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Cats are becoming the most popular household pets worldwide. There are more than 100 million house cats in the Western world and this figure is increasing. In the USA, 38 million households have cats and the total number of cats exceeds 90 million. There are many reasons for feline popularity. Cats make affectionate, extremely devoted and are low maintenance companions.

There are over a hundred recognized breeds of domestic cats. According to the Cat Fanciers Association, fewer than 3% of all owned cats worldwide are pedigreed. Unlike dog breeds, cat breeds are a relatively new concept and many are imports from other countries. Only for the last 20 years have we seen the diversity that makes up most of our cat breeds today.

Below is a list of some of the more common cat breeds of the world.

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The Abyssinian is a very active, playful, and inquisitive breed. This slender, shorthaired breed is distinguished by its ticked tabby coat pattern, which is a pattern more commonly seen in wild cats. Though ruddy is the color most associated with the breed, "Abys" are available in blue, fawn, and red (also known as sorrel), as well.

Although the Abyssinian is one of the oldest known breeds, there continues to be speculation and controversy concerning its history. Recent studies by geneticists show that the most convincing origin of the Abyssinian breed is the coast of the Indian Ocean and parts of Southeast Asia.

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The American Shorthair was developed from native American working cats. It is a moderately stocky, even-tempered cat with a short coat. Although this breed is accepted in a wide variety of colors and patterns, the silver classic tabby is perhaps best known.

The American Shorthair is America’s own breed, whose ancestors are the cats that came to North America with the early pioneers from Europe. There are records that indicate several cats arrived on the Mayflower.

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Also known as the "Sacred Cat of Burma", the Birman has a number of fanciful legends associated with its origin. It is a semi-longhaired cat, accepted only in the pointed pattern, but is distinguished from the Balinese and Himalayan not only by its moderately stocky body type, but by its four white feet.

The Birman cat is believed to have originated in Burma, where it was considered the sacred companion cat of the Kittah priests.

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The Chartreux is an old natural breed which originated in France. There exists a lovely old legend that the Chartreux lived with, and were named for, the Carthusian monks of France, and perhaps even shared a tipple or two of their famous Chartreuse liqueur!

Known for its wooly blue coat, brilliant orange eyes, and smiling expression, it is a sturdy, quiet, sweet-tempered cat.

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The Cornish Rex is known for its soft, wavy, curly hair: even the whiskers curl. Its coat feels like crushed velvet to the touch. The original Rex, a cream male named Kallibunker, was born in 1950 in Cornwall, England.

Today’s Cornish Rex has a racy, slender body, and is found in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

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The Korat is a small cat known for its sleek silvery blue coat, heart-shaped face and prominent gooseberry-green eyes. Korats originated in Thailand, where they are regarded as "good luck" cats. They are energetic and affectionate companions.

The earliest known picture of a Korat, or Si-Sawat, cat is to be found in the ancient book of paintings and verses known as The Cat-Book Poems in Bangkok’s National Library. It is believed by the Fine Arts Department, a division of Thailand’s Ministry of Education, to have been produced some time during the Ayudhya Period of Siamese History (1350-1767). The gift of a pair of Si-Sawat cats to a bride ensures a fortunate marriage.

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The Maine Coon is known for its large size, easy-going temperament, and rugged appearance. This native New England breed is well-adapted to that harsh climate, with a heavy, shaggy coat, bushy tail, and tufted ears and toes. Though the brown classic tabby pattern is perhaps the best known, Maine Coons are available in a variety of colors and patterns.

The Maine Coon Cat is the native American longhaired cat and was recognized as a specific breed in Maine where they were held in high regard for their mousing talents. Through nature’s own breeding program, this breed has developed into a sturdy cat ideally suited to the harsh winters and varied seasons of the region.

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The Manx is distinguished by a feature it lacks - a tail. This natural mutation is thought to have originated hundreds of years ago on the Isle of Man, off the coast of England, hence the name Manx. Since many trade ships docked on the Isle, and all had ship cats, it is hard to tell just what the parent cat really was. CFA has recognized the Manx as a breed since the 1920s.

The "Manx gene" produces cats with tails of varying length, from the "longie" (normal tail) to the "stumpy" (short tail) and "rumpy" (no tail). Manx cats are stocky and rounded in appearance, with short backs and long hind legs that make them appear rabbit-like. The thick coat can be either short or semi-long, though in some associations the longhairs are known as Cymrics. Manx are available in a variety of colors and patterns.

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The Ocicat looks like a small wild spotted cat, but is in fact a domestic breed created by combining the Siamese, Abyssinian, and American Shorthair. "Ocis" are active, affectionate, and very social. They are available in various patterns, though only the spotted patterns may be shown, and in several different colors.

Feline enthusiasts have always been awed by the spotted cats of the wild: ocelots, margays, leopards and others. Never before was there such an effort to breed an entirely domestic cat that can offer the spotted beauty of the wild cats, while maintaining the lovely, predictable disposition of the domestic cat. With so many wild spotteds disappearing as their native habitats are destroyed and invaded, it is increasingly important that this man-made breed can satisfy people who want something "exotic."

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The Persian is perhaps the most widely recognized cat breed. It is certainly the most numerous of all the breeds. The Persian is known for its extremely long, fluffy coat, very stocky body type, round head, large eyes, and flat face. Persians have a sweet and gentle temperament, and are among the most placid of all breeds. Buyers are advised that the long, soft coat requires daily grooming.

Persians are available in a myriad of colors and patterns. Persians with the pointed ("Siamese") pattern are sometimes called Himalayans. In Britain, the Persian is known as the Longhair, and the Himalayan is known as the Colorpoint Longhair.

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The Scottish Fold is characterized by its distinctive ears, which are folded forward and down, and by its large, rounded eyes, which give it a sweet, wide-eyed expression. They are mellow and affectionate cats. Scottish Folds are found in both longhair and shorthair varieties, in a great number of color and pattern combinations.

In 1961 a shepherd by the name of William Ross spotted the first known Scottish Fold cat at a farm near Coupar Angus in the Tayside Region of Scotland, Northwest of Dundee. The unique thing about this cat was that her ears folded forward and downward on her head. The resulting look gave the impression of a "pixie", "owl", or "teddy bear" that has captured the hearts of many American cat fanciers. Scottish Fold kittens are born with straight ears. At about three to four weeks of age, their ears fold...or they don’t!

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The Siamese is distinguished by its brilliant blue eyes and its colored "points" (ears, face, tail, and feet), which provide a striking contrast to its light-colored body. It is vocal, demanding, lively, and affectionate. Today’s show Siamese display a very long, slender body type and a long, wedge-shaped head with huge ears. Some breeders work with a more moderate, rounded type of Siamese, known as the Traditional (Applehead) Siamese.

Siamese were originally recognized in the seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac point colors. In some associations, additional colors and patterns are accepted as part of the Siamese breed, while other associations call these cats Colorpoint Shorthairs.

Having been nurtured and protected within temple walls for centuries, a fact documented in art and literature, the Siamese became known to the rest of the world through the royal family of Siam. What better gift to present to a visiting dignitary than these beautiful native treasures? This is exactly the way this breed became known outside the borders of what we now call Thailand.

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The Tonkinese was produced by crossing the Burmese and Siamese breeds. This playful, people-oriented breed has a moderate body type and a sleek, soft coat, and features a unique pattern known as "mink": it is pointed like the Siamese, but the body is colored in a shade harmonizing with the point color, and the eyes are aqua in shade. "Tonks" are available in a range of colors intermediate between their Burmese and Siamese parent breeds. In some associations non-mink colors and patterns are also accepted.

Caring for Tonkinese is as easy as feeding a well-balanced feline diet, clipping their nails weekly (providing a scratching post and insisting they use it is also imperative), using a rubber brush to groom them, and of course the all important visit to the vet for check-ups and inoculations.

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The Turkish Van is a semi-longhaired cat distinguished by its unusual pattern: the cat is white except for a colored tail and color on the head. (This is called the "Van" pattern, and is seen in other breeds as well.) Turkish Vans are said to be fond of water and swimming.

The cat known in the United States as the Turkish Van is a rare and ancient breed that developed in central and southwest Asia, which today encompasses the countries of Iran, Iraq, southwest Soviet Union and Far Eastern Turkey. They are considered regional treasures in their homeland.

Health Benefits Associated With Spays & Neuters

Spaying or neutering pets is a common procedure, and most pet owners have probably had some experience with having the procedure done on animals they have owned.

Aside from the inconvenience of heat cycles and/or roaming tom cats, there are medical benefits associated to having your pet spayed or neutered. The direct health benefits of spaying or neutering are significant for the pet. If female pets are spayed before their first heat cycle, the risk of developing mammary tumors (breast cancer) is significantly reduced.

Spaying female pets eliminates the risk of pyometra, an infection of the uterus. This disease can be very serious, even fatal, in female pets. Male pets can also benefit. Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the risk of prostate disease.

Spaying or neutering can indirectly help prolong a pet's life as well. When pets are spayed or neutered, their tendencies to roam or fight are greatly reduced. This prevents the pets from getting lost, stolen, hit by cars, or contracting a contagious disease.

Cats that fight are at risk of contracting a serious disease called feline leukemia. This disease, which affects the immune system of the cat, can be passed from feline to feline through saliva or blood. Cats also run the risk of contracting feline immune deficiency virus when they fight. This disease is very similar to human HIV. It can lie dormant in the cat for quite a while, and when activated, can cause the cat's immune system to function improperly.

Spaying or neutering dogs can help keep them under control. Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are more likely to wander away from home. While running loose, they have a chance of being hit by a car, getting lost, stolen, or taken to the animal shelter.

Even though spays and neuters are considered routine surgery, there is nothing routine about any abdominal surgery performed under general anesthesia. Most veterinarians consider spays and neuters to be major surgery, especially when spaying older animals that have had several heat cycles or have had litters.

Veterinarians and humane societies advise pet owners to have their pets spayed or neutered. The medical advantages have been proven. Complications resulting from these procedures are rare and pets recover from surgery very quickly. Often the day after surgery, animals are bright and alert, sometimes seeming as if nothing had ever happened.

The cost of the procedure varies depending upon the species, sex, size, and age of the pet.

Edgar and Nina Otto lost their beloved dog, Sir Lancelot, in January 2008, when he died of cancer. On January 26, 2009, a little more than a year after Lancelot passed away, the Ottos were reunited once again with their best friend. That's when a 10-week old puppy named Lancey, cloned from Sir Lancelot's genetic material, was delivered to their home in Boca Raton, Florida. Lancey (his full name is Lancelot Encore) is more than just a cute yellow Labrador pup - he is the first commercially-cloned dog in the United States.

BioArts International cloned Lancey as part of its Best Friends Again program. The Ottos were one of five families to bid and win an auction held by BioArts International in July for a chance to clone a family dog. When Sir Lancelot died in 2008, the Ottos stored his DNA; after winning the auction, the DNA was shipped to the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation in South Korea, which provides cloning services to BioArts. Lancey was born on Nov. 18, 2008 and came to the U.S. on Jan. 25, 2009 after being weaned from his surrogate mother.

Lancey is genetically identical to Sir Lancelot, much like a latter-born twin. While clones largely resemble their genetic forebears, similarities in behavior and personality vary, as a pet's personality is influenced by a variety of factors. During the cloning process, cells from the genetic donor are taken and inserted into an enucleated egg (that is, the nucleus is removed and discarded) of a female from the same species. Electricity is used to fuse the donor cell nucleus to the enucleated egg. Next, chemicals are used to cause the resulting embryo to divide as normal. Once the embryo is successfully produced, it is transferred to a surrogate mother, where the embryo develops as normal. Eventually, the surrogate births the cloned puppy.

According to BioArts chairman Lou Hawthorne, five other clients are scheduled to receive a clone of their four-legged family member in the next six months. Pet cloning remains controversial, with critics concerned about the ethics of cloning, especially in light of the large number of shelter animals in need of homes. However, BioArts maintains that its research into cloning can reduce pet overpopulation by contributing to the research of low-cost drug-based contraceptives. BioArts also believes that cloning research can help eventually repopulate endangered species and improve working dog breeding programs.

The Ottos already share their home with a number of pets, including eight other dogs and it cost the Ottos $155,000 to clone their best friend. But the price was completely worth it, according to Nina Otto. "Sir Lancelot was the most human of any dog we've ever had," Otto said in a press release about Lancey's arrival. "He was a prince among dogs."

Springtime is fast approaching and your thoughts may be turning toward landscaping your yard and planting a new garden. Whatever your plans, take care when using cocoa mulch for your garden and landscaping needs. Cocoa mulch contains cocoa bean shells that are toxic to your pet.

Cocoa mulch is hazardous to your pet in the same way that chocolate and chocolate-containing products are dangerous to your four-legged friend. Like candies and other chocolate treats, cocoa bean shells contain theobromine, a naturally occurring chemical, similar to caffeine. Because dogs metabolize theobromine slowly, it can have a serious effect on your dog’s heart, kidneys and central nervous system. (Cats are also susceptible to theobromine poisoning; however, cats are less likely to eat chocolate because they lack sweet taste receptors on their tongues.)

Cocoa mulch has a strong chocolate smell - just the sort of odor that attracts curious canine noses and appetites. Because of this, dogs may eagerly ingest cocoa mulch. The results are similar to the poisoning experienced when dogs each chocolate products; however, because cocoa mulch contains a higher concentration of theobromine, a small quantity of mulch can mean big problems for your pet.

In small quantities, a dog may experience upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. However, dogs eating a large quantity of cocoa mulch can experience tachycardia (rapid heart rate), muscle tremors, seizures and, in rare cases, death. The severity of the reaction depends on the size and weight of the dog and the quantity of mulch eaten. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, 2 ounces of mulch eaten by a 50-pound dog will cause upset stomach; 4.5 ounces of mulch will cause increased heart rate and 5.3 ounces will cause seizures. Any quantity of mulch more than 9 ounces can cause death, according to the ASPCA.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center collected data on 16 cases of cocoa mulch poisoning between January 2002 and April 2003. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center studied six of those cases and found that vomiting occurred in half the cases. In 33 percent of the cases, tremors were reported and in 17 percent of the cases, rapid heartbeat, hyperactivity and diarrhea were reported. The results of the ASPCA study are located here.

Pet owners are encouraged to use other varieties of mulch for their garden and landscaping needs. Cedar chips and straw are less toxic to dogs than cocoa mulch, though some brands may contain oils and resins that can cause upset stomach in pets. If your dog has eaten cocoa bean mulch, contact your veterinarian immediately or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. Treatment will depend on the quantity of mulch eaten, when it was eaten and the symptoms your dog is showing.

The term tortoiseshell cat refers to a coloration pattern caused by a specific genetic trait. It is not a specific breed of cat.

The coats of tortoiseshell cats are a mixture of colors. Tortoiseshell coats combine black, white, red or ginger, and occasionally silver or ginger tabby patterns. The size of the patches can vary from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. Cats with a basic white color and red and black patches are known as tortoiseshell-and-white or more commonly, calico cats.

The tortoiseshell coloration is a sex-linked trait. Sex-linked genes are those carried on the mammalian X chromosome, but not the Y chromosome. In cats, the gene controlling the red color is carried on an X chromosome. The gene controlling black and other 'non-red' colors is also carried on an X chromosome. So, a tortoiseshell is formed when you combine two X chromosomes, one containing the red colors and the other containing the non-red colors.

Because two X chromosomes are necessary for this particular pattern of coloration, over 99 percent of tortoiseshell cats are females. In order for a male to be a tortoiseshell, he would need to have two X chromosomes. This condition is called Klinefelter's syndrome, and these males are almost always sterile.

Dogs dig digging. For some dogs, it seems to be a natural instinct. Dogs dig holes in order to bury objects. Dogs like to bury objects and return to them at a later date. Some dogs bury anything and everything. In the summertime, the holes that they dig are cool and make comfortable sleeping quarters.

There are several methods that exist for controlling this behavior. We have listed only two. The first method is to redirect the behavior. In this situation, the dog learns to dig someplace else. The second method involves the use of a special collar. This type of collar has a refillable reservoir that contains eucalyptus. When the dog barks, the eucalyptus is sprayed in his (or her) direction. The collar method is used as a deterrent and can help eliminate the digging behavior.

Redirecting the behavior

If your yard is a mess and you would like your dog to dig in only one place, a reinforcement technique may work. This may take some time and requires that you follow your dog every time he goes outdoors.

Take your dog to a remote area in your yard. Bury one of his favorite toys in that area (or bury something that you know he would enjoy burying). Allow him to dig up the object. After he digs up the object, give him a reward (food or praise - we prefer praise!). If he begins to dig anywhere else, you must reprimand him. Scolding, a pull on the collar, or a small spray from a eucalyptus collar will usually suffice. You must be persistent and vary the rewards or your dog will easily forget.

Extinguishing the Behavior

This technique also involves constant supervision of your dog. You must watch him at all times and intervene as soon as you see any indication of digging activity. You can try screaming at your dog; however, a eucalyptus collar is almost indispensable. A small spray of eucalyptus from the collar goes much further when trying to correct this behavior.

The advantage of the eucalyptus collar is that the correction is not coming from you. Screaming at your dog or reprimanding him only makes him afraid of you. By using the collar, the dog thinks that the correction comes as a result of his action.

Good luck!

1. My cat won't use the litter box because he/she is rebellious and wants to make me mad.
A. True
B. False

2. My cat scratches the furniture to:
A. Mark territory
B. All of these
C. Stretch muscles
D. Shed nail sheaths

3. What's the purpose in why my cat "kneads"?
A. A sign of being hungry
B. A sign of aggressiveness
C. A sign of affection
D. A sign of being unhappy

4. My cat leaves objects such as his/her toys in his/her food or water bowls just to drive me crazy.
A. True
B. False

5.Why does my cat suddenly bite me in an aggressive manner when I'm petting him/her?
A. My cat is mean
B. None of these
C. My cat doesn't like affection
D. My cat doesn't want to be petted anymore

6. My cat purrs only when he/she is happy and relaxed.
A. True
B. False

7. Is it normal for my cat to exhibit body movements during sleep?
A. Yes
B. No

8.Why does my cat insist on playing and ransacking the house after I have gone to bed?
A. My cat wants me to get up
B. My cat is a nocturnal creature
C. My cat likes to annoy me
D. None of these

9. Why does my cat scratch the floor around his/her food and water bowls after eating as if to cover it up?
A. To hide it
B. Doesn't like its location
C. It smells bad
D. None of these

10. Why does my indoor cat attack me or my other indoor cat(s) when he/she sees an unknown cat outdoors?
A. My cat is most likely showing he/she is in control
B. My cat is most likely showing displaced fear
C. My cat thinks of me or my other cat(s) as prey
D. My cat is most likely showing displaced aggression

Answers

1. B 2. B 3. C 4. B 5. D
6. B 7. A 8. B 9. A 10. D