Kitty Cat Corner - What Do You Know? - April 11
by Heddie Leger
Categorically speaking not many people realize there are so many different varieties of cats. This brings up a host of challenges in finding homes for cats. If people don’t know what they want or like, how can they select the cat that will best suit their personality or lifestyle.
Better Education
When looking for a pet dog, people are becoming better educated regarding consideration of these simple facts when looking to add a four-footed family member, but those looking to add a cat have not yet come to realize some may fit their life better than others. As always, when it comes to bringing a pet into our lives, it is important to have the mindset of making a lifelong commitment to that animal and thinking in advance to take into consideration what would happen with the pet, in the event of an unfortunate turn of events in your life. We are featuring cats in the hope of increasing awareness of the joys and drawbacks of adding a cat to your family unit.
Benefits of Cats
Cats often make great companions for people who are house bound, travel frequently, do not have or do not want to be locked into a schedule of having to take a dog for a walk several times a day. For those who like to keep life simple, a cat is a wonderful addition being generally self-sufficient and able to self potty in a litter box. There are a few simple rules of cleanliness that all cats must have, and their needs must be respected in order to have a healthy relationship.
Two Major Breed Organizations
There are two major established breed organizations for cat fanciers interested in showing cats. These groups keep records and breeding registration. These groups are the Cat Fanciers Association, Inc., and the American Cat Fanciers Association. Both hold shows where up to 1,000 cats may be entered for competition. In any case, whether a cat is kept for show or a companion animal, responsible ownership of cats involves making sure the pet is spayed or neutered to diminish unwanted litters. There are never enough homes for cats and each spring untold numbers end up on the streets, only the lucky few find their way to a shelter, rescue or wonderful home.
Fun Factoids
Just for fun, here are some real and fictional factoids about cats that are interesting and amusing. Next month, we will feature a special breed cat and its history.
• Mohammed so loved his cat Muezzo that, according to tradition, he cut off his robe rather than disturb the cat, which was sleeping on it.
• The cat, Tobermory, whose ability to speak devastated the guests at a house party in the story “Tobermory” from The Chronicles of Clovis’, by Saki.
• A gray cat with six toes, Slippers, favored by President Theodore Roosevelt, who is said to have allowed the cat to appear at diplomatic dinners.
• The Cheshire cat is a cat that can slowly disappear, leaving only its grin behind, as described in Lewis Carroll’s novel “Alice in Wonderland.”
• One of the first great stars of the animated cartoon and the hero of Pat Sullivan’s cartoon strip series was Felix the Cat.
• The inscrutable cat, Mehitabel, that tells of her former life as Cleopatra in Don Marquis’ novel ‘the lives and times of archy and mehitabel’.
• The favorite cat of Dr. Samuel Johnson, named Hodge, who is reputed to have bought fresh oysters personally each day and fed them to his pet.
• Lucifer was a black angora, one of many cats that belonged to Cardinal Richelieu of France.
• A real cat that belonged to Horace Walpole called Selima was immortalized by Thomas Gray in the poem Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Goldfish.
Join us next month and learn more about Chip’s Kitty-Corner friends.
