herself as a mother, broadcaster and writer on her Instagram pages.

Lula in very old age. Photo: Fearne Cotton.

The picture above, of Lula, shows us the face of a very old cat. 20-years-of-age is a very good one for a domestic cat. Not many cats make this age. So well done to Fearne Cotton for doing a great job of cat caregiving and in adopting a black cat by the way. A lot of people reject black cats for well-known reasons.

This cat looks like Ari Shaffir

Ari David Shaffir is a producer, writer, podcaster, actor and comedian. He was born February 12, 1974 (age 47). He cohosts the podcast Punch Drunk Sports and he is a regular guest on The Joe Rogan Experience pod cast. He was born in New York City to a Jewish family of Romanian Jewish descent. He performed as a stand-up comedian in Los Angeles County in 2013. He's been in films, stand-up specials and on television. In short, he's a celebrity to use modern lingo. He has a full Wikipedia bio if you want to read about him in some detail.

This cat looks like Ari Shaffir. Montage: MikeB based on images in the public domain.

He looks like this Oriental Shorthair cat! His long face is a close match to the face of this slender cat breed. The Oriental SH is part of the Siamese cat family of cats. They are deliberately bred to be super slender with long faces and big ears. If you like slender cats the OSH as they are referred to by the cat fancy is the breed for you. The modern Siamese cat as I call it has a very similar face in terms of conformation only it is pointed.

Leonardo DiCaprio uses his celebrity voice for big cat welfare and animal welfare generally

In a tweet as long ago as April 20, 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio said that: "Big cats like tigers and lions belong in the wild, not in people's backyards and basements. Take action!"

Big cats like tigers & lions belong in the wild, not in people's backyards & basements. Take action! http://t.co/dQngyEEq @action4ifaw

— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) April 20, 2012

In many American states there are quite lax laws regarding the possession and keeping of big cats as pets. There are more tigers in private zoos in America than there are in the wild on the planet. Texas has the biggest population of captive big cats. The Netflix Tiger King documentary about the man who had the largest private zoo in America, Joe Exotic, helped to highlight the need to change things and regulate the possession of big cats as pets. He's in jail for 22 years but it helped to provide a platform for Carole Baskin, the Big Cat Rescue founder and manager (who he tried to kill) for her campaign to create legislation to restrict big cat ownership in America. You can read about that by clicking on this link if you want to.

But what I'm interested in saying in this article is that people like DiCaprio are so valuable to animal welfare because they can use their voice, their considerable voice to motivate the legislators and the public in general to take action on protecting wildlife, and not only the iconic big cats but so many other species of animal who are in dire straits; quite dramatically endangered in terms of survival because of the destruction of their habitat as a result of the commercialisation of the landscape.

Self-indulgent idiot lion owner gets hurt by his pet lion and he deserves it. Pic: Screenshot.

DiCaprio has set an extraordinary example of what he meant when he asked the nations' leaders to stop procrastinating and take action to mitigate the environmental damage done by humans by raising $43 million (£30.2 million) to help restore wildlife in the Galapagos Islands, one of the most important and fragile ecosystems on Earth.

He has pledged the funds this week in association with the Galapagos National Park Directorate, Island Conservation which "prevents extinctions and restores islands". And also, with Re:wild, a global conservation charity that DiCaprio co-founded with leading conservation scientists.

The large size of the investment will help to make real change and the work will begin in this remote Pacific archipelago which is 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. It is the island where in 1835 Charles Darwin observed wildlife and nature including the local finches which led him to begin formulating the theory of evolution through natural selection leading to his work On the Origin of Species.

They want to re-wild the islands and prevent the extinction of the pink iguana, a marine resources protection scheme to boost ecotourism which is very important to the economy. And they want to restore Floreana Island which is home to 54 threatened species. They want to reintroduce 13 locally extinct species on that island.

In addition, they have a plan to re-wild all of Latin America's Pacific archipelagos, from Mexico to Chile. Big thinking.

DiCaprio is described as an actor and environmentalist on social media. He has visited the Galapagos Islands. He said: "Around the world, the wild is declining. We have degraded three quarters of the wild places and pushed more than 1 million species to the brink of extinction. More than half of the Earth's remaining wild areas would disappear in the next few decades if we don't decisively act."

He wants action now not just for the big cats maltreated in tiny captive environments to please self-indulgent Americans but to do bigger things in conservation. It is brilliant that he is using his voice and status to achieve this.