All About Pets

Archive for the ‘Cats’ Category

If you have a cat as a pet, you’ve surely seen as a statue and stop or move the ears to listen to sounds that are impossible to hear for you, how hard you try to hear what your cat is listening. Cats are nocturnal predators, and as such, they need to survive a sharp ear to enable them to identify exactly where their prey.

This superiority of the human ear in front of the cat is based on the characteristics of your hearing. While a human has 30,000 fibers cochlear nerve in the auditory nerve, the cat has more than 40,000, allowing you to hear sounds much weaker than we can hear us.

Furthermore, the ear is ready to capture 20k to 25k frequency, ie, ultrasound can not hear us ever because our auditory system is not ready for it. This ability to hear ultrasound is not free, but necessary because many of the animals that are their prey, communicate with such sounds.

But not only the sharpness of your ear allowing you to hear so clearly. The conical shape allows your ears pick up sounds and the ability to rotate 180 degrees by more than 30 muscles that make up each ear allows them to focus directly on their ears toward the source of the ear and, thus, be able to hear clearly all the nuances and variations in the sound.

Curiously, white-haired cats have undergone a genetic mutation that affects your ear. If the cat has one blue eye and one other color, can not hear with the ear of the same side as the blue eye.

To keep your cat’s eyes in good condition is necessary for clean up on a regular basis to prevent crusting and debris to accumulate in them. This operation is not always easy because the cat is not usually very collaborative show. In any case, it is best to be patient and proceed with the cleanup.

To clean the eyes, we dip a gauze in distilled water at room temperature and wash with it the eyes of your cat, always gently and without causing harm to the animal. It’s best to do this once every two or three days, although there are breeds such as Persians, in which we do daily to prevent infections and other eye problems to the animal.

In any case we use the same swab to clean both eyes, because we can transmit diseases from one another. Once a clean up or discard the gauze we have used and we will take a clean wash the other.

To clean the eyes with greater convenience, it is advisable to wrap the cat in a towel as we do, because it will be easier to hold and avoid being scratched while you are cleaning. Of course, we must make sure your legs are not bent or forced into an uncomfortable position for the animal. When finished, it is advisable to give him some candy and do some cuddle for the animal to associate the experience with a positive experience. Read the rest of this entry »

It is always fascinating to see a cat wandering peacefully by a dark area in which we could not move because our view prevents us from seeing anything. They are able to overcome obstacles, hunt and move with the same precision as if they did it in broad daylight. This is not due to special powers, but the eyes of cats, different from ours, are much better adapted to darkness. As nocturnal predators cats, nature has endowed with great visual acuity in the dark, so that way they can survive.

What we must know is that, despite appearances, cats can not see in complete darkness, in that case would feel as lost as us. They need a light, no matter how small, to thrive. How do they do?

First, the maximum pupil dilates at night to maximize available light. Just as the day his eyes are just two lines, for the night at nearly the diameter of the iris. Your retina also has a large number of light receptors, called rods, whose mission is to enhance the light that can enter the eye for better vision.

But surely the adaptation that allows them to live at night is called the tapetum lucidum, a membrane that is in the back of the eye and whose mission is to reflect light to redirect it to the receptors of the retina, so the animal can increase surrounding brightness, allowing a better view. The tapetum is the one that makes your eyes shine at night when they light focuses directly.

Undoubtedly, in the animal world, including big cats can find some of the most beautiful and fascinating species that exist. In addition, their keen senses, speed and strength make them better equipped to almost hunting. Here are the four species of the genus Panthera:

- The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four cats that belong to the genus panther. Adult males can weigh between 150 and 250 kilos and are distinguished by his great mane. Females are smaller and are those engaged in hunting, while male lions protect the pride. Today we can find examples in different parts of Africa and Asia.

- The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest feline. He is currently an endangered species and more numerous specimens belong to the subspecies of Bengal. They can be found in India, Burma and Nepal, but due to the small number of specimens that are found in most protected areas.

- The leopard (Panthera pardus) is the kind of which we can find the largest number of copies distributed throughout Africa, Turkey, Mongolia, Indochina and the island of Java. Its coat is reddish yellow with dark spots, but when it’s all black, which is known as melanin, is called the Black Panther.

- The jaguar (Panthera onca) tend to live in the forests and in areas where the vegetation is very dense. It can be found in North America, Central and South America. Along with the tiger, is one of the big cats to those most like to swim and they are skilled in doing so.

When we look at a race Colorpoint cat we can not but wonder whether we are seeing a Siamese cat with a different shade of hair than usual. And naturally, if we consider the Colorpoint Shorthair is the cousin of the Siamese cat, with which it shares the look, character and meow.

The Colorpoint Shorthair shares genes with the Siamese, Abyssinians and the red-haired domestic spending, as breeders, when they gave rise to this race, is set mainly in those cats with a beige coat with red or reddish at the tips of the body.

Like the Siamese, the Colorpoint Shorthair has blue eyes, short hair, long and angular body and the natural elegance and distinction that characterizes this type of cats.

They also share a short coat and thin, very bright and close to the body and dark markings on the muzzle, tips of ears and tail and the tips of the legs. The only difference is the color, as the Colorpoint can be found in red, cream, lynx point pattern ( tiger ) in seal, chocolate, blue, red, lilac and cream, chocolate, blue cream, lilac, cream, tortie patterns in seal and tortie lynx points in seals. Read the rest of this entry »

Of all the diseases that your cat may suffer in the skin, one of the most common is ringworm, also known as ringworm in cats. At first it was thought that this disease was caused by worms or lice, but now known to be a disease caused by a parasitic fungi that can affect both the cat and the dog as human beings.

Although several fungi responsible for this disease, the most common are the genus “Microsporum canis.” These fungi live on the skin, hair or nails of the cat, and in these places thrive and result in disease.

The ringworm occurs most frequently in warm countries and places, as the heat and humidity favor the reproduction of fungi. They are also susceptible individuals younger animals because they have less strengthened immune system.

This also happens to children, so we must avoid coming into contact with an animal with ringworm until healed, to avoid getting infected by the disease. Read the rest of this entry »

When we seriously considered bringing a new member to the family in this case, feline, we must raise a number of important questions before buying as it is not an ornament or hobby, if not, requires some care and care often ignore the excitement of chasing imagine it at home behind the pompom.

When we decided to adopt a cat issues that we must be present for the future life of our pets with us is enjoyable for all, are as follows;

-First: Do you really know the basic needs of a kitten? Cats are very territorial and therefore he will be organized the way the house where you live, this does not mean that the house has to be great, but if you can have different locations or rooms, will make the follows: A dining area, it will be far from your inbox toilet or in another room, another area for the toilet, her sand tray always far from where he eats, and another is where you wash, usually where they feel safer , comfortable and happy and then have a play area and rest, where you will sleep and play.

-Second: That time you have to be home? Timpo The cat will be much alone? If yes, should be adopted two cats, but the truth is not easy because everything is duplicated and should be castrated by obligation to both. In general the coexistence of two cats in one house does not usually cause problems and should be simple since there is no cat or a submissive alpha, as often occurs in dogs. The two divide their shared territory with respect, get to play and soon end up sleeping together or washing each other and that’s how they create emotional bonds between them and us. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s see some simple tips to keep your cat indoors and avoid losing. Buy toys for cats. This will help distract him from the lure of outdoor activities.

Playing in the house with your cat and make it look like a happy place, a foolproof method even with small children! Get a litter box if you do not already have one. The first few days put a little dirt or sand from the patio a few inches of the litter box for the change is not too abrupt. Place the litter box in an easily accessible place. Gradually mix the soil with kitty litter.

Then go to use cat litter only. Be sure to clean the litter box every day. Cats are naturally clean creatures, and should encourage the use of the sandbox. If it is too dirty, the cat may decide to go elsewhere in the house. Make sure your cat has a permanent identification if it escapes.

Cats are absolutely fantastic, and for this reason are ideal for use as pets. A very interesting point of cats is that there are many races, and all have special traits that make them special. This time we’ll talk about one that does not have a lot of publicity.

We are referring to the American Curl. At first it seems an ordinary cat, but the big difference is in their ears, they present a kind of “ripple” (derived from English “curl”) that gives them a much more sympathetic aesthetic tradition. They are very special and entertaining.

This race is typical of the United States and we can say that the youngest is worldwide and that only has 30 years of existence. This new cat species has its ears as individuals due to a natural mutation that occurred during pregnancy. In all other respects is just like any other breed of cats.

The American Curl cat is a very kind of partner, and is common to see in family homes where children live and which is notable for having a friendly demeanor. In addition, his physique is average and very rarely exceed five pounds. It’s a really nice animal that adapts easily to the family environment.

Another important point to note is that this is a very independent cat that does not require too intensive care. From the merely aesthetic to worry only by brushing the coat, to prevent the animal discards all his hair through the house.

If you are looking for a very nice pet and owners will undoubtedly have to lean toward the American Curl, a great cat that has become very popular internationally.

One of the diseases that cause concern in a family’s toxoplasmosis. It is worldwide known that this disease is caused by bacteria that usually used to cats as a means of incubation and infection. This disease can be extremely serious because it has rapidly spread to humans.

For this reason it is always necessary to take precautions when in the house is a cat. It should also be noted that pregnant women are very capable of transmitting toxoplasmosis baby in her womb, so you have to take into account different parameters that avoid any inconvenience.

Toxoplasmosis may not necessarily catch a cat. Can occur in both humans and cats by ingestion of milk that has not been pasteurized, raw or decaying meat or vegetables that are not properly sanitized before consumption.

In the case of cats, the bacteria that causes toxoplasmosis lays its eggs in the gut of the animal. For this reason we must be very cautious when dealing with pet feces. Also eggs can survive in the sand the cat box, so it is advisable to change every one or two days. Read the rest of this entry »