| 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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 | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" Wide Teal Green
$26.00 |
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|  | Hip CAT COLLAR Christmas Winter Trees ADJUST 7-11"
$5.95 |
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 | Food Water Cat Dog Dish Bowl 6" Wide 5.5" High
$26.00 |
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|  | Cat Scratcher Scratching Post Cats Claws Kitten Bed Toy
$49.99 |
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 | CAT & KITTEN TAPEWORM TABLETS PRAZIQUANTEL
$14.99 |
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|  | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" Wide Teal Green
$25.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Heated Lounger 16 x 20 Cat or Dog
$49.98 |
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|  | NEW Signature Cat Feeder Dish Jester by Ursula Dodge
$4.75 |
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 | SmartCat Cat Climber Multi-level Climbing Platforms
$99.95 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Wide Pink
$33.00 |
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 | ADAMS PLUS BREAKAWAY FLEA & TICK COLLAR CATS & KITTENS
$8.99 |
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|  | EPA!! 8 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS
$18.50 |
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 | NEW TURBO SCRATCHER CAT TOY REPLACEMENT SCRATCH PAD SET
$14.49 |
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|  | WOW!! 16 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS--EPA!
$35.50 |
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 | SmartCat Bootsie's Bunkbed and Playroom
$28.95 |
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|  | Fresh 'n Clean Cat Litter Deodorizer 1lb 4oz
$3.75 |
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 | Hello Kitty Catnip Cat Toys 4" - Buy 1 Get 1 Free
$4.00 |
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|  | Dog or Cat Feeder & Water DISH MEDIUM DOUBLE *NEW*
$5.50 |
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 | WORLD OF CATS BREAKING BAD HABITS OF YOUR CATS NEW DVD
$4.00 |
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|  | LIQUID WORMER FOR KITTENS, CATS, PUPPIES & DOGS NEW
$4.99 |
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 | RATTAN WICKER CAT Dog Pet LITTER PAN COVER Small KITTY
$44.95 |
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|  | 4 PLASTIC BALLS BY PENN-PLAX-GREAT CAT TOYS FOR PETS
$2.99 |
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 | Certified Organic Catnip ( 1 oz. package)
$3.99 |
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| $5/1 Purina Breeze Tidy Cat Litter System-20 Coupons
$1.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Furniture Warmer 12"x16" NEW
$29.99 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" Almond Paw Print
$26.00 |
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 | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Honey Mouse
$26.00 |
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|  | SmartCat Kitty Cat Corner Litter Box - Gray
$11.95 |
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 | SmartCat Tick-Tock-Teaser - Interactive Cat Toy
$16.95 |
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|  | Feline Philosophy - Stone Wall Hanging
$29.95 |
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 | Phat Cat Condo
$39.95 |
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|  | LOVE MAXWELL,The Kitten,XL T-Shirt,4 Cat Charity Rescue
$9.99 |
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 | Dog or Cat Feeder & Water DISH SMALL DOUBLE *NEW*
$5.00 |
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|  | SmartCat Kitty Ultimate Litter Box
$10.95 |
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 | KITTY MANSION/DOUBLE STORY
$19.99 |
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|  | 1 GALLON OF ANTI-ICKY-POO P-BATH URINE & ODOR REMOVER
$27.99 |
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 | ARN & HAMMER Cat Litter Deodorizer wBaking Soda 1lb 4oz
$3.75 |
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|  | K&H Thermo-Cat Hut Bed Sage 18" Dia Buysafe Free Ship
$55.77 |
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 | K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad FREE Cover 12.5 x 18.5 NEW
$44.98 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Wide Teal Green
$29.00 |
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 | 16 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS EPA! DEAL!!
$35.50 |
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|  | Deluxe In-Ground Cat Fence System
$199.95 |
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 | CATS AND BATS Kitten Collar Collars cat
$5.99 |
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|  | Cat Thermometer
$42.00 |
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 | Leather Pet Collar Topgrain W Sterling Silver Charm
$19.95 |
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|  | Tick Tock Teaser From Smartcat
$18.49 |
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 | WOW!!!! FRONTLINE PLUS CAT KIT EPA APPROVED 8 MONTHS
$18.50 |
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|  | New Charm Dog Cat Collar Purse Rhinestone Double Heart
$3.00 |
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 | Fat Cat Inc. / Kitty Hoots ShowGulls CATNIP + FEATHERS
$3.92 |
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|  | DEAL!!! 16 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS EPA!!!
$35.50 |
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 | Irish Ireland Shamrock Lucky Pet Dog ID Tag St Patrick
$3.29 |
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|  | K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Heated Large Dog Bed Free Cover
$74.99 |
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 | WOW! FRONTLINE PLUS CATS-EPA APPROVED 16 MONTH KIT
$35.50 |
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|  | Reuse Littermaid Receptacles LitterGard System SAVES $$
$9.99 |
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 | New Cat KittenTapeworm Dewormer Tab 3ct exp. date12/10
$12.19 |
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|  | Cat Litter Odor Smell Removal Crystals - Halves Changes
$14.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT DOGS 10-20 lbs 4 dose~*~*~
$24.95 |
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|  | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 4.5" H Almond Mouse
$25.00 |
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 | Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
$54.95 |
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|  | Fat Cat Inc. / Kitty Hoots EEEKS! Catnip Toy
$3.92 |
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 | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" W Honey Mouse
$25.00 |
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|  | The Litter-Robot™ Advantage - As seen on TV
$329.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Cat Mat Mocha- Buysafe Free Shipping
$47.55 |
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|  | Bass Equipment pet cage brackets new sealed package !
$6.99 |
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 | Omega Paw Self Cleaning Kitty Cat Litter Box - Large
$31.95 |
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|  | 12 ASSORTED BALLS-RETAIL $11.69-CAT TOY-TOYS-PET
$5.50 |
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 | Leather Pet Collar Topgrain W Sterling Silver Charm
$19.95 |
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|  | NEW! Beautiful, Ceramic Pet Bowl, Personalized!!!!
$29.95 |
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 | 8 MONTHS FRONTLINE PLUS KIT CATS/KITTENS EPA APPROVED!
$18.50 |
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|  | WOW!! 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS KIT EPA!!! CATS/KITTENS
$18.50 |
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 | PURR PET CAT ACTIVITY MAT FOR CATS & ferret -PET
$25.99 |
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|  | DISCOUNT!!! EPA!! 16 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS
$35.50 |
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 | SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
$47.95 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Almond Fish
$24.00 |
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 | CAT MATE 5 MEAL Cat or Dog AUTOMATIC PET FEEDER C50
$37.95 |
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|  | Oval Stoneware Feeder Bowl Dog 4.5" High Keep Ears Dry
$29.00 |
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 | SALE! 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS KIT CATS/KITTENS EPA
$18.50 |
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|  | Frame with Angel & Cat/ Pet Memorial Loss
$44.95 |
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 | Dog or Cat Feeder & Water DISH LARGE DOUBLE *NEW*
$6.00 |
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|  | Food Water Cat Dish Bowl Feeder 5" Wide 5.5" High Pink
$28.00 |
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 | Casual Canine Cat Dog Hoodie Sweater Dress Apparel XXS
$7.99 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Blue Fishbones
$24.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Cat Mat Sage- Buysafe Free Shipping
$47.55 |
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|  | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" Wide Honey Brown
$24.00 |
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 | K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Heated Cat Dog Bed Free Cover
$39.99 |
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|  | SKIN AND COAT CAT TREATS cats treat food pet supplies
$2.19 |
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 | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Almond Paw Print
$29.00 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS flea tick control dog 23-44 lbs 3 dose
$17.95 |
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 | 400 NEW LINERS for LITTERMAID WASTE RECEPTACLES
$22.00 |
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|  | WOW!! 8 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS --EPA!
$18.50 |
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 | Traditional Dog- Large Garden Statue Pet Memorial Loss
$375.00 |
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|  | Kitten Snowflake
$34.95 |
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 | K&H Thermo-Cat Hut Bed Mocha 18" Dia Buysafe Free Ship
$55.77 |
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|  | 10 Catnip Sisal Witch W/ rattle Halloween toys for Cats
$7.00 |
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 | Fresh'nClean Pet Hair Vac-Away Carpet Deodorizer Powder
$3.75 |
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|  | Paw Print "Save a paw- Don't Declaw!" car magnet QU
$4.99 |
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 | Fresh 'n Clean Flea & Tick Shampoo for DOGS & CATS 16oz
$3.25 |
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|  | Leather Pet Collar Topgrain W Sterling Silver Charm
$19.95 |
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 | SALE!!! 8 MONTHS FRONTLINE PLUS KIT CATS/KITTENS EPA!!!
$18.50 |
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