| 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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 | Set 6 Replacement FILTERS Hagen CatIt Drinking Fountain
$12.00 |
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|  | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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 | Adjustable Nylon CAT Walking HARNESS & LEASH Lead Cats
$12.99 |
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|  | 2 Black and White Cow Catnip Toys 5" Tall x 1" Wide
$5.95 |
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 | SHERPA Brand Microfiber Pet Tote/Backpack Used Once
$19.98 |
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|  | GRECIAN STONEWARE DOG BOWL 4.5 INCH - Dog Supplies
$4.99 |
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 | Kitty Condo Litterbox - How to Instructions by Email
$3.99 |
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|  | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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 | FRONTLINE TOP SPOT flea med small dogs 0-22 lbs SALE~~
$23.99 |
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|  | 57" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-04
$59.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT all sizes dogs cats stock UP
$17.95 |
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|  | PORTABLE CAT FERRET CAGE PLAY PEN CRATE NEW 37 X23X55
$156.93 |
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 | 12 (TWELVE) Petmate Fresh Flow Water Fountain Filters
$12.50 |
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|  | LARGE BLACK Cat Feline Soft Claws Paws for Cats CHARITY
$5.99 |
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 | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-05
$59.99 |
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|  | 25 pc lot of Food, Toys & Supplies for Cats
$5.00 |
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 | LOT 13 X MAT PET BEHAVIOR INDOOR TRAINING MAT DOGS CATS
$15.99 |
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|  | LOT OF 3 CAT SCRATCHING POST POLE FURNITURE
$2.99 |
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 | FOOD SAUCER BLUE STRIP 5.25 INCH - Dog Supplies
$3.99 |
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|  | CATNIP SEEDS - CATS LOVE IT!!!!!!!! - FREE SHIPPING
$2.50 |
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 | 20" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-12
$29.99 |
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|  | KITTY KORRAL & KITTY HOOTS CRACKLER cat toy NIP
$9.99 |
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 | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-3B
$59.99 |
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|  | KITTY HOOTS Scratchy Box, Ball & Liquid Catnip NIP
$12.00 |
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 | 73" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-8C
$99.99 |
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|  | LARGE BLUE Cat Feline Soft Claws Paws for Cats CHARITY
$4.99 |
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 | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-05
$59.99 |
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|  | 94" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-09
$109.99 |
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 | CAT Clothes GREEN Camoflauge Tee Shirt Persian Small
$10.99 |
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|  | 2 Catnip Lobster Toys Designed by Nana Joan
$9.95 |
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 | DOGGIE DUDS HOODED SWEATSHIRT Medium - Dog Supplies
$16.99 |
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|  | 57" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-04
$59.99 |
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 | FRONTLINE Plus Dogs 45-88 # 6 Month FREE SHIPPPING!
$59.99 |
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|  | Rhinestone Cat Safety Collar, Brand New
$9.75 |
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 | 12" X 12" PHOTO ENGRAVED PET MEMORIAL
$69.99 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT all sizes dogs cats stock UP
$17.95 |
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 | *CATNIP * KITTY ~ TOSS AND CARRY POUCH * PERRRFECT SIZE
$0.79 |
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|  | Cat Litter Robot...best Cat litter box available! Works
$152.50 |
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 | CAT FOOD Sample 1 oz Chicken Wellness Holistic
$2.99 |
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|  | Rustic Antiqued Cast Iron Cat Hanger, with 7 tail hooks
$5.95 |
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 | KITTY KORRAL & KITTY HOOTS CRACKLER cat toy NIP
$9.99 |
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|  | Cat Sisal Scratch Me 19.5"/pet toy tree with catnip bag
$9.99 |
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 | Six Plain colors adjust nylon cat collars-bell&
$15.20 |
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|  | AUTOMATIC PET FEEDER FOR YOUR CAT (OR SMALL DOG)
$0.99 |
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 | *CATNIP * KITTY ~ TOSS AND CARRY POUCH * PERRRFECT SIZE
$0.79 |
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|  | 57" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-04
$59.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE DOG/CAT KIT 4,5 AND 10 MONTH SUPPLLY EPA USA
$16.85 |
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|  | 2 Butterfly Catnip Toys About 3" Wide By Nana Joan
$5.95 |
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 | Cat Fun Cage W/ Toy Inside
$1.99 |
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|  | Calico Kitty Condo
$0.99 |
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 | Adjustable Nylon CAT Walking HARNESS & LEASH Lead Cats
$11.99 |
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|  | Leopard CAT KITTEN KITTY Teaser *FREE TOY*
$5.99 |
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 | Cute 24" BLACK Leather Dog Collar with Brass Bones
$4.99 |
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|  | KITTY KLUBHOUSE & KITTY HOOTS CRACKLER cat toy NIP
$9.99 |
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 | New small leopard print pet cat or dog bed kitty cats
$10.98 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS DOG/CAT KIT 3 6 8 MONTH SUPPLY EPA USA!!
$16.85 |
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 | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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|  | Pet Dog & Cat Nail Clipper - Stainless - FREE SHIPPING
$7.97 |
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 | 94" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-09
$109.99 |
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|  | 57" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-04
$59.99 |
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 | LEOPARD & ZEGRA PRINT CAT TUNNEL TOY SCRATCHING POST
$34.99 |
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|  | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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 | Fun Tunnel - Cat Play Noise Fun Crinkle Noise Tunnel
$38.95 |
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|  | Litter Kwitter Cat Toilet Training FREE TOY/FREE SHIP
$59.95 |
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 | DOGGIE DUDS HOODED SWEATSHIRT DIVA PINK - Dog Supplies
$14.99 |
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|  | KITTY KLUBHOUSE & KITTY HOOTS CRACKLER cat toy NIP
$9.99 |
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 | Outward Hound Front Carrier-Desinger Pink Small/Med
$29.95 |
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|  | Genie Automatic Cat Box Sanisolution Reset Refill Kit
$49.99 |
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 | Supersisal Scratching Post
$4.95 |
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|  | SOFT HEATED PAW PRINT CAT WINDOW SEAT PET BED CATS NEW
$34.99 |
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 | Soft Claws CHRISTMAS (Red + Green) Cat Nail Covers NEW-
$4.99 |
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|  | Vari Kennel by Doskocil Dog or Cat Carrier (Medium)
$35.00 |
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 | Buy1 Cat toy 50 Furry Mice Get 1 Pack Rattle Balls Free
$8.99 |
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|  | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-05
$59.99 |
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 | Catnip Cat Nip Toy Cats Kittens Kitty - Cats Happy Hour
$3.75 |
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|  | 10 doses ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT SMALL DOGS 0-9 lbs
$17.95 |
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 | New Deluxe 42" Cat Tree Condo Furniture, BP-5022
$48.98 |
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|  | ~~20 - 9 LIVES DRY CAT FOOD COUPONS~~1/31/09~~
$0.99 |
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 | Kitty Cat Papa San Chair
$7.99 |
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|  | CAT DOG Clothes PINK Camoflauge Tee Shirt !! Large
$10.99 |
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 | GREENIES Cat Treat Sample 1 oz Chicken
$2.99 |
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|  | ODOR LOCKERS Health Alert - Blood Detection Granules
$4.00 |
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 | New Pink w Bears Tote Travel Pet Carrier for Dog or Cat
$9.20 |
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|  | NIB TWO QUART AUTOMATIC WATERING BOWL FOR CATS OR DOGS
$9.99 |
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 | Long Life 90 Day Cat Flea Collar $ 1.99 SALE
$1.99 |
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|  | WIPE YOUR PAWS door plaque sign XMAS GIFT 4 CAT LOVERS
$1.25 |
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 | 'I Love my Scottish Fold!" car ribbon magnet QUALITY
$4.99 |
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|  | CATNIP SEEDS - CATS LOVE IT!!!!!!!! - FREE SHIPPING
$2.50 |
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 | Fun Run Outdoor Dog Cat Tunnel Playhouse ABO Gear
$39.95 |
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|  | KITTY KLUBHOUSE & KITTY HOOTS CRACKLER cat toy NIP
$9.99 |
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 | RING SLING PUPPY POUCH PET CARRIER CATS & DOGS $10.99
$10.99 |
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|  | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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 | 2 Catnip Lobster Claw Cat Toys 5"x3" Nana Joan Design
$5.95 |
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|  | Pet Bed - Medium - Animal Print **NEW**
$4.99 |
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 | COMFORT ZONE DIFFUSER WITH FELIWAY + REFILL + SPRAY NEW
$49.00 |
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|  | CAT Clothes GREEN Camoflauge Tee Shirt Persian Medium
$11.99 |
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 | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-03
$59.99 |
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|  | 16 FANCY FEAST ELEGANT MEDLEYS CAT FOOD COUPONS $1.00/6
$0.99 |
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 | 73" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-8C
$99.99 |
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