Karen Leigh Davis - The Everything Cat Book

The EVERYTHING Series

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THE EVERYTHING CAT BOOK,
2nd Edition

All you need to know about
caring for your favorite feline friends

Karen Leigh Davis

Adams Media
Avon, Massachusetts

Copyright 1997, 2007, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.

Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59337-577-8

ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-577-5

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Davis, Karen Leigh

The everything cat book / Karen Leigh Davis. 2nd ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 1-59337-577-8

1. Cats. I. Title.

SF447.D37 2006
636.8dc22
2006015951

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.

For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

Contents

Dedication

To Snooky, Jagger, Orphan, Hoot, Cinder, Brandon, and Samantha, who all helped me become a better, more knowledgeable cat person. I honor your memory by loving and caring for the cats that share this time of my life, and by helping other people learn to love, appreciate, and care for their pets the way I loved you.

Top Ten Fun and Fascinating Feline Tidbits

1. The ancient Egyptian sun god Ra took the form of a cat in order to fight the forces of evil.

2. A Chinese myth says the cat originated from a cross between a lion and a monkey. From the lion came courage, dignity grace, and strength, and from the monkey came curiosity, playfulness, and a mischievous nature.

3. Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Frederic Chopin, Emily Bront, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, and Teddy Roosevelt all loved cats and preferred their company to that of dogs.

4. Japanese mythology tells of evil changeling cats that would murder princesses and assume their forms in order to cast evil spells on the princes of the realm.

5. The ruling class of ancient Egypt believed that cats held great power with the gods, and looked to certain feline movements and behaviors as predictions of the future.

6. The average cat has five toes on the front feet and four on the hind feet, but an inherited trait known as polydactyly can cause a cat to have extra toes on the front feet.

7. Cats rarely get carsick. The same inner ear structure that gives the cat its uncanny sense of balance also safeguards it from getting motion sickness.

8. White cats have a much higher chance of having some level of genetically linked hearing deficiency than do cats of different colors.

9. According to legend, the Manx cat, a tailless breed, dawdled as it went up the ramp of Noah's ark. An impatient Noah slammed the door on the cat's tail, cutting it off short.

10. According to legend, kinked tails, a genetic abnormality sometimes seen in the Siamese and other Asian breeds, are said to have originated with the royal Siam princesses, who removed their rings before bathing and placed them on the tails of their royal Siamese cats for safekeeping.

Introduction

The cat. An animal of endless subtlety, elegance, and grace. Discriminating yet tender, stylish yet capable, the cat has fascinated and beguiled humans for thousands of years. Unlike the faithful, dutiful dog, whose motivations are plain for all to see, the cat has never been that easy to typecast. An independent, elusive, mysterious, refined, and unpredictable animal, the feline seems to pride itself on being capable of stepping back into its wild ways at a moment's notice.

Revered by the ancient Egyptians, feared and maligned by zealots during Europe's Middle Ages, respected and valued as a competent mouser and ratter, and treasured as a sublime companion by scores of different cultures throughout history, the cat has been and continues to be a provocative and absorbing subject of interest for many, including artists, doctors, psychologists, writers, scientists, philosophers, and everyday people like you and me.

But what are these quiet creatures really like? Why are they so fastidiously clean? What enables them to be such fantastic athletes? Why are they such efficient hunters? How do they perceive their world? Can they see and hear things that humans cannot? And why have they been so misunderstood by mankind at times? You'll find the answers to these questions and much more contained here.

If you've never had a cat before, you'll also learn all about acquiring and owning one. Anyone who has ever lived with a cat knows that ownership is arranged according to the cat's terms and not yours. Part of the charm of having a cat companion is being able to understand and share in the life of an animal that clearly appreciates the creature comforts of a warm, loving home, yet forever maintains a close kinship with all things wild and untamed.

Within these pages, you will find information on a wide range of topics about cats, including history, anatomy, psychology, common illnesses, health and dental care, breed differences, proper diet, breeding, and showing, as well as why it's so important to spay or neuter your cat if you're not intent on becoming a professional breeder.

Please remember that the health information in this book is designed for your reference only, and cannot substitute for professional advice from a veterinarian. Medical advances occur steadily, treatment protocols change, new vaccines are developed, and new diseases are discovered and conquered. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to keep up with the changes that can impact your cat's health and well-being. Ongoing pet-owner education is important. Let this book be part of your cat-education foundation. Whether you are considering acquiring a cat, or you already have one and wish to know as much as possible about it, this book is an ideal reference for you. It isn't called