himalayan cats

Himalayan Cat

Himalayan is a breed of long-haired felines. It is a very popular and pretty cat. The cat originated in 1930 in United States through breeding of Persian and Siamese cats. The objective was to create a breed with the long hair of the Persian and the points of the Siamese. Indeed it is referred to today in European countries as the Colorpoint Persian.

The Himalayan is light colored at birth. With time markings develop on face, limbs, ears and tail. This is attributed at times to difference in temperature between the trunk and extremities. Accepted colors include blue, brown, chocolate, cream, flame, lilac and red. Fur is long, flowing and often thick. Overall built of the cat is stocky with short limbs and large round paws. Head is round and somewhat big and supported by a short neck. Ears are small, though eyes are big, bright and round, in varying shades of blue.

Owing to their extremely long fur, these Colorpoint Persians are subject to periodic development of matts and hairballs, requiring regular grooming and baths. Their depressed nose obstructs their breathing at times and compresses the tear ducts, leading to permanently watery eyes in some cases. As such, the Himalayans often require their face to be wiped as the coat is brushed daily. Furthermore decades of inbreeding to create the prefect Himalayan has meant that these pretty felines sometimes suffer from genetic defects, resulting in organ failures, in particular Polycystic Kidney Disease.

As regards temperament, the Himalayans are quite peaceful and at times laid back. They are loving and interested in their owners and develop close bonds with them. Social and gentle cats, the Himalayans make adoring companions. Even as their company requires daily grooming and maintenance, pet owners around the world recognize that it is well worth the effort and cherish the company of these lovely cats.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Himalayan cats.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Omer_Ashraf

cat

Cat Evolution

Cats are loved by their owners for being individualistic & independent, yet they are often accused by non cat owners of being aloof and/or arrogant. Recent studies conclude this is largely due to the fact they have no eyebrows. Some people then perceive them to posses a flaw in their personality, a coldness not seen in other domestic animals such as dogs.

This is of course not true, when a cat purrs and rubs up against their owner this is a definite show of affection, just like the wagging of a dogs tail.

Cats are first thought to have been domesticated by people on the island of Cyprus about 9,500 years ago and originated from only about five self domesticating African Wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) which would have lost their fear of humans and come looking for food when prey dried up due to naturally occurring weather conditions.

Cats are very similar to their lion & tiger relatives. They posses the same strong flexible bones & super quick reflexes & the same retractable claws, making it easy for them to run at their pray & then capture it.

The cat is a nocturnal predator, its eye operates differently to a human eye, making it possible for him/her to see far better than other animals in reduced light situations, due to the fact it has a special layer of cells at the back of its retina, called the tapetum lucidum which reflects light back to the cells of the retina, essentially giving the eye another chance at collecting light. Cats have also evolved to hear fainter and much higher frequencies than we can, which is why they know there is a mouse in the cupboard long before we do.

Caring for your cat

As a cat owner you can have a huge impact on the health and well being of your companion by undertaking routine preventive healthcare at all stages of its life - from kitten hood through to old age. This offers the best chance of preventing problems arising or, at least, maximising the detection of any illnesses early on.

Owning a new kitten means you will have to vaccinate at around 8 weeks old, and then again at about 12 weeks. To maintain immunity, all adult cats require annual boosters.

Worming

The most common intestinal worms affecting cats in Australia are roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm. Worms are a common cause of ill health in pets and can result in a loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.

To protect your cat, common worms can be easily controlled with a routine worming treatment. Kittens need to be wormed every two weeks until twelve weeks of age, then monthly until six months of age.

For more great tips on pet care go to http://www.captncanary.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brendan_L_Williams