Cats are fascinating animals. Each different body part, from its jointed ears to its retractable claws, equips the cat to do many skilled tasks. The cat’s ears are made special so that when the cat senses vibrations its ears swivel in the direction the noise is coming from. It is often rumored that cats can see in the dark. Although the cat can see as well as we do in one-sixth the light we need the cat cannot see in total darkness. The reason the cat can see so much better than people is because of its narrow shaped pupils. Another reason a cat can navigate in the dark so well is because of its whiskers. The cat’s whiskers are actually connected to very sensitive nerves. When the cat is in a dark room its whiskers can detect even the slightest breeze. This allows the cat to detect furniture and exits. If the cat wants to go through a small space it can see if it will fit by putting its head in first. If the cat’s head and whiskers can fit through then the rest of the cat will because the width of the whiskers is the same as the width of the cat’s shoulders. Because the cat has four feet it helps the cat maintain balance better by evenly distributing the weight over the cat's entire body. That's why cats usually always land on their feet. The cat's tail also helps it keep its balance, if the cat falls it uses its tail to help turn it around so that it lands on its feet. Another interesting feature of the cat is its strong sense of smell. It is very sharp and a cat has to sniff its food before it eats it. If the cat wants to get a stronger whiff of the scent it will inhale through its mouth and let the smell pass just under the roof of its mouth. The cat does this because on the roof of its mouth there is actually an organ that the cat can use to smell with. Cats also have retractable claws. When a cat’s claws start to wear out the cat will scratch at tree trunks and sometimes even furniture. The cat will continue to do this until its claws fall off. Pretty soon new ones will grow in to replace the old ones. The cat’s tongue is very rough. This helps the cat clean it’s fur and wash its kittens. Usually a cat will give birth to four kittens in one litter. When the kittens are first born they have their eyes shut. After a week or two the kittens’ eyes will open. At about this time the kitten will start eating out of a dish. The kitten will become more active. Some of kittens’ favorite things to do are to chase each other around, climbing trees, and swatting at practically anything that moves. The kittens learn important skills from their mother. She’ll take them to the woods and teach them to hunt small rodents. After being so active kittens become very tired. They take a nap curled together to keep nice and cozy. Cats can be very independent animals. Cats will hunt and eat just about any small rodent. Their favorites are squirrels, rabbits, birds, and mice. Cats groom will groom themselves and can very easily be trained to use a litter box. Cats come in many different breeds. One kind of cat is called a Himalaya. Himalayas are pretty cats with long fur and are closely related to the Siamese. One kind of cat, the Sphinx, is known for its extremely large ears. Burmese cats tend to have short to medium fur. One cat, the Manx, is born without a tail. Throughout history cats have played many different roles. In Ancient Egypt cats were worshipped and made into idols. In medieval times superstitious people believed that black cats were associated with witches. Many cats were burned. It is very interesting to note that this happened at the same time as the Bubonic Plagues in England. The Bubonic Plague is a disease spread by rats. As young kittens, cats are very playful, but as they grow older cats become less playful. There is one thing that can make any cat playful. It’s an herb related to mint called catnip. Catnip makes cats go crazy because of a chemical it contains called nepetalactone. Nepetalactone is actually an oil. Not all cats will react to catnip. When cats are very young it will actually repel them. Older cats are less likely to have a reaction, and some cats don’t inherit the genes that make them react. After being exposed to catnip for a few minutes the cat will stop behaving strangely, then a couple hours later if the cat is exposed to the catnip it will start acting like it did before. One of the biggest problems with cats is when there are too many strays in one area. If strays are not spayed and neutered then they have lots of kittens. The kittens they have don’t have any contact with humans and become very feral. Feral cats are cats that have never seen people. They are very wild and most can never really be tamed. Just one cat and its offspring can have 420,000 cats over seven years. Hundreds or even thousands of these cats form colonies. These colonies aren’t good because they become a big nuisance to people. The cats in the colony have lots of diseases, like rabies, and many cats die because there isn’t enough food. That’s why some people have started programs where they give the cats shots and alter the cats so they can’t reproduce. Some good tips for taking care of your cat are to make sure that your cat gets all its shots. It is very important to keep your cat healthy. Brushing your cat’s fur rids it of loose hair and other things that can cause hairballs. Make sure to give your cat shots and medicine for fleas, ticks, and rabies. If your cat will be inside a lot it might be a good idea to get it declawed so it can’t scratch your furniture. Copyright Coolstuffaboutpets/Journal2/rogue 2004