Climbing is second nature to cats and even the youngest kitten
will test out its skills on the nearest tree. Cats are more adept at ascending than descending, so there is always a chance
they will get trapped.
Strong backs and powerful hind legs
make cats effective vertical climbers. Both domestic and wildcats climb trees usually as a hunting strategy or to escape being
chased. Cats often start a climb with a jump in order to gain height. They establish a good grip using their sharp, extendable
claws rather like crampons, and use their hindquarters to power themselves upwards. However cats are not as well equipped
for coming down and often get stuck up trees. The cat's muscular strength and sence of balance make it a truly athletic climber.
These climbing skills are useful both for hunting and self-protection.
WHY CATS CLIMB TREES
In the wild some cats climb trees in order to pounce on their prey
from above, while leopards have been know to store food in a tree, away from hungry animals on the ground. Many domestic cats
claw at tree trunk in order to leave their mark Others will go as far as climbing uo the tree in order to mark their territory.
But cats want to climb instinctively and the urge to ascend a tree will be strong. Some cats are undoubtedly better climbers
than others. Cat that climb tree at great speed because they are being pursued, either by a rival cat or a hostile dog or
person and more likely to get stuck in a tree. In their fright, they can climb too high and find thenselves trapped and in
need of helping hand to come down. If they are frightened, cats stranded in a tree may take some coaxing to come down. You
may have to rescue them or wait for them to come down when they are exhausted. Rescuing a cat from an awkward tree is not
always an easy business. Young cats in particular, so kittens exploring outdoors should initially be supervised.
This cat has started his descent facing
downwards, but most cats find it easier to come down backwards, 'backpedalling' with their hind legs.
Q Why are cats better at climbing up trees than climbing down?
A When it comes to climbing down a cat's physical design goes against
it. The claws curve in the wrong direction and it has to rely on its weaker, front legs to hold its weight.
Q My young cat keeps getting stuck in the tree in our garden.
How can i stop it going up there?
A Create a barrier by nailing an inverted fan shape of chicken
wire round the tree about 2m (6ft) from the ground. It will still be able to climb part of the tree and stop its claws on
the trunk.
Q won't my cat get hurt if he falls from a tree?
A Cats have an innate righting reflex so they can survive falls
from as high as four storeys. Even if your cat falls from a low height, he can flip himself in mid-air and land safely on
his feet.
DID YOU KNOW?
?According to legend, a cats only
trick is to climb a tree when it is in trouble. This is based on european fable in which the fox tells the cat it has
a 100 tricks in order to survive. The cat replies that it has only one trick. Suddenly a pack of hounds approaches; the cat
climbs the tree while the fox goes through each of its tricks but is eventually caught and killed.
?Declawing is CRUEL becaues a cat will still
try to climb trees but it will slip and slide and possibly fall from a height
ANY ONE WHO DECLAWS A CAT SHOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO OWN ONE AGAIN
AS THIS IS JUST SICK
PLEASE READ THIS IT IS HOW I FEEL ABOUT DECLAWING
I will NOT APOLOGISE for my own
thoughts on DECLAWING i find this to be a very disgusting practice i have been told people who do this only do it to
cats that live in doors well i am sorry but this is not a good enough reason to have your cats toe nails removed they are
the last line in defence it is not only the nail that is removed the whole end of the cats toe has to be removed this causes
sever pain to your cat and i for one will never believe it to be more than any thing else but wrong and against nature i would
not take a human been into my home and then remove the finger ends and toes just in case my precious furniture got scratched
if your home means so much to you then don't get a cat........ Cats can be learnt that scratching furniture is not aloud
without doing this disgusting act of DECLAWING this is my own beliefs and i will NOT CHANGE MY MIND SO PLEASE DON'T TRY TOO
every one has their own opinions on this subject and this is mine.......
Many vets will not do this kind of operation
as all it is, is in the name of vanity
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BITING AND SCRATCHING
Don't be harsh on your cat if he bites or lashes out this may simply
be a way of telling you he's had enough of the game, or perhaps you just accidentally touched a sensitive part.
Cats' claws and teeth are their first
line of defence and are generally used in fights with other cats. That said, though, there are few cat owners who can honestly
say that they have never been scratched or bitten by one of their cats. The reason for this behaviour in not necessarily aggression
it may simply be a way of communicating with someone. Cats can't talk and bite or scrach may simply be a way of saying Don't
do that.
You have a calm, docile cat. Then one day, you're stroking him,
he's purring loudly and he suddenly scratches you. He also sinks his canines into your hand. The assault is quite unexpected,
leaving you bleeding and puzzled.
WHY DOES HE DO THAT?
There are various explanations. He may simply have had enough,
just as kittens get tired of being groomed by their mothers; he may be suspicious of the hand that is stroking him, fearing
that it may suddenly do somthing horrid as at the vet's. Cats can't talk and they use their claws and teeth as a means of
communication. If you're playing with him and he suddenly loses his sense of fun and lashes out, it may be because he played
rough games when young and thinks this behaviour is acceptable. It is better not to play with a cat with vare hands use a
piece of string, or throw a little stuffed toy around, which it can kick and bite to its heart's content.
This cat is not happy with the way he
is being handled, and suddenly bites his owner to get his message across. Cats' teeth (and claws) are notoriously dirty, so
always clean and disinfect wounds carefully.
Q My cat loves to be petted but sometimes he suddenly changes his
character and scratches me WHY?
A It may be that he suddenly remembered someone petting him and
then grabbing him and holding him down. It's usually a defensive action.
Q My husband says i should hit the cat when he scratches me but
i don't like to. should i?
A It's unlikely to do any good. In fact, it may actually make things
worse, encouraging him to be angry and voilent
Q I've heard of something called cat scratch fever. Does this affect
humans that have been scratched, or cats?
A This is a human disorder, caused when bacteria from a cat's paw
get's into a scratch wound. Wash such wounds carefully, disinfect and leave to dry incovered.
DID YOU KNOW?
?A cat's claws are attached to the bones of
the toe and can be retracted by means of ligaments, which are controlled by the muscles.
?It is not uncommon in America for cats to
be declawed in an operation know as onychectomy. This is a great handicap for a cat, preventing it from climbing, catching
pray and defending it's self
THIS KIND OF OPERATION SHOULD NEVER BE CARRIED OUT
?When a kitten loses its milk teeth, it may
swallow them rather than spitting them out. This is not harmful and the milk teeth pass through the digestive tract without
problem.
?A cat has the teeth of a carnivore, with large
canine teeth for biting and blade-like molars for shearing flesh.
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FELINE TERRITORIES
When a cat lives in town, its territory will understandably be
centred on its owner's house and gardens. Rooftops (and garden walls) offer a good vantage point for watching over the area.
Cats are territorial animals, and each
one has its own clearly defined territory. This applies whether the cat is confined indoors in which case its territory may
be a favourite chair, say or whether it goes outside, in which case its territory will be the region over which it normally
roams. How big or small this will depend on the cat's place in the local hierarchy and on whether it ia a tom, neutered or
unneutered, or a female.
Cats have well developed sense of territory from a very early age.
Each cat has its own clearly defined territory, no matter how lowly its rank in the local pecking order. This applies whether
a cat is an indoor cat, confined to an apartment or whether it goes outside: an indoor cat will establish a particular part
of the house (a corner of a room or piece of furniture) while an outdoor cat makes the region over which it habitually roams
its own.
THE SIZE OF THE TERRITORY
How big or small a cat's patch is will depend on its place in the
local hierarchy, which is generally governed by its gender. Mature males usually have a larger range than females, while unneutered
toms have the largest range of all. Cats will fight hard to defend their territories, and those with a small territory may
actually fight harder than those with a very large territory, which might otherwise become too much like a full-time job and
they would never get the chance to have any sleep.
This cat is scent marking a shrub with
special secretions from the glands around its neck. This will tell other cats in the area where her territory begins and ends.
VANTAGE POINTS
Cats often perch on raised areas such as fences, gateposts, windowsills,
the roof of sheds or outhouses or even on top of a dustbin. These serve as vantage points from where they can keep a watchful
eye on their territory, ready to make it clear to other cats that might enctoach on their area just who is the boss.
Q Do cats have neutral areas that are not part of their territory?
A Yes, they have meeting grounds where they often gather in peaceful
groups, which seems to be part of their social life.
Q How do cats organise their territories if several cats live in
the same household?
A Cats usually have indoor territorial rights over particular parts
of the house which slowly merge until they jointly own the whole territory between them, and will mutually defend it against
feline outsiders.
Q We've just moved house: can i help my cat establish her claim
on her new territory?
A This is something the cat will have to sort out for herself,
but you can help by discouraging other cats from coming into the garden and by breacking up any fights.
DID YOU KNOW?
?A queen will defend her territory more fiercely
than any cat when she has kittens.
?Cats scent mark their territory by spraying,
or by rubbing against trees and fences.
?Cats have a formal network of paths linking
all the accessible parts of a neighbourhood, both those which are part of the territory of a particular cat and communal areas.
