For the rest of the world, however, picking the purr-fect cat for your household can be a challenge. When you see all of the cute, furry faces that need a new home, how will you know which one will fit in best with your family?
After bringing in a dog, I was worried about how my cats and the pooch would get along. I was afraid that the super hyper pup would try to harm the kitties. Would my cats try to attack her? Would the dog want to have them for lunch? I knew that it was going to take some hard work to teach these enemies to coexist.
It is true, cats cannot in fact taste sweets. In fact, cats are the only mammal so far studied that is not been able to tastes sweets. Maybe this is why dog treats come shaped like biscuits and cookies but cat treats usually do not. Cats don’t get to taste the lovely flavor of sugary syrup thanks to the specie’s lineage of sole meat eaters. Other mammals like bears enjoy veggies and greens along with their kill while some animals only eat plants. Cats evolved from a line exclusive meat eaters who had no need for sugar tasting taste buds and thus today cats are truly only
interested in lapping up bacon fat, devouring tuna and maybe even catching a mouse or two if it fits into their busy schedule of napping in the sun.In and of itself, cats not being able to taste sweets isn’t really a problem except that not all cat food manufacturers are savvy to the fact and still put sugary starches into their cat food thinking cats will like it. However, cats don’t really care for these ingredients and instead it does them damage by making them gain unnecessary weight. It is one thing to gain weight after enjoying the holiday season filled with pot roasts and cookies but it is totally different to gain weight without getting anything tasty from the mix. Cats have evolved to live on proteins, not sugary carbohydrates. So give your cat a break and aim for protein rich cat food, your kitty’s waistline will thank you.
It might surprise you to know that most cats have five toes on their front little paws and just four toes on their hind paws. This imbalance is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about but there are also cats with the condition of extra toes known as polydactyl. If you are looking at your kitty’s paws right now and discovering for the first time that she is a polydactyl, have no fear, this condition is no harm to your cat’s health but there are some extra ways you can care for your unique cat’s feet.
The most common case with polydactyl kitty feet is that the cat has an extra two on her back paws evening out the ratio to ten toes in back and ten toes in front. However, it isn’t unheard of to have a cat with up to 8 toes. In fact, it is a common enough condition that there is a nickname for it: “Boston Thumb Cats”. Maybe Boston is rampant with 8 toed cats.All fun aside, if you do discover an extra toe or two on your kitty be sure to take a little extra time when you are caring for her feet and nails. Sometimes the nail on the extra toe will grow crooked or hooked and can dig into your cat’s foot making her cranky and uncomfortable. Be sure to keep her nails trimmed and watch for any abnormalities in her walking. The majority of the time polydactyl cats have absolutely no problems.
Jack wandered the JFK airport for two months, and was finally discovered just over two weeks ago. He was wounded, malnourished and in rough shape when he was found, despite food and water dishes being placed throughout the airport. To its credit, American Airlines hired a pet detective in an attempt to find Jack, but he proved elusive.
I have to admit that this is more of a book club blog, but the book in question is just too amazingly odd and wonderful I had to post about it for you cat loving fans out there. As all cat ladies know, their precious little kitties produce hair, lots of hair. Shedding is particular bad when it comes to indoor cats because it gets on everything from your sweater to the sofa and under the oven. You might think that this hair has absolutely no purpose except to make you sneeze and be miserable but low and behold, a fellow cat lover has discovered a use for cat hair – crafting!
That is correct. The book “Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat” delves into what is sure to be a cult crafting favorite in the coming years. The book is adorable with loads of pictures and easy to make crafts which use your cat’s hair. Projects don’t require a full out shaving of your pet but instead can be made from the wads of hair which congregate in corners of your living rooms or in your kitty’s hairbrush after a good grooming. Projects include making a mini portrait of your cat from hair to more practical things like gloves, mittens and tote bags. Germ-o-phobes (or really just people who follow the basic standards for hygiene) have no fear, you can clean your cats for before use and it will be just as properly clean as lamb’s wool but so much more special because it comes from your own little smitten kitten.
They are marking their territory!
Watch closer the next time this happens and you will see notice that they actually make contact with the corner of their mouth which is where one of their major scent glands are located. If you keep watching, you will also notice they will follow this up usually by rubbing their romp against the same spot. There is another major scent gland at the base of their tail that can also help define their territory.
