Cats: What has the Internet Become?!

As most internet-dwellers know, the internet has become a place for cats. I don't really understand what is so great about these completely random pictures of cats with captions that are so entertaining, but they are.
One example, is the "Heavy Breathing" cat. This cat has been appearing everywhere, especially with pictures of food that are generally unhealthy but look incredibly delicious.
The only way to really adequately explain the vast popularity of cats on the inter-webs, is that cats can be really entertaining. What I mean is, cats normally are lazy and sleep longer than most other animals on the planet, and the remaining hours that they spend awake, cats usually like to eat, or look out of windows. Or look down on humans. All those funny cat videos on Youtube are those rare moments that cats actually DO something. Dogs, on the other hand, are very energetic and have no problems trying to do entertaining things to get their human's attention. Cats such as Grumpy Cat and Maru, the Japanese cat, have gained attention on the internet thanks to their cuteness, and in Grumpy Cat's case,  the angryness and ability to add it to any other picture with a caption. My theory is that cats have taken over the web for this year, and its just a craze for now, just as 2013 had a thing for sloths. Never forget the dogs that have tried hard  for the internet's attention either! Doge has become a huge fan faze as well. And he is a pretty adorable dog too.

Am I a Crazy Cat Lady?

I may like cats, and every time I go into a shelter, I want to adopt all the cats, but this does not make me a "crazy cat lady". It annoys me when people automatically call me (or think about be as) a "crazy cat lady". 
According to UrbanDictionary.com, a crazy cat lady is quote: "An elderly suburban widow who lives alone and keeps dozens or more pet cats, usually many more than municipal code allows, in a small house, and refuses to give away or sell them even for the sake of the safety of the cats or herself." Then again, Urban Dictionary isn't quite the best website to find this sort of information, so I read an article called "You're a Crazy Cat Lady If..." the first one being, "you use a lint roller on your furniture on a weekly basis". 
I like my kitties, don't get me wrong, but cats can be evil creatures too. I used to be that kid that would defend the cat's side, when all else were on the dog side. Now I know just how stupid that was, and that I had no right to criticize dogs since I have never had one. I know now that I love all animals, regardless if they are a feline or a canine. I love them both, although I still am a "cat person". 
I'm a person that loves the company of animals, but no more than I love the company of fellow human beings. I also love my adorable Australian Shepherds, Ringo and Roxy, as well as my five cats and some 27 (I think) chickens.
Sorry about the rant. Please enjoy these pictures of my doggies.  

Popular Cat Myths DEBUNKED

Many people associate cats with their common myths and "facts". I have a list here of several myths that have been proven untrue. Although cats have their share of myths, I'm sure dogs have their equal share also.

All Cats Hate being in Water

Turkish Vans (and kittens! :3)

One of the largest and longest lasting myths of all time that I am sick and tired of hearing is: "Cats are afraid of water". It may be true that MOST cats do not like to be submerged in a pool or bathtub, but there are some breeds of cats that don't mind water all that much. The cat breed Turkish Vans is one of the main known cat breeds that can even enjoy going for a swim. Often times some Bengal cat breeds are fine playing in water also. Now the reason why cats mostly do not like to get wet is because their fur doesn't insulate well when wet. Kitties normally really hate being cold, so I completely understand why cats would rather stay dry and warm.


All Cats cause Allergies
UNTRUE! I am physical proof, as well as my dad and a few of my friends. There are certain breeds of cats recommended for those with allergies, such as the Norwegian Forest Cat. This cat may be one of the most furry of cat breeds, but it also has much less of the protein in their fur that causes allergies. They also tend to shed much, MUCH less than the average cat.
Also, being exposed to cats at a young age and for extended periods of times can lead to almost an "immunity" to cat allergies. My dad and I are living examples of this. I have 5 cats right now, 1 is indoor, 2 are indoor-outdoor, and 2 outdoor. I've had cats in my house ever since I could remember (sometime around the time I was 3 or 4) and I have become nearly entirely immune to cat allergies. I have my flair ups of allergies sometimes, but only when I am in contact with a cat that I am unused to. Sometimes its better for a person with allergies to spend time with what is causing their allergies so their body can become more adept.

Cats are Animals: Therefore are Entirely Different from Humans
A cat's brain, surprisingly is very similar to that of a human's. The brain is even more similar to a human's than a dog. In fact, the part of the cat's brain that harbors emotions is nearly identical to that of a human. Just some food for thought.

Cats Always Land on their Feet
Although this may seem like it is true, it certainly is not. Due to the cat's lack of a collarbone, they have a slight bit more flexibility. (It is also why they can fit anywhere their head can fit through.) When falling from a taller height, cats have this strange ability to twist and turn in the air so they can land paws-down. Often cats can harm themselves from shorter distances rather than taller, but that doesn't mean that they'll be fine if they jump from the 2nd story window. The laws of gravity apply to cats as well, and they can get seriously injured from extremely tall heights.

The Importance of Lap Cats

Valentine's Day has passed by recently, and some people unfortunately didn't have a Valentine to spend the day with. This is where that wonderful furry creature that we own comes in handy. When we are feeling down, that really nice dog, cat, or any other huggable animal we own is always there to comfort us when we are feeling down.

Most people have heard of "lap dogs", but lap cats are also around, though not quite as often. Since cats are very independent, they may not want to hang out quite as much around people as dogs do. Thankfully, I have my very own lap cat, a 4 year old Bengal named Tigger. After one of our cats had died, we were looking for a new cat for a couple years. About every couple months, we fostered a new cat. Finally we found our Mr. Tigger after we was recommended to us from my sister, who worked at Fat Kitty City, a local cat rescue. Ever since then, we had truly enjoyed having this cat around. What can be better than having a warm cat sitting on your lap on a cold day? He happens to look kind of like all these cats:

(From Google Images)

Bengal cats are half Egyptian Mau, and half Asian Leopard Cat. Tigger is only 80% Bengal, and so he was considered undesirable for some people who wanted a show cat, and thus was left behind at Fat Kitty City. This cat has given our family some huge scares plenty of times before. We're pretty sure he was bitten by a rattle snake, at least once. Although it seems as though he is immune to venom since he only had a small bit of swelling where he was bit, and he was all better the next day. He also extremely enjoys hot weather. During the hot summers when it's 100+ degrees outside, he just doesn't want to come inside. 

Attack of the Fur

As winter is coming to a close, we realize that the long beautiful furry days come to an end as well. Spring is a time of warmer weather, singing birds, and new life. It is also the beginning of the dreaded shedding season. If you have a wonderfully fluffy cat like mine, or maybe one that is just prone to leaving fur all over the place, here is a guide to making the allergy season a little less fluffy. 

1. START EARLY. 

As you are reading this probably in the mid of February, think about what will happen in the next 3 months. There will be fur from any hair-bearing animals EVERYWHERE. It's best to begin brushing down those animals ahead of time. When the start shedding in clumps, you would have already caught it. Brushing a cat's coat not only helps with the shedding problem, but it also helps the fur to look better and well groomed, and it keeps your precious cat from hacking up hairballs. 

2. CLEAN OFTEN.

In fact, keep a vacuum nearby. And any kind of floor cleaner and sponge. All those pesky hairs will be everywhere, so its necessary to vacuum often, especially is someone in the household has any allergies. If the cat still has any loose fur in its coat, it may leave some nasty surprises around the house. We have some problems with my cat Chloe since she has a weak stomach and some thick fur, so we have to clean the carpets a lot during the spring time.

3. INVEST IN HEALTHY FUR.

Try feeding your cat some of that special cat food for healthy coats. This is like a finishing touch to a healthy fur coat, and could cut down on the amount of stray fur. Some pet stores offer vitamins for healthy fur too. 

One last tip during shedding season: Get some sticky tape rollers. These things are great for getting that pesky fur off of clothes and furniture.

Stay fur-free this spring!

How to Annoy your Pet Cat (in a nice way)

How to annoy (but NOT torture) your cat in a cute and fun way.

(I am not responsible for any and all injuries from that of cats paws, claws, or jaws.)

Please steer clear of harming your cat in any way. This list is only for fun and safe entertainment only.

1. The Static technique:
Find a piece of paper or plastic that can easily stick to fur. When the paper is rubbed against the cat's fur, it will create some static electricity and stick to the kitties fur. This can really annoy and confuse your cat, especially when it can't get the paper off.

2. Water technique:
As some (not all!) cats really hate water, it can really annoy a cat if water is being dripped onto their fur. This is best done if the cat doesn't know you are the one dropping water droplets on it. (Of course, do NOT pour water or spray a cat. That becomes mean and a bit harmful. The goal is to simply annoy the cat, not make it kill you.)

3. Dress your Cat up:
Use doll clothes or baby clothes to dress up your cat. Some cats will tolerate this, but may get upset, so be careful. :D

4. Hug your Cat:
Holding a cat for too long is an easy way to annoy them. Also, kissing a cat against its will is another way they might push you away: physically, with their adorable paws.

5. Meow:
Start calling in cat language, and your cat is bound to get annoyed. Better yet, whenever your cat is meowing, intercept its meow with your own. This is an effective way really annoy your cat, and works really well with me cat Tigger.

Thanks for reading, and remember not to bully your cat or do any of these aggressively. You may get hurt.

Hello World! Meow!

Grand Opening!
As a quick introduction, I would just like to start off with saying that this blog should (and hopefully will be) centered around cats, but I may be a slight bit random at times.

This picture to the left is of my cat Bandit. She is one of five in my household, and she is very fat, but has the tiniest of paws! She has never gotten extremely sick, as some of my other cats have, and we have never had any major issues with her... other than she doesn't really like the idea of the litter box, so we are forced to keep her outdoors. The back porch has become a home of hers, where she may sometimes  cuddle with the dogs, or catches the occasional bird, rodent, or reptile.

I am not just a cat person, as some would expect from a cat centered blog. I also have two dogs and 31 chickens. I've owned a guinea pig and the household owned a few rabbits from time to time. Although I own five cats, I am actually allergic to them. Many people don't believe me, but after living with these cats of mine since the time of my infant years, I've become nearly immune. Although, I have my moments, and pet sitting cats hard on my nose especially. These allergies only act up a couple times during the year, and allergy pills help a ton.

Now that I have bore everyone with my background and history, I can finally explain what will be on my blog! I hope to have pictures with every blog I submit for the upcoming months, and either a story about my feline family, or some advice for cat lovers or want to be owners. I hope I will actually have readers and followers, and not some graveyard blog, sitting in the back corners of the internet. (In a cold, dark and damp place, with spiders crawling on the walls...) Thanks for reading this rant type introduction and please have some hope in me! Thanks to You All in the world of the internet!!