Tabby Cats Are Some Of The Most Familiar Types Of Cats
Tabby Cats are some of the most familiar types of cats. Their fur
coats can have five different color tabby coat patterns. One of the most
common types of coat markings are those of the striped tabby cat, which
is called the Mackerel Tabby pattern. The other four types are the
Blotched Tabby, Spotted Tabby, Ticked Tabby, and Patched Tabby. The
Mackerel Tabby pattern is the only striped coat pattern seen in domestic
cats. Other types of cats with striped coats, as well as a spotted
patterning, are the Exotic Cats or wild cat species.
The classic tabby markings are comprised of a mixture of light and dark banded hairs and black hairs. The black hairs are clustered together in patches or apparent stripes to create the tabby pattern. In the Mackerel Tabby, the resulting pattern is of dark stripes on a lighter background. The stripes are long, thin, mostly vertical, and moderately curved. They often break into short bars or stripes on the sides and stomach of the cat.
The Mackerel Tabby pattern often causes two interesting markings. First is an "M" shape formed by the dark hairs, which is often found on the forehead of these cats. Second, they also often have a "peppered nose", where black dots are found on the otherwise pink nose. Besides tabby cats, there are other types of cat colors and coat patterns. Others are the Tri-color Cat or Tortoiseshell Cat color Patterns which include the Torbie Cat and Calico Cat, and there is the Orange cat or Ginger Cat as well.
The classic tabby markings are comprised of a mixture of light and dark banded hairs and black hairs. The black hairs are clustered together in patches or apparent stripes to create the tabby pattern. In the Mackerel Tabby, the resulting pattern is of dark stripes on a lighter background. The stripes are long, thin, mostly vertical, and moderately curved. They often break into short bars or stripes on the sides and stomach of the cat.
The Mackerel Tabby pattern often causes two interesting markings. First is an "M" shape formed by the dark hairs, which is often found on the forehead of these cats. Second, they also often have a "peppered nose", where black dots are found on the otherwise pink nose. Besides tabby cats, there are other types of cat colors and coat patterns. Others are the Tri-color Cat or Tortoiseshell Cat color Patterns which include the Torbie Cat and Calico Cat, and there is the Orange cat or Ginger Cat as well.
Tabby Cat History
The Mackerel Tabby pattern is the original tabby pattern. It is believed to have originated from the African Wild Cat Felis sylvestris lybica and the European Wild Cat Felis sylvestris sylvestris. Both of these wild cats have a pale, striped tabby pattern. But when the breeds mix, the result is a much more prominent Mackerel Tabby pattern.purring has probably offered some selective advantage to cats
Why do cats purr?
Over the course of evolution, purring has probably offered some
selective advantage to cats. Most felid species produce a "purr-like"
vocalization. In domestic cats, purring is most noticeable when an
animal is nursing her kittens or when humans provide social contact via
petting, stroking or feeding.
Although we assume that a cat's purr is an expression of pleasure or is a
means of communication with its young, perhaps the reasons for purring
can be deciphered from the more stressful moments in a cat's life. Cats
often purr while under duress, such as during a visit to the
veterinarian or when recovering from injury. Thus, not all purring cats
appear to be content or pleased with their current circumstances. This
riddle has lead researchers to investigate how cats purr, which is also
still under debate.
Scientists have demonstrated that cats produce the purr through
intermittent signaling of the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles. Cats
purr during both inhalation and exhalation with a consistent pattern and
frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz. Various investigators have shown
that sound frequencies in this range can improve bone density and
promote healing.
What About Are Cats Thinking
What About Are Cats Thinking
“We did one study on cats—and that was enough!” Those words
effectively ended my quest to understand the feline mind. I was a few
months into writing Citizen Canine: Our Evolving Relationship With Cats and Dogs,
which explores how pets are blurring the line between animal and
person, and I was gearing up for a chapter on pet intelligence. I knew a
lot had been written about dogs, and I assumed there must be at least a
handful of studies on cats. But after weeks of scouring the scientific
world for someone—anyone—who studied how cats think, all I was left with
was this statement, laughed over the phone to me by one of the world’s
top animal cognition experts, a Hungarian scientist named Ádám Miklósi.
We are living in a golden age of canine cognition. Nearly a dozen
laboratories around the world study the dog mind, and in the past decade
scientists have published hundreds of articles on the topic.
Researchers have shown that Fido can learn hundreds of words, may be capable of abstract thought, and possesses a rudimentary ability to intuit what others are thinking, a so-called theory of mind once thought to be uniquely human. Miklósi himself has written an entire textbook on the canine mind—and he’s a cat person.
Cats Taking Owners' Habitats
Cats Taking Owners' Habitats
Dogs and Cats Help Prevent Infections in Kids
For the Journal of Veterinary Behavior study, the researchers studied two groups of cats. Each group received excellent care, in terms of food, medical attention and grooming. The owners of all the cats worked during the day and returned home in the evenings.The first group of cats, however, lived in smaller homes and stayed closer to their owners. The second group lived more of an indoor/outdoor lifestyle on larger property. These cats were also kept outside at night.
Over time, the cats in the first group mirrored the lives of their owners. Their eating, activity and sleeping patterns were very similar. The cats left out at night became more nocturnal, matching the behaviors of semi-dependent farm cats with more feral ways.
"Cats are intelligent animals with a long memory," Jane Brunt, DVM, and the executive director of the CATalyst Council, told Discovery News. "They watch and learn from us, (noting) the patterns of our actions, as evidenced by knowing where their food is kept and what time to expect to be fed, how to open the cupboard door that's been improperly closed and where their feeding and toileting areas are."
Cats Do Roam, Tracking Shows
Piccione pointed out that cats' food intake is associated with that of owners, perhaps explaining why human and cat obesity rates seem to so often match. Cats may even match their elimination patterns with those of their owners."It's always interesting when I hear about people who have the litterbox in their bathroom and the cat uses it when the owner is on the toilet," Brunt, a past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, said.
Another recent study, published in Applied Animal Behavior Science, looked at personality in cats. Many of the primary traits -- arrogant, social, shy, trusting, aggressive, calm, timid, excitable, dominant and curious -- apply to humans as well.
Authors Marieke Cassia Gartner and Alexander Weiss of The University of Edinburgh believe that the environment in which a feline lives "is one possible explanation for the variance in results in the domestic cat, as personality may not be completely comprised of genetic makeup."
Humans even serve as role models for their cats.
what happens if something happens to you?
what happens if something happens to you?
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A fond associate and friend of mine, Dr. Lorie Huston, died suddenly and unexpectedly last week, leaving behind 6 cats, some of them shy or special needs. Because she was not old – at 54, she had a busy career as a veterinarian and a growing list of accomplishments – she didn't think about making arrangements for her cats, who were now in need of new homes. Fortunately for Lorie, as president of the Cat Writers Association and a well-known blogger and award-winning businesswoman, she had a broad network of friends across the United States that stepped up to help rehome her cats. So far three are adopted, and three (including a tripod cat) still need homes. With the efforts going into this project, there's no doubt Lorie's cats will all be safe.
Most cat companions, however, don't have Lorie's big group of social-networking-savvy friends. If you died tomorrow, what would happen to your cats?
Although I'm as guilty as the next person in that I haven't made arrangements for my crew, this is something I think about a lot. I know that Binga would most likely be OK – she's mine jointly with my fiancé, who loves her as much as I do. There is no doubt she would have a home with him … that is, unless we died together on a trip. Summer? I would hope that Summer would go back to her breeder, who still dearly loves her. (I would have wished the same thing for Sparkle, who had the same breeder as Summer.) But I haven't done anything to specify that. Boodie? She has always sort of been the "extra cat," the one we wound up with because she was kind of dumped on us. She's shy. She's not special-needs, but she does need some extra love and understanding. Brian would probably keep her ... but what if he couldn't?
Then there's my dad's cat, Smokey. My dad is 95 and not well, and Smokey will outlive him. He has already told me that he would like her rehomed – but not with me and Brian. It has nothing to do with our ability as caretakers. It's just that Smokey really needs her own person and she doesn't really like other cats. And she wouldn't have that here. I agree, Smokey does deserve better than what we can give her here. We would probably have to isolate her from the rest of the cats, and the attention she would get would be loving, but not the full-time companionship she gets from my dad. And that one-on-one attention is what she really needs. Will I be able to find that for her? I hope so, but who knows?
About Cat Behavior
About Cat Behavior
Behavioral problems in cats, such as avoiding the litterbox, excessive meowing and other attention-seeking behavior, biting and painful or destructive scratching can be corrected by first eliminating physical causes, then instituting a program of gradual retraining, with the help of these resources. Remember that there are no bad cats, only uninformed cat caregivers.
I would suggest trying to deal with one problem cat behavior at a
time. Too many "dos" and "don'ts" will only confuse your cat and
frustrate your training attempts. Start with the most potentially
hazardous problems first - such as chewing on electrical cords - then
move on from there. Here are the most-often reported behavioral problems
in cats:
Attention-Seeking Behavior
Attention-seeking behavior and excessive vocalization often go hand-in-hand with cats. Causes for these behaviors can be either physical or emotional, or both. Before punishing your cat for excessive crying and meowing, or other attention seeking behavior, do some homework on possible causes.
Attention-seeking behavior and excessive vocalization often go hand-in-hand with cats. Causes for these behaviors can be either physical or emotional, or both. Before punishing your cat for excessive crying and meowing, or other attention seeking behavior, do some homework on possible causes.
See Also: Rippling Skin Disorder
Also called Feline hyperesthesia, one of the symptoms of Rippling Skin Disorder is loud "lost-in-the-night" howling.
Also called Feline hyperesthesia, one of the symptoms of Rippling Skin Disorder is loud "lost-in-the-night" howling.
Cats' Aggression Toward People
Cats' aggression toward people can be caused by poor training as a kitten (as in play aggression), fear, or other factors. Learn how to prevent a cat's aggression toward people, how to deal with it when it happens, and how to curb a cat's biting and scratching behavior.
Cats' aggression toward people can be caused by poor training as a kitten (as in play aggression), fear, or other factors. Learn how to prevent a cat's aggression toward people, how to deal with it when it happens, and how to curb a cat's biting and scratching behavior.
Feline Aggression Toward Other Cats
Cats sharing a household will sometimes fight, but when active aggressive behavior between cats rears its ugly head, sometime human intervention is necessary.
Cats sharing a household will sometimes fight, but when active aggressive behavior between cats rears its ugly head, sometime human intervention is necessary.
Aggression between cats can be fear-based, territorial, or
redirected aggression. This article will help the reader deal with
aggression between cats in a household.
General Cat Care Tips
Tips for Cleaning Cat Urine
It’s important to consult with your
veterinarian to find out why your cat isn’t using her box. But in the
meantime, if you do find urine on the new chaise lounge, don’t fret.
We’re sharing 10 tips for cleaning cat urine and preventing your
furniture from being given away to your sister who’s been eyeing it
anyways.
10. Grab a paper towel, and try to
blot up as much of the urine as possible. If it’s a large spot and you
don’t want to waste paper towels, use a cloth towel or old clothes that
can be thrown away. If the spot is on the carpet, stand on the wet spot
(remember to wear shoes).
9. Don’t rub the stain. If it’s dry, pour cold water on the stain, and blot.
8. Avoid using detergents with ammonia in them. The “pee smell” in them might encourage your cat to mark the spot again.
7. Use a commercial product found at your pet
store or a homemade mixture from ingredients found right in your own
home. Make sure to test either of the two on a small area first.
6. Here’s a good homemade solution:
mix a water and vinegar solution. Vinegar is great for killing bacteria.
This mixture is perfect for both old and new stains. Try 1 1/2 cups of
warm water and a ½ cup of vinegar. Pour this concoction over the stain
and soak for about 3 to 5 minutes. Note: vinegar is not good for marble
or stone.
5. There’s nothing like good
all-purpose baking soda. After the water and vinegar solution is dry,
sprinkle the area with baking soda. How much is enough? A lot.
4. You’re not done just yet with the
homemade remedies. Mix 3/4 cup of three percent hydrogen peroxide (you
know you have some under your bathroom sink) with 1 teaspoon of dish
detergent. Sprinkle this solution over the baking soda and test a small
spot. You need to do this because sometimes peroxide can discolor or
bleach fabrics (source). Work the baking soda into the fabric or carpet.
3. it’s time to let the mixtures dry
for a few hours. Once the spot’s good and dry, vacuum the excess baking
soda. If the stain is extremely tough, repeat the entire process again.
2. If homemade mixing is not your
thing, there are commercial products on the market that work well too.
Make sure to look for cleaners that contain enzymes because they work to
break down the urine and neutralize the odor (source). Make sure you
follow the instructions carefully on these products.
1. Just because you can’t see the
stain, doesn’t mean you can’t smell the stain. Deodorizing must be part
of the equation. Once again, baking soda and a mixture of detergent and
water will help minimize odors.
All About Cats
CATS
cats are commonly kept as a pet, for the cat family, see falidae. the felids are a rapidly evolving family of mammals that share a common ancestor only 10-15 M years ago and include in addition to the tigers,cougars,lions,domestic cat and many others. Within this family domestic cats are parts of the genus felis which depending upon classification scheme. All the cats in this genus share a common ancestor that probably lived around 6-7 M years ago in asia.
Domestic cats are similar in size to the other members of genusfelis with 4 - 5 kg. Free-ranging cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night. Cats have seven cervical vertebrrae as do almost all mammals. That cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very large eye sockets and powerful an specialized jaw. Cats are obligate carnivores, their physiology has involved to efficiently process meat, and they have dificulty digesting plant matter. Some of these products still fail to provide all the nutrients cats require,and diets containing no animal products pose the risk of causing severe nutritional deficiencies.
