The Popularity of Cats:

There are more than half a billion house cats in the world.

In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

A recent New York Times article reports that now a majority (51%) of women live alone. Many of them count their cats as their primary companions.

More people in North America own cats than own dogs. The percentage in the U.S. is 20% more cats than dogs.

Cats overtook dogs more than a decade ago. Stray and feral cats are estimated to double the number of cats owned as pets. Because cats breed primarily in the spring and summer, shorter, warmer winters might be contributing to the increase in cat population. There are active programs in many areas who practise TNR, where they trap stray cats, neuter them, and then return them to the colony. This keeps the stray population from increasing geometrically every few months. 

Puss’N’Boots, developed by the packers of Starkist Tuna, was the first cat food advertised widely. By the 1960s, cats had become similar to dogs in status, and other companies developed cat food, kitty litter, and other specialized products for them.

The Sylvia Hotel, in Vancouver, B.C., has always had a resident cat. The former cat was called Mr. Got to Go, and the current one is Mrs. Gotta Stay (www.sylviahotel.com)

At one time Ray Bradbury (88-year-old sci-fi author) owned 22 cats. 

Cats are often depicted in Chinese culture. A cat with his left paw up indicates "Welcome," and one holding up his left paw means "Money is Coming." That's why you'll often see figurines of cats in Chinese restaurants, stores, and other places of business.

Cat Intelligence: 

Julia Albright, MA, DBM, animal behavior resident at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, says: "Cats demonstrate an adaptable behavioral ecology, which is a sign of intelligence beyond instinct or conditioning."

Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine: reseachers discovered that the physical structure of the human brain and the cat brain are very similar, with the same lobes in the cerebral cortex, the "seat" of intelligence.

Cats have a larger amygdala in proportion to the size of their brain. That's the part of the brain which serves as the emotional center. It allows the cat to react both to what's happening right now, as well as to bring up past memories. This ability makes them more emotionally attached to humans.

Ellen Lindell, board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist, says, "Some cats enjoy watching what others (humans and animals) are doing, and are good at observational learning." 

Cats are thought to have four different temperaments. (This information from an article by Karen Lee Stevens in Catnip. The Curious/Clown Cat is an extrovert, not easily frightened, curious about strangers and new toys, and get into trouble easily. This is definitely Terzo's personality!

The Care-Less Cat tends to be indifferent toward people, stand back and observe visitors and only approach those they decide are "interesting." This type of cat isn't timid or easily frightened, just fiercely independent. He/she may have been a feral, who will defend his or her "territory" and accepts human affection only on his/her terms. This was Tiki.

The Cautious Cat is initially shy, but generally likes people. But they often hide when strangers arrive, and are easily frightened by loud noises and sudden movements. That describes Simon the Elder.

The Catatonic/Xenophobic Cat is extremely fearful, and will hide for hours when something frightens them. They're the cats who retreat as soon as they hear thunder, and may even tremble in fear if they feel threatened.

Bonnie Bergin's book, Teach Your Dog To Read, suggests that dogs can be taught to understand simple words, first by showing them photos of certain behaviors, then stick figure representations, and finally, actual words. She uses flash cards, and words like UP, KISS, BED, OUT.  Nobody has yet tried this experiment with cats (but stay tuned; this may be next in Terzo's repertoire!)

The Six-Toed Cat: 
              Polydactyl means "multiple digits," and is the term used for cats who have more than five toes, usually just on their front paws. Rare outside of North America, polydactyl cats are common in the New England states, and also in Maritime Canada, where they were brought by Loyalists when they moved from the American Colonies. 
              These cats are often better hunters because they're able to use the extra toes to capture prey. Often, the sixth toe is used almost as a thumb. Because they were considered to be superior mousers by some sailors and ship captains, they were likely selected for voyages to the New World with the Puritans in 1630. 
              Most polydactyls are black and white, which indicates that the trait may be genetically related to color. When I first saw Terzo, I noticed his paws seemed larger than normal for a kitten, and as he grew I realized he had a vestigal sixth toe at the bottom of each front pad.
              He is able to pick up plastic straws with his paws, and also catches things tossed to him.
              Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway had a six-toed Maine Coon cat named Snowball, who lived with him at his home on Key West, where he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls. The many cats still living on the Hemingway property are descendents of Snowball, and the majority of these also have six toes.

Black  & White Cats:  Recent research has revealed that adrenalin and melatonin are genetically linked in many animals. This means that animals with some white markings tend to be more friendly, and explains the popularity of black and white cats.

Tabby Cats: The Cat Fanciers' Association points out that all cats are genetically "tabby," as a pattern of stripes or spots remains from primitive cats' need for camouflage.  Sometimes this pattern is hidden beneath what appears to be a solid color, and if they carry this recessive gene they're called "non-Agouti," which means non-tabby. Tabbies come in all breeds and four basic patterns. Mackerel tabbies are the most common, identified by rings around their tails. Classic tabbies have "whorls" on their sides with big blotches surrounded by circles. Spotted tabbies have mostly spots, although they may have a few stripes on their legs. Ticked tabbies have different bands of color from the bottom of each hair to the tip. Most tabbies appear to have the letter M on their foreheads, and red and orange cats are almost always tabbies of some type.

Cats as Predators:  Cats have been blamed for the decline in the population of songbirds. But a much bigger threat are pesticides, deforestation (songbirds nest on the forest floor, and as roads are cut through northern forests, foxes, racoons and other predators can reach these habitats more easily), and even highrise buildings. Thousands of birds are killed each year by flying at night, when they migrate, into highrise buildings whose bright lighting confuses the birds.
               Tiki had a special relationship with both birds and squirrels.  Our huge maple tree is home to a family of black squirrels, and Tiki and the squirrels devised a game where he would wait for a squirrel to descend from the tree to eat from the squirrel feeder (or enjoy the sunflower seeds that had fallen to the ground).
              Tiki would sit quietly, about six feet away, and when the squirrel finished eating and started to run across the yard, he would give them a head-start, then dash in pursuit. As the squirrel ran back to the tree and climbed out of reach, Tiki would stretch full-length against the tree trunk, then return to his position some distance away and wait to begin the game over again.
              When the babies first descended from the tree they weren't afraid of him, so there must be some way the parents communicated that this cat wasn't a threat.
              Teaching cats not to hunt takes patience.  I began by taking him  outside on a leash. Whenever he made predatory body postures or noises, I’d scold him and pull him back. Sometimes I’d go out and sit with him, wait for a bird or squirrel to appear, then hold him on my lap and encourage him to sit quietly and watch.
               Tiki soon decided that if he can’t chase the birds, other cats shouldn't be allowed to, either. As a result, my backyard is a haven for wildlife, and has been Certified by the Canadian Wildlife Federation because it offers food, shelter, water, and pesticide-free plants.

CATS IN HISTORY:

A cat belonging to British author Jerome K. Jerome raised a motherless spaniel puppy and a squirrel.

Although cats have been important companions to many leaders and statesmen, there are a few who were afraid of cats. King Henry III of France, Louis XVI of France and Napoleon all suffered from ailurophobia.

Before 1850,  golf balls were made of leather and stuffed with feathers. Wonder if cats living close to golf courses thought they were toys?

Charles Lindbergh had a black cat, Patsy. 

President Teddy Roosevelt has a grey cat with six toes on each foot, named Slippers. He had an uncanny sense for breaking news, as he always appeared back at the house for state banquets and any newsworthy events.

Sir Henry Watt, who was sent to the Tower of London by King Richard III, was saved from starvation by a cat who brought him pigeons. The jailer found this no unnerving that he thought it was a miracle, and dubbed the cat The Caterer Cat. There are two paintings depicting this phenomenon.

The correct term for the domestic cat is Felis Silvestris Catus, but it was Felis Catus up until 2003, so you will still see that used in many places, particulalry in texts which predate that. Felis Domesticus is a misnomer. (Thanks to Anthony Nichols for this)

In Cleveland, Ohio it is illegal to catch mice without a hunting license.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF CATS

 (Thanks to Pauline Dewberry's U.K. Mewsletter for some items on this list. Others come from Catnip and CatWatch)

Domestic cats share their heritage with 10 wild species of felidae: lions, leopards, cheetahs, caracals, servals, swamp cats, golden cats, black-footed cats, sand cats, and African wildcats.

A cat can be either right-pawed or left-pawed. Watch a kitten to see which paw it favors when hitting a ball or toy, which paw he/she offers first when asking for a treat, and which paw is the first one used for washing.

Cats have 230 bones in their bodies (as opposed to humans, who have only 206 bones).  A cat  can jump as much as seven times its height, and sprint at 31 miles per hour.

Extra vertebrae in the spine are what give cats enhanced mobility and flexibility, allowing them to twist in mid-air (the reasons for the idea that a cat always lands on its feet). The tail also acts as a rudder.

Powerful hind leg muscles allow it to jump very high, and they can rotate their front legs back and forth at a much greater range than other mammals. 

The cat's collar bone is "free-floating," not fixed in place. This allows the cat to squeeze  through  any space that will accommodate the head.  Four rows of whiskers on the face are used to determine if a space is too small to squeeze through. The whiskers act as feelers or antennae, helping the cat to judge the precise width of any passage. They also sense air currents, and can be moved backward and forward since they're connected to small facial muscles.

There are about a dozen whiskers on each upper lip, with smaller ones on each cheek, above each eye, a few on the chin, and on the underside of each front paw. Whiskers on the paws help the cat determine the texture, size and shape of objects.

Whiskers also help the cat communicate. When a cat moves his whiskers forward, it indicates interest, or perhaps annoyance. Whiskers pulled close to the face show fear. Losing whiskers is normal, as they move through their normal life cycle. This is a regular occurence, but can fluctuate depending on light exposure, hormone level, nutrition, etc.

A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of the tapetum lucidum, a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light. But he can't see directly under his  nose.

A cat will almost never meow at another cat. Cats use this sound for humans. 

Cats purr at 26 cycles per second, which is roughly the same frequency as an idling diesel engine. (They only occasionally sound that loud). Although purring is usually a sign of contentment, it can also signal distress. 

Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten. Click HERE for some detailed information about feline vocalization.

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. Their hearing is much better than either dogs or humans, in fact better than any other animal. A cat's ears can swivel 180 degrees, independently of each other.

Adult cats have 30 teeth: 16 upper and 14 lower. These permanent teeth replace the "baby" teeth at about six months of age.

A cat will clean itself with paw and tongue after a dangerous experience or when it has fought with another cat. This is believed to be an attempt by the animal to soothe its nerves by doing something natural and instinctive.

Trichobezoar is the scientifc name for a hairball.

Cats use more than 25 different visual signals to communicate. They have the most facial expressions of all carnivores, and use their tails more than dogs do to indicate how they feel. Whipping the tail back and forth is an indication of angry, but swishing the tail is often a playful move. Dr. Stefanie Schwartz, a specialist in animal behavior, says, "If your cat winds her tail around your legs as she rubs up against you, it's a sociable gesture." Cats often greet their feline friends by intertwining their tails.

Cat pregnancy lasts only nine weeks. A female cat achieves sexual maturity between six and eight months and a male between nine and 12 months. This means that early neutering is essential to prevent unwanted kittens.

Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

Cheetahs are the fastest land animal and can reach speeds up to 72mph.

There are several "collective" nouns used for groups of cats, including:  a clowder, a cluster, or a clutter. One writer has even suggested "a glaring of cats."

T.S. Eliot's famous poem, The Naming of Cats, includes the following feline monikers: Peter, Augustus, George, Plata, Admetus, Bill Bailey, Electra, Demeter, Munkustrap, Quaxo, Coricopat, Bombalurina, and Jellyorum.  Some of these appeared in the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, CATS. Bobbi saw this show three times, in New York, London, and Toronto.

AND, FINALLY:  

4,000 people are injured by teapots every year, but none by teakettles!

You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.
                                                     (Antoine de Saint-Exupery, in The Little Prince)

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