The Sleeping Cat


Dear Reader, So Autumn has arrived again – how on earth did that happen?

Anyway, we cats make the most of all of the seasons – and the changing of the seasons is nature’s way of reminding humans and cats alike to follow our instincts, slow down and take things just that bit easier.

With that in mind, I, as September Cat of the month, have made….with the help of my trusted aid Ed…. an instructional video.

So please forget those pesky winds ruffling your coat and the dark nights drawing in. Just put your paws/feet (delete as appropriate) up and enjoy a Masterclass in pure relaxation.

Cat of the Month ~ September 2015

Norman provides a lesson in relaxation
Video: Ed
Norman x x x

p.s. I’m sure this will be a great watch for you folks who don’t have a cat too. You’ll get to see just all the fun that you are missing.

Egyptian Mau

Cat of the Month ~ August 2015

Mau

A young Egyptian Mau
monacocattery.com

It has been proven that it was in Ancient Egypt where the feline we call the Egyptian Mau originated. Their ancestors are strongly and frequently depicted in the artworks of the Ancient Egyptians. Many of their pictures are still intact today and they show heavily spotted cats bearing the distinctive ‘mascara’ marking and coat barring seen on today’s Mau. Indeed recent findings in research studies lead by feline geneticist Leslie Lyons, PhD has confirmed that cats first originated in Egypt. There is archaeological and genetic evidence to show that cats first originated in the famous ‘fertile crescent’.

The Egyptian Mau breed has five unique physical features that should be apparent at a glance.

  • One is the brow line and characteristic eye set that gives the breed a somewhat sad and anxious look.
  • The eye color of the Mau is described as “gooseberry green”.
  • A flap of skin extending from the posterior end of the ribcage to the hind leg gives the Mau a phenomenal leaping ability.
  • The Mau can run at very high speed also due to its extended skin flap on the hind leg.
  • Mau’s have a “tiptoe” graceful stance given by the hind legs being proportionally longer than the front legs.

It is said that the Egyptian Mau arrived in the USA in 1956 when Russian Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy, with help from Richard Gebhardt, imported three Maus from Italy: Two silver females, Baba and Liza, and a bronze male called ‘Jojo’. The Mau was granted recognition in The International Cat Association in 1979.

The Egyptian Mau has often been thought of as an aloof and shy breed. This may be true but when domesticated fully the Mau has a special affinity with its human family. It is a very close bond that is so different than with other breeds. A typical Mau will command attention and will not allow you to push it away, as it seems to require the fuss o fit’s immediate ‘keeper’. In addition the breed is intensely loyal (and yet still as aloof as a cat can be).

The Mau has been shown as having an extraordinary power of scent, hearing, and sight. It may well be for this reason they are so shy and sensitive a cat – easily frightened and upset by sudden loud, unpleasant noises. If a Mau is to be taken to shows then they must be introduced to the environment early so that they will accept the loud sounds and inspection handling of the ring.

The Mau is the only natural spotted breed of domestic cat, showing good contrast between the background color and pattern. The pattern is random with any size or shape of distinct spots. They have an “M” on the forehead, often referred to as the mark of the scarab, and a dorsal stripe travels the length of the spine to the tip of the tail. Legs, tail, neck and upper chest are barred with at least one broken necklace. The haunches and shoulders show a transition between spots and stripes.

The eyes are large and alert, shaped like a slightly rounded almond, with a slant towards the base of the ear. This eye set contributes to the characteristic “worried” look of the breed. The eye color of the Mau is gooseberry green. If you have never seen a gooseberry, a green grape comes close but isn’t quite the same.

Its head is a slightly rounded, wedge-shape of a medium length. The profile has a gentle concave rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead, not to be dishy or arrow straight. The slightly flared ears are medium to large, alert, moderately pointed and broad at the base. The hair on the outer ear is very short and close-lying that results in an almost transparent look when combined with the delicate shell pink inner color.

The Egyptian Mau is a statuesque breed with a muscular, elegant body. It is a graceful feline athlete is hard and lithe. When standing, the Mau has a characteristic “tiptoe” stance, with hind legs longer than the front. The body rises gradually from the back of the prominent shoulder blades to the hips. The medium-length tail tapers slightly towards the dark tip. The hair displays a lustrous sheen on all three accepted colors: silver, bronze and smoke. Its coat is medium in length; in the smoke color the coat texture is silky and fine. In the silvers and bronzes the coat is dense and resilient to the touch.

Source: TICA

Jungle Cat

Cat of the Month ~ May 2015


a jungle cat just sits and ponders

Male Jungle Cat looking very dog like
at Pont-Scorff Zoo (Nr Lorient, France)
Photo: Pont-Scorff Zoo

The Jungle Cat or ‘Felis Chaus’ of Asia is known as the ‘reed cat’ or ‘swamp cat’ in Africa. This is probably a more accurate name for this feline, as it rarely strays into jungle regions.

Preferred habitat is anywhere where there is water. Lake margins or riversides which often border dense ground cover are an excellent environment in which to hunt and breed. However the extent of habitation is much wider than this; ranging from desert (where it is found near oases or along dry riverbeds) to grassland, shrubby woodland and dry deciduous forest, as well as cleared areas of forest. They have been observed from sea level up to altitudes of 8,000 ft or more. Jungle cats are distributed throughout Asia, Sri Lanka and India. They are also found in Egypt.

Jungle cats are tenacious and adaptable moving into regions reclaimed by humans , where irrigation and cultivation have been carried out. However the jungle cat is prone to loosing its habitat due to the very same human intervention.


a jungle cat on a log

Jungle Cat in motion
Photo: wildwings.co.uk

Similar in build to the Serval and the African Wildcat and once thought to be related to the Lynx, Jungle cats are actually a very close relative of the domestic cat. They have long legs and a sleek build but they can grow to quite a hefty 14 Kilograms in weight standing up to 40 cms tall with a length of almost 100 cms. Tails are short though at 20 to 30 cms, with faint rings, and bearing a black tip. A jungle cats coat can range through sandy-brown, reddish or gray, and is unpatterned except for some brown striping on the legs. The ears are tall and rounded and are reddish with short, wide tufts on the tips.

Jungle cats feed mainly on small mammals, principally rodents, (a study in India’s Sariska reserve estimated that jungle cats catch and eat three to five rodent per day). Birds rank second in importance, but in southern Russia waterfowl are the mainstay of jungle cat diet in the winter. With overwintering populations of waterfowl congregating in large numbers on unfrozen rivers and marshes, the jungle cat hunts among reed beds and along edges of wetlands, searching for injured or weakened birds. Other prey species are taken more opportunistically, including hares, nutria, lizards, snakes, frogs, insects, and fish.

Credits:

Emmie the gipsofilia crunching cat

Cat of the Month ~ February 2015


Emmi Crunching

Emmie happily crunching!

This is our small tribute to Emmie, a loving mother of two and a cat with a unique interest in bunches of gipsofilia.

Her amazing party trick was to spend a few minutes entertaining visitors by biting the small, fluffy, white flower heads off gipsofilia and spitting them out onto the nearest surface available.

To be fair, Emmie did soon lose interest and leave her humans the majority of the bunch.

the said gipsofilia plant

No harm done

Rest in Peace beautiful Emmie x

flowers for emmie