Cats for Dummies (For Dummies Series)

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Rehoming an older cat from a shelter is an excellent way to find a cat that’s already housetrained and in need of a loving home. Shelters also often have kittens for adoption. The shelter staff will be able to tell you more about each cat and whether they may be a good fit for your home environment. you can also choose a new cat based on whether they’re used to dogs, prefer to live indoors, and are happy being left at home while you’re at work. Finally, consider the matter of time. An adult cat does quite well on her own alone in the house while you work — most of the time she’s sleeping anyway. A kitten needs your time, for raising her and for watching over her to keep her out of trouble. Photo depicts the kitten, in which those eyes shows the promise of a lifetime of companionship. In other words, we don’t actuallyconduct the experiment. We use only our imagination and reasoning instead. Even as cats reign supreme near the top of the pet popularity charts, a lot of people still harbor misconceptions about them. Many of these people would probably enjoy having a cat in their lives if they’d only open their minds and their hearts.

Well-documented stories abound of cats traveling hundreds — even thousands — of miles to return to an old home after moving. This amazing behavior leads many people to believe that cats prefer places to people. Sadly, the same belief prompts some to leave their cats behind if they move, figuring that the animals are happier at the old house and hoping the new residents take them in. Cats need their contemplative moments (see Figure 1-3), of course, as do we all. A cat needs time to think — about how much she loves you … or how tasty that little mousy would be. But anyone who has lived with a cat will vouch for the sincerity and constancy of a cat’s affection. You’ll find all everything you need in the main body of the book, but we’ve also worked to find interesting tidbits, recommended products and services, and material that will help you understand complicated issues if you want to go deeper. You’ll find much of this material in sidebars or marked with icons such as Technical Stuff and Cool Cat Facts. Foolish AssumptionsWarning There are things out there that put feline lives at risk, and we want to help you avoid them. The subject is so hot that almost all reputable breeders and an increasing number of shelters and rescue groups refuse to place a cat with someone who does not promise — in writing — to keep the animal exclusively indoors. With some breeds, this restriction is imperative: Imagine the tiny, nearly furless Devon Rex or the naked Sphynx trying to survive in the outdoors! First, more of us are living in smaller quarters — in apartments, in condominiums, in houses on smaller lots — than ever before. Although such conditions aren’t so conducive to the keeping of dogs — even though many people make it work anyway — such living conditions are in no way a deterrent to keeping a cat, especially an indoors-only one. Cats quite happily share the same environments people choose, living in city apartments and on farms, in cold climates and in warm ones, in small houses and in mansions. Marvelously adaptable, most cats handle being alone better than many dogs do.

Using the correct radioactive material allows a precisely 50/50 chance that a single radioactive particle will be emitted within one hour. You've taken everything into account: Your home. Your time. Your finances. A cat is in your future, beyond a doubt, but what kind? Without further ado, let’s dive into Schrödinger’s cat explained: WARNING: Don’t Attempt This ExperimentYou may think you know all you need to know about cats, but we’re guessing that’s not really true. You may think you don’t need to know anything more, and we know that’s not true. That’s because we know how much you love your cat, and how much you will benefit from the information provided by some of the very top experts in feline care. Initial exam and feline leukemia test within 48 hours of adoption and prior to introduction to other cats.