The snakes is suborder Serpentes one elongates the reptile. Looks like all reptile, the snakes in the scale quilt. All snakes are the meat, and may be remarkable from the non-leg’s lizard by theirs deficient eyelid, the body, the foreleg external ear and the trace. Spread-eagle except in size scope from small, 10 cm long thread snakes to Python and water python’s South Pole state’s each mainland snakes 2,700+ types which disseminates in 9 m long-term. In order to hold snakes The narrow body, the organ which pairs is appeared in front of other, but is not side-by-side. As a result of poisonous snakes ordinary, the snakes is a frightened animal. The poisonous snakes is their danger does not consider the size, and the biggest constriction is potential man-eater . All snakess force the carnivores.
When poisonous snakes including minority type, some have the powerful venom to be able to cause the painful the injury or the death to the human. However, is mainly to kill in snakes venom with the uniform fall guy, but is not the self-defense. Perhaps the snakes dug a hole from the adaptation in the Cretaceous Period period lizard evolved , although a some scientist supposition aquatic origin.The modern snakes change appears in the ancient new period .
A snakes’s literary word is the snakes . In modern usage, deadline ” serpent” Usually mentions a myth or the mark snakes. The snakes is also the medical skill symbol.
The snakes is a big group reptile; Today live snakes’s 2,000 different types. snakes in various housing land and aquatic institute. The most snakes and the biggest snakes is found in the tropical rain forest. The snakes in is found except South Pole state’s each mainland. Does not have the snakes locality to Hawaii, Iceland, Ireland or New Zealand.
Anatomy: The snakes has is long, narrow body and squamose skin. They do not have the eyelid, the external ear opening and the leg (, although some snakes, look like python and Python, has trace hind leg). When they grow, the snakes sheds their old skin and covers their eye’s movie. Other reptile, the snakes is likely the cold blooded.
Diet: The snakes is the carnivore (meat). They eat the rodents animal and other mammal, the bird, the reptile, the fish, the amphibian, the insect and the egg. Some snakes (cobra, viper and cobra are virulent likely), and kills (or paralysis) through the injection poison their fall guy passes the hollow canine. Some snakes (likely python and water python) through squeeze it to kill them the fall guy to the death. The snakes does not chew their food even not to bite it to enter the piece; The snakes swallows down the entire their food. Other snakes seize their food, and swallows down it.
Reproduction: Some snakes through under egg reproduction; Other snakes birth life young people.
Evolution: The snakes first appears before late Cretaceous Period period (about 95,000,000), (dinosaur before about 225 to 65,000,000 lives) toward dinosaur’s time’s ending. Therefore did the late dinosaur, when look like T. rex and the triangle dinosaur is neighbor evolves in the first snakes.
for:http://www.snakes-house.com
2008年9月17日星期三
2008年9月5日星期五
Your Dogs Intelligence - Could Dogs Be Smarter than Their Owners?
The intelligence of the dog is among the highest of all the animals, maybe higher than we give him credit for. Although his brain is proportionately only half as large as ours, he is certainly the most intelligent of domestic animals.
As with humans, individual intelligence varies greatly according to inherited genes. While no one breed can be said to be more intelligent that another, some breeds that have been selectively bred for work ability are often brighter and more receptive than those bred primarily for purely physical attributes.
Whether a dog is a mixed breed for purebred, studies have shown that neither is much more intelligent than the other. However, dogs that have been exposed to a more varied lifestyle, both indoors and out, and with both human and animal interaction, does show more intelligent behavior.
Simply put, giving your dog an opportunity to investigate and manipulate all sorts of objects, to explore all sorts of places, to share all sorts of experiences with you will stimulate his or her intelligence. Aside from getting a lot more out of life, your dog will be eager to learn more and he will learn with increasing ease and rapidity. Nothing is sadder and more wasteful than an intelligent dog that is confined in a kennel and deprived of mental stimulation.
Despite opinions to the contrary, dogs are endowed with an elementary reasoning power. Anyone who has ever owned a dog has often seen him size up a situation and then taken some logical action. Guide dogs for the blind, as well as working and hunting dogs of many breeds constantly have to use their judgment and make decisions.
Memory is an important component of intelligence. The dog's memory for scents is extraordinary. His visual memory is only fair, but his memory for sounds is very good, since he can remember and identify familiar voices even after an absence of many years. While he builds up a large store of identifiable sounds without the slightest effort, remembering different words requires more concentration.
The dog's capacity for learning is more a matter of memory than of true understanding. He will remember the sequence of cause and effect in his actions, but he is unable to draw broad conclusions from his experience. The greater the variety of experiences and contact with others they have, the quicker they learn, and the more they retain.
Dogs are bound by nature to remain intellectually inferior to man, but we owe them a chance to develop their native intelligence by training, teaching, and working with them as much and as often as we can.
As with humans, individual intelligence varies greatly according to inherited genes. While no one breed can be said to be more intelligent that another, some breeds that have been selectively bred for work ability are often brighter and more receptive than those bred primarily for purely physical attributes.
Whether a dog is a mixed breed for purebred, studies have shown that neither is much more intelligent than the other. However, dogs that have been exposed to a more varied lifestyle, both indoors and out, and with both human and animal interaction, does show more intelligent behavior.
Simply put, giving your dog an opportunity to investigate and manipulate all sorts of objects, to explore all sorts of places, to share all sorts of experiences with you will stimulate his or her intelligence. Aside from getting a lot more out of life, your dog will be eager to learn more and he will learn with increasing ease and rapidity. Nothing is sadder and more wasteful than an intelligent dog that is confined in a kennel and deprived of mental stimulation.
Despite opinions to the contrary, dogs are endowed with an elementary reasoning power. Anyone who has ever owned a dog has often seen him size up a situation and then taken some logical action. Guide dogs for the blind, as well as working and hunting dogs of many breeds constantly have to use their judgment and make decisions.
Memory is an important component of intelligence. The dog's memory for scents is extraordinary. His visual memory is only fair, but his memory for sounds is very good, since he can remember and identify familiar voices even after an absence of many years. While he builds up a large store of identifiable sounds without the slightest effort, remembering different words requires more concentration.
The dog's capacity for learning is more a matter of memory than of true understanding. He will remember the sequence of cause and effect in his actions, but he is unable to draw broad conclusions from his experience. The greater the variety of experiences and contact with others they have, the quicker they learn, and the more they retain.
Dogs are bound by nature to remain intellectually inferior to man, but we owe them a chance to develop their native intelligence by training, teaching, and working with them as much and as often as we can.
2008年9月1日星期一
Pet Insurance. Obesity is cutting many pets' lives short.
Petplan, one of the UK's most popular pet insurers, has revealed that 60% of pets can be considered obese.
Owners treat their beloved pets with what they feel will do them good – fatty snacks, titbits from the table – in addition to the large portions of food they already eat at mealtimes. As a result, pet insurance claims due to health problems directly related to being overweight are spiralling.
So what are the facts? Petplan insures 800,000 pets in the UK, and in the last five years they have seen obesity related health claims increase by 60%. The result - pet insurers could start slashing payouts as a penalty if your pet is overweight.
So what health problems can an overweight pet experience? Common problems include joint, ligament and tendon issues, problems with breathing, overexertion on the heart, and diabetes. Large, overweight cats can develop skin disorders because they are not able to clean themselves properly. The long-term effects on your pet's health and lifespan could be disastrous.
It's not all bad news though – putting your pet on a diet is a lot easier than doing the same to yourself. At least your pet has no choice in the matter, and doesn't have to deal with the temptation of the Indian takeaway after a hard day at the office, or that second, third, fourth (!) glass of wine. Your pet can only eat what it's given, so you can take control of the situation. The weight of your pet is your responsibility, so if it is overweight then it's your job to remedy the situation. It's not all about food either, if you have an overweight dog then take a bat and ball on the walk and really get that doggy working out! It will do you some good too.
Here's how to tell if your pet needs to lose some weight. Of course your pet will have a certain amount of padding, but there shouldn't be too much. First off, rub your pet gently over their ribs, you should be able to feel them without any trouble and the skin should move over the ribs quite easily. Then take a look at your pet from the side from a few metres away. If your pet has a hanging stomach and looks like it could be expecting some babies, then it's definitely time to introduce a diet. Your pet's stomach should slope in to form an obvious waist area at the bottom of the rib cage. Now stand over your pet and take a look from above. If your pet's middle is bulging out to the sides like an apple then it's carrying extra weight.
It's not just the four-legged friends either, birds can also be overweight. Examine your bird for rolls of fat or a larger than usual breast area.
Some breeds and species of pet have weight problems inherent in their genetic make up.
For the dogs: Labradors, spaniels, beagles, corgis and retrievers are all genetically predisposed to becoming overweight, especially as they get older.
For the cats: less-active breeds, Persians for example, put on weight as they don't do much exercise. Zany, fast moving breeds like Abyssinians and Siamese usually keep the weight off.
For the birds: Amazon parrots are particularly prone to piling on the ounces.
If you have just come to the conclusion that your pet is overweight, don't be tempted to put your pet on a crash diet. Cats can develop a fatal liver problem if their food rations are suddenly cut and they lose weight at a fast rate.
Pets put on weight gradually so the reverse should be applied and their food allowance should gradually be cut. Stop giving them snacks between meals and stick rigidly to set mealtimes. They'll soon get used to the new regime. You can also introduce more exercise to help them get fitter and also improve their quality of life. Ask your vet for advice on how best to put your pet on a diet, and commit yourself to carrying it through. You owe it to your pet.
Owners treat their beloved pets with what they feel will do them good – fatty snacks, titbits from the table – in addition to the large portions of food they already eat at mealtimes. As a result, pet insurance claims due to health problems directly related to being overweight are spiralling.
So what are the facts? Petplan insures 800,000 pets in the UK, and in the last five years they have seen obesity related health claims increase by 60%. The result - pet insurers could start slashing payouts as a penalty if your pet is overweight.
So what health problems can an overweight pet experience? Common problems include joint, ligament and tendon issues, problems with breathing, overexertion on the heart, and diabetes. Large, overweight cats can develop skin disorders because they are not able to clean themselves properly. The long-term effects on your pet's health and lifespan could be disastrous.
It's not all bad news though – putting your pet on a diet is a lot easier than doing the same to yourself. At least your pet has no choice in the matter, and doesn't have to deal with the temptation of the Indian takeaway after a hard day at the office, or that second, third, fourth (!) glass of wine. Your pet can only eat what it's given, so you can take control of the situation. The weight of your pet is your responsibility, so if it is overweight then it's your job to remedy the situation. It's not all about food either, if you have an overweight dog then take a bat and ball on the walk and really get that doggy working out! It will do you some good too.
Here's how to tell if your pet needs to lose some weight. Of course your pet will have a certain amount of padding, but there shouldn't be too much. First off, rub your pet gently over their ribs, you should be able to feel them without any trouble and the skin should move over the ribs quite easily. Then take a look at your pet from the side from a few metres away. If your pet has a hanging stomach and looks like it could be expecting some babies, then it's definitely time to introduce a diet. Your pet's stomach should slope in to form an obvious waist area at the bottom of the rib cage. Now stand over your pet and take a look from above. If your pet's middle is bulging out to the sides like an apple then it's carrying extra weight.
It's not just the four-legged friends either, birds can also be overweight. Examine your bird for rolls of fat or a larger than usual breast area.
Some breeds and species of pet have weight problems inherent in their genetic make up.
For the dogs: Labradors, spaniels, beagles, corgis and retrievers are all genetically predisposed to becoming overweight, especially as they get older.
For the cats: less-active breeds, Persians for example, put on weight as they don't do much exercise. Zany, fast moving breeds like Abyssinians and Siamese usually keep the weight off.
For the birds: Amazon parrots are particularly prone to piling on the ounces.
If you have just come to the conclusion that your pet is overweight, don't be tempted to put your pet on a crash diet. Cats can develop a fatal liver problem if their food rations are suddenly cut and they lose weight at a fast rate.
Pets put on weight gradually so the reverse should be applied and their food allowance should gradually be cut. Stop giving them snacks between meals and stick rigidly to set mealtimes. They'll soon get used to the new regime. You can also introduce more exercise to help them get fitter and also improve their quality of life. Ask your vet for advice on how best to put your pet on a diet, and commit yourself to carrying it through. You owe it to your pet.
2008年8月24日星期日
Better Cat Care Defined
Your cat will always rely on you for food, water, safe shelter and regular veterinary cat care even though they appear independent. By doing this consistently you place yourself in a much better place to develop a mutual and rewarding relationship. The guidelines in this article should allow you to consistently perform optimum cat care.
Make it a point to get a cat ID tag and collar that has your address,name and telephone number information. By ensuring that your cat is wearing one you ensure there safe return home in the event they find themselves lost and outside in strange surroundings. Some of the ID tags have a radio responder built into them and by making sure your cat is wearing one you make it possible for another person can read it and bring your cat back to you.
Keep your cat inside if at all possible. This action will ensure that the community, your cat and you are doing what's best for all involved. Plus if you have gone through all the trouble to find and train your kitty why risk losing them?
Make it a point to get your cat neutered or spayed. This will assist in reducing the problem of cat overpopulation and will keep them healthier.
It is up to you to train your cat from doing things you don't like like jumping on counter tops and scratching furniture. They can be trained like any other pet if you also keep in mind a bit of understanding, effort and patience when doing so. If you set up a simple system of rewarding and praising them when they perform as you want will go a long way toward them acting and behaving the way you would like.
To keep your cat's coat healthy, soft and shiny make a it a point to groom them often. To keep your cat's hair from matting it should be brushed. This will also decrease the creation of hairballs by your cat. Hairballs are produced when cats groom themselves and in the process they ingest hair. Too much of that at once can cause problems for your cat.
Conclusion
In closing just remember to be patient and loyal with your cat. Also remember that the majority of behavior problems can be resolved and make sure you have reasonable expectations of your cat's behavior. Contact the local animal shelter or veterinarian if you are having major issues with your cat's behavior.
Make it a point to get a cat ID tag and collar that has your address,name and telephone number information. By ensuring that your cat is wearing one you ensure there safe return home in the event they find themselves lost and outside in strange surroundings. Some of the ID tags have a radio responder built into them and by making sure your cat is wearing one you make it possible for another person can read it and bring your cat back to you.
Keep your cat inside if at all possible. This action will ensure that the community, your cat and you are doing what's best for all involved. Plus if you have gone through all the trouble to find and train your kitty why risk losing them?
Make it a point to get your cat neutered or spayed. This will assist in reducing the problem of cat overpopulation and will keep them healthier.
It is up to you to train your cat from doing things you don't like like jumping on counter tops and scratching furniture. They can be trained like any other pet if you also keep in mind a bit of understanding, effort and patience when doing so. If you set up a simple system of rewarding and praising them when they perform as you want will go a long way toward them acting and behaving the way you would like.
To keep your cat's coat healthy, soft and shiny make a it a point to groom them often. To keep your cat's hair from matting it should be brushed. This will also decrease the creation of hairballs by your cat. Hairballs are produced when cats groom themselves and in the process they ingest hair. Too much of that at once can cause problems for your cat.
Conclusion
In closing just remember to be patient and loyal with your cat. Also remember that the majority of behavior problems can be resolved and make sure you have reasonable expectations of your cat's behavior. Contact the local animal shelter or veterinarian if you are having major issues with your cat's behavior.
2008年8月19日星期二
Potential Problems for AKC Dog Owners who Wish to Purchase Health Insurance
Every time you go to the pound you should realize it may be better to take home a dog you think you will like than to raise it from a puppy. Others like having the puppies and it is of advantage to raise them because you can control him and will know how he grew up.
The next time you will feel you did something right for your dog is when you get the insurance for him. If you get liability insurance for your dog this is for the other party incase your dog ever bit anyone. Almost every dog that was bread to guard or to be guard dogs should have liability insurance just in case they do bite.
If you have pet insurance you might already know that some companies just won't cover those certain breeds because they are injury prone or are common to sickness. Some breeds have genetic issues that the insurance companies know will just be a problem and cost more to the insurance company.
Some owners may have trouble taking well care of the cocker spaniels kidneys as a puppy until they pass the age of two due to a condition known as Familial Nephropathy which can be fatal. If you have one of these types of dogs than if you don't know they will develop a genetic disorder known to shut their kidneys down from ages 6months to 2 years old so be sure to take care of your puppy. This problem is normally always fatal because there are virtually no signs of it coming to the dog and they just can't help it. Obviously most insurance companies also don't like to cover that sort of thing either
A lot of other dogs have hip problems like golden retrievers, pit bulls, and many other dogs. Hip dysplasia is a genetic problem that affects the dog in its hips. These dogs probably all walk bowlegged and at older ages will have hip problems if not taken care of properly. A lot of pet heath insurance companies will not give you a policy until you have tests done to see if you're dog is problem free of these hip disorders.
Bulldogs are the type that are prone to all kinds of problems heat strokes, breathing problems and sleeping problems are all issues that a bulldog might have. Great Danes have a long rap sheet about hip problems and other problems as well. So before you go and get any type of dog remember to try and get pet insurance because if you don't it might be a problem to your family when you can not pay the vet bills every time you go to the vet even if it is just a check up.
The next time you will feel you did something right for your dog is when you get the insurance for him. If you get liability insurance for your dog this is for the other party incase your dog ever bit anyone. Almost every dog that was bread to guard or to be guard dogs should have liability insurance just in case they do bite.
If you have pet insurance you might already know that some companies just won't cover those certain breeds because they are injury prone or are common to sickness. Some breeds have genetic issues that the insurance companies know will just be a problem and cost more to the insurance company.
Some owners may have trouble taking well care of the cocker spaniels kidneys as a puppy until they pass the age of two due to a condition known as Familial Nephropathy which can be fatal. If you have one of these types of dogs than if you don't know they will develop a genetic disorder known to shut their kidneys down from ages 6months to 2 years old so be sure to take care of your puppy. This problem is normally always fatal because there are virtually no signs of it coming to the dog and they just can't help it. Obviously most insurance companies also don't like to cover that sort of thing either
A lot of other dogs have hip problems like golden retrievers, pit bulls, and many other dogs. Hip dysplasia is a genetic problem that affects the dog in its hips. These dogs probably all walk bowlegged and at older ages will have hip problems if not taken care of properly. A lot of pet heath insurance companies will not give you a policy until you have tests done to see if you're dog is problem free of these hip disorders.
Bulldogs are the type that are prone to all kinds of problems heat strokes, breathing problems and sleeping problems are all issues that a bulldog might have. Great Danes have a long rap sheet about hip problems and other problems as well. So before you go and get any type of dog remember to try and get pet insurance because if you don't it might be a problem to your family when you can not pay the vet bills every time you go to the vet even if it is just a check up.
2008年8月12日星期二
Tips For Easy House Breaking Your Puppy
If you are lucky enough to get a 7-week-old puppy, there is no excuse for any bad habits to develop over his lifetime. Puppies learn INSTANTLY when they are that young, and if you use the proper training methods, gentle but consistent, he will behave like an angel his whole life through.
The most important training, of course, is housebreaking. Boys are easier than girls because exploring outside is their favorite thing. They just cannot get enough of all the new smells out there!
The main key to housebreaking is watching. Watch your puppy AND the clock. Once every hour is not too often on a day he is active and the weather is good. The younger the pup, the more often he needs to go out, mostly because he is growing so fast. He must drink more water to fuel his metabolism than he does as an adult. Also, since he eats three or four times a day, you know what that means.
Watch him for subtle changes. If he is happily chewing his toy, and gets up suddenly with his nose to the floor, move quickly! He is ready to squat! If he has had a nice nap, get him out of his crate and outside right away. If he has just had a good grooming, it stimulates his circulation and guess what? Time to go out again. And of course after a meal, watch him extra close.
Things to remember:
---Do not punish him for mistakes. They are YOUR fault. Every time you take him out he will go, and praise praise and praise! Happy face, laughter, happy noises! He loves your happy face. When he makes a mistake, your frown and your face turned away from him is all the punishment he needs. He will get the point.
---He is learning English, you must use the same phrases over and over. "Good go potty!" "Hafta go potty?" "Wanna go potty?" He can learn in one afternoon that "go potty" means a jaunt outside and your happy face. Whatever phrase you choose, stick with it.
---I cannot recommend strongly enough getting a crate. They truly help with all phases of his training. They make him more secure, provide him with his very own private space and a place for him to hide his favorite toys and chewies. This is even more important if you have other adult dogs in the house.
---Be consistent, always be kind and gentle, and be patient as he learns your language, and your puppy will always look forward to his training sessions. Dogs love to work!
The most important training, of course, is housebreaking. Boys are easier than girls because exploring outside is their favorite thing. They just cannot get enough of all the new smells out there!
The main key to housebreaking is watching. Watch your puppy AND the clock. Once every hour is not too often on a day he is active and the weather is good. The younger the pup, the more often he needs to go out, mostly because he is growing so fast. He must drink more water to fuel his metabolism than he does as an adult. Also, since he eats three or four times a day, you know what that means.
Watch him for subtle changes. If he is happily chewing his toy, and gets up suddenly with his nose to the floor, move quickly! He is ready to squat! If he has had a nice nap, get him out of his crate and outside right away. If he has just had a good grooming, it stimulates his circulation and guess what? Time to go out again. And of course after a meal, watch him extra close.
Things to remember:
---Do not punish him for mistakes. They are YOUR fault. Every time you take him out he will go, and praise praise and praise! Happy face, laughter, happy noises! He loves your happy face. When he makes a mistake, your frown and your face turned away from him is all the punishment he needs. He will get the point.
---He is learning English, you must use the same phrases over and over. "Good go potty!" "Hafta go potty?" "Wanna go potty?" He can learn in one afternoon that "go potty" means a jaunt outside and your happy face. Whatever phrase you choose, stick with it.
---I cannot recommend strongly enough getting a crate. They truly help with all phases of his training. They make him more secure, provide him with his very own private space and a place for him to hide his favorite toys and chewies. This is even more important if you have other adult dogs in the house.
---Be consistent, always be kind and gentle, and be patient as he learns your language, and your puppy will always look forward to his training sessions. Dogs love to work!
2008年8月11日星期一
On The Differences Between Cat and Dog
With the dog, man seems to have made his peace early. Man understands dog. He is comfortable with dog. He appreciates dog's loyalty, courage, intelligence and -- again -- obedience; particularly obedience, for however sentimentally men and dogs view their abiding friendship, it is not a relationship of equals.
Dog is essentially a servant. His feelings toward his master are comradely and his manner familiar; he enjoys the master's affection and regard. But his place was fixed long ago when man told him, "Don't call me. I'll call you." Furthermore, since man always has had difficulty with foreign languages, the channels of communication have been a one-way street.
Under the warm sun of man's approval, dog's tribe has flourished and increased, not only in number but variety. Ever obliging, the dog has transformed his size, shape, color and function until he is now available in 111 separate and distinct breeds, each presumably an improvement over what went before and each meeting some human standard of beauty or utility. Surely this must approach the ultimate in co-operation.
The cat is different. She serves no one, knowingly or willingly. Her one accomplishment -- the hunting of mice, rats and other rodents -- is self-taught. The man does not live who can claim to have trained a cat to perform a task for human benefit.
For their own convenience cats have learned various small maneuvers, like opening doors, but they do not and will not herd sheep, carry messages or run back to the ranch seeking help for jammed-up cowboys. There are no police cats, no watchcats, no sled cats.
The cat does not even come when she's called, unless it suits her.
Stubborn independence in others often puts man's nose out of joint, and it was at such moments that he probably began comforting himself by maligning cat's character. She was sly, treacherous, cruel; you could never tell what she was thinking; but she sure looked as though she knew what people were thinking.
From here, of course, it was a short step to deciding that cats were the companions of witches and suffocated babies by sucking their breath.
Actually, if cats disliked people there would be no more sense in associating with them than with tigers. The fact is that on certain terms, largely unpredictable owing to the wide variety of feline temperaments, it is quite possible to develop a warm and lasting friendship.
This, too, may not be a relationship of equals -- the matter of who has the upper hand will always be in doubt -- but it must be based on the free choice of the principals, on a willingness to tolerate different social and cultural patterns, and on an honest respect for each one's individuality.
In this, the cat will come more than halfway. Once a cat has established rapport with you, she is anything but aloof -- dignified and with a strong sense of privacy, yes; but withdrawn, disdainful, isolationist, no. She will try very hard to teach you cat language, which is only fair and proper since she understands considerable man-talk, even though she is not often persuaded to heed it.
Cats are also quite self-sufficient. You never have to entertain them. This is not to say that they cannot be entertained or that they themselves are not entertaining. It is just that their errands are many and their schedules full.
Admittedly, many of a cat's waking hours are devoted to sleep, and a cat prowling purposefully through tall grass is often simply looking for a warm, safe place in the sun for a cat nap. But they do not moon and mope, like dogs, for the need of someone to do their thinking for them.
What we are dealing with here is simply the cat's monumental, stiff-necked resistance to anything that is not her own idea. Occasionally she will seem to obey, but this is merely a happy coincidence of your wishes and her intentions. Don't be encouraged. Essentially, she bends her will to no one.
Dog is essentially a servant. His feelings toward his master are comradely and his manner familiar; he enjoys the master's affection and regard. But his place was fixed long ago when man told him, "Don't call me. I'll call you." Furthermore, since man always has had difficulty with foreign languages, the channels of communication have been a one-way street.
Under the warm sun of man's approval, dog's tribe has flourished and increased, not only in number but variety. Ever obliging, the dog has transformed his size, shape, color and function until he is now available in 111 separate and distinct breeds, each presumably an improvement over what went before and each meeting some human standard of beauty or utility. Surely this must approach the ultimate in co-operation.
The cat is different. She serves no one, knowingly or willingly. Her one accomplishment -- the hunting of mice, rats and other rodents -- is self-taught. The man does not live who can claim to have trained a cat to perform a task for human benefit.
For their own convenience cats have learned various small maneuvers, like opening doors, but they do not and will not herd sheep, carry messages or run back to the ranch seeking help for jammed-up cowboys. There are no police cats, no watchcats, no sled cats.
The cat does not even come when she's called, unless it suits her.
Stubborn independence in others often puts man's nose out of joint, and it was at such moments that he probably began comforting himself by maligning cat's character. She was sly, treacherous, cruel; you could never tell what she was thinking; but she sure looked as though she knew what people were thinking.
From here, of course, it was a short step to deciding that cats were the companions of witches and suffocated babies by sucking their breath.
Actually, if cats disliked people there would be no more sense in associating with them than with tigers. The fact is that on certain terms, largely unpredictable owing to the wide variety of feline temperaments, it is quite possible to develop a warm and lasting friendship.
This, too, may not be a relationship of equals -- the matter of who has the upper hand will always be in doubt -- but it must be based on the free choice of the principals, on a willingness to tolerate different social and cultural patterns, and on an honest respect for each one's individuality.
In this, the cat will come more than halfway. Once a cat has established rapport with you, she is anything but aloof -- dignified and with a strong sense of privacy, yes; but withdrawn, disdainful, isolationist, no. She will try very hard to teach you cat language, which is only fair and proper since she understands considerable man-talk, even though she is not often persuaded to heed it.
Cats are also quite self-sufficient. You never have to entertain them. This is not to say that they cannot be entertained or that they themselves are not entertaining. It is just that their errands are many and their schedules full.
Admittedly, many of a cat's waking hours are devoted to sleep, and a cat prowling purposefully through tall grass is often simply looking for a warm, safe place in the sun for a cat nap. But they do not moon and mope, like dogs, for the need of someone to do their thinking for them.
What we are dealing with here is simply the cat's monumental, stiff-necked resistance to anything that is not her own idea. Occasionally she will seem to obey, but this is merely a happy coincidence of your wishes and her intentions. Don't be encouraged. Essentially, she bends her will to no one.
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