By: Aazdak Alisimo
Cats are oh so cute, but there is a definite dark side to your little fur ball. This dark side also explains how its senses have evolved over time. Simply put, your kitten is a predator. Its senses are all tailored to help it catch its prey.
Vision is the first and foremost sense for your predatory fur ball. Simply put, it has excellent night vision to support its ability to hunt mice, rodents and elephants at night. During the day, that same vision is a hinderance as their vision is worse than ours.
To pull this increased vision off during the night, cats have an organic element of their eyes that reflects more light to the iris. This is known as the tapetum lucidum and you have seen it. It is the colored reflection you see in photographs of cats.
Ah, but what about hearing. Cats have absolutely tremendous hearing, right? Yes and no. They can hear much better than us when it comes to high pitches, but about the same as us on the lower pitches.
Once area where there is no disputing our feline friends have superior senses is smell. We might as well not have noses when discussing any comparison. A cat can smell 14 times as well as we can.
Whiskers are the key to the sense of touch for a cat. Everyone knows they have them on their face, but they also have them on the bottom of their chin, the back of their ankles and the elbows of their legs.
Whisker use depends on the breed, but all are used to sense touch and provide input to the brain. Brain activity studies show that the sensation sent by the whiskers are processed much like sight, meaning cats can be said to visualize images with their whiskers.
Turning to taste, we find something very odd about cats. They have problems tasting sugars for genetic reasons. Scientists believe this is why most cat breeds ignore potential plant food and prefer meat that they can taste.
As you can see, your cat not only thinks it is smarter than you, but it definitely has enhanced senses. Whether that leads to greater intelligence is hard to say, but it certainly food for thought. Just not sugary food.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
Aazdak Alisimo provides cat information along with other pet info at PetStoreYeti.com.
Kitty Chromosomes And Cats
By: Paulina Jenkins..
In all cats there found to be 19 pairs of kitty chromosomes. One set is inherited from the mother; the other set is from the father. These kitty chromosomes determine the sex of the offspring and can be either X or Y chromosomes.
It is really quite fascinating how this works. The mother cat gives the X chromosome, while the father cat can give either X or Y. whichever one the father cat gives is what determines the sex of the kitten. The kitty chromosomes that the father cat gives also determine the fur color and type.
A male calico or tortoiseshell cat has two X and one Y chromosomes. All female cats have two X kitty chromosomes that contain genes creating the three calico pattern colors. A male calico or tortoiseshell has only one X chromosome. This X chromosome gives the fur color of orange or black. In the calico cat there is a gene for the white color of the calico pattern.
It may sound a bit confusing; a male calico or tortoiseshell could either be of the XY pattern or XXY combination. A female cat possesses the XX chromosome pattern. A male calico or tortoiseshell is very rare and will always be sterile. For this reason, it is not possible to mate a female calico with a male calico or tortoiseshell cat.
For a cat to be a calico or tortoiseshell it must have the two X chromosomes. These X chromosomes are responsible for the fur colors and they are inherited from the mother only. Should the kitten end up with two X chromosomes and a Y chromosome then it will be a sterile male calico and tortoiseshell.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a great website on cats. Learn about kitty chromosomes. What do you know about kitty chromosomes how it affects the gender and fur colors of a cat.
In all cats there found to be 19 pairs of kitty chromosomes. One set is inherited from the mother; the other set is from the father. These kitty chromosomes determine the sex of the offspring and can be either X or Y chromosomes.
It is really quite fascinating how this works. The mother cat gives the X chromosome, while the father cat can give either X or Y. whichever one the father cat gives is what determines the sex of the kitten. The kitty chromosomes that the father cat gives also determine the fur color and type.
A male calico or tortoiseshell cat has two X and one Y chromosomes. All female cats have two X kitty chromosomes that contain genes creating the three calico pattern colors. A male calico or tortoiseshell has only one X chromosome. This X chromosome gives the fur color of orange or black. In the calico cat there is a gene for the white color of the calico pattern.
It may sound a bit confusing; a male calico or tortoiseshell could either be of the XY pattern or XXY combination. A female cat possesses the XX chromosome pattern. A male calico or tortoiseshell is very rare and will always be sterile. For this reason, it is not possible to mate a female calico with a male calico or tortoiseshell cat.
For a cat to be a calico or tortoiseshell it must have the two X chromosomes. These X chromosomes are responsible for the fur colors and they are inherited from the mother only. Should the kitten end up with two X chromosomes and a Y chromosome then it will be a sterile male calico and tortoiseshell.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has a great website on cats. Learn about kitty chromosomes. What do you know about kitty chromosomes how it affects the gender and fur colors of a cat.
Cleaning Cat Urine Does Not Have To Be A Chore
By: Paulina Jenkins..
Cleaning cat urine is complicated and there are no easy or quick fix. This is because the urine is made up of three main components. These are the sticky stuff known as Urea, Urochrome the pigments part and the odor Uric acid component. Cats drink little water so their urine is very concentrated and odorous. The color of the cat urine and stain strength closely related to food, age, gender and health of the animal, whether undertaking any medication. Finding the exact spots to clean, especially old stains could be the biggest problem.
Find out what causes your cat's problem and you could stop it and not have to keep cleaning cat urine. There have to be a reason why your cat does not urinate in the litter box. Cats use urine to mark territories and when under threat or stressed they urinate. If the cat urinates all over the place it could be a sign of urinary tract disease. However, insecure cats often mark by urinating and it's a means of letting other cats know not to trespass. Cleaning cat urine does not have to be a chore if you could prevent the problem occurring in the first place.
When a cat feels insecure, it will mark by urinating as a means of communicating to other cats that this is his place. Because cleaning cat urine is quite a job, it is best to stop it before it starts. Cat urine doesn't have to be a huge job if you use the right cleaning products for it. Chemical, enzymatic and bacterial are the three primary things to use to remove cat urine.
Ordinary household ingredients such as white vinegar have been tried for eliminating cat urine odors. Try sprinkling the area with baking soda and then let it dry to remove surface odors. Use the vacuum to pick up the dried baking soda. You can also apply any detergent that has peroxide in it to remove urine odor. Spray this on the stain spot and let it soaked in. If you use Listerine with it, the mixture works better in eliminate the odor.
If your cat has a favorite spot first use tin foil to cover this area. Then apply some mothballs or Citronella smell to the area to repel your cat from coming back. There are special formulas that destroy the bacteria and the odor causing crystals in cat urine. Once the affected area is clean, apply a good quality pet odor neutralizer. The most effective cat urine removal product is those of enzyme based.
A high quality cat urine remover is necessary to completely clean cat urine stains and odor out of carpet and upholstery. If you use cleaners that contain ammonia on cat urine, your cat will be drawn to use the same spot again as it has the same odor as cat urine. With the combination of a blacklight and a good quality cat urine cleaner, you can eliminate cat urine odors entirely.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins is a great cat lover that is keen to share and exchange information on Cleaning Cat Urine. She understands that many cat owners like to find a solution to Cleaning Cat Urine
Cleaning cat urine is complicated and there are no easy or quick fix. This is because the urine is made up of three main components. These are the sticky stuff known as Urea, Urochrome the pigments part and the odor Uric acid component. Cats drink little water so their urine is very concentrated and odorous. The color of the cat urine and stain strength closely related to food, age, gender and health of the animal, whether undertaking any medication. Finding the exact spots to clean, especially old stains could be the biggest problem.
Find out what causes your cat's problem and you could stop it and not have to keep cleaning cat urine. There have to be a reason why your cat does not urinate in the litter box. Cats use urine to mark territories and when under threat or stressed they urinate. If the cat urinates all over the place it could be a sign of urinary tract disease. However, insecure cats often mark by urinating and it's a means of letting other cats know not to trespass. Cleaning cat urine does not have to be a chore if you could prevent the problem occurring in the first place.
When a cat feels insecure, it will mark by urinating as a means of communicating to other cats that this is his place. Because cleaning cat urine is quite a job, it is best to stop it before it starts. Cat urine doesn't have to be a huge job if you use the right cleaning products for it. Chemical, enzymatic and bacterial are the three primary things to use to remove cat urine.
Ordinary household ingredients such as white vinegar have been tried for eliminating cat urine odors. Try sprinkling the area with baking soda and then let it dry to remove surface odors. Use the vacuum to pick up the dried baking soda. You can also apply any detergent that has peroxide in it to remove urine odor. Spray this on the stain spot and let it soaked in. If you use Listerine with it, the mixture works better in eliminate the odor.
If your cat has a favorite spot first use tin foil to cover this area. Then apply some mothballs or Citronella smell to the area to repel your cat from coming back. There are special formulas that destroy the bacteria and the odor causing crystals in cat urine. Once the affected area is clean, apply a good quality pet odor neutralizer. The most effective cat urine removal product is those of enzyme based.
A high quality cat urine remover is necessary to completely clean cat urine stains and odor out of carpet and upholstery. If you use cleaners that contain ammonia on cat urine, your cat will be drawn to use the same spot again as it has the same odor as cat urine. With the combination of a blacklight and a good quality cat urine cleaner, you can eliminate cat urine odors entirely.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins is a great cat lover that is keen to share and exchange information on Cleaning Cat Urine. She understands that many cat owners like to find a solution to Cleaning Cat Urine
Cat Declawing Pros And Cons
By: Paulina Jenkins
Cat declawing can at times create behavioral problems after the surgery. Some cats find it hard to grasp or stand firmly on their amputated feet. They feel a strong sense of loss in balance. There are cats are found to have changed personalities after the traumatic cat declawing operation. These cats feel that they have lost their means of protecting themselves and become paranoid. If the operation has gone wrong the cat could end up infected or injured beyond repair and could even die.
Very often cats that have been declawed stop using the litter box and urinate where and when they could. They do their markings not with claws but with urine. A declawed cat is a deformed feline and if the bones were not removed properly pain could linger on for a long time after the procedure and could lead to arthritis in the legs. Their feets hurt when they walk and it is cruel to give your pets so much pain in return for their love and loyalties.
Those people who are supporters of cat declawing reckon that most cats continue to scratch after declawing proves that nothing has changed in their cats' behavior. They believe that declawing is a safe and inexpensive alternative to curb the destructive behavior of their felines indoors. The cats do not appear to suffer any adverse psychological effects. Their pets continue with their normal scratching patterns and the cats seem to be healthy and active as before declawing. The big difference is that the cats' scratching now causes no destruction on their furniture.
Since scratching is a natural instinct in cats, you will notice that your cat will continue to scratch even after being declawed. Many experts advise that instead of declawing your cat, purchase a scratching post and see if it does the trick. You should use declawing as the final draw. It can have such devastating effects that is should only be considered as the last choice.
To help your cat from damaging your furniture provide your pet scratching surfaces to modify and correct its scratching behavior to an appropriate location. You could get a chunky piece of log for your pet to scratch on. Another alternative is to trim the claws and nails of your pet regularly and then there is no need to resort to cat declawing.
One of the alternatives to cat declawing is - the vinyl nail caps. These caps are glued on to your cat's claws to make the nails blunt and harmless. They are introduced by a veterinarian and could last four to five times longer then a nail trim. There are other options such as applying odors, citrus oil, deodorant soap, or booby traps to areas the cats likely to scratch.
Declawing your cat is a form of torture. It may even cause your cat to distrust you and the vet who does the procedure. It is inhumane, and if you can find a different method of training your cat, you should use it. You would not chop your child's finger off if he or she took a cookie, you should not declaw your cat for the same reason. Your cat is part of your family, and you should look upon him or her as another child. He or she depends on you for everything, and it is up to you to protect them as much as you would your own children.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has information on Alternatives of Cat Declawing. See more about Cat Declawing at Cat Declawing
Cat declawing can at times create behavioral problems after the surgery. Some cats find it hard to grasp or stand firmly on their amputated feet. They feel a strong sense of loss in balance. There are cats are found to have changed personalities after the traumatic cat declawing operation. These cats feel that they have lost their means of protecting themselves and become paranoid. If the operation has gone wrong the cat could end up infected or injured beyond repair and could even die.
Very often cats that have been declawed stop using the litter box and urinate where and when they could. They do their markings not with claws but with urine. A declawed cat is a deformed feline and if the bones were not removed properly pain could linger on for a long time after the procedure and could lead to arthritis in the legs. Their feets hurt when they walk and it is cruel to give your pets so much pain in return for their love and loyalties.
Those people who are supporters of cat declawing reckon that most cats continue to scratch after declawing proves that nothing has changed in their cats' behavior. They believe that declawing is a safe and inexpensive alternative to curb the destructive behavior of their felines indoors. The cats do not appear to suffer any adverse psychological effects. Their pets continue with their normal scratching patterns and the cats seem to be healthy and active as before declawing. The big difference is that the cats' scratching now causes no destruction on their furniture.
Since scratching is a natural instinct in cats, you will notice that your cat will continue to scratch even after being declawed. Many experts advise that instead of declawing your cat, purchase a scratching post and see if it does the trick. You should use declawing as the final draw. It can have such devastating effects that is should only be considered as the last choice.
To help your cat from damaging your furniture provide your pet scratching surfaces to modify and correct its scratching behavior to an appropriate location. You could get a chunky piece of log for your pet to scratch on. Another alternative is to trim the claws and nails of your pet regularly and then there is no need to resort to cat declawing.
One of the alternatives to cat declawing is - the vinyl nail caps. These caps are glued on to your cat's claws to make the nails blunt and harmless. They are introduced by a veterinarian and could last four to five times longer then a nail trim. There are other options such as applying odors, citrus oil, deodorant soap, or booby traps to areas the cats likely to scratch.
Declawing your cat is a form of torture. It may even cause your cat to distrust you and the vet who does the procedure. It is inhumane, and if you can find a different method of training your cat, you should use it. You would not chop your child's finger off if he or she took a cookie, you should not declaw your cat for the same reason. Your cat is part of your family, and you should look upon him or her as another child. He or she depends on you for everything, and it is up to you to protect them as much as you would your own children.
Article Source: http://www.articleselections.com
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has information on Alternatives of Cat Declawing. See more about Cat Declawing at Cat Declawing