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The ancestors of cats lived in the desert. And to lower their body temperature, they, like humans, sweated. Our domestic cats also know how to sweat, but they do it not through their pores, like us, but through the pads on their paws. Sometimes, when an animal is hot, it can leave behind wet marks.
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About breeds
Today, more than a hundred cat breeds are officially registered:
- The Burmese are considered sacred in Tibet. Since ancient times, these animals lived in Buddhist temples, as the monks believed that the souls of their ancestors resided in their bodies,
- In the Land of the Rising Sun, Japanese bobtails were revered - tailless cats, which became the prototype of maneki-neko - a talisman that brings good luck and wealth. In medieval Japan, a cat's tail was generally considered an excess, was compared to a snake and was chopped off,
- The DNA of representatives of the Siamese breed contains the gene for albinism, so the kittens are born white. They begin to darken over time under the influence of temperature,
- Maine Coons are recognized as one of the most intelligent cats, so they are easy to train. The most famous connoisseur of this breed was Ernest Hemingway - he had 57 raccoon cats,
- The prototype of the Cheshire cat from Lewis Carroll's book is considered to be the ancestors of modern British cats and their cute facial expression,
- The mythical cat Skogcat, a character from Scandinavian mythology famous for his ability to climb steep cliffs, is a Norwegian forest cat. Representatives of this breed are unusually dexterous, they can climb trees and descend from them at breakneck speed,
- The rarity and high cost of the Chausie, a relatively new breed developed at the beginning of the 21st century, is explained by the fact that many males are born sterile and unable to produce offspring.
There are cat breeds that, for certain reasons, could not develop or simply did not survive to this day:
- The Bristol is a cross between a common domestic cat and a margay (a South American species of wild cat). From its wild half, the breed received a beautiful spotted color. Unfortunately, most of the animals turned out to be infertile, and the breed became extinct.
- Buckfast Blue - cats bred at Buckfast Abbey had an unusual curly coat, like the American Curls and Devon Rex. The extinction occurred largely due to the fact that there were no persons interested in further selection of animals,
- Limau Colum is an idea from a cat lover from America that never came to fruition. He wanted to create a hybrid of wild cats from Singapore, but for some reason he did not realize his plan,
- Panturettes are cats with unusual oval-shaped ears that look like panthers. The breed disappeared due to the death of its creator, since there were no people willing to continue breeding,
- twisted cat-kangaroo - animals with a terrible mutation of the front legs, which were unsuitable for walking, causing the cats to walk on their hind legs. Breeding was prohibited because it was decided that it was very cruel to animals,
- in Stalingrad in the 30s of the 20th century, cats with short legs, like modern munchkins, were born. There was no further breeding, but they still received a name - Stalingrad kangaroos,
- Chinese lop, or Sum Su, are ancient cats that have not survived to this day, but are mentioned in various sources. According to the data, they are the first representatives of fold-eared breeds. There is an opinion that Sum Su were not cats, but only animals similar to them,
- Hemingway's Cats with more toes on their paws than normal. There is information that Hemingway himself tried for quite a long time to breed a new breed, but he did not succeed.
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
About health and physiology
The body of our pets has many features:
- relative to body size, cats’ eyes are disproportionately large, because their ancestors had to hunt in the wild at night in poor lighting,
- due to the lack of muscles that regulate the shape of the lens, cats have difficulty focusing their gaze on nearby objects,
- females are mostly right-handed, and males are left-handed,
Finding out which group your cat belongs to is quite simple: pay attention to which paw she usually digs for litter in the tray. If an animal uses both paws equally well, then it can be called ambidextrous.
- the surface pattern of a cat's nose is unique, like a human fingerprint,
- all cats are born blue-eyed, but as they grow older the color changes,
- Unlike people, cats can drink sea water - their kidneys filter the salt,
- They lick their own wounds, because cat saliva contains a special substance - lysozyme. It has antiseptic properties, disinfects and promotes healing of injuries,
- Cats only sweat on their paw pads.
About travel
Among pets, cats are absolute champions in orienteering. They return to their birth threshold more often than dogs and birds:
- in England, one cat returned home after running 70 km through wooded areas - the journey took 3 weeks,
- in Holland, a pet walked 150 km in five months,
- in the state of Georgia (USA), a cat was returned, taken 320 km away,
- In France, a record of 700 km was registered - the cat overcame it in seven months.
Among the cats there are also world-famous travelers. For example, Millie, who, together with her owner, climber Craig Armstrong, conquered many mountain peaks. They have a common Instagram account and a website that is very popular. Millie has her own climbing equipment, which has saved her more than once in the most dangerous and difficult places. She has a well-developed instinct, so she is often the first to explore unfamiliar places, and then, if there is no danger, she returns for her owner, and they continue their journey together.
Another well-known tailed traveler on social networks is the cat Burma, who, together with his owner Steven Simmons and the dog Pappy, explores all the most beautiful places in America. The cat visited mountain peaks, sailed boats on lakes and even tried his hand at surfing. It is very interesting that all travel gives him sincere pleasure. Burma expertly poses for photographs that then receive thousands of likes on social networks.
Laura Moss, a world-famous cat lover, created a website and hashtag dedicated to cats who travel with their owners. A site that has received a great response from people from different countries is called AdventureCats. You can read about many amazing cats here:
- Sookie, who spends her free time enjoying the scenery of Canada's Lake Louise,
- Captain Ahab, who sails the seas,
- cats Deeja and Boomer, who are first-class skateboarders.
The site also has all the necessary information regarding traveling with pets.
