Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for September 23, 2023

Puck is right – but, so is Elvis!

Elvis, with the saddest little face. He realizes Ol’ Pucky Bear is right. And Pucky Bear is in full Mom Cat Mode. I love him, with his arms around the little ones.

It is a different type of Tusslemania, wrestling with their consciences.

Momma Puck knows what’s really important.

Hopefully, Puck can figure out how to lure them into the right place while still telling the truth.

I heard somewhere that no American animal digs deeper than 18 inches. Anyone out there ever have moles in your basement? Closest I can come is bats in my belfry.

Dunn dunn dunn!

The basement of my grandmother’s house had a gravel floor on one side and dirt on the other. I know the Big Pink House is on a hill, so the basement floor could be close to ground level at some point. My house is also on a hill. The garage is part of the basement.

Now we know why Puck was so quick to volunteer. I seem to remember from my Master’s Degree work years ago that according to Queen Elizabeth I, it was morally ok to lie to tyrants for a good purpose.

The cats will have to take turns on patrol. Stay safe everyone. Remember this is a Just War. Good will triumph and the bad will be banished.

For the greater good Puck…

P.s. TINY TONGUE BLEPS on panel 3 and 4!!!!

Giving justification for your fake mews pawpurrganda eh.

Aww, such a cute sleep heap with the Iggy-loaf and Ora-sploot!

Everything fair in love war and pawlitics eh.

It’s good that he’s discussing it with Dadcat.

OT the morality of lying (looong)

Well, but by fibbing (in fact, straight lying, this is not “unimportant matter”, this is done straight to lure the moles into a trap) on air you make all your future broadcasts tainted by suspicion. What will you lie about next? Is the material about children drawing nice pictures also a “fib”, and they actually write letters for help to get out, but you feel there is a need for “twisting” the truth for another worthy cause? When will fibbing, just because you need a “better story”, start? A bit extreme example, but this is a slippery slope, one that the media in our real world already fallen off. Most people I know do not believe most they hear or read, because they know they can’t trust journalists to be objective, and there is always a fib in the mix, if not a calculated lie to achieve some ideological or political goal. I wouldn’t wish Cat News to go that way.

OT Stormy

Georgia posted the sweetest picture of Puck, and OZ, sleeping next to a stuffed turtle toy! Wanna guess what the turtle’s name is? (Sorry, I don’t have the link for that photo)

BoCH and two white floof patch panels!

I understand this dilemma all too well. I hate lying.

During wars there is a lot of lying going on. One big one was spreading the lie that the June 6 invasion would be elsewhere than Normandy. How lying to save lives is wrong if it saves lives is beyond me. It isn’t like the enemy is your best friend.

Where are the people? Have they not seen the destruction of the birdbath?

In the neighborhood of Soulard in St. Louis, I worked in a house that had a hard-packed dirt floor. There was only a small patch of concrete for the furnace to rest upon, and the rest was dirt.

I’ll try to help, Elvis. I think we can clarify the issue by using Ross’s prima facie duties. (I’m a great admirer of Ross.)

Fibbing on air would be a breach of the prima facie duty of fidelity. That is certain. It is also possible that it would damage the reputation for trustworthiness of BCN. If there were no other considerations it would be wrong in itself and in its consequences.

But there are other considerations. The raccoons have been wronged. Those who can help have the prima facie duty of reparation. It is not certain that fibbing on air will help, but it is reasonable to expect that it will.

There is the prima facie duty of beneficence. The world will be a better place if the evil schemes of Wicket are foiled. Again, it is reasonable to expect that fibbing will help to foil them.

And there is the prima facie duty of non-injury (or non-maleficence). We should refrain from harming others. Failing to prevent the moles from injuring others might count as contributing to injury. And, given the basement of the BPH, this just might include injury to those whom you have the strongest obligation to protect.

Of course you have to make your own assessment of what your actual duty is, but this analysis might help you to find it.

It’s time to take a stand against the moles, whatever it takes!

The Allies planned a deliberate ruse against Hitler for almost a year prior to their invasion on D-Day. They knew if Hitler got wind of it at all, it would fail. D-Day was their Hail Mary pass to end the war and it was definitely the turning point, though still a bloodbath. A short but good article on History dot com titled Fooling Hitler: The Elaborate Ruse Behind D-Day gives a good idea on the whole thing. I tend to think this is what BCN will do but of course in a much, much shorter time span. Not really lying, per se, but fooling the moles into thinking something different in order to save both sides. Georgia would certainly never kill anyone! But there has to be something done to bring harmony back and if fooling the moles is it, then it’s better than an all out war.

“When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won,” you can go on the air with a special broadcast explaining why you had to lie. Your viewers will understand.

Elvis, were not in Kansas any longer

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile

Serfig-Aro: Welcome, one and all to another round of Lawn Potato. Today we will see The Mighty Spuds versus the Harsh Browns! For the pregame entertainment, Clawson and the Crinkle Crabs will perform their Crab Cakewalk!

Cheering from the stands

Serfig-Aro: And now the teams are lining up. The Harsh Browns have won the toss, and their tunneler Delver is making the dig. Quarterback Mischief is in the pocket ready to pass the potato!

Tabith-Isis: This is such an exciting start, Figs. We have two teams evenly matched. Right now it’s anybody’s game.

Sometime Later

Serfig-Aro: What an exciting first half! The Mighty Spuds have a lead, but there is plenty of Lawn Potato to play! And now for halftime Pink Lupinium and his tumblers will perform to the tune of Tomato Sauce is My Friend. I understand the Spaghetti Suite was choreographed by Elvis-Anum.

After the halftime show

Serfig-Aro: That was a spectacular halftime show! Now for the second half, with the score The Mighty Spuds 14, the Harsh Browns 7.

Iggy with eye closed, Ora Zella calm and asleep, both so huggable!!

No problem, just get out the hammers. The basement becomes one giant Wack-A-Mole Game.

Does Puck have to tell an out and out fib? He could just make a rousing speech to inspire the moles to see the error of their ways.

On a side note, Puck could tell the moles to dig into the basement where they will be safe from Wicket!

OT: The World’s Best Litter kittens have names…

In times of war, strong measures must be taken!

And I’m thinking Lovecraft’s PICKMAN’S MODEL with that last panel comment. Something I didn’t need . Brrr!

Wait, what? The laundry room has a dirt floor? That doesn’t compute.

We don’t know for sure what Puck will say, he may well find a way to get the moles where they want them without actually lying – perhaps by planning a personal appearance?

In any case, he will do what has to be done to protect his family. He’s a good cat.

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to do to keep those you love most safe. Puck may lose credibility for awhile but he wont lose Iggy and Ora Zella

The past few days, Georgia has given us a real “Meaning of Life” picture. First, Queen Mag on what’s really important as she holds her Granddaughter close to her. Today, we get Pucky with his arms stretched around Iggy and Ora Z. Willing to do something tough, something he’d never want to do. All for the love, and safety, of those little ones. Finally, Elvis’ expression of sadness, and acceptance, that this is the only course of action. I think most of us have seen our parents, loved ones, in this situation before. I know I have. This is brilliant work!

Puck is a true heroe, able to think to the future.

Ora sleeping with her tongue out is the cutest thing ever!

Puck understands that if the moles get in, they might steal Buzzy Mouse, and guarding against that possibility calls for extreme measures.

Your basement has a dirt floor?! That’s the scariest thing in the entire arc. Never mind the moles, get your radon test kit NOW.

and you need to protect the kittens (one that’s sticking her tongue out (TOO CUTE!) and those lovely fangs). There are ways of “fibbing” without compromise.

Another message here: Just because something doesn’t affect you now, does not mean it will not forever. “Peace in our time” is never a good option.

That’s a very good point about the dirt floor in the basement.

But you still don’t have to actually lie on air.

Puck and kittens.

Puck hugging Iggy and OZ. Queen Mag hugging Magazine. The night before the battle. There’s some universality here. And I can’t help but believe there will be a humane and moral outcome to all this. Even when Wicket was defeated before he ended up in a sanctuary. And the racoons and opossums obviously made a peaceful end to their conflict in the end.

Aw, Pucky with the kittens is so precious to see. Is Ora Zella blepping in her sleep or am I seeing things? Either way, cute! And Elvis and Pucky’s conversation is really something

“We’ve never fibbed on the air” says the cat that continues to deny the existence of mail carriers…

Elvis needs to read human history, particularly this paraphrased quote: At first the owl came for the raccoons, but I said nothing. He came for the moles, but I said nothing. Then he came for me, and no one said a thing.

Both are not wrong.

First Queen Mag with Magazine. Now Puck with Iggy and Ora Zella. I feel like my heart is about to break. ::wipes eyes::