About Cats

Giving Thanks for Cats We Have Loved

2009-11-22T13:29:12Z

Whiskers arrived to grace our home many years ago when I was a police dispatcher. Our Animal Control Officer had picked him up and was sure he was a Maine Coon cat. Rather than take him to the shelter, he gave him to me to foster until the owner could be found. No one ever responded to the ads we placed, so Whiskers became a much-loved part of the Syufy household. He was a glorious longhair brown tabby with a huge fluffy tail. Everyone loved him, from our Afghan Hounds right down to our youngest child.
_{Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy}

Today I am giving thanks for Whiskers and for many other cats who have given unconditional love for my family throughout the years. You are encouraged to share your thanks for cats you have loved, past and present. Just click on the link at the bottom of the article linked in the title, or click here and fill out the form. You may upload up to two photos per entry. Comments are disabled on this blog post to encourage sharing with the form. However, if you'd rather comment here, go to this blog and post your thanks there.

Giving Thanks for Cats We Have Loved originally appeared on About.com Cats on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 13:29:12.

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Cat Picture of the Week: Dagney

2009-11-21T14:46:03Z

This is 2-year-old Dagny, who was adopted from the local shelter back in October. For years, I had wanted to adopt an adult cat in need of a home. I had criteria in mind when I went to the shelter. Specifically, I wanted a male orange tabby.

My mind was only changed when I walked by Dagny's cage and she ran up to the door, trilling and rolling around and generally putting on a big show. As I was spending time with her, the shelter worker told me that . . . read the rest of Dagney's story

Dagney certainly made a compelling case for being Jenn's choice for a forever home. That, plus Jenn's desire to pass by the kittens and adopt an adult cat were all I needed for choosing Dagney as my Cat of the Week. Of course her astounding beauty also played a large role. :-D. You may submit cat photos by following the Photo Submission Guidelines. Sorry, but I will be unable to publish your photos without all the requested information.

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Cat Picture of the Week: Dagney originally appeared on About.com Cats on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 14:46:03.

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Thoughts About Thanks

2009-11-21T13:41:02Z

It's remarkable that we only have one day set aside officially to give thanks for our blessings. Perhaps I feel that way because I've reached the age where I no longer take the bounty life has given me for granted, and now give thanks every day for my blessings. Since Thanksgiving is only a few days away in the U.S., I thought it would be appropriate to spread our thanks over a period of time instead of waiting for the "big day." I'll start, then add more thanks as the days pass by, and I encourage my readers to contribute.

I'm thankful for Tabby's Place, my favorite cats sanctuary, and for Jonathan, Angela, and all the volunteers and staff that give a loving home to special needs cats.

I'm thankful for organizations like The Animal Rescue Site, and FreeKibble.com, along with their sponsors, who make it easy to help feed shelter animals on a daily basis.

I'm thankful for the many cats who have passed through my life, leaving the imprint of their unconditional love. Shown here is Shannon, who gave us 19 wonderful years.
_{Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy}

Your turn now.

Thoughts About Thanks originally appeared on About.com Cats on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 13:41:02.

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Signs of a Healthy Cat: The Upper Body

2009-11-20T17:17:54Z

The well-toned upper body of a healthy cat will give the impression of supple strength, which in movement translates to speed, agility, and grace. To see a cat crouched down on the hunt for prey, and moving in a slow motion "crawl" is poetry in motion. His frame is aligned perfectly, and every muscle, tendon, and bone move in tandem.

This is Part 2 of a multi-part series on Signs of a Healthy Cat. Knowing what a healthy cat looks and feels like to the touch can help us spot any changes that may require veterinary attention. Learn more about the upper body of a healthy cat, including the shoulders, rib cage, front legs, feet, claws, and coat.
_{Photo Credit: Photo is Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons}

Part 1: The Head of a Healthy Cat

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Signs of a Healthy Cat: The Upper Body originally appeared on About.com Cats on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 17:17:54.

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Wordless Wednesday: Autumn

2009-11-18T13:30:41Z

"I brought a beautiful colored leaf in for my cats to play with, and little D�sir�e, always a ham, jumped up on her podium, grabbed the leaf, and took a bow, which she held until I got the photo."
_{Photo Credit: © Leigh Arrathoon}

More Wordless Wednesday

About.com Cats WW Archives
Wordless Wednesday on About.com
Wordless Wednesday Web Site

Wordless Wednesday: Autumn originally appeared on About.com Cats on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 13:30:41.

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Second Cat Diagnosed With H1N1

2009-11-18T12:05:12Z

A second cat has now been confirmed as having H1N1, transmitted by a family member with the virus. The 14 year old cat, in Park City, Utah, was taken to the Park City Animal Clinic on November 6th, suffering with respiratory distress. Dr. Carl Prior, the veterinarian who treated the cat, told reporters from the Park Record newspaper that the cat was very sick and would have died without treatment. "The infection was serologically confirmed by the laboratory at Iowa State University on November 13" for H1N1, as reported yesterday by Dr. Janet Crosby, About.com Guide to Veterinary Medicine.

Have questions about H1N1 in cats? Read my article on H1N1 and Cats for answers to most questions. I have updated it with the recent information reported here. If you have questions not answered, feel free to post them here.

Second Cat Diagnosed With H1N1 originally appeared on About.com Cats on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 12:05:12.

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Cat Breed of the Week: Chausie

2009-11-17T12:23:27Z

Do you hunger for a touch of the wild in your cat? The Chausie may be the breed for you. Picture if you can, the grace, size, and exotic aura of a wild jungle cat, combined with the temperament of a domestic cat, and you have something resembling the Chausie.

The ideal Chausie has been described as "fearless, but not aggressive." However, if you do not have the time to devote yourself to the attention and care of a large, active cat, or you prefer antique china to earthenware, you might want to look elsewhere for a cat. As with any other cat, the commitment to a Chausie should be a lifetime one.

Before purchasing a Chausie, check your state and local laws, as the cat is be considered a hybrid for the first three generations. The Chausie featured here is Spunky.
_{Photo Credit: © Renae Baker, Marsh Pride Chausies}

More Cats With the Wild Look

Cat Breed of the Week: Chausie originally appeared on About.com Cats on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 12:23:27.

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Q: What's a Catlanta?

2009-11-17T12:18:03Z

A: It's the CFA International Cat Show, held every year the weekend before Thanksgiving. CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) bills it as "the largest international pedigreed cat show in the Western Hemisphere." The show is held in different cities each year. This year, it will be held this weekend, November 21-22, 2009, at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta, GA - hence "Catlanta."

In addition to competitions among the finest pedigreed cats in the world, visitors will be able to learn more about their favorite cat breeds with breed booth displays offering the history and information about various breeds. In addition, a Breed Showcase will run continuously, providing information about popular as well as rare cat breeds. If you plan to attend, also plan to bring extra cash and/or some plastic, because the vendors' booth area is a one-stop shopping heaven for every kind of cat product you can imagine. There will be cat towers, cat toys, and scratching posts galore, as well as a huge variety of cat toys, grooming tools, and much more. If you live in the Atlanta area and love cats, this show is the must-see of the year.

Q: What's a Catlanta? originally appeared on About.com Cats on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 12:18:03.

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Cat Picture of the Week: Veronica

2009-11-16T17:15:06Z

Veronica is named for the Elvis Costello song. As the song says, she has a "carefree mind of her own" in that "pretty little head" of hers. After years of refusing to bring cats that I fell in love with home from shelters where I worked so as not to stress my three sibling cats (rescued from a euthanasia table at my first shelter job), I begrudgingly agreed to take a "feral kitten" from a coworker in distress. She knew nothing about cats, and a small kitten had been hiding under her car for over a week! She was putting out milk (not KMR) for the kitten, but couldn't touch the kitten. She wanted the kitten "safely removed from her property without harm".

My coworker lives an hour's drive east of the workplace, and I live an hour's drive southwest. I gave her a cat carrier and instructions on how to catch the kitten. It worked! She brought the kitten to me at work (secretively). I was surprised to see the little tortie, about 9 weeks old, crouching in the back of the carrier, gazing at me as if she were sizing me up. I expected a brown tabby from the description I received from my coworker. The kitten was not really feral, just wary. She was crawling with fleas. . . read the rest of the story

Anne's decision to keep Veronica and to bring another kitten home to keep her company for the sake of her older cats was a sound one. It's one of the reasons why two kittens are better than one. Veronica's photo will also be featured in my 2009 Tortoiseshell Cats gallery. You may submit cat photos by following the Photo Submission Guidelines. Sorry, but I will be unable to publish your photos without all the requested information.

Cat Picture of the Week: Veronica originally appeared on About.com Cats on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 17:15:06.

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What Does Your Home-Alone Cat Do all Day?

2009-11-16T16:09:25Z

The folks at Friskies asked that question in a poll and this was the response:

Sleeping: 71%
Eating: 52%
Bird Watching: 47%
Looking out Window: 47%

They decided to test those theories by enlisting 50 "repurrters" as a focus group, to wear cat cams on a collar to document their activities while the owners were away from home. Each cat cam took a photo every 15 minutes to track the cat's activities through the day. Among other activities, the cats spent an aggregate of 21% of their time looking out windows; 11.8% of their time was spent with other animals; but only 5% playing with toys; and 6.1% looking at TV, computer, books, DVDs (any media). Sleeping in the sun is a favorite activity (although the cats were only recorded a surprisingly short 6.1% of their time). One of the Friskies' behavior consultants suggested leaving drapes and blinds open to accomodate the cats' window viewing time, as well as to allow the sun to filter in. Another good suggestions is to leave a t-shirt you've worn in your cat's favorite sleeping place to give him a sense of your presence. You can download the full "Scratchington Post" report on the Friskies web site. It's a large PDF file, so it may take a few minutes to view. You can also view the Cat Cam Focus Group pictures on FlickR

I could have predicted our Billy's activities without a cat cam. He'd be doing much of the same activities he does every day, including watching our cats' own personal TV. BilBil's favorite DVD is "Kitty Goes Hunting. Kitty Goes Fishing," a two-part DV from PetQuerks. I'll be reviewing it soon. I was also surprised at how little time cats spent playing, according to the pet cam results. Try these tips for Toys for Home-Alone Cats. Most of them have passed approval of my own band of cat toy expurrts.
_{Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy}

What Does Your Home-Alone Cat Do all Day? originally appeared on About.com Cats on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:09:25.

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