Let's take a lighter look at feline health with a short,
maybe challenging and hopefully informative quiz. See
if you can answer correctly these ten cat health care
questions.
--1. You know that your cat is overweight when...
a. You can't pick him up.
b. You can't feel his ribs.
c. His stomach droops or sags noticeably
d. Both c and d
--2. A good treat to give your cat is...
a. A little canned tuna
b. A commercial cat treat
c. Homegrown lawn grass or catnip
d. All of the above
--3. If your normally clean and fastidious cat stops
using the litter box, this is what you should do...
a. Take him her directly to the vet
b. Rub his nose in the mess
c. Try moving his litter box to a better location
d. Cover your furniture with aluminum foil.
--4. How often should you groom your cat?
a. Once a year before you take it to the vet
b. Only when it's coat gets matted and dirty
c. Daily or weekly, depending on the length of
the hair
d. Never - cats groom themselves.
--5. Having your cat spayed or neutered will help with...
a. Stopping roaming and marking behavior
b. Stopping unwanted litters
c. Preventing certain types of cancers
d. All of the above
--6. True or false:
You should brush your cat's teeth regularly.
--7. True or False:
Fleas and ticks are not a health risk to your cat.
--8. True or False:
Houseplants and cats can't be in the same house.
--9. How often should you take your cat to the vet?
a. Only for its initial vaccinations
c. Only if it gets sick
d. At least once a year
--10. It's important to know your cat's favorite hiding
places, sleeping, eating and litter box habits, plus
a cat's normal pulse rate, respiratory rate and
temperature - BECAUSE...
a. You need something to talk about at the dinner
table.
b. You'll always have something to share with
your cat-loving friends.
c. You'll have something to come back with when
people talk about their children.
d. You'll know when your cat is deviating from
his usual habits and be able to give your vet
a helpful report in case of an emergency.
Cat-lovers will no doubt point out that the elegance and dignity of cats are the consequence of their sojourn in the temples of the gods, where their attitudes and movements were regarded as divine prognostications. Be that as it may, it is obvious that the cat's wealth of expressions make it an ideal candidate for such a role. Unlike the dog, which either wags its tail or does not wag its tail, the cat possesses a wide range of means to convey its emotions: It arches its back, makes its fur stand on end, meows, rubs itself against furniture and against humans, purrs, lashes its tail, spits, and hisses. The priests of Bacht, therefore, had ample material for interpretation.
- - - Philippe Diolé,
