Happy Pets

Its hearing is the first sense that alerts the cat to potential prey when it is out hunting and, due to its genetic inheritance, the sounds that are most likely to signal the proximity of rodents, its favourite meal, are the ones to which it is the most attuned. And because rodents utter high- pitched squeaks, the upper frequencies of the sound range are those that the cat’s ears are especially adept at detecting, exceeding both dogs and humans in their sensitivity. Indeed, when you think that our detection of acoustic vibrations rises to around 20,000 hertz, and a cat’s to 50,000, we must be deaf to a cacophony of interesting sounds. (more…)

Having answered all these questions, you will know whether you still want a dog or not, and can now turn your attention to the type of dog which would fit in best with you and your way of life. Don’t just look at the different breeds of dogs. Do a little research into their background and what they were originally bred for. This will give you a far better idea of the temperament your dog will grow up with. Every breeder will be tempted to tell you of the virtues of his favourite dog. Not many of them will tell you of their faults. Obviously, I can’t go through every breed for you here, but I will try to take a cross-section, to show you what you’re looking for.

The Labrador, the dog I am most familiar with, was bred to retrieve game birds. Therefore, he’s been bred to sit steady to the sound of gunfire, go out quietly and retrieve and to return to his owner. Nevertheless, he’s a very active dog and can work an eight hour day in the field and still look as fresh as a daisy: so he will want plenty of exercise. Here I can tell you how to read between the lines and find the faults of the breed. (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…)

The cat is normally a hunting carnivore, but even wild cats will happily take carrion — such as a rabbit killed on a road — or other food unintentionally provided by man. This means that no cat has to be trained to accept dead meat, which is not the case with some other pets, and fortunately the easy availability of food has a marked effect on a cat’s territorial needs, making it less likely to wander.

However, there is no doubt that some cats can be difficult about accepting food if they suspect something tastier might be available. (more…)

Fleas

It is almost inevitable that any cat allowed outdoors, and many indoor ones, will at some time pick up a flea. Fortunately, fleas are a problem that an ownercan recognize and treat with ease. You will see the cat scratch, you will find the flea excreta when you groom, and you will probably see the fleas themselves moving in the fur, if not on the sofa. If there are only a couple and you catch them before they multiply, you may be able to seize them with your fingers and squash them.

With very young kittens, even with a greater infestation, this is all you should do — even though the fleas may keep returning, especially around the eyes. Young kittens may react badly to a pesticide. For this reason a pregnant female that regularly picks up fleas should be treated when you decide she is close enough to labour to be kept inside (though she could still pick them up from other cats that go in and out). (more…)

Havana Brown

In Britain the Havana (or Havana Brown as it is known in the United States) is a cat of Siamese type with a rich chestnut- brown coat; it was known for a time as the Chestnut Foreign Shorthair. In the United States the breed has a morerounded muzzle and round-tipped ears, and does not look nearly so like its relative, the Siamese. A well-bred Havana Brown should have an elegant, muscular body and oval-shaped green eyes. This is one of the most attractive breeds: playful, aristocratic, loyal and home-loving. Like the Siamese, it is very much a one-person cat. (more…)

Short fur is the normal length for cats. No wild cats have long hair, not even those living in cold climates - although their short hair is very thick. Short hair is always genetically dominant in cats, which means that if your charming, longhaired Burmese goes feral its descendants will revert to a short-haired state. Fur type and texture, and the exactlength of the hair, vary between breeds with the result that ’short-haired’ cats can look very different from one another. The sleeker, slimmer Oriental breeds are grouped separately as the Foreign Short- hairs.

British Shorthairs

The British Shorthair - and the European Shorthair, which is really just another name for the same type - is a sturdy, stocky animal officially described as compact, well balanced and powerful. It has a good depth of body, a full, broad chest and short, strong legs. (more…)