| 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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 | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Cotton Candy NEW
$6.30 |
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|  | Flint River Ranch Cat Treats 4 bags Bonita Fish Flakes
$25.96 |
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 | Elevated Cat Dog Dish Water Bowl CD5-T Almond White
$35.00 |
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|  | Cat Kitten Dog Puppy Pet Companion BRUNO
$12.88 |
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 | Feline Greenies Cat Treats - Chicken
$2.99 |
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|  | Frontline® 2 LARGE vials+kit no collar FLEA KILLER CAT
$44.99 |
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 | RED Cat Kitten Kitty Collar Size - 8" - 14" with Bell
$3.99 |
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|  | Advantage® 2 LARGE vials+kit no collar FLEA KILLER CAT
$44.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL CATS OVER 9 lbs 5 MONTH SUPPLY 6
$17.49 |
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|  | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Noble Beast NEW
$6.30 |
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 | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Sea Ponies NEW
$6.30 |
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|  | Cat Fun Tunnel New!! Great Fun for Cat Or Ferret
$37.99 |
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 | K&H Thermo Crinkle Sack Heated Kitty Cat Bed Sage Mocha
$44.99 |
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|  | ODOR LOCKERS Health Alert - Blood Detection Granules
$4.00 |
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 | Max's Best Kitty Cat Grass Oat & Wheat Mixed 500+ Seeds
$2.50 |
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|  | Cat Kitten Cat Cradle Bed Slumber Pet
$19.95 |
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 | 2 KITTY CAT CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS 9 TOYS IN EACH ONE!!!
$5.00 |
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|  | K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad Waterproof Cat Mat + Cover
$49.99 |
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 | All Purpose Raised Cat Bowl Dish 5" Wide 4" High Almond
$24.00 |
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|  | SmartScoop Automatic Cat Litter Box Healthier Home
$98.99 |
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 | 2-4 YEARS flea&tick CATS from*2*FRONTLINE PLUS*USA/EPA*
$44.99 |
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|  | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Flutterby NEW
$6.30 |
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 | CAT PET DOG URINE ODOR ELIMINATOR REMOVER
$5.99 |
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|  | Holiday Jewel Cat Dog Collar Charm - Tree
$9.99 |
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 | K&H Outdoor Heated Kitty Pad Fleece Cover Replacement
$9.99 |
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|  | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Tickled Pink NEW
$6.30 |
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 | LOTUS Cat Condo REAL WOOD PERCH TOWER Furniture BIRCH
$294.99 |
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|  | 12 COMFORT ZONE FELIWAY REFILL LOT + 2 BONUS DIFFUSERS!
$191.00 |
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 | Food Water Cat Dog Dish Bowl 5" Wide 5.5" High Green
$28.00 |
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|  | Pet Toy Supplies Small Pink Silicone Hedgehog Dog Toy
$7.00 |
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 | Wholesale Lot of 4 TRACK MAT for your Cat
$8.95 |
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|  | LITTLE LOTUS Cat Condo WOOD PERCH TOWER Furniture WHITE
$249.99 |
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 | CATS ALL OVER Tapestry Afghan *NEW*
$39.99 |
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|  | All Purpose Raised Cat Dog Bowl 5" Wide 4" High Green
$24.00 |
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 | World of Cats Understanding Your Cat DVD (2007) New
$4.87 |
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|  | Flint River Ranch Cat Food 9 lbs Senior & Less Active
$27.49 |
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 | Food Water Dog Dish Bowl 5" Wide 5.5" High Almond Bone
$28.00 |
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|  | Feline Greenies Cat Treats - Beef
$2.99 |
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 | Flint River Ranch Cat Kitten Food 6 lbs Finicky Eaters
$24.49 |
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|  | All Purpose Raised Cat Bowl 5" Wide 4" High Blue
$24.00 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS UNDER 9 lbs 20 MONTH SUPPLY 1 4 6 8
$34.95 |
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|  | ODOR LOCKERS-Scented Clumping Cat Litter 3x10 lb Bags
$12.00 |
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 | CATS FRAMED HERE Tapestry Afghan *NEW*
$39.99 |
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|  | NEW CONTECH CAT STOP ULTRASONIC OUTDOOR REPELLENT
$49.95 |
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 | LITTLE LOTUS Cat Condo WOOD PERCH TOWER Furniture WHITE
$249.99 |
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|  | Mzooka Pet House Flag, Custom Made / Personalized
$45.00 |
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 | Flint River Ranch 36 lb Cat Kitten Food Hairball Indoor
$93.64 |
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|  | LARGEST FRONTLINE PLUS flea&tick *USA/EPA* 4ml vial NEW
$14.99 |
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 | 20 month USA CAT KIT *advantage flea killer* SAVE 1000%
$39.99 |
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|  | Flint River Ranch 9 lbs Cat & Kitten Food Lamb Chicken
$27.49 |
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 | Personalized Feline CAT Christmas Placemat DISH GIFT
$9.95 |
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|  | Flint River Ranch Cat Kitten Food 6 lbs Indoor Hairball
$26.99 |
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 | Flint River Ranch Cat & Kitten Food 20 lbs Lamb Chicken
$44.99 |
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| REAL WOOD CABINET for Cat Litter Box Litterbox MAHOGANY
$184.99 |
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 | Flint River Ranch Cat Treats 2 bags Bonita Fish Flakes
$12.98 |
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|  | CATS 8 dose supply FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA & TICK med ~*~
$17.75 |
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 | NEW TIDY CAT BREEZE LITTER BOX SYSTEM ODOR CONTROL MEOW
$54.95 |
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|  | LOTUS Cat Condo REAL HARD WOOD TOWER Furniture MAHOGANY
$294.99 |
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 | Holiday Jewel Cat Dog Collar Charm - Candy Cane
$9.99 |
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|  | Lupine 1/2" Cat Collar w/ Bell 8"-12" Black Cherry NEW
$6.30 |
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 | Personalized Feline CAT Christmas Placemat DISH GIFT
$9.95 |
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|  | Flint River Ranch Cat & Kitten Food 40 lbs Lamb Chicken
$81.99 |
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 | MEOW TOWN FLOWER POWER CAT TOWER PLAYING,SCRATCHER, NIB
$40.99 |
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|  | Petsafe Simply Clean Automatic Cat Litter Box
$76.75 |
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 | All Purpose Raised Cat Bowl 5" Wide 4" High Blue
$24.00 |
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|  | 3 MAUI MEOWI POTENT CATNIP CIGAR PURRFECTOS SHIPS FREE
$11.88 |
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 | 3-PACK Tape Worm Tabs for Cats (9 tablets)
$31.99 |
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|  | SmartCat Tick-Tock-Teaser - Interactive Cat Toy
$16.95 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS UNDER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 1 4 6 8
$17.97 |
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|  | Cat Kitten Dog Puppy Pet Companion BRUNO
$12.88 |
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 | Big Cat Collage Ornament- Cat Nonprofit Fundraiser
$3.50 |
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|  | Flavor-Doh Liver Flavor For DOGS - 200 Grams
$7.99 |
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 | Omega Paw Deluxe Window Perch Seat For Kitty Cats
$16.95 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS UNDER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 1 4 6 8
$17.49 |
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 | COMFY KITTIES Afghan NEW
$29.99 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL CATS OVER 9 lbs 5 MONTH SUPPLY 6
$17.49 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CATS UNDER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 1 4 6 8
$17.49 |
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|  | RATTAN WICKER CAT Dog Pet LITTER PAN COVER Small KITTY
$44.75 |
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 | Flint River Ranch 36 lbs Cat Food Senior & Adult Lite
$82.99 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Kitty Lounger Heated Cat Bed 20" Mocha Sage
$49.99 |
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 | Holiday Jewel Cat Dog Collar Charm - Snowflake
$9.99 |
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|  | LARGE ADVANTAGE flea killer*USA/EPA* 4ml vial NEW bayer
$14.99 |
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 | Dogs OVER 55 lbs. ADVANTAGE FLEA KILLER 4 pack! USA/EPA
$47.99 |
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|  | Staywell Infra-Red Cat Flap 500 - New In Box!!!
$49.95 |
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 | Frontline® 1 LARGE vial+kit no collar FLEA KILLER - CAT
$24.99 |
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|  | Advantage® 1 LARGE vial+kit no collar FLEA KILLER - CAT
$24.99 |
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 | Hammo Cat Hamock for your Cat
$37.99 |
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|  | 60 Cat Paw Prints 1x1 Pet Cat Vinyl Decals PAWS
$18.00 |
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 | Feline Greenies Cat Treats - Ocean Fish
$2.99 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE FOR CATS OVER 9 lbs 10 MONTH SUPPLY 4 6 8 12
$34.95 |
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 | BLUE PRINCE PET FEEDER Dog Cat Water Bowl Food Dish
$9.95 |
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|  | LOTUS Cat Condo REAL WOOD PERCH TOWER Furniture HONEY
$279.99 |
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 | Holiday Jewel Cat Dog Collar Charm - Snowman
$9.99 |
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|  | 2 Greenies 4 Cats Dental Treat 3oz. FREE Pill Pockets
$5.99 |
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 | Iris Easy To Clean Hooded Cat Litter Box +Privacy Door
$34.99 |
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|  | Personalized "Meow!" Cat Christmas Ornament - Free Ship
$10.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL CATS OVER 9 lbs 5 MONTH SUPPLY 6
$17.97 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Kitty Heated Cat Bed 16" Washable Mocha Sage
$49.99 |
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 | K&H Mfg Thermo Kitty Bed Heated Cat Bed Domain
$46.95 |
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|  | Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain
$54.95 |
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