Feral cat crisis

From worship to hardship

Just call me misunderstood

Before exploring the current status of cats in modern society, let's rewind for a moment and look at how it all started.

~ History of the Domestic Cat ~

Cats have always been a source of fascination for mankind throughout history. Today cats have become one of the world's most popular pets perfectly suited to the lifestyle of our day. They are beautiful, enigmatic and easy-to-care for pets. But where and when did the domestic cat originate?  
Except for a short period of persecution in the Middle Ages when cats were associated with the devil, by the eighteenth century cats had become popular household pets world wide.

The wild cats of today such as Lions and Tigers descended from early carnivores called miacids. From there the modern wild cat developed into three main types; the European wild cat, the African wild cat and the Asiatic desert cat. The domestic cat is thought to have evolved from the African wild cat because of its tabby markings.Domestic cats today still take many characteristics from their wild ancestors. The arresting eyes, body shape, feeding and grooming habits are the same along with the ability to pounce into action at any given moment. It is this link that makes the domestic cat so fascinating around the world.
The non-pedigree domestic cat, the Moggie is the most popular house pet today with the black and white Moggie being the most popular followed by the black cat followed by the Tabby cat. There are also 36 recognised breeds of pedigree cats around the world with the Siamese cat being the most popular. Most homes today that keep pets have at least one cat in residence.
http://www.catsinfo.com/history.html

Complete list of Wild Cats African Golden Cat	Andean Mountain Cat	Asiatic Golden Cat
Black-Footed Cat	Bobcat	Borneo Bay Cat
Canadian Lynx	Caracal	Cheetah
Chinese Mountain Cat	Clouded Leopard	Eurasian Lynx
Fishing Cat	Flat-Headed Cat	Geoffroy's Cat
Iberian Lynx	Jaguar	Jaguarundi
Jungle Cat	Kodkod	Leopard
Leopard Cat	Lion	Marbled Cat
Margay	Ocelot	Oncilla

See entire list @ http://www.catchannel.com/magazines/catfancy/toc_article/toc0610wildcatproject.aspx

Did You Know?

• It has been scientifically proven that owning cats is good for our health and can decrease the occurrence of high blood pressure and other illnesses.
• Stroking a cat can help to relieve stress, and the feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a strong sense of security and comfort.
• The ancient Egyptians were the first civilisation to realise the cat's potential as a vermin hunter and tamed cats to protect the corn supplies on which their lives depended.
• Sir Isaac Newton is not only credited with the laws of gravity but is also credited with inventing the cat flap.
• A cat has more bones than a human being; humans have 206 and the cat has 230 bones.
• A cat's hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
• The cat's tail is used to maintain balance. 
• Cats see six times better in the dark and at night than humans.
• Cats eat grass to aid their digestion and to help them get rid of any fur in their stomachs.
• A healthy cat has a temperature between 38 and 39 degrees Celcius.
• Cats have the largest eyes of any mammal.
• The female cat reaches sexual maturity at around 6 to 10 months and the male cat between 9 and 12 months.
• A female cat will be pregnant for approximately 9 weeks or between 62 and 65 days from conception to delivery. 
• The average litter of kittens is between 2 - 6 kittens.
• Ailurophile is the word cat lovers are officially called.
• Purring does not always indicate that a cat is happy. Cats will also purr loudly when they are distressed or in pain.
• All cats need taurine in their diet to avoid blindness. Cats must also have fat in their diet as they are unable to produce it on their own.
• In households in the UK and USA, there are more cats kept as pets than dogs. At least 35% of households with cats have 2 or more cats.
• When a cats rubs up against you, the cat is marking you with it's scent claiming ownership.
• About 37% of American homes today have at least 1 cat.
• Milk can give some cats diarrhea.
• The average lifespan of an outdoor-only cat is about 3 to 5 years while an indoor-only cat can live 16 years or much longer.
• On average, a cat will sleep for 16 hours a day.
• A domestic cat can run at speeds of 30 mph.
• The life expectancy of cats has nearly doubled over the last fifty years.
• Blue-eyed, white cats are often prone to deafness.
• The cat's front paw has 5 toes and the back paws have 4. Cats born with 6 or 7 front toes and extra back toes are called polydactl.
• An adult cat has 30 teeth, 16 on the top and 14 on the bottom.
• There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside.
• Cats and kittens should be acquired in pairs whenever possible as cat families interact best in pairs.
• In multi-cat households, cats of the opposite sex usually get along better.
• The first official cat show in the UK was organised at Crystal Palace in 1871
  .http://www.catsinfo.com/catfacts.html

Detailed list of domestic cats

American Bobtail
United States
1960
playful, friendly, energetic and extremely intelligent,
Is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation affecting the tail development


American Curl
United States
1983
Uncommon breed
Have almost straight ears, but showcats must have ears that curl in an arc between 90                                 and 180 degrees.

American Longhair                                                                              

United States

Was an experiment that went wrong

adaptable, friendly, and undemanding nature

Polycystic kidney disease also present in the breed. Weight gain is sometimes a problem, so regular physical activity

American Shorthair
United States
1900´s was imported
Are known for their gentle expressions
Male American Shorthairs can weigh up to 15 pounds, while females can get up to 12 pounds at maturity. They are known for having long life spans, and can live to be 20 years old with good care.

Abyssinian
Ethiopia
1882
Is believed to have originated from one Egyptian female kitten named Zula
The Abyssinian has alert, relatively large pointed ears



Aegean cat
Greece
Natural
Standard
Semi-long
Bi- or tri-colored



   Australian Mist
Australia
Crossbreed
Moderate
Short
Spotted and Classic tabby

American Polydactyl
United States
Mutation
Moderate
Short/Long
                            All

American Wirehair
United States
Mutation
Rex
All but colorpoint

Arabian Mau
Arabian Peninsula
Natural
Short

Asian (cat)
Developed in the United Kingdom-Britain
Short
Evenly solid




Asian Semi-longhair
Great Britain
Crossbreed
Semi-long
Solid


For the full extensive list of cat breeds, please click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cat_breeds

And then we have what we call Feral (wild) cats

A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild. The offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.[1]
In many parts of the world, feral cats are descendants of domestic cats that were left behind by travelers.

Now you would think that a homeless starving animal is no different to a homeless person in need of care. A need is a need right? Wrong. Our feral cats across the world are suffering every minute of every day, due to lack of care and overpopulation. They are at the mercy of disease, illness, starvation, poisioning, cruelty done onto them and a failure of our governments to address their needs.

Please see the following links to obtain the status of cats in Ireland

http://feralcatsireland.org/Feral_Cats/Plight_of_forgotten_felines.html
http://communitycatsnetwork.wordpress.com/


America
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats/
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats/qa/feral_cat_FAQs.html

UK

http://www.feralcatproject.org/aboutthecats_truths.aspx

Please be sure to research the laws and feral cat status in your country.

So how do we control this epidemic: TNR (Trap, neuter, return)

Please watch this excellent video that demonstrates how TNR is carried out, and detailed information about how to care for feral cats.

So if there are cats in your community, please look after them. Use the above video as a guide. You will often hear people say, I am more of a dog lover, so what does that mean for cats in need of help?? If a human being knows what it is to starve, have ill health, no shelter from bad weather conditions, then why would we ever deny an animals right to survival. I'd ask you to open your mind and open your heart to cats and afford them the treatment they deserve. They did not ask to born, no more than a person, but they are here. We have turned much of their wild territory into urban dwellings,, so the very least we can do is oversee their welfare. Thank you for reading and I hope that            some of you at least are ready to save a life. I wish you the best!