By : Ann Hughes
Cats are very interesting members of the animal kingdom. Some of them stay wild in the thick forests while some of them stay tamed in our homes. Wherever they are, cats are very interesting and they possess really exquisite characteristics. How much do you know about cats? Well, we hope top add more information to you:
- Did you know that cats could see 6 times better than human beings? Yes, according to studies, it is during night time when cats could really see more than we could.
- Anywhere in the world, cats are existent from steaming Africa to icy cool Greenland; you could surely find them in different corners of the world. They may have varied looks or characteristics by counting in the different factors.
- Just like dogs, cats could swim it just so happened that they are not into it that much.
- An eighteen-hour sleep is achievable by cats in hot countries. These areas include desert-like areas and in some angles, the tropics.
- There are different cats and most of them have rare characters.
- One of them inspired ancient Egyptians. This is the Sphynx. Actually, it does not have any hair at all.
- There are cats called Manx which originate from the Isle of Man and that they do not have tails. They just have this so-called stub.
- Who do not know the fastest animal? The Cheetah is of course another member of the cat family.
- There are also fishing cats which really show great skills in catching fish.
These tidbits are just some of those cool yet factual things about cats. When your aim is to explore more about these animals, you could always use the power of the internet in order to familiarize yourself with the world around you.
When you wish to have your own cat, you could also consider those factors that may make or break your choice. There are actually different choices of cats for pets. In general, cats are very good pets for they are very affectionate.
According to research owning cats as pets is most beneficial for ill or old patients. It has been found out that animals like cats could reduce their depression and other negative feelings brought by solitude and sickness.
Article Source: http://www.fetcharticles.com
Ann Hughes writes for www.anypetstore.com - A comprehensive searchable directory of local pet shops, pet supplies and veterinarians all across the United States.
The Remarkable Purr of a Cat
From Franny Syufy
Why and How do Cats Purr?
My mailbox often brings interesting challenges, as in this morning's short question from Gideon: "Do cats purr when they are alone?" What a great question! As I replied to Gideon, it is on the order of, "If a tree falls in the woods, and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?" Or - "Does the light burn inside a closed refrigerator?" Yet, by far, I think the question about cats purring is the much more fascinating of the three. Truthfully, I don't know if cats purr when they are alone. It seems likely that they do, if one understands a little about why cats purr.
Most experienced "cat wranglers" now know that cats don't purr only when they are content and happy. They also purr during tense or traumatic moments. When suddenly and violently injured, even at moments near death, a cat will often purr.
I've often likened this to saying, "Please don't hurt me any more. I'll be good," but recent studies have put a more scientific spin on this seeming anomaly.
It seems that the measurable Hertz of a cat's purr lies between 25 and 150. Coincidentally (or not) it has been found that sound frequency in this range can stimilate bone growth and healing. ¹
That cats have remarkable endurance, and are quite stoic to trauma is well known to veterinary professionals; it is not unlikely that this instinct to purr under duress is directly related.
Purring under stress has more colorfully been described as the cat's mantra, e.g., a self-soothing, self-healing, relaxing, vibrating sound (sort of like the Ommmm one might hum while in the lotus position. Notice the vibration in your lips, nose and throat? I bet most of us, if we had our "druthers," would much rather be able to purr!
The Physiology of Purring
There seems to be two schools of thought here.
The most popular one is quoted here:
One study determined that purring involves activation of nerves within the voice box. These nerve signals cause vibration of the vocal cords while the diaphragm serves as a piston pump, pushing air in and out of the vibrating cords, thus creating a musical hum. Veterinarian Neils C. Pederson, author of Feline Husbandry, believes that purring is initiated from within the central nervous system and is a voluntary act. In other words, cats purr only when they want to.²
The other theory is that the sound comes more from vibrating blood vessels than in the voicebox itself. ³
The Happy Purr of a Cat
All domestic cats are born with the purring ability. A queen will purr while giving birth. It is unknown whether this is because of happy anticipation, or whether it is a relaxing "mantra." Kittens instinctively purr when nursing, and the momcat purrs right back at them. Your adult cat will purr at the drop of a hat whenever you're near, and especially when you are holding or petting him.
Cat purrs will range from a deep rumble to a raspy, broken sound, to a high-pitched trill, depending on the physiology and/or the mood of a cat. A cat will often "wind-down" when going to sleep, with a long purring sigh that drops melodically from a high to a low pitch. Does your cat's purr sometimes sound like an idling diesel engine? That's because at the lower range of 26 Hertz, the velocities are nearly the same.
The Healing Power of the Purr
Cats are often used as "therapy animals" in convalescent hospitals, or in retirement residences. It is an accepted fact that cat owners have lower blood pressure, especially in older people. The human-feline bond is never quite so close as when a person is holding and petting a purring, vibrating bundle of fur on her lap, and all is well with the world. You may even find yourself purring in response
Why and How do Cats Purr?
My mailbox often brings interesting challenges, as in this morning's short question from Gideon: "Do cats purr when they are alone?" What a great question! As I replied to Gideon, it is on the order of, "If a tree falls in the woods, and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?" Or - "Does the light burn inside a closed refrigerator?" Yet, by far, I think the question about cats purring is the much more fascinating of the three. Truthfully, I don't know if cats purr when they are alone. It seems likely that they do, if one understands a little about why cats purr.
Most experienced "cat wranglers" now know that cats don't purr only when they are content and happy. They also purr during tense or traumatic moments. When suddenly and violently injured, even at moments near death, a cat will often purr.
I've often likened this to saying, "Please don't hurt me any more. I'll be good," but recent studies have put a more scientific spin on this seeming anomaly.
It seems that the measurable Hertz of a cat's purr lies between 25 and 150. Coincidentally (or not) it has been found that sound frequency in this range can stimilate bone growth and healing. ¹
That cats have remarkable endurance, and are quite stoic to trauma is well known to veterinary professionals; it is not unlikely that this instinct to purr under duress is directly related.
Purring under stress has more colorfully been described as the cat's mantra, e.g., a self-soothing, self-healing, relaxing, vibrating sound (sort of like the Ommmm one might hum while in the lotus position. Notice the vibration in your lips, nose and throat? I bet most of us, if we had our "druthers," would much rather be able to purr!
The Physiology of Purring
There seems to be two schools of thought here.
The most popular one is quoted here:
One study determined that purring involves activation of nerves within the voice box. These nerve signals cause vibration of the vocal cords while the diaphragm serves as a piston pump, pushing air in and out of the vibrating cords, thus creating a musical hum. Veterinarian Neils C. Pederson, author of Feline Husbandry, believes that purring is initiated from within the central nervous system and is a voluntary act. In other words, cats purr only when they want to.²
The other theory is that the sound comes more from vibrating blood vessels than in the voicebox itself. ³
The Happy Purr of a Cat
All domestic cats are born with the purring ability. A queen will purr while giving birth. It is unknown whether this is because of happy anticipation, or whether it is a relaxing "mantra." Kittens instinctively purr when nursing, and the momcat purrs right back at them. Your adult cat will purr at the drop of a hat whenever you're near, and especially when you are holding or petting him.
Cat purrs will range from a deep rumble to a raspy, broken sound, to a high-pitched trill, depending on the physiology and/or the mood of a cat. A cat will often "wind-down" when going to sleep, with a long purring sigh that drops melodically from a high to a low pitch. Does your cat's purr sometimes sound like an idling diesel engine? That's because at the lower range of 26 Hertz, the velocities are nearly the same.
The Healing Power of the Purr
Cats are often used as "therapy animals" in convalescent hospitals, or in retirement residences. It is an accepted fact that cat owners have lower blood pressure, especially in older people. The human-feline bond is never quite so close as when a person is holding and petting a purring, vibrating bundle of fur on her lap, and all is well with the world. You may even find yourself purring in response
The Imprint of Cat Lovers - a Test2
Take the Test
When I think of cat lovers, my husband, Asa, immediately comes to mind. It is no secret in our family that Bubba has won the heart and soul of this man. It has long been a family joke that if the house were on fire, Mom had better fend for herself, 'cause Dad will be rescuing Bubba. The other day I was talking to my daughter, Suzanne, by email. I mentioned to her how her father had always had a soft spot for her. "You might say that you are the human equivalent of Bubba, in his heart." She replied that she always thought she and Bubba had something in common.
If you still have doubts about the distinction between "ownership" and "lovership", here's a short quiz:
Do you save up your cute kitty stories to share with your co-workers?
Do you notice your friends' eyes glazing over when you're in the middle of recounting a fascinating (to you) description of your cat's latest antic?
Do you dip into your plastic to entertain your boss at a fancy restaurant, because he's allergic to cats and you're not about to bring him home?
Do you mortgage your home to entertain your boss at a fancy restaurant because kitty has clawed your silk Queen Anne settee to smithereens and threw up on the antique Persian rug and you can't remove the stains, and you're not about to bring him home?
Have you slipped into the habit of saying, "I'm owned by a cat", rather than the other way around?
When you come home from work, does your cat greet you at the door, and do you cuddle him and carry him around the house, communing and whisperins sweet nothings, before you greet your spouse?
When you only have a scant 1/4 cup of milk left for your breakfast cereal, do you give it to puss and settle for toasted 3-day old bread and an ancient orange in the bottom of your refrigerator?
Have you ever stayed home from work because a beloved feline friend has died, and you know your job performance would be worthless?
Given the choice, would you rather attend a cat show than the invitational premiere of the latest blockbuster movie?
Does you cat sleep between you and your spouse, and do you prefer it that way?
When your kitty brings home a dead mouse or tiny garden snake and drops it at your feet lovingly, do you praise her and say, "Good Kitty!", and make a really big deal about it, then wait until she's asleep to flush the miserable thing down the toilet?
Do you devote a full web site to your feline companion?
If you answered "yes" to all these questions, you have already lost your heart and soul to a four-legged, furry, infuriating but infatuating member of the feline species.
You are truly imprinted as a cat lover and Heaven help you, my friend.
If you answered "yes" to 5-12 questions, you're on your way and there isn't much hope for you.
If you answered "yes to fewer than five, you might want to consider a python or a gerbil for a pet, but not both, PLEASE!
Copyright ©1997 - 2004 Franny Syufy
Licensed to About.com
When I think of cat lovers, my husband, Asa, immediately comes to mind. It is no secret in our family that Bubba has won the heart and soul of this man. It has long been a family joke that if the house were on fire, Mom had better fend for herself, 'cause Dad will be rescuing Bubba. The other day I was talking to my daughter, Suzanne, by email. I mentioned to her how her father had always had a soft spot for her. "You might say that you are the human equivalent of Bubba, in his heart." She replied that she always thought she and Bubba had something in common.
If you still have doubts about the distinction between "ownership" and "lovership", here's a short quiz:
Do you save up your cute kitty stories to share with your co-workers?
Do you notice your friends' eyes glazing over when you're in the middle of recounting a fascinating (to you) description of your cat's latest antic?
Do you dip into your plastic to entertain your boss at a fancy restaurant, because he's allergic to cats and you're not about to bring him home?
Do you mortgage your home to entertain your boss at a fancy restaurant because kitty has clawed your silk Queen Anne settee to smithereens and threw up on the antique Persian rug and you can't remove the stains, and you're not about to bring him home?
Have you slipped into the habit of saying, "I'm owned by a cat", rather than the other way around?
When you come home from work, does your cat greet you at the door, and do you cuddle him and carry him around the house, communing and whisperins sweet nothings, before you greet your spouse?
When you only have a scant 1/4 cup of milk left for your breakfast cereal, do you give it to puss and settle for toasted 3-day old bread and an ancient orange in the bottom of your refrigerator?
Have you ever stayed home from work because a beloved feline friend has died, and you know your job performance would be worthless?
Given the choice, would you rather attend a cat show than the invitational premiere of the latest blockbuster movie?
Does you cat sleep between you and your spouse, and do you prefer it that way?
When your kitty brings home a dead mouse or tiny garden snake and drops it at your feet lovingly, do you praise her and say, "Good Kitty!", and make a really big deal about it, then wait until she's asleep to flush the miserable thing down the toilet?
Do you devote a full web site to your feline companion?
If you answered "yes" to all these questions, you have already lost your heart and soul to a four-legged, furry, infuriating but infatuating member of the feline species.
You are truly imprinted as a cat lover and Heaven help you, my friend.
If you answered "yes" to 5-12 questions, you're on your way and there isn't much hope for you.
If you answered "yes to fewer than five, you might want to consider a python or a gerbil for a pet, but not both, PLEASE!
Copyright ©1997 - 2004 Franny Syufy
Licensed to About.com
The Imprint of Cat Lovers - a Test1
From Franny SyufyDo you have what it takes to call yourself a "Cat Lover?"
Most visitors to this site consider themselves cat lovers, so I thought it would be interesting to define the term. There are cat owners, and then there are cat lovers. (Incidentally, the fancy name for this term is "ailurophile.") A cat owner may have a cat as a pet for the sake of a child. They may be haphazard about shots, neutering, and other medical care. "Cat owner" comes to mind when I see kids in front of the local grocery with a box full of kittens and a sign, "Free Kittens".
The transition from cat owner to cat lover does not take place overnight. For several years, when our children were younger, we had a never-ending stream of cats in our home, mostly new births from females we had neglected to spay, until too late. We were on the verge of being "cat lovers", because we always saw that our new kittens had their shots, and we found homes for all we could; the rest we kept (which eventually led to almost 20 cats in our home at one time).
Case in point: Tinker was the result of a mating between Figuero(a) and Tiger, two cats we adopted from a shelter in the early years of our marriage. The shelter had a rule way back then, that all female cats must be spayed before adoption. However, they (and we) thought that we were getting two little male kittens. Tiger and Figuero(a) discovered differently, much quicker than we did. The resultant litter had five kittens: three grays, a tortoise, and a little yellow shorthair. At the appropriate time, we advertised, "free kittens to good homes". All but two found homes quickly, but when a nice young couple came to take the little marmelade guy, who was the homeliest of the bunch, he sprung from our arms, raced into our bedroom and hid under the bed. We tried for half an hour to coax him out, but the couple eventually decided to take the little tabby kitten instead.
Tinker enriched our lives for seventeen years; when he developed an inoperable tumor, it was I who had to take him to the veterinarian and hold him in his final minutes. Asa, who had paid his dues years before with his 14-year old Buffer, couldn't handle it this time. That was a lifetime ago, and I still get misty-eyed when I look at photos of my original "Golden Boy".
Most visitors to this site consider themselves cat lovers, so I thought it would be interesting to define the term. There are cat owners, and then there are cat lovers. (Incidentally, the fancy name for this term is "ailurophile.") A cat owner may have a cat as a pet for the sake of a child. They may be haphazard about shots, neutering, and other medical care. "Cat owner" comes to mind when I see kids in front of the local grocery with a box full of kittens and a sign, "Free Kittens".
The transition from cat owner to cat lover does not take place overnight. For several years, when our children were younger, we had a never-ending stream of cats in our home, mostly new births from females we had neglected to spay, until too late. We were on the verge of being "cat lovers", because we always saw that our new kittens had their shots, and we found homes for all we could; the rest we kept (which eventually led to almost 20 cats in our home at one time).
Case in point: Tinker was the result of a mating between Figuero(a) and Tiger, two cats we adopted from a shelter in the early years of our marriage. The shelter had a rule way back then, that all female cats must be spayed before adoption. However, they (and we) thought that we were getting two little male kittens. Tiger and Figuero(a) discovered differently, much quicker than we did. The resultant litter had five kittens: three grays, a tortoise, and a little yellow shorthair. At the appropriate time, we advertised, "free kittens to good homes". All but two found homes quickly, but when a nice young couple came to take the little marmelade guy, who was the homeliest of the bunch, he sprung from our arms, raced into our bedroom and hid under the bed. We tried for half an hour to coax him out, but the couple eventually decided to take the little tabby kitten instead.
Tinker enriched our lives for seventeen years; when he developed an inoperable tumor, it was I who had to take him to the veterinarian and hold him in his final minutes. Asa, who had paid his dues years before with his 14-year old Buffer, couldn't handle it this time. That was a lifetime ago, and I still get misty-eyed when I look at photos of my original "Golden Boy".
Cats We Have Loved and Lost
A Tribute to Tinker
Tinker entered our lives sometime in June of 1965. We had felt cat-challenged for quite awhile after the loss of the two elderly cats who had helped "raise" my husband. We went to the local animal shelter where we selected two "male" kittens, Tiger, a yellow-striped male and Figuero, a beautiful Torti. We signed a paper agreeing to get them altered when the time was right. Time, as is its habit, flew, and one day I told Asa, "Tiger must be really confused. He was trying to mate Figuero today. Doesn't he know that he's a guy cat?" Well, time flew by some more, and it became evident that Figuero(a) was not only a female, but a very pregnant one. We decided, as was common back then (remember, this was the 60s) to let her have this litter and then to have her spayed.
We were awakened in the early morning hours by plaintive mewling sounds next to our bed. Figuero was giving birth. We hastily found a box and some towels and awakened our two children, who were 5 and 7 at that time, thinking that witnessing this miracle of birth would prepare the way for the inevitable discussion of the birds and bees. (That line of thinking is considered stupid and irresponsible nowadays by most advocates, your Guide included.)
By the time we were ready to take the kids to babysitter and school, and leave for work, Figuero had produced five beautiful kittens, of various shades of gray tabby and calico. We left food, water and a litterbox in her nursery and closed the bedroom door. Asa decided to go home at lunch time to check on the welfare of our little extended family. Lo and behold, there were now six babies. A little yellow tiger-striped kitten had joined his siblings, the spitting image of Tiger.
When the kittens were of an appropriate age, we went about finding homes for them. Soon, all were gone but a grey one and the yellow tiger. A teenage boy and girl came to get a kitten for their mother and chose the yellow one. As soon as I handed him to the girl he sprung from her arms and ran lickety-split into our bedroom and under our bed. No amount of cajoling could retrieve him. The teenagers took the grey kitten with them. After awhile, we decided that the yellow one was so homely no one else would want him, so we kept him and named him Tinker.
Tinker thrived and grew up to be our "Top Cat" for 17 years. Our youngest son, born in November of the same year as Tinker, was raised by a cat, as was his father before him. Tinker was my Golden Boy and enriched my life beyond measure, with his non-stop devotion. Wherever I was in the house, when I settled in a chair for a moment, he was right there next to me, burrowing between me and the chair. When I read the paper at the kitchen table, he was sitting there, sharing it. I learned to use him as an anchor on one side of the paper and scratch his ears while reading, then hoist him to the other side to continue. Even at the age of 17, he sometimes turned kittenish, chasing leaves and shadows as they skittered across the gravel path in our garden.
But his time came too soon, and when it was inevitable, it befell to me to deliver him to the vet for his final trip, which is the saddest and final responsibility of a cat owner. I held him to my heart one last time and kissed him as he purred and rumbled his last goodbye and quietly went "to sleep". That was 15 years ago, and I still miss him as if he left yesterday.
To Tinker - Sunshine Boy
You were always there, it seems,
And now you decorate my dreams,
With topaz eyes and fur aglow,
You always were a one-cat show.
I've seen friends come and go, it's true,
None ever gave more love than you.
Then, on a golden day in June,
You left my side, too soon--too soon.
When in my arms at last you slept,
I said 'goodbye' and then I wept.
You brought me many years of joy,
I miss you so, my Sunshine Boy.
Tinker entered our lives sometime in June of 1965. We had felt cat-challenged for quite awhile after the loss of the two elderly cats who had helped "raise" my husband. We went to the local animal shelter where we selected two "male" kittens, Tiger, a yellow-striped male and Figuero, a beautiful Torti. We signed a paper agreeing to get them altered when the time was right. Time, as is its habit, flew, and one day I told Asa, "Tiger must be really confused. He was trying to mate Figuero today. Doesn't he know that he's a guy cat?" Well, time flew by some more, and it became evident that Figuero(a) was not only a female, but a very pregnant one. We decided, as was common back then (remember, this was the 60s) to let her have this litter and then to have her spayed.
We were awakened in the early morning hours by plaintive mewling sounds next to our bed. Figuero was giving birth. We hastily found a box and some towels and awakened our two children, who were 5 and 7 at that time, thinking that witnessing this miracle of birth would prepare the way for the inevitable discussion of the birds and bees. (That line of thinking is considered stupid and irresponsible nowadays by most advocates, your Guide included.)
By the time we were ready to take the kids to babysitter and school, and leave for work, Figuero had produced five beautiful kittens, of various shades of gray tabby and calico. We left food, water and a litterbox in her nursery and closed the bedroom door. Asa decided to go home at lunch time to check on the welfare of our little extended family. Lo and behold, there were now six babies. A little yellow tiger-striped kitten had joined his siblings, the spitting image of Tiger.
When the kittens were of an appropriate age, we went about finding homes for them. Soon, all were gone but a grey one and the yellow tiger. A teenage boy and girl came to get a kitten for their mother and chose the yellow one. As soon as I handed him to the girl he sprung from her arms and ran lickety-split into our bedroom and under our bed. No amount of cajoling could retrieve him. The teenagers took the grey kitten with them. After awhile, we decided that the yellow one was so homely no one else would want him, so we kept him and named him Tinker.
Tinker thrived and grew up to be our "Top Cat" for 17 years. Our youngest son, born in November of the same year as Tinker, was raised by a cat, as was his father before him. Tinker was my Golden Boy and enriched my life beyond measure, with his non-stop devotion. Wherever I was in the house, when I settled in a chair for a moment, he was right there next to me, burrowing between me and the chair. When I read the paper at the kitchen table, he was sitting there, sharing it. I learned to use him as an anchor on one side of the paper and scratch his ears while reading, then hoist him to the other side to continue. Even at the age of 17, he sometimes turned kittenish, chasing leaves and shadows as they skittered across the gravel path in our garden.
But his time came too soon, and when it was inevitable, it befell to me to deliver him to the vet for his final trip, which is the saddest and final responsibility of a cat owner. I held him to my heart one last time and kissed him as he purred and rumbled his last goodbye and quietly went "to sleep". That was 15 years ago, and I still miss him as if he left yesterday.
To Tinker - Sunshine Boy
You were always there, it seems,
And now you decorate my dreams,
With topaz eyes and fur aglow,
You always were a one-cat show.
I've seen friends come and go, it's true,
None ever gave more love than you.
Then, on a golden day in June,
You left my side, too soon--too soon.
When in my arms at last you slept,
I said 'goodbye' and then I wept.
You brought me many years of joy,
I miss you so, my Sunshine Boy.