Unless you intend to breed from, or show, your cat, there is little that a pedigree feline can offer that a mongrel moggie can’t match. Just like people, every cat is a unique character, whether their lineage is uncertain or you can trace it back for many generations. Probably the only significant difference between purebreds like our Somali, Melchior, and crosspeds like his companion, Caspar, is that you can predict with reasonable accuracy how any kittens that a pedigree cat may have will look, especially if the other parent is of the some breed. And although it is often said that because moggies, unlike many pedigrees, aren’t inbred, their mixed gene pool makes them more resistant to disease and generally tougher, this claim hasn’t been scientifically substantiated (and in any case, many moggies are born into close-knit family groups). (more…)
Archive for the ‘Hair Remover’ Category
A cat door not only benefits the cat, it brings peace of mind to the cat owner.
The hole should be cut in the bottom of the door on the lock- side so any framing will not interfere with the normal door operation. The door needs to be approximately 250x 250 mm or smaller, depending on the size of your cat. (more…)
A cat climbs like a monkey, walks as gracefully as a ballerina and balances with the effortless ease of a champion tightrope-walker. As we have seen, when a cat is hunting, its powerful back legs provide the momentum that launches it into a leap or pounce, while its front legs stretch out to grasp its prey. This pattern is repeated when a cat climbs a vertical object like a tree or fence, its hindquarters propelling it upwards — sometimes up to five times the cat’s height — and the hooked claws of its front paws sinking into the surface to act as grappling irons, thereby enabling the cat to get a firm enough hold to pull itself upwards with its strong front legs. (more…)
As well as offering considerable advantages, the cat’s body does, however, have its drawbacks, the inevitable consequence of the compromises that nature was forced to make when designing Fells catus. Because the wildcat was — and remains — an opportunistic predator that could not rely on a regular supply of food, for example, the stomach that its descendants have inherited takes up a disproportionately large amount of room at the expense of its heart and lungs. (more…)
Wheezing
Wheezing is noisy breathing (respiration) and may be accompanied by increased effort during breathing, noticeable by exaggerated movements of the abdomen or chest, and perhaps more rapid breathing than normal. True wheezing is often caused by allergic conditions, especially the quite common condition of feline ASTHMA, but most owners would be unable to differentiate this from similar breathing noises caused by other conditions such as PNEUMONIA. (more…)
Teaching the retrieve to a dog who isn’t retrieve-minded can be a long and painful process; painful for the owner, I might add, not for the dog. So I advise you that, unless your dog is a natural retriever or you specifically want him to fetch things for you, forget this exercise and find something else your dog’s good at. Remember, all these extra things you are teaching your pet should be pleasurable both to you and him and if you find that your dog isn’t enjoying the exercises, forget it. If you’ve played with your dog from being a young puppy then the chances are that he will retrieve. Throw him an old sock or a pair of knotted tights and give him a command to fetch. (more…)
Travelling baskets, leads and the need to have complete control over your cat when you are travelling. It is wise to avoid feeding for about six hours before a long journey. To reduce the stress upon the cat, and especially if for some reason you are forced to send a cat without anyone to look after it, your vet may recommend some type of sedative for the journey.
Cats do not normally suffer from travel sickness (though there are exceptions); they seem to have a more developed sense of balance than dogs and humans, which can be car-, sea- and air-sick,due to a different structure in the inner ear. (more…)
No wild members of the cat family have long hair resembling that of the domesticated cat. It is the result of centuries of careful (perhaps more often not so careful) breeding. Actually, long-haired‘ is a blanket term for a variety of breeds whose coats can differ considerably in length and texture. Here are some of the more interesting ones.
Angora
This was probably the first kind of longhaired cat to be seen in Europe. The Angora arrived in the sixteenth century, probably from Turkey (it takes its name from the Turkish capital, Ankara). It gradually lost favour to the Persian and the breed was dwindling fast until a few specimens were taken to the United States from Ankara Zoo. It has a longish body and tail, long legs withneat, dainty paws and a small head with large almond-shaped eyes that slope slightly upwards and large upright ears. Its fur is gorgeously textured, like mohair. White was the only acceptable colour when the breed was re-established in the United States, but other colours are now being bred in both Europe and North America. (more…)
