October 14th, 2008 at 08:14am
Under Breeds+ Cat Care+ Cat Health+ Cat Owner
By Anita Hampton
Aside from dogs, cats are the next best pets for the home. In
fact, 34.7 million households in the United States own at least
one cat.
However, the benefits of owning a cat are not constrained to
having them as mere pets because cats, like dogs, can be trained
to do tricks as well. Even if they are known as ìhouse cats,î it
is important for them to be given the taste of the outdoor
environment. This can be done through walking.
Yes, it is important to engage a cat in outdoor activities such
as walking, just like the dog. This is because cats need further
stimulation by having a taste of the activities gained by being
outside. Walking them outdoors makes them feel entertained and
stimulated.
Studies show that cats that are constrained inside the house
show a significant sign of boredom and depression. These are not
likely to be noticed since cats cannot verbally or even
physically tell their owners that they are bored and depressed.
However, there were signs that were noted in a study that
projects the negative effects of not having occasional walks
outside the house. Scratching the furniture was noted to have a
direct association with depression that the cat is experiencing.
The problem with most cat owners is that they tend to pamper
their cats and they forget to give them the benefits of enjoying
the environment. Hence, a growing health problem arises because
most cats are found to be obese.
What people do not know is that even if they are known to be
domestic animals and have been in ìclose contactî with people
for more than 3,500 years, cats are known to be born hunters.
In fact, most zoologists contend that cats are the ìmost
graceful huntersî in this world.
For this reason, walking a cat is extremely important. Proper
use of materials should be observed when walking your cat.
Walking your cat does not necessarily mean it is okay to leave
your cats outside. They can encounter danger such as getting a
disease or being hurt by neighbors or vehicles..
Try to train your cat to walk with a leash and a harness on. It
is best to use a jacket as well so that your cat will be
comfortable while walking.
Walking your cat is not a hard work. You just have to use the
right tools and the proper training of your cat and you can be
assured of a happy and stress-free feline at home.
About the Author: Anita hampton
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By Fred
October 4th, 2008 at 08:11am
Under Cat Owner+ Myths/Folklore
By Sharon Cowherd
A cat’s mesmerizing eyes create the feeling that you can look
deep into their soul. Have you sat and looked deep into your
cat’s eyes? Wondering what they are thinking or if they are
trying to tell you something? I know that I have sat gazing
into my cat’s eyes looking for something magical to happen;
searching for answers to questions like “Can you understand what
I am saying?” or “Are you trying to tell me something?” Their
eyes are so mysterious looking that I just feel like I am
falling deep within their being as I look into their eyes.
Cat’s eyes can give you signs of their current mood by the size
of their pupil. When the cat’s eyes are open and the pupil
becomes large, the cat can be very excited or frightened. I
have seen my cats’ pupils become very large when they suddenly
get frightened by something. The large pupils in this instance
are also usually accompanied with the hair on their back
sticking straight up and their tails bushed out. I will
immediately try to calm them down when I find them in this
state. When the pupils become narrowed, looking like slits in
the cat’s eyes, it could be an indication that the cat is angry
or the sun is in the cat’s eyes. I have watched, on many
occasions, Tiggy go from being in a peaceful mood to being very
angry and seeing it in her eyes. The nice calm look of her
pupil as it is large turning into a very narrow slit just as she
becomes irritated. Her irritation is usually the direct
response from one of Cooper’s momentary agitations. He really
loves to get her going, and when I watch him I can see his
excitement has his pupils get larger.
The pupils also change in size by the amount of sunlight that
enters the eye. When the sun is bright and shining directly
into the cat’s eyes, their pupils will become narrow. The
brighter the sunlight, the narrower their pupils will become;
appearing to be the size of pinpricks. The opposite happens
when there is little or no sunlight. Their pupils become large
and sometimes almost spherical to allow as much of the available
light to enter.
Both pupils will simultaneously be the same size at all times.
When one becomes a different size it is an indication of an eye
condition that can range from mild to serious. It would be good
to seek medical attention to be sure that it is not serious.
When the cat’s eye color changes it could also be an indication
of a disease and should be consulted by a veterinarian.
Another interesting part of the cat’s eyes is the color. Most
cats have eye colors that range from gold to greenish-yellow. I
find it fascinating to look at the colors in my cats’ eyes. I
also find it odd that of the four cats that I have owned, the
ones related to each other, have had totally different eye color
from each other. Tiggy has yellowish colored eyes and Cuddles
had green to yellowish colored eyes. They were sisters, yet
their eye colors were different. Kittens are born with blue
eyes that will change when they are between 4 to 8 weeks old.
Blue eyes are also found in cats with pointed coats such as the
Siamese.
Since the cat’s eye is so interesting and mysterious looking,
have you wondered what they see while looking through their
eyes? I think that it would be interesting if we were able to
look through the eyes of a cat and see exactly what they see.
It would give me a different viewpoint on what I look at
everyday. Did you know that your cat is not color blind? They
can see colors, just not the same colors that we see. Cats can
see green and blue but not red.
I still find the cat’s eyes to be mysterious and amazing. I
can sit for hours looking deep into the souls of my cats through
their eyes. The next time you are near your cat, look deep into
their eyes and see if you find something mysterious lurking
there.
About the Author: Sharon Cowherd maintains Caring for Your Cat,
a blog about her experiences and knowledge of caring for her
cats. You can read more about Sharon and her cats at
www.caringforyourcat.com
Source: www.isnare.com
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By Fred
