This is the Pallas’s Cat. He lives in cold climates. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear him purr around 21 seconds into the video.
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The Insidious Collar
Most dog owners don’t realize the harm a dog collar can cause. Veterinarians have reported dogs with tracheal collapse in varying degrees up to death, permanent pain injuries due to spinal problems, epilepsy, and even broken teeth and legs, all from dog collars.
We suspect this may true of cats that are leashed also.
So what can you do?
1. Replace the collar with a harness, as shown above.
2. Don’t yank your cat’s leash as a training technique or punishment. Evidently a training coach at a Petco store accidentally killed one of his student dogs by doing this.
3. Make sure the harness fits correctly. You should be able to slip a thumb under the harness, but not your whole hand.
4. If your cat stays in at night, remove the harness for the cat’s comfort and health.
Cat Harnesses available on Amazon
Stupid Cat Jokes
Why did the cat sit on the computer? Because it wanted to keep an eye on the mouse!
Why don’t cats play poker in the wild? Too many cheetahs!
Why did the cat want a degree? To become a “purr-fessor”!
A cat owner went to see a psychic and asked, “Can you communicate with animals?” The psychic replied confidently, “Absolutely! I have a special gift for understanding them. What would you like to know?” The cat owner hesitated and said, “Well, my cat always meows loudly at night, and it’s keeping me awake. I want to know why.” The psychic closed her eyes, tuned in, and then opened them with surprise. She said, “Your cat says it’s because you snore too loudly, and it’s trying to compete with you!”
What do you call a cat that gets thrown into the dryer? Fluffy!
How does a cat count its toys? One, two, three… many!
A cat walked into a fancy restaurant and approached the maître d’. The maître d’ looked at the cat and asked, “Excuse me, but are you allowed in here?” The cat replied, “Of course, I am. I’m not a regular cat; I’m a service cat.” The maître d’ was intrigued and asked, “A service cat? What kind of service do you provide?” The cat confidently responded, “I provide comfort and companionship to those who need it. I’m here to assist in turning any ‘catastrophic’ dining experience into a purr-fectly delightful one!”
Why don’t cats like shopping online? They prefer in person “purr-chases.”
How does a cat communicate with underwater creatures? By using octo-puss language!
What do you get when you cross a cat with a lemon? A sourpuss!
Why did the cat bring a ladder to the bar? It heard the drinks were on the house!
What’s a cat’s favorite dessert? Mice cream!
Why was the cat afraid of the tree? Because of its bark!
What do you call a cat that can dance? A “purr-former”!
How does a cat ask for a snack? It gives you a “purr-suasive” look!
Why did the cat wear a fancy hat? It wanted to look “purr-stigious”!
What’s a cat’s favorite subject in school? “Hisstory”!
How do cats write letters? With scratch paper!
Surprising Truth About Cat Food
When you learn the surprising truth about commercial cat food, you’ll probably want to change your cat’s diet immediately.
Let’s start with some simple observations. When cats eat grass, what happens? Right, they regurgitate it.
The grass they eat doesn’t get digested. In fact they can’t digest grass. They aren’t designed appropriately. The intestine of animals who do eat grass is quite long. The intestine of a cat is very short. The cat is specially made to eat meat.
If you fed nothing but grass to your cat, and if the cat could actually keep it in, the cat wouldn’t be able to get enough nutrition.
That’s why they eat small animals. That’s what they are designed to eat. That’s where they get their nutrition. An outdoor cat eats mice, gofers, and the occasional bird, and they do just fine. They have done fine for thousands of years.
So it would be silly to feed them anything like grass, wouldn’t it?
Yet, most commercial dry cat food is composed mostly of grains like grass. Oh, it doesn’t look like grass, because the grains are ground up, and colored to look like meat. Then an artificial odor is added so the grain-based food smells attractive to cats.
Many older housecats suffer from arthritis, and urinary tract problems. Many cats of all ages suffer from intestinal problems, generally diarrhea. In time, many, maybe even most, die from these diseases. Guess what? These are the cats that eat dry commercial cat food.
If you simply switch to real meat, simulating a cat’s actual diet, these diseases are exceptionally rare.
Unfortunately, many commercial canned cat foods do not contain as much meat as you might like. And dog foods are often even worse, because dogs can get away with less protein than cats need. For best results, read the labels and try to find the most real cat food you can. If you have the time, the best bet is to make your own cat food from whole chickens and other small creatures.
But what about the cat’s teeth? Have you been led to believe that they need the dry food to keep their teeth clean? Have you ever wondered how a single bite or two on each morsel of dry food can actually clean a cat’s teeth? As you know, the cat doesn’t really chew the food up. The dry food doesn’t really do much for the cat’s teeth at all. Nature takes care of that. The cat’s teeth are designed to eat the way they do. The cat’s saliva has anti-bacterial qualities. The teeth don’t need any special attention beyond what nature already provides.
Cat Population Growth
In ideal circumstances a pair of cats can result in 420,000 new cats in seven years. This assumes that each litter is large with an equal number of male and female cats, and that the cats breed as often as possible.
The average mother cat can have two litters a year and the average litter has four kittens.
So if unregulated, in one year, a pair of cats becomes ten cats.
In the second year, those ten cats turn into thirty.
Third year: ninety cats.
Fourth year: 270 cats.
Fifth year: 810 cats.
Sixth year: 2,430 cats.
Seventh year: 7,290 cats.
Eighth year: 21,870 cats.
Ninth year: 65,610 cats.
Tenth year: 196,000 cats.
Eleventh year: 590,490 cats.
Twelfth year: 1,771,470 cats.
That’s almost two million kitty cats. That’s more than we can adopt. That’s more than the shelters can handle. We don’t want them all starving. That’s why neutering is a good idea.
Contrary to popular belief, a female cat does not need to have at least one litter of kittens to maintain health. Furthermore, she will not miss having had kittens.
Octopus, Cat of the Sea?
Perhaps the closest equivalent to a cat in the ocean is an octopus. They average around the same size as cats, they are known to be playful, they are carnivorous, and they are surprisingly intelligent.
Scientists have trained octopi to perform simple tasks. They have been observed pulling the stoppers out of bottles to get at the stuff inside, and even unscrewing jar lids.
Compared to a cat, the octopus is a weird animal. They have three hearts, all beating in their own rhythm, their blood is blue and they have little concern about losing arms, because they can just grow new ones. Their mental capacity, like cats, is centered in their brains, but each leg also has its own independent brain.
Some of the largest octopi live not in some remote deep part on the Indian Ocean, but in Puget Sound in the State of Washington, USA, where they have been found with armspans up to 30 feet (9.1 meters) long.
On some distant planet with large oceans, octopi may have evolved into the dominant species, in terms of intelligence. Could beings exist somewhere that are better able to communicate, more compassionate, and more successful than humans, that have eight flexible arms and live underwater?
Or, perhaps on some waterworld, their equivalent of octopi would be the pets of that’s world equivalent of humans.
This is a remarkably endearing and educational video. Mark Rober taught us many interesting facts about octopi. The plural can also also be octopuses. He did point out that their blue blood is copper-based, and that they have three hearts. What he didn’t mention is that all three hearts beat with independent rhythms. Among their many defenses, such as camouflage and squirting water out of their jet to swim away very quickly, is the ability to squirt a cloud of ink, thereby obscuring their view from enemies. The largest octopi, living off the coast of Washington State on the west coast of the United States, have been known to grow to beyond 30 feet across (9.1 meters) and weigh as much as 600 pounds (272 kg) Their eyes can be as big as 15 inches (38cm) in diameter.
Similarities:
Eyesight: Both have excellent vision adapted to their environments (cats for hunting, octopuses for detecting movement).
Flexible Bodies: Both can are highly flexible. Cats can twist and contort, while octopuses can squeeze through tiny spaces.
Whisker-Like Sensory Structures: Cats have whiskers, and octopuses have sensitive suckers that detect touch and texture.
Sharp Hunting Tools: Cats have claws, while octopuses have a sharp beak for catching prey.
Sensitive Skin: Both have highly sensitive skin that detects vibrations and temperature changes.
Fast Reflexes: Both react incredibly quickly to threats or prey.
Non-Verbal Communication: Both rely heavily on body language to communicate.
Behavioral & Psychological Similarities:
Intelligence: Both are highly intelligent and capable of problem-solving.
Curiosity: They explore and investigate new objects and environments.
Playfulness: Both enjoy playing, whether it’s with a toy or an object they find interesting.
Solitary Nature: While cats can be social, they often prefer alone time—similar to the mostly solitary octopus.
Ambush Predators: Both prefer sneaky, strategic hunting rather than chasing prey over long distances.
Love of Hiding Spots: Cats love small, enclosed spaces, and octopuses hide in dens.
Night Activity: Many cats are nocturnal or crepuscular, and many octopuses hunt at night.
Escape Artists: Both are notorious for escaping enclosures.
Social & Survival Similarities:
Independent Thinkers: Neither blindly follows orders; they make their own decisions.
Territorial Nature: Both are territorial and defend their space.
Stealthy Movement: They move silently when stalking prey or exploring.
Selective Eating Habits: Both can be picky about their food.
Short Lifespan (Relatively): While housecats live longer than octopuses, neither has an extremely long lifespan in the wild compared to other animals. See Lifespans for lifespans of other animals.
Masters of Observation: Both carefully watch their surroundings before making a move.
Affectionate in Unique Ways: Cats may rub against humans or knead, while octopuses sometimes reach out with their tentacles in a seemingly curious or affectionate manner.
Cat Population
There is one domestic cat for approximately every four people in the United States. That’s roughly 73.8 million cats. America averages 22 cats per square mile. Of course, just like human population, the density varies considerably between mountain ranges or desert and cities.
Their combined weight is around 369,000 tons. To put that in perspective, an 18-wheel truck is limited to 40 tons.
In 2024, 44% of US households owned a dog, while 32.1% owned a cat.
Cat Intelligence
Cats have been rated as the most intelligent animals under primates. Cats’ brains weigh about one percent of their total body weight. Human brains weight two percent of our total weight.
See also: Do Cats Pretend They Are People?
See also: Spinal Cord.
Siamese Cats
There were no Siamese cats in the United States until 1878.
Siamese cats are subclassed by the color of their points. They are seal point, chocolate point, lilac point, and blue point.
Cat Whiskers and Curb Feelers
Cats’ whiskers have a function similar to curb feelers which were common on cars in the 1950’s. These were springy rods that stuck out a short distance from the lower parts of the cars, and would make a rubbing noise when they touched a curb. When a cat pokes its head into a small tunnel or opening in the bushes, the whiskers are used to gauge the dimensions. If the opening doesn’t rub the whiskers, the cat’s body will fit through.
