Cat Magazine

Debunked: Black Cats = Bad luck?

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“How to Cat-Proof Your House!“

Aeasy-to-readguidewithtipsonhowtosetupyour housefromcatfurnituretotoysthatmaximizesthe enjoymentforyourfurryfriends

Page5: Kitty Crossing

Acatbreedcrosswordandoddballcatwordsearch ofeasy-mediumdifficultiesforallages.

Debunked: Black cats = Bad luck?

Thelatestinstallmentofourmyth-busting series,“Debunked”exploringthesuperstitious historyofblackcats.

How to Cat-Proof Your House

Areyoubrandnewpetparent,lookingtomakeyourhouseas comfortableaspossibleforyourprospectivefelinefriend?Or areyousimplylookingtoimproveyourcurrentcatset-up?

Eitherway,thisarticleisforyou!Thisisaone-stopshopfor allkitty-friendlytipsandtrinketswithpicturesshowingthemin action.

Thisarticlebreaksdownseveralcategoriesofcatliving(litter, bedding/furniture,&toys)anddescribesthebestpossible optionsbasedonyouandyourcatsneeds.

Litter + Litter Boxes

1. Yourfirstinstinctmaybetogetsomeclaypebble litterwitharegularoldlitterboxandcallitaday,but youmayendupwithasightlikethis...

Thereisn’tanythinginherentlywrongwithclaylitterinasquare litterbox,asImyselfamIuseitathome.However,therearealot offactorsyoushouldconsiderbeforesettlingforthecheapest option(informationsourcedfromPetCareRxandPrettyLitter.com)

Scents:Catlittercomesinavarietyofscentsorlackthereof:you mustbecarefulwithwhichscentsyouuse,assomethingthat’stoo strongmayirritateyourcatsnose,leadingtocatasthmaoran allergicreaction.Ifthecatdoesn’tlikethescent,theycouldalso avoidthelitterboxaltogether.Ratherthanlookingatscents,pay attentiontothematerialthelitterismadeof,assilicagelorclay litterscancontrolodorswellevenifitcomesunscented.

Material:Catlittercancomeclay,silicagel,orplants.Plants (wood,wheat,corn,etc.)aremoreenvironmentallyfriendlythan otherlitteroptions,buttheytendtobemessyandhavelessodor absorption.Claycomesinlightweight,dust-freeformsthatare odor-controlling,lesslikelytocauseasthma,andprettycheap (notenvironmentallyfriendly).Silicagelisgoodatodor absorptionanddustcontrolnaturally,therearebrandslike PrettyLitterwheretheindividualpearlschangecolorbasedonyour catsurine.Thisisgoodforcatswithhealthproblemnotvisibleto theowner,buttheselittersareoftenexpensiveandnotecofriendly.

BoxShape:Litterboxesthatareopenliketheoneinthe pictureneedtohaveedgesshortenoughforanadultcatto climbinbuttallenoughtopreventanywaywardstreams. Closedlitterboxesneedanopeningbigenoughforyourcat toin-and-outregularly.

Size:Alwaysbuyanadultsizedcatlitterbox,anykittensin yourhousewillgrowupeventuallyandthey’llneed adequatespacetousethebathroom.

Amount:Thenumberoflitterboxesyouneedequalsthe numberofcatsinthehouse+1(e.g.,2catsneed3boxes).

Maintenance:Regularlitterboxesmustbescoopedevery day.Thereareself-cleaninglitterboxesthatcleartheicky stuffforyou,butbewarned,thesebabiescanbeVERY expensive

Littermats:Siliconematsthatgounderneathlitterboxesof anykindtopreventlitterfromscatteringonthefloor; recommendedforthosewhouseclaylitter

Youmightbethinkingacat needstheirownspecialbedlike adogwould,butthat’snot alwaysthecase.

Tip:Trytofindoutwhatlitter brands/boxesyourcathas usedbeforemeetingyou;it’s theeasiestwaytofindout theirpreferences!

It’struethatcatsrequireanice placetosleepthroughouttheday, butthatdoesn’tequalaspecialcat bed.Instead,youcansavemoney andeffortbysettingupsomesoft pillowsandblanketsinyourcats favoritecorner.Ifyourbedisbig enough,yourcatmaylikesleeping onyourpillowsorsheetsnear you.

Note:Ifyourcathasarthiritisor otherhealthproblemsthatcausesthem mobilitiyissues,itisrecommendedto buyacatbedwithaheatingpadto easepain.

Furniture

Furnitureinacathousehold shouldberesilienttoscratching andhighofftheground. Ideally,anicecattowerwould fulfilltheserequirements; however,Iknowtheirpricetag canmakeithardtoget.

Useadeskorwindowsillasa substitute,catswillhaveallthe funclimbingit,withoutcosting youadime!

3. Toys

Cattoys!Themostcontroversialtopicin theentirecatcommunity!(notreally)Itisa runningjokeinsomecathouseholdsthat catswouldchoosearandomhousehold objecttoplaywithoveranultra-expensive cattoyanyday.

Warning:Trytokeepyourcats awayfromanybracelets,bands, orsmallsoliditemslike computerchipsorLEGOS,as theycanbeachokinghazardfor yourcatandleadtoserious medicalcomplications!

Ingeneral,catslikethingsthatdangle,move fast,ormakesomenoise.Thisiswhy despitepopularbeliefs,laserpointersare NOTgoodcattoys;lasersleaveyourcat frustratedbecausetheycan’tphysicallyhunt thelightwhichmayleadtoharmful behaviorsinthefuture,likeover-grooming. Trygettingthemsomeyarn,aninteractive staff(polewithastringhangingfeathers andplushanimalsforthecatstoswat), plushiesinfusedwithcatnip,orjustaplain box(catshaveandalwayswillloveboxes).

Kitty Crossing: Crossword (Cat Breeds)

Kitty Crossing: Clues

1. A cat known for its distinctive brown markings on white fur; had a cameo in, “Lady and the Tramp”

2. This cat is named after an ancient empire in the Middle East that is now known as Iran.

4. Named after the northernmost Nordic country: ________ Forest Cat

1.

A hairless cat; a lion with a woman ’ s head in Greek/Egyptian mythology.

3. A cat native to and named after the Arabian Peninsula.

5. Docile, fluffy cats named after a girls toy in the 1800s

6. Cross between an Asian leopard cat and the domestic cat; named after a region in East India.

Kitty Crossing: Word Search

Debunked: Do Black Cats = Bad Luck?

By: Annie Sullivan

Among the most notorious superstitions, the stories about Black cats always stood out to me. Not just because I’m a huge cat fan but because unlike other superstitions - like shattering a mirror will bring you 7 years of bad luck or opening an umbrella in your house will ruin your daythe myths about Black cats are actually rooted in world history.

Throughout medieval Europe, a fear of witchcraft and the supernatural spread permeated the public.

Black cats were thought to demons serving as familiars to pagan witches.

The superstition that cats bring, “bad luck” if you come across them stems from the belief that cats were familiars, or companions of witches.

History.com asserts that negative superstitions of Black cats dates all the way back to the 13th century, where a document called, “Vox in Rama” written by Pope Gregory IX in 1233 ,stated that Black cats held Satan’s soul. According to Irish Legal News, a journalist blog based in Britain, Black cats were murdered under the Pope’s anti-cat legislation for this very belief.

Please keep in mind that the people who invented these superstitions were the same parties burning female doctors and non-Christians alive for being “heretics” So, not exactly the most open-minded experts around. In fact, according to Petplan, the UK’s top pet insurance company, in Welsh culture, finding a cat is an indicator of treasure, and in Japanese culture, Black cats are a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

Nevertheless, the belief that Black cats attract bad luck or serve as a medium for spirits or sorcery persist today. While these beliefs are entirely fake, their effects on the lives of these unfortunate felines are very much real.

According to the National Library of Medicine, Black cats can have the highest euthanasia rates and lowest rates of adoption compared to cats of other colors; the phenomenon being dubbed, “Dark Cat Syndrome”. The source asserts that several shelters (owned by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) have rescued Black cats abandoned by their owners just because their dark features didn’t photograph well.

Well, as a lover of all cats, I don’t think any cat should have to feel unloved because of the way they look. I’d like to take this moment to encourage readers to choose their furever friends based on personality - not an Instagram color match. Just like you wouldn’t swear off buying an umbrella or a mirror forever because of some vague superstition surrounding them, I encourage my readers to not write off black cats on their adoption lists; black cats aren’t all that bad after all.