Tomcat challenges

By Sudhersena: Tomcats are vulnerable to fights. Many Tomcats come to the Blue Cross Shelter with severe bite wounds that result from fights with other male cats. These wounds, frequently, develop into abscesses and become infested with maggots. They can also become infested with viral diseases that prove fatal to the cat. Tomcats attain puberty at 6-8 months and develop some undesirable changes in their behaviour. They become territorial in nature and start to mark their territory by spraying urine indoors as well as outdoors. The cat will start enlarging his territory and this would often result in fights with other male cats. An un-neutered male cat will also start roaming to look for female cats in heat. It is believed that a male cat can detect and follow the scent of a female cat for seven miles! You can protect your feline friend from attacks by other male cats by neutering him. Neutering male cats also cuts out the risk of testicular cancer and decreases the incidence of prostate and anal tumours. Shun the myths: Neutering does not alter the basic personality of your cat. He doesn’t suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered. On the other hand, he will become more loving and contented. Sudhersena is a contributing writer at Dogs and Pups Magazine. Source: Deccan Chronicle, Image:...
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Lions, Tigers & Bears: San Diego sanctuary can be last chance for exotic cats

RTSea: Animal sanctuaries - what role do they play in conservation? Are they the best solution or the last ray of hope for an exotic animal like a lion, tiger or other big cat? I recently had the opportunity to visit Lions, Tigers & Bears, an animal sanctuary in Alpine, near San Diego, California. Speaking with owner Bobbi Brink, I learned more about what a good animal sanctuary does and does not to do for the animals within its care. First, it's important to understand why animal sanctuaries exist in the first place. While I am fascinated by the beauty and grace of exotic cats like tigers and jaguars, I have no desire to keep one as a pet. However, there are others who do for reasons of status or an inflated sense of macho dominance. Whatever the reason, there are black market suppliers who are bringing in wild animals or raising them just below the radar of government officials and selling them to the highest bidder. From there, owners eventually discover that an exotic cat can become a handful, either because of its size as it matures or its nutritional requirements or temperament. Eventually the animal ends up in an abusive situation because of a cramped and confined living space or malnutrition or physical abuse from a sadistic owner. Sometimes these animals are given over...
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Strawberry" Leopard Discovered

Bisarbeat: A First Rare animal that might have genetic condition that changes fur pigment. The pink-hued leopard: A leopard can't change its spots, but apparently it can change its color. African leopards normally have tawny coats with black spots. But a male leopard with a strawberry-colored coat has been spotted in South Africa's Madikwe Game Reserve, conservationists announced this week.Tourists in the reserve had occasionally seen the unusual animal. But it wasn't until recently that photographer and safari guide Deon De Villiers sent a photograph to experts at Panthera, a US-based wild cat-conservation group, to ask them about the leopard's odd coloration. Panthera President Luke Hunter suspects the pale leopard has erythrism, a little-understood genetic condition that's thought to cause either an overproduction of red pigments or an underproduction of dark pigments.It's really rare—I don't know of another credible example in leopards," said Hunter, whose group collaborates with National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative. Hunter added, "it's surprising that didn't come out sooner, because he's relatively used to vehicles." Strawberry Leopard Still Successful Erythrism is very unusual in carnivores, and the condition appears most often in raccoons, Eurasian badgers, and coyotes, Hunter...
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Italian cat inherits 10 million pounds after owner dies: Report

Deccan Chronicle, PTI, London: Believe it or not, an Italian cat has inherited a fortune of 10 million pounds after her owner died aged 94, reportedly making her the third richest pet in the world. Maria Assunta died last month and according to lawyers entrusted with her estate, she left the fortune in property to Tommasino, a stray cat she had found and looked after because of her love for animals, the Daily Mail reported. Assunta had a large property portfolio with homes and villas across the country, as well as several bulging bank accounts and share portfolios but no living relatives. Lawyers Anna Orecchioni and Giacinto Canzona who are representing her say that she left the fortune to Tommasino in a will she wrote and deposited with them in their office in Rome in October 2009. Orecchioni explained that under Italian law Tommassino is not entitled to inherit the money directly and the will also asked for the money to be given to a ‘worthy animal association, if one could be found’. She added: "We had requests from several organisations but in the end we didn't find any that we thought suitable. "Then earlier this year Maria told us about her nurse called Stefania who looked after her and who like her had a love of animals and in particular cats. In the end we decided that Stefania was the most suitable person...
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