November 7, 2011: We’ve scoured the Web to find the best and most compelling animal stories, videos and photos. And it’s all right here.

Jack the Cat

Jack the JFK Cat Loses His Battle to Live

After surviving for two months on his own at JFK International Airport, Jack the cat was put to sleep. A message posted on his Facebook page said that Jack had infections that he couldn’t recover from, despite extensive medical care for dehydration and malnourishment.

“Jack had been through so much, and the last thing anyone wanted was for him to suffer more,” read the message to his nearly 24,000 Facebook friends. Jack surfaced late last month after he tumbled through a ceiling tile at the airport, leaving his loved ones and fans elated. — Read it at the New York Post

South African Rhinos Take an Upside-Down Helicopter Ride

When you’re a rhino embarking on a 1,000-mile trip, travel arrangements can be a bit tricky. For a group of South African rhinos bound for a part of the country that’s safe from poachers, the first leg of the journey involves a 10-minute helicopter ride — and the sedated animals hang from their feet.

“All of the veterinarians working on the translocation agreed that this was now the method of choice for the well-being of the animals,” said the head of the World Wildlife Federation project. The new method shortens the time that the rhinos need to be drugged, and it’s easier for them to breathe in this way than in a net. Plus, it makes for some incredible photography. — See the photos at Today

Black lab guide dog

Blind Lab Chooses Her Own Guide Dog

When Shelly, a 3-year-old black Lab, was losing her sight, her owners took Shelly to a shelter to find her a friend. She quickly took to Tommy, a Lab mix who seemed to understand that she needed his help — and he immediately stepped in as Shelly’s seeing-eye dog. — Watch it at MyFox Memphis

An Australian Tabby Returns Home — a Year Later

A year after she went missing, a feline in Australia showed up at her old house. Jessie, a tabby cat, disappeared shortly after her owners moved 1,800 miles to a different part of the country. A year later, she was spotted near their former home — and her owner believes that Jessie made it back on foot. “She hates getting into cars, so I think she has walked,” said owner Sheree Gale. Now, the new owners of Gale’s old home are taking care of the traveling tabby. — Read it at the Daily Telegraph

Toddler Has a Lion Cub for a Playmate

In other curious news from Australia . . . When your family owns a zoo, you apparently have some pretty cool pets. A toddler living Down Under bonded with a lion cub named Sassie after her parents brought the cub into their home because her mother wasn’t producing enough milk. For now, Sassie has a found a loyal buddy in 2-year-old Maddi. — Watch it at Today

Webcams Allow the World to Watch Canada’s Epic Polar Bear Migration

Each year, 1,000 polar bears trek across Canada’s frozen waters, a sight typically only seen by scientists and researchers. Now, animal welfare and other groups have collaborated to set up a string of cameras across remote parts of the bears’ route to capture the migration. The hope is that people who watch the footage will “develop emotional connections with the planet.” — Read it at Discovery News