Cats are BANNED on this arctic island | Svalbard, Longyearbyen
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 พ.ค. 2024
- Cats are BANNED? It's ILLEGAL to die? There are many rumours around Svalbard, some true, some false, so I'm going to take it upon myself to weed out the truths from the lies! Starting with the cat ban - which is TRUE! I hope you enjoy this video and if you want more videos like this, please let me know in the comments 😊☕️✨
Don't forget to check out my Patreon for more videos from me ➡️ / ceciliablomdahl 🫶🏻
0:00 Svalbard
0:26 What is true?
01:28 Protected nature
1:55 1992 Ban
02:27 Rabies
03:36 What about dogs?
05:40 Summer
06:58 Grim gets a shower
08:00 Barentsburg
08:35 Cats in Barentsburg
08:53 Kesha
10:41 Current cat population
11:56 Shedding
13:42 Subscribe ♡
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About Cecilia:
Cecilia Blomdahl is originally from Sweden and moved to Svalbard 8 years ago. She works as a photographer and videographer in Longyearbyen, and with her social media channels. Check her out on tiktok and instagram under her handle @sejsejlija! Here on youtube she posts videos about her daily life in her cabin with her boyfriend Christoffer and her dog Grim, living just outside of Longyearbyen. Subscribe for videos about her daily life as well as adventures on an island close to the North Pole. They have polar bears there!
As a huge cat lover it’s sad, but yeah, they do a lot of harm. There’s been a big push where I live to have people keep their house cats mostly inside, make “catios” and harness train. For a lot of the same reasons!
Literally who cares
@@petervansan1054people who clicked on the video? Literally.
in general, I feel people should keep cats inside -- it's really best for the kitties as well! but most importantly for the environment. though catios are a great compromise between outside and inside, especially if they have a mesh bottom (preventing lizards from getting in/getting eaten). my two kitties both happen to dislike the outside and vastly prefer inside (I've done a lot to help them with that, but they also have their own reasons for not loving outside here), so I'm lucky in that way.
of course a catio won't work on the permafrost/tundra -- not protective enough. but in the rest of the world, it's a great idea.
We took in a stray and he was decimating our small critter populations, so we built him a huge catio. He lives in his own two story apartment when it's too hot or too cold, and on the catio all other times. He is a very happy cat.
@@petervansan1054anyone with a brain
My cat is a completely indoor cat. He has never been outside, except in a carrier, when traveling.
My first cat was kept indoors but given the least chance to go out she would and did.
indoor cat is like a bird in a cage, sad
@@tomservo5007not if you enrich them properly and actually play with them. and it's better than the alternative-our local bird and rodent populations have been decimated by outdoor cats.
@@tomservo5007 They're not at all comparable. An indoor cat is similar to a domesticated bird having full flight free roam of a bird proof house or rooms where they can't be eaten by predators or killed by human activity. Most people don't store their cats in crates and cat carries all day with no interaction, just as birds are also not really intended to be left alone in a small cage all day either.
Most breeds are fully domesticated and are idiots outside. Feral cats also aren't always the brightest and most have awful lifespans living fully outdoors. And from an environmental standpoint, the competent ones are invasive and can easily decimate local small prey populations if too many are left outside.
@@tomservo5007So you think it's better to let them out where they can catch diseases, be killed, abused? Indoor cats live a life of luxury. I think your comment comparing it to a cage is really out of order.
Does anybody else come here for a breather and a touch of balance? You're an arctic oasis Cecelia, thank you. Patty 🌿🍃
I love your videos. I'm from So. Calif, but spent a few weeks of winter in Sweden. Between the cold and the dark, I know I'm not suited for Svalbard life, but I sure do love living vicariously through you!
Thaaank you 😍
i swear this is the first time ive seen a donation comment on here, even though its been a feature for so long
@@Slammaa Just wanted to show some love. 🙂 I don't do Patreon and she doesn't have memberships or livestreams on YT.
@@Gringa_L that was very nice of you! just was cool to finally see a colored comment hahahaha
I love my cats but this law makes sense the way you've explained things. I've read how devastating for local wildlife cats can be (the articles I've read were about the UK and New Zealand specifically).
It's also important to note that while you can train cats to an extent, they are wilful beings and can ignore your requests. I can't even imagine how to protect them from larger animals that may hurt them, or to stop them from hunting if they escape the house.
You protect them by keeping them indoors! I have had many animals over the years. Cats can live fulfilling lives indoors and mine have no interest in going outside. In fact if something happens and they find themselves outside, they panic and want in. The laws should fine irresponsible pet owners of all species and let responsible owners keep an indoor rescued cat! And as for dogs. Mine went after wildlife too. Even when leashed.
@@melmac5173 exactly. This video seems very misinformed about cats. My vet says that the most loved and cared for cats are indoor cats. They can live very fulfilled and happy lives as indoor dwellers. My indoor cats have never escaped and found their way outdoors--they are just indoor cats. My first cat lived till 20, and my next 15, and now my currant cat is 10. I hope wit my love and care and her indoor life she can live till 20. I actually think she would do great in Cecelia's environment. No reason to ban her!
@@LisainCalifornia She's not misinformed, she's sharing the reasoning for why there is a law banning cats. She didn't make the law.
Cats are the most destructive invasive species on the planet, responsible for the extinction of more species than any non-human animal, at least 63 different species, 40 birds, 21 mammals, 2 reptiles. They are a menace to the local wildlife and anyone thinking otherwise is not living in reality. Your cat should never be allowed outside.
A lot of people in the United States think that letting your cat outdoors is irresponsible but that's an absolute falsehood. I live in the United States. My cat is 20 years old and he lived outside for 13 of the 17 years that I have owned him. My vets consistently tell me that he is the healthiest cat that they have ever seen. When he lived outside, he had flea and tick medication, a cat door to an interior enclosure that was heated in the winters insulated etc with all the things he could possibly have wanted. He took walks with us on and off leash. He climbed trees the way cats are supposed to. He caught all manner of rodents which was a good thing because many of their natural predators have all moved North and there is an overabundance of them. He did not go after birds.
I also happen to live in an area where there was not a lot of traffic. Additionally he has all his claws.
Anybody saying that keeping a cat indoors is the best way for that cat to be healthy is factually wrong and desperately misinformed.
You explained that you are not even allowed to pick flowers. I always wondered why you and Christopher did not harvest berries to freeze or make jams. I spent two years in Alaska and berries are a very important part of the indigenous diet. Very interesting video.
We have no berries here to pick. Nothing grows here
Learned something new! Never experienced tundra without berries.
Hope you do another fishing video.
I don’t get the allure of living there.
@@lisawhite2512 have you ever experienced the Arctic or even the boreal forest.? The far north is magical to some people. I personally don’t see the allure of Florida or Texas.
@@lisawhite2512High wages?
I'd love to know more about the polar dog vs other domesticated dog laws!
She said what the difference was
I would as well.
I’m assuming it’s because polar dogs tend to have higher prey drives and don’t follow commands as well as other breeds. And they’re also well adapted to the climate which means that if they escaped the might be able to survive in the wild and harm the ecosystem
Thanks for the insight! That makes a lot of sense.@@brendanmorin9935
We never allow our cats outside! Lots of cat owners here don’t let them out. Cats live longer if they are inside, and vets encourage this. It’s scary out there; (coyotes, cars, foxes, etc), and we don’t want them hunting birds.
Some people here have “catios” which are screened in areas for their cats on their patios or decks.
Cats are animals and aren't meant to spend their lives sleeping on a couch. My cat goes outside, on a leash on a very long clothesline. He can go the whole yard. he catches the occasional mice. I'd rather he doesn't eat them and i try to stop him, but you got to let you cat live a cat,s life. They aren't toys are decorations. They're animals who were born to hunt. My cat is outside from morning to night. letting them live an active lifestyle as a cat, not a stuffed animal in your house, actually makes them healthier. Don't believe everything a vet says, LOL. They are here to take your money. Do your research.
@@IzzyOnTheMove mine too. You can train cats to stay on your property, walk on leashes and give them the opportunity to keep rodents off your property. He birds here like magpies can do a lot of damage to cats. Never min the eagles, owlets etc. I had one attack my older female cat, but my other male cats yanked him off of her. That bird, a magpie did get injured a bit, but he flew off. My female cat on the other hand had to get stitches. My female cat was just sleeping on a deck chair in my back yard. The stupid bird tried to peck her eyes out but luckily my other cats yanked at its two and pulled it off of her. Thankfully my male cats are vigilant ever since an owl went after them a few years ago. They haven’t forgotten and they will protect each other, but I don’t see them otherwise go near birds. They could have killed that bird, but honestly they just yanked it off my female cat by biting its tail amd when I ordered them to let go they did.
@@IzzyOnTheMove My cats are strictly indoor cats. They have beds, mats, cat towers they can climb & sleep on, toys and plenty of playtime. Inside with me they won't: get hit by a car...attacked by another animal...pick up diseases...impregnated by feral tomcats...become lost...abducted...poisoned by anti-freeze licked up because they were thirsty.
I'm not telling you how to care for your cat. That is up to you & I respect that. My cats are happy, playful, loved and safe inside with me.
Letting cats out is good in many situations.
@@IzzyOnTheMove Our family were community cat caretakers for a colony near our house. We built insulated shelters for them, kept them fed and got them sterilized and medical care, and we socialized them. When we had a problem with a local dog owner who wouldn't follow the local laws for keeping dogs leashed or in a fenced yard, we ended up bringing in all of the cats we could catch to our house. And after they became indoor cats, not once were they interested in going back outside. They already knew the outside was cold and rough, and they decided they liked a cushy life with cat trees and toys and no big dogs. The point being that cats are individuals and have their own likes and dislikes, and yes, some of them actually do prefer spending their lives sleeping on the couch, given that choice.
I could never handle the winters and dark there, but the scenery is so stunning and your home looks so cozy! ❤️ Grim is a handsome boy after his shower!
You can get used to the cold, but never the darkness.
A guy from Mexico who went to school in Sweden told me that. I agree with him.
Awwww, Grimm is so cute! I love your Sunday videos; watching them is part of my Sunday routine! So interesting about the cats! Thank you for sharing your interesting life with us!
ARE YOU KIDDING MAN ?
ITS MORE ENTERTAINING WATCHING PAINT DRY
I have a cat and I really appreciate you giving legit and correct information about the cats in Svalvard. Unlike other channels providing false information and myths for clickbait. Thank you again Cecilia from me and my feline here in 🇨🇦
Just such a wonderful vlog. I enjoy your channel tremendously. From Australia, it seems so amazing to have a lifestyle like this. We get snow, and it gets cold, but nothing like this. I've watched several of your vlog segments, with delight. I hope your channel continues to grow and grow and grow. Just fascinating!
As a disabled person I couldn’t live on Svalbard anyway. But, as a certified cat person from (according to my gran) the very day I was born, that understandable ban would keep me away.
Grim was such a good boy while getting his shower ❤
Same to both of those. I don’t know how well I’d do there with mobility issues. I’d also be depressed without my cat.
Me too re both, but a visit would be wonderful
They should ban cat haters...
Before getting sick, 65°F/18°C was winter coat time. My fireplace was going even in summer. Now I have the air set at 64/18, the lowest it can go, even in the winter.
@@streaming5332 DIDNT YOU NOTICE HER LONG PALE TWILIGHT FACE SAGGING ?
OF COURSE THEY BANNED CATS BECAUSE THEYR ALL VAMPIRES
I’ve been out of touch for a while and happy to see you looking well, and to see Grim still the happiest, most loving dog in the world. He’s so precious.
Hi Cecilia, thank you so much for your very informative segments on Svalbard. I have been looking at moving to Svalbard now for many years, but could never get the real information I required. Please keep these segments coming!👍
Loved all the info. Thanks for sharing. Sundays are so much better know you all are a part of it. ❤
I really love your videos about Svalbard. It's so different than what most of us have ever experienced.
Could you do some videos on what Taurus can do during the polar nights and also the polar days!? It would also be interesting to see some of the shops and restaurants in town. And could you interview some of the people that live there and see what their day-to-day life is like and why they choose to live there.
Love this seeing a clean Grim loving life. This was a great video, I loved learning more about Svalbard!
Very informative. As always, great content. Thanks Cecelia.
I love my Sunday Svalbard Adventures With Cecilia!
Cecilia, your videos have made me learn to appreciate the beauty of where I live. I am in awe of all of your aerial footage of Svalbard. As I walked my dog last week around sunrise, I looked around. For the first time, I saw it here, where I live, too. I even stopped to take pictures. Thank you for sharing your life and the wonder of where you live. I am inspired and so grateful for the world around me because of you. 🌳🌳
IN OTHER WORDS SVALBARD SUCKS ASS
She didn't even read it
It’s so nice to see Grim wag his tail all the time - he must be a happy dog, and why not, with such loving owners?
@ 6:08 He's not wagging his tail.
Super interesting! Thankyou so much for sharing! It's been wonderful learning so much about such a unique remote place to live!
I love your voice! Anything you describe is awesome because of your voice and you always have great and interesting content! That’s why we watch!
I can't imagine any house cat being happy in Svalbard cold.
Morning Cecilia! Love spending my Sunday mornings watching your newset video. Very interesting about the cats. The orange cat in the Russian town was sooo cute! Love the shots where it's raining outside, just the simple beauty of Svalbard and the sound of rain.....I could sit there for hours!!
Holly are you aware of the mandela effect? Coz for many of us Svalbard NEVER existed until th Mandela effect started happening about 2016
Love all your videos I’ve been watching all your old ones, but I never knew when your new ones come on so now I know❤❤❤❤
I absolutely love your house. And your dog. And the scenery. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
Uhhhh I am early. If it wasn’t for the cat ban I would definitely live on Svalbard. Love these informative yet beautiful videos.
Free roaming cats are an invasive species to the tundra, so I completely understand the ban.
Same
Free roaming cats are a problem to wildlife anywhere and everywhere.
I'd heard cats called ecological destroyers, didn't understand till I read about the amount of damage they do to local species. Totally understand any such ban.
Me too
I understand banning free roaming cats (and dogs), absolutely. It's silly and authoritarian to ban indoor cats or other indoor pets, especially as with such a small human population licensing and tracking would be pretty easy.
Interesting info on the cats🐈! Grimm is 👀 very handsome after his grooming ❣️
This was the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Thank you so much for posting.
I love all of your videos but I'm a sucker for these ones where you explain things/talk about facts about Svalbard 😍
The first 10
Seconds of the video shows the real beauty of Svalbard ❤.It’s beautiful.
My bunny, Bunnessa, tore up everything!! Chewed the door frames(anything wood) even though she had toy's. My cat's haven't done much over the year's. Still love them both.😂 My dog's are angels of course!!🐶🐕🐶
Love your information. Enjoy the rainy days. It is so relaxing.
You make my Sundays, thank you!! ❤
I ❤the fact that the government protects wildlife and nature. More countries need to do this!
Your weather looks like ours today. We finally finished a solid month of being in the high 90s and over 100° and this morning it's a lovely 80° which would be hot for you! LOL thanks for the show today. I always look forward to Sunday mornings with Cecilia and Christoffer and Grim.
So interesting, I really enjoyed learning about all the different rules of where you live and they all make perfect sense.
Grim is just the cutest, sweetest woofer. I love his happy little face! You know, that pile of fur looks so much like raw wool--I wonder if one could spin it into yarn and knit with it? I would not be surprised! How nifty would it be to have a Grim sweater!
As for the cat ban...how sad, and illogical. I've met a number of cat and/or dog haters in my life. I mention this because I suspect some such person was behind the ban, simply because all the reasons given for the cat ban also apply to dogs, yet dogs are not banned. In fact--dogs escape their homes and yards even more easily and frequently than indoor cats do. On my town's neighborhood website, lost and found listings for dogs FAR outnumber those for cats. I see dogs wandering the streets, obviously uncontrolled, almost daily. If Svalbard simply mandated licensing, spaying/neutering, and vaccinating of cats, and also mandated that they be kept indoors only, I doubt there would be a problem. The licensing procedure would ensure that all cats would be tracked and controlled, and with such a small human population, this wouldn't be difficult. Oh well! One more place I can never live LOL. But I'd still love to visit! I do appreciate the ecological restrictions on Svalbard. All ecosystems deserve protection but I've often heard that arctic tundra and high deserts are two of the most fragile environments.
Why take the unnecessary risk of escaping etc cats, damage to the environment and such, when they can just ban cats in the first place. Cats have no important function in a place like that unlike dogs that are a good "alarm system" against polar bears, can pull sleds, guard houses, etc etc.
Oh, I totally get this, Cecilia. It makes perfect sense. I'm a cat lover, and have a five-years old girl; however, they absolutely will kill birds and such. Thanks for clarifying exactly why cats are banned.
I LOVE rain, so cozy! Something I absolutely also loved about living in Stavanger. Tons of rain there especially in the fall.
PS: looking forward to seeing and hearing about the ghost town!
Catching up on all the videos I’ve missed and you look gorge! Your hair and skin 😍😍. You’re glowing 🫶🏼
Grim is such a happy pup!!! I love your videos! I have put your beautiful town in the top 5 of my bucket list
Grim is so hadsome and he looks so haapy and friendly all the time. I loved the shower moment , so smart. Thank you for sharing
😢🐈🐈 That’s a bummer. We have three. Thank you Cecilia for all your information you take the time to post for us. Would like to see more businesses on Svalbard like auto repair shops, gas stations, where trash ends up, and specialty shops. If it wasn’t for this channel, I would never have known Svalbard existed.
Cecilia, i love your videos and look forward to what is going on so far north. Grim is the absolute best dog ever! Give him lots of hugs for me. ❤❤
I love this! Can’t wait to see more videos like this!
I don't understand allowing rabbits, they do crazy damage and multiply like, well, rabbits. Dogs also get out of the house, I'd say more often than indoor cats and get rabies and can spread disease. And I wonder why the singling out of certain breeds of dogs, I don't think you mentioned why. All very odd to me.
Non artic rabbits wouldn't survive there, maybe just the height of summer for a few weeks.
There's another channel that talks about how cats decimated bird species on the Hawaiian Islands making many of them extinct. Cats weren't native to the island they were brought by humans. And considering that there's already evidence for cats wiping out species of small animals and birds. I don't think they just banned cats for no good reason. The reason why they keep dogs is for sleds, and protection against the bears/other animals if they attack.
Yes dogs carry diseases and rabbits reproduce very quickly but neither of those animals are hunters. Some domestic cats are quite avid hunters of small critters. I had a cat who would bring a "gift" every day and sometimes twice a day.😂 Also outdoor cats and outdoor/indoor cats roam freely when outside. Domestic dogs do not wander the way cats do. So not only do cats hunt but they hunt in a wide area. This also means if they are diseased they are spreading their germs over a wide area.
The reason they single out certain Dog breeds has to do with the temperament of those breeds. Breeds like huskies have very high prey drives and do not follow commands well. They also are better adapted to the cold than many other breeds- which means that if they escape they might be able to survive in the wild and damage the wildlife
Interesting video ❤
Another great and informative video. Your videos are always fantastic! I do have to admit that any video with Grim makes them a bit better. 😉 All these years I've watched, I've incorrectly thought Grim was a polar breed... Oops! Thanks for another great video Cecilia!
I so enjoyed this information about cats , more, like this would be great. I always love your posts.
Happy Sunday
Love the caption
Interesting topics
About the cats, it's sounds more like a problem from human side (irresponssible owners) that they don't keep their cats inside or don't walk them on leash outside. It sounds like they don't trust the owners to have a cat in there as if left roam freely, they can/will damage (like any foreign species) fragile ecosystem. I don't really buy that rabies etc reason tbh as you are allowed to have dogs in there. How has Grim's teeth surgery healed btw? Is it all good now?
Yeah, fear of rabies isn't a good reason not to have cats-- they can (and should!) be vaccinated just like dogs! The other reasons are quite easy to fix as well, but they do require responsible INDOOR cat ownership, and my experience is that many European cat owners are just not willing to provide that.
@@PrimroseFrost I wouldn't put european catowners in same box, as I can't put us or asian catowners in same box too. All over the world there are freely roaming cats and around the world there are resposible owners who have indoor cats, vaccinated, having catio for them or walking them on hareness. I wonder where this "european cat owners are irresposible" comes as I see feral cat colonies and irresponsible owners from all world (like japanese cat island and cats are roaming in neigbourhoods, in south korea there are roaming cats in campsites, in us there are also cat colonies. Ofc I know Greece and warmer countries have cat issues). Me as an european cat owner have two indoor cats and one of them enjoys walking in hareness outside and pouncing crickets, I just wonder where this "specifically european cat owners are irresponsible" comes.
@@chuiga2935 I talked about European cat owners because it was relevant to the video-- Svalbard is in Europe, and most people who will be looking to move to Svalbard are Europeans. And I never said that European cat owners are irresponsible; if you look at my comment I put INDOORS in all caps because that was what I was emphasizing. It's definitely not universal (I said many, not all, for a reason), but everything I've seen, read, or can find data on says that the majority of European cat owners still let their cats free roam. There are even places like the UK, where a decent percentage of cat owners see NOT letting cats roam as cruel to the cat.
I am very happy to hear that you are keeping your cats indoors! (I have two indoors kitties of my own, although since I'm in the US that's much more of the norm.) I know that in the UK attitudes are starting to change towards indoor cats; I don't know where you are but I'd love to know what attitudes are like there, and whether they're changing towards keeping cats inside!
@@PrimroseFrost Hope your kitties are well, good to hear they are indoor cats aswell.
I just wondered why some people need to specify about european cat owners (makes sense somehow as you mentioned that this video is located on europe), as I saw few comments mentioned that. So I ofc think that they don't see other continets like that.
I kinda understand roaming cat ONLY IF they are neutered and vaccinated work cat, aka keep mices/rats away from stables and granary and the owners keep taking care of them by deworming and taking them to vet time to time for routine check out. Tho I have also seen that rats have populated on areas that used to have cat or two in area. And that is not good (as they keep destroying houses).
I'm from Finland and I have started to see cats in hareness more and more lately. I think it was in law here that letting your cat roam is seen like you have abandoned it by laws perspective. If your pet is taken to the shelter from outside, you have 15 days to take them from there, otherwise they will find a new home for them (gladly people seem to adopt cats quite fast as I've seen as I follow few finnish shelters in instagram). I think it's more like older people who can't take care of their cats (mental problems, so they don't have capasity to sterilise their cat = barncats that reproduce) are behind the few cat populations we have had in few places (as I recall what the shelters had said). I think we are having soon (?) law here that all of our cats and dogs have to have microchip, which I feel is progress.
Overall I think attidues are changing slowly but surely to the right way in world towards pets. Some people just have to see animals as animals, not as objects.
Love your videos and plan to visit Svalbard next year! Since you have a friend in Barentsburg, could you make a video about the relationship between the Norwegian and Russian settlements? When I started to plan my journey to Svalbard, I realized that you cannot book any trips to Pyramiden/Barentsburg via the "Visit Svalbard" website anymore because of the sanctions against Russia. How is the relationship with the Russian settlements? Is it still possible to visit them or are there any restrictions?
It is so beautiful where you live. Gorgeous scenery and so close to nature. Grim is precious and his fur is so pretty. You have a lovely life. Lots of adventure. God bless,😊Darlene
I think it makes it really interesting when you research things and report back to us, thanks!!
I love the fact that you include Grim in your videos. He seems so content all the time and has such a good life with you and Christopher!
I’m a Pacific Islander, this place Is as stunning & magical as any of our islands…maybe, even more so
Seems a little extreme to me. You'd think that if your cat was fixed and had a rabies shot and they were indoor cats that it would be no problem. Even if they got out, they still couldn't breed or anything. Also unless someone found them they probably wouldn't last through the winter. So they wouldn't be able to harm anything for long.
I'm very happy you made this video! When you said there are still some cats I immediately thought "It's Barentsburg, isn't it" 😄 I guess then I'll save my cat snacks for the cats of Tromsø. By the way, if I see you and Grim in Longyearbyen in the coming week, is it okay to say hi or would you rather I don't?
As a cat mom and foster to lots of kittens I get the reasons why cats are banned, but it makes me super sad. They're also really susceptible to extreme cold, most domestic cats here in the states are bred from desert species and extreme cold temperatures can affect their quality of life. Only specific cat breeds would thrive out in the wilderness.
My partner's cat in the UK doesn't go outside if it's snowing she will use a litter box. Funny thing is the birds in the garden have learnt to gang up to dive bomb her so she doesn't go near them. 😂
There is a term for cat ladies that speaks voulumes..."A number of studies also confirm that mental diseases like schizophrenia, depression and anxiety syndrome are more common in people with toxoplasmosis, while others suggest that toxoplasmosis can influence how extroverted, aggressive or risk-inclined an individual's behaviour is"
@@lutomson3496 Wow, you're a lovely person.
I have a Norwegian Forest Cat, and they have a double coat and thrive in the cold.
@@lutomson3496 a number of studies show adults with those disease and pets have increased compliance to their medical therapies and increased quality of life. 👏 Try thinking outside the box. You’d be surprised. Labeling people and generalizing isn’t informative.🤦♀️
Oh how sad. My cats have saved my life. They have healed my heart and they are my two babies. And my cats NEVER go outside. They were born indoors and will stay that way their whole lives.
Great vlog thanks for all the information 👍👍👍.
Thank you for the interesting video, I'd certainly love to see more in this vein.
"The reindeer can have rabies" is a sad fact I wish I didn't know :(
My condolences on the cat ban. Cats have enriched my life.
Sure, but pet cats are a nuisance to birds and critters. They instinctively hunt and kill, even if they are fed at home. The numbers are staggering to the point cats should be banned all over America. "Fish and Wildlife Service found that free-ranging domestic cats are the top human-caused threat to wildlife in the United States, killing an estimated 1.3 to 3.7 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals annually." !!!
they might enrich your life, but they are the main predators in the whole UK killing 14 million wild birds per year according to BBC magazine Science Focus. Australia and New Zealand are trying to control cats roaming around as well..
Me too
I fancy being there in the winter.
Well. You better look at what happened in Australia.
Very interesting all this stuff about banned cats. Always great stories to tell About.
Thanks Cecilia. Say hello tô
This was a great video Cecilia!
I love this video! Very interesting. I love hearing about interesting facts about Svalbard. Grim is so beautiful ❤❤
My Mom used to save her cat’s shedded fur and put it in clear plastic balls to decorate the Christmas tree. Love any video with Grim! I just want to pet him! I’m glad the authorities are reasonable and allow the cats who ‘grandfathered in’ from before the ban.
Your mom's Christmas ornament idea is genius! 😂 I have several towels in my kitchen which say that I decorate my home with cat hair... and it certainly feels as if we do exactly that. I vacuum twice each day, but there is always new fur waiting to replace it lol!
That's gnarly.
This was a vert fun informative post. Thanks ❤
i love your kitchen counter and the amazing view you have, its so beautiful, wow!
The wildlife part makes total sense (cats catch birds) but the rabies part not so much. Dogs are way more likely to get rabies because some species of cats are actually naturally resistant. They also can get the rabies vaccine just like dogs can
So are dogs more likely or you’re just saying some cats are resistant? Dogs don’t have to be more likely just because cats can be immune. Those are not correlating facts.
@@parryyotter I smell a cat hater...just stop. Dogs can and do get rabies just as easily as any cat. Ask a vet.
Totally! There’s me watching this video with my two cats by the fire … I guess I am a little masochistic. A friendlier way to ban them could be, this weather could be very dangerous for them, and as they are not a native specie we are sorry, they are not allowed. But saying that is because they have parasites and can get rabies… 🤦♀️…
Thank you for your content. Can you show the nightlife of the island. Are there nightclubs and parties?
There are definitely pubs and bars on the island, but I don't know about full on nightclubs.
@@16dya No parties? reallllly?
Love love love these types of videos. I found you during the time we were on lockdown for three months…. Felt like the perfect segue into your early life in LNGBN…. I even dabbled with a little bit of Duolingo Norwegian/Swedish to have some connection when I finally visit during polar day
Questions:
1) are the outdoor activities very different during polar day? Later at night hangout sessions… longer store hours. I just picture more group activities where the community comes together more often downtown later at night.
2) I’m an optometrist… I know my profession isn’t the same in most of the rest of the world…. But what’s it like in Scandinavia/Svalbard? In one of your earlier videos, you mention some specialists come to Svalbard every so often and a few are full time etc. how do you guys work out glasses/contacts etc…?
3) Christopher’s English is way better than most Americans any language other than English. A+ man! No need to feel a type of way
4) My goal is to have the lady who makes jewelry or something…. Make me something when I visit…. Is she still there? You’ve featured her in one of your videos.
5)can you go over again where you’ve lived in your life. It’s insanely remarkable how you sound like a standard American. I often forget you’re not a native speaker. Words like avalanche. I hesitated to even bring up that word as I don’t want you to change but it’s times like that when I remember…. Oh yeah she’s Swedish.
6) what’s Christopher’s family like?
7) more Barentsberg! Intense fascination with a Russian anything. Sad that the current situation isn’t great but their history is remarkable.
8) Keша… or whatever her name was. Awww rip girl!!!
9) please interview your friend who lived in Barentsberg on why they moved there and why they moved away. The Russian couple who moved to BBerg and shipped their cats back. I’d love to here their story of why they moved.
10) can a regular person move to Svalbard? I know this has been asked numerous times but it seems like it’s a place for people who already have money or have some sort of emergency back up if things go south. Back to my profession… I frequently look up what I could get paid if I move to Europe. And in general, not a whole lot…. Working a part or full time local job there…. Can one pay the necessary bills to live? Did you have to ask ma and pa for help when you first moved?
11) I’d love to see you guys travel throughout Scandinavia. It’s content! And I’m here for it.
12) if you had a kid… what language(s) would you speak to them in? Would it be only in Swedish and let him learn English in school? Or would Christopher be only in Swedish and you only in English? In Southern California, I interact with alll sorts of ethnic backgrounds and this is a topic that fully interests me. The pros and cons of bilingual upbringing.
After decades, I finally made it to stunningly beautiful Norway, but alas, ni Svalbard. Been enjoying the Lofoten islands. Enjoying your content for years!
Great video, Cecilia, Christoffer and Grim! Love the shower scene. lol And the lore about the Svalbard cats, esp. Kesha-not-Kesha. You should have a sweater made of Grim's fur. I bet it would be incredibly warm and waterproof. Certainly a cruelty-free way of having a wool sweater. And it still astounds me that Grim and his brother are not classified as Arctic breeds, because of his experience at your parents' house that led you to realizing he cannot leave the Arctic Circle. I would call him an undeclared Arctic breed. More like this, please. We love to learn interesting new info. 💖💖💖
Strange indeed that it's not counted as an "Arctic breed", since the Finnish Lapphund is a reindeer herder from north of the Arctic Circle... would be interesting to know the reasoning
Deal breaker. Could not live without my cats.
Hi, I just joined your channel. This is interesting about cats . Love watching this channel on Sunday, lol
Hilarious anyone believes it’s illegal to die there. 🤭 I cannot get enough of life on Svalbard. The beauty of this magical place always takes my breath away. Have a wonderful week Cecilia.🫶🏼
Yes but it’s illegal to have a baby there and no nursing homes for the elderly. Crazy.
@@lisawhite2512 Yes, I know, and those make perfect sense.
People can just drop dead so it's impossible to make it illegal to die anywhere.
Hiya Cecelia much love ❤️ and kisses💋💋💋 from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺 love your videos 😊look forward to them every week
Omg yay bunnies are allowed! I have a bunny and I would have a very hard time leaving her behind if I were to move to Svalbard ♥
Great video, as always :)
Beautiful video! I've never had my cats "break out" 😂 So interesting though!
lol my cat has a history of breaking out of my house. we have hopefully* gotten it under control by now though.
Thank You Cecillia..... I am in Québec Province CANADA.... I LOVE your videos so much.... it is a pleasure to listen to You....
Thank You for being art of my life.... I am 74 Years YOUNG, livimg at country FAR from Montréal, where i come from.... Yves
Your hair is beautiful! The layers are so very pretty!
Svalbard was part of a question on a trivia show we have on TV here (The Wall) recently! They show you the answer choices before the person hears the question, we saw they were all countries and my family and I were all like “well we’re not gonna know this one” (none of us are good at geography ha) but it was something like “Svalbard is an archipelago near what country?” I was like “omg I actually know this one!” all thanks to your videos 🙂
Most ppl keep their cats indoors. Mine are 100% inside, but will get a Catio when I move. I understand the law, but its silly too, imo, if they are indoors.
Not in the UK. Most cats roam free and are considered semi-wild. There are cats who like humans so won't hunt birds. Instead when let out they will befriend as many humans as possible to get extra food, petting and shelter if it rains/snows and they can't get back to their main home. Some will even move out if they realise a house is better than where they currently are. Then there are ones who don't like humans so only go to the one house that will feed it and hunt. Generally if kittens aren't handled regularly at 6 weeks they end up as the latter.
Thank you for sharing🎉
such interesting videos. love your kitchen. what a good view. our dogs have had a major shedding also.
Aw arctic foxes have their own built in fluffy pillow, their big tail 😊
these anti cat laws are pedantic and catphobic when all of the reasons could also be applied to dogs!
I know that I'm really late to commenting on this video, but I would love a day in the life of Grim video!! Yes, I'm a dog person and proud of this!!😂😂 As always, thanks for sharing Cecilia!!❤🎉
Awesome video, really enjoyed it and learned something toooooo
Hey Cecilia, I'm not sure if you've spoken about this before, but are there horses on svalbard? If so do they stay inside mostly during the winter? Also is it possible to have indoor farms on svalbard or must everything be imported?
Cats should never be banned. They make everything better
🙄
Thanks for making this vid!!!
This was so interesting! Thanks Cecilia. I love Grim too, he's such a happy boy! This may be a stupid question but did Svalbard have any indigenous people? Does it have any myths and legends or folklore associated with it?
I appreciate why the ban exists but have sympathy for the citizens of Svalbard. In your lovely, cozy home the only thing missing was a little cat curled up by the fire. Stay safe!❤ from North Carolina, U.S.A.
THEY WERE GOING TO KILL THE CATS BECAUSE THE OWNER WAS IRRESPONSIBLE???
No, they just don’t allow them because of the ecosystem. Please do some research before posting inflammatory comments! Maybe watch the whole video!
@@jodyvelasco740 I did watch the whole video. I understand why cats aren't allowed on the island. I also understand the cats were going to be killed if their owners hadn't been able to make other arrangements.
And Cecilia clearly says the owners didn't find out if they could bring the cats.
Stop being so rude and maybe you watch the video all the way to the end next time.
Yes! That was upsetting.
@@RamenNoodle1985 she clearly states that the ban is told to everyone traveling there. The owners decided t I not listen to this LAW. If you move to somewhere it’s your responsibility to check all laws and regulations you need to abide by. It’s unfortunate the cats may have lost their lives because of bad owners but it’s the owners fault.
It was the city run by Russian government....not to excuse it, but the heavy handedness and disregard for life is par for the course for that government.
Cecilia, thank you, I absolutely love your informative video.
The cat shown was so beautiful. It looks like a stuffed animal.
What is the reason why Grim is allowed more time off the leash?
Is he a native to the land?
Thank you for sharing. I love the cold desolation of your island.