| 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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 | Burlap Mouse w/ Catnip - 3 Pack
$2.52 |
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|  | 80" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2030
$24.99 |
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 | Frontline Plus for Cats & kittens Sealed 6 dose cat pk
$22.00 |
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|  | Cats Love The LitterHouse Litter Box!
$69.99 |
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 | CAT GRASS SEEDS - A MIX CATS LOVE - FREE SHIPPING
$3.00 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL KIT ALL SIZES dogs cats SAVE!!!!
$23.75 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A4201
$0.99 |
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|  | Pawprint Adjust Nylon cat collars wt bell (3)!
$7.58 |
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 | HANDMADE CATNIP KICKER TOY
$2.00 |
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|  | New Kitty Cat Fun Play Tunnel 4 Feet Long Pet Cats Toy
$9.41 |
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 | PETSTAGES COZY CALMING MAT TOY KITTY OR CAT - BRAND NEW
$0.99 |
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| 20 BOGO FREE Purina Friskies Cat Treat Coupons $3.23/1!
$0.50 |
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 | PET Nail Clippers - Stainless Steel Free shipping USA*
$5.49 |
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|  | CAT PET DOG URINE ODOR ELIMINATOR REMOVER
$5.99 |
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 | PetSafe Cat Windoor - Removable Pet Door
$74.95 |
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|  | 45" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F04
$0.99 |
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 | Petmate Litter Locker Plus-NIB (8898)
$13.50 |
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|  | Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F07
$0.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL CATS OVER 9 lbs 5 MONTH SUPPLY 6
$18.99 |
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|  | 74" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2038
$0.99 |
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 | ORGANIC WHEAT SEEDS - CAT GRASS - FREE SHIPPING
$3.00 |
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|  | NIB JEWELED CAT FACE CHARM BY MUD PIE CAT W/BLUE CROWN
$9.99 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A7101
$0.99 |
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|  | 45" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F05
$0.99 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A8001
$0.99 |
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|  | Laser Pointer 36 Different Heads Great Buy! FUN!!
$0.01 |
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 | "HUGE" Cat Tree Toy House Scratcher Post Furniture FC01
$9.99 |
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|  | NIB "MEOW" HANDLE CAT FOOD SCOOP BY MUD PIE SILVER
$14.99 |
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 | Vera Bradley Blue Pet Porter/Carrier for Cat or dog
$15.00 |
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|  | 1/4-POUND CAT DOG "oat GRASS" digestive track aid SEEDS
$9.50 |
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 | ADVANTAGE IN BOX FOR CATS OVER 9 LBS 6 MONTH SUPPLY EPA
$55.99 |
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|  | 100"-112" ADJ CAT TREE FURNITURE CONDO HOUSE SCRACHING
$0.99 |
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 | Advantage for cats under 4kgs - 4 pack
$25.04 |
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|  | ORGANIC WHEAT SEEDS - CAT GRASS - FREE SHIPPING
$3.00 |
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 | K&H Thermo Heated Kitty Cat Bed 16" x 16" x 6"
$44.99 |
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|  | 6 pcs adjust nylon cat collars wt bell@
$15.20 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FOR CATS OVER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 4 6 8 12
$34.95 |
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|  | CAT GRASS SEEDS - A MIX CATS LOVE - FREE SHIPPING
$3.00 |
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 | HANDMADE CATNIP MAT
$5.00 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS NEW IN BOX 3 MONTH SUPPLY USA
$36.99 |
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 | ***SET OF (3) USED FELIWAY COMFORT ZONE DIFFUSERS***
$14.99 |
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|  | Atomic Bouncing Ball 2 Pack
$2.84 |
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 | Advantage for cats under 4kgs - 6 pack
$36.53 |
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|  | PETMATE DELUXE FRESH FLOW WATERING SYSTEM New in Box
$8.99 |
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 | Handsewn Cat Nip Feather Cat Toys (1049)
$3.00 |
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| 20 $1.00/4 Friskies Selects Indoor Can Cat food Coupons
$0.55 |
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 | 8 Energizer ULTIMATE LITHIUM 8X AA Batteries *NEW*
$0.99 |
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|  | Program for cats up to 4.5kgs - 6 pack
$26.92 |
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 | Program cats 4.6-9kgs - 6 pack
$29.02 |
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| Nextar 1.5" LCD Screen Display
$0.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS UNDER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 1 4 6 8
$18.99 |
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|  | Colorful Springs Thin 10 Pack
$1.79 |
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 | camo bed bone pattern bed new sealed hard to find
$3.00 |
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|  | .094 PET TENT CARRIER - BLUE - CAT ON CLOUD DESIGN NEW
$0.99 |
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 | HANDMADE CATNIP KICKER TOY
$2.00 |
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|  | Kittyvite Daily Vitamin Paste - For Senior Cats
$2.99 |
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS flea control small dogs 0-22 lbs 6 dose
$17.95 |
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|  | Petmate Small Pet Carrier/Taxi Pink-NWT (8897)
$8.50 |
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 | FRONTLINE PLUS CAT 6 MONTHS FREE SHIPPING
$32.95 |
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|  | NEW RING SLING PUPPY POUCH PET CARRIER PINK DOTS $10.99
$10.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE IN BOX FOR CATS OVER 9 LBS 4 MONTH SUPPLY EPA
$39.99 |
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|  | *** Killer Bud *** Catnip Kitty Drugs - The Catnip King
$4.99 |
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Norstar Meridian M7100 Office Phones
$0.99 |
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|  | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-05
$59.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE BOX FOR CATS UNDER 9 LBS 4 MONTH SUPPLY EPA 6
$38.99 |
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|  | SALE 16 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$36.00 |
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 | Bling doggie collar black pink bone rhinestones
$2.99 |
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|  | 6 WHOLESALE Wind Up Windup Fake Mouse Cat Dog Toy
$19.95 |
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 | CATNIP SEEDS - CATS LOVE IT!!!!!!!! - FREE SHIPPING
$2.50 |
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|  | SET of 2 CAT DISHES "GOOD CAT" "CAT SILOUETTE" NEW
$0.99 |
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 | Littermaid Elite Mega LME9000MB Automatic Litter Box
$134.95 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B6802
$0.99 |
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 | ORGANIC CATNIP CAT TOY HANDMADE 100% to PET CHARITY
$2.65 |
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|  | small dogs FRONTLINE PLUS flea control 0-22 lbs 6 dose
$23.84 |
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 | 96"-109" ADJ CAT TREE FURNITURE CONDO HOUSE SCRACHING
$0.99 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A5801
$0.99 |
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 | HANDMADE CATNIP KICKER TOY
$2.00 |
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|  | Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F18
$9.99 |
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 | fur mice cat toy LONG HAIR- pack of 50
$9.99 |
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|  | 3 ORGANIC CATNIP KNOTS CAT TOY 100% to PET CHARITY
$3.50 |
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 | .005 PET SCRATCH TOWER - CAT FERRET HOME -5 HUGE LEVELS
$16.99 |
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|  | Program for cats up to 4.5kgs - 6 pack
$26.92 |
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 | Advantage for cats over 4kgs - 6 pack
$38.80 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B3001
$0.99 |
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 | Hip CAT COLLAR Christmas Gingerbread Men ADJUSTS 7-11"
$5.95 |
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|  | TERRIFIC FRESH PET AREA DEODORIZER/AIR PURIFIER - NIB
$9.99 |
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 | Smart Scoop Litter Box Spray Gift Set-NIB (8891)
$2.00 |
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|  | CATNIP SEEDS - CATS LOVE IT!!!!!!!! - FREE SHIPPING
$2.50 |
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 | Adjustable nylon cat collars wt bell--6$
$15.20 |
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|  | CHEAP 8 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$19.00 |
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 | 38" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F38
$0.99 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A4301
$0.99 |
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 | PetSafe Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box, Electric, Kitty
$89.00 |
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|  | Kitty Playtime Mat
$0.99 |
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 | HANDMADE CATNIP KICKER TOY
$2.00 |
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|  | Flashing Cat Ball
$2.21 |
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 | CatIt Pet Water Fountain with mat,extra filters &dishes
$19.99 |
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|  | CAT HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER, SO CUTE, MUST SEE!
$1.99 |
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 | 73" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-08
$99.99 |
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|  | Cats Rule Priscilla's Litter Pan Passion Pink
$5.99 |
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