About Cats

Cat Breeds

A cat breed is defined by a breed standard, which describes the cat's physical characteristics in detail. However, characteristics such as color, pattern or hair length alone do not define a cat breed, since most breeds include cats with a wide range of these characteristics.

A documented ancestry is what makes a cat a member of a specific breed. In fact, fewer than 1% of cats worldwide are cats of a specific breed. Most cats are simply varieties of the species Felis domesticus.

Some terms used to describe cat breeds

• Points: parts of face, ears, legs and tail colored darker then the fur's ground color.
• Shaded: predominant dark hair, but brighter than smoked.
• Smoked: predominant dark hair, but hair line silvery.
• Ticking: dark banded hairs.
• Tipping: bright hair with dark tips.

The sometimes stubborn companion

All pets can make good companions, but sometimes their needs and yours come into conflict. Cats are more independent than dogs and can be a good choice for a person on the go - particularly if you get a feline friend to keep them company.

But remember: cats are stubborn in a way and have their own will. They are definitely not pleasers the way dogs are. If they feel like playing, they play, if they do not feel like it, leave them alone. Otherwise, they will show their unwillingness.

House-training

In the majority of cases, when a kitten comes into your home, it is house-trained already. Your task is to keep it that way. The litter tray should be positioned a bit apart from the feeding dish in a spot with easy access for your cat that is reasonably calm and protected. It must be big enough for the cat to turn around and paw. Remove excreta every day and change commercial litter once a week. If you are experiencing problems, you could try different types of litter, since your cat may prefer a certain type.

Training kittens never works without occasional accidents. It doesn't help to yell or rub their nose in it. If you catch her going in the wrong place, simply say "No!". Pick her up immediately, take her where she's supposed to go and praise her when she is finished.

Contrary to popular belief, you can also teach tricks to cats. They need to be motivated with praise and food treats and can be tricked using their natural curiosity.

Cats and dogs

In general there is no problem in housing cats and dogs together provided that they get to know their different languages. For example, wagging the tail is a sign of cheerfulness for a dog, but it means anger or fury for a cat. To conclude from this that they are natural enemies is wrong.

If they come into the household as very young animals and grow up together, cats and dogs usually become good friends. A grown-up dog tends to accept a very young cat as a member of his pack. On the other hand you should be careful bringing together an adult, self-confident cat and a young dog.

In general, when introducing another animal in your companion's territory, the animals need time to accept and get used to each other. Do not force them together in the same room or area in the first few days. Give them time to scent the presence of the other animal before their first meeting. And always leave an opportunity for escape, especially for younger cats.