domestic cat, the name brings all the breeds  domestic cat (Felis catus), most of which were withdrawn in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Study of cats involved in science felinology.

 

breeds differ in size and weight, body shape, eye color, length and coat color. On the latter basis of breed shared by Longhair (  Persian,  color-point), semi-longhair (  angora,  Balinese,  Burmese,  Maine coon  Siberian, etc.) with short (  rex,  Egyptian Mau,  Siamese,  Russian Blue,  UK). Siamese and Oriental cat breeds are often isolated in a separate group. For shorthaired breeds are also tailless cat. Domestic cat with professionals and breeders is a simple "Breed" cat. Unlike dogs, breeds of cats have no official specialty. On the globe inhabited by about 600 million pet cats.

 

International Federation of cat lovers (FIFE) approved for each breed its own standard, which describes the ideal type of animal. Those standards require that animals are estimated at the shows. Each standardized breed or its variations has its own abbreviation and number, under which they entered into the catalog of the exhibition:

 XXX - uppercase letter designations (codes) of species (three letters).  xx - lower-case lettering (up to two letters).  NN.NN.NN. (NN) - value pairs of numbers (up to three primary and one secondary).  

figures show the variety of colors hair, eyes, tail length. The couple, starting with 6, must always be present in a solid white color, except in the absence of this pair, I mean eye color that matches the main color for the breed (coat color).

 

The body of the domestic cat for the convenience of, treatments, and examinations of the exhibition is divided into conditional and anatomical parts of the region. Body parts - head, neck, trunk, tail and limbs. Cat's head is divided into the skull and face. On the skull isolated vertex, peredneverhnyuyu of the head, forehead, neck, forehead. On the face of distinguished nose, mouth, cheek, orbital and maxillary region. Some breeds (mainly Persian), the transition from forehead to nose is characterized by the so-called stop - quite pronounced notch.

 

Neck - from the back of the head to the scapula. The trunk is divided at the back, chest to chest, chest, on which the mammary glands. The back is divided into the vertebral region of the chest and interscapular on the left side at the elbow determine cardiac region. The abdomen is divided into front, middle and back area. The back of the abdomen and groin have pubic area. Stomach passes into the pelvis and buttocks. Go to the pelvis are sacral, gluteal and sciatic area. The limbs divided into thoracic and pelvic.

 

cat skeleton consists of more than 200 different in shape and size of bones. Together with the musculature and skin skeleton determines the general outlines of the animal's body. On the fingers - retractable claws. Cat walks on cushions on the bottom surface of the fingers. Fingers with pads called "claw". The muscles of the body, neck, head and limbs create a single, attached to the skeleton, muscular system, which together with sinew directs the movements of cats.

 

The digestive system includes the liver, pancreas and other endocrine glands, it provides meals and nutrient absorption. The system consists of respiratory and circulatory organs such as the heart, arteries, veins, capillaries, lungs with bronchi. Blood supplies the body with nutrients. In the blood - serum, red and white blood cells and platelets. Circulation is an important organ of the spleen.

 

The nervous system is formed from the brain and spinal cord, nerves and their endings. Its activities are carried out through the senses - sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Urinary tract and kidney is removed from an animal decomposition products and excess water as urine, bladder, two ureters and the urethra (the cat empties into the vagina, a cat - in the penis) are also part of the cat's urinary tract.

 

The system includes genital cat ovaries, tubes, uterus, and external agencies around the anus - the vagina, vulva, a cat - the testes in the scrotum, sex glands, ejaculatory ducts that empty into the urethra, a short penis. Rough surface of a member of the cat has a physiological function: a cat during mating ovulation. An important role in a cat playing the endocrine glands (hypothalamus, thyroid gland, adrenal glands), lymph nodes and vessels that provide the proper administration of the vital functions and protect the body from disease.

 

The trunk is covered with cat skin, which are skin cancer, and scalp. On the abdomen and chest females are between 4 and 8 of mammary glands. Special Senses cats highly developed, and above all - vision. Cats eyes at night can light up green. In absolute darkness can not see the cat, but a relative, a person can not see anything, the cat is well oriented.

 

cat eye pupils are sensitive to light: in good light, they are shrinking, and in the darkness are round. Protective body is the eye third eyelid (nictitating membrane). The field of view of a cat is much wider than a human or a dog, cat see colors, but less contrast than a man.

 

In the cat a good ears: it is able to perceive and ultrasound. Hearing helps her navigate the terrain, know his master's voice. Smelling the cat is much weaker than that of a dog, but it is much thinner than a human. Cat reacts to the smell of food from afar, it also feels good dog, rodents, and, of course, the smell of valerian.

 

cat food taste senses with taste buds on the tongue. Tactile organ are also whiskers - hairs above the upper lip (mustache), above the eyes and front legs. In the cat, suddenly deprived of whiskers may occur nervous breakdown and lost ability to navigate at night and avoid obstacles.

 

Age of puberty in cats depends on several factors: sex of the animal, its breed, living conditions, quality of food. At puberty they have the ability to produce mature eggs and sperm. Females reach sexual maturity in 7-9 months, in some breeds - and earlier. But the first mating is recommended not earlier than a year (and for males and for females). Estrus in the cat are accompanied by manifestations of varying intensity, if the chute is completed fertilization, all her symptoms disappeared within 12 hours, sometimes over a longer period of time. Heat can be observed in the cat during the year. It was believed that they are only 2-3 times per year, mostly in spring and autumn. But the purebred pets can be an interval of 15-25 days duration of 6-8 days, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

 

In cats, the sexual cycle is much simpler than in females. Techek cycle and prepare for them may be violated. They disappear during pregnancy are less likely to become extinct or at an older age (approximately 8-year life). Feeding does not prevent the onset of the next estrus, so that breast-feeding a cat can again be fertilized cat. The number of kittens in a litter ranges from one to six, in some cases they may be more. As a rule, it depends on the physical fitness of cats - so young, yet did not give birth cat brings kittens less than the older cat.

 

The number of offspring is not associated with the time of fertilization the female. When you select the wrong term mating female cat may reject or fertilization does not occur. Even the number of cats mating with a cat does not affect the number of youngsters of the future.

 

If a cat is mated with a cat, it does not mean that she was pregnant. The first signs of pregnancy you may notice no earlier than three weeks. The cat is greedy, nipples swell and turn pink, stirring the embryos shown in the sixth week of pregnancy.

 

The gestation period usually lasts 63-66 days, but it happens and 56-71 days. In Siamese cats pregnancy is shorter than that of other breeds. Until about the 60th day of pregnancy cat behaves normally. But for 3-4 days before the birth of its behavior changes: the cat becomes restless and walks in the footsteps of the master, the body temperature drops to 37 °.

 

In rare cases, the animals observed false pregnancy, when all the signs of normal pregnancy, the embryo does not develop. There are also miscarriages. This may be the weakness of the embryo, the mistreatment of animals or uterine infection.

 

If the owner is not interested in cat litter, then we can resort to castration or sterilization. As a result of these operations, the animals lose their sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite sex. On the eve of birth must be reserved by the owner of the cat all the necessary items that you might need: scissors with blunt ends, threads, pieces of flannel and gauze. Everything must be sterilized. Wool, if it is long, you need to cut around the nipple and genital opening.

 

Before birth the cat starts to get nervous, and then come into labor (one hour before the first kitten). If the cat is within 7-8 hours after the withdrawal of water and start fights can not give birth to a kitten first, you need to resort to the vet. Typically, the cat alone to cope with childbirth, but still sometimes help a person she needs. The intervals between the appearance of the kittens from 10 minutes to several hours. At this time, the cat should be given a drink (tea, blackberry and milk), cuddle and cheer.

 

The kitten is born within 1-2 minutes, after which the mother licks and gnaws an umbilical cord baby. Sometimes a kitten is born right in the fruit bubble, it should not be in it because it can suffocate. Paul newborn kittens set to form the external genital organs and their location in relation to the anus. The males released from the penis scrotum, removed from the anus and in females - a small vulva is almost next to the anus.

 

feline offspring to mother's milk, which is the basis of their diet. Mother's mammary glands begin to function immediately at the first suckling calf. Newborn kittens of both sexes of all breeds weigh from 80 to 120 grams. During the first week they were twice put on weight, and every week - up to 100 g on average.

 

to the normal diet of milk kittens usually go for 3-4 weeks of age. Even if your cat plenty of milk, it is necessary not later than one month feeding of kittens - first with warm milk (preferably dissolved dry) and then solid food. Should start feeding of boiled and raw meat, then porridge of boiled chicken and fish broth with rice, lean beef and veal, cheese and viscera (liver, kidneys). As early as four months of age kittens should be transferred to an adult diet.

 

The peculiar nature cats when compared with the behavior of dogs, not always happy person, and often in the choice of a pet dog wins. Cat, with all the care of her and love of man, becomes his slave and retains its individuality, is a person. Cat needs in close contact with the owner: she loves stroking, lying in her lap, "conversations." But this contact is possible only when it is in this desire. In the cat, long deprived of opportunities to communicate with the host, there is stress. With strangers or cats animal behaves differently: the man with the cat tries to establish a relationship with the characters of animals - sounds, body movements, eye ("cat's audio dictionary" is rich enough).

 

Cats possess negative traits. First of all, the periodic manifestations of aggressiveness, often associated with inappropriate content cat. While the cat - an animal nezlobnoe, and its aggressive response more often than a defensive, yet these signs gradually secured and are in the habit. Help get rid of this soothing preparations as well as castration. Sometimes it may be manifestations of fear and anxiety, which can also be removed with the help of sedatives and affection.

 

A positive feature of their cats is loyalty to the place that became their home. Conservatism at the heart of a cat's nature determines its desire for a settled life, and often the cat is returned to its former dwelling place, if the owner changes the place of residence. The cat, unlike dogs - individualist, she does not like to obey, follow orders, something to learn. Therefore, training can not be enforced if the cat has no interest in that or other exercises. Not every cat can learn to walk in a harness and a leash. Troublesome business - to make the cat to clean. Kittens are the first skills of health from a cat-mother, months of age they already own master his "toilet". Cat can often be punished, and this should be done very cautiously, carefully watching the reaction of the animal on certain actions.

 

other special kind of cat, these animals are tolerated, if anything they are not threatened. Their homes and territory in the immediate vicinity of the cat considers his personal possession. My cat is trying to expand the area at the expense of neighboring territories, marking the aromatic substances secreted by glands in the anal area.

 

respect and mutual tolerance are determined by the ratio of two or more cats living in one house. They tend to care about each other, sleep together, caring for kittens. Even cats who grew up in one house, not conflict. When cats are in the pack, "team" come into effect its own laws - here the principle of supremacy of one animal over another.

 

in cats amazing sense of timing and ability to observe the daily routine. And the behavior of living in the house and the limited space in the cat differs from that of a cat that has freedom of movement. Cat sleeps a lot - on this she spent two-thirds of life. One of the strongest for a cat is a hunting instinct. Cat has great patience in waiting for prey. She - a natural catcher of mice, but the passion for hunting is not always dictated by hunger. Even the cat to eat from a man who loves to hunt prey and brings the house owner as a gift.

 
Roach back - deterrence of the enemy, severe irritation and readiness for defense.

 

According to archeology, the cat moved next to a man since he began to lead a sedentary life. But it was just a wild cat, fed on scraps. Different researchers have diametrically opposed views on the origin of domestic cats. According to the classical version is considered to be a common ancestor of domestic cat Asiatic steppes North African cat, domesticated in Nubia around 4 thousand years ago. Hence, from Nubia, domesticated cats were in Egypt, in the future in Asia interbred with wild Bengal. In Europe, these cats are bred with the local, wild forest of European cat. The result of these crossings - a modern variety of breeds, lines and colors. According to another, more modern version of domestic cats have polifeliticheskoe origin, that is, different species evolved independently in several major centers. Fossils of cats found in the ancient city of the planet - Jericho (5-6 millennium BC. Oe.) During the excavations in Jordan, the ancient cities of India. But these animals were apparently not quite home.

 

Numerous testimonials of cats in Egypt are well traced from the 3rd millennium BC. Oe. On the paintings in the tombs Sakkaraha (2750-2650 BC. Oe.) Cats are shown with collars, which testifies to their domestication. And the mural of the Beni Hassan cat is portrayed in a house next to the hostess.

 

In the temples dedicated to the goddess Bast (the Egyptians depicted her as a cat or a woman with a cat's head), contained a lot of cats, revered as sacred animals. When a cat died, the family declared a mourning period, all household shaved off her eyebrows and sorrow. The corpses of cats embalmed and buried in the tombs at the magnificent special cemeteries. The archaeologists discovered about 300 thousand mummies belonging to the IV millennium BC. Oe. The law was also on the side of this sacred animal: a cat for murder was threatened with harsh punishment including the death penalty (the unfortunate Greeks, who killed the cat out of ignorance, says Herodotus). The first hieroglyphic signs for the words "cat" and "cat", dated to around 2300 BC. Oe.