Mysterious Cat Behind A Curtain

SOOC
Originally uploaded by Emily Raw

This is an unusual photograph of a cat behind a semi-transparent curtain. It is a simple picture but it captures the mysteriousness of the cat. We don't know what is going on the head of a cat. We usually communicate on our terms. It would nice and very usual for cat owners if some science was introduced to the debate and we began to really understand what is in the mind of a cat.

That said if we get close to our cat and our cat's routines we begin to understand him or her. Being retired and working on the Pictures of cats org website I am with my cats all the time, which means a close bond is bound to be created at which point a pretty clear understanding about what goes on can be achieved.

Despite being behind a curtain you can still tell a lot about this cat. This cat is a tabby cat. Now that does not say much because tabby cats are pretty common. Some purebred cats are tabby cats. An example is the American shorthair. Another is the Abyssinian but this is a special kind of tabby coat where the is ticking rather than banding on the individual hair strands. You can see the banded hairs on this page about agouti ticked cat coats.

This cat has some partial "spectacles" - I am referring to the white fur around the eyes. Bengal cats have this as does the Asian Leopard cat. So is this a Bengal cat? Well I think not but at a pinch it could be.

However, Bengal cats are more lithe or foreign in appearance and this cat looks substantial and quite cobby, which is not the conformation demanded under the breed standard as far as I am aware.

OK, a mysterious cat behind a curtain and I have been trying to figure out what kind of cat it is. My guess: a good looking male, brown, mackerel tabby cat of good size who is well loved and quite active.

Siamese Cat in a Sanctuary

Just watching
Originally uploaded by fofurasfelinas

This is a Siamese sanctuary cat, meaning a Siamese rescue cat. And how did that come about? There are a lot of questions surrounding this cat for me anyway. The sanctuary in question is in Brazil at Foz do Iguacu. That is where the magnificent waterfalls are.

The first question is, is this a purebred Siamese cat? I have no idea but he (I would say that this cat is a male - I am certain of that in fact) is good looking enough to be purebred. In fact he looks gorgeous but I am not saying that in reference to the breed standard as I am sure there are things that are wrong in a technical way.

The first noticeable point in respect of the breed standard is that this cat is a traditional Siamese cat or a classic Siamese cat. Now, the classic is half way between the traditional and the modern and the modern Siamese is the only type of Siamese that is accepted by the major cat associations. The modern Siamese, in case you were not sure, is very slender (called foreign type in the cat fancy) with a long delicate head and a refined body and overall appearance. Well, that is the intention, to create a refined looking cat. More refined than the more normal looking traditional Siamese.

So, technically this is not (by USA standards) a Siamese cat! Weird that as he definitely is to everyone who sees him. I think his pointing is great. It is seal (dark brown) pointing. This is the original classic pointing of the Siamese cat. The same type of pointing that was in existence in Siam originally (now Thailand). These days Siamese cats can have all kinds of pointing if the cat is registered other than with the CFA.

What about those eyes? Deep gorgeous blue. That is correct for the Siamese. But is there a hint of a squint? I think that there is and Siamese are known to be predisposed to a squint. In which case it is a no, no for the show ring. That said who cares. This is a beautiful cat, who is well cared for in a wonderful sanctuary in Brazil. That is all that matters. Why is he is a sanctuary though?

The photo is by the great Giane Portal, forfurasfelinas is her Flickr name.

Cat is missing a leg

Charlie, a 3 legged cat, likes to take the meerkat position
Originally uploaded by broadsurf

My cat is missing a leg and as a result he can and he likes to take up the meerkat position. By the meerkat position I mean he likes to stand on his back legs, use his tail as a stabiliser, a kind of third leg of a tripod and he then talks. The reason he can do it is because his lower back is extremely strong.

This came about because he has to use his lower back to lift his entire body to lift his remaining foreleg of the ground when he is walking or running. His style of walking and running in peculiar but pretty fast nonetheless.

The meerkat position gives him an edge. it gets him noticed and he notices things when he stands tall like this.

What cuts him out is that he does it so often and so naturally. Sometimes he will do it right in front of me so that we are almost face to face having a cosy conversation, which is always about food and where it is going to come from and when it is going to be delivered.

One of the keys to keeping a cat that is missing a leg is to keep him or her slim or at least not overweight as this aids mobility. That is if you want him or her to be mobile. Charlie is too bloody mobile. I am worried about him getting into trouble as I let him out. That is the norm in the UK. Only I am scared and the only solution for me is to move home!

I love Charlie. He is a great talker and he accepts his disability without complaint. I have no idea how he lost his leg. He lived with my mother until she died and she adopted him from a RSPCA shelter. He was her first non-purebred cat for many years.