Dwarf or Munchkin Cats
The dwarf cat has some interesting breed names. Dwarf cats are unusual and popular. People are interested in them.What is equally unusual and fascinating are the names of the various dwarf breeds and, more particularly, how these interesting names came about.Here are the stories about how they were created.
The stories about the creation of the name come from the person who created the breed and invented the name. Fittingly, sometimes the name, just like the dwarf cat, is a hybrid itself.
Genetta: This is a dwarf cat created and named by Shannon Kiley of Pawstruk Cattery in 2006. Genettas are being registered as an experimental breed with The International cat Association (TICA).
Categories: Cat Breeds Tags: Cat Breeds
Caring for Cats The Easy Way
You will need a great deal of commitment in order to own a cat as they do require some care (although not as much as dogs!) and can live as old as 15 years (or even longer in some cases).
Cats require feeding (daily), care and ‘play time’ on a regular basis. You will also have to take into consideration, before getting your cat, that you will have vets’ bills to pay for annual vaccines, worming and if treatment is required for any illnesses. These bills can sometimes be very costly, but you can purchase insurance for pets – it may be a good idea to ‘shop around’ to get the best deal.
Before getting your cat, you should purchase bowls for food and water, a collar (if you want the cat to wear one), a bed (or pet quilt), a few suitable toys, and some food.
A kitten should be fed throughout the day 4 times with a small amount of food each meal, reducing to 3 times a day at 3 months old, then at 6-8 months 2 meals per day. Older cats (over 12 months) should only be fed twice in the day (usually morning and early evening).
Cat Behaviour Explained
Cats can be major stinkers. We're not talking about smell, but rather their “catty” behavior towards their humans. Cats believe they are superior to all other living things. Don't you feel that sometimes they are just humoring us humans? Sometimes, their behavior can go to extremes and make us all crazy. Whether it is caterwauling, stalking, pouncing or displaying their dual personalities and schizophrenic tendencies, sometimes coexisting with your cat can be nerve-wracking and almost not worth the trouble. However, with a few basic tips, you can live with your cat peacefully. Ok, peaceful might be a relative term, but you get the idea!
Co-existing tip #1 – Take your cue from your cat. Many times, us humans do not know when to stop petting. Usually your cat will instigate a petting session, but they can only put up with so much petting and become over stimulated. Since they cannot turn around and tell us to back off, they let us know in their own way that “enough is enough” by nipping at us. This does not indicate that they are being malicious, but rather that they need their own time-out from the petting. By cueing into their behavior moments before they nip, you can avoid their sharp little teeth. Tensing of the body, tail flicking, and even pinned back ears are all signs leading to the cat's nipping behavior.
Categories: Cat Behavior Tags: Cat Behavior
Tips For Adopting A Cat
So you want to adopt a cat? They can be entertaining, loveable, company and independent.Less than 10 per cent of the world's cats are purebred – most just common house cats.
There are different places to look for your kitten or cat. Check out http://www.petfinder.com/, your local animal shelters or rescue groups. Many shelters will vaccinate, deworm, test for feline leukemia and spray/neuter before adoption. However, ask because they all don't do all of these things.
We adopted Missy from a shelter when she was around four months old. (They weren't sure how old she was.) We had to pay for vaccations before they would let us bring her home but they did spray her.
Before you go out and look for your kitty or cat, first consider your needs, expectations and lifestyle. Ask yourself these things:
1. Are you home during the day? If not you might want an adult cat that is low-key, kittens need more attention.
Categories: Rescue and Adoption Tags: rescue-and-adoptions
Keeping your Kitten Healthy
There's a huge assortment of products and foods that are designed to help keep your kitten fit and healthy. Finding out which products will be best for your cat can often be found out by visiting a veterinary clinic.
A good vet will also be able to advise you on the correct kind of food your cat needs, how much it should be eat per day and inform you about your cat's health. They can also check your kitten for flees and give your kitten any shots it might need.
A veterinary clinic is not just a place to get your cats health checked out you can also pick up a great deal of free leaflets and information. The vet might also be able to suggest some further reading and recommended books. The internet is also another great resource for finding out cat tips and advice, there are many websites run by cat owners and professionals.
Categories: Kitten Care Tags: Kitten Care, kitten-health
Hyperthyroidism In Cats
Veterinarians tell us that hyperthyroidism is very common type of hormonal disorder seen in older cats, and even some middle aged cats. This occurs when the thyroid glands began producing large amounts of thyroid hormones. Often this happens as a result of a benign thyroid tumor (adenoma); however, vets do not know what causes the tumor to develop in cats.
For informational purposes, thyroid glands are paired glands located in the neck and they secrete thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is important because it controls metabolic rate of an animal. Cats with hyperthyroidism have an increased metabolic rate, and thus they tend to use up excessive amounts of energy within their bodies. This means that your cat may be eating more and always hungry, but still seems to be losing weight. This is one of the most common clinical signs of hyperthyroidism. Some other signs may include a patchy hair coat and hyperactivity. The onset of this disease is usually very slow, and signs are usually not recognized until they are severe. Sometimes, the hyperthyroid state can exist for months to years before becoming severe enough for the owner to recognize the clinical signs.
Categories: Cat Care Tags: cat-health
Considering A Ragdoll Cat?
Ragdolls are large cats with pretty blue eyes and soft bushy tails. They do not have extreme features. A male ragdoll cat may reach over 20 pounds and a female cat reaches as high as 15 pounds. Their coats are soft and feel much like cashmere.
Ragdolls have four different types of coat patterns: van, bicolor, mitted, and pointed. Each of these patterns come in six different colors: blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and seal.
Pointed ragdoll cats have siamese type markings with dark ears, legs, and tails with a creamy colored body.
Mitted ragdoll cats look like pointed ragdolls except they have mittens and boots are soft, fluffy white, and so are their chins.
Categories: Cat Breeds Tags: Cat Breeds, ragdoll-cats
Ragdoll Cats
The Ragdoll cat breed consists of a variety of medium to long hair cats. Ragdoll cats are famous for their placid temperaments as well as their affectionate nature. Ragdolls are the most easy going and gentle cat you can own. These cats are not aggressive and should only be kept indoors. They do not have fighting instincts so they will not defend themselves when provoked.
The term "Ragdoll" comes from the way they go totally limp when picked up. The breed originated in California back in the 1960s. The first Ragdoll was a cat named Josephine. There are many myths regarding the history of Ragdoll cats; for instance, one account claims Ragdoll cats were left on earth by an alien race. Many of these wild claims were made by the breed’s founder and are still passed around today.
Categories: Cat Breeds Tags: Cat Breeds, ragdoll-cats
How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats
As most people know, when you have cats you face the possibility of also having fleas. There are few pests worse than fleas, who almost microscopic in size and hard to banish. If you want to know how to get rid of fleas on cats, without getting rids of your cats, then keep reading.
If you need to know how to get rid of fleas on cats, then you already have a flea problem. Remember, getting rid of the fleas on your cats isn't enough – you'll have to free the entire house of fleas in order to keep them away from your cats for good. Getting rid of fleas can be a somewhat tedious process, so be ready to do some work to get rid of fleas.
Though there are many pet products you can buy for over-the-counter use, if you want to know how to get rid of fleas on cats you want to take them to the vet's office. Let the professionals treat your cats and have them keep your cats overnight. Though this separation will be painful, it's necessary so that you can prepare your home for the arrival of flea-free house cats. The vet's office will apply special medicine to your cats that will not only kill existing fleas, but keep future fleas from being attracted to them.
Categories: Cat Grooming Tags: Cat Grooming, fleas
Health Benefits to Owning Cats
04:40 PM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS – Here, kitty kitty…. A new study suggests cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who, well, don't own cats. And no, dogs don't do the same trick. The study, by researchers at the University of Minnesota, found that feline-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats. Yet dog owners had the same rate as non-owners. "No protective effect of dogs as domestic pets was observed," said the study, which was presented Thursday at the International Stroke Conference in New Orleans.
Categories: Cat and Kitten Stories Tags: cat-news
