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| Sunday, 19 September 2004 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Cats are wonderful companions A dog is man's best friend...what about a cat? Well, many have discovered that cats are wonderful companions. Their entertaining antics and affectionate behaviour has made many choose cats or felines as pets. How many of you are cat owners? Like dogs or canines, cats come in all colours and with all kinds of coats-some cats have short fur while others have long fur. Some have curly coats. There are pure breds and mixed breeds. Persian and Siamese cats are two familiar breeds. Although each cat is unique, certain breeds have their own personalities. For instance, some are more inquisitive, lively, gentle or noisy than others. Cats are intelligent too. Cats are generally independent and adapt easily to their environment. However don't leave your cat to its own devices just because of its air of independence. All cats need and want attention. You may find it easier to have a cat as a pet than a dog because cats do not need to be bathed or brushed, taken for walks as exercises, and kept chained or in a kennel. Cats roam about freely and certainly need less attention than our doggie friends, but this does not mean they should be neglected. Don't get carried away by the statement-cats have nine lives. It's a myth. Cats have only one life! As a cat owner, its upto you to ensure that you protect the cat to the best of your ability and keep it healthy too. Cats too need to be taken to the vet for regular check-ups, vaccinated and given the proper food to grow and stay healthy. There are many feline diseases they suffer from. Ask your vet to explain them to you and do whatever is necessary to protect your pet cat from falling victim to any of these diseases. Fact file on cats *How much time do cats spend sleeping? Would you believe that cats are awake for only one third of their lives? We humans generally sleep eight hours in every twenty-four hours but cats spend double this time sleeping. Cats have claws that can be extended or retracted at will. Cats often push their claws in and out as they stretch after a good sleep. The ability to retract the claws mean that they are always sharp when needed for fighting or killing prey. You may be aware that big animals such as tigers, leopards, lions, panthers, cougars and cheetahs all belong to the cat family-like your pet cat they too have claws. But did you know that one among the big cats simply cannot retract its claws? Do you know which cat it is? The cheetah. The reason for this is that the cheetah which is known to be the fastest animal needs a firm grip to run at such a high speed when hunting its prey. Retracting claws will not help it to grip the ground firmly. The cheetah can sprint short distances at speeds upto 96 Km per hour (60 mph). * Have you wondered how your pet cat can find its way around the dark outdoors when you cannot? You will be surprised to learn that cats really cannot see in the dark. In fact if you were to put a cat in a totally dark room, it would be as helpless as you. But out in the open, where it is seldom totally dark with moonlight, street lights or light from the houses, it's a different story. What the cat does is use whatever light that is available in poor light conditions and multiply the effect of the light by means of a special layer of cells at the back of the retina. It is this layer that we see shining with a green glow, when we shine a torch or light on a cat's eyes in the dark. * Most domestic cats hate getting wet. Even if they get their paws wet, they usually lick them dry or shake them until dry. However one type of domestic cat, the van cat from Turkey actually likes swimming and can be seen paddling about in water. Among the big cats, the tiger is fond of taking a dip in the water. |
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