When a cat is spayed (ovariohysterectomy), the ovaries, oviducts, and uterus are removed. The ovaries produce hormones that are responsible for the heat cycle in cats. Therefore when the cat is spayed, the heat cycle should stop. So how can a spayed cat come into heat?
Deciding to bring a cat into your life is a very exciting time. But before rushing out to bring your chosen cat home it is important to slow down, take your time and really do your homework.
Cat grass (catgrass or kitty grass) is a name used to describe several different types of grass which are popular with cats.
The fecal flotation test is a test to look for worm eggs, proglottids (tapeworm segments) or protozoan (single-celled organisms) cysts in the feces. These parasites live in the intestines and stomach of the cat. They reproduce by releasing eggs or cysts which pass out of the cat via the feces.
Tabby is a coat pattern among domestic cats (purebred and mixed-breed) that features an agouti pattern of alternating dark and pale bands of colour along the hair shaft with contrasting darker spots, stripes or sworls and a prominent M on the forehead. The tabby cat is not a breed, but a coat colour that can be found in both mixed breed and purebred cat populations.
The tabby gene is known as agouti and produces a background that is made up of individual hairs that have alternate banding (ticking). Agouti hairs are most obvious on the ticked tabby (such as the Abyssinian or Singapura) who only has the agouti background but not the stripes, spots or sworls.
Domestic cats inherited the agouti gene from their wild cat ancestors, the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). Agouti (symbolised with an uppercase A) is dominant over almost all other coat colours with an exception for the white masking and white spotting genes.
Related: Types of tabby pattern in cats
Why do cats scratch around their food bowl? Not all cats do this. This is an attempt to bury any uneaten food for later. In the wild cats will bury their uneaten food so that other animals can’t steal their “catch”. Why do cats eat grass? Grass acts as a laxative and helps with the … Read more
If the cat is a moggy the answer is a definite no. Moggies are beautiful cats, come in all shapes and sizes and are just as special as purebred cats but the fact remains there are already thousands of mixed-breed cats who are euthanised in shelters every year.
There just are not enough homes for these poor cats, and by bringing more mixed breed cats into the world you are contributing to the overpopulation problem.
If the cat is purebred you have a new set of questions to ask before going ahead and breeding.
What is separation anxiety? Separation anxiety is more commonly associated with dogs who by nature are pack animals. However, cats too can suffer from separation anxiety. This problem occurs in some cats when they have a particularly close bond with their owner. It may be the result of genetics and breed disposition or their individual … Read more
I don’t want this section to be a lecture on why you should keep your cat, but it is important to reinforce that often pets are rehomed when it’s not necessary to do so, this may be out of fear, or a misunderstanding, or a simple problem which can be fixed. Firstly I would … Read more
What is toxoplasmosis? Discovered in 1908, toxoplasmosis is an intracellular parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It infects multiple warm-blooded including humans, livestock, birds etc., however, cats are the definitive hosts to Toxoplasma gondii. This means that the parasite is only able to sexually reproduce in cats, both wild and domesticated species. Most … Read more