190 likes | 325 Views
8. CHAPTER. Cats. History of the Cat. Descended from dog ancestor Miacis General timeline First feline cat: ~ 35 million years ago Modern cats: ~ 7 million years ago Domestication: ~ 4,000 years ago. History of Cats .
E N D
8 CHAPTER Cats
History of the Cat • Descended from dog ancestor Miacis • General timeline • First feline cat: ~35 million years ago • Modern cats: ~7 million years ago • Domestication: ~4,000 years ago
History of Cats • When humans were predominantly hunters, dogs were of great use, and thus were domesticated long before cats. • Cats, on the other hand, only became useful to people when we began to settle down, till the earth and—crucially—store surplus crops. • With grain stores came mice. • Cats began to wander into towns. • The cats were delighted by the abundance of prey in the storehouses; people were delighted by the pest control.
History of Cat • Cats today came from African Wild Cat • Roughly 38 species of cats today
General Cat Classifications • Three genuses • Roaring cats (Panthera) • Nonroaring cats (Felis) • Cheetah (Acinonyx) • Two major groups of domesticated cats • Shorthaired • Longhaired • One miscellaneous domesticated group • Semi-longhaired and either shorthaired or longhaired
Abyssinian American Shorthair American Wirehair Bombay Breed Burmese British Shorthair Chartreux Colorpoint Cornish Rex Devon Rex Egyptian Mau Exotic Shorthair Havana Brown Japanese Bobtail Shorthaired Cat Breeds (A–J)
Korat Malayan Manx Ocicat Oriental Shorthair Russian Blue Scottish Fold Siamese Singapura Snowshoe Breed Sphynx Tonkinese Shorthaired Cat Breeds (K–Z)
Balinese and Javanese Birman Cymric Himalayan and Kashmir Maine Coon Norwegian Forest Cat Persian Breed Ragdoll Somali Turkish Angora Longhaired Cat Breeds
Miscellaneous Cat Breeds • American Curl • Turkish Van • LaPerm • Selkirk Rex • Siberian
Methods of Cat Feeding • Dietary makeup • Cats need almost twice as much protein as dogs (30 to 40 percent) • Fats should make up ~10 percent • Food sources • Animals are best protein source • Commercial foods are best—No dog food • Food amount • Driven by cat’s age, weight, breed, condition, and activity level • Frequent feedings for kittens and pregnant females
Methods of Cat Exercise and Training • Amount of exercise varies according to cat’s breed and environment • Toys and play equipment are sources of exercise • Cats should be trained to litter box and scratching post as kittens • Trick training is similar to that for dogs
Methods of Cat Grooming and Care • Grooming benefits all cats • Longhaired cats should have daily care • Hand grooming usually enough for shorthairs • Cat baths should begin at 4 months • Other checks during regular grooming • Ears for mites • Eyes for infection • Teeth and gums for soreness • Claws for trimming
Infectious Cat Diseases • Feline panleukopenia • Feline herpesvirus (FHV) and feline calicivirus (FCV) • Feline rhinotracheitis (PVR) • Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) • Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) • Feline pneumonitis • Rabies
Noninfectious Cat Diseases • Feline urologic syndrome (FUS) • Wet eyes
Internal Cat Parasites • Toxoplasmosis • Ascarids and hookworms • Tapeworms
External Cat Parasites • Lice • Mites • Feline scabies • Other external parasites
Cat Fungal Diseases and Poisonings • Similar to those for dogs • Fungal diseases • Ringworm • Systemic fungal infections • Poisonings • Insecticides • Plants • Household chemicals • Herbicides • Medications • Metal poisonings • Antifreeze