Sudden Flight

Sudden Flight

On my morning walk along the sea,

I shocked a flock of birds hidden in a tree

when a fallen limb cracked beneath my feet.

They startled me too as they shot out in fleet

from the dense branches upward into the sky,

beaks pointing to heaven. I chuckled deep inside

in their swift escape, cackling as they flew,

grumbling, murmuring, and threatening to sue.

January 23, 2011, Paphos, Cyprus

Posted on Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 at 7:05 am in Poetry, Travel   |  RSS feed |   Respond   |   Trackback URL

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Songs About Cats (Or Are They?)

Perhaps the most famous Cat Song is The Siamese Cat Song recorded by Peggy Lee. The song is from the Walt Disney 1955 classic "The Lady and The Tramp", an animated film about a classy Cocker Spaniel named Lady who falls for Tramp a scamp of a mongrel. The song however is about two arrogant cats, Si and Am, who have given Siamese cats a bad name ever since.

The Siamese Cat Song was penned by Lee along with Sonny Burke and over the years has also been recorded by Freddie and The Dreamers, Mitch Miller, Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin, Haylie Duff, and Bobby McFerrin. "We are Siamese if you please, We are Siamese if you don't please."

Both The Turtles and Petula Clark stepped into recording studios to make very different versions of The Cat in the Window, a song that compares a cat trying to get out of a window with the singer wanting to fly away. "There's a cat in the window, and he's watching all the birds go passing by, he'd love to fly out the window, go where the wind goes, and so would I."

Who can forget the Muppets recording of The Cat Came Back, a song about a kitty that just kept finding its way back no matter how far it was taken from home. "But the cat came back, she wouldn't stay away, she was sitting on the porch the very next day."

In 1950 folks were flooding into record stores and asking for I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat. Mel Blanc recorded the song, written by Alan Livingston, Billy May and Warren Foster, about the cartoon cat and canary duo Sylvester and Tweety. "I tawt I taw a puddy tat a creeping up on me, I did I taw a puddy tat as plain as he could be."

The Rooftop Singers followed up their 1963 number one hit Walk Right In, with Tom Cat a ditty about 'Ringtail Tom' who liked to go "strutting round the town" "And when he steps out all the other cats in the neighborhood they begin to shout." Fast forward to 1981 and the Stray Cats record a musically different song but with a very similar theme, the rockabilly Stray Cat Strut. "Stray cat strut, I'm a ladies' cat, a feline Casanova, hey man, that's where it's at, get a shoe thrown at me from a mean old man, get my dinner from a garbage can."

Norma Tanega apparently owned a cat that she named 'Dog' and liked to take that

cat for walks, hence her 1966 hit Walking My Cat Named Dog, which does seem to be about her real life experience of strolling around town with her pet feline.

Most songs though that include the word Cat in the tile, are not truly about cats at all. A great example is the fine song, Cats in the Cradle by Harry Chapin. No cats make an appearance in this song; instead the lyrics contain a very chilling message that every dad should pay heed too.

Bent Fabric, real name Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, had a hit in 1962 with Alley Cat, but this was an instrumental recording so it's not a song about cats. Instrumental too was Aaron Copeland's The Cat and the Mouse.

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) by David Bowie was recorded for the 1982 remake of the film Cat People. Great dark and menacing feel to the song but the words have no relationship to cats.

The cat in The Cat Crept In, recorded by Mud was actually a girl, as was the cat featured in The Rolling Stones' Stray Cat Blues, this one with exceedingly sharp claws.

They Call Her the Cat, by Elton John is about, well it's not about cats! Neither is Honky Cat, another Elton tune, that one is about a country boy moving to live life in the city.

Three Cool Cats, is a song that was first recorded by the Coasters in 1958 and covered by The Beatles in 1962 (but not released until 1995.) Of course this song is not about cats, but about three teenage boys and three teenage girls. The Beatles also recorded Little Willie John's Leave My Kitten Alone, no surprise to find that the song is not about a kitten.

U2 recorded a song titled An Cat Dubh, which apparently means The Black Cat in

Gaelic, no cat in the song though, black or otherwise.

No cats are in Year of the Cat by Al Stewart, Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent,

The Lovecats by The Cure or in Cool for Cats by Squeeze. Who can say what The

Cat's In the Well by Bob Dylan is about?

There must be countless other songs that have the words Cat, or Cats, in the title but are not actually about our feline friends. No doubt there are more songs that are about cats than those listed on this page, but those songs sadly seem few and far between.

But wait . . . wasn't there a stage musical all about cats. Cats, the musical by

Andrew Lloyd Webber, was first shown in London, England in 1981. Based upon T.

S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats the show features song after song about . . . Old Gumbie, Grizabella, Mungojerrie And Rumpelteazer, Skimbleshanks, Old Deuteronomy, Gus, Macavity, and Mr. Mistoffelees. All of these characters are, of course, . . . Cats.

If you have a pet related web site and you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and live link to http://www.best-cat-art.com Cat art posters, art prints, cat calendars and cat collectibles. Great cat gifts for yourself or your cat loving friends.

Help, My Cat Won't Use the Litter Box!

If your cat has started refusing to use the litter box, she is not the only one! This is arguably the biggest problem faced by cat owners everywhere. It means your cat is trying to tell you that something isn't right. Its up to us as cat lovers to determine what that is!

What you definitely do NOT want to do is punish your cat. This will not make the issue go away, and may even make it worse. If your cat is punished she will learn to fear and avoid you. It can lead to increased stress for your cat, which in turn can lead to an increased problem.

Do take some time to consider each of these possible causes. You may find that there are more than one, and that you will need to address each of them separately. These are the most common reasons why your cat may not be using the litter box.

- Medical Problems

The first thing you must do when your cat starts to eliminate away from the litter box is to have your veterinarian examine him or her for any signs of medical problems. There are some very serious medical conditions that can lead to inappropriate elimination, and we want to be sure that this is not happening with your cat before we start looking at other possible causes.

If your cat appears to be straining to urinate, but he is producing only a tiny amount of urine, take him to the veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. This is a very serious and life-threatening condition.

Once your vet has ruled out any medical causes, let's take a look around your home and around your cat's daily environment to determine what the other reasons may be.

- Litter Box Cleanliness

Be sure to keep your cat's litter box sparkling clean. Your cat has a natural sense of cleanliness and order, and is upset by a dirty litter box. If the box seems dirty and/or smelly to you, it is even more so to your cat, because a cat's sense of smell is approximately 40 times stronger than a human's. Imagine how an unclean litter box smells to him!

There are also other instinctual reasons why a cat may avoid a dirty box. In nature, a predator would find a cat through its sense of smell. Outdoor cats thoroughly cover up their waste after elimination so that any predators in the area will not be able to find them. Even a domestic indoor cat will have their sense of security disrupted if the smell of their own waste is in the air. This may drive your cat to find new places to pee and poop, so that he feels less vulnerable.

Be sure that you clean the litter box at least once a day. Wash the box with mild soap and water when needed, but don't use strong smelling soaps or cleaners, as these will also irritate your cat's sense of smell. If your cat is still not using the litter box regularly you may need to do more frequent cleanings, at least until the problem has been resolved.

- Type of Litter Box

The actual box that you use can also matter to your cat. If she doesn't like the size or shape of her box she may refuse to use it. Many cats dislike litter boxes with covers, because they can trap any smells inside the box. Or the cat may feel trapped himself! If your cat is overweight or especially large, the opening may be too small for him to use, or the inside of the covered box may be too small for him to move around in.

If your cat is older or arthritic, or if you have a very small cat or kitten, you should check the height of the entrance to the box. If it is too high and your cat has difficulty getting in and out, this could be another reason for avoidance. Be sure the box is easy for your cat to access. You can install a ramp to the entrance if needed.

Other cats might not like boxes with liners. You should take off the liner if you observe your cat scratching it or trying to pull it off. Giving your cat a choice about the type of box he uses may help the problem. Try using different styles until you find one she likes and will use.

- Type of Litter

Many cats show a preference for a particular type of litter. If he has stopped using the little box after you changed the litter you use, your cat is telling you that he liked the old one better. Try changing back to your previous brand, it may be just that simple!

Every type of litter feels different, and some are more pleasant to your cat's paws. Some litters are sandy, some gravelly, some are more like dirt, and others like shredded paper. What appeals to one cat may not always appeal to another. Another thing to consider is that most cats dislike the smell of scented litter. Although this may be a nice thing for humans, to mask the smell of the cat's waste, this goes back to the cat's strong sense of smell, and the fact that the perfume in scented litter smells extremely strong to him.

Since cats evolved from desert animals, the texture of sand is usually acceptable. However, each cat is unique, and you may need to try different types to find one that your furry friend will use. You can try putting several different types of litter in individual boxes to see which one he uses. And if you have a need to change to a new type of litter, do it gradually over time so that your cat can get accustomed to the new smell and texture.

- Location of Litter Box

The location of your cat's litter box is very important to her. She needs first to know where the box is, and also to feel good about the spot. If you have a new cat, or if you have moved the litter box, show your cat where the box is (she will remember!)

Be sure to put your cat's litter box in an area that is quiet and private, and where she will feel comfortable and safe. Also be sure that it is in a place that is convenient, both for your cat's use and for cleaning. A spare room that is not frequently used can be ideal. You might also consider putting the box in a closet or porch that is easily accessible. Be sure there is nothing difficult or stressful for your cat about getting to the box (noise, closed doors, etc.) or she may refuse to keep trying. It may take trying a few different spots before you find one that is acceptable to your cat.

Your cat will dislike have her box too close to her food and water. Cats don't like to "do their business" near the same area where they eat. If this is the case, try moving either the box or the food to another location.

- Multiple Cats

Cats are very territorial by nature, and they often dislike sharing their private space, especially with another cat! If you have more than one cat in your family, arguments may arise over the litter box, particularly if the cats must share it. In an ideal situation you would have separate litter boxes for each cat, plus one more just for good measure. If you have one cat that is the "dominant" one, he may leave his own feces uncovered as a way of marking his territory and discouraging other cats from using the box. Your other cat or cats may then feel they should not use the same box.

Do your best to provide separate, personal space for each cat in your household. Along with separate litter boxes, it is best if each cat can claim a little of their own territory. This might be cat trees or window perches, or even as simple as cardboard boxes that each cat can call their own. This way, he or she has a place where they can feel secure, and where they can go to get away from the other cats.

- Too Much Change

Sometimes a change in your household can encourage a cat to avoid the litter box. This could be anything from a move, to a new family member, whether it's a new pet or a new baby. Moving, remodeling the house, or even moving the box to a new location could be especially disruptive to your cat's sense of daily routine.

If changes like this are happening in your home, make sure that you give your cat lots of love, affection, and treats. This will remind him that he is still safe and secure, and he will be able to adjust to the changes more easily. Keep the litter box particularly clean during this time, and do what you can to minimize the change and disruption for your cat.

Once you have identified the cause or causes that lead your cat away from using the litter box, make sure that you apply these techniques consistently for best result. And always remember to praise your cat each time she does the right thing!

best of luck to you and your feline companions!

Beth

I love cats and I believe that every cat and cat lover deserves a happy and harmonious home together. I am always seeking out information about cats and I enjoy sharing it with other people who enjoy them as much as I do. Please visit my blog at http://www.ourcatsplace.com/ for my latest updates!

The Cat - An Ultimate Athlete!

We all are aware that cats can move and move rather swiftly. We know that they are considered cunning and great hunters, but what most of us do not know is why are they can move so easily.

As a life long cat lover and the caregiver of many (notice I did not say owner) I decided to do some research on the agility of the cat and thought maybe you would like to know what I found out.

With the information found researching the Internet and articles I have found in various veterinary journals, I have learned how a cats moves.

If you were to ask Mother Nature, who is the most athletic animal in the world, she would answer, "the cat." Biologists say cats have not changed in the last 10 million years. Big cats and little cats all move the same. Their agility and flexibility is almost identical. All cats do the same pouncing, stalking low to the ground and running at top speed to catch their prey. It is an inborn trait that has never changed.

Compared to humans and dogs, cats are superior athletes. Not only can they move in ways we cannot imagine, the neurological transmission of signals to the brain and back to the body are faster than that of a dog, this gives them a faster responsive time in order to catch their prey.

All cats have 7 cervical vertebrae like almost all mammals, 13 thoracic vertebrae (humans have only 12), 7 lumbar vertebrae (humans have 5), 3 sacral vertebrae like most mammals (humans have 5 because of our upright nature.) Cats also have (except for the Manx and Bobtail) 22 or 23 caudal vertebrae (humans have 3 t0 5 fused into an internal coccyx.)

The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae take into account the cat's great spinal ability and flexibility. The caudal vertebrae form the tail of the cat and are used as a counterbalance to the body during quick movements.

Cats also have free-floating clavicle bones, which allows them to pass their bodies through any space into which they can fit their heads.

Interestingly enough, the tail of a cat acts like a rudder and in moments of speed and turning will move to the opposite side of the turn in order to keep the cat balanced. Cats without tails have trouble with balance.

The tail is also used as sort of a decoy, when a cat is hunting a bird. You may have seen the tip of a cat's tail moving back and forth, and thought it was from the excitement of the chase. It really is a type of ploy, to keep the bird interested in the movement of the tail, so it does not notice the cat.

Birds do not like snakes, but birds need to eat a lot of food and many birds when seeing a snake will keep an eye on it. Since the tail does resemble a snake, (with a little stretch of our imagination,) the bird keeps eating and our friend the cat sneaks up on it unnoticed.

Cats have unique shoulder blades (the scapulas); they are connected to the cat's forearms in such a way that the cat can crouch low to the ground for long periods of time. This ability to crouch down aids the cat in catching its prey.

Cats also have collar bones, (the clavicles) which are considered to be free-floating and allow the cat to move its body into any space it can fit their heads. Our clavicles are fixed and a dog only has what can be called a remnant of one, however a dog can also fit into tight spaces.

Cats have such powerful hind leg muscle power that even the strongest of humans could not compete with a cat when it comes to jumping. The front legs are equally powerful and cats can rotate their legs back and forth at a much greater range than most mammals.

Cats and dogs walk directly on their toes, with the bones of their feet making up the lower part of their leg. Cats also walk very precisely, like all other felines; domestic cats walk with what is known as a direct register. They walk by placing each hind paw almost directly in the print of the corresponding forepaw. This minimizes noise, visible tracks and provides sure footing for the hind paws, when cats navigate rough terrain.

All cats have retractable claws with the exception of cheetahs, which allows them to silently stalk their prey, you may have also noticed that cats have a protrusion on their front paws, often called the "sixth finger." This 'sixth finger" is the carpal pad which is located on the inside of the front "wrists" and it does not function in normal cat walking, but it is thought to be an anti-skidding devise used while jumping.

Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws at a time; most of the time cats keep their claws sheathed with skin and fur around their toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by not wearing them down by walking around and allow silent stalking of prey. Some think cats are ambidextrous and can use either paw, some cats however favor their left paw, which is controlled by the right side of the brain and controls movement and also shows that your cat is highly intuitive.

Cats have rather loose skin, which allow them to turn and confront an enemy even when it has a grip on them.

A cat's senses are attuned to hunting; they have a highly advanced state of hearing, great eyesight and touch receptors (whiskers) which make them great hunters. Whiskers help a cat with both balance and determining the width of a space. The whiskers help a cat feel its way around, especially at night. These whiskers act like tiny fingers transmitting information to the brain, they are an important part of a cat's awareness of its body and motion in space.

However, as athletic as cat is, it can suffer injuries. A cat has the natural ability to right itself during a fall, so that it lands on its feet. A complex organ in the inner ear, which determines a specific sequence of events, governs this ability.

In simple terms, this organ sends a message to the brain about the position of a cat's head in relation to the ground. In fractions of seconds, the brain commands the head to change position, in order to protect it. When the head is level, the cat flips the top half of its body around to face the ground, then flips the rear and uses its tail to adjust for any over balance. The cat lands on the ground with all four feet and its back arched to cushion the impact.

A cat can do this whole sequence from a distance as short as one foot and it takes a total of 1.8 seconds to accomplish it. Experts say a cat can survive a fall of more than 60 feet. All I can say to that is "wow."

In case you are wondering how does a cat know how high to jump. We have a six-foot privacy fence around our back yard and when our cats want to go out front they generally jump to the top of the fence and then jump down. I am always amazed to see them do this in one quick leap. Apparently this is a rare ability in the animal kingdom. A cat's face is flat between the eyes, so that both eyes can easily work together, it is because of this, that the cat can visually judge distances with remarkable accuracy. The cat can actually see three-dimensionally and focus more sharply. Amazing is it not?

Cats generally stay active for a good many years of their lives, the only thing that can impede their normal flexibility and balance are injuries and arthritis. Sometimes we are not aware that our cats have been injured and it is during their later years that these pre-existing conditions show up. Arthritis of course, can show up any time.

Cats are secretive about how they feel and you need to be alert in order to notice any changes in your little athlete's movements or behaviors. Some things you should be aware of are:


Excessive licking over the hip area, which may indicate pain

Not wanting to jump anymore on the couch or bed

A change in gait, walking a little strangely

Crying out when being picked up

Lack of interest in playing or doing other things it liked to do.

Many of these symptoms are treatable and you should take your cat to the vet should you notice anything different about its behavior.

The reason cats do not like to let you know they hurt, is that it is ingrained in their brain, as a protection against predators and is something they have never forgot. So it is up to us to be more aware of our cat's actions.

If this article has been of benefit, please visit my web site and blog at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com

Man would not treat 'gay' patient

8 February 2011 Last updated at 16:51 A Christian health worker has been found guilty of misconduct for discriminating against patients he believed to be homosexual.

The Health Professions Council (HPC) made the ruling in the case of podiatrist Steve Hardie, who worked for Peterborough Community Services.

The hearing was told he asked a colleague to treat one of his patients because he believed the man was gay.

The HPC found Mr Hardie's fitness to practise was impaired.

Elspeth Metcalfe, chairman of the HPC panel hearing the case, said: "The registrant's attitude towards patients and colleagues of a homosexual orientation has been, and continues to be, unacceptable and highly offensive both to the persons concerned and to the wider public."

'Rude and obnoxious'

Mr Hardie asked a colleague to take over the care of an HIV positive man, believing him to be homosexual, the panel concluded.

It was also proved as fact that Hardie was "rude and obnoxious" to two male patients he believed were in a relationship because they lived at the same address.

On another occasion, he failed to properly treat a patient with diabetes, explaining later to his line manager that he found the man to be "effeminate".

Sarah Weaver, representing Mr Hardie, who did not attend the hearing on Tuesday, said he saw a "large number of patients" in private practice, including one who was HIV positive.

She said he had "not received one complaint" since leaving the NHS.

Ms Weaver added: "He works hard. He enjoys his work as a podiatrist and is liked by his patients.

"There have been no issues with his work. Mr Hardie has clearly learned from his past mistakes."

Ms Weaver stressed that Hardie had never refused to treat a patient because of their sexual orientation.

She said: "He accepts that he must treat all patients irrespective of his beliefs."

View the original article here

Cat Declawing - The Truth

Cat Declawing

What is the use of cat declawing?

The main reason people decide to declaw their cat is to protect their furniture. An untrained cat's claws can be very destructive in a home, damaging furniture, curtains and carpets. Cats like (and need) to scratch and claw at wood and rough surfaces, and if they are not properly trained, your furniture will look very inviting to them. Another reason people give for declawing their cat is to prevent the cat from injuring them. Cats use their claws and teeth to defend themselves and to fight. Small children may mishandle a cat and provoke it in scratching them. Some cats also have a more aggressive or nervous nature and will scratch people when they feel threatened.

Toxoplasmosis and Bartonellosis are two diseases that can be transmitted from cats. It is important to note though, that those diseases are most likely to be contracted from a litter box, or even from biting - but it is highly unlikely that it will be contracted from cat scratches.

Declawing a cat is a selfish and very drastic solution for problems that could be solved in many other ways and may bring forth much more serious problems. Owners that decide to declaw their cat do this solely for their own comfort and do not take in account the problems that may sprout from doing this.

What does the declawing process involve?

Cat declawing is also known as onychectomy and is a much more complex operation than simply removing your cat's nails or claws. The declawing operation is in fact the amputation of each of the cat's toes at the first joint. It involves cutting of the front part of a cat's toes and means cutting through nerves and muscles and removing bone. This operation is extremely painful (it has been proven to be much more painful than sterilizing or spaying your cat) and it will take a long time to heal. Even after the wounds have healed, the cat may suffer from a series of after-effects.

Are there any disadvantages to declawing your cat?

Yes! There are numerous disadvantages, not only to your cat but to you as cat owner as well. Cat declawing is illegal in many countries around the world and considered as inhumane and as a form of animal abuse and mutilation.

Many people don't realize just how painful a declawing operation can be. Scientists have proven cat declawing to be extremely painful and even test new painkiller drugs on cats that are being declawed. Although the cat may not show signs of pain outwardly and seem to be content, it will definitely be in a lot of pain after the operation. Big operations or rather amputations like declawing can hold many of the usual dangers related to surgical complications. A lot of vets also only use the minimum amount of painkillers and anesthetics during the operation, and prescribe no painkillers for the recovery process at home. The wounds take several weeks to heal, and the pain may continue months after the operation.

Complications after a declawing operation are also very common. The wounds may become infected or some of the amputated toes can begin to grow back. Some cats may experience lameness and even be crippled. You may notice a declawed cat trying to scratch at surfaces. They reason for this is because it is common for the tendons of the severed joints to detract and cause a constant feeling of stiffness in their paws.

Cats need their claws for balance and also use it to hook their paws on surfaces and stretch themselves. This stretching forms a very important part of the cat's exercise and muscle toning. A declawed cat will need to learn to walk differently (because it doesn't have any front joints) and its body weight will rest on their feet which can even cause arthritis.

It is very common for declawed cats to develop behavioral problems. It may develop a fear for its sandbox, because scratching in the sand may be painful. So, instead of having a cat that damages your furniture, you will have a cat that refuses to use its litter box. Also, because it has been deprived of its best means of defense, its claws, it may now revert to using its teeth to protect itself and can start to bite people when feeling threatened.

Declawed cats will also not be able to defend themselves effectively against other cats or dogs and can even die in fights.

Because of these behavioral problems developed after declawing, many cat owners become detached from their cats and may even want to get rid of them.

Professional cat declawing

If you do decide to declaw your cat after all, at least make sure that it is done professionally and with as little discomfort to your cat as possible.

The most developed method of declawing to date is laser declawing. Laser declawing is less painful, because bleeding and swelling is reduced.

Always ensure that your cat or kitten is older than 4 months before declawing. It is also not advisable to declaw cats that are old and not so active anymore, because they will take a longer time to recover.

After the operation, your cat may be kept in the hospital for the night, or a longer period of time depending on the cat. When taking your cat home, try to keep it from getting overexcited and prevent it from jumping or putting heavy strain on its paws. It is common for the paws to start bleeding every now and again, but ask your vet's advice if the bleeding alarms you.

To minimize the pain your cat can experience when using its sandbox, put newspaper strips in the sandbox. Sand or clay can infect the wounds on the paws or cause pain when "scratching" in the box. After your cat is fully recovered you can replace the sand again. Your cat may not like the newspapers and this can become a messy affair.

Always look out for the following warning signs, and notify your vet if any occur: Swollen paws and frequent bleeding. If your cat display extreme difficulty in standing up or walking after one day.

Alternatives to cat declawing

Before deciding on such a drastic measure or "solution" as declawing your cat, first consider some of the (often more effective) alternatives. The main reason for declawing a cat is to prevent it from damaging your furniture. Scratching is a necessary instinctive habit for removing the dead cells around its claws, practicing balance and stretching and toning muscles.

Cats are highly trainable animals and can be taught to use only a scratching post for these purposes. There are numerous scratching posts or "cat furniture" to choose from, whether your cat likes scratching vertical or horizontal surfaces. You can even buy "cat trees" with attractive objects hanging from the tree to catch your cat's attention or build your own (just make sure they are stable and won't fall over on your cat).

To train a cat to use scratching posts, and to discourage it from scratching your furniture, you can place netting or foil over your furniture. When you see your cat trying to scratch your furniture, pick it up and put it down in front of its scratching post.

Nail caps can be applied to a cat's claws, this need to be applied every 3 to 6 months depending on the cat. Nail caps will prevent damage to your furniture and to yourself while causing almost no inconvenience to your cat (compared to the serious discomfort caused by declawing). You can also trim your cat's nails frequently to keep it blunt.

For more information about taking care of cats see cat-urine.net

Claudine du Plessis is a cat lover and webmaster of http://www.cat-urine.net.

Cat Evolution & Domestication

Cat evolution has been going on for a long time... longer than people have been on earth. And when people finally did show up, the cat let us right on in.

Noah may have had cats on the Ark he built for the great flood, but were they the ancestor of what we know as the domestic cat of today's world? It can be confusing to think that all there is in the world, is all there has ever been in light of so much evidence to the contrary, i.e. fossil discoveries. I think the story of Noah is meant to convey an understanding of greater meaning than one recounting the re-seeding of life after a particularly heavy rain. Scholar's generally place the deluge sometime in the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC, or some 4 - 5 thousand years ago. That was about the time Egyptians were domesticating the first cats. Did they get on board? And how safe did the rats and mice feel? Were the cats guardians of the food stores on the ark which everyone depended on until dry land was again underfoot? And how did those Koala's make it to the ship if they were confined to the continent of Australia? Really, the best 5000 years can do is raise a lot of questions.

The great equalizer in any debate is time. Time changes everything, including the diametric of a species. As people spread around the world, their skins changed color, eating habits adapted to new environments, clashes occurred with others also in migration for prized lands that yielded favorable life supporting resources, i.e. abundant prey animals for hunter-gathers, then domesticated stock animals and food/grain plants for sustenance.

Survival is unforgiving of failure. One either survives... or doesn't. It's one identifying characteristic of "life" that it yearns to survive. Another survival characteristic is that individual members of a species, don't, or rather only do so for a limited time. A life-span as we call it. Only large groups or classifications of rocks, trees and other sentient beings, including that of any species can survive for indeterminate times, if it is successful.

Fossil documentation of cat evolution is extremely incomplete. There is evidence tracing the cat to around 200 million years ago, with cat evolution beginning when they diverged from reptiles. From that point scientists have divided the cat family into two major groups. Feline cats which includes all the modern species of cat, and sabre-tooth cats, who are all extinct. The 'Felidae Family' or Feline cats are gathered into three Genus:

Panthera - Lions and tigers and... panthers, or cats that roar.
Felis - Lynx, ocelots, your Fluffy and other small cats.
Acinonyx - or the cheetah. They're in a group of their own because they cannot retract their claws like all other cats.

Originally, cat evolution diagrams had cats divided into two main groups: Big Cats and Small Cats. The distinction was based on the size and shape of their skulls. But, it was discovered that the division was not viable since studies eventually showed a gradual transition of skull characteristics from the smallest to the larger cats. There essentially was no separate distinction using that criteria.

Lately, DNA studies have provided insights to cat evolution as they migrated from Asia to North American via the Bering Sea Land Bridge that appeared around 9 million years ago. These panther like predators had first appeared in Asia about 2 million years before the Land Bridge was exposed by falling sea levels. Cats are considered , next to humans, the most successful of hunters. They would have followed migrating prey and easily survived the challenges of roaming vast territories as they explored new environments. (Think of kitty nosing around an unexplored bush or strange new object, either in or out of her territory) Later, several American lineages of newly evolved cats returned to Asia via the Bridge and with each migration, evolutionary forces morphed these cats into a rainbow of species ranging from lions and leopards to lynxes, ocelots and today's domestic house cat. Where were people at this time? Well, no where to be found... yet. Anatomically modern humans evolved solely in Africa, between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago, according to most experts using deductions based on mitochondrial DNA data. Obviously, cat evolution is long on history with existing in this world.

It was around 10,000 years ago as humans stopped being hunter-gathers and started to cultivate the land, that the relationship seeds between people and cats began. By then cats inhabited most parts of the world except in the Arctic, Antarctica, Australia and inhospitable tundra regions. As the first modern humans migrated from central Africa to Europe and Asia, it would have been impossible for cat and human paths not to cross. But, it was when people began to grow crops that certain species of cats and humans began to have a co-dependant relationship, creating an interesting, if not fateful, twist in cat evolution.

From the beginning the newly evolved farmers found that food storage, especially grain storage, became an attraction for small rodents such as rats and mice. Archeological evidence supports this given that uncovered storage ruins have a preponderance of rodent skeletons entombed within the storage relics. It can easily be surmised that the smaller cats followed their prey to the farms and probably couldn't resist the banquet concentration of mice and rats these early silos offered. Humans, being a smart creature himself, would have noticed the antipathy that rodents and cats had (have) for each other. An early farmer might have come across a litter of kittens and taken them home to try and raise them for the purpose of protecting his hard work from the fields.

Very likely, the first young kittens would have retained most of their wild nature and maintained a 'safe' distance from their human benefactor. But, as generations of kittens had more contact with people, especially being handled by humans as a kitten, they would have grown tolerant to, and amenable with, people to cat interactions, maybe even sleeping in their homes. Speculating this way, the early stages of domestication might have begun. Two species of cats were most successful with adapting to this new relationship, Felis Silvestris and Felis Lybica. Silvestris became more adaptable to the European environments and climate while Lybica preferred the Middle East.

Early Egyptians had multiple deities and these gods were attributed with animal-like qualities. The chief god of Egypt was the sun god Ra, symbolized by a lion. Ra was said to rule the world during the day shining from a sun chariot traveling the sky from dawn to dusk. At night he fell into darkness where he was vulnerable to his enemies. But, having the qualities of a lion he had the vision of a cat who could see in the darkness to better protect himself . Bast was known as the goddess of fertility, birth and family who also was symbolized by a cat. It didn't escape the Egyptians notice how strong the maternal instinct is in cats when caring for their kittens. Cats were buried with pharaohs and were even accorded cemeteries of their own for common people who had cats in their own care.

It was after the rise of the Roman Empire that cats made their way to Europe as a domesticated animal. Cats also lost their 'god' status and took on the more practical role being a 'pet'. By then the cat-mouse-human triangle was pretty well established, and as humans migrated, cultivating the world as they went, the cat and mouse went right along with them. Domestic cats traveled the Spice Routes to Asia and sailed the seas to the Americas. Everywhere they have gone, cats have established populations not only by inter-breeding among their own kind, but by breeding with indigenous species they met along the way. The result has been a plethora of fur coat colors, hair lengths and coat patterns which identify cats today.

The effects of domestication on cat evolution can be summarized as follows:

Period of Competition (prior to 7,000 BC) characterized by wild cats competing with hunter-gatherer humans for birds and small mammals.
Period of Commensality (7,000 - 4,000 BC) characterized by 'semi-domestic' cats feeding on vermin around and within early villages.
Period of Early Domestication (4,000 - 3,000 BC) with the confinement of cats to cult status
Period of Full Domestication (3,000 BC - present) the popularization of cat keeping and the diffusion of cats from Egypt*

The close coexistence that cats and people began when cultures started to formulate and we as humans settled down from our hunter-gather wanderings might be conceived as a chance encounter. Our early farming ancestors would have had to solve many problems, the solutions to which today we take for granted. But, the cat hasn't forgotten their contribution to our success and this might even account for their seemingly proud nature. After all, the interconnectedness of everything in this world is only surpassed by the human arrogance to dismiss such an idea by believing in our own mental superiority, which then only perpetuates a belief in our disconnectedness from nature. Fortunately, only people are capable of such mutterings. Cats have never forgotten their roots. Roots buried deep in cat evolution, domestication and time.

There are moments I find myself, like many others I suspect, lost within the loneliness that results in acknowledging the separateness of being, or distance that seems to be between each of us in this life. It's then that I only have to look into the sky, marveling at the distance that exists between myself and the infernal ovens that are the stars. Even at that great distance, which is measured in the time it takes light to travel in one year, I am comforted in the knowledge that we are all made of the same stuff that is spilling out from those light factories. We are so interconnected... yet, it is blindly taken for granted as we pursue our inflated activities of living every day. Coming back to this place, my kitty lies on my lap and I stroke her back while she quietly accepts the affection. It doesn't take much to reverse our roles, and put myself in her place, to even become her back, relishing the stroke of my hand upon it. And, with a little imagination, I can trace the path of cat evolution in my mind.

*Thanks to Feline Advisory Bureau - Wiltshire, UK

Robert J Gallegos is the author of http://www.catlover-giftsworld.com a web site dedicated to proper cat care with quality cat lover gifts based on an understanding of cat behavior, instincts and the unique requirements for healthy cats as pets. Cats are the newest of animals to be domesticated and still have one paw in the wild. It's a major reason why they're so mysterious and resistant to human expectations.

Robert is a life long lover of cats. He is dedicated to sharing his understanding of the cat experience, reducing the epidimic feral cat situation, and helping cat lovers to provide the best care for their cats.