| 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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 | Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
$54.95 |
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|  | SPECIAL!! 16 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS EPA!
$35.50 |
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 | Tick Tock Teaser From Smartcat
$18.49 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Cat Mat Mocha- Buysafe Free Shipping
$47.55 |
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 | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Almond Paw Print
$29.00 |
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|  | BARGAIN! 8 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA CATS/KITTENS
$18.50 |
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 | HARTZ CAT ACTIVITY CENTER NEW IN BOX POUNCE AROUND TOY
$19.99 |
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|  | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" W Honey Mouse
$25.00 |
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 | Irish Ireland Shamrock Lucky Pet Dog ID Tag St Patrick
$3.29 |
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|  | Food Water Cat Dish Bowl Feeder 5" Wide 5.5" High Pink
$28.00 |
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 | WORLD OF CATS BREAKING BAD HABITS OF YOUR CATS NEW DVD
$4.00 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Almond Fish
$24.00 |
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 | KITTY MANSION/DOUBLE STORY
$19.99 |
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|  | Reuse Littermaid Receptacles LitterGard System SAVES $$
$9.99 |
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 | SmartCat Tick-Tock-Teaser - Interactive Cat Toy
$16.95 |
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|  | NEW Signature Cat Feeder Dish Jester by Ursula Dodge
$4.75 |
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 | Kitten Snowflake
$34.95 |
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$18.50 |
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 | Cat Thermometer
$42.00 |
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|  | Triple Bowl Raised Cat Feeding Dishes Pet Feeder NEW
$22.00 |
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 | LOVE MAXWELL,The Kitten,XL T-Shirt,4 Cat Charity Rescue
$9.99 |
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$18.50 |
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 | Oval Stoneware Feeder Bowl Dog 4.5" High Keep Ears Dry
$29.00 |
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|  | Deluxe In-Ground Cat Fence System
$199.95 |
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 | Certified Organic Catnip ( 1 oz. package)
$3.99 |
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|  | 16 MONTH "KIT" FRONTLINE PLUS CATS- EPA!- GREAT BUY!
$35.50 |
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 | CATS AND BATS Kitten Collar Collars cat
$5.99 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Blue Fishbones
$24.00 |
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 | SKIN AND COAT CAT TREATS cats treat food pet supplies
$2.19 |
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|  | Bass Equipment pet cage brackets new sealed package !
$6.99 |
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 | Fresh'nClean Pet Hair Vac-Away Carpet Deodorizer Powder
$3.75 |
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|  | Phat Cat Condo
$39.95 |
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 | PURR PET CAT ACTIVITY MAT FOR CATS & ferret -PET
$25.99 |
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|  | WOW! FRONTLINE PLUS CATS-EPA APPROVED 16 MONTH KIT
$35.50 |
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 | Feline Philosophy - Stone Wall Hanging
$29.95 |
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|  | LIQUID WORMER FOR KITTENS, CATS, PUPPIES & DOGS NEW
$4.99 |
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 | Fresh 'n Clean Flea & Tick Shampoo for DOGS & CATS 16oz
$3.25 |
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|  | Hello Kitty Catnip Cat Toys 4" - Buy 1 Get 1 Free
$4.00 |
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 | Frame with Angel & Cat/ Pet Memorial Loss
$44.95 |
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|  | Hip CAT COLLAR Christmas Winter Trees ADJUST 7-11"
$5.95 |
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 | Casual Canine Cat Dog Hoodie Sweater Dress Apparel XXS
$7.99 |
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|  | Fat Cat Inc. / Kitty Hoots EEEKS! Catnip Toy
$3.92 |
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 | SmartCat Bootsie's Bunkbed and Playroom
$28.95 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Wide Teal Green
$29.00 |
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 | Paw Print "Save a paw- Don't Declaw!" car magnet QU
$4.99 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" Almond Paw Print
$26.00 |
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 | COSMIC CAT TUNA FLAKES a healthy treat 0.5oz canister
$3.99 |
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|  | 1 GALLON OF ANTI-ICKY-POO P-BATH URINE & ODOR REMOVER
$27.99 |
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 | Dog or Cat Feeder & Water DISH SMALL DOUBLE *NEW*
$5.00 |
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|  | ADAMS PLUS BREAKAWAY FLEA & TICK COLLAR CATS & KITTENS
$8.99 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Furniture Warmer 12"x16" NEW
$29.99 |
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|  | Triple Bowl Raised Cat Feeding Dishes Pet Feeder NEW
$22.00 |
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 | The Litter-Robot™ Advantage - As seen on TV
$329.00 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Kitty Heated Lounger 16 x 20 Cat or Dog
$49.98 |
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 | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" Wide Honey Brown
$24.00 |
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| $5/1 Purina Breeze Tidy Cat Litter System-20 Coupons
$1.00 |
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 | SmartCat Kitty Cat Corner Litter Box - Gray
$11.95 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" Wide Teal Green
$26.00 |
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 | CAT & KITTEN TAPEWORM TABLETS PRAZIQUANTEL
$14.99 |
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|  | Triple Bowl Raised Cat Feeding Dishes Pet Feeder NEW
$24.00 |
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 | BARGAIN! 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS KIT EPA!!! CATS/KITTENS
$18.50 |
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|  | 400 NEW LINERS for LITTERMAID WASTE RECEPTACLES
$22.00 |
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 | 12 ASSORTED BALLS-RETAIL $11.69-CAT TOY-TOYS-PET
$5.50 |
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|  | K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Heated Cat Dog Bed Free Cover
$39.99 |
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 | Fat Cat Inc. / Kitty Hoots ShowGulls CATNIP + FEATHERS
$3.92 |
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|  | K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad FREE Cover 12.5 x 18.5 NEW
$44.98 |
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 | Traditional Dog- Large Garden Statue Pet Memorial Loss
$375.00 |
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|  | Dog Cat Pet Odor Stain Eliminator Best Urine Remover
$9.95 |
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 | SPECIAL! 16 MONTH KIT FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS-EPA!
$35.50 |
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|  | RUFF & READY PET CARRIER-BLACK
$19.00 |
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 | K&H Lectro Soft Outdoor Heated Large Dog Bed Free Cover
$74.99 |
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|  | Cat Litter Odor Smell Removal Crystals - Halves Changes
$14.99 |
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 | Triple Bowl Raised Cat Feeding Dishes Pet Feeder NEW
$22.00 |
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|  | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 4.5" H Almond Mouse
$25.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Heated 16" Bed Sage or Mocha NEW
$29.99 |
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|  | SALE! 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS KIT CATS/KITTENS EPA
$18.50 |
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 | LOT OF 6 KITTY WONDERBOX DISPOSABLE LITTER TRAYS LINER
$17.99 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Cat Mat Sage- Buysafe Free Shipping
$47.55 |
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 | NEW TURBO SCRATCHER CAT TOY REPLACEMENT SCRATCH PAD SET
$14.49 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT DOGS 10-20 lbs 4 dose~*~*~
$24.95 |
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 | K&H Thermo-Cat Hut Bed Mocha 18" Dia Buysafe Free Ship
$55.77 |
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|  | 8 MONTHS FRONTLINE PLUS KIT CATS/KITTENS EPA-GREAT BUY!
$18.50 |
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 | 4 PLASTIC BALLS BY PENN-PLAX-GREAT CAT TOYS FOR PETS
$2.99 |
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|  | WOW!!!! FRONTLINE PLUS CAT KIT EPA APPROVED 8 MONTHS
$18.50 |
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS flea tick control dog 23-44 lbs 3 dose
$17.95 |
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|  | New Cat KittenTapeworm Dewormer Tab 3ct exp. date12/10
$12.19 |
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 | Hard Food Dish Water Bowl Cat Dog 5" Wide Teal Green
$25.00 |
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|  | K&H Heated Kitty Camper Outdoor Cat Bed House NEW
$64.99 |
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 | K&H Thermo-Cat Hut Bed Sage 18" Dia Buysafe Free Ship
$55.77 |
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|  | SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
$47.95 |
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 | Wet Food Pedestal Dish Bowl Cat Dog 6" Wide Pink
$33.00 |
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|  | New Charm Dog Cat Collar Purse Rhinestone Double Heart
$3.00 |
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 | CAT MATE 5 MEAL Cat or Dog AUTOMATIC PET FEEDER C50
$37.95 |
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|  | ARN & HAMMER Cat Litter Deodorizer wBaking Soda 1lb 4oz
$3.75 |
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 | Food Water Cat Dog Dish Bowl 6" Wide 5.5" High
$26.00 |
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|  | DISCOUNT!!! EPA!! 16 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS CATS/KITTENS
$35.50 |
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 | Fresh 'n Clean Cat Litter Deodorizer 1lb 4oz
$3.75 |
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|  | Wet Food Pedestal Pet Cat Dish Bowl 6" W Honey Mouse
$26.00 |
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 | Her MAJESTY Princess Crown GANZ Pet COLLAR Charm NEW
$5.99 |
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