Neuter Your Cat : The hordes of homeless and feral cats everywhere are growing by leaps and bounds, and finally people are beginning to wake up to the necessity of neutering their cats.

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Show You Care -- Neuter Your Cat


The hordes of homeless and feral cats everywhere are growing by leaps and bounds, and finally people are beginning to wake up to the necessity of neutering their cats.

Population Explosion

Because cats can reproduce several times a year, and kittens mature quickly, just 2 feral cats (the wild offspring of domestic cats) can quickly become 2,000. In fact, the feline reproduction statistics are staggering. 2 uncontrolled breeding cats produce: 2 litters a year, at a survival rate of 2.8 kittens per litter. Continued breeding will produce 12 cats the first year, 66 cats the second year, 2,201 cats in the third year, 3,822 cats in the fourth year, 12,680 cats in the fifth year, and on and on . . .

Unaltered Cats Spread Disease Many of these feral cats are actually unaltered pet cats (or their offspring) that were released by owners who could no longer care for them. A colony of feral cats can spread diseases among pet cats and dogs in the area.

Even when these cats are fairly healthy, they are usually infested with fleas. Hungry cats will raid trash cans, and playful kittens will destroy shrubbery and soil lawn furniture.

Noise Pollution From Cats In Heat

When female cats are in heat, the colony can keep neighbors awake all night with their fighting and howling

Spaying and neutering cats provides several important benefits in addition to reducing the number of unwanted cats. If you have an un-neutered female cat at home, the sound of her mewling pitifully at the door will soon be joined by the yowling and shrieking of every tomcat in the neighborhood.Both indoor and outdoor tomcats will try to mark everything in sight with their odorous spray.

Reproductive Cancers In Unaltered Cats

Certain types of cancer are much more common in unaltered cats. These cancers of the reproductive organs are very rare in cats that are altered prior to 1 year of age. Unaltered cats can also develop a number of reproductive diseases that are contagious.

Help Make Every Cat A Wanted Cat

Kittens can be altered at quite a young age. Some humane societies routinely alter kittens at 8 weeks. While some veterinarians feel that it is better to wait until kittens are 5 or 6 months, that is often simply not a option. Certainly for feral kittens who are trapped for altering, then released back into their colonies, or for those who share a home with other unaltered cats, neutering at the earliest opportunity is critical.

Most cats heal well and without incident after being neutered. However, a cat can contract an infection in the incision. Check your cat daily to be sure the incision area has not turned red and puffy. If you notice your cat licking or chewing at the stitches, your vet may suggest a surgery collar to keep the stitches out of reach until the incision is healed. While male cats can be active and bouncy without injuring themselves after neutering, female cats should be confined indoors for a few days after the surgery.

Feline "Zero Population Growth"

Unless you're a cat breeder, your cat almost certainly would be better off neutered. The typical cost of neutering a cat is about $125 for a female and $65 for a male. If the cost is too much for you to afford, many communities have special funds available for neutering cats. Your humane society or veterinarian can give you more information.



About the author:

Visit New Cat to learn more. Copyright 2005 Ron King. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.


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temperament of cats
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Also see : "HOW TO ADOPT A SHELTER CAT:
If you are thinking of adding a feline to your family, consider adopting a cat from your local animal shelter or humane society. The animals have been carefully screened for adoptability and have usually been worked with to enhance sociability

What is a Cat Whisperer?
Similar to a horse or dog whisperer, a Cat Whisperer is a person who relates particularly well with cats. A Cat Whisperer has unusual luck and success with cats. Often people bring cats or a single cat will just "show up" at their home.


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Cat owners are very familiar with the "fussy-eater" syndrome that most cats have. Many worry that their cat will become malnourished or just be constantly hungry all the time. There are several reasons why cats will not eat what's put before them. Here are a few tips on how to get your "fussy-eater" to try their food.

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 A relatively new cat breed first bred in the U.S., the Bengal cat was created by crossing an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat.
Over time, this breed has become a visual and temperamental success preserving the strong physical resemblance to its beautifully wild ancestor while inheriting a pleasant, domestic disposition. Talk about best of both worlds. Large and sleek, this cat is as alert as it is affectionate. Its distinctive leopard spotted or marbled coat enhances its wild appearance as it roams the house. Unlike any other breed, some Bengals appear as if they were dipped in gold or silver glitter. Their voices are distinct and versatile, from a coo to a chirp. They love to jump, somersault and play with water just like wild and feral cats

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Also see : Home remedies for cats & other pets: Choking
If you pet is choking, open the mouth to see any object stuck and remove it. If you pet is not breathing and you are unable to find out what’s the obstructing the air passage, try the Heimlich maneuver. You hold your pet against you, clasp your hands around the upper abdomen or make your pet lie down on their side and put one of your hands on top and another just below the rib cage and then push or lift upward to dislodge the object. If you’re unsuccessful, see the vet immediately

Cat Litter Brands Determine Good Cat Litter Box Habits:
If you have a cat who doesn't use her cat litter box, it might be the type of cat litter you buy for her. Cats are fussy about a lot of things, and the cat litter brand you think she'll likes might end up offending her for a number of reasons


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Pet Loss: Should You Clone Your Cat?

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How to Litter Train A Kitten

If the mother cat is still in the home and she is already litter trained, then litter training her kittens is a natural process. Her kittens will simply follow what she does. However, ultimately, each cat should have its own litter tray or else it may create a host of other litter tray problems for you!

For most kitten owners, the mother cat is not in the home if the kitten was orphaned or purchased. But this is not a problem. It is easy to litter train a cat when it's still a little kitten. Cats are creatures of habit and it may not be as easy to litter train once they have become used to their favorite toilet spots.

The key to litter training a kitten is to let it get used to the litter tray as soon as possible. You will need to manually place your kitten onto the tray initially, as it is neither used to it nor is it able to climb over the edge to get in.

Most kittens would defecate soon after waking up and after a meal. You could place your kitten in the litter tray during these times and after a few weeks, your kitten would get used to the routine and it would become a habit.

Just be sure to place the litter tray a reasonable distance away from where the kitten is fed and where it sleeps. Cats and kittens are fastidious creatures and do not like to do their toilet near where they eat and sleep.

When a kitten is still very young, it will not be able to "cover up" very well after its toilet, as most adult cats are capable of. But you don't have to worry about this. Once they are about 1 to 2 months old, they will instinctively know how to cover up their poop.

In the wild or in the garden, cats will scoop soil and earth to cover but in the home, if you provide commercial cat litter, they will naturally scoop the litter to cover up the poop. You will notice, even if you only provide a newspaper for their soiling, your kitten will still scoop at the newspaper in an instinctive act to cover up their poop.

Although you can expect to pick up poop after your kitten in the first few weeks, litter training a kitten is relatively easy and can be 100% trouble-free once it gets used to the routine of using the litter tray.

About the Author
Rona Limsy
For more tips on how to litter train your kitten, visit http://www.My-Pet-Cat.com

New Kitten Care - How to Kitten-proof Your Home

A very important aspect of new kitten care is keeping your kitten safe from danger. There are a lot of potential hazards round the home for little kittens. This article lists the most common ones and suggests ways you can minimize risks to your kitten and keep her safe.

Washing machine and tumble dryer:
If you leave the door open and there are clothes inside, there's a good chance your kitten will climb in and go to sleep. Always check your kitten isn't inside these before you use them.

Fridge and freezer:
As soon as you've used these, shut the door.

Hob and oven:
Shut the oven door as soon as you've finished with it. Cover hot hob plates.

Raw meat:
Keep it out of reach - it can give your kitten food poisoning.

Garbage:
Put all garbage in a sealed bin that your kitten can't access.

Plants:
Many plants are poisonous to cats. If you're not sure whether a certain plant is safe for your kitten if she eats it, put it out of her reach.

Pot pourri:
The oils used to scent this can be poisonous.

Open fires and candles:
Use a guard on the fire. Never leave a kitten in a room alone with lit candles.

Electrical wires:
If your kitten is a wire chewer, you'll need to put wires out of her reach or buy plastic covers for them.

Curtain tie-backs and cords on window blinds:
Kittens can get caught in these. Either remove them completely or tie them up out of reach.

Filled bathtubs and sinks:
Make sure your kitten doesn't have access to the room when the tub or sink is full.

Open toilet:
Try to get into the habit of keeping the lid down when the toilet's not in use.

Medications:
Keep them in a cupboard that your kitten can't get into.

Small objects:
Kittens can swallow small things like paper clips, rubber bands, staples and needles.

String, wool, fishing line and thread:
Kittens can swallow large quantities of these. For this reason, balls of wool or string and pom-poms aren't good toys for cats.

Household chemicals:
Most cleaners etc. are highly poisonous to cats and need to be kept somewhere your kitten can't access.

Tobacco:
Tobacco, nicotine patches and nicotine gum are all poisonous to cats.

Reclining chairs, futons, folding beds, drawers:
If kittens get caught when this type of furniture is moved, they can get crushed. Make sure your kitten isn't asleep somewhere she could get trapped before you use any of these.

Safety is a major factor for new kitten care. It's fairly easy to keep your kitten safe as long as you anticipate potential dangers and take the necessary steps to prevent them. Putting brightly colored post it notes up around your home is a good way to do this. Stick the notes on or near potential dangers - for example the fridge, washing machine, oven, toilet and futon - and anywhere else that could be a hazard.

About the Author
Liz Allan
Liz Allan has 25 years experience of caring for cats. To find out more about new kitten care, visit: http://www.cat-behavior-explained.com/all-about-kittens.html

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P.O. Box 700571
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Attn: Denise Duchaine
SCAT runs weekend cat adoption centers at several PetSmart locations in San Antonio.

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Ensure A Good Relationship Between Your Cat And Your Kids

Many parents know that the best way for children to learn compassion and the importance of keeping commitments is by helping to care for a pet. Children learn from watching the adults in their lives. If a child can learn to treat an animal with respect they can take that lesson into later life. A cat can be a marvellous, loving companion for a child, but it is up to the adults in the family to ensure the cat and the kids live together happily ever after.

When you first bring a cat home, explain to your child that they will need to be patient, quiet and gentle to help the cat feel safe. Sit on the floor with your child and help him practice patience as the cat gets up the courage to come close. Let your child feed the cat a piece of food from his hand. If the cat is reluctant to come close, have your child gently toss a piece of food close to the cat. Once the cat realizes what your child is offering, the ice will melt.

Very young children can easily overwhelm a cat or kitten with their exuberance. Children under the age of five years should always be supervised when playing with or handling a cat. Children over 12 years can usually be trusted to be gentle, but be sure to occasionally check up on kids under 12 years when they spend concentrated time with the family cat.

You should remind children that they should not disturb a sleeping cat, or a cat that is using its litter tray.

Kittens appear to be amazingly flexible, and children often think nothing of draping a weeks-old cat over the crook of the arm and carrying it around like a toy, or picking up a kitten by the scruffof its neck. In this position, it is easy for the kitten to be dropped and seriously injured. Also, being carried like this leaves the cat feeling unsupported with it's hind legs swinging in space.
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Should You Feed Stray Cats?

The answer, of course, is yes, you should feed strays. Since cats became domesticated they are no longer wild animals that can fend for themselves outside. They don't survive very well outdoors on their own without human intervention.

The best that stray cats can usually do is to eat from garbage cans. Every now and then they may find a mouse to eat, but in general most stray cats are starving.

A lot of people are reluctant to feed strays for several different reasons. One of these is the idea that strays will breed out of control if you feed them. The truth is that strays can breed out of control whether or not they are fed. Not feeding stray cats will NOT reduce the stray population. Even very hungry cats can still breed and then they will produce starving and unhappy little kittens.

Also, remember that it isn't the cat's fault that he or she is a stray. Often strays are cats that have been abandoned by their owners for some reason. Other times, the strays are born outdoors to other stray cats. In any case, it isn't the cat's fault that they have no home. Also, cats are intelligent animals with feelings and individual personalities and it is cruel to let them go hungry.

A lot of people don't want to feed strays because they worry that if they feed a stray cat then it will hang around looking for more food.

So what! Cat food is fairly inexpensive and it cost very little to feed a cat, however, it will make a huge difference in the life of the cat you are feeding.

Putting out dry food is best, otherwise you may get all of the neighborhood cats looking for a handout - owned or not. If you put out only dry food you will usually only get really hungry cats. However, if you put out dry cat food you will often attract the other local wildlife, such as possums and skunks, which you don't want.

To prevent this you can put out dry food during the day and pick it up at night, however, shy or feral cats will usually only come to eat at night. Canned cat food doesn't typically draw other wildlife like the dry food does and so unless you have a lot of your neighbors' cats that are coming to eat at your house then you should probably put out a few plates or bowls (depending on how many cats you are feeding) of canned food at night. You should also provide a bowl of fresh water every day and each evening.
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QUICK CAT FACTS

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ARE GINGER CATS ALWAYS MALE?
No. This is a common misconception. Ginger cats can be either male or female although ginger females are less common.

The genetics of ginger is explained in more detail in Tortoiseshell and Tri-Colour Cats (ginger is caused by the same gene as tortoiseshell), but this is a short version for those wanting a quick answer.

The ginger gene changes black pigment into a reddish pigment. The ginger gene is carried on the X chromosome. A normal male cat has XY genetic makeup so he only needs to inherit one ginger gene for him to be a ginger cat. A normal female is XX genetic makeup so she must inherit two ginger genes to be a ginger cat. If she inherits only one ginger gene, she will be tortoiseshell with some ginger areas and some black/brown areas.

The ginger gene is called a sex-linked gene because it is carried on a sex chromosome.

Also, if you look closely, ginger cats have tabby markings though these may be faint or only visible on the face, tail and lower legs. They are also visible in the ginger areas of tortie cats. This is because the gene that turns off tabby to give solid colour cats does not work on the ginger colour.

ARE GINGER FEMALES RARE?
No. They are less common than ginger males, but they are not rare. It is possible to selectively breed ginger female cats by mating ginger males and ginger females together. They will have ginger offspring.

ARE GINGER FEMALES STERILE?
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Drop this code into your page and the gallery will function just like the pictures you see on my site, changing each time your visitor refreshes the page. I am always adding pictures to these galleries. They already has quite a few in them.

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Focus On Cat Health

Cat Health

TOXOPLASMOSIS

Toxoplasmosis (commonly called toxo) is a disease caused by a microscopic protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. You may have heard about this infection because of the danger to newborn children if a woman becomes infected while pregnant. Another reason cat owners should be aware of toxo is that the cat is considered the "definitive host" of the toxoplasma organism, meaning it is the only animal that sheds infectious toxo in its feces.

All mammals can become infected with toxo. Infection can occur in two ways. One is by ingesting toxo that has been shed in the feces of a cat. This can occur through contact with soil where cats have defecated or through direct contact with a cat or its fecal matter. This is a very uncommon occurrence. The much more common method of acquiring toxo is by eating meat or prey which contains toxo in the form of a tissue cyst. In cats and other predatory animals this occurs commonly when they eat uncooked prey. In people it occurs most commonly through eating raw or undercooked meat since beef, pork and lamb can all contain toxo.

When any animal, including people and cats, become infected with toxoplasma it usually is an inapparent infection with no illness. This is because the body's immune system puts up a defense that stops the spread of the toxo and walls off the organism into a tiny tissue cyst which remains dormant for years. These are the same tissue cysts which if eaten can cause infection.

In people the situation is different if the person who becomes infected has a compromised immune system, such as a person with AIDS or a person on immune-suppressing drugs. In these cases, the spread of toxo may not be held in check and it can develop into an overwhelming and sometimes fatal infection which may affect many organs including the lungs, liver, eyes and brain. The situation is also different if the person who becomes infected is a pregnant woman.

The woman will generally have no apparent illness, but the toxo organism can pass to the fetus and result in damage to the eyes or brain causing congenital disease.

When mammals other than people become infected a similar thing happens. The vast majority never have illness but may carry tissues cysts of toxo for life. Only a few whose immune system fails to stop the toxo will become ill. This holds true for cats as well. A high percentage of cats have toxo cysts but are not ill, but we only occasionally diagnose toxoplasmosis in cats where it causes disease of the eye, lung, brain or other organs.
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PICA In Cats: EATING THE INEDIBLE

Pica means eating non-food items. The behaviour ranges from sucking, chewing and biting through to swallowing bites of items. Pica (from the Latin for "magpie"). It should not be confused with the suckling/nursing behaviour that some cats retain into adulthood. Commonly consumed target items include wool, string, elastic bands, electrical cords, tissues, tinsel and houseplants. Other objects have included cassette tape and the rubber "teat" section of a child's dummy (pacifier). Eating a little grass or herbs is normal cat behaviour; indoor cats may eat houseplants if there is no grass accessible.

Like many obsessive or abnormal behaviours, the cat persists in doing it because the it is comforting or rewarding. The reward might be a nice taste, a full stomach or simply getting attention from the owner. The challenge is to make the behaviour unrewarding and redirect the behaviour into something rewarding for the cat and acceptable to the owner. Sometimes it is a displacement activity where an abnormal activity is substituted for normal behaviour because the cat can't express the more normal behaviour i.e. the normal behaviour is being thwarted.

PICA, WOOL-SUCKING OR PREY-PLUCKING?
Wool-sucking (or fabric-sucking) is a misdirected form of nursing. It's similar to a child's thumb-sucking in providing comfort.. Though sometimes mistaken for wool-eating, the item (sweater, blanket etc) is only sucked, not chewed, bitten or swallowed. Other commonly suckled objects include the cat's own tail, other cats or pet dogs. Behavioural treatment may be needed to build up the cat's confidence so it no longer resorts to "comfort nursing".

In general, the younger a kitten is when it is weaned, the stronger the urge to nurse and the more persistent the comfort-nursing. Usually it decreases naturally as the kitten grows up, but it may persist or resurface in early-weaned or hand-reared cats, particularly at times of stress. More rarely it becomes a compulsive behaviour or progresses to pica.

Some owners provide an old sweater for the cat to suckle on while protecting other garments by storing them away from the cat or dabbing hot chilli sauce onto them.

Plucking the target resembles pica but is a misdirected prey-related activity. The cat holds down the (often woollen) blanket or garment with its paws and uses its teeth to pluck or tear at it. This is the same behaviour found when a cat plucks or tears fur, feather or flesh from larger prey items (e.g. pigeons). The clothing/blanket isn't swallowed anything the cats tears off is discarded. One of my cats, Sappho, exhibited this behaviour towards crochet blankets.

In the case of one Siamese cat, it took a sock to its eating area and plucked at it periodically during the meal (canned food). The owner attributed this to "teeth cleaning" but it was probably misdirected prey-plucking/tearing behaviour as it only occurred at mealtimes.

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Birman - The Facts Every Owner Of This Cat Breed Should Know

The history of the Birman cat is steeped in mystery. According to legend, the people of Asia built a temple to worship a golden goddess with sapphire-blue eyes. A priest often knelt in meditation with a white temple cat. One night the temple was attacked at the priest killed. As the priest died, the cat placed his feet upon the priest and faced the golden goddess. As he did, the hairs of his white body turned golden, and his yellow eyes to sapphire-blue, his four white legs turned brown, but where his paws rested, they remained white. Where this legend ends, history begins.

The temple was raided at the beginning of the 20th century. Two westerners, Auguste Pavie and Major Gordon Russell, came to the aid of the priests. As a gesture of gratitude the priests later sent the two men a pair of Birman. The male cat did not survive the trip but the female, who was pregnant, did. The Birman is an average size cat (males generally ranging from eight to twelve pounds, females seven to nine pounds).

Birmans have a medium length coat that requires very little grooming. The coats are usually a light color on the face and darker over the rest of the coat, with golden shades being the most popular.
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Guide to Owning a Ragdoll Cat: Colors & Patterns

In this article, I will discuss the different types of Ragdoll Cats. Although Ragdoll Cats are a unique breed in themselves, they can be further divided into groups based on the colors and patterns of their fur. The combination of color and pattern can then be used when describing a Ragdoll.

Colors
Ragdoll Cats are one of the following four colour types:
* Seal - Mostly cream/beige/fawn with dark brown points, nose and paw-pads
* Chocolate - Mostly ivory with milk chocolate colored points, nose and paw-pads
* Blue - Mostly bluish-white with blue-gray points, nose and paw-pads
* Lilac - Mostly white with pink-gray points, nose and paw pads
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History, Temperament of the Maine Coon.

History of the Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coons have been on this earth for many centuries, they were well documented at being in large numbers at American Cat Shows in the mid 1800’s alongside the other popular breed at the time the Persian cat.

There are several theories as to the origin of Maine Coons, the Darwin Theory of an animal’s origin being disregarded and obscured, from being an outcross between a Bobcat/Wildcat and a domestic, coming across as ship cats from Scandinavian countries as Forest type cats and mating with the domestic cats, to Marie Antoinette sending her royal cats on a ship to the safety of Maine, prior to her beheading. Nobody really knows and the cat’s aren’t saying.

Maine Coons are a natural breed of cat or at least the original ones were, and anyone who has ever met one and to everyone who has ever lived with one, the Maine Coon is a very special breed of cat. [1]

Appearance of The Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coons are the largest breed of domestic cat and have a rugged, working cat appearance. They have a lovely semi-longhaired coat of varying lengths and were well built to survive in the harsh North American winters. This coat is very water repellent, but quite soft to the touch. An amazing plumed tail of large proportions finishes off this wonderful coat. They come in a large variety of colours and in several tabby patterns as well as solid and particolours. Brown tabby is the original colouring of a Maine Coon but the rainbow of colours range through blues, reds and creams, silvers tortoiseshell and solid blacks through to solid white.
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Adopting a kitten or cat is a wonderful and exciting occasion. But, adding a cat to your family involves much more than simply bringing it home. You must learn to take care of it daily in a safe fashion. Feline care is mostly common-sense, and doesn't take much time. In fact, I can give you a little cat training in ten minutes with an important lesson on how to handle your cat.

How to Treat Ringworm on Your Cat and What to Look For
Ringworm in the cat appears in the form of little round spots from the size of a ten-cent piece to the size of a quarter-dollar. Sometimes the various spots run into each other and form irregular-shaped spots, the edges of which, however, always assume the rounded form. In these spots the hairs are broken off, leaving little bristling points only protruding from the roots. The surface of the skin itself is covered by a crusty scab, which, if peeled or rubbed off, shows a slight discharge below.

Everything A New Cat Owner Needs To Know
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Irish stew is a filling, wholesome and hearty dish which can be made from an assortment of readily-available ingredients.



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How To Handle Cat Allergies
When it comes to popular pets that people keep in their house, cats are the winners by a long shot. Over 50% of all families living in the US have either cat or a dog. Even though they are so loved, a lot of people have cat allergies. According to the statistics, there are more than 10 million people suffering from cat allergies in the US.

Important nutritional information on cat food
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Fat cat burglar gets stuck in doggy door:
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