Grey Cat Breeds

Nebelung cat reproduced under Wikipedia Commons license. They have a med-long silky and fine blue/grey coat, with a plumed tail. This photo illustrates that nicely. This cat is a 4 year old male and an international champion. His name is Aleksandr van Song de Chine. I presume the photo was taken by the person he lives with, Anke Zekveld. Anke has a cattery. The website is www.nebelung.nl. If I am not mistaken it is based in the Netherlands. Aleksandr is a fine cat of the grey cat breeds. And he has a lovely character too.

Grey Cat Breeds is a Google search term that I just picked up on my travels over the Internet. Some people like grey cats (or gray cats). There are a few cat breeds that have to be blue/grey otherwise they are not a cat of that breed. Pretty tough criteria.

Here's a list with pictures and links of the grey cat breeds (are there some more?). The pictures are by amateur photographers of their cat companions. Some of the cats are relatively rare. For example the Nebelung comes to mind in this category. There are links below the photographs to the best professional photographs, by, who else, Helmi Flick.

Nebelung


Nebelung cat photo copyright V La under CC

The color of this cat has to be blue (I would call it bluish grey, that's why he's in this post!). Go to a full description and a professional photo (Helmi Flick) by clicking on this link. You can see how this cat ranks with other cat breeds in terms of rarity by clicking here. You'll find that this cat is pretty rare still despite the fact that the breed was created in 1984 and developed with great determination by Cora Cobb. This cat is essentially a long haired Russian Blue. They were breed in parallel in Russia over the period Cora was developing the breed in the USA.

Chartreux


Chartreux cat photo copyright cmdrfletcher under CC

This cat breed has a long and distinguished history, during which cat breeders are now intent on preserving the purity of this breed. She comes from France. See and read more (plus professional photos) by clicking on this link. The Chartreux is more or less the same as the British Blue cat. As is the case for the Nebelung the only color is the one you see - blue/grey.

Russian Blue


Russian Blue Cat photo ©Sensual Shadows Photography

The Russian Blue is another cat that has got to be blue/grey to be part of this breed and is therefore one of the grey cat breeds. As the name clearly suggests this cat originates in Russia, specifically the north of Russia, near the Norwegian Border from a town called Archangel. I am not altogether convinced of this fact. It would seem that some cat breed histories are "glossed up" a bit to make the cat more desirable. Cynical or just sensible? See more on this cat.

Korat


Korat cat - photo copyright Nick Hodge.

The Korat cat has one color, the one you see in the photo. All these cat carry the genotype to produce the grey coloration, which is aaB-dd. The symbol dd represents a pair of dilution genes; aa represents the non-agouti gene (self black) and B- represents the brown gene (producing black to brown and chocolate etc in more dilute forms). Read and see a lot more on the Korat cat (stays on this website).

There is one more cat that need not be blue/grey to be the cat she is but who looks great in grey and is often grey, and that is the British Shorthair. This is one of my favorite cats and is in the top 10 of the most popular cat in the pictures-of-cats.org website poll. Helmi Flick has two British Shorthairs.

Sources:

• Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians

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Identical Twin Cats?

It is not clear if these two lovely and almost identical cats are twins or not. They certainly look like it. They are called Peek and Boo. They are male Ragdoll cats. The breeder is Patricia Day of Tinsle Ragdolls.

The cattery is located in British Columbia, Canada.

These two boys are almost a mirror image of each other in this position and they are naturally very comfortable together.

We know that cats are similar to humans in many respects anatomically. For instance they can get asthma and hay fever like us.

It is quite possible to give birth to twin cats too. But apparently it is unlikely. For cats to be identical twins one egg splits into two, each the same. To be fraternal twins there would be two eggs released and both are fertilized by the same male cat.

A female cat releases multiple eggs. Apparently she releases one egg each time she mates. If the female is feral for example (not the case with Peek and Boo obviously), it is likely that there will be more than one father.

If it is the same male mating more than once his sperm can fertilize more than one egg released. The cats from this fertilization will look the same. Fraternal twins occur when two eggs are fertilized at the same time.

The only way to tell for sure if Peek and Boo are identical twins is through DNA testing. But it is likely that they are not identical twins as being mirror images of each other they are actually different. Peek has dark fur on the right hand side of his face and Boo has dark fur on the left side of his face. This would indicate to me that they are fraternal twins and not identical but I am not an expert. I love this photograph, that is why I made this post.

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Cat colds and bacterial infections

This is a lovely picture of a cat at a vets. The cat has not got a cold as far as I am aware. The photograph is copyright by Chuckumentary (reproduced under CC - nice pic, well done) and the vet is the best he has known. The vet's name is Dr. Grindle and he works at the Lyndale Animal Hospital. Not sure where that is but I think it is in Minneapolis.

There is a difference between cat colds and bacterial infections that sometimes gets missed particularly these days when we think that drugs can help almost anything and we like quick fixes.

There is still no known cure for a human cold and the same is true of a cat's cold. Colds are caused by a virus. A virus is a very small "agent" that can only live in a host cell. It is debatable whether a virus is a life form. It has genes but does not have cells. It is on the edges of life.

When your cat gets a viral infection (an Upper respiratory infection or URI - an invasion by a virus) the cat's immune system responds to neutralize the invading agent. The response is the production on antibodies, which bind to the virus and make it non-infectious. Also T cells attack the virus. One symptom of this activity is a runny nose. The discharge is usually clear. The cat will have to deal with and cure herself of this infection. It's a watch a see situation while making her as comfortable as possible.

If the infection has been around for a long time the cat may suffer a bacterial infection; a secondary infection in which bacteria have found the environment of the symptoms of a cold attractive, infected the cat and multiplied. A bacteria is a very small organism (single cell) that can live in a host or outside a host.

This infection adds to the first infection. An indicator is a colored nasal discharge (yellow/green - I know as I have suffered from these myself).

Bacteria can be killed by antibiotics. Antibiotics are drugs that either interfere with the cell walls of the bacteria or the cell itself, killing it, or the drug stops them multiplying.

Clearly if your cat has been ill with a viral infection for longer than usual, it may have developed into secondary infection requiring antibiotics. A visit to the vet will sort that out.

Antibiotics shouldn't be used carelessly on cats or ourselves as they can become less effective as the bacteria develops a resistance to the drug.

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Cat's Eyes Helping Whales

Photo copyright itchys published under a creative commons license (Flickr)

The science behind cat's eyes is helping whales.

In the UK the term "cat's eyes" refers to the reflective glass balls inside metal bases in the center of the road to mark out the center of the road. They were very common at one point. I'm talking about the 1950s to 70s. They are still seen but much less so. They were invented by a Yorkshireman who became a millionaire as a result of the invention. However, he refused to change his simple lifestyle (sounds a bit like a Yorkshireman) except he liked televisions and had a large number in his modest house. That was the extent of his extravagance. This was the era of the introduction of color television so perhaps he bought several of them.

He got the idea for reflective glass balls from cats. We all know how a cat's eyes reflect light in the dark. I explain this anatomical phenomenon on this page.

In new science recently revealed, scientists have built an underwater device that reflects back a tuned signal including sonar. Dolphins and whales produce sonar-like signals. If this device is placed on obstructions such as nets then a whale should pick up a reflected signal from the sonar telling the whale where the object is so that it can be avoided.

Oil and cable companies can use the device to mark out underwater structures. Its great benefit is that it is a passive device which does not require powering up with batteries. This makes its life underwater much longer and easier to manage.

It is nice to see the "technology" behind a humble cat's eyes being used to benefit other animals, particularly endangered animals. We can learn a lot from a cat's anatomy as their senses are very fine. We can also learn from their behavior. Such patience and naturalness is humbling.

Photos:

bottom - copyright Stigs - what is interesting about this photo is that there is a reflection in the shiny floor of the cats eyes. First time I have seen that.

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Cat Health Tips

Cat health tips in this post is about the pulse. The pulse, as you almost certainly know, tells us the rate of heart beat of an animal. If a pulse is steady it is an indicator that all is well. It is one of many indicators and is not conclusive.

A cat's pulse should be between 120-200. This means 120-200 beats per minute. Clearly the pulse should be checked when your cat is relaxed and at rest.

You can measure the pulse with two fingers of a hand. Place the ball of the fingers (the area of the finger that is the last joint of the finger, on the side opposite to the nail) just inside the thigh of the cat. This will allow you to sense the femoral artery, which is near the surface in that area.

Alternatively, if your cat is slim enough, (mine isn't) you can feel the heart itself by placing your fingers over the area of the heart behind the left elbow. If you simply put your hand on the cat's chest you can feel it sometimes and then home in for a more accurate reading.

If you time the pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 that will give you the beats per minute.

If the pulse is weak this may apparently indicate anemia (I am not a vet). If over 200 beats per minute this may indicate a heart problem or an overactive thyroid gland. See the veterinarian.

Photo copyright XaOS

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Bengal Cat

The Bengal Cat used to be the exotic cat. There was a fascination with the idea of creating a hybrid by mating a wild cat with a domestic cat; bringing the wild into the living room. Cat lovers could have a little bit of nature in their home. Humankind has always struggled to master nature. Nature will always have the upper hand. Here, though, was an example of humankind mastering nature, manipulating it and controlling it by creating in, an almost god-like way, a sociable, socialized cat with a streak of wild nature locked within him, coursing through his veins.

The Bengal cat was and still is full of "bling" and zing. This cat is very inquisitive - that comes from the wild cat in him, the need to be alert and on guard to successfully survive. It also demonstrates intelligence and finely honed senses and skills. That said all domestic cats have fantastic senses that we can only dream about. Bengals are very athletic and can move quickly. They can be found perched up on high. I am thinking of photographs that I have seen of a Bengal cat on top of a door (or in a Christmas tree). That's the wild cat in him again - great climbing skills.

The Bengal cat is a cat that made a big impact when the breed was developed back in the 1970s. At that time there was a fascination with the early offspring, called F1 and F2s, the first and second generations from the wild leopard cat. The question was, what kind of cat was this? Well, a pretty normal cat really. Although the male F1-F3 are sterile.

The early days raise some questions of ethics to be honest. We know Jean Mill had the vision to create and develop this massively popular breed but she started in a way that calls into question some finer points of the rights and wrongs of human behavior. She is revered and has just retired. Whatever the good and bad of her program, pushed the correct buttons in terms of commercial success.

To me, the Savannah has taken over the mantle of the number one exotic cat (and there are many, including, for example, the Toyger, and Chausie). The Toyger has no wild blood while the Chausie is a classic wild/domestic hybrid; but both to me could be classified as exotic. Why? - because of their appearance. Both reflect the wild cat appearance, the Toyger a mini-tiger and the Chausie the Jungle cat.


Bengal Cat Eva photograph copyright bprimrose

F1 Savannahs are mightily impressive, large cats with the phrase, "I am all cat", written all over them. This is a highly commercial cat too, being "transformed" into the Ashera GD, the hypoallergenic wild cat hybrid from LifeStyle Pets (Allerca Cats). Is the Ashera GD a F1 or F2 Savannah? Don't know but probably yes.

I mention the Savannah as the Bengal cat has now become more of a standard domestic cat. The breeding program now is to mate Bengal with Bengal cat. But has the program gone wrong? I had thought that Bengal cats where free of genetically based illnesses. But apparently not. In the cat fancy we know that the gorgeous Maine Coon (what a tragedy) has a high incidence of the heart disease called HCM (causing thickening of the heart wall). This potentially fatal condition now haunts the Bengal cat breeding fraternity. How prevalent is it? - we don't know. But it is, it seems, fairly widespread.

This is really hurting the breeding program. Getting real again - I can't help but think that this is a result of Bengal Cat breeders not keeping their eyes on the ball and the wider issues. I am sure that the wild ancestor to this breed does not suffer from HCM so the condition has been "bred and spred" in effect by breeders who have sadly been less than watchful. There is also of course the motivation to keep problem areas quiet, in the breeding program. This is good commercially on a short term basis and profoundly bad for all and in every respect on a long term basis.

The pain that can be caused to an adopting family when their cat dies prematurely of an illness such as HCM is unpleasant to say the least. Most importantly though is the cat; we shouldn't be bringing cats into the world that have a fatal medical condition. We shouldn't even take the risk of bringing a cat into this world with such a condition. There are though many fine Bengal Cat breeders. Here's one and here's another.

Despite all that, this cat is hugely popular and there are many well known personalities who keep this breed of cat, Justin Hawkins and Jemima Khan are two examples. It isn't just the flashy coat, be it spotted or marbled or whether she has glitter or not. It's the personality that really counts.

I can remember making a video of my neighbors Bengal, Daniel. He is about twice as alert as my girl moggie and three times as quick. But he doesn't like his space invaded - check out the video to see what I mean.

Shocking to me is the fact that there are many wonderful Bengal cats that are abandoned by people who have probably found this cat a bit of a handful. Moral - you'll need to be a cat lover and be able to provide input and have some space to keep a Bengal cat. Ideally and this is by far the best solution, I think, you should have the means and space to build a substantial enclosure fully Bengal proof. That will bring peace of mind for you and contentment for him. Indoor cats are safest. Another option that comes to mind is leash training. Bengals are OK I understand for leash training (i.e. more trainable than a typical mixed breed cat). But you can't beat a nice big enclosure.

There is still far too much cat cruelty in the world. Some people hate cats (and I hate them). Some eat cats (shame on them). There is too much danger out there for domestic cats. We made a dangerous world for them, I am afraid.

Photographs:
top - copyright Helmi Flick - this is a classic Helmi, so very much her photography and so very much the best on the Internet.
Cat on leash copyright Princes Milady reproduced under CC
Cat in tree - copyright MysteryFaery reproduced under CC
Cat near window copyright diverevan reproduced under CC

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Cat Hoarding

Cat hoarding or animal hoarding is not uncommon. My research indicates, surprisingly, that it is not currently known what causes it. Cats are the most common animal to hoard. Older women are the most common hoarders. Hoarding, however, is not confined to old poor women.

For me, it has to be a form of mental illness as the hoarder is not thinking rationally. This is because they think they are doing some form of good for the cats but the cats are often in a poor state of health and dying prematurely. The form of mental illness is perhaps borderline. Their are many people with borderline mental illnesses who are able to present to the world a fairly normal persona. It could be argued that these people are just a bit odd but I think it must go further because as mentioned cats are dying around them and making a catastrophic mess in the home. This goes beyond laziness and ignorance and eccentricity.

Commonly the living conditions under which the hoarder and the cats co-habit are appalling, indicating a lack of control by the hoarder over his/her life. There are countless millions of people who live in appalling conditions, having totally lost control of their lives and/or given up. We can't be critical of them unless we know the reason and criticism is warranted. These people are left alone. It is the presence of cats (or other hoarded animals) that results in the attention of the authorities.

The hoarder will have a love of cats (if she is a cat hoarder) but cannot translate it into creating an environment beneficial to the welfare of the cats. In other words cannot express that love properly. They must have a low level sense of concern for others. This indicates an introverted mentality, living internally, which may indicate neglect, for example, as a child.

I am surprised that we are still in the dark as to the causes. The Journal of The American Veterinarian Association says that 76% are female, 46% are 60 years or over - older females and living alone.

Cat hoarding - Update 12-9-08: I've done a bit more work on this as cat hoarding regularly pops up in the news. Almost every week we see and example of it and often there are a very large number of cats a substantial proportion of which have died while the remainder are in poor health.

A study by MASSHOUSING Community Services Conference, 2007 Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD found that statistically the type of person most likely to be an cat hoarder (or animal hoarder as the study was concerned with animal hoarding) was a woman who was older, isolated and "socioeconomically disadvantaged". I think this last phrase means financially poor and living in the "underclass" (no cruelty or rudeness intended).

The study identified three types of person. First there is the overwhelmed caregiver. This type of cat hoarding is in part due to a change of circumstances and being unable to problem solve effectively. The person's self esteem is bound up with caring for the cats (or animals). The cat hoarding happens is a passive manner i.e. it just creeps up on her I think it fair to say.

Another type of cat hoarding is by a rescue worker. The rescue work leads to a compulsion and adoption of the rescued cats falls away and the population of cats thereby increases.

The third type of cat hoarding is by a person the study described as the "Exploiter Hoarder". This type of person has sociopathic tendencies (antisocial personality disorder - disregard for the rights of others) and lacks empathy towards the cats (or animals). This sort of person has no concept or concern for harm caused.

Personally I think that the majority of people involved in cat hoarding are people who are:

• Unable to cope adequately
• Poor problem solvers therefore
  
• Have few friends - outsiders
• Find comfort in animal company
• But can't cope with caring for animals due to poor problem solving
  
• Lose control of the situation due to poor problem solving
  
• And lack sensitivity for the suffering of the cats or animals. They have a tenderness ostensibly but are actually quite cold emotionally. This coldness may come from a lack of emotional development - arrested development could be a factor.

Picture: Lots of cats - this picture copyright ulfhednarr is in fact of barn cats so it is simply giving a feel for what a lot of cats together is like. They are not hoarded cats to the best of my knowledge.

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Cat Naps

I'm partial to cat naps these days What's the difference between a human, cat nap and a cat, cat nap? Or for that matter a power nap?

Cat naps and power naps are the same, only the former is not hip and unrelated to work. The high power, highly ambitious executive is desperate for a kip (UK speak for a short sleep). He can't have a cat nap so he calls it a power nap to make himself more efficient. You can see that I am very unambitious.

For people like me it's all about cat naps. I'm not old old just a bit old and I don't sleep as well as I used to so I feel sleepy after breakfast !! I can feel that nap coming along again.... When we have the time to have a nap we sometimes take it and this is the case with cats.

Cats are so efficient at killing they can spend a massive amount of time doing nothing in between. And doing nothing translates into sleeping.

Cats therefore have a completely different sleep pattern to us humans unless you're an oldy. Cats sleep about 16 hours daily. This is twice our usual 8 hours (I need about 5 these days).

This is 2/3 of her life, or 10 years out of 15 years. Sounds like a waste of a life to some humans, but sleeping is pleasant enough. It's only humans that feel the need to achieve something with their lives; cats just live and don't try and put some meaning into it that frankly isn't there.

Cats have developed this ability or habit of sleeping for such long periods because they need very little time to catch the food (in the wild of course). Even more so now as it's given to them. Thy are far more efficient than a dog for instance in chasing and killing their food.

Other animals have similar habits. The owl comes to mind, an extremely efficient killer. You can see them sleeping for long periods before catching a rodent.

The phrase "cat nap" doesn't imply anything more than light sleep. My cat spends most of the time just resting; you could barely call it sleeping as she is 3/4 awake. You can tell she is in deep sleep as she twitches and gurgles etc. She also has a recurring nightmare when she wakes up with a little scream and a grumble. Her deep sleep lasts for quite a short time, about 10 minutes. When this period of sleep has ended she enters a phase of light sleep of about 30 minutes.

In between bouts of light to deep sleep she has her cat naps. During her naps she is essentially alert (strange to be partially asleep and alert at the same time) and her ears will swivel towards sounds that are of interest, usually the sound of the microwave warming up some fish or prawns. That gets her up sharp.

Photograph copyright calico courtney brooke

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Cat Teeth Neck Lesions

Cat Teeth Neck Lesions are occurring far more frequently now that 25 years ago. What are they? Doctors, lawyers and dentists etc. like to use fancy language to describe conditions.

A "lesion" (a term we hear about a lot in medicine as it also refers to soft tissue) is a general term that describes an area of the body that is not normal. The abnormality could be due to injury or disease. The word comes from the latin, "laesio", which means an attack or injury.

OK, lesions in the teeth are going to be holes, cracks or bits knocked off. In this instance it refers to holes (eroded areas). Where are these defects? The "neck" of the tooth is the area of the boundary between the gum and the tooth, just below the gum line.

We have then a hole in the tooth just below the gum line. How did it get there? Vets aren't sure. There are a number of theories. But, there has been an large increase, as mentioned, in occurrence, over the past 25 years. What has happened over these years? Is it that vets are more aware of the problem? Is it something to do with the food that cats eat? The accumulation of plaque plays an important part in initiating the onset of this condition, it seems. Humans have plaque. Plaque is food debris combined with salivary protein and bacteria. It causes gum disease (periodontal disease).

The bacteria in plaque like sugars and starches. Sugars are found in foods containing carbohydrates. The bacteria that thrive on this sort of food produce acid. The acid destroys the tooth enamel causing tooth decay (holes in the tooth).

Is it unreasonable to surmise that the greater incidence of Cat Teeth Neck Lesions is due to the proliferation of dry cat food (kibble) which has high levels of carbohydrates in it? Indeed wet cat food has carbs in it as well. Cats don't need carbs as they live off animals (protein and roughage) in the wild. Wild cats don't suffer from Cat Teeth Neck Lesions. My personal and unscientific and untested conclusion is that dry cat food could be the culprit.

Photograph copyright husbandunit (there is no connection with this cat's teeth and the posting) - reproduced under creative commons.

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Cat Head Butting

Cat head butting is something we have all seen and experienced. We know that it is a friendly greeting as it has all the appearances of that.

It's underlying purpose is as an extension of the scent exchange process that takes place between cats and between cats and humans (cats think that we are cats).

Head to head scent exchange between cats is carried our by rubbing the side of the head against each other. It is harder for a cat to do this with humans because the difference in size, but they manage by a little hop or a cat might even jump up a higher position and do it from there. The also rub the sides of the body against human legs.

Scent glands are located on the side of the face and flanks so it makes sense to rub with these areas of the body. There are no scent glands that I know of on the top of the head but this is still part of the overall scent exchange process. Once their scent is exchanged the cat feels more comfortable and the sharing of scents creates a communal family scent. Scents are a form of communication for the cat as spoken language is more of a form of communication for us (although smell is also useful for humans). Cat head butting is therefore akin to a pat on the shoulder and a friendly 'Hi, how are you' greeting or something more slangy.

A cat will check your scent by licking his body after rubbing against you to taste it. There is a well known picture of a cat head butting a horse's head on the Internet. I care for a stray cat and he loves to head butt, doing it a lot before settling in to eat. He is obviously pleased to see me (I wonder why :-).

Photo: copyright firepile reproduced under creative commons

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Choose a cat breeder online

It is not wise to choose a cat breeder online. Always visit the cattery and see for yourself or have someone else you trust do it for you if traveling is a problem.

However, I think that you can tell quite a lot from a cat breeder's website. You can, to a certain extent, choose a cat breeder online or a least whittle down the selection.

What to look for online? The first thing to ask is what is the Google Page Rank. Google page rank is a measure of how many other sites (good quality sites ideally) point to the site in question. If a site is very good a lot of sites will connect to it as it will benefit the other sites to make this connection. This means the cat breeder's site has good information in it beyond simply promoting the cattery. This in turn tells us the cattery owner is knowledgeable and probably thoughtful. Obviously these are not certain black and white tests, but they are good guidelines. You can find out page rank from the Google tool bar, which can be installed for free. It is in the middle of the lower line of the tool bar normally.

A site that comes to mind is the Bengal cat breeder Foothill Felines . I know it as HDW - Inc. It is a big site that is a lot more than about cat breeding. Not many could or want to build a site like this one. But this kind of site gives us a clear message that these people are knowledgeable and concerned and ambitious. A good combination and worth checking out.

Another indicator linked to Page rank is whether the cat breeder's site is listed in the first 1-3 pages of a Google search. The higher the better. A high listing means a well established site of reasonable size plus page rank. It will normally have a reasonable number visitors too. If the site is competing with many others, such as in the Bengal cat breeding market and is still ranked highly that is very commendable as it is difficult to achieve that.

I also like it when the site is well written and set out. If it is highly functional and well written that must be a good sign.

Some catteries are small, hobby catteries. In fact most are like this it seems. You can't expect some to have a good website or a website at all and this does not mean that they are no good, obviously. They may use one of the many cat breeders directories instead. There is no shortcut here - a visit is the only way.

Bottom line - a website is a good indicator to shortlist the catteries; then visit them.

Photo - Maine Coon Cattery - copyright felidaetina - this is the catteries first litter - gorgeous.

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Cruelty to Cats

Why is there cruelty to cats? Where does this desire originate in the mind of humans? It seems difficult to imagine how someone can be cruel bearing in mind the fact that humans have the ability to empathize with other animals. In other words we understand that if we are cruel and cause suffering the animal will feel pain. This should be a form of resistance to causing pain. For some if is not.

Clearly if the person thinks that the cat (or obviously any animal) does not feel pain then there can be neither empathy nor cruelty. That is (at least in part) why some Chinese and Koreans kill cats so brutally and eat them (this is not a racist remark. It is a rational statement commenting on a country's culture).

But cat cruelty is also frequently encountered in the West, in countries such as the UK and USA, countries where there are a lot of animal and cat lovers. Here are two cases; one killed the cat by punching and drowning and the other man killed a neighbors cat by sealing the cat in plastic bags and throwing the weighted bag into a canal.

What is going through the head of people from these countries when they are cruel to cats? They are getting a "high" on an endorphin (or endorphine) rush when they are cruel. When endorphins are released in the brain we feel better. This is the reward, feeling better.

Why should people get an endorphin rush from cruelty to animals? Because being cruel is closely associated with the innate predatory exploits of mankind. Many thousands of years ago (and still today in certain parts of the world) in order to survive humans had to hunt and kill. Successful hunting produces an endorphin rush. The kill, the blood and the side effects of hunting are associated with the release of endorphins. It is the pleasure from this release that helps to drive us.

We get the overlap between the reward of feeling better for successfully killing an animal to survive and the step further for causing pain, a by product of killing.

99% of us rationalize this and control it. Those of us who are living more on their instincts due to a lack of education or poor upbringing or poor experiences step over the barrier and cause pain to cats through cruelty without compunction and take pleasure in the act.

In Britain causing unnecessary suffering to cats (and other proscribed animals) is, under a successful prosecution, punishable by imprisonment for a maximum of 51 weeks and/or a maximum fine of £20,000 under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

One last point but an important point. In the USA 20 million cats have been declawed. This is a legal procedure in the USA even though 99% of the time it is carried out for non-therapeutic purposes. This is cruelty to cats by veterinarians. Shocking but true. Only one place has banned it: West Hollywood, California.

Photo of abandoned cat copyright by iCampbeℓℓ

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Some People Hate Cats

Why do some people hate cats? There can only be two issues. One: they have been taught things about cats either deliberately or through actions that later in life translates to a dislike and distrust of cats. This is normally a dislike born out of a lack of proper education about cats. This sort of person can be retrained to like cats.

The other must be a dislike of animals generally. This sort of person has no problem killing animals either through hunting or out of malice. This sort of person must hate himself too as he is also an animal (as are we all).

The two reasons for disliking cats are therefore not based on sound grounds. One is ignorance, the other anger and malice directed indiscriminately.

There is no logical reason to dislike cats. They are fine companions and their presence enhances ones life. I would not trust a person who dislikes cats. I would also dislike a person who dislikes cats.

You can't hate a cat for acting naturally even if that means killing wildlife. We kill animals anyway and each other. You can't hate a cat because you think she thinks she is superior to you. This are your thoughts not the cats. Cats don't think like that anyway. Life is much simpler for a cat.

The basic argument is that if you dislike animals you are liable to create problems all your life because we are animals too, so you must dislike humans and yourself. If you dislike cats, you should accept that you are mistaken and learn why.

Here is some more on i hate cats

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Cat Anger and Jealousy

Angry cat © zalgon

Do cats feel anger and jealousy? People who mistreat cats think not, obviously. In fact the Chinese culture directs Chinese (although not all Chinese think this way) to think of cats as non-sentient beings akin to vegetables. If it moves eat it mentality.

I think cats have emotions. This is not a sentimental view but one based on observation over a long time.

Here's a story from a Yahoo Group. A favorite boy Siamese cat was loving and friendly towards his female human companion and keeper. Until a new Bengal cat came on the scene. He became angry and jealous towards his human companion when she played with the Bengal kitten.

What to do? Was it really anger? His behavior had certainly changed and he wanted to scratch rather than kiss his human companion. All the signs were there demonstrating emotion of the wrong kind.

The trouble was how to deal with it. It is hard to convey a subtle message that you still love your boy cat even when a new cat is on the scene.

The remedy in this instance was Dr. Bachs Holly remedy. Designed for humans but just as good for cats, it seems.

The Bachs Holly remedy is for anger arising out of jealousy or envy and suspicion - just the thing. It worked fine and he is back to kissing again. This is a true story. I have given a little rescue remedy to my cat on occasion to reduce stress which for my girl cat can lead to stress induced Cystitis. I then take a bit myself.

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Cat Skin Rashes

Cat at Vet - photo © cattoo

Cat skin rashes can be caused by Atopic Dermatitis; although there are numerous possible causes. Atopy is an allergic hypersensitivity to an allergen (a non-parasitic antigen causing hypersensitivity by over-production of the antibody immunoglobulin E - IgE). Humans have the same problems and a classic is being allergic to cat dander.

For cats (who are similar in many ways physiologically to humans - hence animal testing on cats) and humans the allergic reaction to substances in the atmosphere could be due to an immune system that is malfunctioning either due to an inherited condition and/or environmental factors.

I believe (or at least it is possible to believe) that some cats that have been deliberately breed within a tight gene pool may have compromised immune systems (I am thinking of Modern Siamese cats, for example). As Atopic Dermatitis is due to an immune system that is working against the welfare of the cat (over reacting due to being compromised) there may be a link between skin rashes and purebred cats. I have not seen any statistics to support this and this is pure speculation and chit chat. But it may be that skin conditions occur more frequently in purebred cats than mixed-breed cats. Anyone have any figures?

The actual mechanism for causing Atopic Dermatitis is unclear but in animals with this condition there is an imbalance between two different types of white blood cells. White blood cells provide the protection to invasion from foreign bodies.

There may be raised antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE) presence as well. I'm rambling a bit here but there is an instance of a cat being allergic to propane fuel (for a gas oven) for example. The skin became red and the hair fell out. In time and on removing the source of the problem (and with steroid treatment) a scab forms which eventually falls of leaving good skin. The hair grows back.

What I am saying is that skin rashes are not always caused by the usual things like fleas and over grooming. It could be something in the environment. A little judicious testing by the person keeping the cat could isolate the offending allergen and a resolution found. Thinking wider, if breeding purebred cats can jeopardize the cat's welfare some thought needs to be given to the wider issues of cat breeding generally.

A possible example of purebred breeding that may be having a negative impact on cats is the high incidence of heart disease in Bengal cats (specifically HCM) and Maine Coons. I am speculating that cat breeding without full knowledge of the medical consequencees can result in long term health issues associated with the entire cat breed and wider (as outcrossing takes place).

Fel d 1

Fel d 1 stands for Felis domesticus allergen 1. It is also called "cat dander". Domestic cats are one of the most important sources of allergic disease in the western world with about 10% of people allergic to cats.

The allergen is in cats saliva (and therefore on the fur) and secreted from perianal and lachrymal glands.

The allergic reaction can be mild (e.g. itching) or life threatening (severe asthma). Cat allergens are very common and difficult to avoid. An allergen is a substance (a non-parasitic antigen) that produces an immune response. The immune response is the production of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) an antibody. Its role is unclear but the response is inappropriate and causes allergic reaction such as sneezing and asthma.

Life Style Pets Inc claim to have modified the gene responsible for the production of the allergen in the domestic cats they breed (or are bred by affiliated cat breeders) thereby eliminating the allergic reaction. They don't explain themselves however.

For the first time I have become allergic to a cat (only slightly though). He is a stray who comes in for food and rest. When I touch him, within about a minute itch on the hand, head, legs for example. The itching need not be where I made contact with him. In fact I only have to look at him to start itching. This is because his dander is in the room.

I wash immediately after stroking him. I even kiss him sometimes, because my tenderness towards him outweighs the inconvenience of the allergic reaction.

Photo of Timmy the stray cat referred to in this post. He's crashed out on my chair having eaten three or four sachets of prime cat food.

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Cat Cloning A Mortal Sin

Cat cloning is a mortal sin under the Vaticans new list the seven deadly sins (anyway that's my assessment). The original seven deadly sins were: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. These are personal characteristics, the focus being on the individual.

In a modern world as it shrinks (and we become more connected with peoples from other countries) the Vatican has upgraded the list and come up with these:- drug abuse (drug abuse is as much an illness in fact, perhaps this is referring to drug dealing as well), excessive wealth, genetic manipulation, morally debatable experiments, environmental pollution, social inequalities and causing poverty. They are more outward looking and relate to our relationship with others including the world generally (we are all connected).

Of these sins, I am most interested in genetic manipulation and morally debatable experiments. The scientists doing these experiments are, it seems, motivated by the desire to improve the welfare of humans (or are they more interested in personal gain or the gain of the drug companies?).

I am particularly thinking of the recent experiment by Korean scientists to clone Turkish Angora cats that glow in the dark. The purpose was to better understand diseases related to mutant genes in humans and to discover cures. A cat's genetic make up is similar to ours.

The intention is to bred more cats with genetic diseases by implanting a mutant gene that causes a disease. If we recognize ourselves as frail and sinful humans (i.e. we gain humility and lose arrogance) we can, I believe, perceive such experiments as being morally wrong.

These experiments are done I believe without any regard for the cats. There is a distinct lack of respect for other animals if we permit ourselves to cause the creation of an animal that has a serious disease and which is liable to cause suffering. Even if it may help humans.

Why are we special and more important than cats? I don't see an argument to support that. We are cleverer in some respects but that is irrelevant.

The Korean scientists have committed a mortal sin as far as I am concerned. Korea is also a country where they eat cat meat. I don't like Korea.

Photograph of poster (taken in China or Korea?) copyright mac_vegetarian and reproduced under creative commons.

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American Bobcat's Ears

Bobcat up a tree resting

The American Bobcat's ears are a little bit special. This medium sized (30-35 lbs) wild cat has been in the local news again. There are about 750,000 in the US apparently. As usual they have been hunted and are, as a result, wary of humans. They are solitary and night hunters as is the case for many wild cats (the Scottish Wildcat for one).

However, on this occasion an American Bobcat was found in someones garden in Fort Smith, Arkansas, minding his/her own business. Just resting up, it seems. The police were called and the cat was tranquillized and returned to the wild. Slight overreaction? Not sure. But if she was not harming anyone and they generally keep clear of humans, why not just leave the cat alone and see if we can live in harmony with our wild fellow creatures? I guess that would be considered too dangerous. Mankind has great difficulty living in harmony with fellow creatures. Why is it so dysfunctional?

Anyway, the American Bobcat has white spots on the back of his ears. You can see one on the back of the left ear in the photograph heading this page. The photograph is copyright The Lilac Breasted Roller and reproduced under creative commons. It was taken in Eagle County near Vail, Colorado.

The spots are called Ocelli, false eyes, night eyes. They are found on a variety of animals and insects (butterflies). They are designed to give the impression that a predator is being looked at by the cat. I guess it's an extra pair of eyes albeit false. They would also confuse another animal.

The American Bobcat's ears can swivel very effectively (all cats have very flexible ear flaps). The spots can almost face forward when this cat is facing off another animal. She is therefore presenting a more frightening "image" to hostile action from another animal. An effective tool in survival.

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March on Chinese Embassy

March on the Chinese Embassy in London (peacefully of course) to protest the cruelty of the Chinese slaughter of cats in their pre-Olympic clean up. This is intolerable to many. The Chinese are treating cats as litter in their preparation for the Olympics. We are disgusted in you.

Is there anyone out there who would like to join me to get the ball rolling? Lets do something. This needs action not just words. A gazillion words have been written about the Chinese and their cruel treatment of cats and their poor human rights record. Right now what concerns me is the cats being captured and killed in Beijing by the thousand.

If anyone picks up this Blog post please visit the site and leave a comment confirming that you will join me and we'll organise something. The Embassy is in Portland Place (No 49-51) just south of Regents Park.

Photo copyright CokeeOrg

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Cat Food Jelly

Cat food jelly is a bit of a mystery and very tasty (to a cat). What is it about cat food jelly that makes cats lick it off, almost completely? What is it about the "meat" chunks in the jelly that makes cats leave it (sometimes almost completely)? This seems so wasteful to me. It seems unnatural as well. This post raises more questions than answers.

It seems that my cats eat about 2/3rds of a sachet and leave the rest - the dry, scrubbed (with their tongues) "meat" bits. Sometimes they eat much less of the sachet. If you add that to the bit that is left in the sachet when the food is squeezed out of it, you get a lot of waste. You also create an artificial need to buy more of it. Is this a cat food manufacturer "profit making exercise"?

I am researching the matter and it's hard to find answers. However, we know this. The food in the sachet is 82% "moisture". This is another word (a more acceptable word to the manufacturer) for water. Sure cats need water but it seems odd that it costs so much when in cat food. Maybe cat food should be dry and we then add water, wouldn't that be cheaper for us and better?

Of course if a cat was in the wild he would eat other animals and animals are made up of about 90% water (is that correct? - I understand that animal cells are composed of 90% water). So the cat food does in some regards mimic the real world in the wild where animals eat other animals.

Back to the jelly. It must contain something that tastes great to a cat. And the bit in the middle must be tasteless. This food only contains 4% of "meat and animal derivatives" (this refers to Whiskas complete pet food for senior cats, an example).

This is not 4% of chicken (meaning whole chicken flesh). What's a "derivative"? The EEC has described it as, "a material obtained from an animal tissue by a manufacturing process such as collagen, gelatine, monoclonal antibodies". It is not necessarily strictly speaking animal tissue, therefore but derived from it.

Conclusion: The bottom line is this. There is not much actual meat that we think of as meat in cat food of this type ("with chicken) , say about 2% (guess) of the sachet.

There is nothing on the packet that tells me what is in the jelly that makes it taste so good to a cat. It seems that the taste is improved by "palatability enhancers". These are reducing sugars and amino acids. An example of a reducing sugar is glucose. My guess is that cats like the jelly because it is sugary. I also think that the entire sachet is tasteless without the palatability enhancers. Is that good for the cat?

They don't eat the chunks because they are tasteless. The idea is that the cat will eat the jelly and inadvertently eat the tasteless bits at the same time. The chunks are probably tasteless because the food is rendered and processed to the point where is becomes a product far removed from what we would think of as "food".

Sources: Various inc. Petfoodindustry.com
Photo: copyright Whiteleaf

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Caging Males in Cat Breeding

Caging males in cat breeding is one aspect of the breeding process that I have difficulty with. I am not a cat breeder, but I realize that male cats that are not neutered and breeding cats need to be in a cage to make life manageable for the neighbors, the cat breeder and more importantly to protect the female cats and manage the breeding process. Males that are not neutered can be terrible sprayers and they need a decent supply of females to satisfy their natural urge to mate. It is unfair to expect one female to service him as she will become frazzled. Three females will suffice.

Sometimes he is kept in a cage alone. This seems cruel to me or am I being a bit silly? He is bound to get lonely and in any case how big are these cages? It seems as if it is zoo-like conditions but the cages are probably smaller than in a zoo.

Caged male cats can howl and become difficult and depressed. It is apparently better for him if he has a spayed female for company. He may still mate with a spayed female, however. Put a big old girl in with him to boss him a bit.

The reality of cat breeding is not as sometimes perceived as is the case for many things in life. Caging males in cat breeding is one reality that I could do without.

Photo: Caged cat - not a breeding male cat though - photo copyright AmUnivers

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Chinese killing and eating Cats

Some Chinese are killing and eating cats in the many thousands, perhaps killing in the tens of thousands. The killing of cats has escalated pre-Olympics as a "clean up". There are an estimated 500,000 cats in and around Beijing. When I went to Beijing in the late 1970s it was highly polluted, with a high rate of throat cancer. There has not been much change over the years it seems, but now the government is forcing factories that pollute to shut down or relocate.

The worst measures are the trapping and slaughtering of domestic cats. The government has promoted the idea that cats spread disease. Some Chinese believe this and abandon their pet cats. They then get picked up, crammed into crates and sent for slaughter. Either that or sent to the infamous district of Guangzhou in southern China, where they market cats as fresh food, boil them, skin them alive and do any manner of brutally cruel things as they believe that animals are no more sentient than vegetables. Wrong and ignorant behavior.

Apparently, the Chinese people involved in this culling, killing call it what you like, don't even have the morality and decency to apply a lethal injection. The cats just starve or die of disease in cramped cages.

I hate this type of behavior. It makes me feel sick. I have to forget about it as it hurts too much.

Total shame on the Chinese involved. I would love to see some athletes boycott these games, tough though that decision would be. I can't see a country boycotting the games - just too political.

One last point many millions of cats are deliberately killed each year in north America as there is an over population of feral cats and abandoned cats. Not much different just less visible but at least killing is under controlled conditions and painless. I am sure many thousands suffer the same fate in the UK too. The Chinese killing and eating cats is not the only cruelty perpetrated on cats but it is probably the worst and certainly the most infamous.

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Lynx an attractive wild cat

The Lynx is attractive wild cat, particularly when she is photographed as well as she has by the Flickr photographer known as Little Lioness (photograph above reproduced under creative commons and copyright Little Lioness). You can see that rustic, coarse, functional tabby coat in the picture above. This cat looks very "jowly" (wide at the cheeks) , a male domestic cat attribute. There is a strong "eyeliner" around the eyes, something that some cat breeders would kill for.

This is a solitary cat endangered in Canada (and Spain - the Iberian Lynx) and is also found in northern and eastern European countries such as Russia and Slovenia, Poland for example. She is also, of course, found in the USA. She is hard to spot being shy of humans (wise, must have learnt).

There were some reports of matings between the Lynx and domestic cats in the US but these are not DNA test verified.

This wild cat is medium in size (at the bottom end in her size range, the Canada Lynx weighs about 25 lbs, and is not that much larger than a large domestic cat). The Iberian Lynx is a bit heavier at about 28 lbs and the Eurasian Lynx the heaviest as 46 lbs. A large Maine Coon might weight 20+ lbs and some Savannahs (a hybrid wildcat) have apparently weighed in at almost 30 lbs.

Hunting Lynx is illegal in many countries, thankfully. Hunting in general ought to be illegal in my opinion. There is no place for it in a modern world. It is a barbaric throwback to a time when it was necessary to hunt to stay alive. Now it is just a cruel sport.

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Cat Food - Ash

It is all but impossible to find out what Cat Food Ash is. There are articles on it but they are contradictory.

We know cat food contains ash, but why? We also know that ash is the particles (I think it's carbon particles and other particles, such as inorganic matter - see below) left over after something has been fully burnt.

We also know that ash is not added to cat food (why should it be) - so why is it listed? Ash is commonly listed under Analysis on the packet of cat food. Interestingly the word "ingredients" is not used. Why can't the manufacturers use the word "ingredients" and then tell us what ash actually is? Answer: to make the whole thing gray and vague. I'm not saying it's done to confuse us though, just make it more difficult to understand.

The most normal answer that I have found on the Internet as to what ash is, explains that cat food is cooked at high temperatures leaving some ash which is made up of minerals. In other words a small proportion of the organic matter (the flesh and bone etc.) is burnt (when cooked) leaving stuff that doesn't burn, minerals.

The other answer that I have found is that when the cat food is analyised it is burnt and the ash that is left over contains minerals (or is entirely made up of minerals - not sure which). This tells us how much in the way of minerals are in the cat the food. But if this is the case why can't the manufacturers simply say "minerals" on the packet and then list the minerals?

Conclusion: Ash is, I believe, minerals. Minerals are inorganic matter, which in turn are substances not based on carbon but of mineral origin (definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure). An example of inorganic matter that is a mineral would be Graphite or Copper Citrate.

Moving on, why is it in cat food? Do cats need minerals for health? The answer is yes, all animals need traces of minerals in their body for its proper functioning. Metals come in mineral form such as mentioned above, Copper Citrate. Iron is needed in the blood as it is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, another example.

Photograph copyright robinsan reproduced under creative commons

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Hervey Foundation for Cats

Marjorie Hervey is founder of the Hervey Foundation for Cats, a charitable foundation set up in 1998 to rehome cats and care for them.

I admire tremendously anyone who can devote so much time and energy to such a fine cause. Our domestic cats need this sort of help as the world can be quite hostile for some cats.

Unfortunately some people are less altruistic and just plain bad and one such person is Marjorie's former partner, Stewart Bright who tried to destroy the foundation out of spite and malice after they split up.

He hacked into her computer systems and sent false and defamatory emails with the intention of maligning Marjorie and thereby destroy her charity. He was also found guilty of possession of child pornography (an indication of the kind of person he truly is). Not only did he hurt Marjorie he hurt many vulnerable cats. We don't like people who hurt cats do we?

I hope Marjorie's cat foundation recovers quickly and I wish her continued success. She has a fine website. Click here to go to it.

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American Bobcat Hybrids

American Bobcat

American Bobcat Hybrids are known to have occurred. The American Bobcat (F Rufus) is similar to the domestic cat. There is quite a small step from this small wild cat to the domestic cat, which is reinforced by the fact that (s)he has been known to mate with domestic cats (without people's intervention that is).

Some examples of recorded matings between the Bobcat and domestic cats producing American Bobcat Hybrids:

1949 - Sandy Creek, Texas - Offspring observed

1954 - South Dakota, mating between a Bobcat and black female domestic cat. Allegedly, 7 kittens born but only 3 can be attributed to the mating it seems. The kittens had tufted ears, bob tails and large wild cat feet.

1961 - 5 kittens, 2 were like domestic cats and three like Bobcats (tufted ears, white bellies and spots). When adult they were like dark American Bobcats.

1980s - Claimed by some that the original domestic American Bobtail was a cross between the American Bobcat and a domestic cat. No genetic evidence. Apparently Siamese females were the preferred mate for the Bobcat. This must have been the Traditional Siamese.

1980s? - Other alleged Bobcat hybrids are the Pixie-Bob and the American Lynx. There is no genetic evidence to support the argument that the Pixie-Bob is a wild/domestic hybridization. I think the same is true of the American Lynx.

The fact is that, understandably, cat breeders will create an interest in the cat they are breeding, which is more easily achieved if it can be claimed that the cat is a wild cat/domestic cat hybrid. This seems to have been the case with the American Lynx and Desert Lynx but no genetic markers have been found.

There are other cats where the origin of the breed has been associated with a "discovery" in wild and exotic places. The evidence to support these discoveries is thin. Examples that comes to mind are the Sokoke and the Abyssinian.

Photograph copyright ucumari
Source: Messybeast

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Hypoallergenic cat food

Photograph copyright fofurasfelinas

What is hypoallergenic cat food? I'd never heard of it until recently. I'd certainly never considered buying it. My cat, though, has a skin condition, dandruff or flaky skin. This, in her case, is caused, I believe, by a lack of proper grooming on her back, which she can't get to due to her size! Although her diet might exacerbate the problem.

Purina call it, "Dietetic food for reduction of ingredient and nutrient intolerances". It is intended to be food that reduces or eliminates the chance of your cat having an allergic reaction to an ingredient in her food. Hypoallergenic food is therefore cat food that removes elements of your cat's normal food that may cause allergic reactions.

One such food is Purina Veterinary Diet Feline HA. A mouthful :-) What does this really mean? In my view cat food manufacturers are understandably very commercial in a competitive market and prone to making claims that are on the edge of reality. It could also be argued that some manufacturers are practicing double standards in presenting themselves as concerned about cat welfare while conducting animal testing to improve their products (or make them more marketable). Purina is one such company.

Hypoallergenic cat food is essentially an elimination diet. An elimination diet is one used by doctors (for humans) and vets (for cats) to see if our cat is allergic to an ingredient in her normal food. See the update below for other versions of hypoallergenic cat food as described by Dr. Hodgkins.

The ingredients in the Hypoallergenic cat food must therefore be known to not cause an allergic reaction or at least be very unlikely to do so. If during eating this cat food your cat's symptoms improve or clear up it will be a strong indication that she is allergic to something in her normal diet. In short this food is a diagnostic tool. The problem is you won't know exactly what she is allergic to. This means she will have stay on the Hypoallergenic cat food permanently or further tests carried out by your vet to isolate the causative ingredient.

It seems strange to permanently feed your cat with a product that is essentially meant to be a diagnostic tool. Although it is formulated to be eaten permanently.

The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) makes regulations on claims about drugs. The UK equivalent is the Department of Health and MHRA I believe. FDA says two important things. First the usual elimination diet is lamb and rice and second that prolonged eating of an elimination diet may produce an allergic reaction to this diet or components of it.

Many hypoallergenic cat foods were apparently made up of lamb and rice and designed to turn an elimination diet into a full time diet. One such food that can be bought in the UK is Grau Complete Cat Food Lamb & Rice. Claims are then made that the food would resolve symptoms of food allergy.

You can see that the science as practiced by the food manufacturers in this matter is naturally rather vague and imprecise. This has to be the case because they are trying to substitute a proper trial by a veterinarian with a food that may ease symptoms. It other words it is a form of treatment albeit vague and imprecise.

Purina's Purina Veterinary Diet Feline HA can be bought without a vet's recommendations from general food outlets. However it would seem sensible to get a vet's input but that would mean trials and cost, a big barrier for many.

Conclusion: I exercise caution when buying such products (and in respect of claims). Such products are by nature more expensive (usually) and in the long term it might be cheaper and more sensible to seek a vet's input and find out the problem ingredient and eliminate it from your cat's food (it may though be difficult to isolate the rogue ingredient). You've got to start with your vet anyway if your cat is showing signs of food allergy.

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Update: Dr. Hodgkins is well known for her soundly argued thoughts about commercial cat food and has written a book about cat health ("Your Cat"), which describes how modern commercially produced cat food can have a negative impact on cat's health.

One relevant area is food allergies. Vets are, it seems, dealing with more cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS). Dr. Hodgkins believes there is a relatively simple explanation to the increase in incidence of this condition and its cause.

IBD occurs in the cat's gastrointestinal organs (the digestive tract/organs). These organs incorrectly stimulate the immune system causing disrupted digestion and fluids to come into the intestines (and stomach) causing diarrhea and vomiting. IBD is therefore an immune system disease. A cat's food is most likely to be the substance in the digestive system that causes this incorrect stimulation of the immune system. This indicates that cats are eating the wrong food (i.e. food that contains ingredients that are detrimental to a cat's health).

Treatment for IBD includes administration of drugs that suppress the immune system but these deal with the symptoms but not the cause. The food manufacturers have formulated "second generation" hypoallergenic cat foods in response to this heightened problem. These are expensive and the protein in them has been broken down to amino acids (the basic component of protein). Dr. Hodgkins argues that this hypoallergenic cat food may help but some of the ingredients that cause the allergic reaction are still present.

It is also possible apparently to buy wet canned cat food that contains low carbohydrate concentrations, which can alleviate mild cases of IBD (Dr. Hodgkins prefers canned Innovative Veterinary Diets a hypoallergenic cat food- this I presume is USA based food only).

However, Dr. Hodgkins prefers to go back to basics and try and replicate the cats normal diet (i.e the wild cat's diet) which does not contain artificial ingredients and is not over processed. Accordingly, she recommends a raw meat diet for all cats who suffer from IBD who do not recover after trying the best hypoallergenic canned food mentioned above (Innovative).

A raw food diet needs proper preparation with care. Most veterinarians find this recommendation unacceptable she admits.

The header photograph is published under a creative commons license - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License


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Cat Fur - Switzerland

photo copyright by nozomiiqel - this is not Switzerland but a shop selling furs in China.

Cat Fur is processed in Switzerland I am staggered to discover. The country could become the hub of the cat fur trade in Europe unless they ban it.

Firstly, I am shocked that the Swiss deal in domestic cat skins. Come on Switzerland! It's worse. Apparently some believe that cat fur eases rheumatism. Another example of a demonstration of the greed and ignorance of mankind manifest in cruelty to domestic cats. I had thought better of the Swiss. India farmers and gypsies in Tamil Nadu think cats blood is good for the health.

It is reported that some Swiss were traveling over the border into France to steal domestic cats from the streets, import them into Switzerland, kill them (how was that done - unregulated I'll bet), skin them and make fur products (or export the fur). If people buy fur products (especially from China) I'd ask some serious questions. Actually I'd make an assumption that the fur is cat's fur or perhaps a dog and don't buy it.

It will shortly be illegal to produce cat fur (I presume this means deal in cat fur as cats produce the fur) in Europe under new legislation.

Bardot and Shumacher were involved in a petition to the Swiss government who are responding positively it seems (wait and see). Although the Swiss government called the petition sentimental in part. This is not sentimentalism. It is about the law and doing what people desire should be done in the interests of decency and morality.

This is no better than some other countries such as India, China and Vietnam, where cat meat is eaten. I've added Switzerland to the list of named and shamed countries.

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Bengal Cat Congenital Deformities

It is hard to image such a beautiful cat as the Bengal cat being subject to congenital deformities. Yet it is true. Congenital deformities mentioned here are not particular to Bengal cats and the photographs (copyright Feral Indeed! under creative commons) are clearly not of Bengal cats but are illustrative only of one example of congenital deformity - polydactyl toes. I wonder if the Asian Leopard Cat occasionally suffers from congenital deformities.

It goes without saying (but I'll say it) that careful controls should be in place to track breeding lines in which these problems are found to gradually eliminate or at least minimize the occurrence.

Bengal Cat congenital deformities occasionally include chest compression. It is called Pectus Excavatum and is found in other breeds and dwarf cats (in which it may be more prevalent).

Another deformity is kneecap (the Pattelar) displacement. Once again it is not confined to Bengal cats. This is unsurprising because the Bengal is bred from Asian Leopard to domestic cats and these conditions have, I believe, been imported into the breeding programme from the domestic cat side. This condition can be treated through surgery.

Finally, there is Hip Dysplasia. This is a hereditary disease also found in dogs and sometimes humans too. When this condition is present the ball and socket joint where the top of the leg meets the hip malfunctions due to either (a) misshaped ball and/or socket and (b) a poor, loose and partial fit of the ball into the socket.

These are some examples, there are other such as crooked tails, crossed eyes (Siamese), extra toes (Polydactyl cat, see photos - Hemingway cats after the cats kept by the famous writer).

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Note: I am not criticizing Bengal cats or Hemingway cats, just chatting about cats. Also congenital deformities such as polydactylism is very benign indeed. I like poly cats and Bengal cats! I hope people don't misunderstand this post. For genetic diseases in purebred cats this is the page to see: Genetic Diseases in Purebred Cats. The diseases that are associated with the Bengal are listed on that page.

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Bengal Cat Coat Glitter

Bengal cat coat glitter - Photograph of Bengal cat copyright Helmi Flick. It is obviously difficult to photograph "glitter" on a coat when you are photographing the whole cat. A macro shot is normally required I would have thought.

Bengal Cat Coat Glitter is obviously a sought after quality giving even more "bling" to a cat possessed with a considerable amount of bling already. However, in terms of the breed standard no preference is to be given to a cat with glitter over one who has not.

What causes it? Can the cat breeders make sure their cats have it? The Bengal cat is essentially a tabby cat, although you can hardly believe it. The black or dark patterns in various shapes from spotted, rosetted and marbled for example are the tabby gene (T) at work in combination with the agouti (A) gene producing banding on the individual hair shafts.

I had thought that glitter was due to the effect of the agouti gene. If the top band of a banded (agouti) individual hair is yellow/red/ or golden in color and these particular hairs are scattered over an area then the glitter effect may be apparent. It seemed to me that you have to add a highly reflective quality to the hair shaft, as well. This would indicate to me that the hair shaft is glossier or less matt (i.e. smoother) to allow light to reflect from it in one direction producing that sharp reflection. A smoother (less ridging) or straighter shaft (c.f. the curly hairs of the American curl for example) would also let the natural oils produced by the subaceous glands pass down the shaft more easily. This would make the hair more glossy and reflective. The Bengal cat coat is very tight to the body, smooth and silky naturally in any event. However, this it seems that this is not the case.

Apparently in some cats it is caused by deposits of mica, a silicate crystal, in the tip of the hair shaft. This crystal is reflective. The deposits are, it is thought, due to a recessive gene mutation as yet not fully identified.

In some cats the effect is throughout the hair shaft. This is called satin glitter. In this instance the hair shaft has air trapped in it (apparently) and it is these areas that reflect the light differently causing the satin sheen effect. This is also caused by a recessive and as yet not fully identified gene. This effect is also found in Oriental type cats.

What is interesting is where this came from and why it exists. It makes the cat more noticeable, a detriment in survival. I have doubts that it would occur naturally in the wild and is possibly a by product of the breeding programme. But I may well be wrong? Please tell me if I am.

Update 11-3-08: AKerr's Bengals say that glitter is possibly caused by the shape and make up of the hair shaft being different (i.e. that it is not due to the reasons set out above). In the hair shaft that glitters the shaft is "like asparagus" with triangular ridges down the shaft. These are more pronounced than on normal hair. The shaft is thinner too. This different configuration reflects/refracts the light in a way causing glitter. More research is being carried out on this desirable effect.

They also say that it is a recessive gene that directs this effect and that this gene originates in the street cat imported from India by Jean Mill at the outset of her breeding programme.

Sources:

• Messybeast
• AKerr's Bengals

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Cat Food Ingredients

I never looked at cat food ingredients until recently. I never knew that some large pet food manufacturers were involved in animal testing until I began building the Picture of Cats website.

However, when we have a good look the ingredients look a bit strange. There is in fact a bit of skill required in reading cat food ingredients. Wet cat food contains a lot of "moisture" so the percentage of a particular ingredient should be calculated on a dry food basis. This means removing the moisture. In doing this we can compare dry with wet food and the percentage levels of ingredients between different manufacturers.

In the example taken here, Kitekat Tuna and Salmon, the moisture content is 82% leaving 18% real ingredients. We divide the ingredient by .18 to get a true figure.

Here are the cat food ingredients of KiteKat tinned (wet) cat food manufactured by Masterfoods.

The can contains meat and animal derivates, fish and fish derivates, minimum 4% tuna and minimum 4% Salmon, plus vegetable protein extracts and minerals.

The breakdown is:

- Protein 7%. Divided by .18 makes 39% (rounded figure)
- Oil 5% (I presume that this is fat) Divided by .18 makes 28% (rounded figure)
- Ash 2.5% (this is minerals) Divided by .18 makes 14% (rounded figure)
- Fiber 0.3% Divided by .18 makes 1.67%
- Moisture 82% (this is essentially water but it seems cannot be just plain water as the ingredients above do not add up to 100%. This water therefore contains unspecified material or the difference is due to the vegetable protein extracts and minerals referred to - am I wrong?)
Vitamin E 8mg/kg. This means 8 parts in one million or .0008%

The total dry basis ingredients amount to 82.67%. There is no mention of Taurine an amino acid essential to the health of cats which would it seems be an added supplement. There is also no mention of carbohydrates.

These figures do not it seems compare well with USA cat food ingredients. The USA is obviously the biggest cat food market by far. US cat food contains higher levels of protein at 40-66%, lower levels of fats at 4.5-28%. In the US they typically have 75% moisture levels. Looks like rip of Britain again.

I will be discussing other cat foods in other posts to make comparisons.

Photo copyright by frida27ponce

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