Benjamin G. Levy

Today's Kitten of the Day is Helen, named for Helen Keller because she's had troubles with her eyes. Helen moved in last Sunday! Helen would rather that I not send email.

[Video Link]

An internet classic from 2010 by Chris Cohen. (via @nytjim @janinegibson @bengoldacre)

Image: Alfalfa, a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike (2.0) image contributed to the Boing Boing Flickr pool by photographer David W. Oliver.

[Video Link, thanks @kaepora]

OAKLAND RIOT CAT. Here's the background.

(via Renny Gleeson)

One of my greatest regrets about my recent trip to Japan? I didn't manage to meet Maru.

Today, there's news that provides some consolation. The story of Maru, a Scottish Fold cat of great internet fame, will soon be available in book form for English-language audiences.

In I Am Maru (out Aug 23 in hardback), the kitty's owner mugumogu "gives readers a peek into the low-key life of the world’s most famous cat," and an insider's view on all his favorite hiding places around the house: trash cans, cupboards, cereal boxes, you name it. "If it’s cozy, he’s there."

Thank you for making the internet a sweeter place, Maru. Let's hang out sometime, when you're done promoting that new Mac operating system? As one YouTube commenter put it, "Some people want to meet Justin Bieber or Barack Obama. I just want to meet this cat."

Here's an Amazon link for the book (don't miss the book trailer videos on that page, they're hilarious). Here is the Maru blog, and here's the publisher's feature page (Harper-Collins).

Video Link from mugumogu's channel: Below, "A Box and Maru." And there are many more Maru videos here. I recommend watching them any time you need happiness.

(thanks, Susannah Breslin!)