Cat Facts

• The word tabby is thought to come from the word Atabi, which is a type of silk that has a stripy pattern and is made in Attabiah in the Middle East. Because tabby cats have coats with the same kind pattern they were named after the Atabi silk.
• Cats 'bury' their stools in the cat litter. In the wild they do this to help their hunting - it hides their presence from other animals.
• When your kitten starts washing itself, it's a sign that it is starting to feel at home. Your kitten will also rub it's head against chairs and other objects. This leaves traces of it's smell on the objects, so they seem less
  
  strange. Your cat may rub it's head against you, too!
• An ailurophile is another name for someone who loves cats. Someone who hates or is scared of cats is called a ailurophobe.
• When a cat arches it's back it is a sign that the cat is not happy.
• When a domestic cat goes after mice, only about one pounce out of three results in a catch. 

• Some experts say that cats are more likely to answer to women than to men when they are called. This is because women's voices have a higher pitch!
•  A cats sense of smell is fourteen times stronger than a human's.
• At about six months, a male cat that has been neutered will start a fight, roam it's territory and spray a nasty-smelling scent around - even in the house.
• Most indoor house cats live between 12 to fourteen years. The record for the oldest cat was 38 years, it was a cat named Puss, a tabby cat from England. It died in 1938.
• Cats sleep about sixteen hours a day.
•  Cats spend 30 percent of their awake-time grooming themselves.
• Don't throw a toy towards a cat; throw it away from the kitty. Think about it! A mouse wouldn't run toward a cat, but away from it!
• A can't see directly under it's nose, which is why it can't find tiny treats dropped on the floor.

Are Calico Cats Always Female?

Many people are surprised to hear that the vast majority of calico cats are female. Why is this? Is it possible for a calico cat to ever be male? Learn about the genetics of coat color in this feline FAQ.



First off, what is a calico cat? A calico cat is not a breed of cat, it is a color pattern. To be called "calico", three colors must be present: black, white and orange. Variations of these colors include gray, cream and ginger. A "true" calico cat has large blocks of these three colors, a "tortoise shell" or "tortie" cat has a mix of these three colors (blended/swirled together more than distinct blocks of color).

Now that a calico cat has been defined as a cat with three colors, the question is: why are they nearly always female? The answer is in genetics. Coat color in cats is a sex-linked trait, a physical characteristic (coat color) related to gender. Female animals have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). The genetic coding for displaying black or orange color is found on the X chromosome. The coding for white is a completely separate gene.

 Since females have two X chromosomes, they are able to "display" two colors (orange and black, or variations thereof) and white; creating the 3-color calico mix. Since males have only one X chromosome, they can only be orange OR black. It is more complicated than simply having the color genes -- it is a complex process of dominant and non-dominate genes interacting on the X chromosomes, but that is the basis for coat color in calico cats. For those of you interested in the detailed coat color genetics, please see the "Related Reading" articles at the bottom of this FAQ.

Can a calico cat ever be male? Yes, in rare instances. In this situation, the cat has two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome (XXY). Cats with this chromosomal configuration are usually sterile (not able to breed). This is similar to a condition in humans called Klinefelter's syndrome, or XXY Syndrome.

Interesting calico cat fact: on October 1, 2001, the calico cat became the official cat of the state of Maryland in the United States.

 

Cat in Other Languages

German - Katze

French - Chat

Spanish - Gato

Italian - Gatta

Russian - Kot

Arabic - Kitt

Portuguese - Gato

Croatian - Macka

Dutch - Kat

Czech - Kocka

Danish - Kat

Finnish - Kissa

Hungarian - Macska

Indonesian - Kucing

Norwegian - Katt

Polish - Kot

Romanian - Pisica

Turkish - Kedi

Vietnamese - Con meo

Black Cat: Good Luck or Bad

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Are black cats good luck or bad? Well, probably neither. A black cat is just that-a cat with black fur. There are many superstitions and beliefs about black felines in different parts of the world.

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• In the United States and most European countries, having a black cat cross your path means that things are are going to take a turn for the worse.
• In the United Kingdom and Japan, black cats bring good fortune.
• People in Germany think cats are good luck and bad luck. They believe that it is bad luck for a black cat to cross your path from right to left. However, if the cat crosses from left to right, then good news is on the way.
• Beware of a black cat that sits on a sick persons bed! In Italy, many people believe that death will follow.
• In China, some believe that a black cat means that famine and poverty are on the way.
• If a black kitten sits on your porch in Scotland, riches and happiness are coming to you.

What do you believe? 

Black Cat Appreciation Day

August 17th is Black Cat Appreciation Day. While I appreciate my cat every day, I still think it’s pretty neat that there is a Holiday to celebrate black cats in particular. Throughout history, they have gotten a bad rap, sadly. Black cats certainly deserve a day for themselves.

Black cats, (and black animals in general), are the last to be adopted, and the first to be euthanized due to longstanding superstitions that continue to this day throughout many cultures across the world. They have been attributed to witches, evil, and bad luck. During the middle ages, anyone who owned a black cat would be put to death, often in a dramatic ceremony with the entire village present. Black cats would also be put to death, right alongside their owner. Fewer cats meant more rats… which led to the bubonic plague.

But not all cultures were black cat phobic. For example, Japanese, British, and Scottish people loved black cats, and considered them to be bringers of good luck, and prosperity. Why there was such a vast difference among the United States and parts of Europe versus other cultures, I’m not sure. But depending on where black cats lived, they were either feared then killed, or spoiled, loved, depicted in beautiful art, and then mummified with their owners after they passed… It just depended where they happened to be born.

If you are interested in adopting a black cat, August 17th would be a great day to do so, as many shelters are having special deals, and reduced prices on their black cats in honor of the holiday. So get out there and get yourself a black beauty! 

 

Rescue Of The Month - April, 2014

Every month, much like cat of the month, we display a rescue/adoptable from CatRescue. 

This month is...

Gretel

 A little about me

GRETEL is a beautiful charcoal girl. She is a fun loving, adorable and friendly little girl who loves life. She loves playing with the other kittens at her foster carer and has no problems with the adult cats she shares with. Although Gretel is the only female kitten here she has no problem keeping up with the boys and gives as good as she gets.
Gretel is a good eater with both wet and dry food and is litter trained. She gets on well with my dogs and chickens and my teenage children but won't stick around if there are young or noisy children about.
Gretel has been born and raised with 6 siblings as well as several other rescue kittens, so is used to having company. If you're looking for a fun loving and affectionate kitten please come and meet with Gretel. You won't be disappointed.

LOCATION
Gretel is in foster care with Kris at Baulkham Hills.

Cat Rescue

Committed to Saving Lives

CatRescue NSW is a network of trained volunteer foster carers dedicated to rescuing and re-homing abandoned cats and dogs.
We are strictly 'no-kill', and committed to the well being of every animal we rescue. To achieve this we rely on the hard work of volunteers and support from the community.
Please consider adopting a rescued cat or kitten today, you will be saving a life and enriching your own.

Foster Caring

Foster caring is a rewarding and positive experience and you will be directly saving a life. Throughout the process you will be fully supported by one of our Foster Carer Coordinators, plus you will be joining a compassionate and like minded community of animal lovers.
Click here to download our information leaflet: Foster Carer Information
If you are interested in finding out about our Foster Care program, or would like to volunteer, please read the article ‘What it Involves’. It is also important that you read and fill out the Foster Carer Contract.

Donate

CatRescue is a no-kill, not for profit rescue group, staffed by a network of volunteers. We do not receive any government funding and rely soley on the goodwill and support of the community to sustain our life saving work. Every dollar you donate goes directly to the rescue and ongoing care of homeless animals, who without our intervention would be destroyed in council pounds or subject to a life on the street. CatRescue has a charitable fundraising authority CFN/20088, and when you donate financially to CatRescue you will be issued with a tax deductible receipt.
Please Click Here To donate financially to CatRescue.

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