A cat is an animal that has been accompanying humans in everyday life since time immemorial. Long ago, she ceased to be just a mouser, but became a friend and companion to man. Cats were deified and worshiped. Many people associate cats with mystery, mystery and magic. Even if you are far from everything supernatural, you have still at least once paid attention to the unusual antics and habits of your cat.
- 2 Anatomy of cats: unusual facts
- 3 Relationships between cats and other animals
3.1 Video: cat and parrot
- 5.1 Video: cats that saved people
How did the domestic cat appear?
The story of friendship between man and cat began 9,500 years ago in what is now Turkey. People at that time had just changed their nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one, began to engage in agriculture, and grow cereals. And of course, rodents appeared in human homes and ate the crops. Friendship with people has become beneficial for the cat. Having settled in a person’s house, the animal acquired not only reliable shelter from bad weather, but also good hunting grounds.
When ancient farmers moved to Cyprus, the cat settled there with them. It was in Cyprus that archaeologists discovered the first joint burial of a man and a cat, dating back to 7500 BC. e.
Previously, scientists believed that the cat was first domesticated in Ancient Egypt, but this is not so. The cat settled among the pyramids only in 2000–1900 BC. e. and became one of the sacred animals for the Egyptians. In the seventeenth chapter of the Book of the Dead, the sun god Ra acted as a red cat, and Bastet, the goddess of fertility, hearth, love and female beauty, was depicted with the head of a cat. The Greek historian Herodotus in his writings described how Egyptians rushed into burning houses to make sure that the cat did not die there. When a cat died, the family it lived with would shave off its eyebrows as a sign of mourning, and the animal would be mummified and buried in the family tomb. Killing a cat was punishable by death in Ancient Egypt.
The first cat name that has come down to us is Nejem, which translates as “sweet” or “pleasant.” Nejem lived in Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (in the 15th century BC).
The ancient Egyptians depicted the goddess Bastet, whose cult was widespread throughout Egypt, in the guise of a cat or a woman with a cat's head
At the same time, the domestication of cats began in Asia. There is archaeological evidence that cats appeared among people in Japan, China, India and the Caucasus.
There is a legend that the Prophet Muhammad cut off the sleeve of his robe so as not to wake up the cat who had fallen asleep on it. Therefore, in Islam, cats are allowed to enter the mosque.
In the 1st century AD, the cat from Egypt came to Europe, where it met its domesticated relative from Asia. It was these cats that became the progenitors of all modern breeds.
Cats in different countries
Cats were highly respected in Siam. When the coronation of the new king took place, cats rode in a carriage, being at the head of the procession.
The appearance of cats in Jewish folklore is explained in this way. Noah was afraid that the rats would eat all the food in the ark. He turned to God with a prayer for help. God made the lion sneeze and that’s how the domestic cat appeared.
According to estimates by scientists at the University of Lyon (France), there are 400 million domestic cats on the planet, with the largest number of them living in the United States. However, despite this, Australia still ranks first in the world in the number of cats, because there are 9 cats for every ten inhabitants. In Asia, the first place in the number of cats is occupied by Indonesia, where more than 30 million of these animals live, and in Europe - France, whose residents take care of 8 million domestic cats. There are also countries in which it is difficult to meet a domestic cat - these are Gabon, Peru and some others.
In Germany there is even the “First Cat Museum”. It contains over 3 thousand exhibits that Angelina Ramsperger painstakingly collected from all over the world. About 10 cats also serve as watchmen and caretakers in the museum.
But in Vietnam, cats are loved primarily as food: cat meat is served here as a real delicacy, and even until recently, the country had a chain of Little Tiger restaurants. However, as soon as the mouse invasion began in Vietnam, the country's Minister-President Phan Van Hai ordered restaurants to be closed and the breed of domestic cats, which had become rare, to be revived: only this, according to the authorities, will help prevent the destruction of grain and rice by rodents.
In France, cats are treated more cruelly: according to the laws of commerce, a kitten that is not bought for a month... is destroyed, considering that it has no value. Many countries consider this cruel rule to be correct, because it supposedly allows them to control the number of animals. In the wild, of course, there is also such control, but nature itself and predators are responsible for it.
On the other hand, in Belgium (the city of Ypres) I celebrate a real cat holiday: this is a whole performance in which giant dolls of black cats and puss in boots take part. Also on this day there are dances, carnivals and comedy shows.
In America, cats are celebrated through cat races: the city of Little Rock annually launches cat races over a 150-meter distance, and the winner of the race receives the main prize - 2 thousand dollars.
In Russia, the famous and one-of-a-kind cat theater performs under the direction of Yuri Kuklachev. There are wonderful cats working there, looked after by people who love these animals very much.
The hardest thing for cats today is perhaps in America, although there they are considered one of the most beloved pets. In the late 80s, there were rumors in California that it was cats that carried AIDS, and Americans killed them in the hundreds, without listening to any denials. Scientists managed to convince frightened Americans not to do this with great difficulty.
And on the island of Frajos in the Indian Ocean, only cats live! They have lived there since 1890, when a ship was wrecked on the coral reefs of the island, and the surviving sailors moved to land, but died without waiting for rescue. And the cats that remained on the ship managed not only to survive, but also to reproduce, and today there are over a thousand of them living on the island. They feed on fish, sea urchins and crustaceans.
There is a real Cat Temple in Japan. It is located in the city of Kagoshima and was not built in honor of the sacred Japanese cat, but in memory of seven cats who lived in the 17th century. In 1600, one military leader took these cats with him to war, and during the war they served for the soldiers... for hours! The Japanese could tell the time by the narrowing or dilating pupils of cats. Today this temple is most often visited by watchmakers.
Anatomy of cats: unusual facts
Cats have a rather unusual anatomy, which gives them a lot of skills, many of which are unusual for other animals. Cats are famous for their grace and agility, but they also have other unusual abilities.
A cat's skeleton consists of 240 bones, which is 34 more bones than a human's. 500 different muscles are responsible for the movement of a cat, and a developed and fairly large brain allows you to instantly react to the situation.
The spine of cats is very flexible
Cats walk silently, stepping not on the entire foot, but only on the toes, of which there are five on the front paws and four on the hind paws. Between the toes, the cat has claws in leather pouches, which the animal can release or retract as needed. The claws on the front paws are much sharper than on the hind paws. Cats have small collarbones, which allows the animals to crawl into any gap where their head fits. The connection of the front legs to the torso is ensured by muscles and elastic ligaments, which allows cats to jump from great heights and land softly.
The skin of cats fits tightly to the body, but at the same time is quite mobile, so they receive less injury in fights with other animals. The cat's skin is covered with thick hair, which reliably protects the animal from the cold and sun. The roots of the hairs have small muscles, so the cat's fur can stand on end. Cats often lick their coats. The fact is that the sebaceous glands of these animals produce a fatty substance, which, when rubbed into the fur, makes it smooth and silky. In addition, these secretions contain a small amount of cholesterol, which, under the influence of the sun, is converted into vitamin D. By licking the cat's fur, it saturates its body with this valuable vitamin.
The cat licks itself so that potential prey does not smell its scent. In addition, a cat may lick itself to calm itself down.
Cats are carnivores, so they have long, sharp fangs for catching and holding prey and serrated molars for easy tearing of meat. Cats' incisors, on the contrary, are small and are practically not used in the process of eating food. Cats use them for grooming, such as removing fleas from their fur.
Cats have quite unusual vision. They see well in the dark and can focus on three objects at the same time. The cat's viewing angle is approximately 260–270 degrees, which greatly helps the animal when hunting. The night vision of cats is responsible for the vertical pupil, which, when there is a lack of light, expands, occupying almost the entire iris, and a layer of special reflective yellow-green cells located behind the retina. It is this layer, called the tapetum, that makes cats' eyes glow in the dark.
Among all domestic animals, the cat has the largest eyes compared to the size of its body. If the proportions of the size of the organ of vision in relation to their own body in cats were observed for humans, then the human eye would have a diameter of 4-5 cm
In the complete absence of light, cats, of course, cannot see, but they still navigate well in space thanks to whiskers - whiskers and long white hairs above the eyes, which work as locators.
Cats have a rather acute sense of smell. They need it for successful hunting, and their special sensitivity to nitrogen allows them to determine whether the food is spoiled. In addition, cats have a special Jacobson's organ. It allows cats to sense something between taste and smell.
A cat can have cubs from different fathers in the same litter.
Cats also need excellent hearing to hunt successfully. A cat's ear is designed like a locator; the organ allows one to determine with extreme accuracy where the source of noise is located. About 30 muscles are responsible for the movement of cats' ears, allowing them to turn their ears 180 degrees, bend them and press them against their heads. A cat is able to hear sounds inaccessible to the human ear, and the animal hears high-frequency sounds much better. On the contrary, cats hear low-frequency sounds worse than humans.
Cats' hearing is very selective. The cat reacts only to those sounds that are of interest to it.
The most famous cats in the world
The list of interesting facts about cats would not be complete without mentioning the most famous individuals. Many people have seen Grumpy Cat on the Internet, which appeared in 2012. This cat's name is Tarda, and thanks to her unusual appearance, she made her owners rich.
Lil Bub is a tabby dwarf cat that has no teeth. Because of this, she always has her tongue hanging out. People feel like she's constantly teasing everyone, which is very funny.
Venus is an unusual cat, with half her face black and half red. In addition, her eyes are of different colors: one is green, the other is blue.
Hamilton is also a fairly famous cat, with more than 600,000 followers on Instagram. Due to its unusual coloring, it appears as if it has a human mustache.
Each pet is unique in its own way and deserves love from its owners. If you raise your pet correctly, then a small kitten will grow into an affectionate and gentle cat.
Relationships between cats and other animals
Despite the fact that the cat is famous for its independence, it gets along well with other inhabitants of the house.
Everyone knows the saying “they live like a cat and a dog,” but very often domestic cats and dogs become best friends.
Both cats and dogs have very flexible behavior; they are able to adapt to any neighbor. The basis for the misunderstanding that arises between these animals is not natural hostility, but rather a “language barrier.” For example, a raised front paw in dogs is an invitation to play, while in cats a similar gesture signifies the intention to strike. A dog lying on its back shows that it is ready to completely submit, while a cat, taking a similar position, on the contrary, is ready to defend itself to the last.
Despite the completely different “language” in which cats and dogs communicate, they are able to make friends. Animals raised in the same house often play together, understanding each other perfectly. If a cat and a dog meet as adults, then each of them will adhere to neutrality.
A cat and a dog can become friends
From personal experience. When my cat was brought home as a small kitten, I already had a teenage dog of a small breed and playful character. Less than a week had passed before my two favorites organized a real “criminal group”, helping each other in various pranks. Most often, the cat climbed onto the table and threw various treats to the dog, in return the dog diverted the owners’ attention to itself when its “accomplice” was punished for theft.
Cats also skillfully build social relationships with other pets.
If a kitten has settled in a house where a pet rat already lives, then he will not perceive it as potential prey, but may well make friends with a new neighbor. The same thing happens between domestic cats and rabbits, although the barn cat can be dangerous to baby rabbits.
It happens that friendships develop between animals of different biological species. Warm relations have been established between the black cat Mushi and the Himalayan bear named Little Mouse, an inhabitant of the Berlin Zoo. The animals lay together on the hay, basked in the sun, and shared food with each other.
There are situations when pets do not touch each other only because of the strict prohibition of the owners, but as soon as the owner leaves them alone, one of them begins to try to catch the other.
Video: cat and parrot
Cat and human health
According to a special study conducted in the USA, almost 50% of American doctors recommend that each of their patients have a pet and, best of all, a cat! In their opinion, this is an excellent “recipe” for healing patients: cats perfectly help get rid of the disease and relieve the effects of overwork and stress.
A study was conducted at the University of Buffalo (New York State), according to the results of which scientists found that cat owners will be happier if their pet is healthy. Also, families with cats are always better able to cope with stress and crisis situations and communicate with each other more often.
Cats are irreplaceable animals for people. According to doctors, the presence of a cat in the house can even prevent a heart attack: just pet your pet and your high blood pressure will drop and your anger will subside.
Cat habits: unusual facts
Every happy owner of a cat has noticed how unusual his pet behaves. The behavior patterns characteristic of cats have long become something of a joke.
Probably every cat, seeing that the owner has brought purchases from the store, considers it his duty to check what is in the bags. The rustling packages seem to hint to the furry inspector that the packages may contain “prey.”
Cats are interested in the contents of packages
Another favorite pastime of cats is playing hide and seek. If your cat is nowhere to be found and does not respond to your call, then most likely she is simply hiding. You can be sure that the fluffy lady is sleeping peacefully somewhere in the closet or near the radiator. However, making sure that she, for example, did not jump out into the entrance, would also be useful.
Many cats are fond of “massage” - they finger fabric or woolen items with their paws. This behavior can be explained by the fact that the kitten was torn away from its mother early. Kittens perform similar actions to improve the flow of mother's milk during feeding.
From personal experience. My furry friend, although he was separated from his mother quite late, still considers it necessary to regularly “massage” the blanket and sweaters. Apparently it's just a matter of habit.
Cats love to attract attention. They lie down on a book that the owner is reading, climb onto the computer keyboard, and in every possible way interfere with the owner’s business, demanding to be petted or played with.
Don't forget to pay attention to your pet
Cats prefer to look at the world from above. Every furry beauty has a favorite place somewhere closer to the ceiling, for example, on a closet or refrigerator. Sometimes cats are very creative in their attempts to climb higher.
Cats have this habit of rubbing their cheeks on everything. This is due to the fact that they have scent glands in the area of their ears. This is how cats mark their territory.
Games for cats are also very important. Rolling away some small thing and chasing it throughout the apartment, unexpectedly throwing itself on the owner’s feet, hunting for a sunbeam - antics familiar to every cat owner.
In Russia, it is believed that a person will be unlucky if a black cat crosses his path. In England, on the contrary, they are of the opinion that black cats bring good luck. It may well be that the British are right. Such a case is known. One day, a case was heard in a London police court against two bus drivers. While one of them spoke to the jury, the other was waiting to be called into the courtroom. Suddenly a black cat jumped onto his lap. When the driver was called into the courtroom, he handed the cat to his colleague. Charges against both drivers were dropped! Those acquitted believe that all this is thanks to the black cat.
Cats have a bad habit of damaging furniture. They do this not out of harm, it’s just that animals need to sharpen their claws. A special scratching post can easily save a new sofa or wallpaper.
Cats love to throw various objects from tables and shelves onto the floor. The main motive here is the hunting instinct. Having played out, the cat imagines the little things lying on the table as “prey” and tries to “stir” them. Also, the reason for throwing objects onto the floor may be a lack of attention. If the owner does not respond to meowing and other peaceful invitations to play, then the cat’s next argument may well be the owner’s favorite vase thrown to the floor.
If your cat has started using a mat instead of toilet paper, then this is not a matter of bad character. It's easy to wean your cat off this habit - give her anti-worm medication.
Cats spend almost two-thirds of their day sleeping
Do cats see colors?
The vision of mammals has the same structure. By transmitting the light flux, the pupil forms an inverted image. Then it passes through the nerve endings to the brain, where the real picture is formed.
The cat has simply huge eyes, especially if you compare human and cat proportions. Cats have the best visual range. However, cats focus on individual objects, and the rest is blurry.
The clarity of vision depends on the elasticity and size of the lens. The human organ is soft and smaller in size. However, the larger lens allows cats to see in the dark. Rigidity allows you to focus on your prey.
The rigidity of the cat's lens is compensated by its speed. The specific shape of the pupil, capable of contracting and expanding, allows you to see at dusk, protecting your eyes in sunlight.
Thanks to the special structure of the retina, cats see better than humans in the dark. However, color perception is better in humans.
The cat's gaze is mesmerizing
Cats are excellent at distinguishing color shades, so it will not be difficult for them to find a gray rodent in the twilight. However, this is possible at night and in poor light. Daylight turns the world of cats into an unusual, black and white, or rather black and gray.
Important! Scientists are still debating the question of how cats differentiate colors. Some people believe that the cat's vision has a limited perception of blue and gray colors. Others believe that cats have vision similar to that of dogs, but the colors they see are less saturated.
The cat's relationship with its owner
Cats treat their owners the same way their owners treat them. But unfortunately, cats cannot say this in words. In order to express their feelings, cats perform a variety of actions that are important to understand correctly.
Cats often “butt” their owner and rub their faces against him. In this way they express their affection, as if declaring: “This is my man.”
Often cats bring various gifts to their owners: toys, food, sparrows or mice. This way the cat shares its prey with you and shows that it cares about you. It is worth thanking the furry hunter for such gifts, because your recognition is important to the cat.
A cat brings prey to its owners because it cares about them
If your cat sleeps with you or on your lap, it means that she trusts you completely. Cats choose the safest places to sleep, and by falling asleep next to their owner, they demonstrate that they feel completely safe when you are nearby.
If a cat turns its back to you, it means it greets you and shows its trust. This is not awarded to everyone, but only to those whom the cat considers its friend.
Cats often try to lick their owner. There is little pleasure in being licked with a rough tongue, but such an act means that the cat considers you a member of its family. Cats always lick their babies, thus marking them with their scent.
Video: cats that saved people
Mouse catchers
The most famous cat in Great Britain can be considered the cat Wilberforce, who, unfortunately, has already passed away. The cat lived in London, at the residence of the Prime Minister, where he ended up in 1973 as a small kitten. He was brought into the residence to solve a mouse problem, and Wilberforce kept watch continuously for many years, serving in succession as four prime ministers of the country. Sometimes the cat was even allowed into government meetings! Wilberforce was loved most of all by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who often brought him treats from all over the world. When the cat began to grow old, he was “relocated” to one of the private houses “for retirement,” and when Wilberforce died, Margaret Thatcher announced this directly at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Also, deputies of the British Parliament, who were simply tortured by mice, were always offered to resort to the services of cats: they could appear right in the meeting room, disrupting discussions and interfering with the adoption of the most important decisions. Over the years, parliamentarians, outraged by the impudence of the mice, made various attempts to exterminate them, but nothing worked until Labor member Dennis Turner brought two small kittens to parliament - the offspring of his domestic cat.
Also, about 600 cats lived at one time in the Winter Palace of St. Petersburg. They were settled there before the revolution and, according to some sources, some of them still remained there to perform their duties of catching mice.
Each cat that hunts mice saves up to 10 tons of grain annually. In Great Britain, cats that guarded food warehouses were kept on government pay. Also, special honor was given to cats that protect relics contained in the British Museum from mice.
In Austria, a cat that guarded warehouses for several years was given a lifelong pension, given in the form of meat, milk and broth.
But in Yekaterinburg, on the contrary, there was a cat named Kuzya who... protected mice! His owner, looking for felt boots and finding mice in the pantry, called the cat for help, but although he dealt with one mouse, he took pity on the four little mice that hid under his thick fur. Kuzya warmed the babies and took care of them, but his owner, unfortunately, did not like it.
Extraordinary abilities of cats
Cats are considered extraordinary animals due to the fact that they have a number of unique abilities. Some skills can be explained by the anatomical features of these animals, but others are a mystery to people.
Everyone knows that cats lie where they hurt. There were cases when a cat came to the house of a sick person, and when the person recovered, it disappeared again. There is no reliable explanation of how cats determine that a person needs their help. There is a version that cats lie down on a sore spot due to the increased temperature of this part of the body, but this explanation is not suitable for all cases.
Cat owners are less likely to see doctors than non-pet owners
From personal experience. When my neck hurts, which unfortunately happens, my cat wraps himself around the affected area like a fur collar and can lie there for hours. After some time, the pain really goes away. He also helped my daughter when she had colic. Acting as a heating pad, it contributed to a restful night's sleep for the whole family.
Another unusual ability of cats is that they can find their owners at great distances. There are cases where lost cats have traveled many kilometers to be reunited with their family. So, a cat that got lost during a move may well turn up after some time on the threshold of its owners’ new home. How a cat determines where to go to find its own is also unknown to science.
During World War II, cats warned people about Nazi bomber raids. The black and white cat Sally became famous throughout England, who notified of danger in the following way: feeling trouble, she ran into the hall where the gas mask hung, and hit it with her front paws, then returned to her owner and began to scratch her. Afterwards she rushed into the yard and began scratching at the door of the air-raid shelter. Some cats who saved human lives by warning in time about enemy bomber raids were awarded the “We also serve our Motherland” medal. How cats learned about danger is unknown.
Cats sense impending natural disasters. Before earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters, these animals begin to behave restlessly, scream, and try to run away from home. Over the years, people have noticed that cats react especially strongly to impending natural disasters, so scientists believe it is possible to predict such events with the help of pets. Science also does not know how cats determine when it is worth saving their lives by running away from home. It may be that cats hear sounds far beyond the range of the human ear, or that they are incredibly sensitive to vibrations, but no one knows the exact reason.
A cat can warn about a volcanic eruption with its behavior
They say cats have nine lives. Sometimes this is the only way to explain why cats survive falling from great heights. The most famous example is Sabrina, a cat who survived a fall from the 32nd floor. During the fall, the cat groups itself, rotating around its axis, which slows down the fall, and before the impact it turns and lands on all four paws, however, if the height is too high, and there is hard asphalt or concrete below, then it is unlikely that the cat can be saved only by its agility.
Do animals have a sixth sense?
Opinions about the presence of special intuition are another mysterious fact about cats. It is widely known that cats can anticipate natural disasters, so they move to a safe point in advance. In regions where tsunamis, earthquakes and tornadoes are not uncommon, cats are specially adopted and the behavior of the pets is closely monitored.
Scientists say that the pads on a cat's paws are especially sensitive. Thanks to interesting knowledge about cats, it is possible to predict an earthquake; they sense the slightest vibrations in the ground. Cats sense the approach of storms and hurricanes due to changes in air ionization.
Interesting! The British easily find places they once visited.
Calico cats are believed to be especially smart
Historical facts about cats
Cats have played a role in human history:
- the cat was one of the redskins' valuable gifts. French missionaries gave the domestic cat to the Hurons during the colonization of Canada;
- The Egyptians once lost a war because of cats. The Persian king Cambyses, preparing to attack the city of Piluza, ordered a large number of cats to be caught and used as human shields. The Egyptians surrendered without a fight because they could not shoot their sacred animal;
- the cat helped discover one of the elements of the periodic table. In 1811, the cat of the French scientist Bernard Courtois dropped the flasks in the laboratory. One flask contained an alcoholic tincture of seaweed, and the other contained ferrous sulfate. The chemicals mixed and a violent reaction began. When the smoke settled, the scientist saw brown crystals on the table. These crystals were iodine;
- The Vikings, like the Egyptians, considered the cat sacred. The Norwegian Forest Cat is mentioned as a pet that was kept on board ships;
- In medieval Europe, the cat was declared to be the devil’s helper, and cats were burned along with heretics. The decrease in the population of these animals led to the uncontrolled reproduction of rats, which, in turn, became carriers of a terrible disease - plague;
- Sphynx cats are hairless cats that were bred in Canada in 1970 specifically for cat lovers with allergies. As it turned out, allergies are caused not by wool, but by dandruff, but the breed remains.
A cat is an unusual, mysterious animal, but at the same time so funny and cute. It’s not for nothing that they say: if you don’t like cats, it means you haven’t met your cat yet. Each cat is a delicate nature with an exceptional character, unusual skills and abilities, and is a reflection of its owner.
Is it worth adopting a purebred cat?
Some people prefer "mutts". These cats did not have noble ancestors in their family or they have mixed roots. And this has its advantages. For example, mestizos have better health than their “blue-blooded” counterparts. This is due to the wider gene pool. Therefore, the risk of genetic diseases is very low.
However, such cats often have an independent character, and their hunting instincts are more pronounced. Adults love to mark territory, and it is not very easy to wean them from this habit.
The “mongrel” has better health
At the same time, purebred cats have predictable habits. They value cleanliness more because breeders select for breeding those individuals that are less prone to marking territory.
Potential difficulties of living with a cat
1. Cats go to the toilet . Yes, and “in a big way” too. Of course, cats are much more clean than dogs; they cannot go to the toilet due to carelessness or from excess emotions, but cats also happen to shit in the wrong place. There can be many reasons for this, but in this case the point is different - the area of the apartment is small, and the smell of cat excrement is quite pungent. This can cause problems with neighbors or homeowners. Therefore, it is preferable to choose animals that are already tray-trained.
Cat litter and kitten
If you think that cats are easy to train and their instincts themselves will push them in the right direction, you are mistaken. Our editor is the proud owner of two large mongrel cats, one of whom completely refuses to remember that a trash can is the wrong place for his litter box. And even if it is possible to convince him of this today, it is not a fact that tomorrow the situation with the surprise found in the trash bin will not repeat itself.
2. Cats shed . And this is also a problem. Are you ready for your entire apartment to be strewn with cat hair? It will get everywhere: on clothes, in food, on all surfaces. In a small space, especially during periods of seasonal molting, cat hair turns into a real punishment.
Grooming a long-haired white cat
Moreover, some cats periodically develop dandruff, to which you or your family members may be allergic. So, when choosing an animal, you need to remember about the upcoming “war” with its fur, and if this is a problem for you, it is better to choose smooth-haired breeds or sphinxes in general. On the other hand, with proper care, problems with the coat will practically not arise. In any case, it is worth paying attention to this issue.
3. Cat's temperament or character . In some cases, it can also present very unpleasant surprises. If you live in a relatively small apartment, you should choose a furry friend of a breed that has the following characteristics:
- lack of a pronounced instinct for one’s own territory;
- easy perception of loneliness;
- sociability;
- friendliness towards strangers;
- not too high activity.
Interesting: The Chausie cat is a mini puma in your home
The last thing is worth explaining - cats with high activity require a lot of space for their games. They physically need to spend their energy somewhere, so they rush around the apartment like mad, turning over various objects, damaging furniture, knocking you off your feet. Such animals need to be in the fresh air, so keeping them in an apartment will be problematic for you.
Boy or girl?
When a family decides to adopt a kitten, among other things, the question arises: is a boy better or a girl?
Advantages of cats (females):
- they are cleaner because they take better care of themselves;
- do not seek to dominate;
- more flexible and affectionate.
But with the advent of puberty, the owner has a question: what to do with the offspring? There may be problems with this if the animal was not taken for breeding. Pregnancy is preceded by estrus. The cat leaves marks with a specific musky odor, and for a week or more makes loud noises, especially at night, calling for a male. This ends on its own or after mating with a cat.
Attention! Cats do not behave the same with men and women. Thus, they can “flirt” with representatives of the stronger sex - arching their backs, fluffing their tails. With women, females are softer and more affectionate.
Cats like to flirt with their owners
Cats are leaders by nature. They control every step of the inhabitants of the house. Most cats are not affectionate, although sometimes they allow themselves to be picked up and stroked. They become aggressive if a person does something they don't like.
One of the problems that cat owners face is marking their territory. Often, breeders manage to wean their pupils from such behavior. Males smell stronger. But the smell disappears if the animal is properly cared for.
Many problems can be solved by sterilization and castration. But even a castrated male can leave marks. This happens in the following cases:
- late castration;
- the presence of another cat;
- stress, anxiety;
- uneasy situation in the house;
- lack of attention from the owners;
- dirty tray;
- discontent;
- health problems, bladder infections.
Cats show aggression if they don't like something.
