We love companies that give back, are environmentally responsible and, most of all, do no harm. That’s why the latest creation from Because, Animals, a small company out of Chicago with the mission to create sustainable pet food without harming animals or the environment, has made our whiskers twitch. Its new product will be coming down the pipeline as soon as cultured meat products are approved for U.S. markets. Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies for Cats uses cultured meat created from humanely harvested mice cells.

What exactly is cultured meat? Cofounder and COO Joshua Errett tells us, “Cultured meat in general is 100% bio-identical to traditional meat. It has the same nutritional value and composition as animal-based meat. You can look at it this way: All meat is simply a collection of animal cells. Meat in the traditional sense is produced when these cells grow inside a body. But, when given the right nutrients, these cells can also grow inside a bioreactor.”

To make the Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies, Because, Animals took a small sample of cells from mice rescued from a lab. Joshua explains that taking the cells is the equivalent of an ear piercing in a human, is done by a veterinarian and an anesthetic is used. “From that sample,” he says, “the necessary cells are isolated and fed a nutritious blend of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, all inside a bioreactor. As those cells consume nutrients, they continue to grow and divide, ultimately producing more cells to yield a larger and larger biomass. At harvest time, the cells are collected from the bioreactor and blended with other nutritious ingredients to form treats and/or nutritionally complete foods for cats and dogs.”

Some of the other nutritious ingredients in the cookies are tempeh, miso, nutritional yeast, pumpkin purée and flaxseed to make it super healthy and tasty. The company hopes to take animals out of the pet food supply chain, easing humans’ reliance on animal agriculture to lessen the environmental impact of the animal agriculture industry and end the suffering of animals raised for slaughter. The company also wants to create safer and healthier cat and dog treats with no risk to pet or public health in terms of bacterial contamination, antibiotic resistance and zoonotic diseases. Because, Animals will start sampling Harmless Hunt Mouse Cookies sometime this year. When they are through the regulatory system and ready for market, we’ll let you know about them here at Catster in our new product section. In the meantime, learn more at becauseanimals.com.

The post Mouse Meat Cat Food: Pros, Cons & Future Uses by Melissa L. Kauffman appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

I love pillows and am always searching for the next unique one, especially if it has animals. That’s when I came across Viet Tran’s Etsy shop Draw Your Portrait. She creates amazing, customized home décor using the picture you send in. Her custom pet pillows are beautiful. They are perfect to spice up your house, to give as a gift or create as a precious pet memorial.

Viet studied graphic design from her father when she was in high school. “In college, while I was studying economics, my real passion was fine art. During this time, I taught myself graphic design and fine art and became a freelance designer/ artist.”

After some research, Viet found that the global, online marketplace Etsy was a good place to offer her unique art style to more people. First, she mostly painted people but found that some wanted her to draw their pets. “As I have drawn more pets over time, my love for these fluffy animals has grown stronger!”

Viet does much more than pillows. You’ll find custom portrait paintings and drawings from photos in her shop plus products with custom portraits like pillows, mugs, blankets, phone cases and tote bags. Look for future products like custom pet portraits on T-shirts or pet mats.

Check it all out on her Etsy page drawyourportrait.etsy.com, website custombark.com, Instagram @custombark or email her at askcustombark@gmail.com.

The post Get Drawn In by Melissa L. Kauffman appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Unfortunately, many people haven’t heard of the first cat in space, who flew 100 miles above the earth in a CNES rocket (France’s version of our NASA) back in 1963. To tell the truth, I wasn’t aware of Félicette’s contribution either until I learned that Matthew Serge Guy, a creative director from London, was raising funds to give this cool kitty a proper memorial statue. He learned about Félicette when he came across a tea towel commemorating the 50th anniversary of Félicette’s space flight.

Matthew did some research, learned Félicette’s story and how she has been basically forgotten (many references to her use the wrong name or the wrong photo). He didn’t feel that was right, so he did something about it, launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to create a memorial. The campaign lasted from October to November of 2017. Matthew raised the funds, thanks to more than 1,000 backers. Now for the hard part.

Acclaimed animal sculptor Gill Parker has agreed to create the statue. “But,” says Matthew, “securing a location comes first, as we have to design it with the specifications of a confirmed plot of land in mind.” As of publication, he’s trying to get permission to place the statue somewhere in Paris, Félicette’s hometown.

Matthew’s affinity for cats started with a street cat that he and two housemates adopted when they were going to school. Although he doesn’t currently have a cat, he and his girlfriend plan on adopting two of them in the future when they’ve safely finished remodeling the fixer-upper flat they bought.

As far as the memorial, you can still take part. “Although the funding period has ended on Kickstarter,” says Matthew, “several people have reached out asking to purchase the rewards we created for it; this’ll then go into the fund to create the statue.” He says if Catster readers want to donate to the cause by purchasing one of the campaign rewards (go to Félicette’s Kickstarter campaign to see them), you can just email him at astrocatstatue@gmail.com. (Look for updates to the project on the Félicette Kickstarter page, too.)

So what’s next for this friend of Félicette? “A-ha,” Matthew replies. “Well, it’s hard to think past this project at the moment!”

Thumbnail: Illustration by Deborah Lucke.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in Catster magazine. Have you seen the new Catster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting area of your vet’s office? Click here to subscribe to Catster and get the bimonthly magazine delivered to your home.

Read more cat news on Catster.com:

• What’s Mew at Catster: March 2018 Cat Events
• 7 Cat Products We Love Right Now
• Reality TV Goes to the Cats With ‘Meow Manor’

The post Finally, Recognition for Félicette – the First Cat in Space by Melissa L. Kauffman appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

Not sure what to get the feline fanatic in your life? Santa Kitty has you covered with these unique holiday gifts for cat lovers!

1. Modcloth’s Wherefore Art Thou, Ro-meow Tights

And perfect weather for these Wherefore Art Thou, Ro-meow Tights. When you want to give a lot without spending a lot, these sassy stockings rule. And, of course, purrfect as a stocking stuffer. $14.99. ModCloth; modcloth.com

2. T.U.K’s Mew and Me Forever Flat

With T.U.K.’s fetching feline ballet flats. You just can’t go wrong giving a gal a new pair of shoes. The faux suede shoes are vegan and come in black, gray or cognac. Women’s sizes 5 to 11. $59.99. ModCloth; modcloth.com

3. Sylvester & Co.’s Here Kitty Kitty food bowl

A happily fed purring cat and an equally happy cat parent who just loves, loves, loves kitty’s new modern and stylish Here Kitty Kitty food bowl. Lead free and cadmium free, this collectible Fiestaware is made in the USA. Size — 14 ounces. $40. Sylvester & Co.; sylvesterandco.com

4. Carrie Cramer’s Cat Jewelry

Which is exactly what will happen when you give your favorite cat mama one of these gorgeous necklaces from Carrie Cramer Fine Jewelry. Created by celebrity stylist Carrie Cramer, the hand-crafted necklaces put the “fine” in fine jewelry. The Boss silhouette comes in sterling silver or plated yellow gold; solid yellow gold/solid white gold/solid rose gold with a diamond collar or with all-over Pavé. $195 to $2,500. Carrie Cramer Fine Jewelry; carriecramer.com 

5. Outlaw Kritters’ Outlaw Kitty key chain

Looking for a more edgy gift for that special cat daddy? Small in size, the handmade metal Outlaw Kitty key chain will make a big impression. $15. Outlaw Kritters; outlawkritters.com

6. Outlaw Kritters’ Cat Belt

Give your cat guy a feline-inspired wearable piece of art created by metal artist Jon WATTO Watson. The hip-to-be-me belt buckle fits a 1.5-inch wide belt. Because each one is unique, weight, finish, color, size and shape may vary. $50/square, $75/oval and $65/diecut. Outlaw Kritters; outlawkritters.com

Get more gift ideas for cat lovers and cats on Catster.com:

• Cat-tastic Gift Guide
• 6 Stylish Holiday Gift Ideas for Cats
• Stocking Stuffers for Cat Lovers

Thumbnail: Carrie Cramer’s Cat Jewelry

The post 7 Unique Holiday Gifts for Cat Lovers by Melissa L. Kauffman appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.