Thursday, December 31, 2015

Your Daily #Cat

Mayhan having a break 

Mayhan having a break by Tambako The Jaguar


The photogenic cats of Turkey

Cat-lover Christopher Muther seeks out new feline friends with his camera
Christopher Muther/Globe Staff
If I had a dime for every time I’ve watched a cat video online, I’d have enough dimes to buy a nicer computer to watch even more cat videos. I am not ashamed to admit that I’m what’s commonly known as a feline fanatic. On a trip to Turkey in September, I was living a cat lover’s dream. There were cats lollygagging everywhere. They slept in warm, sunny plazas. They walked around the streets and they strolled tourist attractions as if they owned them. The wonderful thing about cats in Turkey is that they are well cared for. Residents provide food, water, and shelter for their beloved cats.

On one of my first days outside Istanbul I spotted an empty chair that rapidly filled with cats. One, two, three sets of tails. Soon, there were five cats jostling for real estate on the chair. My camera nearly exploded from all that cuteness. Of the dozens of pictures I took, this was my favorite.


Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

After I had lunch in the beach town of Kas, on the southwestern point of the country, it seemed like everyone was ready for a nap, including this fellow.

Christopher Muther/Globe Staff


Once you step away from the commercial centers in Istanbul, you find silent streets, and I found many cats hanging out, including this sweet kitten.

Christopher Muther/Globe Staff


This cat parked himself on a comfy looking bench in Alcati. He’s not as vicious as he looks. I caught him mid-meow.

Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

I think a lot of cats in Turkey probably get sick of tourists bothering them (yes, I’m talking about myself), so they hang out in windows.

Christopher Muther/Globe Staff


When traveling, it’s always important to spend time getting to know the locals. Here I am in the ancient Roman city of Ephesus chatting up one of the residents — although I’ll admit it was a one-sided conversation.

Christopher Muther/Globe Staff


It may look like feline incarceration, but this cat in Bodrum happily watched the world from behind bars.

 03muther Credit: Christopher Muther, Globe Staff Alcati cat: A cat in Alacati, Turkey, makes a bed out of a potted dead plant.
Christopher Muther/Globe Staff

I felt as if this attention-loving cat was hoping to appear on “Turkey’s Next Top Model: Feline Edition” (will someone please produce a cat modeling show?) because she sat in this planter and posed for me. Well Naomi Catbell, your wish has been granted. You’re now a published model.

Christopher Muther can be reached at muther@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Chris_Mutherand on Instagram @Chris_Muther.

source 

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Your Daily #Cats

Two cubs behind the plants 

Two cubs behind the plants by Tambako The Jaguar

Were you lion about having a vasectomy?

Brutus becomes a father to three cubs at South African zoo, despite having the snip three years ago… but now he faces a second op 

  • Brutus' partner Nala gave birth to the three cubs just before Christmas  
  • Drakenstein Lion Park in Cape Town - where Nala and Brutus live - is a non-breeding sanctuary
  • The birth is being called the 'Christmas miracle' or 'white Christmas' as the lions have white coats - due to an unusual genetic mutation 
A South African lion who fathered three 'miracle' cubs - despite having had a vasectomy in his youth - is going back to the vet to have the snip a second time.
The lion, known as Brutus, and his partner Nala, live at the Drakenstein Lion Park near Cape Town, and stunned staff at the sanctuary when she gave birth to the cubs just before Christmas. 
The unusual course of events have been referred to as a 'Christmas miracle' or 'White Christmas' as the parents - and now the cubs - are rare white lions due to an unusual genetic mutation. 

Proud parents: Nala (left) has just given birth to three cubs despite father Brutus (right) having had a vasectomy three years ago - he now has to return to the vets to have the snip a second time
Proud parents: Nala (left) has just given birth to three cubs despite father Brutus (right) having had a vasectomy three years ago - he now has to return to the vets to have the snip a second time

Mother Nala gave birth to the little cubs at Drakenstein Lion Park near Cape Town in South Africa just before Christmas
Mother Nala gave birth to the little cubs at Drakenstein Lion Park near Cape Town in South Africa just before Christmas
Park owner Paul Hart said: 'We are a non-breeding sanctuary and Brutus before he became sexually mature had a vasectomy, which we assumed worked because for the last three years there has been no offspring.
'So we were taken completely by surprise by the cubs.' 
Mother and cubs, who have yet to be named, are doing fine, while Brutus has a date with a vet. 
Hart added: 'Hopefully, this time round, we'll fix the problem.'
The Drakenstein Lion Park is a private sanctuary that rescues captive lions from abusive environments that cannot be released into the wild. 

The little cubs - who have not yet been named - have a white coat and are being called a 'Christmas miracle'. Both parents are rare white lions due to an unusual genetic mutation 
The little cubs - who have not yet been named - have a white coat and are being called a 'Christmas miracle'. Both parents are rare white lions due to an unusual genetic mutation 

The Park owner said they were taken completely by surprise by the birth, but mother and cubs are said to be doing fine
The Park owner said they were taken completely by surprise by the birth, but mother and cubs are said to be doing fine

Drakenstein Lion Park, where Nala and Brutus live, is a private sanctuary that rescues captive lions from abusive environments
Drakenstein Lion Park, where Nala and Brutus live, is a private sanctuary that rescues captive lions from abusive environments


Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Your Daily #Cat

Nice innocent Pator 

Nice innocent Pator by Tambako The Jaguar

Vern Buchanan on Florida panther: “They face extinction”


florida panther
They’re the official state animal, yet the Florida panther is one of the most endangered species on Earth, with fewer than 180 of the big cats alive today. The breeding population of Florida panthers now exists only on the southern tip of the Sunshine State.

Noting the record number of panther deaths in 2015, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan of the state’s 16th Congressional District says he’s calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate a “critical habitat” for the endangered animal. Wildlife officials said last week a 1-year-old Florida panther was killed by a vehicle, raising to 30 the number of automobile-related deaths in 2015. Roadkills are the leading cause of death for the animal.

“Each year, the Florida panther population continues to shrink in size as more big cats are hit and killed by cars because they lack a safe habitat,” Buchanan said in an email. “Although these panthers are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, they face extinction because they have no protected area to live and repopulate.”

This month Buchanan and several other Florida congressmen sent a letter to President Obama requesting a safe habitat for the Florida panther. The letter highlighted the need for a safe environment that would preserve valuable environmental resources, such as wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, and drinking water supplies.

“We should not stand by and do nothing as yet another endangered species is wiped off the earth,” Buchanan said. “We don’t get a second chance once a species becomes extinct.”

The panther was one of the original 14 mammals named to the endangered species list in 1967, but a critical habitat has never been established, even though one is required by the Endangered Species Act.

The Florida panther once roamed nearly all of the Southeastern United States. However, avid hunters and development whittled the species down to its endangered status. Under the current federal panther recovery plan, there must be three separate populations of 240 individuals before the animal can be removed from the Endangered Species list.


The Minskin Is The Smallest Cat Breed That Is Highly Adorable [Video]

R. Siva Kumar
Dec 28, 2015 
Minskin Kitten
Tiny little Minskins get no more than four pounds when grown, making them one of the smallest of all cat breeds.

(Photo : Facebook/Sweet Minskin Cat and Kittens) 
Maine Coones and Bengals make you think of big cat breeds, but there are a few that look small and cute. The Minskins.

Most cats that are domesticated are about nine to 10 pounds. So the bigger ones like Abyssinian, Somali, American Curl and Bombay have great "social personalities", according to Graphiq.

Other cats in the eight to nine-pound range include Bambino, Scottish Fold and Devon Rex cats, while one cat, just in the six-pound range is small and sweet, needing little care.

The smallest one is the Minskin, which is a cross-breed between a Munchkin and a Sphynx, with a weight of four lbs. after growing fully. These are wonderful family pets that show a very low activity level with minimal shedding, according to Catster.

It began to get some recognition on in 1998. By 2005, there were 50 Minskins. They seek to be recognised by the The International Cat Association (TICA).

These adorable cats have short legs, a soft sparse coat, some soft fur "points" on their faces, ears, legs and tail. Its rounded head and large eyes makes it look like a kitten. Being completely adorable, its expression is sweet and wide-eyed.

They are also warm to the touch and love to cuddle---and fee like small, personal heaters.
What it loses in stature and size, it makes up in love and cuddling.



 source

Monday, December 28, 2015

Your Daily #Cat

Cub among the plants 

Cub among the plants by Tambako The Jaguar

Kings of the jungle run away from hissing baby cobra in Botswana (video)

  • Two young lions retreated after coming face-to-face with a baby cobra in Savuti Game Reserve in Botswana
  • Amusing encounter was captured by British photographer Charlie Lynam who was on holiday with his partner
These kings of the jungle looked more like scaredy cats when they came face-to-face with a baby cobra in Botswana. 
The two young lions retreated from the tiny snake as it angrily hissed at them from a puddle in Savuti Game Reserve.
British photographer Charlie Lynam, 57, captured the amusing encounter while on holiday with his partner, Emma Franklin, after days of failing to spot any big cats. 
Scroll down for video 
 
Scaredy cats: The two young lions pictured coming face-to-face with the baby cobra in Savuti Game Reserve in Botswana
Scaredy cats: The two young lions pictured coming face-to-face with the baby cobra in Savuti Game Reserve in Botswana
Stand-off: The cats can be seen staring at the cobra before one approaches it
These images were shot by British photographer Charlie Lynam
Stand-off: The cats can be seen staring at the cobra before one approaches it, in these images shot by British photographer Charlie Lynam
Tentative: 'I suspect it was the first time the lions had come across a baby cobra and vice versa as there was much consternation about what to do next,' the photographer said
Tentative: 'I suspect it was the first time the lions had come across a baby cobra and vice versa as there was much consternation about what to do next,' the photographer said
Mr Lynam, from Liverpool, said: 'You can't plan for this kind of thing, it was serendipity.
'We had visited a number of game reserves in Botswana - Savuti was our last stop. We were rather disappointed as we had been in Savuti for four days and not seen any of the big cats.
'This was our last morning and we were on our way out of the reserve when we spotted these two young male lions.
'I suspect from the mane and spots of their legs they were probably two brothers around two years of age. Still earning their stripes, so to speak.
'I noticed there was something attracting their attention and started clicking away, not realising it was a baby cobra, as I was quite some distance away.
'I suspect it was the first time the lions had come across a baby cobra and vice versa as there was much consternation about what to do next.
'It was clear from the outset that both recognised each other as a threat, or possibly it was just the cat's instinctive curiosity that got the better of it.'
Approach: The male lion stares at the tiny snake in a nearby puddle in this amazing picture shot by photographer Charlie Lynam, 57
Approach: The male lion stares at the tiny snake in a nearby puddle in this amazing picture shot by photographer Charlie Lynam, 57
Interest: Photographer Charlie Lynam shot these pictures while on holiday in Savuti Game Reserve, Botswana, with his partner
Interest: Photographer Charlie Lynam shot these pictures while on holiday in Savuti Game Reserve, Botswana, with his partner
Retreat: The two young lions made a quick exit as the tiny snake hissed at them from a puddle in Savuti Game Reserve in Botswana
Retreat: The two young lions made a quick exit as the tiny snake hissed at them from a puddle in Savuti Game Reserve in Botswana
The photographer added: 'The one lion, we called him Stumpy due to half his tail being missing, was eager to pursue the cobra. 
'I was amazed at the feisty attitude of this tiny little creature against the might of two almost fully grown lions.
'Talk about David and Goliath, he was holding his ground and striking out at the lions when they came too close and went to swat him.'
Mr Lynam described the situation as 'humorous and tense', adding: 'The incident went on for about 5 minutes. I guess you could call it a tie.
'In the end the lions left the snake and went about their business.
'I've not witnessed a snake and lion confrontation before and it's probably unlikely I will again. It was quite unique and the standoff made it quite special.' 

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Your Daily #Cat

Again, a photo of Villy walking... 

Villy walking by Tambako The Jaguar

India Boosts Tiger Sunrise Among Asia's Extinct Species

By RICHA SHARMA
Published: 27th Dec 2015
NEW DELHI: After reviving its endangered tiger population, India is now helping three of its Southeast Asian neighbours with tiger conservation. India may relocate some of its tigers to Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, where the big cats have either become extinct or are very few in number.

While Cambodia expressed its wish for tigers from India, the other two countries evinced a deep interest in learning about tiger conservation from India. Scientists from the three countries also visited tiger reserves in mid-December and were briefed about tiger re-introduction within the country.

India has asked them for an official agreement from their governments saying they are keen to have tigers and will take measures to protect them. “They need tigers to arrest the dwindling population. But first we need to be sure about their readiness. We also need to know that the re-introduction project has full support of their governments,” said an official of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

India is also discussing the possibility of a survey to ascertain the exact number of tigers in those countries and if the available existing forest area can accommodate tigers from India.

“We also have to see if the tiger can survive in the conditions there. Availability of prey base for tigers is another factor the Indian government will consider before taking a decision on sending the animals. Prey base, political will, forest area—until we are convinced about these factors, the decision will not be made,” the official said. The Indian government has no issues with relocation of tigers as it believes it could be a good diplomatic move, but it doesn’t want to invite criticism by doing it without proper groundwork.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar has also received tiger adoption requests from countries where the big cats are extinct. He has also indicated a favourable response to the demands. India is also working with other countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Russia for tiger conservation.

The tiger estimation 2014 put the population of big cats in India at 2,226, an increase from 1,706 in 2010 and 1,411 in 2006. India is home to the world’s 70 per cent tigers in the wild. About 65 tiger deaths have been reported in 2015 so far.

 source

St. Augustine Wild Reserve provides safe haven for unwanted exotic animals

By Teresa Stepzinski  
Daron.Dean@staugustine.com
Deborah Warrick shares a moment with a hyena at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22. The nonprofit wildlife sanctuary has been a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals since 1995.
 
ST. AUGUSTINE | Lions, tigers, a bear and now ligers too. Ligers?

Ares and his little brother, Yeti, are the newest residents at St. Augustine Wild Reserve — a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary that also is a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals. Deborah Warrick a carnivore biologist and veteran wild animal handler, founded the reserve to educate the public about exotic animal ownership as well as prevent future animal abuse.

Warrick and sanctuary volunteers welcomed the brother ligers about two months ago. A liger is the hybrid offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. Lions and tigers are competing predators so they avoid each other in the wild. Ligers result from cross-breeding in captivity. “You can see when they walk that they have bad hips. It’s just not a good thing to do, to produce a hybrid like this,” said Warrick, noting the ligers came from South Carolina where their former owner exhibited the big cats at a wildlife preserve. Weighing roughly 625 pounds each, Ares and Yeti are still considered babies at about 3 years old. They will reach well over 1,000 pounds each when adults, she said. “They were no longer needed for the shows so they gave them to us,” Warrick said. The brothers share a spacious $21,000 cage where each has his own tub for bubble baths — a favorite pastime — and separate den boxes for private snoozing, although they often doze together.

A RESCUE HOME 

The reserve is home to about 150 animals and birds including a rare golden tabby tiger as well as Siberian lynxes, Arctic and grey wolves, snow and Bengal tigers, African lions, leopards, hyenas and coatimundis — an animal related to the raccoon — along with coyotes, a cougar, a black bear and a white-tailed deer. “Everything here is a rescue,” Warrick said of the sanctuary located about five miles west of World Golf Village in St. Johns County.

The reserve is licensed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, United States Department of Agriculture and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to keep and care for the wild animals.

Daron.Dean@staugustine.com-A liger peers from its enclosure at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve recently. A liger is a hybrid cross between a male lion and a female tiger. 


Several of the animals came from less than ideal circumstances. Some used to be pets. Others had been starved or kept in deplorable living conditions at old zoos or animal shows, Warrick said.
Some of the big cats were raised by people solely for use in photo opportunities. When the animal gets too big to be used or too difficult to handle, their owners want to get rid of them. Some go to zoos or sanctuaries like the reserve where they can be cared for properly. But some face a grimmer fate, she said. “A lot of them end up in canned hunts where they are shot. So, we try to take in as many as we can so they don’t end up there,” said Warrick, noting that Slowka, a 4-year-old Asian spotted leopard now living at the reserve, had been used by his previous owner in photo opps. That owner then deemed Slowka no longer useful, and the leopard was subsequently acquired by the reserve.  Regardless of their past, the animals have found safe haven at the reserve, where even predator and prey can become best friends.

Maleyshka, a sweet-natured Siberian lynx whose name means little girl in Russian, was a 3-month-old kitten when she came to the sanctuary from a breeder in South Carolina. About the same time, Warrick said they found a newborn white-tailed deer fawn cowering in a ditch after dogs had chased away her mother. Naming the fawn Amira, which means princess in Arabic, Warrick raised her with Maleyshka. That was about seven years ago and Amira and Maleyshka remain best friends.
“The two of them play together and they groom each other,” Warrick said of Maleyshka and Amira, who were featured on “Nat Geo Wild,” a cable television program on the National Geographic Channel.

Daron.Dean@staugustine.com-A tiger takes a bubble bath at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22, 2015. The treat occurs several times a week, cleaning the animal's coat and detering insects.
The reserve also is home to Sitarra, a rare golden tabby tiger. The color of the setting sun, Sitarra is one of only about 30 in the world with that color mutation, which is caused by a recessive gene. Still a baby, Sitarra is almost 3 years old, Warrick said. “When her former owner had her, she had distemper. I’m very, very surprised that she even made it because that’s a killer in cats. But she did. She survived and she’s real healthy and doing well now. She is very sweet,” said Warrick as the tiger made soft chuffing sounds in an affectionate greeting. “A chuffing tiger is a happy tiger,” she said.

TAKING IN ALL TYPES 

Warrick has been taking in all types of critters since she was a kid. “I didn’t play with dolls. I had spiders and snakes. My parents hated spiders and snakes but they let me keep them. I was lucky I had great parents,” she said.

A San Jose, Calif., native, Warrick began rescuing unwanted pet wolves in 1981. At the time, she’d broken her back skydiving and her instructor gave her a wolf cub as a get-well gift. That pup inspired her wolf rescue, which evolved into a mission to help other exotic animals.

Warrick founded St. Augustine Wild Reserve in 1995. The reserve has been highlighted in segments of programs on Animal Planet and “Nat Geo Wild,” and on “Jack Hanna’s Wild Adventures.”
Her credentials include a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Florida and extensive experience as a trainer working with wolves, tigers, lions and other large carnivores. Warrick previously worked at the Los Angeles Zoo and created a wolf show for Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia.

Daron,Dean@staugustine.com-A lion takes a nap at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22, 2015. The nonprofit wildlife sanctuary has been a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals since 1995.
Years ago, the reserve received five Arctic wolves and an African lion from entertainer Michael Jackson when he no longer wanted the animals at his California ranch. All of those animals have since passed away. But several other wolves live at the reserve where exotic cats — large and small — are prevalent.

Natasha, a 10-year-old Siberian lynx at the reserve came from Ponte Vedra Beach. A woman “thought it would be a cool idea to have an adult lynx as a pet so she purchased it from a breeder in Washington State who shipped it in to her,” Warrick said. “As soon as she opened the crate, this monster came at her and bit her. She managed to shoo her with a broom into the garage where she lived for the next several months,” Warrick said. The woman only opened the garage door enough to feed Natasha. Warrick had to use a tranquilizer dart to sedate the lynx, who at that point was mean, so she could bring her back to the sanctuary.

The reserve offers guided tours three times a week by appointment only. It’s not open to the public on a drop-in basis like zoos. The reserve receives no government funding. It relies on revenue from an annual fundraiser, donations and money generated by the tours, she said.

DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS 

Michelle Smith of Palm Coast and Jeff Osborne of St. Augustine are among about 30 dedicated volunteers at the center, which has no paid staff, not even Warrick. “I fell in love by the third tiger and found out I could come out here and help and I have never left,” said Smith, who became a volunteer four years ago after visiting the reserve on a tour.

Osborne has been volunteering at the reserve about 2½ years. “I’ve always wanted to do this, my whole life,” said Osborne, who discovered the sanctuary after moving to St. Augustine from San Diego.

Daron.Dean@staugustine.com-Chakra, a royal white Bengal tiger, shows teeth while laying down at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22, 2015. The nonprofit wildlife sanctuary has been a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals since 1995.

The bubble bath-loving tigers as well as the other big cats and wolves appear relaxed and happy as they lounge in expansive chain-link fenced enclosures encompassing the trees and other natural features of the site. To keep them from becoming bored they have toys ranging from pumpkins and chunks of tree trunks to cardboard boxes and rubber balls. But perhaps the best part is “Tiger TV,” which is what Warrick affectionately calls the free-roaming turkeys, geese, guineafowl and peafowl that people have dropped off along with the parrots and pigeons. “The cats just go crazy when a goose walks by and they try to figure out how to get it. It gives them something to do during the day,” Warrick said.

All the animals have distinct personalities, Smith and Osborne said. “When you take care of them, they each have their own special way of letting you know that they appreciate it. They enjoy coming over and call to you when they see you. It is just amazing. I feel like I have some of the best animal friends in the entire world,” said Smith, who makes birthday cakes with meat and whipped cream for the big cats. She also puts together the cardboard boxes, which are among their favorite toys.

Daron.Dean@staugustine.com-A Coatimundi walks around its habitat at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22, 2015. The nonprofit wildlife sanctuary has been a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals since 1995.
As much as they love them, Warrick and the volunteers emphasized they are very careful especially when around the carnivores. Although they can be affectionate, their wild nature is always there and can surface unexpectedly. Volunteers are not allowed inside the enclosures with the animals. Warrick also stays outside except on rare occasions, and then only with animals that she has worked with extensively. Even then, she said she can’t take anything for granted. “No matter how sweet they are when you’re out here, they’re not going to be sweet when you go into their territory, Warrick said. “If you trip and fall down, no matter how much they love you, they are hard-wired to kill something that just tripped and fell in front of them. That’s how they hunt in the wild.”

Warrick said none of their animals have escaped or hurt anyone since it’s been open.
Their mission, Warrick said, is to provide the best place possible for the animals to live out their days.
“We take good care of them. … They deserve that,” she said.

Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075

Daron.Dean@staugustine.com-Deborah Warrick kneels with a rescued deer at the St. Augustine Wild Reserve on Tuesday, December 22, 2015. The nonprofit wildlife sanctuary has been a rescue center for unwanted exotic animals since 1995.

ST. AUGUSTINE WILD RESERVE

St. Augustine Wild Reserve is a non-profit wildlife sanctuary for unwanted exotic animals. Its goal is to educate the public about exotic animal ownership as well as to prevent future animal abuse prevent future animal abuse. Volunteers and donations are welcome.

For more information: (904) 940-0664 or staugustinewildreserve.org.

Its Wish List:
■ Bleach and other cleaning supplies including liquid dish soap and paper towels
■ Freeze-dried meal worms for the peafowl and turkeys
■ Bird seed for the large-billed parrots and cockatiels
■ Yucca root for its porcupine
■ 55 gallon trash bags
■ Cases of bottled water
■ Blueberry muffins for the coatis and deer
■ Rain ponchos
■ Bread for its ducks, peacocks, turkeys and coatis
■ Unsalted almonds, walnuts/pistachios for its porcupine and deer
■ Large carrots for the bear
■ Nitrile gloves, size large
■ Ink jet photo-quality matte printer paper size 8 1/2 x 11 for photographs of the animals

Source: St. Augustine Wild Reserve

source

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Your Daily #Cat

Elena displaying flehmen 

Elena displaying flehmen by Tambako The Jaguar

UC Davis study: Calico, tortoiseshell female cats often most challenging

December 25, 2015

Frieda, a tortoiseshell cat, sits on at cat scratching pad shaped like a chaise lounge. She is one of the foster cats up for adoption at the LapCats cattery in Sacramento, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2015. Frieda's coloring suggests she may be a handful, according to a recent study by researchers at the UC Davis Veterinary school who probe the relationship between a cat's coat color and her personality. Turns out calicos and tortoiseshells are disproportionately described by pet owners as problematic.Frieda, a tortoiseshell cat, sits on at cat scratching pad shaped like a chaise lounge. She is one of the foster cats up for adoption at the LapCats cattery in Sacramento, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2015. Frieda's coloring suggests she may be a handful, according to a recent study by researchers at the UC Davis Veterinary school who probe the relationship between a cat's coat color and her personality. Turns out calicos and tortoiseshells are disproportionately described by pet owners as problematic. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article51617920.html#storylink=cpy
UC Davis veterinarians surveyed more than 1,200 cat owners
Female calicos, torties most likely to hiss, chase, bite
More research necessary to determine why coloring related to temperament
It seems you’re in good company.

Veterinarians from UC Davis have discovered, in recently published research, that cats with calico and tortoiseshell coat patterns tend to challenge their human companions more often than felines whose fur is less flashy.

The research backs up long-standing observations among veterinarians that such cats often are “difficult,” said Dr. Elizabeth Stelow, a behavioral expert in the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Her study, based on a survey of more than 1,200 cat owners, found that calicoes and torties are more likely to hiss, chase, bite, swat or scratch during interactions with humans.

The UC Davis data also suggest that cats with gray and white, and black and white coats are slightly more likely to engage in those behaviors, a finding that surprised researchers. Cats sporting other colors, including solid black, gray and white, display aggressive personality characteristics significantly less frequently, according to the study, published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science.

The online survey, posted on a social media site, did not reveal the study’s focus. It simply asked cat owners questions about their feline’s behaviors, and requested that they choose a color category and written description that best fit their pet.

Calicos and torties have reputations for being feisty and unpredictable, characteristics that the study appears to confirm. Calicos are mostly white with patches of orange and black. Tortoiseshells have coats that feature a constellation of black, brown, amber and red patches. Because two X chromosomes are necessary to produce their coloring, the vast majority of both types of cats are female. “They’re fiery,” said Front Street animal shelter manager Gina Knepp. “They’ve got a little spirit and zip to them. If you want a cat that will keep you on your toes, a calico or tortie is the way to go.”

In the UC Davis survey, cat caretakers used a scale from 0 to 5 to assess the frequency of behaviors such as hissing and biting. A complex data analysis of answers to the survey found statistically significant differences between the frequency of such behaviors in “orange females” – including torties and calicoes – and most other cats, Stelow said. She said the research suggests that the same genetics that dictate coat color may play a role in aggression, but that more study needs to be done to explore that theory.

The study is believed to be the first to look at specific behaviors related to coat coloring. Although it had some limitations, including the fact that researchers relied on the observations of cat owners and never observed the felines in question, the research offers insights that warrant further investigation, said Stelow. “We thought the findings were very interesting, and we would love other researchers to take the baton and run with it, to look at the genetics of why this may be happening,” she said.

Stelow, who authored the study with veterinarian Melissa Bain and data analyst Philip Kass, said the findings should not discourage people from adopting a tortoiseshell or calico cat. “I have a crazy calico myself,” she said, along with an orange tabby. Both are great companions, she said.

Aggression in cats, Stelow noted, rarely is violent. “It’s very different from dogs. Dogs show a very, very wide range from not aggressive at all to capable of killing. The overwhelming majority of cats are not the least aggressive,” and those that are usually display it in “very subtle ways,” she said.
“We are not suggesting that anyone avoid having these cats in their homes,” she said of calicos and torties. “Most of them make lovely pets. It’s just information to help you understand what you might be up against.”

Barbara Doty understands. Doty, a cat rescuer and founder of the nonprofit LapCats, which works with Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Shelter to find adoptive homes for felines, generally describes calicos and torties as the “divas” of the cat world. “It’s an attitude,” she said. “Some of them just want to be the one and only, the queen of the household so to speak. They tend to be a little more high strung.”

Doty shares her home with a tortie who “is more sensitive” than most cats, she said. “She loves most people, but if another cat rubs up against her and gets too close, she might swat her.”

Potential adopters tend to gravitate toward colorful cats, research has shown, while black cats tend to linger longer in shelters. The key, said Doty and Knepp, is finding the right personality match. Black cats, Knepp said, “seem to have the most balanced personalities, from my observations. For the most part they are very stable.”

“But I truly believe that there’s somebody for everyone,” she said. I would suggest spending some time at the shelter, see who catches your eye and watch the cat for a while. Then open that door, hold out your arms and see what happens.”

 source

12 Weird Things You Didn't Know About Your Cat

Weird Cat Facts You Probably Didn't Know



 
Lucia Peters

When it suddenly became apparent that cats are terrified of cucumbers, this random tidbit of knowledge kind of blew the Internet's collective mind. But hey, guess what? That's not the only weird cat fact you probably didn't know. Cats are strange and mysterious creatures, and it turns out there's much to learn about them — even if you already own several and are therefore convinced you know everything anyone could ever possibly want to know about them.

Cats have been around for so long that we don't totally know when or where they were first domesticated. It's thought that domestication may have first occurred in ancient Egypt around 4,000 years ago; however, other evidence suggests that it may have happened 8,000 years ago in Cyprus, or even up to 12,000 years ago in the Middle East. Given the demeanor of most cats, I'm pretty sure they'd all say, “Silly human. We domesticated you, not the other way around” — but that's just supposition on my part. (What can I say? I have a weird soft spot for anthropomorphized animals.)

We know they don't like being startled; we know they dream; and we think we know what they dream aboutso just for good measure, here are 12 more weird things we know about cats. Because admit it: You're dying to know what the word for a group of cats is, right?

...Or maybe that's just me.

Anyway. Here we go.

1. They Sweat Through Their Paws


Because they're covered in fur, cats have comparatively few sweat glands throughout their bodies. Most of them are on the pads of their paws—which is why you'll sometimes see little wet paw prints when your fuzzy buddy walks on tile or linoleum during the summer months: Your cat is sweating through its paws. They also cool themselves via panting and licking their fur.

2. Cats Are Like Umbrellas

 

Kind of in the way that ogres are like onions: They share a common feature. For cats, the umbrella thing comes into play when they're falling — they tuck themselves into an umbrella shape, which enables them to always land on their feet. It's called the cat righting reflex.

3. They Can Drink Seawater



Although it's rule number one if a human is stranded on a deserted island never, ever to drink seawater, cats actually don't have that problem. Their kidneys are so efficient that they can filter out the salt, allowing them to hydrate even if all they have to drink is the great, wide ocean.

4. They Know How To Deal With Hairballs All On Their Own

cat animated GIF
No need for you to give them any fancy anti-hairball treats — as long as your feline pal is an outdoor cat, that is. How do they do it? Cats eat grass. Since they lack the necessary enzyme to digest the grass, they'll often vomit after they eat it — but you know what that vomiting does? It clears out anything indigestible that might be hanging out in their digestive track, including hairballs. Cats really are enormously self-sufficient.

5. Cats Don't Have a Sweet Tooth

cat animated GIF

Thanks to a genetic defect, cats can't actually taste anything sweet. Sorry, Fluffy.

6. A Group Of Cats Is Called a Clowder

cats animated GIF

Sounds like of like a cross between a clown and a bowl of chowder to me, but hey, whatever floats your boat, cats. According to Merriam Webster, "clowder" is a possible variant of the word “clutter.”

7. They Spend as Much as Half Their Lives Cleaning Themselves

cat animated GIF

True story. They'll also occasionally groom their humans by licking them — it's a sign of affection.

8. Purring Serves More Than One Purpose

cat animated GIF
It's not just a thing that cats do when they're happy. They can also do it when they're stressed — and it's possible that it might be a form of self-healing, too (which you may already know if you've read Oryx and Crake, but I still think it's cool). Domestic cats purr at a frequency between 25 and 150 Hertz — which, according to Live Science is also “the frequency at which muscles and bones best grow and repair themselves.” As a result, we suspect that cats' purring may have evolved as a survival tactic over time.

9. Changes In Routine Make Them Act Sick

Internet Cat Video Festival animated GIF
Even if your cat is healthy, “unusual external events” make it just as likely to refuse food, throw up a lot, and deposit its waste somewhere other than its litter box, according to researchers from Ohio State University. This might explain why one of my cats spent four days vomiting recently, even though she's doesn't usually have a delicate stomach — my partner and I had company staying with us. Mystery solved.

10. Nose Prints Are The Equivalent Of Fingerprints for a Cat

cat animated GIF
Every cat's nose print is as unique as a human's fingerprints. Just, y'know, in case your cat is ever caught trying to steal the tuna sandwich you were planning to eat for lunch and ends up booked for burglary.

11. They Can Be Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed

cat animated GIF
That is, they do have a dominant paw — and whichever one it is probably depends on your cat's gender: Research conducted in 2009 found that male cats are usually left-pawed, while female cats are usually right-pawed.

12. Cats Don't Think You're Capable Of Taking Care Of Yourself

cat animated GIF
It's why they bring you mice and other dead animals (or in the case of my two very indoor cats, toys) — they think you suck at hunting, so they're bringing you dinner. How sweet.


Images: pmarkham/Flickr; Giphy (12)

source 

Feeding time at the zoo a delicate task

Posted: Friday, December 25, 2015 
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — Vince Sonetto, supervising animal keeper at the Cape May County Zoo, swings a heavy pulley to close two steel doors. He checks his handiwork because just outside the gates — and trying hard to get inside — are two lions. Hungry lions.

FEEDING
The Cape May County Zoo has nutritionists and Zoo Keepers who tailor meals for each animal, including Bella, the lion. Monday, December 14. (The Press of Atlantic City/ Viviana Pernot)

Feeding time is a bloody affair for Lex and Bella, the zoo’s 4-year-old African lions.
Sonetto, 53, of Middle Township, has been caring for them for the past year, and the pair — now nearly grown — are still affectionate toward him. But he does not delude himself about the dangers, especially at feeding time. “No, I can’t make a mistake because it will be the last,” Sonetto says. “It helps to be a little OCD checking the locks.”
Sonetto opens the outer gate and lets Bella into her brother’s den. She rubs up against the gate and makes low whining noises until Sonetto kneels and lavishes her with praise and affection. Up close, the lions are impossibly big. Their father was a beast at 600 pounds — huge for any lion. And these siblings still have some growing to do.

Sonetto feeds each cat 7 to 15 pounds of ground beef, a mix of cow and horse meat from frozen packages. The den has a thawing fridge and a freezer that holds more than a month’s worth of lion food.
On Fridays, the big cats fast with the occasional bone to gnaw. This simulates their diet in the wild, where they go days between kills. With the outside gates secured, Sonetto opens the interior cage door, a mix of steel bars and heavy mesh, and enters Bella’s den. This is where she spends the night and feeds out of public view and beyond the reach of her bigger brother.

 FEEDING
Bella, a lion at The Cape May County Zoo, enters her cage in time to have lunch. Monday, December 14. (The Press of Atlantic City/ Viviana Pernot)

Sonetto dumps a plastic tray of meat onto the bare concrete, where blood pools like a crime scene.
“That’s how she likes it,” he says. “Messy.”
Sometimes the zoo gets donations of deer from hunters or recent roadkill. These are shared among all the zoo’s big cats — its tiger, cheetahs and snow leopards.

Sonetto closes a cage door designed to keep prying paws from reaching keepers. He padlocks the cage and gives the lock two quick tugs. When he opens a hidden gate between dens, Bella hurries to her meal, squatting over her dinner in that particularly lioness way with her heavy tail twitching left and right.
He follows the same process for Lex, who waits eagerly behind steel and fills the entire doorway, blotting out the daylight. Lex ignores Sonetto for now and settles into his dinner.
Neither lion is a member of the clean-plate club, leaving a few scraps and drabs of blood. Lex turns his attention to Sonetto and sits regally at the cage entrance, watching with intelligent, golden eyes.
“Are you finished? Are you a good boy?” Sonetto asks the lion, who replies with a whine, burying his muzzle in the chain link.

 FEEDING
Lex, a male lion at The Cape May County Zoo, waits in his cage for his lunch. Monday, December 14. (The Press of Atlantic City/ Viviana Pernot)
The zoo acquired the lions from Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, where they were born. They replaced another beloved lion, Brutu, who died last year at 16. But now their roars echo across Middle Township. They have been a joy to work with, Sonetto says.
“Personality-wise, they act more like a big dog than a cat,” he says. “They’re happy to see you, so they’ll run over. They’re just like kids now. Every day is an adventure.”

source

How cats conquered the earth

Thanks to a unique feline blueprint they're the planet's most successful survivors, reveals a new documentary 

  • Biologist Patrick Aryee gets up close to lions and tigers  
  • The two-part show also charts their 11-million-year history 
  • Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family starts on Monday, 8pm, Sky1 
They’re the superheroes of the animal kingdom, the most powerful predators on the planet whose extraordinary skills have given them valuable advantages over other animals. 

Humans aside, they’re the most successful survivors on Earth, having adapted to almost every conceivable environment from the harsh Siberian wilds to Africa’s scorched savannah.

They are, of course, cats. And while big cats have long been a wildlife TV subject, you’ll never have seen a show quite like biologist Patrick Aryee’s before. Yes, he gets up close and personal with lions and tigers and talks about their hunting prowess. 

Cheetah's in Kenya's Masai Mara Nature Reserve 
Cheetah's in Kenya's Masai Mara Nature Reserve 


But his stunningly filmed two-part show Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family also charts their 11 million-year history and explores how the ‘blueprint’ common to them all has made them such survivors.

‘From tooth to tail, cats are formidable predators with sensory superpowers,’ says Londoner Patrick, who was inspired to become a scientist after watching David Attenborough talking about big cats on TV. 

‘There are 37 different species but there are certain traits that link them all. They have excellent vision: in low light it is six times better than a human’s. They have whiskers that can detect tiny movements in the air, letting them home in on their prey. 

'They’re nimble; their spines are so flexible they can twist 180°. But what sets them apart are their weapons; dogs’ claws can become blunt but cats’ are always razor sharp as they retract them when they don’t need them. And they have a precise way of killing with a deadly bite to the back of the neck.’
A clouded leopard, the first cat
A clouded leopard, the first cat

The story starts in the rainforests of south-east Asia 11 million years ago. Scientists believe the clouded leopard was the first cat – and it still exists today. ‘It’s an ancient predator, almost as much monkey as cat,’ says Patrick, who sees them in Thailand. 
‘But it has those same attributes that made cats so powerful.’ From here cats moved to the frozen wastes of Russia where today’s huge Siberian tiger – twice as heavy as tigers in the tropics – can survive in -40°C. ‘Bigger bodies are better at retaining heat while their thick winter coat and added layer of fat has adapted for life in the snow,’ says Patrick.

Eight million years ago as land bridges opened up they moved from Asia to Africa, where the majestic lion emerged. ‘They introduced the idea of a pride, when cats had been solitary creatures,’ says Patrick. He meets Kevin Richardson, a South African who’s part of a pride – he hunts with them and even cleans their teeth. 

Kevin puts Patrick in a safety cage on the savannah to let him join the pride too. ‘I felt like dinner. The dominant male came so close I could smell his breath. I was shaking and it was terrifying,’ says Patrick.

During the Ice Age cats travelled from Asia to America. Patrick meets the Canada lynx, which has the thickest fur of any cat and huge paws that act like snow shoes. As the lynx moved on it adapted to each landscape. In tropical Belize in Central America it became the margay, a treetop hunter that leaps up to 13ft between branches. 

The puma, also called the cougar or mountain lion, emerged and spread across California before crossing back into Africa where it evolved into the cheetah, Earth’s fastest mammal. ‘So the cat renowned for its lightning speed is an American immigrant,’ laughs Patrick. The cheetah’s one disadvantage is that it’s small, making it vulnerable to lions and leopards which target its cubs and steal its prey.

Cats began to co-habit with humans 10,000 years ago when man started living in settlements. It was a mutually beneficial relationship; cats kept rodents away and in return they got warmth, security and a place to nurture kittens. 

‘Humans have been disastrous for almost every other animal except cats,’ says Patrick. ‘There are about 600 million domestic cats in the world. That’s why I’d say, of all the great feline species, the domestic cat is the majestic culmination of the cat story. It’s the ultimate cat.’

Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family starts on Monday, 8pm, Sky1.