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A cat that can never be tamed!

Credit: Highland Wildlife Park

This lovely little kitten with a head that looks just slightly too big for its face is a Scottish wildcat, a very rare type of wildcat that has dwindled to about 400 individuals living in Britain, mostly restricted to the Highlands of Scotland. It’s also one of the two kittens, named Merinda and Brave, born recently at the Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland as part of their Highland Tiger conservation project.

According to a 2007 paper in Science, all domestic cats descended from a Middle Eastern wildcat called Felis sylvestris (literally, “cat of the woods”). Author Carlos Driscoll, a research scientist at the University of Oxford, suggested that these cats, in typical cat-fashion, “sort of domesticated themselves”, wandering into our homes and claiming our beds and tabletops as their own from as early as 12,000 years ago. WhileFelis sylvestris is not considered endangered, because its subspecies are  spread all over the world, the Scottish wildcat is so endangered, it’s not only considered one of the rarest mammals in Britain, but is the only surviving member of the cat family native to Britain.

The wildcats of Asia, Europe and Africa are most often considered subspecies of Felis silvestris, which would make the Scottish wildcat a population of the European wildcat subspecies, Felis silvestris silvestris. But some taxonomists consider it a subspecies of its own, called Felis silvestris silvestris, because it’s spent two million years in total isolation.

Courtesy: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/2012/06/27/a-cat-that-can-never-be-tamed/
*********** Enjoy..Anil

Cats vs Dogs!

Its upto you to think the way you want! Both are good in their own ways! 

Cats by nature think they are kind of tigers(their bigger versions!)! And dogs believe they are dogs(no offence meant and they are proud of their kind) and always consider humans to be their masters!

Cats take their master out for a walk by leading from the front! And dogs always love when their masters take them out for a walk!

*********** Enjoy..Anil

Cats cared for in AP

Today, I read an article in Deccan Herald in Bangalore which says cats are being cared for in a religious place in Ranga Reddy district near Hyderabad(AP,India). In this hot summer where the cats struggle under the burning sun to get some fluids, this article created a good feeling not just because it is linked to cats, but also due to the fact that the general public itself is so much caring towards the cats there, feeding the cats with milk!
Of course it is only out of some religious belief, but the care taken for the cats is good nonetheless!
Similar practises of feeding cats are present at other places in India like Gujarat, UP etc too..
Hope this continues to inspire other areas..!!

*********** Anil

The eyes of an angel!

On friday on my way back home, I walked close to the bushy tailed cat and looked into its eyes! And the expression on its face was so pure and full of so much positive energy that I wanted to look at it for a longer time!

*********** Enjoy..Anil

The cat with a bushy tail!

No! Dont go by the title of this post and assume this to be some story. This isnt a fictitious story but a real one that I have witnessed today morning at my pick up point.
I spotted a golden cat with a long bushy tail being taken by its owner with a chain around its neck. Once, a couple of months back, I came very near to it and it meowed, probably greeting me "hellooo!". And today it sat next to a chicken cage. After playing with itself for some time, its owner lifted it up and put it on top that cage.
But it is soo curious and uncomfortable in that cranky, small space that it slid down verrrry cautiously and somehow got into the cage section below it(the cage's door was open!). It was a sight to behold!
And by the time it settled into its compartment, I had to start travelling to office from there!
Memorable morning indeed!

*********** Enjoy..Anil

A cat-dog combo at a house entrance!

Recently I have seen two warring animals tied up near the entrance of a house while on my way back home from office: A cat and a dog. I really doesn't understand how these two bear being next to each other, but they seemed to be comfortable. Or maybe because the cat was too small to be making any impact on the dog! Overall, the situation reminded me of another one where our ex-home dog got a special treatment from our ex-home cat one evening in 2007! It kept scratching the dog and it did nothing except turning its head away front the cat! Those days we used to have lots of cat fights between our home cat and other rogue cats. And sometimes it pounces on us from nowhere, assuming us to be some sheep and imagining itself to be a tiger! Cats can be very brave indeed! Especially our cat! There is a video of how it was climbing down the window grill after alerting us about a snake outside(in 2006 or 2007)! I ll post it soon..


*********** Enjoy..Anil

To all the cute cats

To all the cute cats who can understand human language: "Please be extra cautious while crossing the road catties. I cant afford to see another ghastly accident after yesterday's terrible one that disturbed me a lot and a sleepless night:(.  



I know we cannot bring the ill-fated cat back to life by being upset and worrying about it, but we can atleast create an awareness by making cats and people aware of traffic rules.



Take care all meows out there"..

-Anil