Helpful Cat Care Info

John Ellis John Ellis

Ten Reasons Senior Cats Rule

By contributing editor, Jane Harrell, Petfinder.com associate producer

As mom to three “older” cats, I consider senior-cat adoption a cause near and dear to my heart. If you have a friend who’s thinking of adopting — or if you’re considering adding a new cat family member yourself — read and share this list:

  1. When senior cats are adopted, they seem to understand that they’ve been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it.

  2. A senior cat’s personality has already developed, so you’ll know if he or she is a good fit for your family.

  3. You can teach an old cat new tricks (I do every day with my own cats!): Senior cats have the attention span and impulse control that makes them easier to train than their youthful counterparts.

  4. A senior cat may very well already know basic household etiquette (like not attacking your feet at night) anyway!

  5. In particular, senior cats are often already litter trained and are less likely to “forget” where the box is.

  6. Senior cats are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger cats, who may get into mischief because they’re bored.

  7. Speaking of relaxing, senior cats make great napping buddies.

  8. Senior cats often know that scratching posts (not furniture) are for scratching and toys (not hands or feet) are for biting.

  9. A senior cat won’t grow any larger, so you’ll know exactly how much cat you’re getting.

  10. Senior cats are some of the hardest to find homes for – so when you adopt a senior cat, you are truly saving a life.

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Peggy Simon Peggy Simon

What Color Does Your Cat See?

What Color Does Your Cat See?

 
 

We believe cats do see in color, although not exactly the way we do. In past tests, cats appeared to distinguish between the low to mid light wave spectrum (higher frequency), meaning cats responded to the colors purple, blue, green and yellow range. Red, orange and brown colors appear to fall outside cats color range and are most likely seen as shades of gray or purple. Cats appear to see less saturation in colors than do humans, meaning cats do not see colors as intensely or vibrantly. Blue and green appear to be the strongest colors perceived by cats. Tests suggest cats can distinguish between more shades or levels of gray than can humans.

Cats, like dogs, can see some colors: They can tell the difference between red, blue and yellow, and between red and green, although these are less distinguishable. Cats are able to distinguish between blues and violets better than between colors near the red end of the spectrum.Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.

Color is of little importance to cats. They hunt by the motion of their prey, not by its color.

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