By Jaden
Cats are very fascinating animals but there are many things you must know before you get one. Throughout this article I will explain everything you will need to know about cats. I hope you enjoy!
The relationship between cats and people dates back to the ancient Egyptians. In those times cats were bottom rack animals, no one liked them; they were considered filthy and useless to the culture. That is, until they started catching and killing snakes, rats and other small pests. That's when everything changed,the ancient Egyptians noticed and began loving cats. Almost everyone in the city had a cat and when a cat died, there would be a great deal of mourning. Sometimes they would even mummify their cat. In modern times, many people still enjoy cats as pets. In fact, according to Spots.com, 35.7% of Americans own cats and most cat owners have two cats. That’s 42.7 million cats!
There are many different types of cats. Lots of people like small pets, and pet cats are no exception. Three of the smallest cats are the Singapur ( pronounced sig - upper - ar - u ), the Munchkin, and the American Curl. For people interested in really large cats, they should consider the Siberian cat, the Ragamuffin (Pronounced rag-a-muffin), or the Ragdoll breeds. The most unusual cat breeds are the American Bobtail, the American Curl, and the Sphinx (su - finx). The american bobtail is a very unusual cat because its scientific name is Felis Catus and also because it is a big and heavy cat with a bobbed tail that is shorter than usual cat tails. American Bobtail cats kind of look like wild bobcats, just smaller and less feisty. The American Curl cat is the world’s smallest cat! When it is a kitten, it weighs about 2oz and is about the size of your ear. When it is fully grown, it weighs between five and ten pounds. It does not fully mature until it is two or three years old. The Surfing cat is from Egypt and is hairless. It looks so different from other cats because it has no cozy, cuddly hair. The weather in Egypt is hot, so the cats do not usually need to worry about getting cold.
No matter what kind of cat you have, it is important to know that you should keep your cat well-fed but not overfed. You should give your cat about one cup of food at a time, that way it won’t overeat. You can also buy an automatic cat feeder to help you. My family feeds our cat MeowMix, a healthy cat food that consists of salmon, turkey, and chicken. All cats are carnivores, so don’t feed them plant-based cat food. Cats also love to play. You can give your cat toys from the store or you can make them toys to play with. You can buy laser pointers, I know from experience that cats love them. When you are playing with your cat, be careful not to get hurt, cat claws and teeth are very sharp and can injure you. I have given her laser pointers, a rod made from popsicles sticks with a string attached to the end, and a ball of yarn that she can destroy. Note: never give your cat toilet paper unless you want to clean up a massive mess and waste toilet paper. Play is a good way for cats to get exercise, especially for house cats. Lastly, If you decide to get a pet cat, then you will need to know about their emotions. If your cat’s eyes are really open wide and the pupil is really big, that means that they are excited and playful. If your cat brushes up against you, that is a sign of love and appreciation. If your cat is mad, it will run away and hiss. If your cat is a house cat, get a quiet vacuum because loud vacuums will hurt cats’ ears. There are some YouTube videos about cats vs. cucumbers where they put a cucumber behind a cat while it’s eating and the cat jumps away. The cat thinks that the cucumber is a snake that will attack and it scares the cat. DON'T SCARE YOUR CAT!
Owning a cat is a very big responsibility and there are a lot of things to know. You have to choose the size of your cat, no matter how big or small they are always fun. Make sure to feed your cat at least one cup a day and play with your cat, but make sure to stop before you are injured. Most importantly understand feline emotions so you can build a strong bond. All these things are worth the effort because cats are amazing pets.