| Cat Supplies Article |
The cat (Felis silvestris catus), also known as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from other felines, is a small carnivorous species of nocturnal mammal that is often valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin. It has been associated with humans for at least 9,500 years.
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must ingest the flesh of other animals to survive. Where other carnivorous mammals like bears and dogs commonly add to their diets of meat with fruits, berries, roots, and honey when available, by contrast all cats instinctively feed almost solely on meat.
Similarly as with its teeth, a cat's digestive tract has become specialized over time to suit its diet, having shortened in length to only those segments of intestine best able to break down proteins and fats from animal flesh. The evolved trait severely limits the cat's ability to properly digest, metabolize, and absorb plant-derived or synthesized nutrients, as well as certain fatty acids. For example, cats cannot convert the pro-vitamin A abundant in plants, to make vitamin A. Also, a number of required nutrients are not sufficiently available in plant matter to begin with; one critical absence is taurine, a key amino sulfonic acid for eye health. Taurine deficiency can cause a condition called macular degeneration wherein the cat's retina slowly degenerates, eventually causing irreversible blindness.
Due to the above, most felines eat fairly little if any plantstuffs. Yet it is nevertheless quite common for a cat to occasionally supplement its carnivorous diet with small amounts of grass, leaves, shrubs, houseplants, or other plant matter anyway. One theory suggests this behaviour is to facilitate regurgitation if their digestion is upset; another is that it perhaps introduces fibre or trace minerals to the diet. In this context, caution is recommended for cat owners because some houseplants are harmful to cats. The leaves of the Easter Lily can cause permanent and life-threatening kidney damage to cats. Philodendron are also poisonous to cats. Cat Fancy has a full list of plants harmful to cats.
As an exception to the general rule, certain domesticated cats are known to like vegetables. This happenstance may inspire some vegetarian or vegan pet owners to encourage or even impose their own dietary preferences upon their cats, often using commercially-available cat foods supplemented with chemically-synthesized taurine and other added nutrients to address nutritional shortfalls. However, it remains arguable as to whether or not such a vegetarian diet can in fact meet a cat's dietary requirements.
Additionally, cats have been known to develop a fondness for prepared human foods, normally such entrees which are rich in proteins or fats. However, a diet consisting only of human food (even if high quality meat) is unlikely to contain the balanced nutrition required by the cat. Cats normally are good self-regulators of diet; however, unlimited access to food, or excessive human-food 'treats', will often lead to the cat becoming obese, particularly if it is older or more sedentary. This may lead to several health complications, such as diabetes, especially in neutered males. Such health conditions can be prevented through diet and exercise (playing), especially for cats living exclusively indoors.
Cats can be fussy eaters (which may be due in some way to the aforementioned mutation which caused their species to lose sugar-tasting ability). Unlike most mammals, cats can voluntarily starve themselves indefinitely despite being presented with palatable food, even a food which they had previously readily consumed. This can happen when the vomeronasal or Jacobson's organ becomes accustomed to a specific food, or if the cats are spoiled by their owners, in which case the cat will reject any food that does not fit the pattern it is expecting. It is also known for cats to merely become bored with their given food and decide to stop eating until they are tempted into eating again. Although it is extremely rare for a cat to deliberately starve itself to the point of injury, the sudden loss of weight can cause a fatal condition called hepatic lipidosis, a liver dysfunction which causes pathological loss of appetite and reinforces the starvation, which can lead to death within as little as 48 hours.
Some cats have a fondness for catnip, which is sensed by their olfactory systems. While they generally do not consume it, they will often roll in it, paw at it, and occasionally chew on it. The effect is usually relatively short, lasting for only a few minutes. After two hours or less, susceptible cats gain interest again. Several other species of plants (such as mint) cause this effect, to a lesser degree.
Cats can also develop pica. Pica is a condition in which animals chew or eat unusual things such as fabric, plastic or wool. In cats, this is mostly harmless as they do not digest most of it, but can be fatal or require surgical removal if a large amount of foreign material is ingested (for example, an entire sock). It tends to occur more often in Burmese, Oriental, Siamese and breeds with these in their ancestry.
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|  | CATS - THE INDOOR CAT WORLD OF CATS DVD NEW ..60 MIN.
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 | Cotton Catnip Pillow Filled W/The Finest Catnip
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 | 2 Disney The Aristocats Cat Small Dog Plastic Bowl Dish
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 | K&H Mfg Thermo Kitty Sill Heated Cat Bed Window Perch
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|  | Cat Litter Box Cover Or Pet Hideaway Wicker Rattan 1805
$49.99 |
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 | Continuously Freshening Feline Drinking Fountain 72732
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|  | small dogs 6 dose FRONTLINE PLUS flea control 0-22 lbs
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 | WORLD OF CATS BREAKING BAD HABITS OF YOUR CATS NEW DVD
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|  | PROWL Dehydrated Raw Cat Food 2LB Bag With a FREE Gift
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 | NWT - PET CARRIER FOR CAT OR DOG -W@W
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 | Simple Solution Grooming Glove For Pets
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 | Jungle Kingdom Cat Tree Leopard Perch Play Furniture
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|  | Meow Town Kitty Bird Watcher Perch Cat Play Furniture
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 | Cat Toy, 20" Teaser Toy w/Feathers & Beads + Rattles!
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|  | BOB MARTIN VETCARE Flea CAT-Kitten Collar 12Mhs Protect
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 | CATS THE WORLD OF CATS: UNDERSTANDING YOUR CAT DVD NEW
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|  | Decorative Cat Litter Box Cover "Cafe Au Lait"
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 | RED/BLACK CERAMIC 4PC CAT KITTY FEEDER
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|  | BRAND NEW Feral Cat Shelter(s)
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 | Replacement Flap, Medium Quick Fit PetSafe Dog Door,Pet
$21.95 |
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|  | Certified Organic Catnip ( 1 oz. package)
$3.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT all sizes CATS kittens 1-UP
$16.99 |
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|  | Cat Door Mat- Entry Mat for Cat Lovers- Large 24" x 36"
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 | Deluxe Window Seat For Cats
$15.99 |
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|  | Cat Dog Pet Original Art Note Cards -Schweitzer quote!
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 | CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON RED Cat Collar Collars
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|  | PURPLE 5 Head Dolphin Laser Pointer Cat Toy,Cats Rescue
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT 4 doses DOGS 10-20 lbs
$17.95 |
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|  | Black Wallet Tan Trim Cute Cat Dog Pet Paw Prints NWT
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 | 60 Catnip furry mice RAINBOW Mouse Cat Toys Kitten LOT
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|  | 10 2" FUR BALLS BY PURR-PET CAT TOY-TOYS-BULK LOT
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 | 3 MAUI MEOWI SUPER POTENT GIANT CATNIP SACKS SHIPS FREE
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|  | LitterMaid Elite Mega Self-Cleaning Litterbox LME9000
$89.99 |
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 | TINY FISH ON GREEN Cat Collar Collars
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|  | Ultimate Cat Toy Play Set with catnip quilt
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 | Decorative Cat Litter Box Cover "Whisker White"
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|  | Da Bird 36" Pole Cat Toy +2 REFILLS 100% CHARITY WOW!
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 | ORANGE AND GREY TABBY CAT/ KITTEN TOTE BAG
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|  | SmartCat Tick-Tock-Teaser - Interactive Cat Toy
$16.95 |
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 | The Personality of The Cat Brandt Aymar 1958 Pets HBDJ
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|  | Catnip Bubbles 8 Oz Blow Bubbles For Your Cat
$2.31 |
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 | NEW RING SLING PUPPY POUCH PET CARRIER CHEETAH $11.99
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|  | Hand Crafted/Painted Cat Feeder, Blk01, FREE SHIP
$59.99 |
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 | 2 Pk CATS Love World's Strongest ORGANIC CATNIP Premium
$3.80 |
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|  | Catnip Cup 0.5 Ounce Fresh And Aromatic Catnip
$2.52 |
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 | Paw Print "I Love my PitBull!" car magnet QUALITY
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|  | USED LitterMaid Elite Self Cleaning Litter Box
$30.00 |
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 | Cat Pet Original Art Note Cards - Cocteau quote inside!
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|  | 3 MAUI MEOWI SUPER GIANT PURPLE CATNIP FISH SHIPS FREE
$11.88 |
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 | 3-Level Playland w/Tunnel Cat Perch Tree Play Furniture
$79.99 |
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|  | Replacement Flap,Small Quick Fit PetSafe Dog Door, Pet
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 | Continuously Freshening Feline Drinking Fountain 72732
$21.99 |
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|  | Capstar Flea Killer Pills 2-25 lbs. Cat kitten dog pup
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT ALL SIZES dogs cats SAVE!!!!
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|  | SmartCat Peek-A-Prize Toy Box - Cat Toy
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|  | CATNIP TOYS...HOME GROWN CATNIP.... PLEASE READ DESCRIP
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 | Oral Flea Control: Capstar for Dogs & Cats 2-25 lbs Fe
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|  | SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
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 | Zanies Skedaddle Holiday "Pip", Pull its Cord and Watch
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|  | shaking & rattling fur mouse short hair-50 piece lot
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 | 3 MAUI MEOWI POTENT GIANT CATNIP CARROTS SHIPS FOR FREE
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|  | Continuously Freshening Feline Drinking Fountain 72732
$14.99 |
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 | Three fish cat toys - new
$1.50 |
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|  | CAT Tunnel,40",Pet Toy,Noisy, Soft, for use with condo
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 | Christmas Pet Stocking Cat Knitted Yarn Kitten Mice Top
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 | Play-N-Squeak Mouse-N-Cheese $19.95 retail price NIP!
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|  | PLUSH CAT HOUSE/BED MUSHROOM
$33.20 |
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 | K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad Cat Bed FREE fleece cover
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|  | PetSafe Cat Fence Receiver
$99.95 |
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 | PEPPERMINTS Cat Collar Collars
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|  | NWT! #1 CAT GANZ 4 1/2" CHRISTMAS STOCKING WITH CAT TOY
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 | Feliway Comfort Zone Diffuser Outlet / Refill 48 ml NEW
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