Cat Facts

Photo: © -sel - creative commons

Cat Facts is what most of us look for on the Internet if, of course, you're looking for information about cats; be they in the form of pictures or words

But what kind of facts are important to us in respect of domestic cats?

I have focused on the appearance of domestic cats on this website as it is called "pictures of cats". But it doesn't, and can't, stop there.

I have also dealt with facts (in summary form) about the individual cat breeds, which can be found on the pages dedicated to all the cat breeds. I have usually summarized facts from a wide range of sources.

If you want to see the best pictures of the best cats of each cat breed, the best starting point is to click in the first three navigation bar links to see all the cat breeds and go from there. They're in alphabetical order; start here.

Human Behavior
Some general thoughts and information on the special relationship between two very different but highly compatible species of animal.

Cat Behavior
Cat behavior can seem odd to us but we often, through our behavior, create it and anyway it is normal behavior for the cat.

Cat Health
This deals with health issues that are not on the page dedicated to the subject.

Cat Breeds
Is there such a thing as a best cat breed or a top 10 cat breeds?

Cat Health
Cat health is the number one priority for our cat companions. An awareness is useful.

Cat Appearance
The appearance of cats and the cat breeds is important to people. The coat is the most important aspect of appearance.

The Unpleasant Stuff
There is a disturbing underbelly within the cat world, which people like me find sickening.

Cat Food
Cat food and cat health are intertwined.

Cat photography and Miscellaneous
Helmi and international cat photography.

There are a lot of general topics that are of interest to people who like cats through to those who keep them and on to the professionals, the breeders. This site is generally designed to meet the requirements of people who like cats.

Cat Facts - Photo © fofurasfelinas under creative commons

Cat Facts - Human Behavior

Cat facts recognizes the importance of human behavior in relation to cats. There has been a long relationship between human and cat. Perhaps the heyday was during ancient Egyptian times when they worshiped the domestic cat. The era was 3150 BC to 31 BC. They created Egyptian cat art in their love for and deification of the domestic cat. Modern cat art generally confines itself to big cat prints. Modern religious practice can be extreme. Despite the fact that there are very few Muslims who act in an extreme manner towards humans in support of their religion, the Islam faith is tender towards cats.

The domestic cat has come a long way since domestication. The history and origins of the domestic cat is interesting and the modern idea of registration of cat breeds tells us a bit about modern trends. Recent statistics about cats indicate an increase in the popularity for the domestic cat worldwide.

There is an interesting relationship between human and cat that raises questions. Sometimes human behavior in relation to cats can take on extremes such as cat hoarding; an illness. I don't think that a person buys a cat but adopts her. Some disagree. If you are considering buying a cat always visit the cat breeder's premises. Remember you are buying a fellow creature and we all owe it too ourselves to make sure that only good cat breeders continue breeding.

Cat Facts - Photo: © Ferran under Creative Commons

Cats see us as cats. They like to exchange scent with us to feel more comfortable and greet us. One way to do this is through cat head butting.

Sometimes humans abuse cats appallingly. This happens worldwide including in Europe recently with an exposé on the cat fur trade in Switzerland. One of the last places where is could happen you would have thought.

Bad behavior towards cats happens, I regret to say, more frequently in the Far East; in places such as China. Cat facts cannot ignore this. Bad behavior to animals is the precursor to bad behavior towards humans. Sometimes they operate in tandem. The Chinese government are treating cats as no more than street litter in Beijing, killing them in the thousands, in a clean up before the 2008 Olympics. This has caused outcry amongst cat lovers but it has continued. Some Chinese (a small minority) and Koreans partially kill, cook and eat cats. It's the cat meat market. Has this infiltrated the USA, or is this a joke? There are other countries, or regions of countries, involved in this, such as in India. I name and shame countries where cats are sometimes mistreated brutally and then eaten. Is this brutality a consequence of a fear of cats?

It is staggering to think that some people in these countries think that animals do not feel pain. Cats feel pain and are sentient beings. On the subject of pain it is worth reminding ourselves that a cat's purr can be activated when both in pain and discomfort and when content.

Cat facts Photo © JFA japan

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I speculate on the philosophy behind the eating of cat meat. This is necessarily controversial as is the subject of cat meat itself. Although not as extreme, there are companies that condone and take part in animal testing. When animal testing relates to cosmetics there is not one person in this planet that does not despise this, yet it continues unabated.

The Vatican, through the Pope, made an interesting announcement regarding the updating of the mortal sins mentioned in the Bible. They extended them to include animal cloning. Cat Cloning is a Mortal Sin.

Pets and cats can be used as a fashion accessory. This is seen in the every increasing demand for designer cats including the Ashera GD. Cats can also be used as a recepticle for our tendency towards superstition and black cats have born the brunt of this throughout a long history to the present day. A lot of people have a peculiar fascination of black cats and there is a demand for black cat names.

I know this is probably unpopular with some and definitely with cat breeders but sometimes we, as humans, let the less good aspects of our nature get the better of us. This can happen in cat breeding. Even the work of Jean Mill the esteemed founder of the Bengal cat can appear less attractive when seen from a different perspective. The breeding of cats is controversial to some people. I argue that the very process of cat breeding might be an obstacle to understanding cats.

Some argue that there are enough cats. This feeling is particularly prevalent in the USA. The cat associations are disjointed, it seems. They should provide more guidance and direction or governments may step in and create regulations.

Cat facts Photo: © **fofurasfelinas under creative commons**

The feral cat problem worldwide and in the States urgently needs co-ordinated action to resolve it. Feral cats have a hard life. Cats can mate efficiently for the purposes of survival, which in part is the reason for the large feral cat population. One thing to do is to seriously consider neutering your cat . In fact, it is a must in the modern world. If the moment has been missed, however, some knowledge about cat pregnancy may come in handy.

If you're have considered the idea of showing your cat you might like to read this.

Cat's eyes are modified to see more effectively in low light and reflect light back to the retina to enhance the image. On a more positive note, people have learnt from cats and put that knowledge to use in helping other animals, in this case the science behind a cat's eyes is helping to protect and endangered species, whales. This is cat's providing the inspiration for business. Cat litter is big business too and the history of cat litter is interesting.

At the time cats where becoming domesticated 9000 years ago until the late 1800s the domestic cat was useful to farmers catching rodents. Is she still of use in this way? Is she a mouser cat still?

If you want to get closer to your cat you can talk and listen to her, you can also groom her. You can also get a lot from your cat in respect of what she is thinking and her emotions by observing a cat's ears, believe it or not.

If you think a cat's behavior is strange or aggressive this may be due to an illness but if the cat is well it will normally be due to something that we can change. Their behavior is often a reaction to ours or due to a lack of proper socialization. I think that cat biting is normally reactionary and it is up to us to behave in a way more in tune with our cats.

Cat Facts Photo © fofurasfelinas under creative commons

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Cat Facts - Cat Behavior

The first general overriding cat facts that I find important concerns issues of cat behavior. Our behavior is the biggest influence on a cat's behavior. Sometimes cats are left alone too long causing anxiety. Living in a household can be stressful for humans and other animals. Some cats display what we consider to be bad behavior but is it? Is it just behavior we don't like? Cats can be messy....are messy. Sometimes it is our fault and some litter training may be required. Although some cat like water which results in some interesting cat peeing behavior. I'm talking about Bengal cats primarily here. Bengals are more trainable than some cats. One way to get around the litter problems is to toilet train. I mean your cat is trained to use your toilet! In fact cats can be trained generally. You'll need technique and patience though. If your cat likes water, great, but most don't and bathing a cat can be a hassle.

Cat Facts Photo: © kyramas under creative commons

Cats are instinctive, reactionary (so are some people). Usually (if in good health) their behavior is aggressive due to untoward activity. It can include biting. Sometimes their behavior is not aggressive but "displacement" behavior. This diverts the cat's mind from troublesome thoughts. Cat licking behavior can include displacement grooming. Most times when a cat licks her upper lip and nose this is simply cat licking displacement activity. We do the same when we bite our finger nails or scratch out heads.

Another form of behavior that can hurt cat and your possessions is cat chewing problems. Bengal cats and wildcat/domestic cat hybrids can sometimes be a little bit too eager to chew, shred and swallow objects such as paper. They can demonstrate what we would consider to be weird behavior. Bengal cats can also make Bengal cat smelly poo....!

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As I said cats can be messy. They can also make a mess of the furniture. They scratch furniture for a good reason. There are ways around this "problem" (for people) but these won't suit everyone. Unfortunately about 30 million cats are declawed in the States at any one time - shocking statistic. Declawing hurts cats. Declawing can cause psychological damage and is totally unnecessary. Do people want to live with a cat or an animal that approximates to a cat? Claws are integral to a cat. There are better ways to cat claw control.

A lot of people especially in the USA keep their cats indoors full-time. Should we keep cats indoors or let them out? When we do keep cats indoors they will invariably spend a lot of time at the window looking out. We owe an obligation to entertain and one thing we can do (if we have the energy) is make some cat toys.

Cat Facts Photo: © yeimaya under creative commons

Being indoors and less active cats have to utilize their bottomless capacity to have cat naps. The indoor life also begs the question whether there are cats that could be described as house cat breeds. There are certainly cat breeds more suited to an indoor life. Although it most often goes unrecognized some plants are poisonous to cats and it is useful as a precautionary measure to know which ones. A lot of cats are apartment cats. There is always the possibility of escape or falling. It is amazing how many cats falling survive heights that would kill humans, without doubt. A testament to one more of their copious range of skills. If your cat is allowed out he'll ask you to let him out often to check territory. A door is not in the cat's vocabulary. This makes cat flaps extremely useful.

One way around the problem of eliminating danger to cats who wander outside is to leash train your cat. This is not that easy and some cats are easier to train than others. The wildcat hybrids are easier such as the Chausie. Helmi Flick lived with a Chausie. Some think that cat collars help to protect their cat. They can but they can harm too. Most cat breeders don't agree with them.

Cats are adaptable but territorial. One way a cat cat get injured if left to stray outside is in a fight especially if he is a Tom cat. Fighting cats follow a strict code of practice. Often it results in damaged cat ears.

When cats play or catch prey they tend to throw the object or animal in the air. This is part of the domestic cat hunting process and can also replicate the scenario if your cat was fishing. Domestic cats are domesticated but the wildcat is not far away.

Cat Facts Photo © fofurasfelinas under creative commons

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Cat Facts - Cat Breeds

The cat breeds are at the core of cat facts. When you read articles on the Internet you see reference to "intelligent" cat breeds. This implies some cats are more intelligent than others. It is debatable whether there is an intelligent cat breed. It is also debatable whether there are best cat breeds but you can probably make out a case for the top 10 cat breeds.

There are certainly cat breeds that are more suited to permanent indoor living but although cats adapt to living indoors, is it the right thing to do?

There is quite a lot of talk on the Internet about non shedding cat breeds and hypoallergenic cat breeds. The Ashera GD is claimed to be hypoallergenic. People are obviously keen to live with a cat but perhaps cannot accept the downside of cat hair everywhere or they have an allergy to cat dander; 10% of us do.

I speculate as to the largest domestic cat breed. Bengal cats have particular behavioral characteristics inline with other wildcat hybrids such as the Savannah.

Cat Facts - Cat Health

(a page is dedicated to this -these are some additional notes)

Cat health is the most important of all cat facts. My heart is very tender towards cats who live in the poorer countries. They have incredibly hard lives sometimes. Life is hard for humans never mind cats. Cats though are good survivors but their lives will be relatively short in these countries. A poisoned cat or a blind cat is not infrequently encountered in these countries. A blind cat has great dignity and can survive quite well under difficult circumstances.

Cat Facts Photo: © Ferran - "say ahhh..."

One of the niggling possibilities that is always present is cat parasites such as ticks. Dog a cat parasites are ever present. A common fungal condition is cat ringworm, which as you probably know is not actually a worm. This condition can be transferred to humans for example when your cat transfers his scent when her rubs against you. In a world which is by necessity more in tune with nature and the environment a natural cure for cats ear infection may be useful.

An important aspect of cat health is vaccinations. It was once thought that yearly vaccinations should be automatically administered. They are necessary if you place you cat in cattery while you are on holiday (applies to the UK). But cat vaccination recommendations are changing it seems. Perhaps some cats are vaccinated too often.

I discusss the fact that some people think that a cat's dry nose is a sign of illness. I outline the possible reasons behind hair loss in cats, which is a disturbing symptom.

Cat food is closely linked to cat health. The more you study cat food the more you realize a high standard of care is required and that a lot of commercially produced food is less than good. First if will not do to let your cat eat dog food. Cats are obligate carnivores, dogs aren't; low carbohydrate cat food is required. Secondly there is a growing awareness that the convenience of dry cat food is outweighed by its inappropriateness as a healthy food for cats. Dry cat food it is argued can cause or be a factor in causing diabetes in cats and/or obesity. Having done a lot of reading a raw food diet is best for a cat provided the correct supplements such as Taurine are added. This requires care, expertise and time, however. A cat food diet should as near as possible replicate the kind of kind of food that is hunted, caught and eaten. I look at two wildcats that are very adept at doing just that, the endangered Scottish Wildcat and the American Bobcat

Cat Facts - Cat Appearance

Cat facts recognizes the importance of appearance. Cat appearance is the most important aspect of cats for many people. Each cat breed has its own special distinguishing appearance. This is governed by the cat association breed standards. Within the standards there is sometimes room for a variety of coat types. In mixed breed cats anything goes as to coat type; the most common of which is the tabby coat. The tabby pattern is found in many cat breeds, sometimes almost disguised. The Bengal cat comes to mind. Some Bengal cats though have something that most cats haven't and that is glitter. Some mixed cat breeds though have coats that the Bengal cannot have, for example tabby and white. Cutting across the breeds as it does means that Tabby Cats are not a type of cat breed. Mix the tabby coat with a tortoiseshell coat and you have a torbie cat coat.

Cat Facts Photo © **fofurasfelinas** under creative commons

There are some cats that under their standards need to be a certain color such as the grey cats . Blue/Grey is a dilution of black. Black forms the basis of tuxedo cats, a classic mixed breed coat. Cat breeds such as the Bombay have to be black to be a Bombay cat.

Tortoisehell is another interesting and popular coat type, which can extend from the black tortoiseshell to the calico (tortoisehell and white). The white in this instance is caused by the white spotting gene. Torbie in cat coat parlance means a mix of tortoiseshell and tabby. This mix can be further mixed with white to make torbie and white (this is the same link as the one immediately preceding it). Here's a further complication;you can modify the tortie and torbie and whites by diluting the colored parts of the coat.

The white spotting gene can be responsible for totally white cats. The Dominant White gene can also be responsible. Both genes can produce odd-eyed cats. It is easy to forget that coat types such as tabby and calico are not cat breeds but coat types, which cut across the cat breed boundaries. Some people think that the calico cat has a certain personality due to genetics - I don't. But I could be wrong. If I am please tell me.

Cat Facts Photo: © **ingirogiro**

Cat coats often result from a subtle combination of genetic effects. An example is a mix of tortoiseshell and tabby (torbie), dilution and white mixed. You can see one or two cats like this on this page.

If you're interested in a rare cat even by rare cat standards an example would be the American Wirehair, which has another very distinct coat type. There are other cats with curly cat coats. Another rare cat would be the Elf cat, an experimental cat breed, not yet accepted by the associations. She is one of the hairless cats.

Pointed cat coats are popular. I know this because this website's popularity poll clearly indicates that by voting the Siamese one of the most popular cats. Pointed with white coats as found for example on the Ragdoll are also popular coat types. To get the white face markings symmetrical is a work of art and patience.

The Japanese like bicolor bobtailed cats. Bicolor is solid and white, meaning a single color of hair follicle in groups mixed with white hair. The Turkish Van is a classic solid and white.

Cat Facts - Something Terribly Disturbing

Cat facts cannot ignore the underbelly. This section covers two linked areas, cat meat and killing cats. There are many ways to kill a cat and many are killed in the most unpleasant of ways and some are then eaten. The human population's relationship with the domestic cat covers a wide spectrum from those who hate cats through to those who love them. Those who hate cats sometimes kill them and those that love cats through their actions sometimes kill them (indirectly).

Cat Facts Photo: © bonsaibutterfly

We are breeding too many cats (or more accurately letting cats breed to freely). Cat breeders love cats but I think that in order to give true credibility to cat breeding the cat breeders through their associations need to stabilize and then reduce the feral cat population.

There are also a number of breeders who do the profession a disservice, which only serves to heighten the perception of some people that cat breeders are in part responsible for the unsustainable high domestic cat population. I don't think that they are. The vast majority of cat breeders are very concerned people. Organizations such as the SPCA and RSPCA (UK) are under attack from cat breeders for acting irresponsibly.

The Associations have an obligation to be more vocal in respect of cat cruelty and some of the cruelest behavior takes place by some people in the Far East in China and Korea (but is not confined to these countries). Nor is it confined to individuals. Some companies animal test and some governments organize and promote unspeakably cruel behavior towards cats. It is not enough for breeders and cat leaders to only live in the rarified world of the Western Cat Fancy, surrounded by beautiful cats. All cats are equal and the most vulnerable are the most needy.

The constant battle between the cat fancy and PETA and HSUS would be much reduced if the actions described above took place.

Cat Facts - Cat Food

Cat Food precedes cat health. These are important cat facts. There is a growing awareness I believe (albeit slow) that commercial cat food is just not that good quite frankly. For example, we have all experienced the "jelly syndrome". Meat in jelly once eaten becomes meat and no jelly. Cats love the jelly and are not sure about the meat or just leave it.

Cat Food ingredients are a bit of a mystery. It contains "ash". I thought ash was the stuff in the fire after it have burnt. Not the case thankfully. Don't you think the packets could be a bit more transparent about the ingredients?

Cat Facts Photo © **fofurasfelinas** under creative commons

There may be a connection between dry cat food and obesity and diabetes. We need to as near as possible replicate what a cat eats in the wild. This could be raw cat food and supplements. A raw cat food diet (carefully produced) is on the face of it the best diet. Dry cat food possibly causes more problems that those mentioned above. It may cause urinary tract health problems. Is there a cat food which is good for the urinary tract? The cat food manufacturers thought that producing low magnesium cat food would provide the answer. It does and doesn't. The better answer is to avoid dry cat food generally. Also watch out for rice in cat food. There is an argument that supports the idea that rice affects the metabolisation of an essential amino acid, Taurine. Bengal cats particularly need Taurine.

If you combine indoor living (encouraging inactivity) and high carbohydrate dry cat food you get obese cats a growing concern. This leads people to seek an inactive cat food diet. A major cat food manufacturer is Purina, how good are they? One thing people should not do is feed cats with dog food as cat's digestive system is hard wired to process protein (meat) and dogs are omnivores (flesh and vegetable matter). Dog food can hurt cats.

Can dry food help clean a cat's teeth? Read this.

Cat Photography

This website and its sub-domain feature the best cat photography. Helmi Flick is probably the best cat photographer (and I mean anywhere). She does it on an international level.

Miscellaneous cat facts

Cat Website Directory
Cat Show Calendar UK only

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