Dec 1, Purring In Pain.

Why do cats purr? Is a question that cat lovers often ask themselves.
Pet your cat, stroke her, pick her up and cuddle her and she is quite likely to reward you with a long soothing purr.
Does you cat like being petted? Of course she does, she is not likely to allow you to do it if she didn't.
So it would seem it is easy to answer the question ?Why do cats purr?? with the answer ?Because they are content.?
Contented cats do indeed purr, but . . . contentment is not the only reason that cats make that rumbling vocal sound. Domestic cats are known to purr for a number of reasons and in a number of circumstances.
It seems to be contradictory, but some cats not only purr when they are happy or content but also when they are ill, or in pain and even when about to die.
Why do cats purr? Cats are known to purr for a number of reasons and in a number of circumstances. Female cats purr while they deliver kittens. It could be argued that this is because they are happy to be producing a litter, but they will also be in pain and discomfort, yet they purr.
Why do cats purr when they are ill? There are several theories. It is thought that an unwell or injured cat may find purring to be comforting, it helps to calm the cat down. Others believe that the purr may help the healing process.
Why do cats purr when they are injured? Yet another theory is that a sick or injured cat purrs to signal, to other cats or other predatory animals, that it is not a threat. Again, some feel that a sick cat may use the vocal rumble to plead for care from humans.
My own experience of a cat purring when injured was when a much loved cat companion of mine, Basil, came off the worse after a meeting with a moving motor vehicle.
The poor Tabby's hind leg was flattened and almost stripped of flesh. He must have been in considerable pain, and yet he was purring away like mad. Was this a plea for me to help him? Was he comforting himself? Was this an involuntary reaction, part of a cat's natural healing mechanism? Quite possibly the purring could have been any or all of these things.
Naturally my concern was to get him to a veterinarian as soon as possible, so I did not notice how long the purring lasted or whether he still purred when we arrived at the vets. But I could not have failed to hear that sound when I first found him injured, it was a very loud and clear vibrating rumble, a very definite demonstration to me that cats do not only purr when they are content.
A cat that is nervous, stressed or upset may respond by purring and may feel some comfort by doing so. Could this be the feline equivalent of whistling in the dark?
A cat may approach another cat, not to fight over territory, but to be friends. Purring in this instance, may be one way the cat signals that she or he means no harm. Cats mainly communicate with their body language, the purring may be anadditional way of indicating friendliness, the feline equivalent of smiling perhaps?
A kitten is able to purr a few days after being born, they can purr long before they can meow, and they can do so while suckling the mother cat's nipple. The mom cat may purr back in response, thus a communication is established that reassures mom and kitten that all is well.
Newborn kittens are not able to see or hear, but they are able to feel the vibrations of their mother's purring. It is believed that mom's purrs can help guide her kittens to her nipples.
No matter what the message your cat is communicating, those vibrating rumbles could be therapeutic for you as well as your cat. You could find that holding your purring kitty, or siting with her purring away in your lap, is first class stress relief treatment.
Nursing homes and other health facilities have long known that those in their care can benefit from having access to pets, and cats are perhaps the most popular of therapy pets.
It is very comforting to stroke a cat of course, but whilst it has not been scientifically proven, many people believe that it is the purring that makes the patients feel so much better.

Very recent research carried out at the University of Sussex in England concludes that some cats may use a special kind of purr to prompt their humans into feeding them, or giving them attention.
Researchers state that this Soliciting Purr, as they have named it, is a subtle mix of normal purring and a Cry that has a similar frequency to the crying of a human baby.
A cat's human may have learned not to respond to their feline meowing for food, or may react by putting the cat outside the room. However, as the cry is at a low level within the purring the human may not even be aware of it, or be conscious of the fact that they are being manipulated by their pet.
Not every cat employs the soliciting purr, but it seems that those who do have learned to use it after experiencing success at getting what they want.

So now you know that the question ?Why do cats purr? can have many answers. But for whatever reason they do it, it sure is good to have a purring cat in your lap.
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Dec 25, Bad Cat Is your cat behaving badly?

Sadly many cats get returned to the shelter because of the unrealistic expectations of the humans that adopt them.
Perhaps they expected the cat or kitten to be trouble free all the time.
Maybe they envisioned a cute ball of fur that keeps out of the way until the human wants to pick it up and stroke it. A pet that is never any problem, is never misbehaving, is never a bad cat.
Life with cats is not like that. There will be problems. Although most cats are relatively well behaved most of the time, there are certain to be occasions when they are not.
We can only judge behavior by our own standards. If a cat scratches the decor and the furnishings, we call it bad behavior. We call the cat naughty for behaving in that way because scratching spoils our stuff.
But how does the cat see it? The cat certainly does not think themselves bad for scratching on the furniture. To the cat scratching is natural, instinctive behavior.
We cannot convince the cat that it is unacceptable to scratch. We can provide a place for the cat to scratch that is acceptable to both the cat and us ? a scratching post.
It seems that the most often given reason for returning a cat to a shelter is inappropriate elimination. In other words the cat is going outside the litter box.
A bad cat? Or just a misunderstood cat that behaves badly now and then?Cats do not usually have a problem with using litter boxes, they are very clean animals.
To a cat the litter is very similar to the dirt (earth) outside where they would go if they were in the wild, or where an outside only cat would go. If a cat does have a problem using the litter box it does not make it a bad cat. The problem could be that the cat is ill. There could be something that makes using the box painful for the cat, a urinary tract infection for example.
If your cat has a clean bill of health from the veterinarian then there could be other problems, such as . . .
Location. The litter box in the wrong place may mean your cat won't use it. Wrong litter for your cat, too scented perhaps. Wrong litter box, too high sided for a kitten, an elderly cat or a cat with joint problems.
If you have many cats, do you have enough litter boxes?
Believe it or not, some people expect a cat to use a dirty litter box and call the poor animal a bad cat when it refuses to do so. Cats demand clean litter trays. If the restroom at your place of work was not clean wouldn't you complain? Of course you would and so will your cat.
More information here - Cat Urine Problems.
Is your cat's behavior aggressive? Does your cat have an aggressively dominant personality? Does your cat attack you or other humans? Does your cat attack or bully your other pets.
Domestic cats can be aggressive for many reasons. It can be difficult to live with a belligerent feline, but with a little patience that aggression can be turned around and you can have a calm, loving pet. See - Cat Aggression.
Remember when your cat was a kitten? Do you remember how amusing it was to watch her antics, how delightful you found her mischievous behavior?
Why is it then that now your cat is a little older you find her mischievousness to be bad behavior? Maybe you expect her to have learned which actions make her a good cat and which actions make her a bad cat. (Your cat can learn of course, with your help - cats learn mainly by praise and reward and not by punishment.)
But do you want a cat who is never playful, or even a bit impish? There is a difference of course in being playfully lively and swinging on the drapes, or peeing on the floor.
However, ask yourself if you would really like your cat to be oh-so-good, and lay in some out of the way place all the time without ever letting you know she was around. A little mischief can give your pet personality. Besides, many felines spend so much of the day sleeping there is little time for them to be a truly bad cat.
Does your cat beg for your food at meal times? Does your bad cat jump on the kitchen counter? Read this page - Cat Behavioral Problems ? for some helpful information.
If your cat is inside the home all the time then she is safe from the dangers of the outside world. However, she does not have the stimulation of the outside world either and that could be a problem.
Is she or he often home alone? Most likely she will spend time taking cat naps, perhaps sit at the window and watch the world for a spell. Eat her kibble, take a drink, groom herself . . .and then what? Scratch at the decor, knock something off a shelf maybe, just for stimulation to stop herself from being bored out of her mind. She doesn't want to be a bad cat, she is just fed up.
Does she have a condo she can climb to amuse herself?
When your cat is left by herself, does she have access to interactive cat toys, the kind that she can play with on her own, like the tracks that have a ball trapped inside that a cat can bat around. Soft balls that she can flick and chase, a peek and play toy, hanging toys that she can bat at.
Try not to leave the same toys out for your cat day after day. Switch them around. After a week of not having a particular toy it will be new to her when she plays with it again.
Just like children who don't have anything to interest them are likely to misbehave, so too is a cat that is bored likely to behave badly.
Home from work after a hard day, all you want to do is enjoy a meal, unwind and relax.
Can you find a little time to play with your cat? A play session benefits your cat in so many ways. If your cat is indoors all day it will help burn some of that pent up energy and give her some stimulation. She will have less inclination for that bad cat behavior. Playing also helps increase the bond between the two of you and helps keep your pet in trim.
How about a short playtime before you head off to work, is that possible? It could mean that while you are away kitty does more snoozing and less naughty cat stuff.
Most cats crave attention to some degree. Some want very little, as long as they have the necessities, food and water etc. they are content just to be around the place. Others like attention a lot.
Sadly many cats get returned to the shelter because of the unrealistic expectations of the humans that adopt them.
Often the kind of attention they want is affection, petting or even a cuddle. They may desire a grooming session or perhaps a playtime.
Sometimes they just want your attention off of what you are doing and on to them. And when a cat wants your attention she can do some crazy things to get it. Maybe she will just rub against your leg until she gets it. If that doesn't work . . .
She may yowl, howl, cry or meow excessively.
If you are at your p.c. she may place herself in front of the screen. She may charge around the place like a mad thing. She may even use her claws on you.
It's easy to see this attention seeking as bad cat behavior.
What to do about it is the question. If your cat does something that you do not like to get you to acknowledge her, or to stroke her, and you give her what she wants, then you have rewarded her bad cat tactics. And the next time she wants attention guess what she will do.
The answer is to ignore her. If all she is doing to get you to notice her is rubbing against your legs, you may not mind that and you may be happy to give her attention. But if she is yowling or worse, you don't want to reward that. Ignore it if you can.
If her behavior can't be ignored, place her in another room, cut her off from you. Sounds cruel but it may be the only way to show her she can't get what she wants by behaving badly. It takes patience, it takes consistency.
Reward her with your attention and fuss when she is behaving in a way that you want her to behave, after all she deserves it.
. . .would two cats, or more, behave any better?
It is often said that if you are going to adopt a cat, then adopt two as they will be company for each other when you are out of the house.
Yes, cats can be company for each other and two cats can be twice the joy for you. But getting another cat, or kitten, may not be an answer to bad cat behavior.
If you had a particularly naughty child, then producing a baby brother or sister for them is not likely to have the desired effect on their behavior. It's pretty much the same with cats.
Most cats can live quite peaceably in a multi-cat home when the social order has been sorted out. However it is not as simple as bringing home a new cat or kitten, and expecting your old and new pets to get on with each other right from the get go. (See Introducing a new kitten. Before two, or more, cats can live together in relative harmony a hierarchy has to be established. To do that may involve much squabbling and even fighting between the cats.
This is not to say that more than one cat is not a good idea, but you may end up swapping the bad cat problems of a bored solitary feline, for the exasperating rowdiness of hierarchal disputes.
Perhaps there are situations where the best course of action is for the cat to be returned to the shelter. A cat that constantly bites and scratches, and can't be trained out of it, in a home with young children would not be suitable.
But most cats can, with love and patience, be trained. ( Cat Training.) A bad cat? No, a cat with behavioral problems that just needs a bit of training.
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Dec 8, This is Little Missy(Grey-female) and PeeWee(Calico-male)

by Jesalene Newgard
(Spencer, IA, USA)

These litle angels are so precious and very playful.... They give us soooo much joy and lots of laughs. PeeWee is a rare kitten to have, anyway, that is what I have been reading and hearing. One he is the runt of the litter and two he is Calico and male. These little babies were born on 10/30/10.
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Nov 26, Ragdoll Cats - The Easy Going Ragdoll Breed.

Pick up Ragdoll cats and they are reputed to become limp and supple, that is how they got their name.
There is a highly unlikely myth that the first Ragdoll kittens inherited this trait because their white semi-longhair mother was injured by being hit by an automobile. A far more likely explanation is that the nature of these cats stems from a coincidence of their character genes.
Another myth concerning this car accident is that Ragdoll cats are resistant to pain, this is complete nonsense of course - - -
Ragdolls are as sensitive to pain as any other living breathing creature.
The Ragdoll breed was created in 1963 in the state of California USA. The original breeder, Ann Baker, claimed non-pedigree parentage, but it is very likely that both Birman and Burmese genes were present along the line.
Ann Baker founded the IRCA organization in 1971, and made very strict rules for owners of her Ragdolls. The IRCA is still in existence today, however the Ragdolls that are produced by the IRCA are not accepted by other major cat associations.
Denny Dayton owned a pair of Ann Baker's original IRCA Ragdoll cats and recognized that this beautiful breed needed to be standardized, and fought to get Ragdolls accepted by the different associations in the cat fancy. The Ragdoll breed was first recognized in the United States in 1967.
An early alternative name was Cherubim, and some variations of the breed are known as Ragamuffins.
This cat is powerfully built, it has a wide chest, large round paws, and a broad head with wide cheeks. The eyes are round, slightly slanted, and are of a very pleasing deep blue. Adult males weigh an average of 12 to 22 pounds or more, females weigh about 10 to 15 pounds on average, the Guinness Book of world records lists the Ragdoll breed as the largest domestic cat.
Ragdoll cats have dense silky coats, longhaired but without an undercoat, so they do not have the grooming problems of Persians.
A colorpoint Ragdoll has darker points ears, tail, face, and feet, with a lighter body shade. The nose leather and paw pads match the color of its points.
Mitted Ragdolls have dark points and a lighter body shade, but also have white gloves (or mittens) on their forepaws, and white gauntlets (or laces) worn on their hind paws, a white chin, white ruff, and a white strip on the stomach.
A bi-color Ragdoll cat will have the dark points on the ears and tail, but the mask will be broken by an inverted V running between the eyes and widening into the muzzle.Bib, chest, underbody and front legs are white. Bi-colors will have pink nose leather and paw pads.
Ragdoll kittens are born white and develop color slowly, the color will continue to deepen as the cat gets older.
This breed is said to possess a non fighting instinct, in other words if they are attacked they do not fight back to defend themselves. These gentle gaints are also very trusting and view all humans as their friend, it is for this reason that it is often recommended that Ragdolls are kept as indoors only cats.
The breed is very people oriented and these cats love to be around humans, often following their owners from room to room. Ragdolls are extremely easy going, docile, non-aggressive cats, very good with children. They tend to relax when held, you can put Ragdolls on their backs and rub their tummies which, unlike most cats, they enjoy immensely.
Ragdolls are fairly active and love playing with a good range of toys, and insist on being involved in whatever is going on. They have a quiet, pleasant voice which they do not over exercise but they will cry out at mealtime.
There is a growing interest in Ragdoll cats and small wonder, for they are indeed a very beautiful cat with a sweet temperament.
To learn much more about Ragdolls visit this very informative site FloppyCats.com Cat Calendars . Cat Travel Tips. Kitten Calendars . Cat Excessive Grooming . Cats and Halloween . Self Cleaning Litter Box . Why Premium Cat Food? . Elderly Cat Health Cat Bite. Cat Myths : Untruths and myths about cats.
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