American Shorthair
Domestic cats are related to lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs and pumas. All share similar traits. They communicate by meowing or roaring. They use sharp teeth and claws for hunting. And, they enjoy catnapping!
The first cats arrived in North America with the first European settlers. Records show that several cats sailed aboard the Mayflower with the Pilgrims in 1620. These cats hunted mice and rats on ships, and later on farms in America.
The cats soon adapted to the New World. They grew larger than their European cousins. America's first working cats eventually became a popular breed. The American shorthair developed from these cats.
The American shorthair is considered the native cat of America. Overall, it is a healthy breed. Since the arrival of the original shorthairs from Europe, this cat has adapted well and remains robust.
American shorthairs are very smart. They have been known to open closet or cupboard doors. They often greet their family at the door after waiting in the window for their return. They can even be trained to stay off the dinner table!
The American shorthair has a coat for all seasons. After arriving in Noirth America, its fur grew thick to protect it from damp and cold weather.
American shorthairs are athletic cats. They have deep, broad chests and well-developed shoulders. Their legs are strong and built for hunting. Their medium-length tail tapers toward a rounded tip.
American shorthair will need to visit the veterinarian for an annually checkup and vaccines. The veterinarian can also spay or neuter your pet during this visit.
Cats are meat eaters. Even domestic cats need meat in their diets. Feed your American shorthair food that contains protein, such as beef, poultry, or fish. Commercial cat food is recommended because it contains all the nutrients your cat needs.
American shorthair kittens begin to play and explore within their first three weeks. By then they can see and hear, and their teeth start coming in. When kittens are 9 to 12 weeks old, they can go home with new families.
American shorthairs can live for 15 to 20 years. They become attached to their human companions. So before adopting a kitten, make sure everyone in the family is devoted to caring for it.
The American shorthair is one of the ten most popular breeds of cats. You can buy a purebred kitten from a breeder. Rescue shelters, veterinary clinics, and pet shows may also have cats for adoption.
Premium Pet Food Prices Got You Down?
Are you in shock at the prices of premium pet food? Well, you might be surprised to learn it's not as bad as it appears. Quality pet foods that use quality ingredients DO cost a great deal more than cheap foods that use inferior filler ingredients. The good news is that the cost per meal is probably far less than you think. Quality ingredients means that you feed less - on average about 1/3 less.
So let's break it down to cost per meal? Let's say your pet currently eats 1 cup of food per day. A 20 pound bag of food will provide you with about 50 servings. If the food costs you $15.00 for a 20 pound bag ? that equals about .30 per meal.
Now with a good quality pet food ? feeding about 1/3 less ? a 20 pound bag will provide you about 80 servings. If the better food costs $30.00 for a 20 pound bag ? that breaks down to a little less than .38 cents a meal.
So even though the price tag of the food reads to be twice as expensive ? it's actually far from the truth. Using the above example, at .30 cents per meal, two meals a day, in one month you are spending around $18.00 per month to feed a pet with the inferior food. With the apparent twice as expensive higher quality pet food, at .38 cents per meal, two meals a day, in one month you are spending around $22.80 per month. Less than $5.00 per month difference that can save you thousands of dollars in vet bills and add years to their life. You must look at the cost per meal to completely give the price of the food consideration.
Here is what has happened to us?for years and years we've watched the television commercials of pet food. They emphasize the words ?for your pet's health' or ?choice'. We've trusted them and we've followed their directions to feed our pet 2 or 3 cups of food per day. What we didn't know was that those recommended 2 or 3 cups of food was necessary because the pet food contained cheap inferior nutrition sources like by-products, meat and bone meal, and grains.
So, it has become our habit to feed more ? which they do need more with inferior ingredients. Then someone like myself comes along and tells you how horrible ingredients like by-products and meat and bone meal are ? and you learn that grains such as corn, wheat, and soy are inferior ? and since this recent pet food recall, you learn that chemicals can actually be added to variations of these grains (glutens)?so then you look over your options at the pet store or online. And you think in terms of how much per ?bag' of food. After all, you've probably tried several different types of pet food in the past ? maybe even one or two that cost a little more than the cheap brands ? and you still ended up feeding the same 2 or 3 cups of food a day. Naturally, you look at the $30.00 for a 20 pound bag of pet food and gasp at the cost ? you are thinking just the way they want you to think?in terms of the cost of the bag, not the cost of the serving.
The determining factor for your choice of pet food should not be cost or advertising. You must look at and understand those first five ingredients. Of course there is much more involved than the first five ingredients, but in my research?if the first five ingredients of a pet food are good, so are the rest of the ingredients. If a pet food manufacturer cares enough to make the first five ingredients quality ? which is the majority of the food?they care enough to make all of the ingredients quality. Don't be mislead into any comfort zone of a pet food manufacturers advertising?do your homework and read and understand at least the first five ingredients of your pet's food. With better, more nutritious pet foods ? they do NOT need as much as with the cheaper foods. Don't let the old habit of feeding more sway you when you switch to a more nutritious pet food ? again, with more quality ingredients they just don't need as much food as with inferior ingredients. If you switch your pet to a quality pet food and continue to feed the same amount as the lesser quality food you were feeding ? your pet will gain weight.
The daily amount of food our pets require depends on many things such as activity level, age, breeding animals, or neutered animals. As an example, my 100 pound German Shepherd only eats two cups of food per day; 1 cup AM, 1 cup PM. My little guy (8 pound Papillion eats about 1/3 cup a day. Both dogs are active. However, my little guy is young and is fairly high energy level. My big guy is 12 years old and much more sedate. Considering his little size, the small dog eats far more for his size than the big dog. His energy and activity level requires it.
My cat on the other hand free feeds ? he has access to a full bowl of food at all times and eats when he wants. He has never been an over eater and this works well for him. I could never do the same with my dogs.
So serving size for your pet is something you will need to experiment with. If your dog or cat has no ?figure' ? shows no waist when looking at them from above ? chances are they need to lose a few pounds. Cut back the serving size. If the ribs are visible, you probably should increase the serving size slightly. Please note too that a cup of food a day at 2 years old will more than likely be too much food when they are a little older. Keep a constant monitoring eye on them - a healthy weight is a healthier pet.
Please don't just look at the advertising of the pet food or shop by price alone - examine the ingredients in the food (at least the first five ingredients) and make your decisions based on cost of serving.
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http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com
Susan Thixton
Pet Behavior and Nutrition Consultant
Email: Susan@TruthAboutPetFood.com
Cornish Rex - The facts every owner of this cat breed should know
The Cornish Rex breed began as a happy accident of nature. A genetic mutation in a liter of kittens born in the 1950s in Cornwall, United Kingdom, resulted in kittens that had extremely fine and curly down for hair, not the typical thick coat like most breeds of cat. Even the whiskers were curly! Breeders were struck by this, and decided to selective breed this trait through inbreeding and crossbreeding. Many other breeds of cat were used during this period so the 'coat' on a Cornish Rex comes in many colors and patterns.
They are small to medium sized cats with a very slender appearance and live roughly thirteen years. Though they may feel heavier than they look, Cornish Rexes are very thin boned and have lean muscles. A Cornish Rex may also have a peculiar odor that some describe as 'cheesy', this odor is produced from scent glands in the paws.
Many people think a Cornish Rex makes a good pet for those with allergies, but they do shed somewhat (though far less compared to most other breeds) and will groom themselves regularly. Cornish Rexes make excellent pets as they enjoy being with humans and are social, playful, curious and affectionate. Though very active at times, they do enjoy taking breaks and a Cornish Rex can often be found curled up on the couch or in a lap.
Though they like being pet and groomed, due to the nature of the coat, Cornish Rexes should not be brushed too roughly, as this can damage the hairs. They get cold easily and should be kept indoors. Additionally, Cornish Rexes can be prone to baldness, a disorder known as hypotrichosis.
There is a website that has great information on Cornish Rex and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:
http://www.dogandcatfacts.com
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2007
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
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