Conference misery::feline_v1

3291.0. "IT'S REIGNING CATS, NOT DOGS" by STNING::DSM_SEC (Rainbow In The Dark) Mon Jan 29 1990 13:25

IN A TREND SPAWNED BY WORKING AMERICA, PET CATS IN THE U.S. OUTNUMBER PET DOGS

If your dog is reading over your shoulder, you may want to turn the page 
before the fur flies. It seems that man's best friend has been displaced by 
his arch rival, the domestic cat, as the most prevalent pet in America.

According to Barbara Cassidy, Director of Animal Sheltering and Control for 
The Humane Society of the United States, there are 57.5 million pet cats in 
America residing in 27.3 million households, compared to 49.9 million dogs 
residing in 33.6 million households. It's easy to see that although cats are 
cheating by hiding out in groups of two or more, they have nonetheless clawed 
their way to the top of pet popularity charts.

While kittens are cute, Cassidy suggests a more probable reason for the influx 
of kitty litter into Americans' shopping carts. "Cats are far more adaptable 
to the type of lifestyle that working people have. They don't need to be 
walked. And although they certainly require care and attention, they are 
increasing in popularity because of their adaptability."

As America's love affair with the car has deepened, owners have become smarter 
about caring for their pets. Today, many people keep their cats inside, 
allowing them out only when supervised or in an enclosed area. This may sound 
cruel to freedom-loving humans but it is important in prolonging a cat's 
life.

"It is a myth that cats can survive if allowed to roam," warns Cassidy. "The 
average lifespan of a free-roaming cat is only 2 1/2 years before it succumbs 
to either injury or disease. The lifespan of a cat kept inside is 13 to 17 
years, if well cared for."

Another myth concerning cats involves their much maligned personalities. "Cats 
are far less aloof than many people think," notes Cassidy. "They depend on 
people for companionship as well as food, water, and veterinary care. They're 
very intelligent creatures and they interact a lot with people if given a 
chance."

Whether man or mouse, those who have daily contact with a feline may consider 
the descrription "very intelligent" a bit of an understatement. Exactly how 
does a sleeping cat who is behind a closed door on a different floor of the 
house detect the noise of a nonelectric can opener? Probably the same way many 
cats know that purring loudly into a sleeping owner's ear can induce 
nightmares of perilous flight in a single-engine plane that will cause even 
the most adventurous to arise. And if you've ever been the victim of a 
carefully planned ambush wherein your ankle is grabbed by a cat carefullly 
concealed behind curtain or corner, you know the patience and cunnie that lie 
beneath those pointed ears.

Although they occupy our hearts and homes to a greater degree than ever 
before, cats are still dogged by the misconceptions of humans. To help set the 
record straight, we've pawed through the evidence to present the latest 
findings on felines.

FELINE FACTS

Sleeping - There is no such thing as feline insomnia. Cats sleep away 
approximately two-thirds of their lives.

Catnip - Not all cats respond to catnip because the ability to detect it is 
inherited. The nearly 50 percent who do respond to the catnip plant, which is 
actually a weed, enter what appears to be a pleasurable trance that lasts from 
5 to 15 minutes.

Purring - No one knows how cats purr but some experts believe the noise is 
caused by the vibration of the false vocal cords, two folds of membrane behind 
the true cords.

Facial Expression - A contented cat has upright ears and relaxed whiskers. 
When angry, a cat moves its ears back and pushes its whiskers forward. A 
frightened cat lays its ears and whiskers flat.

Grooming - The sequence used by cats to groom various parts of the body is 
highly individual, but cats usually stick to a particular routine. Grooming 
helps waterproof the cat's coat by stimulating skin glands.

Respiration - A resting cat takes between 30 and 50 breaths per minute - about 
four times as many as a resting human. Like dogs, cats cool down by panting in 
hot weather. 

Skeleton - A cats skeleton has approximately 244 bones - about 40 more than a 
human adult. Due to an exptremely flexible backbone, cats can rotate the two 
halves of their bodies in opposite directions.

Eating - Cats generally are adept at watching their own weight. There are 
exceptions, however. The fattest cat on record tipped the scale at 43 pounds.

Skin - The skin of a cat's nose and paw pads is up to 75 times thicker than 
the skin covering the rest of the body. The nose print of every cat is unique 
and individual as a human fingerprint.

Sight - Cats cannot see in total darkness but require far less light than 
humans to distinguish shapes.

IQ - Cats regularly investigate situations not related to their survival. They 
are also adept at solving problems and applying solutions to problems they 
encounter later on. Both are signs of intelligence.

Taste - Don't press your cat to finish that last bit of cookie for you. Cats 
are unusual and perhaps lucky in that they do not appear to taste sweet foods.

Training - Many people believe that cats have difficulty with training. Not 
true. Any self-respecting cat can have its owner trained within a couple of 
weeks.


    * Repinted Without Permission - From Dodge Adventurer, Winter 1990 *

    
    
    	re: the last one...Training.
    
    	Ain't that the truth!!  =)
    

    
    geez!  it didn't take *nearly* that long for my catz to whip *me* into
    shape...   ;-)
    
    diane & the gruesome twosome (stanley & stella)
    

    I believe the increase in popularity is due to Garfield,  maybe
    we're all masochists?
    
    Kate