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Hey guys! So, as you know by reading the title, I will be writing about cats and different breeds.  I am writing about them because it was the first thing I thought of, and I like cats.  Cats can domestic and feral

There are many different breeds of cats, but here are the ten most unusual cat breeds.  These cats include sphynx, peterbald, munchkin, devon rex, Japanese bobtail, Scottish fold, khao manee, pixie-bob, savannah, and teacup Persian.  Sphynxes are hairless cats with oily skin.  Peterbalds are like sphynxes, but with webbed paws that they can use to pick up objects and possibly open doors.  Munchkins have unusually short legs, which is a result of a genetic mutation.  Devon rex cats have short, curly, soft fur.  They are also intelligent and they can be taught tricks.  Japanese bobtails have short, fluffy tails like a rabbits, and some hop when they run (also like a rabbit).  Scottish fold cats have folded ears, round, full faces, and large, circular eyes, which make them look kind of like owls.  Khao manee cats come from Thailand, and their names mean “White Gem”.  They have creamy, white coats and their eyes can either be blue, gold, or both.  Pixie-bobs are believed to come from other bobcat hybrids, but there is no genetic evidence.  Savannah cats look like wild cats from the African Savannah.  Savannah cats are a cross breed of domestic cats and a medium-sized wild African cat.  Last, but not least, teacup Persians!  Teacup Persians are bred to be small.  They are so tiny, they can fit on your palm!

Feral cats have a sad life.  When you go to the animal shelter and you see cats, you probably think: “Oh, those cats were bred here or someone brought a cat here after they couldn’t take care of it.”  That’s not always the case.  A lot of those cats were feral cats.  Cats only have three possible outcomes once they enter a shelter or a pound.  Being adopted, being reunited with their owner, or… death.  Some feral cats can’t adjust living  with humans, and they have no owner to claim them, so the only possible outcome is death.  Feral cats are “unhealthy” or “untrainable” which excludes them from “healthy animal” kill rates.  I don’t think this is right.  Do you?  This is unfair to them.  They don’t deserve to be killed at animal shelters.

Well, I guess that’s all!  Here are some links to cat stuff…

• 99 Cat Facts
• Alley Cat Allies
• Animal Planet

Oh, and here are some random facts about cats.

• Unlike dogs, cats don’t have a sweet tooth.
• A group of cats is called a clowder.
• A technical term for a cat’s hairball is “bezoar”.
• Cats make about 100 sounds, while dogs only make ten.
• According to Hebrew legend, Noah prayed to God for help protecting all the food he stored on the ark from being eaten by rats. In reply, God made the lion sneeze, and out popped a cat.
• A cat’s hearing is better than a dog’s. And a cat can hear high-frequency sounds up to two octaves higher than a human.
• A cat rubs against people not only to be affectionate but also to mark out its territory with scent glands around its face. The tail area and paws also carry the cat’s scent.
• Most cats give birth to a litter of between one and nine kittens. The largest known litter ever produced was 19 kittens, of which 15 survived.
• A cat’s brain is biologically more similar to a human brain than it is to a dog’s. Both humans and cats have identical regions in their brains that are responsible for emotions.
• Some cats have survived falls of over 65 feet (20 meters), due largely to their “righting reflex.” The eyes and balance organs in the inner ear tell it where it is in space so the cat can land on its feet. Even cats without a tail have this ability.
• Cats hate the water because their fur does not insulate well when it’s wet. The Turkish Van, however, is one cat that likes swimming. Bred in central Asia, its coat has a unique texture that makes it water resistant.
• The first commercially cloned pet was a cat named “Little Nicky.” He cost his owner $50,000, making him one of the most expensive cats ever.
• A  cat usually has about 12 whiskers on each side of its face.
• A cat’s eyesight is both better and worse than humans. It is better because cats can see in much dimmer light and they have a wider peripheral view. It’s worse because they don’t see color as well as humans do. Scientists believe grass appears red to cats.
• On average, cats spend 2/3 of every day sleeping. That means a nine-year-old cat has been awake for only three years of its life.
• In the original Italian version of Cinderella, the benevolent fairy godmother figure was a cat.
• The ability of a cat to find its way home is called “psi-traveling.” Experts think cats either use the angle of the sunlight to find their way or that cats have magnetized cells in their brains that act as compasses.
• A cat’s jaw can’t move sideways, so a cat can’t chew large chunks of food.
• Cats don’t actually meow at each other, just at humans. Cats typically will spit, purr, and hiss at other cats.
• Female cats tend to be right pawed, while male cats are more often left pawed. Interestingly, while 90% of humans are right handed, the remaining 10% of lefties also tend to be male
• A cat lover is called an Ailurophilia .
• In Japan, cats are thought to have the power to turn into super spirits when they die. This may be because according to the Buddhist religion, the body of the cat is the temporary resting place of very spiritual people.
• One reason that kittens sleep so much is because a growth hormone is released only during sleep.
• The oldest cat on record was Crème Puff from Austin, Texas, who lived from 1967 to August 6, 2005, three days after her 38th birthday. A cat typically can live up to 20 years, which is equivalent to about 96 human years.
• The normal body temperature of a cat is between 100.5 ° and 102.5 °F. A cat is sick if its temperature goes below 100 ° or above 103 °F.
• Foods that should not be given to cats include onions, garlic, green tomatoes, raw potatoes, chocolate, grapes, and raisins. Though milk is not toxic, it can cause an upset stomach and gas. Tylenol and aspirin are extremely toxic to cats, as are many common houseplants. Feeding cats dog food or canned tuna that’s for human consumption can cause malnutrition
• In just seven years, a single pair of cats and their offspring could produce a staggering total of 420,000 kittens.
• Cats don’t have sweat glands over their bodies like humans do. Instead, they sweat only through their paws.
• A cat called Dusty has the known record for the most kittens. She had more than 420 kittens in her lifetime.
• Cats are extremely sensitive to vibrations. Cats are said to detect earthquake tremors 10 or 15 minutes before humans can.
• A female cat is called a queen or a molly.
• The oldest cat to give birth was Kitty who, at the age of 30, gave birth to two kittens. During her life, she gave birth to 218 kittens.
• The claws on the cat’s back paws aren’t as sharp as the claws on the front paws because the claws in the back don’t retract and, consequently, become worn.
• The richest cat is Blackie who was left £15 million ($19932000.00) by his owner, Ben Rea.

Well, that’s all for today!

Keep Rocking!

~Jenn