Cat - Bombay - The Facts Every Owner Of This Cat Breed Should Know

Quality Cat Supplies available at Low Prices and Free Shipping! The Bombay was developed by breeder Nikki Horner in Louisville, Kentucky in 1958. She set out to create a 'miniature black panther' by crossing a sable Burmese with a solid black American Shorthair. Though her initial attempts were unsuccessful, she persisted and by 1976, the Bombay was recognized as a distinct breed of cat. Bombays are muscular cats with an all black coat. Some are born with the recessive trait of a sable coat. Though this does not indicate any deficiency in the cat, it is considered undesirable for a Bombay and will only be sold as a family pet and not a show cat. This black coat is short and satiny and does not require any special grooming (though regular petting or brushing will help to get the dead hair off - but a Bombay will usually groom itself). Bombays mature quickly and are considered 'adult' between six and nine months. The average male will weigh eight to ten pounds and the average female will weigh between six and eight pounds. Both will live an average of twelve to twenty years. Bombays are described as 'lap cats.' They truly enjoy the company of its family and will always seek out a lap on which to sit or someone to play with them. Bombays crave companionship from family members and will follow them from room to room of the house in order to be part of the action. This is not a shy cat. Unlike many other breeds, a Bombay will enthusiastically greet visitors and want to see what is happening. They make excellent family pets for this reason. Bombays will do all right with other family pets, but need to be socialized properly. They have a tendency to dominate other pets in the household, which can lead to trouble if not attended to. Bombays are also loud cats with a purr that can be heard up to fifteen feet away. Though an active breed, Bombays prefer calmer environments without many loud, startling noises. Too much exposure to this and they will develop a nervous disorder in which they loose hair from their stomachs and tails. Some Bombays are prone to Burmese Craniofacial Defect, a genetic disorder that affects the development of the skull in the fetus. Occasionally, kittens from lines that carry this defect will be born with severely deformed heads. This genetic disorder is a result of some crossbreeding with Burmese cats. The diet of a Bombay should be monitored easily as they are prone to obesity. There is a website that has great information on Bombays and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url: http://www.dogandcatfacts.com By Robert W. Benjamin Copyright ? 2007 You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections. Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's. Medical Health Info http://www.rb59.com/medical-health-info Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Benjamin Cat - Feline Anxiety Causes Cat Litter Box Problems Cats experience anxiety and get stressed out just like us human staffers. Unlike people, cats don't have a lot of creative ways to express their feelings. Unfortunately, when cats suffer from stress and anxiety, they generally communicate it in a very clear way that can really turn humans upside down. They usually tell us by not using the cat litter box. And since we can't speak meow, and cats don't talk, the challenge is to figure why our cats aren't feeling right. Usually when a cat stops using her litter box, it's a medical problem. But if it isn't, one of causes high on my list is stress and anxiety. What do cats get anxious about? Here's a partial list: - Moving to a new home - Gaining a new household member, animal or human - You change jobs and start a new schedule - You bring new furniture into your home - Kitty's favorite person moves out, and she misses that individual - Construction and/or remodeling of your home - Relocation of her cat litter box(es) - Change in type of cat litter This list is not complete. Felines are complicated creatures, and almost anything can set them off. If your cat suddenly stops using the litter box out of the blue, eliminate any medical causes first. If kitty gets a clean bill of health, examine the list above, and think about any recent changes you've made to your home. If it appears to be a coincidence, it probably isn't. This can be a tough problem to solve, but once you figure out the cause, you can start developing solutions. If the stress-inducing situation is temporary (such as the last three items on my list), they can be dealt with. On the other hand, if the problem appears to be one of the first five, you'll need plenty of patience and a strategy to get kitty right again. Often, once kitty gets used to the change, she'll calm down and start to use her litter box again. During her adjustment period, it may work to confine her to one room with her food, water, litter box, bedding, and toys. This limits the amount of damage done to your home, and as kitty realizes the changes mean her no harm, she'll get back to her good cat litter box habits. You can also help kitty calm down by purchasing synthetic feline hormones. These will reassure her that life is still OK. You can also administer homeopathic remedies that are completely natural and cause no side effects. Many feline owners get an anti-anxiety prescription for kitty, but if your cat freaks out over being pilled, this will increase her stress. If this is the case, rely on the synthetic hormones and homeopathic remedies to solve this problem. Consult with your vet on the best course of action to help your kitty quickly get over her stress and anxiety. Reassure your cat with lots of extra attention and love, and this too shall pass!