|
Dear Bill & Cathy,
Welcome to 2007
Happy new year! We hope
you've all enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season.
Certainly you have followed the usual ritual of making those all
important New Year’s resolutions. I think, perhaps, that our cats
have made some of their own this year. At least that is what I can
surmise considering some drastic changes in their behavior.
For example, Shanti has not jumped up on the kitchen counter this
whole year, but then that is only a few days. That is one resolution
that I am quite sure she will be unable to keep. Then Rikki is no
longer trying to grab my side of the bed entirely, rather choosing
to take her place at the foot of the bed. We will just see how long
that lasts.
Jazz has surely resolved to convince me that a cat is much
smarter than I could ever be. That is one resolution that just may
make it all year. She is clearly trying to make sure Cathy and I
know that we aren't the true rulers of Bagheera’s kingdom but that
cats need to be treated like they're royalty (which they know they
are).
And so it goes with all the others, but space is limited so the
sample above will have to do. As for me, I have chosen to make no
new resolutions. There is just no way that I have ever been able to
keep them in th past, so why bother?
| Exciting New Contest Coming
Soon |
 |
|
Watch for an exciting new contest coming soon to our
website. Once the contest is launched, it will be announced on
the site. You can WIN if you can find a series of images
located somewhere within the site, with each imaged identified
by a “clue.” The first 5 visitors to send me an e-mail message
identifying the image and its location (page) in the site will
receive a very nice gift. No purchase is necessary and prize
winners will be announced on the site. All prizes will be sent
by postal mail.
|
| Some Famous Cat Owners in
History |
|
|
Sir Winston Churchill the Prime Minister of Great
Brition (1874 - 1965) owned a cat named Jock who attended many
wartime Cabinet meetings. Rumor has it that meals at the
Churchill household could not begin until the ginger colored
tabby was at the table
Abraham Lincoln the US President came to the oval
office accompanied by Tabby, a cat belonging to his son.
Honest Abe is also credited with saying, “No matter how much
cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens.”
The prophet and French astrologer, Nostradamus
(1503-1566), had a cat named Grimalkin.
Sir Walter Scott, poet and novelist, (1771 - 1832)
author of Rob Roy and Ivanhoe was also an editor, critic and
deputy sheriff of Selkirk in 1799. Absorbed in folklore and
the supernatural, Scott was devoted to cats, and a portrait of
him by John Watson Gordon shows the author at work at his desk
with his tabby, Hinx, lying close by. On the subject that
fascinated him most, Scott wrote: “Cats are a mysterious kind
of folk. There is more passing in their minds than we are
aware of.”
Sir Isaac Newton, famous for his laws of motion and
gravity, was a confirmed cat lover who was deeply concerned
about the welfare of his feline friends. Therefore, so his
research would go uninterrupted, and his cats should not feel
restricted and be at liberty to wander freely in and out when
the doors were closed, he invented the cat-door.
|
| Frequently Asked
Questions |
|
|
Q: How Often Should I Bathe My Cat?
A: Cats are normally very good about
cleaning themselves, and for most cats, that's all the bathing
they will ever need. Reasons for giving them a bath are:
- The cat has seriously soiled its fur
- She doesn't take care of her coat as she should
- You are allergic and need to bathe it to keep allergens
down,
- He is a show cat and about to be shown
- You are giving it a flea, tick, or lice dip
- She is unusually dirty for some reason
Q: Why does my cat get in such funny
positions?
A: A cat’s body is very fluid because
their skeleton is flexible and light and their bones are
strong. Cats have 500 muscles. With this structure and support
a cat can move both halves of their body in opposing
directions.
Q: Why will my cat eat only soft food?
A: She may have gum disease or another
problem with her mouth. You should have her examined by your
veterinarian.
It is okay to give your cat soft food,
however, I highly suggest that the primary diet should be dry
food, such as Life's
Abundance.
Q: Why is it important to feed my cat mostly dry
food?
A: A diet of good quality dry food can
help avoid dental problems. Most premium quality dry food will
have all the necessary neutrients.
Q: How can I know which cat food is a premium
one?
A: Obviously you cannot go by the
manufacturer's claims, otherwise they would all be premium.
Look at the list of ingredients printed on the
package. Look for high quality meat proteins and NO
by-products.
Cats are carnivores and, left to find
their own food, would never choose corn, wheat, gluten or soy.
There should also be NO artificial flavors, colors, sugars or
chemical preservatives.
|
| Fascinating Cat Facts |
|
|
According to the 2001-2002 U.S. Pet Owners Survey.
FACT # 1: The number of owned pets in the U.S.: 68
million dogs, 73 million cats
FACT # 2: Households with at least one pet: 40
million dogs homes, 34.7 million cats homes
FACT # 3: On average, vet expenses per pet per year:
$196 for dogs, $104 for cats
FACT # 4: Number of owned pets spayed or neutered:
70% of dogs, 80% of cats
|
| A Really Fun cat toy
(wheel) |
|
|
My good friend and fellow breeder, Holly Borchard, has a
very nice metal cat / dog exercise wheel that she is selling
on her website. These wheels are all the rage among the cat
fancy, and the cats really seem to love them. Maybe you could
get your cat a belated Christmas present.
|
|
|
Mowgli's Musings About Cat Show at the
Beach |
|
|
|
You are invited to the 2nd Annual TICA Cat Show at the
Emerald Coast Conference Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
It will be a great opportunity to see some "cutting edge"
pedigreeded cats, including Bengals.
The show is sponsored by the Destiny Cat Fanciers cat club,
of which I am the treasurer. So, I am pleased to offer you
this personal invatition. If you have a pedigree cat you would
like to enter, we would love to have you do so.
If you have never shown a cat before, I would be happy to
introduce you to someone who can mentor you. I assure you that
you will find it a delightful weekend.
You may also enter your non-pedigreed household pet cat, or
a pedigreeded cat that has been altered. Of course, you are
also welcome to come as a spectator to see, learn, and perhaps
find yourself a kitten.
The link below will take you to information on the show.
Please do come if you can. Destiny Cat Fanciers' Present
Beauty and the Beach! |
|
