A Michael Broad Blog
It’s become quite well known that the family of Oriental cat breeds which includes the Siamese, Javanese and Oriental shorthair and longhair (and other breeds), are susceptible to developing eating non-nutritious substances, which is called pica, and in particular fabric. The big question is what causes it. And the small answer is that the …
People ask whether a fox is a danger to a wandering, outdoor domestic cat and the answer depends upon the age, the sex, the character of the fox and the cat, and of course the circumstances. However, by-and-large, in my UK experience, the cat and the fox respect each other because they both see …
Sports men and women playing for the England team in various sports have a badge on their shirt depicting three lions. They wear this because it is a symbol of England. Also, the lions are a symbol of strength and courage, two qualities which are essential in winning in sport competitions. History The evolution …
Persian cats have a distinct reputation for being lethargic and lazy. There are probably three reasons why this breed has been labelled with this description. The first is that through selective breeding over decades, cat breeders have not only selected cats of a certain appearance but of a certain character. Over time this character …
I have just discovered it: Pet Blind Boxes, another aspect of cruelty to animals in China which utterly bemuses as me. I can’t get too involved in this cruelty because it is too objectionable but I have to report it. China has no law against animal cruelty. This allows the shipping of live animals …
“Breeding true” means that the offspring look like their parents. It is achieved by “line breeding” which is a form of inbreeding which ideally does not transfer undesirable traits together with those traits that the breeder wants such as the correct phenotype (appearance as per the breed standard). It is a fine balance being …
I have always believed that we don’t give enough credence to the possibility that the size difference between humans and domestic cats can make them feel vulnerable and potentially fearful depending on their confidence levels. I believe that this size difference is a major underlying factor in the quality of our relationship. It’s a …
I probably don’t have the right to provide advice to Giles Coren about how to care for his domestic cat companions but I’m going to anyway. Although, I suspect that he knows the answers already as he is as sharp as a tack. But he provides a very laissez-faire and casual record about the …
