It is true that cats and tigers are related, though distantly. Tigers and lions are actually more closely related than cats and tigers would be. Felidae is the biological family of cats. A member of this family is referred to as a felid. The most familiar felid is the domestic cat. However this family also includes all other wild cats, even big cats like the tiger.

Extant felids belong to one of two subfamilies. The first is known as Panterinae and includes the tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard. The second is known as Felinae and includes the cougar, cheetah, lynx, ocelot and the domestic cat.

Cats are considered to be mammals as they have all of the characters of a mammal. The word mammal can be used to describe a warm blooded amniote. Among the features that distinguish them from other amniotes, (reptiles and birds) are hair, mammary glands, cervical vertebrae, three middle ear bones, and a neocortex (region of the brain).

The mammalian brain regulates body temperature and the circulatory system that includes a four chambered heart. The basic body type of a mammal is a four legged land born animal, however some mammals are adapted for life at sea, in the air, in trees, or on two legs.

All female mammals nurse their young with milk, which is secreted from specific glands known as the mammary glands. Except for the five species of monotremes which lay eggs, all living mammals give birth to live young.

Unless speaking in evolutionarily historical terms, there is no useful relationship to speak of when comparing a cat and a fox. However, both domestic cats (Felis catus) and species of foxes (in the family Canidae) are both in the Mammalian order Carnivora. They are in different families but most likely share a certain percentage of their genomes but other than that, there is not much to discuss as far as being related goes.

Domestic house cats are more closely related to other felines such as wild cats like jaguars or cougars, while foxes would be more closely related to dogs as they are both canines.

It is true that domestic cats are related to lions, but only distantly. In fact lions are more closely related to tigers than your average house cat. Domestic cats and lions and other bigger cat species are in different subfamily, but still fall under the family Felidae. For instance, domestic cats are in the subfamily or genus Felinae, whereas big cats such as the lion, tiger, leopard, and/or jaguar fall under the subfamily Pantherinae. The cheetah on the other hand belongs to the genus Acinonyx and is the only living species.

All cats, however share the same types of instincts, though some animals in the cat family are much larger than others. Domestic house cats have the type of diet and digestive system as their wild counterparts, however most people choose to feed their cats hard or soft cat food, which is technically species inappropriate. Most foods contain too little meat and/or too many plants to truly benefit a cat in the way that a meal should. Some outdoor cats do hunt their own prey (mice, birds, other small rodents) in the same ways as the lion or other members of the cat family. Cats get their liquids from the foods they eat.

You may have heard somebody refer to a cat as a feline from time to time and wondered if this is correct. Are cats really considered felines and if so what does the word feline mean? Cats are in fact considered felines. The word feline can be described using one or more of the various definitions below:

• Cat, the domesticated cat
• Felidae, the cat family which includes lions, tigers, panthers, etc.
• Felinae, the subfamily of Felidae that includes domestic cats and/or smaller wild cats.
• Of, relating to, or belonging to the Felidae, a family of predatory mammals, including cats, leopards, and cheetahs, typically having a round head and retractile claws.
• Resembling or suggestive of a cat, especially in stealth or grace.

While snakes and cats may have eyes that look similar in appearance, share the same instinct to kill and both hiss, they are pretty distant from one another as far as relation goes. Cats are mammals and snakes are reptiles. It is possible that the two could still have genetically similar Amino acid strands or similar angelscamp.org RNA, proteins etc. Humans for instance only have one amino acid difference from monkeys.

The first mammals evolved from mammal like reptiles millions of years ago in the Triassic period which was before snakes had even evolved. Snakes are actually the most recently evolved of reptiles, first appearing during the Cretaceous period. The cat family first appeared in the Oligocene period. When you break it all down, cats are no more related to snakes than humans would be to a rhinoceros.

If you have ever owned a cat as a pet or known someone who has a cat, then chances are you have probably been suddenly awakened at least once during your life at 5 AM as she or he raced through the house or stood in front of your face meowing and demanding that you get out of bed. You are not alone. There is a reason for this strange behavior. Cats are crepuscular. The word crepuscular is used to describe animals that are most active at dawn and dusk. Don’t be surprised if with the approach of spring and the sun rising earlier, your cat starts rising earlier too, as crepuscular beings, it is simply in their nature.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways for you and your feline friend to live in harmony without having to function everyday on 3 hours of sleep. If you would rather get your beauty sleep, here are a few helpful tips to help keep your cat sleeping in too:

• Evening play – Even 20 to 30 minutes of evening play each night will help tire your kitty out so that he will want to catch plenty of Z’s come morning time. Why not try enticing kitty with his favorite toy and a bit of running, or jumping around chasing after it? Try to get your cat to be active whether it means running, stalking, jumping or “killing”. Your cat will love the attention and he will also love stalking his favorite toy mouse or feather wand across the house. The best part? You can both sleep at night.

• Keep Kitty Awake – Cats are prone to sleeping all day, so if you allow them to do just that, it means less sleep at night for you as kitty will have way more energy to waste away once night comes. Try switching your cat’s routine up a bit by keeping him awake more during the day. Set a couple alarm clocks to wake kitty up, leave a message on the answering machine talking to him. Put out his favorite toy or a bit of catnip when you are gone. If possible have a friend or sitter visit during the day when you are away to keep him plenty of company. If you are at home with kitty during the day, take some time to play with him and pay special attention to him, anything to keep those eyes open for just a few more hours during the day so that by the time nightfall comes around he will be just as tired out as you.

• Use An Automatic Feeder – Rather than giving into your cat and getting up in the morning to feed him or her, think about investing in an automatic feeder and setting it to open at the appropriate time. Getting up every morning to feed Miss Kitty will only reinforce her begging.

• Be Patient – Eventually cats will adjust to their new schedule and everything will get back on track. Even better news is that mature cats usually don’t go through this phase every year nearly as much as younger cats do. Just be patient with kitty as best you can. It’s going to take a while for both of you to adjust but it can be done.

If you are wondering if cats and raccoons are related, technically speaking, raccoons belong to the family Procyonidae. This family consists of animals such as the coatis, olingos, ringtails, kinkajous and red panda. (Though some scientists think that the red panda should be placed in a family of its own)

Cats on the other hand belong to the Felidae family. It should be noted however that both the Procyonidae and Felidae families are part of the order Carnivora. However other than this similarity, cats and raccoons do not have much else in common as far as any relations go.

Cats are allergic to garlic along with other similar items like onions. This includes both fresh and dried products used for spices. The toxins that both of these items include are S-methylcysteine sulfoxide, propyl disulfide, methyl disulfide, and allyl disulfide.

What Will Happen If My Cat Eats Garlic?

Both garlic and onion are used as flavor enhancers in many foods. Some human baby foods also have onion in them. It is not recommended that these types of products be fed to pets. In both dogs and cats, the toxins listed above that are found in garlic and/or onion can actually cause what is known as Heinz body anemia. This condition essentially results in a breakdown of the red blood cells and anemia. The very small amounts of garlic that are present in some commercial pet foods have typically not been shown to cause any problems however.

In addition to fresh and dried products that are used for spices, all bulbs, bulbets, flowers, and/or stems of garlic and onion are poisonous to both cats and dogs.

Toxic Dose

While the actual toxic dose needed to negatively affect a cat is unknown, it should be noted that cats do seem to be more sensitive to such products than dogs.

Symptoms Of Toxicity

The following symptoms are common when a cat ingests garlic or onion:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Anemia
• Discolored urine
• Weakness
• Liver damage
• Asthmatic attacks
• Allergic reactions
• Contact dermatitis (in cases of skin exposure)

Taking Action

If you think that your cat has ingested garlic or onion it is important to get them immediate medical attention. Time is of the essence and could be the deciding factor in whether or pet lives or dies. Never ignore signs of your pet ingesting these types of products, especially if you witnessed them consuming garlic or onion. It also never hurts to call your veterinarian or pet poison control center ahead of time before seeking medical treatment just to give them a heads up. Inducing vomiting and bathing your pet thoroughly if dermal (skin) exposure has occurred are also options one can take, but in any case contacting a veterinarian is your best bet and should be done either way.

Rapid Response And Treatment

If you suspect that your cat has eaten garlic or onion there are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your pet is getting the best treatment necessary. They are as follows:

• Don’t panic! Panicking can interfere with the process of helping your pet.
• Take a few seconds to safely collect any have on hand any material involved in the accident. This may greatly benefit the situation when it comes time to talk to your vet or APCC toxicologists, as they may be able to determine what poisons are involved.
• In the event that your pet needs to be taken to a veterinarian if possible, take the product’s container or wrapper with you. Be sure to also collect in a sealable bag any material that your cat may have vomited or chewed.

If you witness your pet consuming toxic material do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any symptoms. Sometimes, even if poisoned an animal may appear normal for several hours or even days after the incident. Time is of the essence when it comes to saving your cat’s life.

Call your local veterinarian or the ASPCA animal poison control center for more information. The telephone number for the ASPCA poison control center is (888) 426-3335. There is a $65 consultation fee for this service.

Having the following information on hand is also helpful:

• The species, breed, age, sex, weight, and number of animals involved
• The animals symptoms
• Information regarding the exposure, including the agent, the amount of agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure
• If possible have the product packaging or any garlic stems, pieces, bulbs, etc. available for reference

If your cat is losing consciousness, suffering from seizures, or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your cat to your local veterinarian or clinic immediately. Treatment can potentially save your cat’s life. This often includes inducing your cat to vomit, limiting the absorption of the toxin by administering activated charcoal as an absorbent, and/or administering intravenous fluid therapy to prevent dehydration. Your vet or poison control center will know what is best in this type of situation. Never ignore garlic or onion poisoning, this could make the difference in whether or not your cat lives or dies.

Preventing And Dealing With Future Kitty Emergencies

When it comes to preventing poisoning and other emergencies in the future it is a great idea to invest in an emergency first aid kit for kitty. This kit should include the following items:

• Phone numbers to your local veterinarian clinics, poison control centers, etc.
• A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide (3% USP) used to induce vomiting
• A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (used to administer peroxide)
• Saline eye solution
• Artificial tear gel (this will be used to lubricate eyes after flushing)
• Dishwashing liquid (mild and grease cutting) – Will be used for bathing an animal after skin contamination
• Forceps to help remove stingers
• Muzzle (can be used to protect against fear or excitement induced biting during emergency)
• A can of your pet’s favorite wet food (can be used to calm the animal)
• A pet carrier

When your cat or kitten has worms, it is the result of coming into contact with a parasite (usually a flea) that has entered your cat’s body. As a result, most kittens are actually born with worms and will need to be dewormed. A deworming kills the worms and will most likely need to be done several times during the months that make up kitten hood to ensure that all parasites are completely gone.

It is for this reason that every kitten should be checked by a veterinarian to see if he or she has worms. While your kitten is there your vet can also do a general health exam to ensure that kitty is in proper health.

Most Common Types Of Worms In Cats And Kittens

Among the many parasites that can infect your cat’s body, roundworms are the most common source of worms in kittens and tapeworms are the most common source of worms in adult cats. Roundworms get into the kittens through their mother’s milk and into mother usually by a way of contaminated soil.

One way to tell if your kitten might have roundworms is a pot bellied appearance. Roundworms themselves actually look a lot like spaghetti noodles and can often be seen in kitty’s stool and/or vomit. They are easily treated with an oral medication.

Tapeworms in adult cats on the other hand are usually the result of the cat ingesting a flea with the tapeworm inside it during normal self grooming. Outdoor cats are especially susceptible to contracting tapeworms this way and/or through eating prey such as raw meat or fish.

Tapeworms are about 1 cm to ¼ inch long in appearance and you may see them moving around the fur of your cat’s anus. Once the worms have left the anus and have dried up they look like grains of rice and can often be spotted in places where your cat sleeps. Due to the fact that these worms usually come from fleas, chances are if your cat has tapeworms he or she also has fleas.

Therefore, your cat will benefit most from both a deworming and flea medication in order to stop the vicious flea cycle that takes place during this process. Make sure that your vet checks for both fleas and tapeworms if your cat is suffering from one or the other as the two come hand in hand.

Important Information About Deworming And Medications

Never attempt to deal with a worm or flea problem by yourself. This can be extremely dangerous. Especially if you are buying an over the counter medication. Just because a medication is made and sold over the counter does not mean that it is safe for your cat or that it will even work for that matter. The unfortunate truth is that many of these types of medications have caused fatalities in cats. They are especially dangerous if used on kittens. Always get worm and/or flea medications from your veterinarian just to be on the safe side.

Occasionally cats can have a reaction to deworming medications even if it has been administered by your veterinarian. In this type of scenario vomiting, diarrhea, shaking and/or poor coordination are often exhibited by kitty. These are all telltale signs of a bad reaction to the medication. If your cat is suffering from any of the above symptoms you should contact your vet immediately.