Some domestic cat facts

Domestic cats are descended from the European wild cat, African wild cat and Asiatic desert cat. At some point these ancestors of our modern day cats, began coming into the cities to hunt the abundant rodents that were attracted by peoples food stores and are thought to have been human human companions for over 5000 years.

People welcomed wildcats when they realized that they were killing off the rodents that stole their food and people would leave scraps of food outside their houses to encourage the wildcats to stay near and hunt at their home and still today cats are valued for their ability to control rats and mice.

Cats made towns and cities their homes as there they had more than enough to eat, comfortable shelter and the protection of humans. Domestic cats now live on every continent except Antarctica and have evolved into over fifty distinct breeds with 36 recognised breeds of pedigree.

These intelligent, inquisitive and social animals in their wild state would range over 1-2 square miles to hunt but today they are comfortable in a small garden providing they have a human to care for them and supply all their needs.

How to know if your cat is happy and healthy:
A happy or contented cat will sleep a lot, eat well, go outside or use its litter box to toilet. It will have clean shiny fur and be affectionate especially near mealtime.

Cats are clean animals, they licking themselves clean which results in fur collecting in their stomachs and they remedy this by eating grass to aid their digestion and get rid of the fur.

Like us, as cats age and are also susceptible to obesity, arthritis and other degenerative diseases. An unhealthy cat will sleep a lot, meow, purr and complain, its fur will look dull, display impaired movement, it may eat less, vomit or have diarrhea and may toilet in inappropriate places.

Some symptoms of failing feline health are:

• Inappropriate elimination behaviour
• Changes in mood and interactions
• Changes in activity patterns
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
• Changes in food and water consumption
• Changes in grooming
• Signs of stress
• Changes in vocalization
• Bad breath or odour

• Feeding 2x daily unless they are catching and eating rats and mice.
  • Cats require a meat based diet and
  • they must have fat in their diet as they are unable to produce it on their own.
• Fresh clean water 24/7
• A home/yard and territory that they feel secure
• Boundaries or rules, attention and affection

• Cats have a personality
• Owning a cat is good for our health and can decrease the occurrence of high blood pressure and other illnesses.
• Stroking a cat helps to relieve stress
• The feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.
• A cat has 230 bones.
• A cat's hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
• The cat's tail helps it to maintain balance.
• Cats see six times better in the dark and at night than humans.
• A healthy cat has a temperature between 38 and 39 degrees celcius.
• The the male cat reaches sexual maturity between 9 and 12 months and female cat at around 6 to 10 months. Cat pregnant lasts for approximately 9 weeks or between 62 and 65 days from conception to delivery with an average litter of 2 - 6 kittens.
• Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.
• Cats need taurine in their diet to avoid blindness.
• When a cats rubs up against you, the cat is marking you with it's scent claiming ownership.
• Milk can give some cats diarrhea.
• On average, a cat will sleep for 16 hours a day.
• A domestic cat can run at speeds of 30 mph.
• The cat's front paw has 5 toes and the back paws have 4.
• An adult cat has 30 teeth, 16 on the top and 14 on the bottom.