A Michael Broad Blog
Many cat owners might say that their domestic cat companion is an excellent pet. I’m going to say something which is almost heretical and something which sounds anti-cat as if said by a cat hater. But I’m not; I am a cat lover and a realist. And with that character trait, I have to …
Here comes Toji! – Photo by fofurasfelinas (link at base of page) This is a really nice picture by a well-known Flickr photographer, Giane Portal, Flickr name: forfurasfelinas, of a sanctuary or rescue cat (she is heavily involved in cat rescue) named Toji. As we can see, he is a brown mackerel tabby cat …
All cats are digitigrade; that is, they walk on their toes. You probably know this. Incidentally, they walk with a direct register gait which means that the paw prints made by the forelegs are occupied by the paw prints made by the hind legs as the cat walks forwards. The distal phalange (phalanx) of …
Together with the cat’s athleticism, their claws and teeth define the cat because they are essential to their predatory nature. The cat is a top predator and they live with us when domesticated. It’s remarkable in many ways that humans should so successfully live with such a devastating predator. The relationship isn’t always successful …
NEWS AND OPINION-JAGANNATH TEMPLE, INDIA: For me, this is an interesting clash between religious belief and practicalities. And in passing it is about cats! The 12th century Jagannath Temple in eastern India is revered by Hindus. It is a pilgrimage site. It is beloved and a very important temple. But it is under attack …
I think that this is important. I have been digging around because I know that journalists writing for respected websites including news media website often distort the facts. They make claims and hard statements which simply are not true. They quote scientific reports but in doing so they actually misquote them. This is a …
This is a square infographic which illustrates five barriers to domestic cat success. As I state, this is not a criticism of cat domestication. It is realisation that barriers exist. We are two very different species with a lot in common despite the barriers. All five can result in problems in the human-to-cat relationship, …
Viscount Monckton, a peer of the realm, sitting in the House of Lords, UK, has suggested that cat owners should muzzle their cats if they are allowed outside as his father suggested years ago. He said: “Muzzling cats will not hurt them. Many dogs are muzzled when they go out and about. Muzzling stops …
