Meet Barack Obama, One Cool Cat

A SLEEK and beautiful black Bombay cat named Barack Obama is one of the competitors at the CFA Iams Cat Idol show in New York, which finishes today.

The Meet the Breeds Show at the Jacob Javits Center is showcasing 160 AKC registered dog breeds and 41 CFA registered cat breeds in booths decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose and function, and attributes as a family pet.

Those attending the event will vote for the winner of the CFA Iams Cat Idol, also known as the CICI.

Barack Obama is not the only 'celebrity' featured. Two Turkish Angoras who co-starred with Cillian Murphy and Lucy Liu in Watching the Detectives, Beau, the two-year-old Cornish Rex who makes personal appearances for Iams, and Dandelion (Dandy), a flame-point Birman who was the face for the New York City campaign for animal adoption week are also featuring.

* The British Bombay cat is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It has a black coat, toes and nose, and copper to greenish eyes. The close lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be coloured to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese. The American Bombay was bred in 1958 in Louisville,Kentucky, crossing an American Shorthair with a Burmese. These cats usually have orange eyes. Bombays are often confused with the British Bombay but they are different cats.

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This Cat Is A Purrfect Little Squirt

Who are you calling a little squirt?

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Crazy Cats

There are some crazy cats here!

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Does Your Cat Have A Healthy Diet?

THEY say we are what we eat. This applies to your pet as much as it applies to yourself. A good diet means less health problems, less trips to the vet and lower veterinary bills. But how much thought have you given to what your cat should be eating to maintain optimum health? Ask yourself the following questions.

1) How many times a day do you feed your cat?

Since cats cannot be exercised like dogs can, the only way you can influence your cats weight is by controlling the amount and type of food he or she eats. If the cat is being fed individual meals several times daily, there is often a tendency by the owner to offer the daily supply of food on several occasions rather than divide up the daily feed into several meals. This can also occur with cats fed dry food ad lib. Cats usually regulate their food intake, but continual exposure to large quantities of food may lead to over-eating and subsequent obesity if too many calories are consumed. In short, both several individual meals a day and ad lib feeding are fine, it is the total amount offered per 24 hour period which is the important figure.

Kittens should be fed small meals at regular intervals due to their tiny stomachs. Four or five meals are recommended at eight weeks of age, decreasing to two at six months of age.

2) Is your cats diet manufactured specifically for cats or do you give human food?

Some cat owners like to spoil their cat by feeding them human food as the bulk of their diet. Others have tried feeding their cat regular catfood, but find their fussy cat will not touch it, and prefers to wait for the inevitable human food offering, which soon becomes the staple diet.

Is it really unhealthy to feed cats human food though? Of course it depends what food. Remember that cats are carnivores, and require a high proportion of meat in their diet. They simply cannot adapt to a low protein diet, and will lose bodyweight if deprived of it. In fact, as a species they are relatively unique... a deficiency of the amino acid, arginine, in a single meal can lead to symptoms of lethargy, hypersalivation and vocalisation. Arginine is required by the cat to produce urea, a waste product resulting from the breakdown of protein.

Another essential nutrient for the cat is the amino acid, taurine, which the cat cannot manufacture sufficiently by itself to meet its needs. The cat's diet must therefore contain taurine in sufficient quantities. If a deficiency develops there is a high risk of serious and irreversible damage to major organs such as the heart and the eye. Taurine is found almost entirely in meat, confirming the fact that the cat is a compulsory carnivore.

Another disease of nutritional origin is that caused by cats eating raw liver regularly, who can suffer from a condition called hypervitaminosis A. Cats suffering from this can present with signs of lethargy, unthriftiness, a stiff neck and other skeletal problems. To play it safe, do not feed your cat liver more than once a week.

Reputable cat foods are formulated after extensive trials by pet food companies to provide the mixture of protein, carbohydrate and fat that suits feline physiology best. It is easier, cheaper and possibly more healthy for your cat to be fed a reputable cat food diet, with occasional treats if desired (tuna, liver etc).

3) Which is better out of dry cat food or wet cat food?

Most vets recommend complete dry biscuit based cat food. This is because studies have shown that cats on dry food diets are less likely to suffer from dental disease than those on wet food from a tin or pouch. The physical motion of biting these biscuits helps prevent tartar from adhering to the surface of the tooth. However, even cats with no teeth can eat biscuit based food without a problem, as they just scoop up the biscuits with their tongue and swallow them whole. Another advantage of dry food is that it does not spoil as quickly which is useful for cats that are fed ad lib.

There are occasionally reasons why a wet food is preferable, as a method to increase the water consumption in a cat with a urinary problem such as cystitis.

4) Which is the best cat food to choose?

There are so many different brands of cat food on the market, the best one is basically a matter of opinion. Certainly palatability is a factor, there is no point in purchasing a particular food if your cat cannot stand it, although this is occasionally a necessity in cats requiring prescription diets. Rather than recommending you a specific brand, we suggest that you choose one which adheres to the criteria below.

Cat foods labeled as complete and balanced must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. There are now two separate nutrient profiles for cats - one for growth (kittens) and one for maintenance (adults). Maximum levels of intake of some nutrients have been established for the first time because of the concern that overnutrition, rather than undernutrition, is a bigger problem with many pet foods today. The standards include recommendations on protein, fat, fat soluble vitamins, water soluble vitamins, and mineral content of foods. If you are prepared to get technical, you should choose a food that comes closest to AAFCO recommendations.

In summary, consider the following points:

Choose a food that suits your cats age. Most big pet food companies will have different foods for kittens vs adults. Cats with medical conditions may be recommended special prescription diets.

Choose a food that come closest to AAFCO recommendations.

The ingredients contains the truth about a particular food. Everything else is there only for marketing purposes.

There are no legal and scientific definitions for the terms "premium," "super premium," "quality," or "natural."

Use dry matter numbers to evaluate and compare foods.

The source of ingredients (e.g. animal vs vegetable) does not matter, except in the case of food allergies.

Avoid supplementation. All commercial cat foods have more than enough protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Feeding your cat a good food incorrectly can lead to significant problems.

5) My cat is overweight, but no matter how hard I try I cannot get him to lose weight. What can I do?

Your cat is almost certainly being fed too much. Below some common mistakes are listed. Have a good look at these and make sure none of them could apply to your cat.

Not following the guidelines on the packet when measuring a portion. Most cat foods will have a table on the packaging suggesting daily portions for cats of different weights. The weight of food suggested is per 24 hrs, not per portion! Use your kitchen weighing scales to measure out the portion until you are sure of the correct amount.

Using a complete dry diet as a replacement for regular biscuits, and mixing it with wet cat food. If it says complete, you should not mix it with anything or you will overfeed.

Offering inappropriate food that is high in fat, or cream/full fat milk to drink.

Several members of the household feeding the cat at different times, whenever the cat is meows for food.

Giving the cat regular treats in addition to its main meal.

The cat is getting fed by neighbors, who think they are being kind by feeding it and enjoy the attention it gives them.

The cat is scavenging food from outside sources, such as other peoples bins.

The cat is part of a multi-cat household and is stealing food from the other cat(s), or even the dog.
Keep an open mind. If there is a possibility that any of the above scenarios might be the case with your cat, investigate it. If you are still at a loss, consider starting a prescription diet (see below).

6) I have heard you can get special light diets, or prescription diets for fat cats. Do they really work?

Yes they do, if used properly. These types of cat food are available in complete wet (tinned or pouches) form or dry (biscuit) form, and are growing in popularity amongst conscientious pet owners. They are low in calories and high in fibre, and often contain high levels of L-carnitine. L-carnitine has been used to help with fat metabolism in other species and recent scientific work indicates that it helps reduce weight in overweight dogs and cats. The real benefit of these low calorie diets though is that because of its low calories, cats can still eat reasonable sized portions and therefore feel full. This means they are more content and less likely to beg and look for extra food.
These diets are perfectly healthy for normal sized cats to eat too, so if you have a multi cat household and it is unfeasible to separate the cats during feeding time, you can safely feed all of the cats the prescription diet together.

7) Where can I buy this low calorie food from?

Many of the big pet food companies are waking up to the problem of pet obesity, and adding light versions to their range. However, they are unlikely to be as effective as the traditional prescription diets that are on the market.

They are known as prescription diets, because they are a specialist food normally prescribed by a veterinarian. However, you do not need a prescription to buy the food as it is a general sales list product. These foods are rarely available in supermarkets as many supermarkets are keen to sell their own brand, or have deals with the big pet food manufacturers. Many owners but their prescription diet from their veterinary clinic for convenience, whilst others prefer to shop around to get the best price. Many online pharmacies and pet stores are now offering these prescription foods, but whilst they may appear cheaper online, watch out for delivery charges added on top.

Author: Matthew Homfray

About the Author:

Dr Matthew Homfray is one of the veterinary pet experts at http://www.whydoesmypet.com/. Our dedicated community of caring pet experts are waiting to offer you advice, second opinions and support.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Does Your Cat Have A Healthy Diet?

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Gerrard the cat back in his Liverpool home

Pictures: http://www.bootletimes.co.uk/

A KITTEN from Seaforth, near Liverpool, who took a ticket to ride and ended up 300 miles from home, has been reunited with his owners. Little four-month-old Gerrard - named after Steven Gerrard, the captain of Liverpool football team, - hopped aboard a removals van and ended up in Hampshire.

He was taken to a veterinary surgery where staff named him Jimmy Tarbuck after a Liverpool comedian.

The Liverpool Echo carried a story and picture, making plea for his owners to come forward.

Carla Hazlett saw the picture and immediately recognised Gerrard. She said: “I got a bit of a shock when I saw him in the paper. We’d been looking for him for days. He was my little girl Simi-Lea’s third birthday present.

“I’ve not had the heart to tell her he has been missing. She kept asking me ‘where is my kitty, where is Gerrard?’ and she and her brothers and sister have been out searching for him.

“My daughter called him Gerrard as she is a massive Reds fan and wears nothing but her Liverpool strip. I like the name Jimmy Tarbuck, though, and I am really glad that he has been so well taken care of.

“When the girl next door was moving out last week the children and Gerrard were playing in the removal truck. It didn’t cross my mind that’s where he could be.”

One of the girls who works at the surgery in Hampshire returned to university in Liverpool on Tuesday and Carla was delighted to meet up with her and get Gerrard back.

“When Simi-Lea asked me on Monday where Gerrard was it was a relief to be able to tell her she would see him very soon and it wasn’t a lie,” she added.

“I’d been hoping he would turn up as I had no idea how I was going to tell the children he wasn’t coming back."

Now Gerrard will never walk alone.

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Susan Boyle and Pebbles

Reality TV megastar Susan Boyle wowed the world with her wonderful voice (watch her here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk ). Susan has had her problems since being pitched into stardom but she has the comfort at home of her cat Pebbles. Maybe Susan and Pebbles could both get a role in Cats!

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Cat Health: Feline Diabetes

Early Detection of Feline Diabetes Can Save your Cat's Life

What is Feline Diabetes?

SYMPTOMS for feline diabetes can vary considerably among cats afflicted with this disease. Because many of the symptoms of diabetes in cat are characteristic of other illnesses and diseases as well, feline diabetes is not always diagnosed in a timely manner.

Also known as feline diabetes mellitus, the most common characteristic of this disease is an imbalance in glucose, or blood sugar, levels. For both animals and human beings, the level of glucose in blood is controlled by the pancreas, which secretes and releases insulin, a hormone, into the blood as needed. Insulin helps the body convert glucose into energy.

In diabetics, both animal and human, the cells which produce insulin are damaged, so the body cannot produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. Sugars are present in the blood, but cannot be converted to energy. In another form of diabetes, there may be enough insulin produced, but it does not work well.

What Symptoms are Exhibited in Cat Diabetes?
Feline diabetes most often occurs in older cats. There are certain factors that increase the risk factor: overweight cats are more susceptible, as are male cats who have been neutered.

Some of the more common symptoms of feline diabetes include the following:

• increase in thirst


• frequent urination


• weight loss


• loss of appetite


• dull coat


• walking on hocks (joint of the rear leg) instead of paws


• cataracts forming on eyes

An increase in your cat's thirst is one of the earliest and most noticeable symptoms. Ordinarily, cats whose diet consists primarily of wet canned food may not drink a lot of water due to the high water content of their food. So you may notice that the level in your cat's water bowl is dropping faster than usual.

How is Feline Diabetes Diagnosed?

Because there are a number of medical conditions that can cause these symptoms - viruses can cause loss of appetite, for example - the possibility that your cat may be diabetic is not the first thought to occur. The best course of action when your cat is exhibiting several of these symptoms is to have your cat examined by your veterinarian.

Diagnosis of cat diabetes is not necessarily straightforward, since stress and other illnesses can cause temporary imbalances in your cat's blood glucose levels. A thorough physical exam as well as an array of blood and urine tests are needed to obtain a proper diagnosis.

What is the Treatment for Cat Diabetes?
With early detection, your cat may continue to live a normal and otherwise healthy life. Regular exams should be scheduled to ensure the continued good health of your cat, and in all likelihood, your cat will need injections of insulin twice a day. This is a simple procedure that your vet can train you how to do. Once the diabetes is under control, you may be able to reduce the amount of insulin. In the meantime, the best routine to develop is to give the injection to your cat every morning and evening right after its meal.

There are cat food formulations that have been optimized for diabetic cats, which you should speak with your vet about. If your vet recommends this as an approach to controlling your cat's diabetes, you may need to keep your cat indoors so as to control its diet.

Feline diabetes that remains undetected or untreated will lead to your cat's death. Typically, the cat becomes less and less active, falls into a coma, and dies. If your cat is manifesting any of the symptoms described here, it's best to take the situation seriously and have your cat checked by your vet as quickly as possible. Doing so can save your cat's life.

by Kat Bartone (Kat Bartone is a writer, musician, computer technology instructor, internet marketer, and blogging enthusiast. Kat is the owner/operator of http://www.healthy-cat-supplies.com/, where you can find informational articles and tips on how to keep your cat healthy and happy. Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Early Detection of Feline Diabetes Can Save your Cat's Life )

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