Did you know that living with a cat can lower your blood pressure, help you feel more relaxed, and generally help you rest better?
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| Cutie | Alert | Perched | Anya | Aussie |
Well, it's absolutely true! I am a cat person, although I suppose you're wondering why there's a dog here too. That's Aussie, pic provided by Bill and Sara Newman, and he's sooooooooooo cute! (the puppy)
What do we need to know about cats? Considering that all of these (except Aussie) are tortoiseshells, we'd better get up to speed on these feisty and sometimes downright scary cats!
| Attribute | Details | Watch Out! |
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| Fur | There are two kinds of Tortoiseshells: standard and diluted. Standard T's look like the ones you see here - usually dark-brown based. Diluted T's are grey-based. Either one can be short, medium, or long-haired, leading to different shedding qualities. Note: Calicos (white-based multi-colored cats) are not the same as Tortoiseshells. | If you have asthma or breathing issues, go with a short-haired. |
| Personality | Whoa! These cats are feisty! They can be affectionate, loving, funny, and generally lapcats. But they can also play wit your head, and actually get mad at you if you try to get up. | Sometimes they nip, so positively reinforce good behavior and use a firm "No" and a squirt bottle for bad behavior. |
| Humor | Did I say feisty? The T's I've met definitely have a sense of humor and like to leave toys where you can step on them, bat at your ankles, and generally have fun with you. | Humor is great, but beware of competition between cat and laptop computer. The cat will win. |
| Care | T's are pretty easy to care for. Good food, water, petting and attention, and occasionaly brushing does it. | Especially calm petting when the cat is in your lap. |
| Health | Generally a healthy cat with appropriate care and attention. | No worries. |
Go forth and enjoy your cat(s), Tortoiseshell or not. If you want a cat/dog relationship, start them both off at a young age. Your cat might come to believe the dog is a litter mate and curl up on it during naps (instead of on your head at night)!
©2010 by Jennifer Multari | Portal Page