Cats are probably the most popular of pets nowadays. Originally valued for their inbred ability to hunt various house pests such as mice and roaches, cats also offer a warm and affectionate companionship to their owners. In 1987, cats overtook dogs as the number one pet in America (about 50 million cats resided in 24 million homes in 1986) and bout 37% of American homes today have at least one cat. Domestication of cats were first believed to have originated in ancient Egypt in about 3000 BC, where cats where also revered as sacred animals. Different breeds of domesticated cats come in various sizes. Some pet owners prefer small kitten-sized ones, while some prefer large-size domesticated cat breeds.

When choosing pet cats, one must consider the breeds’ characteristics in addition to its size. Here are just some of the large domesticated cat breeds that are popular with cat-lovers.

The Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is a native of the state of Maine in the USA where it is also the official state cat.

It is one of the largest breeds of domesticated cats where the males can weigh anywhere between 13 and 18 pounds (5.9 and 8.2 kg) on average, and females between 8 and 12 pounds (3.6 and 5.4 kg). In 2006, the Guinness World Records named a male purebred Maine Coon the “Longest Cat”. It measured 48 inches (120 cm) in length, from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and weighs 35 pounds (16 kg).

The Ragamuffin

The Ragamuffin is a long-haired domestic cat. Ragamuffins are fairly large cats – females weigh between 10 to 15 pounds (4.54 to 6.80 kg), and males weigh between 15 to 20 pounds (6.80 to 9.07 kg).

Ragamuffins are notable for their sweet, friendly personalities and plush, rabbit-like fur. They are adoptable as early as four months of age, but do not reach full maturity until around four years of age. The Ragamuffin is an expensive breed and costs can range from 0 – 00 per kitten.

The Ocicat

The Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a ‘wild’ cat but has no wild blood. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot, which is a wild cat. Ocicats are a very outgoing breed. They are often considered to have the spirit of a dog in a cat’s body. Most can easily be trained to fetch, walk on a leash and harness, come when called, speak, sit, and lie down on command. On average ocicats weigh about 12.1 pounds or 5.5 kilograms.

The Turkish Van

The Turkish Van is a large, semi-longhaired cat with a swimmer’s body. The cat is moderately long and its back legs are slightly longer than its front legs. The coat is the most fascinating trait on this cat. The semi-long haired, water resistant single coat, is thick in winter but very soft, like rabbit fur or cashmere. During the spring and summer months when it becomes extremely hot, the long hair on the body is shed for a shorter coat that retains the cashmere feel. Male Vans grow to about 16 pounds (7.3 kg) while females tend to be a bit lighter in weight, 12 to 14 pounds (5.4 to 6.4 kg). Vans, because of their fine fur, are hypo-allergenic cats. They are considered excellent pets for those with allergies.

Pixie-Bobs

Pixie-Bobs are a fully domestic breed of cat bred to resemble the North American Bobcat. Pixie-Bobs are a large breed, with males reaching 18 pounds (8 kg) and females reaching 14 pounds (6 kg). The Pixie-Bob’s body is stocky and solid. Pixie-Bobs are also the only polydactyl breed recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA). These cats may have anywhere from six to seven toes on each foot.

These large-size cat domestic cat breeds are only a few of the ones available for pet purposes. It is important to take note of the qualities of the breed of cat before we decide which ones to adopt, as this would remarkably affect the way we take care of them. Knowing such could help make things a lot easier for us pet owners as we go about our endeavor in raising our pets.

A tapeworm is a parasite that lives in the small intestine of the host in which it lives. This is an insidious parasite that tends to kill its host with sufficient exposure and untreated time and can also cause severe weakness and malnourishment. A tapeworm absorbs all the nutrients that are present in the food an organism eats and leaves nothing for the host organism. This results in the ultimate weakness and possibly the death of an organism.

Cats are a great pet that are popular all over the world. The reason for this is that cats are cute and cuddly and also know how to take care of themselves. This makes them the ideal pet. Cats have been domesticated for a very long time. Thousands of years ago, in the Egyptian empire, cats were domesticated and were also considered sacred. Hundreds of mummified cats have also been found in the pyramids of Egypt indicating that taming cats was a common practice even in ancient times.

Cats are great pets but their health must be looked after too.

Cats can sometimes be infected with tapeworms too. A tapeworm infection will greatly weaken a cat and will cause it to become very dull and can even reduce the lifespan of the cat if left untreated. These parasitic conditions are more common in animals because they are less hygienic than human beings. Nonetheless it is the responsibility of the pet owner to ensure that all the food that the cat eats is clean and free from unhygienic material. Tapeworms are mainly caused due to the ingestion of tapeworm eggs and larvae that are usually found in dirty, unclean and unhygienic conditions. Maintaining clean surroundings is essential to having a healthy pet and ensuring the health of your pet cat. Keep a close eye on your pet cat and in case you see him acting strangely or being ill, take it to the vet immediately as it might be a tapeworm infection.

These cats originated from one hairless cat which produced a hairless kitten. The kitten and its mother were bred to produce more hairless offspring which greatly limited the breed’s gene pool. While the Sphynx cat appears hairless, it is not actually hairless and has very short fine hair. Because of the lack of coat, these cats like to huddle up to other animals or under blankets to keep warm.
While the Sphynx does not require any brushing, they do need regular baths because their skin becomes oily without any hair to absorb the oils. These cats should always be kept inside because their body temperature cannot easily be regulated and because they are curious in nature.

Like most other cat breeds, the Sphynx cat can be susceptible to certain illnesses and conditions. Their lack of hair can lead them to easily get respiratory infections while they are young kittens. Some cats of this breed are also prone to heart disease. It may be a considerable idea to do a pet insurance comparisons for your Sphynx cat, should any large unexpected veterinary bills occur. Pet insurance can help pay for the costs of health care if an accident or illness arises.
It is important to kitten-proof your home if you plan on getting a new Sphynx kitten as they can be curious and get into mischief. Plenty of research and preparation will help you learn which types of food, toys, and other household items are needed for this type of cat. Adding a new cat to the family is a long-term commitment and should not be taken lightly. With the right preparation and enthusiasm to bring home a new cat, your Sphynx cat will have a long and healthy life in its new home.

If you are thinking it might be really cool to have a big cat as a pet, take a few minutes to consider the costs. But first check out the slideshow to see what it means to the cat. Play Slideshow. Most people think the cost of the cat is the big expense, but that is just the beginning. (Although keep in mind that statistics show that 98% of the exotic animals bought as pets die in the first 2 years.) We have 100+ cats representing 16 species and eleven years of experience in caring for them so our estimates can be trusted as pretty accurate, if not conservative. It is cheaper by the pound for us to buy 17,000 pounds of meat at a time than for you to buy a week’s worth for one cat. People have done it for less, but the cat suffers from nutritional deficiencies or physical and psychological impairment due to lack of space and opportunity to be a cat. If you think these figures are high, just try and cut corners and see how huge your medical and subsequent bills will be.

Exotic cats range in price from a 0.00 Bobcat to a 00.00 tiger cub. Most of the mid size cats, like Servals and Caracals cost 00.00 to 00.00 and Ocelots can run as high as ,000.00. The more rare the cat, the higher the price. Even though it may be a cute and cuddly cub right now, within the year it will reach almost it’s full size and will be spraying (no matter how young you neuter him or spay her) so you must have some things ready when the cat comes home.

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You will have to have a Veterinarian on call who has already agreed to take care of your wild cat. There are not very many with experience and fewer still who will want deal with the liability of having their staff exposed to your big cat, not to mention their regular clientele. You will have to have a stainless steel squeeze cage that is capable of holding your cat at it’s max weight. One of our tigers weighs 800 pounds and is 12 feet from nose to tip of tail. A small squeeze cage will cost you 250.00 used and you could easily spend 00.00 for one big enough for a lion or leopard. You will need a forklift to move a tiger and they rent for 0.00 per day with an operator. Even our vets, who do nothing but cats, and have done ours for many years, will not bring a big cat into their office unless it is already confined to the squeeze cage.

How will you transport your cat to the vet for all of it’s yearly vaccinations, check ups and boo boos? Even a little cat, in it’s squeeze cage isn’t going to fit into your compact car. You will need a van and it has to be in tip top shape because being stranded on the side of the road in the middle of no where, or worse yet, traffic, with a freaked out wild cat in the heat, rain or snow is a nightmare of extreme proportion. Been there, done that and bought the ,000.00 van to keep it from ever happening again. If you are dealing in small to mid size cats you might find a dependable mini van for ,000.00. You can’t rely on borrowing one because believe me, when a cat needs emergency veterinary treatment it is always at the most inconvenient times.

Most states have cage requirements of varying standards. In some states you must have no less than 5 acres if you want to own a big cat. Acreage where I live is ,000.00 per acre, but a lot of rural places near you may be as low as ,000.00 per acre. Most states and federal guidelines require then that you have an 8 foot perimeter fence which on 5 acres can easily run 00.00. You are not allowed to use this outside wall as any part of your cage, so your cage will be another 00.00 for a small to mid size cat, like a lynx to 00.00 for a lion, leopard or tiger. You will need a roof to prevent escapes so consider in your design how you will support it. These are just your first year, start up costs. You will never be able to move with your big cat because the Captive Wildlife Safety Act prohibits moving big exotic pet cats across state lines. Many progressive states are banning the practice of keeping wild cats captive and you could be investing tens of thousands of dollars and then when your pet dies you cannot buy another one.

Some costs keep reoccurring every year. Good food and vitamins for a mid size cat will run you 0.00 per year and for a big cat closer to 00.00 per year. You have to be able to defrost it for them every day and 15 pounds of bleeding meat in your kitchen every day is a health hazard unto itself. If your cat just gets it’s annual shots and doesn’t need any emergency care your vet bill will be about 7.00 to 0.00 depending on the size of the cat. They have to be vaccinated every year for rabies and all the regular cat diseases. Worming your cat every month, if you do it yourself will cost .00 to .00 and flea prevention costs 0.00 to 0.00 per year per cat depending on size. You will have to learn a new trick every month for fleas and wormings as the cats hate both and can smell you coming a mile off.

You will need state and federal permits and if you have never dealt with these governmental agencies you are in for a life time of headaches and heart breaks that just won’t stop. None of them want to deal with “pet people” and they will do every thing in their power to make you wish you had never brought home that little bundle of joy. You have to pay for the privilege and these licenses and dues can run you well over 0.00 per year. If you don’t keep your permits up to date they can confiscate your cat and kill it. These agencies will often require you to carry liability insurance and that can run you 00.00 to ,000.00 per year depending on your safety record. Most homeowners insurance policies will cancel you if they find out you have an exotic animal and many states are purposely reporting your permit status to the public to make it easier for your insurance carrier to find out. If you have a mortgage on your home, you have to have insurance and may not be able to get it, which means you could be foreclosed.

Some things are fun, like buying toys for your exotic cat, but you can’t buy them stuff on the racks because they will destroy and eat it and then you’ve got some major medical bills. Our big cats like an indestructible ball that weighs 125 pounds and costs 0.00 including shipping. The smaller cats can get along with a .00 ball, but that is just one ball and they need lots of things to keep them entertained.

All wild cats, neutered or not, male or female, will spray bucket loads of urine all over everything they wish to claim as theirs (including you) because this is how nature has taught them to guard territory. See it HERE. Having worked with 150+ cats, representing 23 species for nine years I can assure you that there is no way to prevent this behaviour. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn’t have a mature cat on their hands yet. The reason I mention it here is that the urine is very caustic and will destroy their cage walls in a very short period of time, so you will be constantly rebuilding. You don’t even want to know what it does to the sheet rock walls of your house or to wood. Those trips to the vet will leave your car smelling like a sewer and nothing will get that smell out.

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Consider also that nature has hard wired exotic cats in such a way that once they are mature they no longer feel any love for their mother and if they run into her in the wild will kill her for the territory. Even if you raised them with all of the love and nurturing that their natural mother would provide (and she would die to protect them) they will not feel love, nor respect for you as the parent when they are full grown. Thousands of years of instincts tell them that you are competition and that their survival depends on them being solitary.

This is the most frequent email we get from exotic cat owners: “Hey, I’m really in over my head here! I got this thing as an infant. I bottle-raised it. Everything was great. But I can no longer handle this cat. I cannot housebreak it. It tries to attack people. I just don’t know what to do with it.’” This was an actual quote about a Serval, but we have had hundreds of similar letters about every kind of exotic cat.

To sum it all up, you can expect to invest almost ,000.00 your first year into owning a small to mid size wild cat and your annual expenses will cost you around 00.00. If you want the big cat experience, the set up cost is over ,000.00 and the annual care is over 00.00 IF you have no emergencies and no one gets hurt and sues you for millions of dollars. Everything has a price and this is the price of doing right by the animal. Are you really prepared?

Read what happens to all of the animals who don’t work out as pets HERE.

What you feed your cat should deserve more attention than you once thought. Take note that what your cat eats will determine how healthy your cat will be or how long it can live.

The components of the meal that you will serve your cat should be complete. For its nutritional needs to be met, you need to ensure that you can provide a balanced meal. The most common nutrient that your cat needs is protein. This is an easy food item to come by. It is recommended that this should be served in every meal your cat has then to be added with other nutrients.

Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, as well as fatty acids are also added in your pet’s diet. Essential amino acids are also included. You can prepare their meals yourselves. Or, you can simply purchase commercially made cat food. You just need to check the product label to see what nutrients it has.

Specifically for buying commercial food products, there are a few things that you should look for in their labels before you decide to buy one.

The first thing that you should look for is a compliance certificate or seal from a governing body in your locality.

This will tell you that the product that you are trying to buy has been certified safe, the components declared correctly, and the ingredients are right for your pets.

There are some pets which thrive better in a certain type of meat that in another. Take note that you have several choices in the kind of meat for your cat’s food. The most commonly used are chicken, lamb or beef. You can try each one and see which your cat will like better.

And just like any food item, before you pick out one, you need to check its expiration date. You wouldn’t want to feed your cat spoilt food.

And if there are things that you should look for, of course, there will be those that you should avoid.

One is avoiding products that state that they contain by-products. By-products represent other parts of the food source other than the meat. This can be bones, internal parts, etc.

Aside from by-products, fillers can also be included in their food. This is not ideal for some as there are pets which are sensitive to the ingredients that are used as fillers. These fillers are mostly grains. These can even bring excess amounts of carbohydrates to your pet’s diet.

Some chemical preservatives have been linked to cancers and other disease conditions in animals. These chemicals that are potentially harmful include propyl gallate, BHA, BHT, and a few more. You need to make it a point to avoid buying items that have these listed on their labels.

Preservatives can come in the safer forms like Vitamin E and C. These are the chemicals that you would want to see in your labels.

Aside from solid food, water is also an important component in your cat’s health. If you live in a warm continent, the more that you should make sure that your cat is well hydrated throughout the day.

I am convinced my cat is allergic to me. If I was spending money on him, that was OK. If I was feeding him, that was OK, if I was making him comfy and tickling him under his chin, that was OK but if I expected him to show me any affection he had this allergy towards me. Remember, cats don’t have owners, cats own humans. One of the problems is that many humans who are owned by cats have allergies to them. This happened with Tigger and my wife who I originally got Tigger for but he adopted me and became my owner.

It wasn’t long after we had brought Tigger home that my wife developed a wheeziness when breathing. She went to see the doctor and after a quick examination he asked if we had a pet. That was it, he then explained about the skin of cats and how they shed particles of dead skin constantly, (as do humans), but my wife was breathing this in.

It caused her to have to use an inhaler to help her breathing.

So what is the problem, well cats shed their dead skin and this gets into furniture, carpets and our bedding. When we walk through it, it stirs itself up as tiny dust particles and if a person is allergic to cats it gets breathed in and causes problems for humans. All cats produce these allergy causing compounds and not only is it found in dead skin but oil producing glands on your cat produce a protein allergen which also causes the problem. It is worse in male cats but female cats and cats, which have been neutered, are not as bad as an un-neutered male cat.

What can you do about it? Well you could get rid of your cat but I don’t hold with that but it may be best for you but please please make sure you re-home your cat to a good home where it will be well loved. Do not ever just dump it. You would not dump a child and your pet is like a child to you. Treat it as one. You could just accept you will have to use medication for the rest of your cat’s life or you could try a simple remedy.

You may find that your breathing is worse when you lie down in bed and sleep with your cat. If this is the case try banishing your cat from his bedroom. Take control again. It will not be nice as your cat will keep meowing outside his room and scratching at the door trying to get in but this method does work and after a few weeks he or she will be happy to sleep elsewhere. Try getting your cat its own bed and put this somewhere away from your bedroom.

You have to be tough with this and if you have slept with your cat it is hard, but you have to remember your health is important. Your cat will not be bothered about your health but you need to be.

Do not think about this, just do it. It is better that having to re-home your cat, just think of the distress it will go through not seeing you again and having to adapt to a new family.Your cat is very important but so is your health. Just remember this information should you need to, even though it may not be nice to hear. Your cat is very important but so are you and others in the house.

Stray cats and kittens are a huge problem in a great number of communities. Stray cats are forced to fend for themselves in a habitat that isn’t very friendly to homeless, domestic animals. When a cat is abandoned by it’s owner it lacks the natural skills needed to survive. This comes from many years of domestic breeding. Basically, cats are no longer the wild animals that they were centuries ago. They no longer have their larger ancestor’s primal instincts.

A cat becomes a stray when it is abandoned by it’s owner. This cat is now forced to fend for itself. In many areas the stray cat population is so great that they are considered pests. Over time a stray cat’s will breed and produce homeless kittens. Once these kittens grow into adult cats they are completely wild and very unlikely to be adopted. If this problem isn’t closely controlled eventually the stray cat population could grow to epidemic proportions.

In order to control the unclaimed pet population, animal control agencies will catch any stray animal without proper identification, a collar with tags, and bring them to the local animal shelter.

To call it a “shelter” is a bit deceiving, animal shelters will house and care for these abandoned pets for a short while but because of the overwhelming flow of unwanted cats, room needs to be made. Animal control angencies are forced to resort to euthanasia in order to allow incoming strays.

There several things that we, as animal lovers, can do to help with this sad situation. Most animal shelters and animal advocate agencies accept donations. These donation are used for legal matters, helping push cat friendly legislation. Donated money is also used for expansions and upgrades to the shelters.

This may help increase the capacity of these buildings allowing them to hold a larger number of cats and kittens without owners to care for them. The best thing you can do to help these unfortunate felines, is adopt one yourself. If you think that you’d be interested in adopting a cat in need, simply contact your local animal shelter and make an appointment to stop by and choose a wonderful new addition to your home.

If we all do all part we can help control the over population of and unnecessary death of innocent cats. To find out about more ways that you may be able to help prevent animal cruelty, contact the ASPCA via their website aspca.org.

Many pet owners around the world are constantly on the lookout for new things that they can do to spoil their cat, and many luxury items have been created to spoil cats and dogs alike. Cats in particular are very demanding pets, and it can be hard to know what to do with your “precious little baby”. Cats love to claw at things, rip them to shreds, and tear things up with absolutely no purpose other than entertaining themselves. Most cats tend to shed a lot, and it can be very annoying to try to clean up all of the cat hair around your house.

If you want to avoid shredded upholstery, ripped up toilet paper, damaged furniture, and hair balls, then you should consider getting a modern cat condo for your kitten. Cat condos are special houses designed specifically for cats, and a modern cat condo is latest in luxury living for pets. The main advantage of buying a modern cat condo for your cat is that it will take care of most of your problems with the cat.

One of the things that these modern cat condos feature is a play area for your cat, with plenty of items for it to test its claws out on.

Rather than being forced to constantly send your furniture and upholstery to be repaired, buying a modern cat condo for your cat to play in can be a great way to save yourself a good deal of time and many headaches.

The cat condos designed to entertain your cat is created with all of the basic luxuries a cat would need, including a luxurious cat bed. Your cat will be hard pressed to find a more comfortable place to nap, including your lap, and you can ensure that your cat has the best possible place to sleep in.

Another huge advantage of getting a modern cat condo for your cat is the fact that all of the hair that it sheds will be contained in one place, his luxurious modern condo. Instead of having to clean up trails of car hair from around the house and being forced to constantly vacuum your house, you can simply place your cat inside its modern cat condo where it can shed to its heart’s content.

The cat condos released on the market are designed to entertain your cat, and there are many places for it to run, jump, climb, crawl, and prowl around inside its own cat condo. If you have other pets that may be bothered by the cat, you can easily keep your cat entertained for hours inside its own private, luxuriously modern cat condo.

Getting a modern cat condo for your cat is as easily as going to your local pet store or doing an online search for cat condos. You will instantly find a number of results, and you can get one that is designed to fit your pet perfectly. As long as you get a condo that is designed for its size, your cat will be happy and entertained for hours on end without the need to claw up your furniture.

Article by Ron Ayalon

The ears of cats are sensitive and delicate; as such, they are prone to being damaged or infected, sometimes leading to deafness. Cats can also be deaf right from birth through a genetic defect. Deafness in cats isn’t terribly common of course, but it is more common in blue eyed, white haired cats. Cats can be deaf in one ear or in both ears and your cat has to be tested in order to check for deafness and how prevalent it is. There are two forms of deafness in cats: conduction and neurologic.

Conduction

Deafness through conduction is caused by things like wax build up, infections and damage done to the delicate membranes in the ears. Conduction deafness usually comes about if the cat’s ears aren’t cleaned routinely, they come into contact with a lot of bacteria, which is transferred to the ears or if your cat gets sick and has a lingering infection in the ears.

Conduction deafness is, for the most part, temporary. The best way to deal with it is to clean out the ears and apply any antibiotics needed for any infections. Letting it go for too long though will result in damage that will be more long term and permanent, so make sure to keep your pet’s ears clean!

Neurologic

Neurologic deafness is more serious and long term. This form of deafness is caused by damage done in the sensitive parts of the ear, as an example, the cochlea or abnormalities found anywhere from the ear to the brain. This form of deafness can be inherited and is also caused by things like toxicity or simple old age. Neurological deafness cannot be cured or reversed and though hearing aids can help, most cats don’t want anything to do with them, so they simply put up with the deafness instead.

Diagnosing a Deaf Cat

There are a number of signs you’ll get that something is amiss with your cat’s hearing. The most obvious way is that your cat won’t respond to you when you call his or her name, but since some cats live to ignore you, this is not the best test used to determine deafness. Other ways to tell if something is awry is if your cat is sleeping more than usual, your cat not responding to a noise in another room, or shaking and pawing at ears in discomfort. These are all good indications that something is wrong with your cat’s ears.

Living with a Deaf Cat

If your cat is diagnosed with deafness, either in one ear or both of them, then your pet’s life need not be over; you just have to take special care of your furry friend. Make sure to carefully supervise any outdoor excursions of your cat because the slightest thing can cause injury to him or her. Also make sure to keep your cat’s ears clean no matter what the cause of deafness was because a build up of wax and toxins will make your cat even more uncomfortable and irritated. Finally, make sure to apply any antibiotics as needed.

Deafness in your cat need not be the end of the world for your pet. In fact, it takes little more than a lifestyle adjustment for your pet and for yourself. With some care and attention, your cat can go right back to living the life it always lived, deaf or not. As with anything, when you’ve got a chronic illness on your hands, it’s recommended that you maintain a good relationship with your Vet. New therapies are developed all the time for pets and your Vet can continue to advise you as your cat advances in age.