Four legged furry bottom critters who ,purr with happiness. (Cats in General)

Member Name: Ladymagic

Product:	Cats in General
Date:	20/07/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun loving , warm , affectionate and independent little critters

Disadvantages: what goes in must come out !

THE HISTORY OF CATS.
Over 5000 years ago the first domestic cats came into out lives and now live in every country of the world except Antarctica, and who can blame them after all who in there right mind would want to go out in the freezing cold to dig a hole and pee in it!
With over fifty different breeds to choose from a pet owner will never be stuck for choice with so many distinctive breed available , at I might add some very extortionate prices , cats have become big business in some countries of the world. Below is a few of the average household cats of the UK as well as a few you may never have heard of before.
What type of cats do you like?
Tabby cats: Have a distinctive pattern of there cats in the form of strips, dots or swirls, they come in grey, white, blacks and even gingers.
Siamese cats: Are the best known oriental type cats with there slim, elegant bodies and triangular shaped heads. Most cats have unbelievable almond shaped eyes, long necks and a very fine short haired body of cream or browns with very distinctive markings and a cry that once heard is never forgotten, rather like babies cry in fact. A member of the same oriental family is the Balinese Cat: This beauty has long hair and a full plumed tail along with the same marks as its fellow Siamese's these cats are very intelligent and are a lot quieter than Siamese , thank goodness.
Himalayan cats; these are not for the faint hearted as they take a lot of work owning to there very long coats, but the beauty of the cats large blue eyes. Himalayans are rather like Persian cats who are also round in shape with very short legs, this short stocky body shape makes the things that the average moggie takes for granted like jumping up onto things and generally messing about in the garden hard to do, both cats come in a range of colours: chocolate, cream and even blue all with marks not to far from the Siamese variety.
Main coon cats: Are huge great things and likened to small dogs in size, they have long flowing coats and are very intelligent. With there gentle personality's they can make excellent house pets, but having said these males can grow up to a stone and a half in weight with females not much below this weight as well. In size they can be between 10 and 16 inches tall with a length of around 40 inches with tail, muscular and with a solid body this is not a cat to mess with!
The British short haired: Is adored by many for its loyalty, its welcoming meows and its motor bike purrs when he or she is happy. With a dense coat this cat comes in a variety of colours which includes black, blue, white, red, cream, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn, and with its large round eyes of copper, gold or green this short haired cat is well loved in the UK for its easy going temperament .
And now we come to your average moggie which is termed The Domestic short haired cat (DSH): as well as short haired it also comes in long haired (DLH) this name really does best describe the average moggie who has no pedigree or fancy name but is probably the best loved furry bottomed four legged critter we allow into our homes and our hearts. With very colour and type of coat you can imagine they make the best of pets, I should know I am the proud owner of two black cats. Sophie Loren is now aged just 19 months and in her short time she has produced 17 kittens in just 8 months, she came to me a little over six weeks ago with her very last kitten 'Harley Davidson ' who at now 4 months is the littlest hooligan and whirlwind what has ever taken over the whole house. Both cats have settled in well, which is something they tend to do well. A cat if well fed and loved is a friend for life and they are known for the way they calm the elderly and bring such comfort and love to many a lonely elderly person.

Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats .

If you go back in time it is well documented that in Egypt cats became one of the many gods that the everyday Egyptian worshiped, there love of cats lead them to create many beautiful cat sculptures many of precious metals encrusted with gems, mummified cats have been found in tombs along with tiny mummified mice, rats along side dishes of food and drink so that the cats can start there after life with plenty of food. Cats where treated as gods at this time in Egypt and any Egyptian caught killing a cat was punished with immediate death.

Cat food, dried or tinned?

Most cats live on a mixture of dried and wet cat foods, as well as this water is a necessary to there daily needs. Cats are obligate carnivores and experts say that meat should be their primary source of protein for proper health. What brand of cat food is the question, many cats can become 'fussy eaters 'but one fact is quite clear that premium cat food contains a much higher quality ingredients, which provide better nutrition for your cat so think when buying tins and packs from the supermarket that it's not always the best to buy the cheaper brands as your cat will eat more of this than the more expensive brands, this is true for both dry and canned cat food.

One bowl or two?

So just how much should a cat eat each day? Well size and age come into play here but on average a cat that is one year old and who is active should eat about 1/2 cup a day in total. Many cats are fed by putting food down and just leaving it out all day, which means there is food available all the time and the cat eat whenever it wants to, unfortunately this is the biggest single factor contributing to feline obesity and in the end can cost the owner not just huge vets bills from illness due to having an overweight cat, but also many nights of anguish as the cat dies early from some weight related condition.
The best way to care for your cat is to feed it every morning and evening at the same time so that it knows that it has food and fresh water ready and waiting for it when it comes home to after a long day of chasing mice, rats and the occasional bird, or as my two do at the minute ,as little ones to small to go out other than with me in the garden , after a long day chasing mums tail and getting a whop around the ear hole for biting it !!!

Playtime anyone?

All kids like to play and your cat is exactly the same , don't just think that you have to go out and buy expensive cat toys , although these are great fun and look good simple everyday things around the home are just a good or sometimes even better to play with , for instance.
A cardboard box completely sealed up when cutting a hole the size of the cat or kitten at one end and putting a blanket in it along with some tightly screwed up crinkly paper will keep them amused for ages.
An old shoe lace or two tied together to make a long thick line which you can them attach the cardboard section of your empty toilet roll to add to this a piece of old ribbon to dangle and they will spend many a happy hour trying to get the ribbon out of the cardboard roll.
If you can buy some of those little furry mice attach one to a thin strong line and then the other end of the line to a stick or even the end of a wooden spoon and 'flick' this at the cat ........the line and mouse end not the spoon end . The cat will love it and leap, jump, and generally charge at the mouse from every angle it can find in an effort to get it.

Bed and Bath time.

Unless your cat has been unfortunate and fallen into something or rolled in something ( fox /horse poo ) they shouldn't need to be washed , cats keep themselves clean as a matter of course by licking . But having said this I brush my two every day with a small bristle cat brush, this helps remove loose cat hair and so helps illuminate those dreadful fur balls that cats cough up. Bed time in our house is almost on the lines of putting small kids to bed , make sure that your cat has a bed of its own somewhere safe and out of draughts or cold , it can be something as simple as a cardboard box with a warm blanket in or one of those posh furry cushioned beds with matching rugs . But you can be sure that she or he will love you for it. Always leave a bowl of water at bedtime as cats get up a lot earlier than us humans do and if you are locking your cat in at night then leave a well stocked cat litter tray for them , make sure that all other 'little messages ' have been taken out and disposed of. I find that s soon as my to have done the 'business' if you can stand this part of cats needs then, get some kitchen or loo roll and picking it out with as little cat little as you can then simply flush it away down the loo, like we do your own, always make sure that you wash your hand swell as cat poo can lead to blindness in unborn children and infection is small children or anyone who has a low immunise system.

Vets and keeping them safe.

Cat should on taking up residence in your home be logged with a local vet , each year they will need to be vaccinated for a number of illnesses including things like cat flue and other nasty conditions. As well as this you must worm your cat every six to eight weeks with either tablets from the vet or local chemist. On taking my two to the vet for the first time last week I discovered you can now buy a worming liquid , like the liquid you use for fleas and ticks , this by the way should also be done every four weeks , if you fail to keep your cat in good condition by having its yearly vaccinations , flea and worming treatment each month or so they will become ill and fail to thrive , you have your children protected against illness so why shouldn't you make sure your cats treated as well.

As for protecting your cat against getting lost, the best way is to have your vet microchip him or her , this is a simple and almost painless thing to do it just means that a small needle is inserted into the back of the animals neck and a small chip is then inserted into the animals skin around its neck, once done this will last a life time and if your cat is ever lost any vet throughout the UK can scan the animal and your details ( which you have to fill in at the time of chipping ) are logged with a central microchip agency , who will then contact you to come and collect you little fellow or lady .
Collars are OK but you must think about the fact that cats love to fit into small tight places and I have on one occasion seem a cat been found hung by its collar and subsequently it died from aspiration , not the owners fault , but a micro chip is the best option all round.

More Kittens anyone ?
I had my two cats given to me from the Cats Protection League in Devon , unwanted cats and kittens are the bain of this country and if only cat owners would be sensible and have both the male and the female cats made sterile by the vet , if you cannot afford this then you can go to the local Blue Cross Animal Welfare Hospital ( in most towns & cities) and they will assist you with the cost.In some cases heartless people who have not looked after there animals and end up with many small animals have been known to drown them or even burn them ALIVE.

If you are serious about having a cat as a pet then take a look first at the many rescue homes in the UK who for a small price have many unwanted cats and kittens all longing for that loving home to live in .
If you must buy a pedigree than always see the mum and dad if possible and never buy a kittens from a shop or private home that doesn't show you the vaccination certificate and tell you about vaccination due dates, worming , flea treatment etc. If a kitten or cat is looking sad , lifeless or has a running nose, eyes or is hot Dont BUY this animal as it is unwell , if all of the animals in this persons care look ill then simple call the RSPCA and report them giveing the sellers name , address and other details , there is no excuse ion earth for not taking care of an animal.
I for one if seeing such an act of animal torture would quite happily take on that person and take the kittens or cats home with me and then find homes later on for them , any human who hurts animals in such away she never be allowed to have another animal in there care for the rest of there lives and be punished by the law as much as the law allows.
We are human beings , we learn and are highly intelligent and so are more than capable of keeping our animals fit and well , if you cannot take on all the responsible of a cat /cats and this includes the vets cost, food, toys, and a place to sleep then please dont bring one home , like dogs ....they are not just for the day or weekend , a cat is a lifetime companion and its a lifetime commitment to love.

And finally.

The love of a cat is a wonderful thing , unlike dogs, cats are independent and do not need so much care or walking in all weathers, but having said this I was well known for my large tabby cat of years ago called 'Pullover' who liked nothing more than to sit on the back parcel shelf of my mini and come to Tescos with me , many a motorist has passed me in their car only to fall back and let me over take them just to see if they really DID see a large silver tabby cat watching the world go by from the back of my car . And when I went into the shop 'Pully ' as he was know , would wait on the front driver's seat with the window half open , ready to hop back into his back seat place on my return . A cat is great friend for the single person or an elderly person who is now on their own and who doesn't want to come home to an empty house. A cat will learn to distinguish between your car engine and that of others , so be ready and waiting by the door to welcome you home , they will learn the sound of the pouch, tin , packet being opened and even the sound of your voice on the phone.
And if you are ill they will be there to comfort you and at times not want to leave your side , as my husband has recently discovered when I had one of my attacks for two days , both Sophie and Harley become my four legged constant corers and he literally had to come up stairs and pick both cats up off the bed ( they had there own cover on the top of my bed covers) carry them downstairs to eat , having done this , had a drink and a wee etc .............off they both went at breakneck speed back onto my bed to sit/lay and watch over me ..............and when I needed the loo, off all three of us went me, Sophie followed by little Harley , you try telling a cat that they cannot sit on your knee when you're on the loo. Or sit in the hand basin when washing your hands. Or even better, toilet roll is not for taking the end of and running out of the bathroom with ........and they say that dogs are little horrors with loo rolls.
Cats are the most loving, caring, social, warm and wonderful animals I have ever had the pleasure of being owned by ????? Oh, yes, forgot to say , I don't own them , they decided to take up residence with my family and me , cats don't you just love the furry little critters with their sandpaper tongues and fishy breath .xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For Sophie and Harley...........the two pure black little green eyed hooligans who have brought such love , laughter and happiness into our home , we all love you to bits guys xxxxxxx

Summary: A cat is the one pet that is independent , yet loves cuddles , games and humans .