The true meaning of “tabby”

In times past, “tabby” could refer to any house cat, though this name was more often used to refer to a female (as in “toms and tabbies”). L...

The infamous “spraying”

urine not only in the litter box but also on walls, drapes and darn near anything. They are either sexually aroused or marking their territ...

“Brush,” not “bush”

Maine Coons to the practically brushless Siamese . Fans of longhaired cats cite the long, thick fur on the tails as one of the most appeali...

Don’t call it “mane”

lion its distinctive look, has its counterpart in several longhaired breeds of cats. In house cats, however, this thick growth of hair aro...

The cynical Mr. Twain

One of America’s best-loved authors was Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Though known as a humorist, Twain had a cy...

Double or single coat

black cats. A double coat has long guard hairs and a thicker undercoat. Naturally the double coat looks thicker and more plush than the sin...

Oh, those unneutered toms

The slang word tomcat that describes certain actions of human males is rooted in the real behavior of unneutered (“whole”) male cats. Tomca...