Cats Have Emotions

Cat looking for love (at June 2005) - photo by fofurasfelinas

The above cat's name is Chihiro. I hope and believe that he found love!

Recent research by Dr Paul Morris at the University of Portsmouth, England indicates that cats have emotions and are more self aware than we thought. This research applies primarily to dogs but applies to other animals.

He found that dogs can react in a jealous manner, for example, when they try and break up a relationship between the dog "owner" (keeper) and another person.

Dr Friederike's research at the University of Vienna's neurobiological department supports these findings. He described dogs feeling strong emotions of jealousy when they observe that other dogs are getting preferential treatment.

This concerns me as I have a stray boy cat coming in to the home that I feel obliged to feed but which may be upsetting my girl cat. This research doesn't surprise me. A lot of people treat cats as if they have emotions already. Observers said that they were anthropomorphizing their cat. But this seems now to have been unfair criticism.

Perhaps I am being simplistic but it always looks to me as if cats have emotions. And I am talking about the more subtle secondary emotions such as guilt, jealousy and even embarrassment.

One of the underlying reasons for mistreatment of animals, dogs and cats mainly, is the ignorance of people. Many people treat cats as if they are little more than inanimate objects. Yet a cats ability to feel emotions allows us to create a bond with our cat.

That begs the perhaps extreme question of whether a cat can like his/her human companion sufficiently to qualify calling it love. This is probably possible. Indeed there are certainly many cases of cats and dogs loving/liking their human companions more than the human is liked by their human partner.

I hope this research is well publicized as it should reduce incidences of maltreatment of cats or at least increase the prospect of better treatment of them. This is because people will be aware that a cat is more able to be hurt emotionally.

It seems to me that people are gradually becoming more aware that animals are more intelligent and have a greater capacity to behave and feel in a manner closer to that of humans than first thought. It is good that this research supports what a lot of us believed, that cats have emotions.

Cats have emotions to home page

Photo: published under creative commons

Pictures of Bengal Cats

This is a post that contains thumbnail photos of the best pictures of Bengal cats that link to very large format images together with information about the cat concerned. Click on the thumbnail photographs or the text link to see a large format image.

The pictures are by Helmi Flick. They are the best photographs of the best Bengal cats. I don't think that you will find better on the internet.

THRILLER -- Outstanding Sire, International Winner, Regional Winner, Supreme Grand Champion Bengal Cat --- OS IW RW SGC

RAVI -- RW SGC Junglebook Ravi Singh (DOB 5/10/04)

MOMO -- RW SGC Belara Custom's Dream of Jabari

There are more pictures of Bengal cats to come.

Pictures of Bengal Cats to Bengal cats for sale

Cat Cruelty in California

I bumped into this cat cruelty in California inadvertently. This is a particularly nasty case. A certain 24 year old Californian, Timothy Kooyman, has been in trouble before for animal cruelty.

On this occasion it is alleged that he set fire to a cat that then ran into the bush causing a brush fire. He poured gasoline over the cat and set the cat on fire. It it is true, it is a shame he didn't do it carelessly and set himself on fire at the same time.

He also allegedly mutilated 2 cats by cutting their tails off and breaking all their legs. They were found, alive, in his car in a plastic storage bin. They were euthanized, mercifully.

This person needs medical treatment if he did this (he has had medical treatment following an earlier animal abuse case apparently). Here is a picture of him. He looks depressed. He is ill but a very bad, indeed evil person if convicted.


Kooyman

The maximum penalty on conviction in California for animal cruelty (as at the date of this post and to the best of my knowledge) is a $20,000 fine and one years imprisonment.

I am not sure about this but I think it is good to have a long hard look at the person who allegedly did this (lets remind us, though, that he is innocent until proven guilty, although the evidence against him is almost certain to result in conviction and he has already been convicted for animal cruelty in the past).

This is the kind of person who is sadistic to vulnerable creatures. He looks like the kind of person who could do it. But sometimes very cruel people don't look like they could be cruel. We tend to stereotype people. Kooyman looks stereotypical in this picture.

Cat Cruelty in California to Cats and the Law

Cat Cruelty in California -- Photo of Kooyman: I believe the person(s) or legal entity who have copyright to this picture have waived it. If I am wrong please advise ASAP by leaving a comment - thanks.

Which sex of cat is better with kids?

Photo by Mad Mex

If you're thinking of adopting a domestic cat and have a family, you might be asking, ' Which sex of cat is better with kids?'

My research on this (from cat breeders comments and thoughts) is that there is no clearly well defined answer. The sex of the cat is relatively unimportant compared to what we do or have done.

For example, is the cat well socialized? This means that if the cat has been acquired from a cat breeder, has the breeder ensured that the cat is familiar with people, including children? The cat should be comfortable around adult people and children. Achieving this is in the hands of the breeder if the cat is deliberately bred (i.e. is probably a purebred cat).

Even if the cat is well socialized one has to ask, 'are the children well socialized'. I mean the human children. No matter how well socialized the cat is, if the children chase around the house screaming and misbehaving a cat will feel insecure.

Also, no matter how well the cat breeder has done, some individual cats will naturally be less predisposed to dealing well with children. My cat is a moggie. She is well behaved. She is though frightened of the sound of children screaming. This is just individual differences.

The type cat breed can make a difference but the other factors are probably bigger. Some cats are less active, for example. Are these more likely to get on with children. Yes and No. Persians and Ragdolls for example are calm. But they can be nervous under certain circumstances.

To me the answer to the question, 'which sex of cat is better with kids?', might be a further question, ' are we, as a family, able to provide a secure and cat friendly home to a cat?' If the answer is, 'yes', we need not worry to much about the sex of the cat.

Update: It seems that cat breeders lean a little towards boy cats being better with kids. Perhaps this is because they are slightly more outgoing and relaxed.

Which sex of cat is better with kids? to Home Page

Photo published under creative commons license:

Helmi Flicks Cat Show Calendar

Here is Helmi Flick Cat Show Calendar for 2009 and 2010 (2009 now archive material), for those of us who are fans of her cat photography. Ken and Helmi's professionalism is very high. If things change, I'll update the page.

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Cat Show Calendar 2009 and 2010:

Jan 16-18, 2009 Cherry Hill NJ – TICA Jersey State

[Jan 20, 2009 On Location Shoot, New Jersey]

Feb 14-15, 2009 Waco TX – TICA Heart of Texas Cat Show

Mar 28-29, 2009 Vinton LA – TICA Maine Coonfederacy

Apr 04-05, 2009 Atlanta GA – TICA Hotlanta Cool Cats Cat Show

Apr 25-26, 2009 Oklahoma City OK – TICA Thunderkatz

May 23-24, 2009 Wichita KS – TICA KansasKatz Cat Show

Jun 06-07, 2009 Fitchburg MA – TICA Mysticats Cat Show

[Jun 09, 2009 Private Salon On-Location Shoot – Gardner MA]

Jul 25-26, 2009 Pigeon Forge TN – TICA Southeast REGION
[Aug 01-02, 2009 Ken wrangles for Preston: Wichita Falls TX]

Sep 05-06, 2009 Orlando FL – TICA ANNUAL

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Jan 29-31, 2010 Edison NJ – TICA Jersey State Feline Fanciers

Feb 13-14, 2010 Waco TX – TICA Heart of Texas Cat Show

Mar 06-07, 2010 Providence RI – TICA Cats on the Beach Show

Mar 13-14, 2010 Denver CO – TICA Colorado Cats Cat Show

Mar 26-28, 2010 Houston TX – TICA Cat Rebel’s Confederacy

Apr 17-18, 2010 Mesquite TX – CFA North Texas Cat Show

Apr 24-25, 2010 Oklahoma City OK – TICA Thunderkatz

Jul 09-11, 2010 Houston TX – TICA Cat Rebel’s Confederacy

Sep 18-19, 2010 Wichita KS – TICA KansasKatz Cat Show

Oct 23-24, 2010* Atlanta GA – TICA *

Jul 23-24, 2011 Wichita Falls TX – TICA SC Regional

*Penciled in

Helmi Flick also likes to work at an international level and welcomes invitations. Ken and Helmi can be contacted at helmi [at] helmiflick.com. When you're probably the best cat photographer, the world is your work place. Ken wrote an article about their international cat photography experiences in Japan.

You can see Helmi and Ken working at the recent TICA Waxahachie Cat Show (Nov 22-23rd 2008).

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Previous years 2007 and 2008:

Cat Show Calendar 2007:

Jan 19-21, 2007 Cherry Hill NJ – TICA Jersey State

Feb 10-11, 2007 Waco TX – TICA Heart of Texas Cat Show

Mar 10-11, 2007 Phoenix AZ – CFA Superstition Cat Fanciers

Apr 07-08, 2007 New Braunfels TX – TICA Mission City

Apr 28-29, 2007 Oklahoma City OK – TICA Thunderkatz

May 12-13, 2007 Mesquite TX – CFA Nat’l Maine Coon Cat Show

Jul 07-08, 2007 Wichita Falls TX – TICA Maine Coon Connection

Jul 14-15, 2007 Raleigh NC – TICA Southeast REGIONAL

Aug 03-05, 2007 Grand Rapids MI – TICA Great Lakes REGIONAL

Aug 18-19, 2007 Waco TX – TICA South Central REGIONAL

Sep 08-09, 2007 Humble TX – CFA Stars & Stripes Cat Show

Oct 13-14, 2007 Tulsa OK – TICA T-Townkatz Cat Show

Dec 07-09, 2007 Corpus Christi TX – TICA T.I.F.S. Cat Show

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Cat Show Calendar 2008:

Jan 18-20, 2008 Cherry Hill NJ – TICA Jersey State

Feb 09-10, 2008 Waco TX – TICA Heart of Texas Cat Show

Mar 29-30, 2008 Houston TX – CFA World Cat Congress

Apr 05-06, 2008 New Braunfels TX – Mission City

Apr 26-27, 2008 Oklahoma City OK – TICA Thunderkatz

Jul 12-13, 2008 Waco TX – TICA Lone Star & NEKO Jr Achievers

[Jul 19-20, 2008 Wichita Falls TX – Ken Wrangles for Preston]

Jul 26-27, 2008 Orlando FL – TICA Southeast REGIONAL

Aug 16-17, 2008 Austin TX – TICA South Central REGIONAL

Aug 30-31, 2008 Arlington TX – TICA ANNUAL

Oct 03-05, 2008 Longview TX – TICA On Safari 2008

Nov 22-23, 2008 Waxahatchie TX – TICA Turkish Van Cat Show

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From Helmi Flick's Cat Show Calendar Helmi Flick Cat Photography