Cheese and other dairy products are not really meant to be consumed by cats and kittens and something most people do not realize is that cat’s do not have a taste for sweet things so they probably don’t taste much when they try these products anyway. Although kittens are able to tolerate their mother’s milk when they are young, most adult cats actually become lactose intolerant and their digestive systems simply cannot process dairy foods. This usually results in digestive issues with an upset stomach, diarrhea and/or vomiting being common symptoms.

A little bit of milk or other dairy products given in moderation as a small treat every now and then is probably fine if your cat doesn’t seem to have a lactose intolerance issue, but just keep in mind that this should only be done occasionally and in small portions. A good way to test your kitty for lactose intolerance before giving her said products is to give her a teaspoon of milk or a tiny piece of cheese and see how her body reacts. Overall, none of these products are going to be of any real health benefit to your cat so it’d probably be best to just leave them all alone and let kitty stick to her usual diet of meat.

Cats should not be given things like soy or almond milk because overall it is not good for them. In fact, contrary to what many have grown up seeing on TV or being told, most cats are technically lactose intolerant and should therefore not even be drinking actual milk products that contain dairy. While soy and almond milk may seem like healthy alternatives since they don’t actually contain dairy, the truth of the matter is that they can still do more harm than good.

A Kitten’s Digestive System

From the time a kitten is born up until about 4 weeks of age, its diet is compromised solely of its mother’s milk. A kitten is able to derive all of the nutrients he or she needs from mama cat’s milk. During this stage of development, a kitten is producing its peak levels of an enzyme that is known as lactase. This enzyme is what aids in the digestion of lactose, found in milk. As kitty begins to mature and is weaned from mama’s milk, the amount of lactase produced actually begins to drop off. It is at this point that the cat’s digestive track becomes quite delicate and begins to further develop, making it harder for them to tolerate milk, whether it be animal based or a synthetic form such as soy and/or almond milk.

The Pros And Cons Of Milk Alternatives

Pet owners may be tempted to try and give kitty a taste of soy or almond milk, or maybe even regular cow’s milk. However it is important to keep in mind that this will not really benefit your cat in any way and will most likely just cause more harm than good. Most kitties’ will end up with indigestion and experience vomiting and/or diarrhea when given products such as these, or could become finicky eaters as a result. It is extremely important for cat owner’s to remember that until a kitten is weaned, it only needs its mother’s milk. After it has been weaned, about 30% of its total energy should come from protein, which soy milk does contain. However, soy milk and/or almond milk should never become a major component in your feline’s diet as it does not contain all of the nutrients needed to help your kitten grow up to be a healthy cat. Milk or Milk alternatives should also never take place of water. Making sure your cat is drinking plenty of water is crucial to his or her health.

Technically speaking, from the time kitty is weaned to about 1 year of age, she or he should be fed a nutrient-rich kitten formula, which can be easily found in the pet supply section at your local grocery store or at your local pet store. If your cat seems to enjoy the flavor of soy milk or almond milk it can be offered to your cat as a special treat but should only be done so every once in a blue moon. Soy and/or almond milk should never be anything more than the occasional and very special treat for kitty. In fact “treats” that are given to kitty should also never compromise more than 5% of its daily calorie intake. It should also be noted that cats cannot technically taste sweets, so they probably won’t be too disappointed if you don’t give them milk or soy milk as they probably can’t taste much of it anyways.

How To Tell If Your Cat Has Indigestion

A cat’s stomach can be quite delicate, especially the younger the feline. It is not uncommon for your kitty to be easily upset by new foods. It is for this reason that when you are introducing new foods or drinks to kitty, to do so in moderation. Whether you are giving your cat soy products or dairy products, it is best to start out with a teaspoon or other very small amount to see how kitty will react.

Symptoms Of Indigestion

• Symptoms of indigestion include the following
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation (this is less common but does sometimes occur)

Cats and rabbits are both mammals, but as far as any other type of relation goes between the two, that’s about as good as it gets. Technically speaking, cats actually belong to a family that is referred to as Felidae, and the order Carnivora. Rabbits on the other hand belong to the family known as Leporidae and the order Lagomorpha.

The two have no other type of relation other than they are both cute and cuddly and make great pets. In fact, the last common ancestor that either of these furry little critters had in common would have been about 90 million years ago.

Cats are very susceptible to the volatile oil that is found in the stems and leaves of the catnip plant. When cats smell catnip they exhibit several behaviors common to females in heat. For instance, you may notice your cat rubbing their head and body on the herb, or they may even jump, roll around, vocalize and salivate. This response typically lasts for about 10 minutes, after which the cat then becomes temporarily immune to the catnip’s effects for about 30 minutes. Response to the herb is actually hereditary. 70 to 80 percent of cats exhibit the types of behaviors listed above when within the plant’s presence. Something that many people may not know is that catnip does not affect kittens until they are about six months old and/or begin to reach sexual maturity.

About Catnip

The catnip plant (Nepeta cataria and other Nepeta species) are members of the mint family and contain volatile oils, sterols, acids and tannins. Native to Europe, Asia and Africa, the plant was brought to North America by settlers. Nowadays the plant has become quite popular in herb gardens and also grows wildly as a weed. Catnip is considered to be non-addictive and is completely harmless to our feline companions. Surprisingly enough, even lions and tigers are susceptible to the oil found in the stems and leaves of the herb.

How Catnip Works

So how does catnip work? Nepetalactone, which is one of the herb’s volatile oils, enters the cat’s nasal tissue, where it is then thought to bind to protein receptors that stimulate sensory neurons. In turn, these cells provoke a response in neurons in the olfactory bulb, which project to several brain regions including the amygdale (two neuronal clusters in the midbrain that mediate emotional responses to stimuli) and the hypothalamus, the brain’s master gland that plays a role in regulating things such as hunger and emotions.

The amygdala integrates the information flow from the olfactory bulb cells and projects to areas governing behavior responses. The hypothalamus regulates neuroendocrine responses through the pituitary gland, and creates a “sexual response”. Basically, what this means is that your cat is essentially reacting to an artificial cat pheromone.

Human brains are physiologically different from a cat’s brain and people do not react to catnip by “getting high” as a cat would. Native Americans however did once use catnip as a means to try and treat the uncontrollable crying that comes along with infant colic. The herb also serves as a mild sedative in some herbal teas.

When it comes to alternative medicine, some herbalists often recommend catnip for treating migraine headaches, relieving cramps, gas, indigestion, insomnia, nervousness, and anorexia. It has also been used as an herbal paste from time to time to reduce swelling that is associated with arthritis and soft tissue injury. While catnip may be useful in a number of ways, one thing is for sure; your cat will love it and keep coming back for more!

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.