Cats and Kittens

A Look At the Fascinating Ocicat

Admirers of leopards and ocelots will learn that there is a cat with the same exotic appearance that is domesticated, the Ocicat. While the big feral spotted cats can be deadly, these cats make great pets. The Ocicat was developed completely by accident when a American breeder tried to develop a Siamese that had a different color. The breeder mixed a Siamese cat with an Abyssinian cat and the result was a mottle-spotted kitten with a wonderful personality, but which looks wild and dangerous. They named it an “Ocicat” because describe why it looked like a cross between an Ocelot and a Cat.

The Ocicat is a medium-sized cat, weighing in at 6-14 pounds. Its powerful, graceful physique is set on muscular legs. This breed’s head has a distinct wedge shape, which is topped by large, Siamese like ears. These cats have eyes with a slightly Oriental shape that are surrounded by dark color. Many cat breeders say this rim of color makes Ocicats look as though they are wearing glasses. A long, gracefully tapered tail completes the wild appearance of this breed.

While the original Ocicat was ivory-colored with golden spots, there are now numerous additional recognized colors. You might see these spotted cats in Tawny, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Blue, Lavender, and Fawn colors. In addition, Ocicats come in spotted tabby, spotted silver tabby, and spotted smoke patterns of all of the above colors.

If you are a busy person who is rarely at home, you should not own an Ocicat. These cats are extremely people-oriented and become depressed and upset if they are left alone for extended periods. This love of people makes this breed the ideal family feline. In fact, even visiting family and visitors will be happily accepted by these outgoing cats. While the Ocicat thrives on human attention, this sociable cat also is compatible lives happily in the company of other cats, making it an excellent breed choice for a multiple cat home.

These cats are very playful, so it’s important therefore to keep your Ocicat happy, you should be sure to set out plenty of toys. However, this doesn’t mean you need to break the piggy bank. Simple toys, like a big feather or a crumpled piece of cellophane wrapper, provide hours of entertainment for these sweet-natured animals.

The Ocicat is one of the most intelligent cat breeds. You can easily teach your cat simple commands, such as how to come and fetch, but don’t stop there. These quick learners have been able to respond to quite a few other commands, as well.

People who don’t enjoy grooming their cats will be happy to know that the Ocicat does not actually need to be groomed very often. A quick brushing weekly should keep your Ocicat looking sleek and healthy. But, since this breed enjoys the attention, you may want to groom your cat several times a week.

If a person wants to take in a cat that has markings as striking as the jungle cats, then you may just want to get an Ocicat. These cats offer the best of both worlds – a wild look and a sweet nature.

For more info, see Ocicat and Siamese. Ron King is a web developer; visit his website Abyssinian.

Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

Ragdolls are large cats with pretty blue eyes and soft bushy tails. They do not have extreme features. A male ragdoll cat may reach over 20 pounds and a female cat reaches as high as 15 pounds. Their coats are soft and feel much like cashmere.

Ragdolls have four different types of coat patterns: van, bicolor, mitted, and pointed. Each of these patterns come in six different colors: blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and seal.

Pointed ragdoll cats have siamese type markings with dark ears, legs, and tails with a creamy colored body.

Mitted ragdoll cats look like pointed ragdolls except they have mittens and boots are soft, fluffy white, and so are their chins.

Bicolor ragdoll cats have white legs, a white underbelly, a white chest and an upside down V marking on their face are white. Only the tail, ears, and the outer part of their masks show darker markings.

Vans ragdoll cats have crystal white bodies that contrast with their point markings and blue eyes. Only the top of the maks, ears, and tail, and sometimes some spots on the body show darker markings.

Ragdoll cats are gentle cats which are careful not to scratch people and they are good with children, older people, and with dogs. They usually will not scratch or bite even when frightened or in pain. They are usually not jumpers. They like to stay on the floor. They do not speak very often and when they do speak they have a soft voice. They are people oriented cats that will often greet you when you get home from work. They will follow you around, sleep with you, and generally keep you company wherever you go in the house (even the bathroom!) Ragdolls love attention.

Ragdoll cats are calmer cats compared to some. They are less likely to be knocking stuff off your table or knocking a cup out of your hand than some other cats!

Ragdolls need little help when it comes to grooming. They groom and bath themselves. They rarely shed, have hairballs, or need any grooming at all unless they are a show cat. While Ragdolls do not normally need to be combed they actually do enjoy it!

Ragdolls are one of the most popular cat breeds in the world. They are a friendly calm breed of cat. If you are on the look out for a new cat then a ragdoll is definitely a great choice!

How long do you want your cat to live? That is the question to ask when trying to decide whether your cat should live indoors or outdoors. Multiple studies have shown that indoor cats live longer, healthier lives. But do they live happier lives? They are, after all, animals. Animals are meant to spend at least some time outdoors. There are several questions to ask yourself when trying to decide whether your kitty will be inside or outside.

First, how old is the cat? Very young and very old cats are more likely than middle-aged cats to become the victim of an attack by another animal. Older and younger cats are also more susceptible to harsh weather.

Secondly, are there any major roadways nearby? If you are in a rural area with very little traffic, kitty might never encounter a vehicle. Living next to a highway, however, could mean that your cat will be dodging speeding cars on a daily basis. In such a case, the odds are not in kitty’s favor.

Next, is the cat healthy and fit? An overweight kitty may not be able to outrun another animal or vehicle. A kitty with heart problems might not survive the trauma of a close encounter with a speeding bus. To live outside, a cat needs to be in good physical condition.

Furthermore, can you afford the expense of keeping a cat outdoors? Outdoor cats require more medical care in most cases. They cannot skip an annual exam or vaccinations. They will also need some form of parasite control. They are more likely than indoor cats to get sick or injured and require major surgery.

Finally, do your neighbors like cats? Cats wander. Often they wander into the neighbor’s yard. If your neighbor has a large dog, your kitty might not survive a regular visit. If your neighbor is unaware of your kitty or simply unconcerned, he or she may leave out potentially harmful chemicals. Many cats die from ingesting antifreeze from vehicles. Some neighbors consider cats a nuisance and intentionally try to poison them.

Though there are many things to consider, the right choice can be made when deciding whether to keep your kitty indoors or outdoors. After some careful thought, you will be able to reach a decision that will satisfy both yourself and your feline friend.

Cats seem independent and self-sufficient, but cats need just as much care and attention as other pets. Cats are prone to a number of serious diseases and it is extremely important to ensure that your cat is vaccinated from an early age. Further prevention from diseases is necessary to maintain your cat’s health with annual booster injections.

Anyone who has seen a cat in pain and distress because of a condition that could have been easily prevented by adequate care will understand why vets are so keen to promote preventive vaccination for all cats. This not only helps to prevent the development of the disease to a terminal stage but also limit the spread of these infectious diseases to the surrounding feline population.

Vaccinations are important as almost all catteries will only permit cats that have past records of vaccinations. This measure serves to protect your cat as well as to ensure other cats in the cattery are not infected should your cat be ill. Even cats that have been vaccinated can sometimes contract a variant of the disease and the less risk there is to the cattery as a whole the better.

Travel restrictions for pets can be stringent for most European countries. If you are considering traveling with your pet you will need to carry all available documentation concerning your pet’s health and vaccination record, and you may need to show evidence of feline veterinarian treatment including deworming schedules. Without these documents, your cat may have to be quarantined for up to six months, thus it would be import, so do check with your travel agency to make sure you have all the documentation you may need.

Kittens should be vaccinated from the age of nine weeks. They are then vaccinated again at 12 weeks, and then go on to a program that would include annual booster injections.

Your vet would also advise you on the necessity of giving your cat a rabies shot, particularly if your cat has contact with other feral cats in the neighborhood and gets into scrapes. A point to note is that the rabies shot is a requirement if you are traveling to any country within Europe.

The four main vaccinations a cat can have from the age of nine weeks are the following:

Feline infectious enterovirus (FIE, also known as the feline panleukopaenia virus.

Feline herpesvirus (otherwise known as feline calcivirus, or cat flu)

Feline leukaemia. A vet will test a cat’s blood to see if there is already an immunity built up from previous contact, and if the test shows negative i.e. there has been no contact and therefore no immunity built up the cat should be vaccinated.

Feline Chlamydophila, which causes conjunctivitis. Again your cat may already have built up an immunity so your vet can check for antibodies in the bloodstream and vaccinate if the test comes back negative to previous contact.

Vaccination may save your cat’s life should it get into any contact with any horrifying diseases. Although vaccines do hold risk for a small minority of cats who received them, proper vaccination is still the best solution and protection your cat can have against infectious disease.

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Siamese cat origins

Despite various other theories about its origin, Siamese cats did really originate in Siam (now Thailand) many hundred years ago. Cats with similar pointed markings feature in the Cat Book Poems, a manuscript saved from Ayuda, the old capital of Siam, which was burned down in 1767. It is the best known of a number of manuscripts that provide a record of the native cats, dogs and birds of the region at that time.

The Siamese pattern was later recorded in Russia by the naturalist Simon Pallas, in 1793. However, the cats he encountered were of much darker colouring. This could be explained by the fact that the Siamese points darken in colder climates. It is not known whether the Russian cats were descended from original Siamese imports, or whether the Siamese gene mutation (now commonly known as the Himalayan gene) had occupied naturally in Russia, Siamese cats were already in Britain before 1871, for in that year they featured at the first National Cat Show in London. There were many stories about their origin and at one time they were labeled as ‘an unnatural, nightmare kind of cat.

Nevertheless, their popularity grew and specimens were taken to America around 1890. The body shape of the Siamese has altered considerably over the years as breeders and judges select ever more extreme ‘Oriental’ type. Breeders have developed a wide variety of coast colours and patterns. The Himalayan gene carried by the Siamese (and other pointed cats) causes dilution of any particular colour. Hence there is no black Siamese because the colour is diluted to a very dark brown, called Seal. Siamese have also given rise to the Oriental varieties which are, in effect, ‘non-pointed’ Siamese

Siamese cat appearance

This is a short-haired cat of Oriental type with a long svelte body and an alert, intelligent expression. The head is long and wedge-shaped, neither rounded nor pointed, with a firm chin in line with the upper jaw. The ears are large, well pricked and wide at the base. The eye shape is oriental, slanting towards the nose and its deep blue in colour. The body is medium in size, long and svelte, with proportionately slim legs. The hind legs are slightly higher that the forelegs, the feet small and oval. The tail is long and tapering. The coat is very short and fine in texture, glossy and close-lying. The mask is completely connected to the ears by tracings. In all colours kittens may not show full masking, nor the adult colour on legs and tail

Siamese cat behavior

Siamese are extremely affectionate, devoted and loyal. They are highly intelligent, inquisitive, active and very vocal. They are also very demanding which make them unsuitable for some elderly people. They “meow” a lot in a loud low pitched voice. Some say that their voice sounds like the crying of a human baby. They also tend to get along well with other cats but they are usually dominant in their relationships with cats of other breeds.