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| "As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat." (Ellen Perry Berkeley) [Pic] |
This post is for all the cat lovers, cat haters and everyone who wants to know a little more about our feline friends.
Felis catus or felis domesticus, is what domestic cats are known scientifically. To most of us, they are simply 'cats' or 'kitties'. Today, they are arguably the most popular pet in the world. (Dog lovers, chill!)
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| "Thousands of years ago, cats were worshiped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this. (Anonymous) [Pic] |
Cats and history
Cats have been featured in human lives for thousands of years. Their history as human pets can be traced as far back as the Ancient Egyptian era. The word for cat in Ancient Egypt was "mau". This sounds similar to the universally known word of "meow".
Cats in various languages
Besides "meow", cat is interestingly known by very similar names around the world. It is "gatto" in Italian and "gato" in Portuguese. The Vietnamese say "meo" and the Chinese say "mao"(猫). In Dutch, different names are given for male cats (kat) and female cats (poes). (See 'cat' in other languages)
Cats as symbols |
| Cats can be taboo. [Pic] |
In many cultures and folklores, black cats are seen as a symbol of evil omens. This is the main reason why black cats have a lower chance of being adopted from shelters. In Thailand, the Korat cat is seen as a symbol of good luck. In Japan, the Maneki Neko is believed to bring 'fortune'.
Cats as a phobia
Ailurophobia is a form of persistent, irrational fear of cats. Similar terms include felinophobia, elurophobia and gatophobia. Just like other forms of phobia, it is likely to be developed by earlier bad experiences.
Kats R Funny
Apart from their usual regal and aloof image, cats are often being picked as elements of humor. You can find lots of cat jokes in the Internet. "I Can Has Cheezburger?" weblog featuring lolcats is probably one of the most visited feline sites.
Cats as fictional characters
The recently released 'Puss in Boots (3D)' movie (watch trailer) has received largely positive reviews. The combo of feline and wits is just purrfect.
That is but just one. There are countless other popular fictional characters featuring cats: Figaro in Pinocchio, Dinah in 'Alice in Wonderland', Garfield in 'Garfield the Movie', Lucifer in 'Cinderella', Doraemon from the Japanese animation, Hello Kitty from Japan, Tom in 'Tom and Jerry' and Aristocats, the Disney movie are just some examples.
Cats as pets
A pet is for life and it is the same with having a pet cat. There are pros and cons and it is important that you do not introduce one into your life on impulse. Where possible, adopt. (See "A Pet is for Life")
Maru is a male Scottish Fold in Japan. His videos on YouTube have received millions of hits. He is known to love boxes and here is one of his videos. Check out others. You will love them.
Nora is a gray tabby cat adopted from the shelter in New Jersey. She has become famous for 'playing the piano'. Watch her play on the keyboard in this video.
In Singapore, Duke is a cat loved by many fans here and abroad. He was once a stray but now lives in an office. He has been a voice for other strays and has helped raise funds and awareness. Duke is taken care of by 'Minion' and his fans are known as 'dukakis'. (Read news and blog)
Cat quiz
Finally, give yourself a simple test and find out how much you know about cats. (I barely pass).
"People that don't like cats haven't met the right one yet." (Deborah A. Edwards, D.V.M.)
1 comment:
I like the way you explained about “Hello Kitties!” Keep posting stuff like this I really like it.
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