Your Cat Has a Dominant Paw

Did you know?

When it comes to our own lateral bias, we can get pretty personal and even intense. "Lefties do it better!" "Oh, it's because I'm right-handed!" But would it seem as special if you knoew that other animals also have left or right handed (pawed) dominance? It turns out that our cats can be Righties or Lefties, too!

The next time Kitty is trying to knock off your remote or drink, pay attention to what paw she does. Experiment on her with a chart: track her paw movements and find out if you can guess which paw is dominant. Maybe she's ambidextrous! This would be a great project for your kids to do, too, especially if your cat is known to knock things over. Even if he doesn't, you can track which paw he uses to play with you.

Have you ever noticed a paw preference in your cat? Tell us about it in the chat!

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Cat Island

Be surrounded by felines!

Did you know that Japan is home to not one but two Cat Islands? The nicknames are given to both Aoshima, Ehime and Tashirojima. The islands are full of cats, making them tourist attractions where people come to pet as many cats as possible. The cats roam freely but tourists are warned to not feed them as they interact with the cats.

Some animal activists from the western world are concerned about the cats' welfare given that they are expected to be part of natural selection, which goes for both breeding as well as illness, injury and death. Some advocate for providing the animals with care while others agree that the cats are considered wildlife on the island and should be left alone.

What do you think? Should the cats receive medical attention? Would you go to these islands?

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Cats by Zodiac Signs

Which should you get?

Whether or not you believe in the zodiac, it's still kind of fun to see things like this piece from Elite Daily, which explains which cat you should get this year based on your zodiac sign! Please don't use this as a real barometer of whether or not a cat is right for you; you need to visit with the cat and make sure he or she is a good fit with your personalities. It's still fun to read, though.

As a Scorpio, sure, I'd love a Siberian cat--but do you know how much those cost? Trust me, I've looked them up. All of my cats are shelter cats and it's probably pretty rare to find one there! My husband the Sagittarius is supposed to have a short-hair... Too bad all of ours have long hair and we both like that! 

What kind of cat does the list say you should get? How does that compare with the cats you already like or have?

 

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals
Pets
Cats

Keeping Cats Indoors

What is your stance?

For years, we let our cats roam around our dead-end street. As a child, my cats always roamed our three-street neighborhood pretty safely so I just kept doing it with my cats as an adult. We only stopped because neighbors complained about our cats in their yards, but others had told me I should keep my cats inside for their own safety.

It's true that outdoor cats face more risks in terms of diseases, getting hit by cars and other unfortunate incidents. However, my cats also like to kill voles, snakes and mice, keeping me pest-free. They also really enjoy being outdoors, but I'll admit that they do also kill birds. Now that my cats have been indoor only for a few years, they've gotten fatter and still sometimes beg to go outside.

Do you think cats should be kept inside? Why or why not?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Fun Cat Quotes

Jot these down in your 2018 planner!

Whether you are a casual cat lover or the Crazy Cat Lady/Guy, these quotes about cats are sure to bring a smile to your face. I remember seeing a book of these many years ago (and maybe a calendar, too) that I wanted to get for my cat-loving friends. Now you can look them up online and even copy and paste them to share on social media!

Do you have a planner for the new year? Add these quotes to your 2018 planner for some extra fun and charm. Celebrate your cat love with great quotes like "Books. Cats. Life is good" (Edward Gorey) and "In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this" (Terry Pratchett).

Which cat quote is your favorite? Will you be adding them to your notebooks or planner? Share your favorite in the chat!

photo courtesy of Wikipedia
 

Klat Categories: 
Cats

Catland

Sounds like a great place to visit!

How does a bunch of cats taking over your property sound to you? That's what's happening at a farm in Siberia where a couple says "millions" of cats have taken over their place. The couple have been raising cats for over a decade since one of their cats gave birth to a litter and then just kept expanding. They sure are beautiful cats, but you have to draw the line somewhere, right? I'd have at least half of those cats spayed and neutered. Honestly, where I live, I'd have them all altered, but I get farms needing a few cats to keep the pests away.

This breed is just gorgeous, though. I could look at their photos all day. Click on the link and see them for yourself!

What do you think of having this many cats? Would you spay and neuter them?

 

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Cats and Biting

Why do they do that?

I've got one and I bet you do, too: a cat that bites when it's had enough! Many people wonder why cats bite you when they otherwise seem as if they are enjoying their time with you. When you think about how cats can't talk, it becomes pretty simple: they bite because they want you to cease and desist!

Cats get tired of being touched just like any other creature and they can't vocalize the thoughts to tell you, so they do the next best thing: they bite, or thats why many scientists believe they bite. Perhaps they really do just enjoy biting us! Cats may also not enjoy the way you are petting them, which causes them to bite. I've seen this time and time again with one of my cats, who prefers cheek-pets. When someone visits and just wants to pet her back (or tries to pet her tail!) she gets pretty angry

Does your cat ever bite? Tell us about it in the chat.

 

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Cats

Cats are Not as Smart as Dogs

Blasphemer!

For many years, we cat lovers have insisted that our cats are smarter than dogs. They just don't listen to us because of their feelings of indifference or contempt, right? It turns out that cats are about as smart as bears, which sounds pretty smart--but dogs beat them both!

Say it ain't so.

Cats, the proud owners of 250 million neurons, have far fewer than dogs. A golden retriever has 627 million neurons and a small dog even has 429 million! Ouch. Humans, by comparison, have 16 billion neurons in their cerebral cortex. 

Perhaps the number of neurons isn't reflective of total intelligence? It's hard to call a dog that eats its own poop, doesn't act in its own self-interest and chases invisible squirrels smarter than a cat that can trick you into leaving your sandwich unattended by opening a door or cabinet. Yes, I'm speaking about my own household!

What do you think? Cats versus dogs--who is smarter? Tell us in the chat!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Pets
Cats

Flushable Toilets for Cats

It sounds stupid, but it's almost amazing...

The worst part about being a cat parent is having a pet that poops in a box. We all know this. Without the litter, cats could almost be perfect pets (you know, aside from the neurotic wailing, knocking things off tables, scratching up our stuff...), and now a flushable toilet for cats is in development through a Kickstarter campaign. The machine doesn't require any litter and can even be used for dogs!

The "toilet" hooks up to your sewer system with an included kit and uses motion sensors to dispose of your pet's wastes when they finish using it. An app is also included to help alert you if there are any "sudden situations" that need your attention. You can pre-order one of the toilets through the campaign but they will not be shipped until next spring.

What do you think of this idea? Would you use it for your pets?

 

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals

Keeping Cats Out of the Christmas Tree

Share your best tips

Every year, cat owners find themselves scratching their heads for ideas to keep their cats out of their Christmas trees. What's not fair, of course, is that every cat is different and what works for some cats won't work at all for others. Orange peels in my garden, tree and other areas deter some of my cats, but one could care less! Here are just a few things you can try to cat-proof your holiday tree.

Try using orange slices or peels in your tree. You can bake the orange slices into ornaments and poke holes in the peels and hang them with ribbon if you like. 

If you don't want oranges all over your tree, try an orange essential oil or deter spray that most cats hate.

Secure your tree with fishing line from the ceiling or sides in order to keep the cats from toppling it over. After years of having cats do this I wish I'd thought of it sooner!

Add tinfoil around the bottom of the tree so cats won't want to scratch or climb it.

What kinds of things do you do to keep your pets from playing in your tree? Share your best tips and ideas below.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Klat Categories: 
Animals
Cats

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