Breeding Of Cats

By chan chan
By their very nature, cats are free-ranging animals. Mature males especially, are wanderers. Before the concept of selective breeding about 150 years ago, this wanderlust in domestic cats provided plenty of opportunity for the intermingling of genes. If there were teo distinct races of cat in any region, they blended over a period of time, so we cannot be sure of the origin of many of our modern domestic breeds.

Nevertheless, studies of the skeletal structure, body type and hair length of modern breeds enable us to make an informed guess. The spread of pedigree cats - and also the development of new breeds or colour varieties - continues throughout the world. There are now dozens of different breeds and hundreds of different colour varieties.

The heavier, more thickset body type, found in British Shorthairs and Persians, shows the influence of the European wild cat. The foreign and Oriental breeds retain the lithe body of the African wild cat. By the late 19th century, exports and imports of pedigree cats were starting in earnest, and by the end of that century the Siamese, Russian Blue and Abyssinian had already reached Britain.

There are no evidence for the claim that some domestic breeds (such as the Angora, Chinese cat and Siamese) have an Asiatic origin and may be descended from Pallas's cat or its close relatives, because the skulls of these cats show no similarity to the Asiatic species.

It was not until the middle of the 19th century that the idea of selective breeding and recording of pedigree cats took hold in Britain and Europe. Some breeders started their breeding programmes using ordinary shorthaired 'moggies', selecting them for their body shape and coat colour. From these humble ancestors, over the years and through selective breeding, today's British and European Shorthair breeds were created.

In America the foundation stock for short-hairs also came from local cats, but these were the descendants of the cats taken over by the early settlers 200 years earlier, and they had developed quite distinctive characteristics of their own. These are now reflected in the American Shorthair. During early days of cat breeding 'there were already longhaired domestic cats, but the main development of the pedigree longhair breeds came initially from the Angora cat, which had originated in Turkey, and later from other longhair breeds imported from Persia and Afghanistan. Both the latter types wuickly became known as Persians. Their popularity grew at the expense of the Angora, which almost disappeared from teh breeding scene.

About the author:
1st Cat Care is to provide information and guidance to pet cat lovers in taking care of their cats' health, cat toilet training, tips on using the cat litter box, vaccinations, pregnancy and more on pet cat and kitten care ........

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Self-Love Lessons from Fenix the Cat

By Sheri Zampelli
“I want to love myself as much as Fenix loves himself. That’s my goal,” I stated firmly. You see, I was telling my master mind partner, Sharareh, “I think God loves me at least as much as I love my cat.” I was reasoning that if I, as imperfect and conditional as I am, can spoil a stray and feed him gourmet food and take him to the groomer at $50 a pop, then certainly God who is almighty, omnipotent and unconditional can take pretty good care of me if I just let Him. Shrareh said, “You have to love yourself as much as Fenix loves himself.”

Loving myself as much as Fenix loves himself has been my goal for the past 3 months. Fenix is a long-haired, Tabby Persian cat. He came to live with us in 2001, 2 days after our house caught on fire and we went to live in a hotel for 8 months.

When we came home to visit our belongings and pack needed items for our stay away from home, we saw this furry orange and white cat poking its head around corners and eventually working his way to live in a box on the porch. I had wanted a kitty for years but my husband insisted it would be disaster since we already had a dog. When I saw this scared, furry kitty on our porch, I couldn’t help but take it a can of tuna. Little did I know, two minutes later I had a friend for life. After a few bites of tuna, he darted in the front door and straight to the family room.

“We can’t have a cat now,” proclaimed my husband. I had to admit, this time he was right. So, I scooped up the kitty, walked him to the front door and set him on the porch. Before I could close the door, he whisked past my legs and straight into the family room again. With some pleading and guilt trips, I persuaded my husband to let us keep him. We named him Fenix because he’s “out of the fire”. The spelling was inspired by Felix the Cat.

So, off we went, Fenix, Hubby, me and Koya (a white Samoyed). We lived together in a condo loft for 8 months. When everything was prepared, we returned to a beautifully redesigned and brand-new home with all members of the family in tact.

Fenix was coming to live in our home for the first time so we kept a tight rein on him until he realized this is his new and permanent home. We’ve been back in the house almost 4 years now and if Fenix ever runs off, he’s usually very close by and begging to be let in the house within 15 minutes.

Last Saturday was different. We were gone from home most of the day and night and left an opening for the dog to get in and out while we were gone. When we came home, Fenix was nowhere to be found. Not this night or the night after or the night after that. Fenix was gone for 5 ½ days before he showed up on the porch again, ready to be let in.

So now that you know who Fenix is, I still haven’t told you about my goal to “love myself as much as Fenix loves himself.” You see, as a survivor of an abusive upbringing, I somehow got the idea that I was responsible for everything and that somehow if I controlled my behavior, I could control my environment and make people love me or treat me well. As a result, I guess you could say I became a control freak. Being a control freak is extremely exhausting and their aren’t really any good payoffs to it. In fact, it seems to me that the people who are happiest and most successful do a lot of letting go. They allow others to help them. They have fun. They work in teams. They believe that they are “worth it.” In many ways, I think that’s the majority of what sets success and failure apart. Well, I want success and happiness so I decided to take a lesson from my cat.

Fenix is a perfect example of letting go and receiving. When he wants love, he jumps on my lap, when he doesn’t, he bites me and runs away. When he’s hungry, he eats, when he’s thirsty he drinks. Never once does he have to sit and wonder where his next meal will come from. He boldly showed up on our porch one day, decided he was home and refused to leave. We caved into his wishes and went on to not only feed and groom him but give him and extremely loving environment to live in daily. When I worry about life and not having enough, I look at Fenix. Sometimes I even stretch or take a nap.

When Fenix ran off, right in the middle of this whole lesson, I had to wonder…how does all of this fit in the plan? I love Fenix, he loves me, why is he gone? Well, here’s what I realized today. Fenix was not only bold enough to come proclaiming his princehood once. He actually has the nerve to take off, do his own thing for five days, come back with no explanation and march right in like he’s the owner. He never once had to wonder “Do you think they’ll let me back in? Do you think they still love me?” I can tell you, he didn’t waste one second planning his alibi or practicing his excuses.

Just when I thought I loved myself as much as Fenix loves himself, I realized I had to kick it up another notch and let go of the past. Just like I don’t “hold it against” Fenix for leaving and “breaking my heart” for 5 days, I know that when I truly love and forgive myself, I find people and situations that accept me as I am and who can love me even when I make mistakes. I also know that when I accept myself, I’m 10 times more accepting of others and their “faults.”

What Fenix taught me is that I need to let myself off the hook for being less than perfect in the past and to realize that love conquers all. I know that at any moment I can choose to let go of the past and experience the peace of now, rather than the turmoil of the past or future, and I learned it from a long-haired Persian cat named Fenix.


About the author:
Sheri O. Zampelli is the author of From Sabotage to Success. For on-going inspiration and motivation, sign up for her weekly tip: http://www.donateyourweight.com/site/weekly_tip.html

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Good Things To Know About Dog Beds and Cat Beds

By Dalvin Rumsey
Just like every single person has his or her ideas about the perfect bed they wish to rest in, the same thing happens for our beloved pets. There is no general rule that one can apply when it comes to choosing a suitable bed for the animals we care for, only that it must suit their size and needs. Pets cannot tell us what they wish for, so all the work falls on the owner’s shoulders. Only after buying a bed for our pet can we see if it was a good or a bad choice. If the pet shows that it is happy, then we can say that it was the perfect choice. Depending on the size and age of the pet and of course on their breed and especially on their personality, there is a large range of dog beds and cat beds we can choose from.

Cats and dogs are the most common pets in our homes, so it will be the purpose of our strategy in choosing the perfect place they can sleep in.

The best thing to do is buying a pet bed that provides comfort for both owner and pet. We should check whether the bed is easily cleaned, as it will have to be washed from time to time or taken on trips. As everyone wants the best things for a pet, materials must combine luxury and comfort. Dog beds and cat beds are available in all sizes, colors and shapes, so why not take a little time to find the most suitable one? You should hoose a rounded bed if your pet is still small, or a bed you can use on both sides.

In case you are the owner of a cat, you must also consider that they have a different behaviour from dogs and also different needs. They are more sensitive and must be proteceted from cold weather. Cats should have beds that keep a comfortable temperature for them.

No matter if you want to spend a large amount of money or not, you will find a perfect bed for your pet. The only thing one must is have the patience to look for it. And our pets deserve it!


About the author:

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