catloaf

If you’re a cat person, then you know that friendly felines are prone to kneading with their paws.

jasper_MG_4085

Purrrrr …

And you may also recognize this pastry-esque posture, which has recently been coined “catloaf” (one word) by Internet cat chatters due to its uncanny resemblance to baked bread:

Photo by Zeemeeuw via Wikimedia Commons

Awwwww (human version of the purr) …

Delightfully, there’s a creative baker in Yorkshire, England, known as Lou Lou P, who decided to put her own knack for kneading to work (on dough, of course, not blankets or bellies) in purrsuit of a purrfect catloaf, as edible as it is adorable.

“I’m cat mad. I have five moggies of my own, all rescue kitties,” Lou Lou P told ABC News. “I love the ‘catloaf’ expression, so one evening I just had to see if I could bake it for real. Thus, catloaf was born, simple as that.”

The result is so darned darling that one would hardly know whether to snuggle it or butter it.

Photo courtesy of Lou Lou P’s Delights on Facebook

Not that Lou Lou is new to the craft of baking up cuteness. The virtual shelves of her Lou Lou P’s Delights Facebook page are filled with too-sweet-to-swallow treats,

from gussied-up Guinea Pig Rolls:

Photo courtesy of Lou Lou P’s Delights on Facebook

to delightful Hippo Dumplings wallowing in a glorious stew:

Photo courtesy of Lou Lou P’s Delights on Facebook

Now, in case you’re desperate to make catloaves of your own (and I know you are), you’ll be pleased as pie to know that Lou Lou has lovingly shared instructions in a step-by-step guide via Good Morning America.

I do hope you’ll share pictures of your lovely loaf litters on the Farmgirl Connection (free to a good home?) … wishful thinking!

 

 

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    These loaf critters are just too darn cute! The cat loaf looks absolutely real. It would be hard, maybe…, not to eat them up!

  2. Too cute for words. We had a local diner that make wonderful pastries and my personal favorites were the little mice cakes ( think petit fours only a bit larger) alas they were not a hit with customers. My cat Duke is the pass-master of kneading , only he doesn’t understand the concept of retractable claws. akkk.
    Yep, my next kitchen project will be a catloaf for sure.

  3. Connie-Killarney says:

    Oh! I have to make a Cat loaf! I have grown up with Cats since I was a Toddler! England definitely reveres their felines!!

  4. Bonnie ellis says:

    How absolutely purr Felt!

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Illegal cheese?

You’ve probably heard of contraband—drugs, guns, and more that are smuggled illegally—but I’m guessing you haven’t heard of contraband cheese.

photo by Eva K. via Wikimedia Commons

In Moscow, Russia, police recently arrested six people that produced $30 million of contraband cheese using rennet forbidden by Russia’s import ban. (A year ago, Russia imposed a ban on imported agricultural products in retaliation for U.S. and European Union sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine.) The cheese was made with the illegal rennet, then sold using counterfeit labels of known legal foreign cheese brands. Government workers seized the cheese and publicly crushed it with steamrollers and bulldozers, drawing outrage from concerned citizens who say the cheese could have been used to help feed the poor. In an effort to crack down on the ban, government officials recently began publicly destroying contraband food, including over 500 tons of produce and nearly 50 tons of animal products. “Many Russians were uneasy at the images, shown widely on state television, of food being destroyed in a country where millions live below the poverty line,” says The Guardian. Moscow alone is thought to have up to 60,000 homeless residents.

One upside of the ban is that small, local cheese manufacturers have seen a dramatic increase in demand for their products, and are filling the need for fresh and short-aged cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta, Brie, and Camembert.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Let me just say, I am not a fan at all of Mr. Putin!

  2. …speaking of cheese, just received a wonderful surprise in the mail today, and now I am about to embark on making cow’s milk cheese- ( raised goats once and made goat cheese but never moo-valous cheese.) Needless to say I am over the moon about the recipes. I’ve always been too cow-ardly to try but now I have straight from the cow’s mouth, all the info I will need.Talk about the milk of human kindness, many thanks!

  3. Nancy Coughlin says:

    When people are going to bed hungry, the wanton destruction of edible foodstuffs is criminal. Do not understand a mindset as seeing this as a viable thing to do. I cringe whenever I hear anything like this. Unfortunately, it happens all around the world and is truly disgusting.

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Conservation Dogs

Shelter dogs with an over-abundance of energy can sometimes be hard to place. Their bounciness may be a little intimidating to those looking for a pet that’s more low maintenance. But Rescues 2 the Rescue, a Washington, DC-based program, is putting all that energy to work by training shelter dogs for wildlife conservation jobs. Created by Working Dogs for Conservation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Rescues 2 the Rescue works with high-energy shelter dogs, especially those who are “toy-obsessed,” to give them jobs as conservation detection dogs, finding hard-to-see wildlife or even the tiniest invasive weed among a mountainside of plants. They also work to help scientists gather data. These dogs are often more easily trainable, as they are rewarded with a favorite toy when they find their target.

photo by KatrinKerou via Wikimedia Commons

The program is intended to connect shelters with trainers/handlers who are equipped to adopt, prepare, and care for detection dogs. There are many ways you can help these hard-to-adopt shelter dogs find new, rewarding lives through Rescues 2 the Rescue:

  • If you are a shelter or trainer, join the Rescues 2 the Rescue site to post and search for dogs.
  • If you are a volunteer at a shelter, bring Rescues 2 the Rescue to the attention of your adoption coordinator.
  • If you are a pilot, or have a car and are willing to transport candidate dogs from shelter to trainers, join the team.
  •  Donate dollars.

Visit the Rescues 2 the Rescue website to learn more.

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    What a fantastic program this is! So many dogs are hyper and don’t necessarily make good indoor pets. Especially the working dog breeds. They need jobs! Our second yellow Lab was just like that and when I started giving him jobs to do everyday, he was thrilled. He happily brought in the morning paper, carried my lunch basket to and from the car for my work, brought in the mail every day, and helped bring in groceries every week. There was no job he didn’t want to do at any moment no matter rain or shine and he was always up for more work to do every day. He put my grumbling teen girls to shame with his enthusiasm to help his “Mom”! Smart dogs get bored and work helps them channel their natural energies. It is such a win-win for the owner too. I am glad to see a rescue organization helping dogs have a new chance at life and a good life.

  2. great idea and program. Those high energy dogs are indeed hard to place and what a wonderful fit for them
    Kudos to Rescue 2 the Rescue!

  3. Bonnie ellis says:

    Great program. It’s too bad they don’t have a program like it for high energy kids. (Not meant to be funny)

  4. Pingback: Peppy Partners | Raising Jane Journal

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