How cats can get along with rats, mice, and birds

Psychologist and behaviourist, Zing Yang Kuo, made an amazing discovery. Kittens under two months old and raised with rats will not kill rats when they’re older. He tried the same experiment with rabbits, mice, and birds, with the same result.

The pope proclaims that cats are witches

The 14th century wasn’t a good moment for European cats. They were tortured and killed on sight due to a proclamation by Pope Innocent VIII, declaring that cats were witches in disguise. This unfortunate and misguided persecution lasted over 200 years.

Cats save Japanese Empire

In 12th century Japan, only royalty was allowed to own cats, who were richly pampered and kept on leads. However, disaster struck, hordes of rats began to eat all the grain and the much-prized silkworms. There was only one option open to the emperor: he decreed that all cats must be freed. It worked, the cats put an end to the rat problem, the crop and the silk were saved.

Persians used cats as a shield

The Persians knew that the Egyptians worshipped the goddess, Bastet, who took the form of a cat. They used this knowledge to their advantage when they attacked an important Egyptian city. Each Persian soldier used a living cat as a shield, which meant the Egyptians were unwilling to attack them and risk injury to this sacred animal. The Egyptians only had one choice: they had to surrender.

In memory of Bob, favourite cat of Charles Dickens

When Bob, the beloved cat of Charles Dickens dies, he is devastated. In those days, taxidermy was very popular, so Dickens has one of Bob’s front paws stuffed and attached to the blade of an ivory letter opener. Every time he opened a letter, he would think of his dear friend.

The biggest cat stars: Tom & Jerry

Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse were created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. They have appeared in 161 films, winning seven Oscars, making them the most lauded of any animated characters.

Taking care of elderly cats

Generally, when they reach ten years old, your cat begins to slow down. They play less and sleep more, even their behaviour may change. Sometimes in an extreme manner. Becoming angry, meowing, or staring into space for no reason. Try to be understanding, they are all symptoms of older age.

Less activity can often lead to putting on weight, which can lead to serious health issues. You can help prevent this, by feeding smaller meals more frequently. Also consider softer foods, if your cat seems to prefer it. And healthier foods: it’s a fact that cats live longer when they are given balanced, healthy, and nutritious food.

Your cat may not be springing around, but it’s still very important to encourage play, to help your cat exercise. Just simple things, like a piece of string or a cat toy. It goes without saying, that you shouldn’t overtire your cat, let them rest whenever they want.

If your cat is bored, worry!

Up until the 1980s, most cats had access to the great outdoors, allowing them to bask in the sun, explore new places and hunt for their prey. Rather adventurous lives, with no time to get bored.

However, life indoors is a different matter. Many cats can’t choose to go out, which in up to 40% of today’s cats leads to a “blue funk”, where life is just eating and sleeping. In other cases, misbehaving. Of course, this is not what you want for your cat.

If your cat is sleeping over 18 hours a day and misbehaving, you can be sure that they are overweight. With just a little effort, you can provide a scratching post, create hiding spots and a window sitting place, provide some puzzle toys to keep them occupied. Leave a catnip mouse on the floor, to reawaken their hunting instinct. Toys must move to trigger your feline friend, so get involved.

The secret of your cat’s colour

White: they look so elegant, but white cats have a sad secret. The same gene that makes them white, leaves one in every five of these cats deaf. It’s worse for blue-eyed white cats, where over 60% inherit deafness. So, those celebrity white-furred blue-eyed cats you see in the commercials aren’t only selected for their looks, but also on their ability to hear.

Black: an omen of good luck or bad luck? It all depends on the culture and the country.
Take Sable, a large black cat from Richland, Washington in the USA, he was so trusted, he was awarded for his safety patrol work for helping students cross the street. The only black cat owners who are unlucky are those with a severe allergy. Scientific research has shown that black cats trigger allergies more than their colourful tabby relatives.

Red: Crookshanks from the Harry Potter movies and Garfield from the comics are both red tabbies! They’re also commonly called orange, ginger, or marmalade. Tabbies can be any colour, if they have faint dark stripes on their coats. These markings help them blend in with brush and grass, ready to pounce on their prey.

Tortoiseshell: a swirl of black, red, and maybe even white. They are almost always female because cats carry the colour gene in their X chromosome, and females have two of them. Males have only one X chromosome, which means they can be red or black, but not both. For example, in England, only two or three male tortoiseshell cats are born each year.

A happy cat is a relaxed cat

Wherever you are, wherever you go, you will see a lot of very happy cats. Farms, family homes, high storey apartments, college dorms, mobile homes, even as shipmates on a boat.
You can tell they’re happy, by their relaxed body, half-perked ears and droopy whiskers. He will greet you with a cheerful meow: “Hi there!”, confidently holding their tail high in the air. Before you know it, your cat will spring onto your lap, purring loudly, moving its body next to your hand, showing you where it likes to be stroked best.

Cats can be complicated, but they are also simple. They require food, shelter, and protection from their enemies. They can be left alone for longish periods, without any detrimental effects. On the complicated side of things: cats do like to have plenty to do and freedom of choice. If you’re able to install a cat flap, your cat has access to their own adventures any time they choose. Another thing cats love: if you have shelves, put a cushion on the top shelf, then arrange the furniture, so that your cat can reach it. Bliss!

A wonderful fact to share: the scientist, Isaac Newton’s greatest discovery was not his theory of gravity. He is in fact the man who invented the cat flap!