A Cat by any other Name
September 27, 2009
A Cat By Any Other Name by D. “JB” Bramson
The word cat is used by almost all European countries. It is probably an ancient word derived from the Arabic word - guttah. The Egyptians are the people who domesticated cats.
The word for cat in various languages:
chat- French
gato- Spanish
gatto- Italian
katze- German
katt- Swedish/Norwegian
kat- Dutch
kottur- Icelandic
kot- Polish
kats- Yiddish
kata- Greek
guttus- Maltese
The origin of the word puss (i.e. pussy cat) is probably from Pasht, the early Egyptian cat goddess. The origin of tabby is the Turkish name utabi. Another word for cat in Turkish is kedi, hence kitty.
Cat Breeds
The oldest cat breed is the shorthaired which is descended from cats across Europe which were spread by Romans. In the 16th century, ships from the orient brought the tail-less Manx to the Isle of Man. At the same time, longhaired breeds (i.e. Angora) were brought to Europe from Turkey. Later, in the mid-19th century, the Persian breed, from Asia Minor gained popularity. In the late 19th century, the Siamese came from the Far East, the Russian Blue from Russia, and the Abyssinian from Ethiopia. In the 1930’s, the Burmese was brought to the U.S. In the 1960’s, the Sphinx, a naked cat from Canada, the Rex from Devon and Cornwall in England, and the Scottish Fold were all introduced. In the 1970’s, the Japanese Bobtail was imported to the U.S.
The Ragdoll is so named because when they are picked up, they hang limply like a ragdoll.
Cat Senses
Cats, like us, respond to four basic tastes: bitter, sour, sweet and salt. Cats do not have a strong sweet tooth. Their most powerful response to food comes from smell, not taste. A cat can learn all it needs to know about a food item without even trying the food. A cat’s preferred temperature for food is 86 degrees F, the same as its tongue temperature.
Cat Feeding Behavior- explaining food rejection/ finicky eater.
Some causes of sudden decrease in appetite:
1) a female who’s in heat
2) weather changes- increased heat and humidity
3) finding food/prey elsewhere(neighbor’s house, hunting outside)
4) location of food bowl- too sunny, too noisy, too much commotion
Food Variety mechanism- this was found in birds originally. It ensures not being dependant on one kind of prey in case it should no longer exist. This allows for switching diets in the home for a pet cat. Some cats stick to one food and one food only. They bond to that food and won’t even try another more tasty food (like canned). Even if given a variety of food, it will refuse one of it’s favorites occasionally. Most pet cats should not be allowed to eat whatever amount of food they want. They tend toward obesity and if they have a cushy, couch potato lifestyle, they require much fewer calories. If calories in are greater than calories out you get a fat cat. Portion control by owners is key.
Drinking Behavior
Cats will avoid the clean water source quite often because it has been treated with chemicals/chlorine. Alternatively, the odor from cleaning products used on water bowls can be a deterrent. Instead, cats like the natural organic odors of puddles and pooling water outside (ponds and bird baths).
Make sure to rinse bowls well after using detergents. Always have water available and do not give milk to cats. As cats get older, they get lactose intolerant. This leads to gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea.
There are actual water fountains made for cats too, since they often like running water.
Remember; if you give food, shelter and a loving home to your dog, it thinks you’re God. If you give food, shelter and a loving home to your cat, it thinks that it’s God!
Source: Cat Watching by Desmond Morris
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