Cat Facts

In the world of cats there's a whole lot of people out there. There's cat lovers, cat haters, cat obsessed, cat biased, cat friendly and many more.

I have noticed that unless you are a true cat lover, you really don't know that much about them. There's myths, superstitions, ploys. I have heard people say that they don't like cats because they're unclean. WHAT???? Unclean??? Cats?? Ridiculous!!!!

I have also heard that cats aren't friendly or as giving as dogs. Absurd! My cats won't let me even pee in peace! One other thing I've heard people say, which is right up there with the unclean comment, is that cats are too high maintenance. Come on!!!!!!!!!! That is absolutely not true. I have 7 cats and a full time job, that would be impossible if they were even a little high maintenance.

In my quest to enlighten the world on anything regarding cats, I feel it is my duty to present some interesting cat facts or facts about cats that I have found:

* Ailurophilia is the "love of cats."

* A cat's heart beats twice as fast as a human heart, at 110 to 140 beats per minute.

* The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.

* The largest cat breed is the Ragdoll.   Males weigh twelve to twenty pounds, with females weighing ten to fifteen pounds. 

* If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you.   If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.

* Don't pick a kitten or a cat up by the scruff of its neck;  only mother cats can do this safely, and only with their kittens.

* Cats knead with their paws when they're happy.

* Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods.  If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior.

* The domestic cat is the only cat species able to hold its tail vertically while walking.  All wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.

* A cat will amost never "meow" at another cat.  This sound is reserved for humans.      

* A cat's normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees.  This is slightly warmer than a humans.

*Cats love to chew on grass, catnip, parsley or sage.  Become a green thumb and plant an indoor garden for your cat!   But be careful -- many plants are toxic to your cat!  

* The behaviors shown by most house cats have a parallel in the wild.

* "Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day.

* Give your cat a quality scratching post to deter her from scratching your furniture.  Still scratching?  Try putting lemon scent or orange scent on the area.  Cats hate these smells.

 

 

* Cats get their sense of security from your voice.  Talk to your cats!  And be mindful of your tone of voice.  Cats know when you're yelling at them (though they may not care).

* The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.

 

* Cats can see in color!  

* Cats are partially color blind.   They have the equivalency of human red/green color blindness.  (Reds appear green and greens appear red;  or shades thereof.)

* Cats don't see "detail" very well.  To them, their person may appear hazy when standing in front of them.

* Cats can see up to 120 feet away.   Their peripheral vision is about 285 degrees.

* The color of a kitten's eyes will change as it grows older.

* At birth, kittens can't see or hear.   Cats open their eyes after five days and begin to develop their eyesight and hearing at approximately 2 weeks.  They begin to walk at 20 days.

* Kittens begin dreaming at just over one week old.

* Cats rub up against other cats, and people, in an attempt to "mark" them with their scent glands.  They most often use the scent glands between their eye and ear (near the temple area) or their scent glands near the base of their tail.  

* Many experts report that cats will purr when feeling any intense emotion (pleasure or pain).  VERY IMPORTANT

* Cats love to hide!  If yours comes up "missing," be sure to check in the bathtub, in your closet, in the dresser drawers, under a blanket or rug...or anywhere else you can possibly think of!

* Cats are the sleepiest of all mammals.   They spend 16 hours of each day sleeping.  With that in mind, a seven year old cat has only been awake for two years of its life!

* Cats are more active during the evening hours. (Mine love to have parties around 3am!) 

* Cats spend 30% of their waking hours grooming themselves.

* 95% of all cat owners admit they talk to their cats. (I know I do!)  

* Cats are more aggressive when they are not neutered or spayed. 

* A cat that bites you after you have rubbed his stomach, is probably biting out of pleasure, not anger.

* An adult cat has 32 teeth.

* Each year Americans spend four billion dollars on cat food.  That's one billion dollars more than they spend on baby food! (Wow! Interesting)

* Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning when they lost a beloved cat.

* Never feed your cat dog food.   Cats need five times more protein than dogs do. 

Ok, so maybe some facts aren't usefull but at least they're interesting!

Hope you enjoyed reading these cat facts and looking at the cute pictures!     

Geriatric Cats

The title of this post comes from an article I was reading at About.com on exactly that, geriatric cats, or older cats. I'm not sure what I would define as a geriatric cat, but my guess is over 6 years old. As I was going through this article called Reasons to Adopt an Older Cat, filled with these great adoption stories but also very sad backgrounds I did begin to get teary eyed, just because I cannot stand a sad animal story.

Coming from Costa Rica I've always found it impressive how the US kept it's cities and towns free from stray animals. I always thought wow these people really know how to take care of their pets. They know that they must spay and neuter them, therefore eliminating the stray animal factor. How wrong I was! While you may not see stray dogs and cats roaming the streets and garbage cans as you do here in CR, this does not mean that people are as educated and as sensitive to these animals as I thought. Unfortunately the so called shelters available, (we have them here also don't start) tend to "euthanize" (and I use this word in captions because I feel this is totally the wrong word, kill shelters as the article says is more appropriate) the older animals when they start getting young ones. So, geriatric cats who may have been loved for years but suddenly their owner dies  for example now get "euthanized" (there's the quotes again) because it's kitten season as they called it and people only like to adopt cute baby kittens. Excuse me while I go puke. I'm sorry I'm making this post stronger than what I had intended. (And all cats are cute by the way, not just the kittens...)

Anyways, here are some pictures of older cats that have been adopted by loving families. Their stories while being happy do make me very sad due to the circumstances in which these pets found themselves, so if you're like me and can't read them cause you'll start bawling your eyes out, then just take a look at the pictures, they're adorable.

Also, they do have some pointers for people looking to adopt older cats, so think about it, older cats are just as fun as kittens.

An Older Female Cat Comes With Benefits

 

A Cat Like D'Ni is Perfect for a Retired Couple

© Treesh

D'Ni had just given birth when first discovered, and was pregnant three months later when finally trapped. Older female cats often make loving companions for homes without small children. They are ideal for retired couples or singles. The bonus is that most of them are already trained to a litter box, have been spayed, and have had all their shots.

Cons: If you have small children or kittens in the house, a senior cat might not be your best choice.

Consider a Young Adult Cat with Smaller Children

 

A Young Adult Cat is a Good Match for a Home With Small Children

© Ron

Fluffy is an example of last year's kittens who often turn into this year's unwanted adult cat languishing in a shelter. In his case, he was lucky because a caring person rescued him (after months of failed attempts), patched him up and gave him a home. A young adult cat would be perfect for a home with smaller children, or for a younger working single or couple who need to leave a cat unattended during the day. Let's face it: little kids are often much too rough with kittens, and kittens become bored and mischievous when left home alone day after day. There's also too much chance of their harming themselves in even the most kitten-safe home.

Senior Cats Are the Best Choice for Senior Citizens

 

Wouldn't You Love a Cat Like This?

© Bobbi Fein

Miss Snookie is about nine years old now and is a sweet lapcat for Bobbi Fein, who rescued her. A male or female cat Snookie's age would be a good choice for an older couple or single who might pre-decease a younger cat. In fact, you'll often find older cats in shelters for exactly that reason; their human companions died, and no relatives or friends wanted to take them in. What a win-win situation it would be for both parties, to adopt a cat like Snookie!

NoName Found a Home!

 

NoName, aka Grateful

© Shelley MacAulay

One of the reasons I alway encourage the adoption of older cats is that they are so grateful. Shelley MacAulay, who fostered NoName, said if she were to give him a name, it would be Grateful; "grateful to be inside, warm and well fed." Although it might sound facetious, older cats really are grateful to find a new home, especially after spending many months or longer, caged in a shelter.

An Older Declawed Cat is Doubly Grateful

 

 © Anil Tambwekar

Miss Kitty was an older cat, declawed, and abandoned in a back yard by owners who had lost interest in her, before being rescued by Anil and his partner. She lived many happy years with them before succumbing to cancer. Although Anil rescued Miss Kitty with no regard to the state of her paws, some people for one reason or another want a declawed cat. Cat lovers with those requirements would be well served by looking in a shelter for declawed cats. Although Miss Kitty's original owner hadn't surrendered her to a shelter, that might very well have been the next step, had Anil and his partner not interceded. You'll see a number of older declawed cats in shelters who will be doubly grateful to be adopted.

An Older Cat Needs an Older Companion

 

Gemini & Osiris: Two Rescued Older Cats

© HostKel

If you have an older cat who is lonely because of the loss of a feline companion, another older cat would make a perfect adoption choices. Kittens are almost always too stressful for older cats to tolerate, and with careful introduction, you will create a happy new lease on life for both of your senior citizen cats. Pictured are Gemini and Osiris, who were rescued separately, but found comfort together.

Consider an Older "Disabled" Cat

 

© Sharon Dubois

Timmi was in sad shape when first rescued, with an infected eye, which had to be removed. Patched up, he was later adopted by his foster mom, and is now a charming cat living in a loving home. While looking for an older cat, consider one that is "disabled," if you can afford continued veterinary care.

To recap reasons for adopting an older cat:

• Older cats are usually litter box trained
• Adult cats are usually neutered and have had their shots
• A young adult cat is a good choice for homes with small children
• A young adult cat is perfect for a working couple or single
• A senior cat is an excellent choice for a senior human
• An older declawed cat will be a good choice for someone who needs a declawed cat for medical reasons
• An older cat is a natural choice for a senior cat who has lost a companion
• Older cats are ever-so-grateful for a second chance at a loving home!

As Sharon Dubois said when talking about rescue and adoption, "In the long run, we humans are the beneficiaries."

Amen to that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming back!

It has been a while since I last posted and I've decided to come back! I haven't even uploaded all of my cat pictures yet!

Needless to say, I'm changing the name of the blog due to the fact that I don't have 7 cats and 2 dogs anymore. I have 7 cats and 1 dog now. So, I've decided to make this blog all about my cats, and occasionally my dog, poor girl can't have her feeling like an outcast right.

I'm not sure how well or popular this blog is going to be, but I do think that in the least it will be a good outlet for me and somewhat entertaining for readers because I do have some kinda crazy stories about my cats.

So hopefully I will keep posting periodically and keep you entertained and maybe even enlightened on cat, dog, pet maybe even all animal related issues!

Hope you keep coming!!