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Posts Tagged ‘cats’


What is a Tabby Cat?

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Interestingly, many people think that Tabby is a breed of cat. Not true; tabby is actually a pattern and not a breed.

The tabby pattern can be found in many breeds of cat and even mixed-breed cats. There are basically four tabby patterns that are genetically distinct including the mackerel, classic, spotted, and ticked in colors like brown, orange, gray, silver, and red. Mackerel tabbies are the most common and they have narrow striped coats along the sides of their bodies. Classic tabbies have a swirling pattern and often have distinctive bulls-eyes on their sides. Spotted tabbies have a more spotted pattern and ticked tabbies have individually striped hairs rather that striped coats. Most tabby cats have the distinctive M-shaped mark on their foreheads.

Some of the most famous tabbies of all time include Morris the 9 Lives “spokes cat”, cartoon cats Heathcliff and Garfield, and Theodore Roosevelt’s gray polydactyl tabby. A recent addition to the list of most famous tabby cats may be the most famous of all. She is a gray tabby cat named Nora, who was rescued from a NJ shelter and became an overnight UTube sensation. Her 2007 debut video showcased her piano playing skills in a duet with her owner. This video has been viewed over 15.8 million times to date and two sequel videos have been released since that time.

Do you have a special tabby cat in your life that you would like to see featured on the PETS 911 Facebook page? Submit a video or photo and a short note about what makes your tabby special to info@pets911.com.

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The frayed thread of the homeless and pets

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Over at Petlvr.com there is an article about the homeless and pets. They include some links and resources for everyday people and business owners such as Pets of the Homeless.

Many homeless individuals, whether temporarily or chronically homeless, own dogs, cats or both. In some areas of the United States, nearly one in four homeless persons owns a pet. The unconditional love of a pet can sustain a person through difficult life circumstances. For many people without a stable home, a pet is a best friend, constant companion, confidante and the only source of consistency in the pet parent’s life. But much as pets can benefit people who are homeless, they may also be a factor preventing their owners from obtaining housing. People unwilling to give up their pets often find that most homeless shelters and subsidized housing projects are not open to them.

I have been studying the itinerant culture of Mill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona for several years now and one common thread amongst many of the homeless is the companionship of pets. An equal number of cats and dogs, commonly on leashes, and sometimes snakes, turtles—and yes, once a fish, although that didn’t last long on the street. Many of them have pets for the companionship, some because it deliberately restricts them from being taken to homeless shelters, others remain homeless for just this reason: refusing to give up their loved animal.

Usually, the pets with the homeless population are well cared for, but the lack of resources of their companions does translate into a certain amount of danger for the pets themselves. An itinerant person may easily get enough money to buy food for their pet, but veterinarian bills are generally entirely out of their reach—and then there’s the general dangers present to most animals who don’t have a stable domestic environment.

Link, va Petlvr.com

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Get Informed About Feral Cats

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

According to Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies, “Many Americans don’t really know what a ‘feral cat’ is, but they know they’ve seen them around, because feral cats exist in every community, from urban to rural.”

“Feral cats are a bit of mystery – because they are wary of humans, they may be hidden out in plain sight and living ‘in the shadows.’ Feral cats are members of the domestic cat species like pet cats, but they are fearful of humans and can’t be adopted.

When they are taken to animal shelters, they are almost always killed there,” she said.

“Feral cats live healthy, quality lives outdoors, but there are ways to make their lives even better, including programs like Trap-Neuter-Return,” said Robinson.  “National Feral Cat Day is a great opportunity to learn more about feral cats and why Trap-Neuter-Return is best for the cats and the community.”

National Feral Cat Day is celebrated, by thousands of people across the U.S. on October 16, who participate in fundraisers, adoption events, or spay/neuter drives in order to draw attention to the special needs of stray and feral cats.

Get informed about feral cats.

Find or register an event.

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Tripwires on paws?

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

In my household when someone is playing on the PS/2 there’s the ubiquitous warning voiced to passersby: “Tripwire!” The television and the couch are placed directly across a thoroughfare in the house—the danger is actually more to the video game console than it is to the passing humans (and sometimes cat) but the idea remains the same. A recent New York Times article published, though, suggests that our very own pets might need to come with their very own tripping warning.

Dogs and cats cause more than 86,000 falls requiring emergency room care each year, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that may be among the first of its kind. That translates into about 240 people who are treated for injuries caused by pets every single day in the United States, the study found.

Cats are involved in some of the falls, but dogs — man’s best friend — are the real culprits, responsible for seven times as many injuries as cats, often while they’re being walked, the report found.

The article does warn that this research is primarily anecdotal, however, the suggestions sound solid enough. Like all family members, overly rambunctious pets add an element of risk to the home when not treated with the respect and communication they need. When working in the kitchen I always have to wave my friends out of my way and keep them clear from my space, the same would be true of dogs and cats.

Obedience training, keeping the family pets in sight, and otherwise integrating them into the rhythms and needs of the family could probably go a long way to reducing the chances that they end up underfoot.

Link, via New York Times.

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Are You a Dog or Cat Person?

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Meet the BreedsWhich is better – Dogs or Cats?  Inspired by the upcoming Meet the Breeds™ event, the world’s largest showcase of cats and dogs, the American Kennel Club™ (AKC) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association™ (CFA) have joined forces to put an end to this long-running dispute once and for all with a definitive one-question survey:  “Are you a dog or a cat person? “

So dog lovers and cat lovers out there, before October 6, 2009, visit www.meetthebreeds.com to weigh in on this long standing debate and cast your vote. After you place your vote you can tell them why you voted the way you did.  Final results will be available the week of October 13.

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