They are intelligent and skillful, beautiful, elegant and very independent animals. We love them for their proud nature and their tenderness, as well. Cats are amongst the most popular pets all around the world. Humans adored them from the earliest ages of human civilizations, not to mention they were considered divine in many cultures. From Far East to magnificent Egypt, from Greece and Rome to Scandinavia, cats have had an important role in many mythological tales.
There are numerous folk beliefs about cats. Not all of them are positive. Due to their individualistic and somewhat self sufficient nature we either love or hate them. However, if you consider yourself a cat person, you surely want to know everything about those amazing animals. Cats are common pets both on countryside and in cities. They are known pest hunters and cuddly pets as well.
Getting to know cats is an amazing process. Cats have their wits and desires and they would express it openly, unlike dogs that are easier to submit. Some people would say cats are our masters, in fact. However, they are also enormously cute and completely irresistible. Despite common beliefs they are not friendly, most of house cats love to cuddle and play with their owners. They are intelligent and easily get used to new environment. If you treat a kitten in a good way, you will surely get faithful, happy and healthy friend.
Cats need a lot of activity and space, as well as proper medical care and nutrition. They are not for fun. Cats are living beings with their own necessities and feelings. If you consider getting yourself a cat, be prepared for long term commitment, lot of dedication and patience.
How to feed your cat?
There are some basic guidelines that would help every new cat owner in terms of nutrition. Cats are carnivores and that’s the most important thing you should know about their diet. Although some house cats can get used to almost any type of food that does not mean it is good for them. Fruits like raspberries are okay occasionally, but they should not be a mainstay in feline diet. Their body needs proteins of animal origin. They are natural hunters and they chase small animals like mice, rats, birds and other.
However, the best option is to feed your cat ready made cat food from pet store. It is balanced according to cats’ nutritional needs and it provides them all the valuable nutrients for healthy life. You can feed your cat both canned or vacuumed or dry food. Two meals a day are sufficient for them. If you want to get your cat diverse diet, include small and occasional portions of cooked meat. Cooked chicken, quality fish and liver are the best choice. Never feed it raw, in order to prevent your cat from meat poisoning.
Beware of tomatoes!
There are many controversies about cats and tomatoes. Although they don’t naturally eat it, some house cats surprisingly enjoy their taste. There are many opinions tomatoes are poisonous to the. What is the truth?
Tomatoes are discussed in human nutrition, as well. Nowadays, we gladly eat tones of tomatoes when they arrive on markets, in shops or grow in our gardens. A very long time ago, people believed they are poisonous. Some historical data say tomatoes were not on our tables until early eighteen century. In modern times, tomatoes are regular part of our diet. There are numerous tomato products, such as ketchup, sauces, spreads etc. Tomatoes are generally safe for humans, although some people could experience allergy reaction.
What about cats and tomatoes? Cats do not naturally eat fruit and vegetable at all. They would chew some herbs in order to heal their tummies, if feeling sick or pained. Experts say tomatoes can be extremely dangerous to cats, and the same is true with cats eating grapes. So, even if your cat show interest in eating tomatoes, which is pretty unlikely, do not let it have them.
Tomatoes contain a poisonous alkaloid solanine, amongst other compounds. They are full of other valuable nutrients good to us and we need an extremely high h concentration of dangerous solanine to get poisoned.
However, cats are far more sensitive to it. Some data show just one hundred grams of cherry tomatoes can cause major trouble to felines. Since cats don’t actually need any of tomato compounds, there is no reason why you should give it to our pet. Cat food you buy in pet store is very well balanced and provides all the necessary ingredients, including vitamins and minerals you can find in tomatoes.
On the other hand, some veterinarians say tomatoes flesh isn’t that poisonous we think. When it comes to tomato leaves, the situation is quite different, they claim. Leaves of tomatoes and potatoes, especially unripe fruit, can cause serious poisoning. Tomatoes belong to nightshade plant family and their leaves are highly toxic. The good thing is kitties are generally not interested in eating plants. However, they may like nibbling stems or leaves, especially kittens. So, just keep them away from your pet.
