Backyard Burial

12/11/2025

Remembering Browser, the library cat

He was just doing his job when they voted him out.

Browser, a grey tabby cat, had lived in the White Settlement Public Library near Fort Worth, Texas since 2010. The library adopted him from a shelter to help with a rodent problem. It worked. But he became so much more than pest control.

He became the library's mascot. He rode the book cart. He curled up next to children who came to read to him. He was featured on the annual fundraising calendar, bringing in more money than he cost.

Then, on June 14, 2016, the city council voted 2 to 1 to remove him from the library.

Council members claimed animals didn't belong in city facilities. Some said it was about allergies. But Mayor Ron White saw it differently. He said it was petty retaliation because a city employee wasn't allowed to bring their puppy to City Hall. "The council just went out and did this on their own because they don't like cats," the mayor told reporters.

Browser had 30 days to find a new home.

But the town didn't stay quiet. Neither did the world. People flooded the mayor's inbox with over 1,500 emails from around the globe. A petition demanding Browser's reinstatement gathered more than 12,000 signatures.

On July 1, 2016, less than three weeks after his firing, the city council held another vote.

This time it was unanimous. Browser could stay.

The mayor dubbed him "Library Cat for Life."

Councilman Elzie Clements, who led the push to evict Browser, tried again in December 2016 to remove the cat. The motion didn't pass. That was Clements' last meeting as an elected official. Voters had already spoken in November, decisively voting him out of office.

Browser lived in the library for nearly 15 years. He died on September 3, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of loyalty, comfort, and thousands of readers who never forgot him.

31/10/2025

National Cat Day was founded in 2005 by Colleen Paige, a pet and family lifestyle expert, with a mission:
to shine a spotlight on the millions of cats waiting in shelters for forever homes.

The struggle: every year, countless cats are abandoned or left without care.
Shelters overflow, and many animals never find families.

The turning point came when National Cat Day began trending globally.
It wasn’t just about spoiling pets with treats and toys — it became a movement for adoption, spaying, and neutering.

Resolution: since its creation, the day has inspired thousands of adoptions, volunteer drives, and donations to shelters.
It reminds us that cats are not just companions — they’re healers, comedians, and family.

Legacy: today, National Cat Day is celebrated not only in the U.S. but also in countries like Canada, Japan, Italy, and the UK, each with its own date.
From “nyan nyan nyan” in Japan (2/22) to October 29 in the U.S., the message is the same: every cat deserves love and safety.

28/10/2025

On the night of October 27th (tonight), it’s said that the spirits of our beloved animals return, if only for a moment, to the places they once called home 🏡 If you feel a gentle warmth nearby tonight, know that your furry angel has come to visit. Set out their favorite things, whisper their name, and remember them with love. ❤️🐾

October 27 holds a special place within the Día de los Mu***os (Day of the Dead) tradition, a day dedicated to honoring the souls of pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge 🌈 iHeartRadio

27/10/2025

Today, October 27th, is officially National Black Cat Day, a day for those to celebrate black cats and raise awareness on how they are often overlooked for adoption.

The day was created by the Cats Protection charity in an attempt to debunk bad luck superstitions, celebrate, and increase the odds of black cats being rescued and loved.

22/10/2025

06/10/2025

During the filming of Green Mansions in 1959, Audrey Hepburn’s animal trainer suggested she spend time with the young fawn cast as her companion, so it would appear natural on screen. Audrey, however, went far beyond rehearsals. She brought the deer home. Naming it “Ip,” she treated the fragile creature not as a prop but as family.
Ip followed her everywhere. In the mornings, the fawn padded softly across the floor of her home, trailing behind Audrey as she made breakfast. At night, it curled beside her bed, resting its small head against her shoulder as she drifted to sleep. Neighbors in Beverly Hills were astonished to see Hepburn walking through grocery stores with the deer at her side, its delicate legs clicking against the tiles. One friend recalled, “Audrey walked as though nothing was unusual, as if the world should expect to see her with a deer trotting loyally behind her.”
For Audrey, the bond went deeper than novelty. She had endured hunger and fear as a child in Nazi-occupied Holland, surviving on tulip bulbs when food ran out. To nurture something so innocent, to protect it from harm, was an act of quiet healing. A crew member later remarked, “Ip trusted her completely. It was as though Audrey gave him her heart.”
Decades later, the image of Hepburn cradling Ip remains iconic — a portrait not of glamour, but of tenderness. Beneath the Hollywood legend was a woman who longed to give love where the world had once given her pain.

06/10/2025

06/10/2025

It’s quite comforting to know that even in the 1890s, one cat was not enough…

By the 1890s in Victorian Britain, cats had largely transitioned from being seen as creatures of superstition to becoming respectable household pets. While they still carried an air of mystery and were often linked with femininity and domesticity, cats were increasingly valued for their elegance, cleanliness, and companionship.

Queen Victoria’s fondness for cats helped make them fashionable, and the rise of organized cat shows and breeding (particularly of Persians and Siamese) further elevated their status.

Artists and writers such as Louis Wain and Lewis Carroll popularized cats as whimsical, charming figures in culture, softening old associations with witchcraft. At the same time, many cats retained their traditional role as mousers in homes, shops, and on ships.

06/10/2025

Happy October! 🍂🍁🎃🐈‍⬛
Ida Rentoul Outhwaite c. 1916

06/10/2025

Another photo of Jane Goodall, when she was very young. You can recognize her smile. And with cat!

04/10/2025

A Southwest Airlines captain thought he was simply flying a special transport mission filled with more than 145 cats and dogs. But somewhere above the clouds, the trip turned into something unforgettable. One tiny kitten named Avery caught the attention of Captain Matthew Prebish, and before the flight even landed, the pilot knew he had found a new co-pilot for life.

The unusual flight, arranged with animal rescue partners, carried pets to new shelters in the Midwest where they’ll soon meet their forever families. Avery, however, never made it to one of those kennels. Instead, he went straight from carrier to cockpit, officially adopted by the very pilot who flew him to safety, proof that sometimes the best rescues happen mid-air.