Intro to Cats Flashcards
Background: Order, Family
- Order Carnivora
- Family Felidae
- Felis catus or Felis domesticus or Felis silvestris catus
- Maybe derived from European wild cat: Felis silvestris
Background: Domestication, Continents
- Probably first domesticated in Egypt
- Probably 2nd animal to be domesticated after dog
- Domesticated about 5,000 years ago (evidence of cat buried with owner on island of Cyprus)
- Indigenous to all continents except Australia and Antarctica
Terminology: Female
Queen
Terminology: Male
Tom
Terminology: Young and Shows
- Young: Kitten
- In shows, spayed/castrated cats are sometimes called alters
Anatomy: Teeth, paws, body
- Prominent canines, back teeth are sharp
Body is designed to be fast-running predator:
1. Digitigrade - helps with sprinting
2. Retractable claws
3. More vertebrae than other mammals - agility
4. Lack a collarbone
5. Strong jaws
Sight
- Binocular vision - depth perception for being a predator
- Poor sense of color
- Vision is poorer at distance
- Better in low light
tapetum lucidum
- A tissue in the back of the eye on the retina
- Works like night vision goggles - reflect light around the eye
- Helps cat in their ability to see in very low light - can see better than we can in low light
- What causes the glowing look in cats eyes
- They can’t see in total darkness
- Not unique to cats
Hearing
- Much better than humans at high frequencies
- may be able to hear rodents chewing
Smell
- Probably better than ours (Cats ~ 200 million receptors, human ~ 5 million)
- Not as good as a dog (~ 400 million)
Taste
- No “sweet” receptors
- fewer taste buds
Jacobson’s organ (vomeronasal organ)
- Especially for sexual odors (or pheromones)
- Flehmen response: curl upper lip and inhale which exposes Jacobson’s organs at the top of the mouth - (ex. to smell the queen and determine where she is in her reproductive cycle)
Glands
- Only have sweat glands on pads of feet (don’t sweat much or use sweat for cooling)
Scent glands
1. Glands around anus that will excrete some smells
2. Glands on pads of feet so when they scratch smthn they leave their scent
3. Glands on side of head or cheek - leave scent when rubbing on things
Balance/Feeling
Balance is exceptional
Can use their whiskers to “feel” their way:
* Nerve endings associated with those whiskers (studies about whiskers being damaged)
Carpal hairs on forelegs used as well
Lifespan
- Average 15 years +
- Record - 38 years, 3 days (maybe)
Choosing Cat as a Pet
Things to Consider
Things to consider:
* Cats are usually inexpensive (sort of)
* Keeping a cat may be VERY expensive
* LOTS of things you may need or want to get
Consider:
* Feed, vet bills, grooming, litter box cleaning, time to play or exercise cat
Also consider, the cat may not pay a lot of attention to you!
Cat Medical Expenses
- Altering (or dealing with kittens!)
- Vaccinations
- Dental
- Accidents, other ailments, etc
- Disposal when it dies
Equipment
Bed
Scratching post
Litter box
Feed dish
Water dish
Carrying crate
Toys
Collar (with nametag)
Grooming
Should brush from time to time - less likely to deal with hairballs
Traveling
- Train kittens to handle car-rides
- Have a good crate
- Kittens should view crate as a “secure area” - don’t make it for punishments
Elevated heights
- Cats like to be at human’s eye height or higher
- Good to give them a sleeping area of that height (elevated area)
Altering Cats: tom, queen
- Neuter toms, spay queens
- Do it unless you plan to breed them AND have a demand for the kittens (ex. show winner cats or purebred)
Altering Cats: Advantages
- Cuts down on number of feral cats - wreak havoc on birds, small animals, spread disease, etc
Stops some unwanted behaviors:
* Spraying - urinating on things to leave their scent
* “Tom-catting” - going out, roaming around, looking for mates
* Obnoxious crying while in heat (Queens)
Health benefits:
* Eliminates uterine cancers
* Eliminates testicular cancers
* Decreases incidence of mammary tumors (changes hormone levels) - can be fairly common w/ intact Queens
* Roaming cats are more likely to be run over
Declawing
Removes defense if cat is left outside
Cats will scratch on something - get scratching post:
* Sharpens claws
* Stretches muscles
* Marks scents
Can trim claws regularly
Claw covers are available
Only need to remove front claws
Cat Breeds
- Calico - genes and sex linkage w calicos
- Manx - genetics of missing tail
- Maine Coon - biggest breed of cat
- Siamese - genetics
- Persian - shortened nose
Cat Pheremone: Feliway
Feliway:
Claims to mimic “facial pheremone”
Uses:
1. Calm cats
2. Discourage urination in unwanted areas
3. Limit aggression
Actual ingredient: plant Nepetalactone - which is found in catnip:
1. Mildly “hallucinogenic” for cats - most cats like it
2. Affects about 80% of cats
3. Safe for cats
