| 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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 | Cat Tree Toy Bed House Scratcher Post Furniture F13
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 | 96"-109" ADJ CAT TREE FURNITURE CONDO HOUSE SCRACHING
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|  | Frontline Plus for dogs 89-132 LBS 6 Doses
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 | (18) PURINA FRISKIES PARTY MIX COUPONS-BUY 1 GET 1 FREE
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A8001
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B7301
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|  | NEW LitterMaid Self-Cleaning Automatic Litter Box LM700
$67.00 |
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 | New Beige Large 104"H, 72"L Cat Tree Condo Hammock 5029
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| $1 Off 2.2 lb bag or larger IAMS PREMIUM CAT PROTECTION
$0.25 |
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 | 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA CAT KITTEN GREEN 3 6 12 KIT
$19.93 |
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|  | 50 Peacock Feathers - Cat Kitten Scratcher Teaser Toy
$24.88 |
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 | PetSafe Easy Fit Pet Door Small 1 to 12 pounds
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|  | 74" Cat Tree Toy Bed House Scratcher Post Furniture F60
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 | 57" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-04
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|  | K & H HEATED CAT KITTEN PET BED Thermo Kitty Hut Sage
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|  | Cat Scratcher Board
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 | 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA KIT CAT KITTEN GREEN 3 6 12
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|  | $2.11 a dose Frontline Plus Cats Kittens*^KIT*^=8 Doses
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$30 IN PETSMART COUPONS PETS HOTEL AND MORE
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|  | Staywell Original White Lockable Cat Small Dog Pet Door
$22.99 |
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 | CleverCat Top Entry Cat LitterBox Litter Box Heavy Duty
$25.90 |
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|  | NEW 4 Way IDEAL Lockable CAT DOG FLAP Pet Door 6 1/4"
$12.51 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B7801
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|  | MiracleCoat Quick Finder Safety Nail Clipper for cats
$12.00 |
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 | Rabbit Catnip Body Pillow
$11.97 |
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|  | 51" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F51
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 | LITTER ROBOT II 2
$212.50 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A6202
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 | Kitty Window Shelf, Solid Construction, Cream
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|  | New medium leopard print pet cat or dog bed kitty cats
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B6605
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS CAT 12 MONTH FREE GIFTS
$60.35 |
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 | NIB PETSAFE Cat Pet Small Dog LOCKABLE Flap Door
$14.95 |
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|  | Petsafe Deluxe Lockable Cat Dog Pet Door - Easy Install
$18.95 |
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 | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 10 MONTHS DOSES UP TO 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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|  | 62" Cat Tree House Condo Scratcher Post Furniture F28
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 | Fancy Glitz Cat Feeding Dish
$19.95 |
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS CAT 6 MONTHS FREE SHIPPING
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 | Colorful Springs Thin 10 Pack
$1.79 |
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|  | WORLD OF CATS Understanding Your Cat 55min DVD Training
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 | DEAL 8 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$19.00 |
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|  | 96"-109" ADJ CAT TREE FURNITURE CONDO HOUSE SCRACHING
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 | LOT RABBIT FUR FOOT FEET " WHITE " KEYCHAINS CAT TOYS
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| 20 Coupons By 1 Get 1 Free Purina Friskies Cat Treats
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 | ADVANTAGE FLEA CONTROL FOR DOGS 10-20 LBS 4 MONTHS
$17.99 |
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|  | ROYAL SPLENDOR DOG OR CAT PET BED BEDS DOG/CAT NEW
$29.99 |
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 | Science Diet / Science nature's best / IAMS Cat Coupons
$2.50 |
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|  | FAT-CAT Fleecy Banket for Cats and Kittens - SHIPS FREE
$16.95 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B7701
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B5301
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 | NEW LitterMaid LME9000 Elite Mega Automatic Litter Box
$75.02 |
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|  | Cat Toy Lot w/teasers, CATNIP, Feline GREENIES, Laser
$21.55 |
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 | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 5 MONTHS DOSES OVER 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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|  | SPECIAL 8 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$19.00 |
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 | BARGAIN 16 MONTH SUPPLY OF FRONTLINE PLUS FOR CATS
$36.00 |
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|  | tiny CATNIP BAGS! CAT FABRIC TOYS! HOME GROWN! DUTCH
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 | Advantage For Cats 9 lbs and under (6 Month Pack)
$28.99 |
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|  | 11 PC KITTY CAT CATNIP CHRISTMAS TOYS
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 | 48" Cat Tree House Toy Bed Scratcher Post Furniture F43
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|  | LITTER QUITTER AS SEEN ON TV TRAIN CAT TO USE TOILET
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 | 94" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-09
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|  | FRONTLINE PLUS CAT 6 MONTHS FREE SHIPPING
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A7202
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|  | Petsafe Cat Veranda Window Door for Apt Condo or House
$108.99 |
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Advantage For Cats 10 lbs and over 6 month Supply
$29.99 |
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|  | 50 Peacock Feathers ~Crazy Cat Toy Funny Kitten Teaser
$24.99 |
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A8001
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|  | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 5 MONTHS DOSES OVER 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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4 coupons - Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys
$0.79 |
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|  | new NAIL clippers FOR cats CAT clipper TRIMMER
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 | Flashing Cat Ball
$2.21 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B6802
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 | Feline Tape Worm Tabs
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|  | .006: NEW 4 Level Cat CONDO w/ 6 Scratch POSTS: 2 BEDS
$24.99 |
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 | Ideal Cat Dog LOCKABLE PET SCREEN DOOR - Easy Install
$23.99 |
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|  | .038 Cat scratching Post / Tower w Toy Mouse Plush Home
$14.99 |
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 | ADVANTAGE CAT FLEA 10 MONTHS DOSES UP TO 9 POUNDS
$19.00 |
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|  | FRONTLINE Plus for Cats and Kittens 6 Month Supply NIB
$31.00 |
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 | (20) PURINA WHISKER LICKIN'S COUPONS $1 OFF (2) 1/31/09
$1.59 |
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|  | 8 MONTH FRONTLINE PLUS FLEA CAT KITTEN GREEN KIT 3 6 12
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 | 72" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-13
$129.99 |
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|  | new NAIL clippers FOR cats CAT clipper TRIMMER
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 | 72" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-13
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|  | 55" Cat Tree Condo House Scratcher Pet Furniture bed-05
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 | Frontline Plus for dogs 45-88 LBS 6 Doses
$58.00 |
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| Advantage for cats under 9lbs. (Orange)
$39.80 |
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 | Kitty Hammock - Cream Cover - Cats Love Them
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #A5201
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20 Coupons Save .50 off 1 Temptations Treats for Cats
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|  | Ideal Tamper Proof LOCKABLE Dog Cat Pet Door MEDIUM
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 | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B5301
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| $4 Any size bag of Premium Protection Iams Cat food
$1.00 |
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 | USA 6-Pack FRONTLINE PLUS for CATS
$30.00 |
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|  | Armarkat Cat Tree Pet Furniture Condo Scratcher #B3803
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 | 20 coupons $5/3lb Hill's Science Cat Food
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|  | Cat Toy Sisal Scratcher Roll Play Balls Bell NEW Kitten
$9.99 |
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 | Large Cat Bed
$5.99 |
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|  | NIB Ideal 4 Way Lockable Cat Small Dog Pet Door Flap
$24.95 |
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