For every rescued cat, there’s a story. Some rescue stories are heartwarming, inspiring and joyful. Some make you weep for what some cats had to endure before finding their forever home, and others make you marvel at the serendipity that is so often part of a rescue.
The twelve cats in Rescued, a collection of stories edited by Janiss Garza, the human behind the late Sparkle the Designer Cat and publisher of the Sparkle Cat blog, come from all sorts of backgrounds. They’re library cats, bloggers, and mystery stars. Their true life rescue stories are told in the cats’ voices.Continue Reading
Do you know how to check your cat’s vital signs? Do you know what a cat’s normal temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate are? Since cats are masters at hiding illness, it’s up to cat guardians to look for even subtle changes. Knowing your cat’s normal vital signs will help you determine more easily whether something may be wrong.Continue Reading
Street cats, usually referred to as community cats or feral cats in this country, are very much a part of most communities, even though many people may not even notice them. These cats tend to live in alleys, hide in shrubbery or storm drains, and generally shy away from human contact. The number of community cats nationwide is estimated to be about 60 million. Considering that the estimated number of pet cats in the US is between 75 and 90 million, I find that number shockingly high.
Thankfully, there are caring individuals who do what they can to feed and provide basic health care for these cats. Continue Reading
My recent article on “Tortitude – The Unique Personality of Tortoiseshell Cats” led me to wonder whether there’s a link between other cats’ coloring and their temperaments. After all, both color and temperament can be inherited and genetically controlled, so it doesn’t seem to be too much of a leap to think that a cat’s coloring may be an indication of his or her personality. It seems that there are, indeed, some commonalities between cat color and personality. This is what I found:
The 5 Common Cat Colors & Their Personalities
Tabby Cats
Image Credit: Kaan Yetkin Toprak, Shutterstock
Tabbies have a reputation for being laid back, calm and more sociable. They’re also said to be very affectionate, and relaxed to the point of being lazy.
Black Cats
Image credit: Pixabay
Black cats can be stubborn and friendly at the same time. They are said to be good hunters, but they can have a tendency to roam. They’re good natured and sociable.
Ginger, Orange and Red Cats
Image credit: Pixabay
Orange cats are usually males (only one out of five orange cats is female). Cats with this coloring can be laid back and affectionate, but can also have a bit of a temper. Females tend to be more laid back than males.
Black and White Cats
Image credit: liuksena, Pixabay
Black and white cats (some are known as tuxedo cats when their coat pattern resembles a tuxedo jacket) are said to be even tempered and placid, but they can also be wanderers. They can be very loyal to their family, often to one person in particular, and can be real lap cats.
Blue, Cream, Gray, and Lilac Cats
Image Credit: Anna Hoychuk, Shutterstock
Cats that have lighter coat colors all carry the same gene, called the dilution gene. I found conflicting information on this particular coloring – some say cats with this coloring can be mischievous and a bit frantic, while others say they are laid back and mellow.
I believe that each cat has a unique and special personality, and color is only one aspect of what may play into making kitty who she is. Other factors, such as breed and environment also come into play. And of course, our cats are also spiritual beings, and perhaps spirit plays the biggest part in determining personality.
Does your cat’s personality fit into one of these classifications based on coat color?
An Animal Life: A Chance to Cut is not technically a cat book. Even though there are some cat stories in the book, this is primarily a book about what it’s like to be a veterinary student, and vet students learn to take care of all creatures great and small. However, given the important role veterinarians play in every cat guardian’s life, I thought that you would enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at what vets go through during their schooling and training.Continue Reading
Allegra and Ruby were very excited when a box from our friend Kate at Hauspanther arrived in the mail last week. Hauspanther toys consistently rank among their favorites, and they were eager to put some of Kate’s latest creations to the test.Continue Reading
There is no question that vaccines protect against disease – but they also present considerable risk. Sadly, far too many cats are still being over-vaccinated because too many veterinarians, and cat guardians, still think annual “shots” are necessary.Continue Reading
When you get an email from Julie Newmar, the original Catwoman, asking whether you would like to review ” a funny new book about cats written by my brother with me,” there is only one right answer. I was delighted to receive a copy of The Mediterranean Universe, along with a personal note from Ms. Newmar.Continue Reading
I’ve been on the fence about getting pet insurance for a long time, mostly because I’d rather put my money in a savings account than pay it to an insurance company. I’m pretty disciplined about putting money aside for Allegra and Ruby’s regular veterinary care. At five and four years of age, they’re both young, healthy cats. They get regular check ups twice a year. Continue Reading
StovePipeCat is one lucky kitten. With less than an hour left to live at a Los Angeles, CA “shelter,” the little kitten was rescued by a volunteer who fostered him and his two biological sisters, and who rescued three other cats while she was at it. Two weeks later, StovePipeCat was adopted to a married couple with grown children and a step-sister cat. Little did StovePipeCat know how much his life would change.Continue Reading
Studies have shown that our stress can affect our cats to the point of impacting their health, but so far, studies about “social referencing,” the fancy term for the tendency of a person to look to a significant other in an ambiguous situation in order to obtain clarifying information, have only been done in dogs. New research conducted at the University of Milan in Italy suggests thatcats may also use social referencing.Continue Reading
