When kittens are first born they are fairly immobile. Most of their time is spent nursing and sleeping. When they do move around, they use a slow, circular movement of their limbs called a “paddling gait.” They do not stray far from their mother during the first two weeks. By the third week, they begin … Read more
This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Ever seen your cat get high? If you’ve ever given your cat some catnip or let her play with a catnip toy, then you have probably enjoyed the amusing “drunken” antics that occurred shortly afterward. Cats are attracted to catnip and … Read more
You’ve heard about this third eyelid that cats have, but when you look, you don’t see it. Do they have three eyelids? And, if so, where is the third one? Well, cats don’t exactly have a third eyelid, technically speaking. What they do have is something called the nictitating membrane or haw. This membrane is … Read more
Cats have tremendous eyesight, as any well-adapted carnivore should, but they see differently than humans. Although your cat will depend on its sense of smell in many situations, a cat’s vision is probably the most important for helping them to find and catch prey. Cats will hunt both in the daylight and at night. They … Read more
Do cats have hair or fur? It may seem like a semantic, and possibly pedantic, distinction. But it makes you curious. Is there a difference between hair and fur? If so, why do we say cat hair and not cat fur? Many times when I have used the word fur to refer to a cat’s coat, … Read more
Every once in a while, you may find a strange, long, white hair lying around. Upon further examination, you realize it is one of your cat’s whiskers. You are aware that your cat needs her whiskers. They are an important part of a cat’s equipment. If they fall out, could this be harmful? Whiskers Are … Read more
During my time as a veterinary technician, I was always learning new and fascinating facts about animals. One tidbit that everyone was quick to throw around was that all calicoes were female. When I was told this, I asked why, and I was informed that coat color in cats is sex-linked. The X chromosome has … Read more
This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure. Since cats can be so very finicky about what they eat, you would think they have a highly refined palate and a refined sense of taste. Just as they can smell more than we humans, must they also be more attuned … Read more