| 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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$165.00 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS flea control small dogs 0-22 lbs 6 dose
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|  | LOT of 24 Feliway Comfort Zone Diffuser Outlet Refill
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 | Instinctive Choice Canned Cat Food 24 3oz
$22.95 |
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|  | Feliway Comfort Zone Outlet Refill Lot of 6 Cat Supply
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 | 56" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F3031
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|  | NO MORE LITTER BOX~~NO MORE MESS~~~free shipping
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 | 74" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2040
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$18.95 |
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$18.90 |
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$20.00 |
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$63.00 |
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$18.95 |
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|  | 69" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F42
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 | 42 head lazer keychain laser pointer NEW LOW S+H C
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|  | 48" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F09
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 | CAT TREE PLANS, Make 6 Furniture Condo PLAN Instruction
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|  | Footprint pattern Adjust Nylon cat collars wt bell (3)#
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 | LOT OF 2 SCOOPWELL CAT LITTER BOX CLEANER SCOOPER nwt
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|  | 5 DOSES ADVANTAGE PURPLE FLEA CAT OVER 9 18 LBS 4 6
$18.88 |
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 | keychain laser pointer Lazer 12 head NEW C Low S+H
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|  | Littermaid Mega LM900 Automatic Litter Box FREE SHIP
$129.89 |
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 | 5 MONTH ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS KITTENS OVER 9 POUNDS LBS
$18.97 |
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|  | **New** Heavy Duty Rustic Cast Iron Cat Hooks, set of 4
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 | N.I.P Cozy Pet POP-UP CAT TENT ZEBRA print Kitten cat
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$92.00 |
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 | 5 MONTH ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA PURPLE OVER 9 18 LBS 4 6
$19.01 |
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 | Fancy Feast Bowl Dish NIP -- Free Shipping w Buy it Now
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|  | 64" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F11
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 | "HUGE" Cat Tree Toy House Scratcher Post Furniture FC01
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 | 5 MONTH ADVANTAGE PURPLE CAT KITTEN OVER 9 LBS POUNDS
$18.98 |
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|  | 1 LB. OF CATNIP 16 OZ. 100% ORGANIC * FRESH! * GREEN!
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|  | ADVANTAGE CATS OVER 9 LBS POUNDS 5 DOSES PURPLE FLEA
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 | Petmate Purifying Pet Fountain
$2.00 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS cats FLEA & TICK 8 month supply
$5.55 |
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 | 48" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F43
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|  | 32" Cat Kitten Pet Hide N Seek 3/Way Bed Toys Tunnel
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS flea control small dogs 0-22 lbs 6 dose
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|  | ADVANTAGE IN BOX FOR CATS OVER 9 LBS 4 MONTH SUPPLY EPA
$35.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL FOR CATS 10 LBS AND UP 5 DOSES
$17.99 |
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|  | NIB! PLAYBOY BLACK CERAMIC PET FOOD BOWL - 5" DIAMETER
$7.99 |
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 | OMEGA PAW SELF CLEANING LITTERBOX & MAT SIZE LARGE
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|  | CERAMIC DOUBLE DINER CAT KITTTEN DISH BLACK WHITE NEW
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 | 73" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-08
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|  | Cat Dog Animal Pet Outside Outdoor Tunnel Cage Pen
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 | Cat / Kitty HAMMOCK - Your Kitties will love it too!
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|  | 72" Cat Tree House Scratcher Post Furniture F2040-Blue
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 | 24 LitterMaid LMR200 Waste Containers Receptacles NIB
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|  | fur mice -60 piece-natural colors
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 | 1 OZ. OF CATNIP 100% ORGANICALLY GROWN GREAT QUALITY!!
$0.75 |
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|  | QUICKSAND PERPETUAL CAT LITTER SIFTING SYSTEM
$12.49 |
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 | 45" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F05
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|  | CAT ADVANTAGE KITTENS UP TO 1 9 POUNDS LBS 10 DOSES
$18.95 |
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 | Feli-Way Electric Diffuser refill
$15.00 |
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|  | SPORT PET PET KITTY CAT PLAYGROUND CLIMBER HOUSE NEW
$25.24 |
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 | Petmate Cat Litter Box With Hood Pink Hooded New
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA CONTROL FOR CATS 8 MONTHLY DOSES
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 | 12 COMFORT ZONE FELIWAY REFILL LOT + 2 BONUS DIFFUSERS!
$191.00 |
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|  | DISCOUNTED 8 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$16.50 |
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 | 12 FELIWAY COMFORT ZONE REFIIL LOT + 1 BONUS DIFFUSER!
$180.00 |
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|  | 3/8" Sisal Rope 100' CAT SCRATCHING POST Gardening Bird
$7.49 |
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 | FREE Friskies Product
$7.16 |
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|  | FREE Friskies Product
$7.16 |
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 | Frontline Plus Cats 6 "FREE USA SHIPPING* 3 12 TOO!
$32.95 |
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|  | Whimsical Cat Motif Wall Mount Key Hook Holder -Brass-
$8.25 |
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 | New Castlemere Cobalt Pottery Cat Food Water Dish Bowl
$4.99 |
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|  | PLANT CAT/DOG ORGANIC GRASS digestive aid *BUY-1-GET-1
$2.50 |
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 | 49" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F41
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT 10 doses SMALL DOGS 0-9 lbs
$18.95 |
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA KIT FOR CATS 8 DOSES
$18.99 |
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|  | 80" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2030
$0.99 |
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 | PLAYBOY PINK CERAMIC HEART PET FOOD BOWL - 7" DIAMETER
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|  | Plush Snuggle Sack Bed Cat / Sm. Dog Firstrax Lazy Pet
$6.99 |
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 | MidWest Cages Cat Play Pen Model 130 - FREE BED!!
$97.95 |
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|  | ADORABLE CAT BED!!! Blue cats
$2.75 |
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 | Drinkwell Pet Fountain w/50 oz. Reservoir! - White/Grey
$23.17 |
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|  | LitterMaid Self-Cleaning Litter Box
$25.13 |
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 | SALE ~ Large 14+ lb ~ SOFT CLAWS PAWS Nail Caps Covers
$12.50 |
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|  | TEACH YOUR CAT TO USE THE TOILET~~~NO MORE LITTER BOX
$3.00 |
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS cats FLEA & TICK med 8 month supply ~*~
$18.95 |
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