Monday, January 7, 2008

Kiki's Journey...

Last Friday I received sms from my pet sis, Kak Sara asking me to help her send Kiki to see a vet. Since I just finished my exam and submitted my final assignment for the trimester, nazriks and I fetched Kak Sara at Bird Park Kuala Lumpur and we went straight to Damansara Utama. It was raining heavily that evening and the vet clinic was almost closed when we reached there. Both Kiki's foot were badly injured due to unexpected attack from his other 'siblings'. In case you guys were wondering what Kiki is, here's a picture of him...




Yes.. It's a baby monkey! He's soooooo cute, isn't? Kiki was rescued by the staff of KL Bird Park after he was accidentally separated from his mother. Since then, Kiki was taken care of and become very tame. Unfortunately, this poor baby was attacked by another baby monkey who shared the same fate as Kiki (also separated from its' mother). Here are some pictures of Kiki being examined by the doctor :


Kak Sara with Kiki waiting the vet doctor...



Finally, the chubby vet doctor arrived
and take a look of Kiki's condition...



A cute nurse took over to handle Kiki after sis can't
bear to see his pain while being checked by the doc...



Both nazriks and sis went out and left
me capturing the pictures alone..
(= T.T =)





Friday, January 4, 2008

Why do cat scratch?

Scratching logs or furniture have been a basic behavioral need as well as part of cats natural environment. It is advisable for cat owners to have a special place to enable their cats sharpen their claws. The reason why cats do this is because:
  • to mark territories
  • to stretch their muscles
  • to hunt / self defense
  • it's their nature behavior to scratch.
It's quite impossible to stop your cat from doing something they're born to do it. These are some tips you can do to prevent your cat from destroying your furnitures :
  • Start training your cats to use scratching posts when first introduced to your home. Place double sided-tape on inappropriate areas and give rewards to your cat if they use the scratching post.
  • Trim the tips of the claws every one of two weeks. It's advisable to ask your friends help when trimming the tips of the cats claw.
  • Apply catnip on toys and scratching post. This will attract the cats to scratch the applied areas.
Catnip or Catmint (Nepeta cataria) is a plant that grows mainly throughout the temperate regions of Europe and North America. Many wild cats are sensitive to Catnip, including leopards and lions. The usual response is for cats to sniff, grimace (Flehmen posture) , rub, tread, roll and sometimes to chew the plant, or even eat the small tender shoots! Male cats respond more excitedly than females, although some cats show no interest at all, as the predisposition to enjoying a "catnip fix" is genetic and tends to become apparent at maturity, around six months of age.


You can buy catnip at pet shops

Sources : Link 1 , Link 2 , Link 3




Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Why do cats purr?

Have you ever wonder why do cats purr? This amazing behaviour also happens since it is still a newborn kitty.


Why do cats purr? This is what I've been thinking since I was a kid.

A purr is a sound made by some species of felines and is a part of cat communication. It varies in detail from cat to cat (e.g., loudness, tone, etc.), and from species to species, but can be characterized as a sort of tonal buzzing. All domestic cats purr in a frequency range of 22.4 to 30.2 hertz. Some cats purr so strongly that their entire bodies vibrate; conversely, other cats may purr so quietly that the only indication is a vibration felt when touching the cat's throat. In addition, some are able to meow or hiss without interrupting the purring sound.

Contentment, comfort or security... for many pet owners, the humming purr of a squinting cat is the unmistakable signal that their feline is happy and healthy.
  • In many ways this is true: behaviorists believe the original function of purring was to enable a kitten to tell his mother that "all is well." This often occurs during nursing. A kitten can't meow and nurse at the same time, but can purr and nurse without any problem. The mother often purrs back, reassuring the kitten using this tactile, resonant communication. This is why your cat purrs when petted, instinctively giving the signal "all is well," a message you can both feel and hear.

  • Older cats purr when they play or approach other cats, signaling they are friendly and want to come closer.

  • Cats also purr when they are distressed or afraid. Sick and injured cats, and those in veterinary offices often purr. It is thought that this is the cat's way of reassuring and calming herself.

Did you know?

When a cat is purring, it is almost impossible to hear the cat's heart or lungs very well, making examination of vital signs difficult. Oddly enough, many cats will stop purring if they're near the sound of running water. This is why you may see your veterinarian turning on the faucet in the exam room in an attempt to get your cat to stop purring - so your cat can get a better exam.



Sources: Doctors Foster and Smith & Wikipedia




I found something interesting today.
This video just made my day
(=^.~=)



Have cats that acts like that? I have one currently. Her name is Miyu. She always bite whenever she's in playful mode. But when she's hungry , she will mew so softly until you can't handle to see her cuteness.

"Miyu da Ebil Kitty"

Check out other "Mean Kitty" videos. My personal favourite is the "Sleeping Sparta"

Enjoy! (=^.^=) v

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Finally.., a new purrr-tylicious blog is born!

I finally decided to make "Kuning" as my blog maskot. LOL

Today is the last day of the year 2007 and I've decided to make a blog about myself and relationship between mankind and cats. I probably will explain more about cats and its family background (small and big cats). Have you ever encounter cats anywhere you go and couldn't bear yourself to play with them and snap pictures of them? This blog will tell stories about my life and the life of the cats I've met before.

Happy New Year everyone!~ \ (=^.^=) /