JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

Even my cats are complaining of alienation, so here are two cat-related news items for the cat people. (No, Gazzarella is not made of Gaz Holgate.)

1. Scientists learn physics behind how cats drink water without getting wet
By Marc Kaufman at the Washington Post

Four researchers have painstakingly filmed, analyzed and determined how it is that a cat can drink water while (unlike a dog) keeping its chin and whiskers pleasingly dry.

The answer involves an exquisite demonstration of physics: The cat, in effect, balances the forces of gravity against the forces of inertia, and so quenches its thirst. . .

Thanks to Fabia for the alert.

2. Gazzarella: Mozzarella Made Of Cat’s Milk

In the southern Italian village of Rosaneto in the Basilicata region of Italy, they have cats, lots of them. Indeed, there are so many of these felines that the residents of Rosaneto didn’t know what to do with them. Until, that was, enterprising local entrepreneur, Franco Latitante, had a bright idea. Why not use cat’s milk to make mozzarella?

Putting his money where his mouth was, in a whisker he had set up Italy’s first, and so far, only cat milking facility. Next door, the cat’s milk is transformed into creamy mozzarella cheese. Italy’s president Napolitano recently paid a visit to Latitante’s new business and gave his presidential thumbs up to Italy’s latest natural product…

“Gatto” is cat in Italian. Guess who the Gazzarella producer signed a sponsorship deal with: football’s Gennaro Gattuso.

Thanks to Chus for the alert.