Arf
You hear about how you have to become an advocate for your own child as a parent, but the same applies for your pets. Recently we adopted a cat and brought her home to discover not only that she had a respiratory virus (that could easily be transferred to my other pets!) but that they'd had some sort of outbreak and several cats had the same virus at the shelter. Um, what? We are supposed to get animals with a clean bill of health!
Let's begin by saying we don't rescue cats, or dogs for that matter. If you adopt a cat or dog, you paid for it. You did not save it from a trap, an alligator's mouth or a hoarder's neglect. If you did those things directly, yes, you can make the claim that you rescued the animal. How many people who adopt kids say they rescued the kid as a part of a conversation starter?
Can you believe that some people spent up to $20,000 on a single cat? We're not talking about tigers, either, but exotic house cats that can cost more than a car! The gorgeous Bengal cat pictured here, for example, is a cross between a wild Asian leopard cat and a house cat and costs up to $5,000. It's high energy and should only be adopted by responsible people!
Hairless mammals are perplexing. Sometimes you look at them and you just wonder, "How do I cuddle you?" Cats are for petting! Sure, you can pet a hairless cat, but don't you miss the fluff?
Sphinx cats are not actually hairless, though. They have teeny, tiny fine hairs that are silky when touched. So while the tactile sensation can still be pleasant, there's still the visual to contend with. All creatures are beautiful in some way, right? Some people love hairless animals and others don't want anything to do with them.
Everyone mourns when we hear about dogs and cats that are "put down," whether it's due to longterm illness, old age or lack of shelter room. What if there were an alternative to this fate for more shelter animals? Some cities are putting their feral cat populations to work, helping themselves as well as the cats in the process.
It was by no means out of the blue. He was 16, losing weight, blind. He cried through the night in pain. The vet said it was the kindest choice for him, and that even if he had lived another year, he would have been miserable. But it was the first time that I ever had to have a pet "put down" as an adult. It sounds like a difficult choice but it's so much more than that. You almost feel like a monster even though you know it's the right thing to do.
Did you know that the average house cat weighs between 8 and 10 pounds? How about the fact that if a cat lives in the wild, its life expectancy decreases to 4 to 5 years? Here are some more fun cat facts to test your knowledge about cats. Use them during your next game night or get-together!
Cats don't enjoy sweets.
You know how cats' ears always look like they are moving? Maybe it's because they have 20 ear muscles!
Cats are the most popular pet in America.
Cats can be jerks. No one denies this. The extent of their jerkery, however, does vary, and whether you love or hate cats definitely affects your perspective. My grandmother used to have cats but one really bad scratch kept her from ever having a cat again--and this was years before I was born. As a cat lover, it's hard for me to picture a life without cats, but I can empathize with those who don't like them.
This handsome guy is my tabby, Fuego. We adopted him from the Humane Society 10 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long!) when he was six years old and he's been a constant, loving presence in our lives. We call him our "old man;" all he likes to do is sleep and he's been that way for a long time. That said, he likes to do it against you and he will issue a very quiet but distinctive purr to let you know how much he loves you. He's a little prince and he just went blind.
Have you ever wished you could just cuddle cats for a living? Now you may be able to get your wish!
