From today’s paper, kitties are officially man’s best friend with 78 million of them in our houses and lives. Sadly, there are 70 million homeless kitties and most who enter shelters are euthanized.
Some Cat Facts: Kittens open their eyes at 7 to 10 days old, but can’t hear until around 14 days old. Houses cats can purr while inhaling and exhaling, unlike big cats who only purr while exhaling. A group of adult cats is called a clowder. The term “cat’s pajamas” comes from the maker of silk pajamas for royalty in the late 1700s and early 1800s, whose name was E. B. Katz. Cats rotate their ears 10x faster than a dog, and can hear 2 octaves higher than we bipeds can. Cats generally have 24 whiskers, 12 to each side of their face, and can move them independently. Cats sleep or nap for 70% of the time, and spend 30% of their awake time grooming. Most orange cats are male, and almost all calico cats are female.
If you can, open your heart and home to a shelter kitty. You’ll get a lifetime of love in return.
And while I’ve not got any room for more permanent residents I’ve been fostering shelter kittens. Everyone needs a little, purring kitten in their lap. A great stress reducer!
I have NINE (six are kittens due to be weaned in a matter of weeks) if anyone is interested.
They are gorgeous; one gray, three blacks, four tuxedos and a sweet older calico.
I love 'em, but I just can’t afford the medical costs anymore. Still, if nobody takes them I’ll keep them forever. I’ll find the money somewhere.
Indeed it is–thanks for the notice! Our shelter is giving away free microchips with every cat adoption this month, and adopters enter a raffle for a bunch of cat goodies from a local store.
We have four, all ferals, and all the very best, loving animals. From time to time the GF and I have taken kittens from a local adoption agency and fostered them for a few weeks to get them socialized and used to human contact. A very rewarding experience.
The Neville kitties were adopted from a local no-kill shelter, that takes in animals on their last day in a kill shelter. They are the Bestest Kitties In The Whole World (and I’m not just saying that because they’re watching me as I type )
As a Rescue Mom myself - thanks for those of you who have and do foster - even tho the fostering itself brings many rewards of its own! If you are thinking of a new family member - please check out your local shelter or rescue group.
I never knew it was a “clowder” of cats - would have thought it was a “coven” or something.
I was somewhat skeptical also, LHoD, but went with what was in my Sunday paper. Michael Quinion at WorldWideWords has no note on his site about it, so I’ll submit a query-he’s my favorite for etymology questions.
I just adopted a second cat May 26, a fifteen year old pet that badly needed a new home, due to a tragic accident in his family. I’ve never had a long haired cat, and I can see it will involve lots more brushing and vacuuming than before.
I started a thread about it but I’m too lazy to look it up now. Suffice it to say that Vladimir(new) is getting along with Tobermory(the original). They aren’t hissing at each other anymore, and have approached each other, nose to nose, as well as using the other cat’s box.
Tobermory is nine, so I have two seniors to pamper.
I’ve heard it’s also a “clutter” of cats. This seems appropriate.
We don’t adopt cats so much as cats adopt US. Last month, a teenage kitten adopted my husband, who has never had a cat of his own before. When he comes home, he puts away his briefcase and card, and asks me where the kitten is.
Hell, Danceswithcats, do you realise how difficult it is to count a cats whiskers when they prefer not to be annoyed? I feel like an idiot. I don’t really care if they rotate up its ass at the moment.
I came dangerously close to adopting a fourth cat this weekend. A Walmart clerk and I corralled a tiny kitten that had found its way into the shopping cart holding area. It couldn’t have been more than 4-5 weeks old. Luckily, she picked it up first. I left her my cell phone number, but as I walked away, she was already practicing how she was going to break the news to her husband that they had another cat, so I don’t expect to hear from her.
How timely, we’re planning to adopt a kitten within the next week or so! I was considering an older cat, but my SO has his heart set on a wee one, and I’m thinking a little one will adjust better to life with our middle aged cat. It’s hard for me to visit the shelter though, because I want take care of them all!
This past Saturday evening I found a wee stray kitten in the shed behind my house. He’s about 6 to 8 weeks old, and has adapted quite well to kitten chow.
I’ve named him Phoenix, and he’s getting along quite well with my two other cats, though he still thinks I’m evil incarnate. I’m waiting to introduce him to my dog, Bela, until he’s had a chance to adjust a bit more.
It was a very timely discovery. I’d seen a black tomcat sitting near the door when I pulled into the driveway. I went back to investigate and he ran off. So I took the opportunity to pay a visit to the grave of my dearly departed Peaches, a cat I’d lost to a stray dog attack over the winter. Something compelled me to go back into the shed where I flushed out who I assume to be Phoenix’s Mom, but all I really saw was a blur of grey. Yet another something compelled me to continue poking around the dusty clutter at the back of the shed, where low and behold…I found his cute little fuzzy butt.
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