| Cats have been around for a long, long time. | | | | to this day, the cat still shows no interest in real live |
| Unfortunately, in today's society, the cat population | | | | mice. Dangle a toy mouse in front of him though, and |
| has exploded, with the result that many new kittens | | | | he is all over it. |
| are turned out to become homeless, or placed | | | | 3. One cat year is equal to about 6 human years. |
| indiscriminately in homes where they are neglected | | | | Ever wondered why your 5 year-old cat isn't as lively |
| and often cruelly mistreated. In spite of that fact, | | | | as he or she used to be? It's because cats age much |
| many millions of households have one or more | | | | faster than humans. A 5-year-old child is still dashing |
| beloved pet cats and would never think of | | | | around the house hour after hour all day long, while a |
| mistreating them. | | | | 5-year-old cat may dash for a few minutes, but soon |
| I recently learned some things I didn't know before | | | | gives up and heads for its favorite snoozing spot. |
| about cats. If you think cats can't learn to do tricks, | | | | That's because a 5-year-old cat is more like a |
| that all cats are instinctive hunters, and that all cats | | | | 30-year-old human. They age about 6 years to each |
| love sweets, think again. A lot of what we think we | | | | 1 year of a human's life on the average, although |
| know about cats is not true at all. | | | | during their first year or two, cats age even faster |
| 1. You CAN teach a cat to do tricks. Even an older | | | | than that. |
| cat. | | | | 4. Cats cannot, contrary to popular belief, taste |
| Although most of us have had some success in | | | | sweets. |
| getting our cats to chase a ball, or try to catch a | | | | Poor cats. It's hard to imagine life without being able |
| moving target when we dangle it in front of him, we | | | | to taste sweets, (especially chocolate,) but most |
| usually don't go beyond those simple tricks, thinking | | | | veterinarians agree that cats do not taste sweets. |
| that cats don't have the ability to learn tricks. | | | | Our cat really loves to lick out a bowl that has held |
| Cats may not particularly want to learn to do tricks, | | | | ice cream or pudding, but maybe just because it is |
| but they certainly can learn to do quite a few things | | | | something different from her usual diet. (Or |
| if we are patient and willing to work with them long | | | | something she perceives as forbidden.) |
| enough. | | | | 5. The majority of white cats with blue eyes are |
| Cats have been taught to heel, sit, and beg just like | | | | deaf. |
| a dog; and they can learn to jump through hoops, roll | | | | Some white cats have only one blue eye and are |
| over, open doors, hide things in a box, play dead, eat | | | | deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye. White |
| with their paws, fetch, and, my very favorite trick, | | | | cats with orange eyes usually hear normally. |
| to use a toilet. | | | | I think that blue-eyes white cats are among the |
| If you decide to try some of these tricks with your | | | | most beautiful of all cats, even though I've never |
| cat, work on one until it is perfected before starting | | | | owned one. Being deaf would definitely be a real |
| on another. | | | | drawback for any cat, especially if its owners permit |
| 2. Cats are NOT instinctive hunters | | | | it to wander around outside where not being able to |
| Because of their portrayal as great mousers, I just | | | | hear could quickly become fatal. Even inside, it would |
| assumed that all cats were instinctive hunters. Not | | | | be a great disadvantage for a cat not to hear |
| necessarily true, although they do instinctively grab at | | | | approaching feet that might stumble over a cat |
| moving objects, whether animate or inanimate. | | | | curled up on the floor. |
| Animal experts say that kittens born to non-hunting | | | | There are lots of other interesting and unusual facts |
| mothers will usually not learn to hunt on their own, | | | | about cats but those above are just a few I chose |
| thus leading us to believe that hunting is a taught skill. | | | | to share in this article. It might be fun, if you have |
| I have a friend who was having trouble with mice in | | | | one or more cats of your own, to start keeping a list |
| her house. An acquaintance gave her a cat, but the | | | | of odd things they do to share with other cat lovers |
| cat would not hunt the mice at all. She finally rid her | | | | online. You won't have to look far to find a cat lover. |
| house of mice through the use of mousetraps and, | | | | They are everywhere. |