| 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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 | 42" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-07
$39.99 |
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|  | 62" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F28
$0.99 |
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 | 72" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-13
$129.99 |
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|  | DRINKWELL PLATINUM Pet Fountain FILTERS 12PAC FREE SHIP
$19.89 |
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 | KITTYWALK LAWN VERSION Kitty Walk Outdoor Cat Habitat
$115.95 |
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|  | Litter Kwitter Cat Toilet Training-FREE Immediate Ship
$59.95 |
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 | Petmate Hybrid Pink Stainless Cat Dog Water Fountain
$32.49 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 10 MONTHS DOSES UP TO 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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 | Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F15
$0.99 |
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|  | Dog Cat Pet Odor Stain Eliminator Best Urine Remover
$9.95 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Fashion Splash Heated Cat Pet Bed Blue
$26.89 |
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|  | Cat Dog Pet Urine Odor Carpet Floor Urine Eliminator
$11.95 |
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 | "HUGE" Cat Tree Toy House Scratcher Post Furniture FC04
$9.99 |
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|  | 74" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2040
$0.99 |
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 | CAT PIN WITH RHINESTONES NEW IN BAG
$9.99 |
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|  | Cat Sign humourous LIKE POTATO CHIPS CAN'T HAVE JUST 1
$4.99 |
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 | Original CatMouse LitterBox Odor Eliminator-Closeout
$19.95 |
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|  | 80" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F2030
$0.99 |
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 | Cat Playpen Cage Midwest Model 130 With FREE BED !
$99.99 |
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|  | SALE 16 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$36.00 |
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 | .005 PET SCRATCH TOWER - CAT FERRET HOME -5 HUGE LEVELS
$16.99 |
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|  | DRINKWELL PET FOUNTAIN AQUA GARDEN
$7.99 |
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 | Raised Cat Dog Pottery Bowl Dish WDB5-T Pumpkin Face
$38.50 |
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|  | Comfort Zone Feliway Used Diffuser Plug In for Cats
$10.01 |
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 | .180 Large Pet Tower - Cubby hole Scratch Post Hemp NEW
$24.99 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B5701
$0.99 |
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 | CAT Frontline Plus for Cats (6 mon.) ~QUICK!
$16.50 |
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|  | Deluxe Kitty Nest w/Fleece Sides Cat/Dog Bed -Assorted
$3.49 |
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 | NEW Drinkwell Pet Cat Dog Fountain 3 BRUSH CLEANING KIT
$6.10 |
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|  | K&H Thermo Kitty Fashion Splash Heated Cat Bed Pink
$26.89 |
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 | New lot of 3 cans cat/kitten food Iams
$0.99 |
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|  | Eight Dose Frontline Plus for Cats and Kittens^KIT^EPA
$15.50 |
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 | Catmeister Cat Toy
$2.21 |
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|  | 6 Pack Feliway Diffuser refill 48ml
$79.00 |
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 | Pemate Litter Box filters plus bous items!
$5.99 |
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|  | DRINKWELL PET FOUNTAIN CAT DOG WATER DISH PACKAGE
$54.95 |
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 | New Kitty Cat Fun Play Tunnel 4 Feet Long Pet Cats Toy
$9.41 |
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|  | 3 Wetnoz Pee Wee 3/4 cup stainless bowls
$25.00 |
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 | NIP Soft Claws Clear Nail Caps for Cats - Small SEALED
$14.01 |
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|  | DRINKWELL PET FOUNTAIN AQUA GARDEN
$7.99 |
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 | Lot of 3 Natural Choice Kitten/Cat food NEW
$0.99 |
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|  | Petmate LitterLocker Plus Cat Litter Disposal System
$10.00 |
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 | 7 pc NEW NIP CAT KITTY FLEA COLLAR EAR MITE HAIRBALL @
$3.50 |
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|  | BARGAIN 8 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$19.00 |
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 | Four Cute Cats Iron Hook Rack Holder
$0.99 |
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|  | Eight Dose Frontline Plus for Cats and Kittens^KIT^EPA
$15.50 |
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 | NIB HARTZ ULTRA GUARD REFLECTING FLEA TICK COLLAR CATS
$4.99 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A6202
$0.99 |
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 | Buy1 Cat toy 50 Furry Mice Get 1 Pack Rattle Balls Free
$8.99 |
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|  | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 5 MONTHS DOSES OVER 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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 | ROYAL SPLENDOR DOG OR CAT PET BED BEDS DOG/CAT NEW
$39.99 |
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|  | SMARTSCOOP AUTOMATIC CAT LITTER BOX SELF CLEANING NIB
$109.95 |
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 | DOG MATE Electromagnetic Dog Flap/Door Large Size Wht
$73.33 |
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|  | .196 NEW BLUE Pet Scratch Tower - Hang toy cubby + MORE
$24.99 |
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 | 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS GREEN KIT FLEA CAT KITTEN 3 6 12
$19.88 |
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|  | 51" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F51
$0.99 |
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 | LitterMaid Automatic Self Cleaning Cat box LM500
$49.99 |
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|  | 3 pcs pawprint adjust nylon cat collars wt bell$
$7.58 |
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 | .005 PET SCRATCH TOWER - CAT FERRET HOME -5 HUGE LEVELS
$16.99 |
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|  | New Kitty Cat Scratcher Tree Post Pet Furniture w Toy
$9.72 |
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 | LITTERWORKS CABINET STAND + Littermaid ELITE Litter box
$228.89 |
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|  | Pointer Spotbrites Laser Mouse Toy For Cats
$2.99 |
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 | K&H Thermo Kitty Fashion Splash Heated Cat Bed Purple
$26.89 |
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|  | 24 Purnia Friskies Party Mix Coupon B1G1 - Exp 12/07/08
$0.99 |
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 | catnip BUDS
$0.99 |
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|  | NIP Soft Claws Clear Nail Caps for Cats Kitten SEALED
$10.00 |
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 | DRINKWELL PLATINUM PET FOUNTAIN CAT DOG WATER DISH BOWL
$58.95 |
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|  | Brand New 23" x 19" x 6" Dog or Cat Luxury Pet Bed
$16.81 |
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 | 6 pcs adjust nylon cat collars wt bell@
$15.20 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS CAT 12 MONTH FREE GIFTS
$60.35 |
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 | MidWest Cages Cat Play Pen Model 130 - FREE BED!!
$97.95 |
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|  | 100"-112" ADJ CAT TREE FURNITURE CONDO HOUSE SCRACHING
$0.99 |
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 | 1 Coupon for Iams ProActive Health adult cat food $4off
$1.30 |
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|  | Cat Toy Lot w/teasers, CATNIP, Feline GREENIES, Laser
$21.55 |
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 | 74" Cat Tree Toy Bed House Scratcher Post Furniture F60
$9.99 |
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|  | Cat Tree Toy Bed House Scratcher Post Furniture F13
$0.99 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A4201
$0.99 |
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|  | DESIGNER PURSE-STYLE 14” PET CARRIER - CAT PATTERN $55
$37.99 |
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 | Purina Fancy Feast cat/kitten food New Gourmet beef
$0.99 |
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|  | NIB CUTIE CAT ENSEMBLE SET DISHES
$1.99 |
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 | NEW CAT MATE C50 AUTOMATIC VACATION PET FEEDER PETSAFE
$24.99 |
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|  | Atomic Bouncing Ball 2 Pack
$2.00 |
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 | Pawprint Adjust Nylon cat collars wt bell (3)!
$7.58 |
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|  | Cat Frontline Plus 6 month supply - New in sealed box
$38.91 |
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 | Lot of 3 Kookamunga Door Cattie Cat Toys w/Catnip
$2.99 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A7401
$0.99 |
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 | 10 SCIENCE NATURE'S BEST CAT/DOG FOOD COUPONS $10.00/1
$0.99 |
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|  | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-3B
$59.99 |
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 | Petmate Hybrid Black Stainless Cat Dog Water Fountain
$29.99 |
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|  | 70" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F72-B
$0.99 |
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 | Kittywalk Deck & Patio Pet Cat Enclosure System + Cover
$49.99 |
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|  | K&H 3605 Thermo Kitty Fashion Splash Heated Pet Cat Bed
$26.89 |
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 | DRINKWELL PLATINUM Pet Fountain FILTERS 3PAC FREE SHIP
$7.04 |
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|  | New Kitty Cat Scratcher Tree Post Pet Furniture w Toy
$9.72 |
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Drinkwell Brand Pet Fountain Filters-8 Pack Free Ship!
$13.75 |
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|  | Raised Cat Dog Pottery Bowl Dish WDB5-T Halloween Bat
$38.50 |
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 | NEW Littermaid ELITE Mega LME9000 Automatic Litterbox
$139.89 |
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|  | Catnip Cup 0.5 Ounce Fresh And Aromatic Catnip
$1.89 |
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 | New Kitty Cat Fun Play Tunnel 4 Feet Long Pet Cats Toy
$9.41 |
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|  | Keychain Urn, Vial & Pet Guardian Angel Charm pet urn
$8.75 |
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