PETstock South Melbourne

The Domestic Hen – Health & Pests

Robert Siddle — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:19:26 +0000

HEALTH
Maintaining a productive and healthy flock must be the main objective of every poultry keeper. With proper management, the incidence of disease and other problems is lessened.
COCCIDIOSIS
Coccidiosis is caused by an intestinal parasite. It generally occurs because of damp ground or litter in the hen house which encourages the survival and maturation of the oocyst – the infectious stage of the coccidiosis life cycle.
There are two main types: Caecal Coccidiosis usually affects young pullets up to 8 weeks of age and Intestinal Coccidiosis is more likely to occur in pullets from 8 to 12 weeks of age.
Both types of coccidiosis can cause significant mortalities and chronic ill thrift in a percentage of the survivors, and hence a loss of flock uniformity. Signs that pullets are affected by clinical coccidiosis include mortalities, huddling, ruffled feathers, depression and blood in the droppings (faeces).
Losses can be significant unless the affected birds are treated appropriately. Because there are a number of different species of poultry coccidia, pullets can experience repeated cases of coccidiosis under poor husbandry conditions.
Beyond point of lay, birds will generally have developed an immunity to coccidia. Given the prevalence of coccidiosis, an anticoccidial feed additive has been included in Barastoc Pullet Starter and Barastoc Pullet Grower to help protect young birds when they’re most vulnerable.
If further control measures are required, be sure to seek advice from a veterinarian and always ensure that any additional medications are compatible with in-feed additives.
WORMS
The large roundworm (Ascaridia spp.) is the most likely to cause trouble in the backyard or free range flock. The adult worm lives in the intestine where it lays large numbers of eggs which are excreted in the birds’ droppings.
These eggs are then picked up by other birds when feeding or scratching for food, and so the infection spreads. A notable feature of roundworm eggs is that they can remain viable on the ground for very long periods, particularly in damp, shaded areas. The symptoms of heavy roundworm infestation are wasting, loss of condition and reduced egg production.
Poultry housed under barn or free range conditions are also commonly infested with other types of worms including the intestinal worm (Capillaria spp.), caecal worm (Heterakis spp.) and tapeworms (Raillientina spp. and Davainea spp.). The caecal worm plays a role as an intermediate host in the poultry disease, Blackhead. To control tapeworm where possible, there is a need to control their intermediate hosts – beetles, ants, snails and slugs.
EXTERNAL PARASITES
External parasitic infestation such as ticks, lice and mites causes undue irritation and stress to your birds, which can result in a severe drop in egg production. Although it is unlikely you’ll be able to eliminate parasites completely, they can be kept to a minimum by sound management practices.
MINIMISING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITES
Damp conditions promote the build up of internal parasites in the flock. Control dampness by attending to leaky drinkers or taps and avoid spillage when water is supplied by hand. Ensure that open areas are well drained and that rainwater cannot enter housing. Remove damp litter or soil and replace with clean, new material and fill in depressions.
For maximum productivity, flocks should be replaced on an “all-in-all out” basis to break the life cycle of internal and external parasites. Ideally, young pullets should be raised apart from older hens and on fresh ground that has not been used by older birds for at least 6 months.
Before introducing new birds to the hen house, all old litter material should be removed and the house should be washed down with a detergent and then sanitised with an approved sanitiser for poultry houses. Ideally, to control external parasites and litter beetles the house should also be treated with an approved insecticide.
Attention should also be paid to cleaning and sanitising nest boxes, drinkers and feeders and any maintenance required undertaken before placement of the birds. Regarding use of medications and other treatments, be sure always to follow instructions and seek Veterinary advice when required.
VIRAL AND BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
Birds are prone to a number of viral and bacterial infections. Some cause minor effects to health and productivity whilst others can result in a high level of mortality or potentially threaten the poultry industry in Australia.
For poultry flocks above a certain size (around 500 to 1,000) it is compulsory in a number of Australian states to vaccinate your layers for Newcastle disease virus
Check with your Department of Agriculture or Primary Industries for advice. It is vital that you report to your local government department or Veterinarian any unusual mortalities or clinical signs of disease in your poultry flock. Ask your bird supplier about their vaccination schedule and contact your Veterinarian to discuss any concerns you may have regarding the health of your flock.

The Domestic Hen – Which Breed and Housing

Robert Siddle — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:58:20 +0000

WHAT TO BUY
The best commercial hybrids have the genetic potential to lay over 300 eggs per hen per year under ideal conditions (i.e. ISA Brown, Hi-sex Brown, Hyline Brown). More traditional brown-egg laying strains include the Black Cross (Australorp/New Hampshire) and the Red Cross (Rhode Island/New Hampshire).
For white eggs the traditional cross is the White Leghorn/New Hampshire. For maximum egg production, pullets should be purchased to reach point of lay in September (around 17 weeks of age) and lay right through to the following September when their replacement flock will begin to lay.
Replacement birds should be purchased from a reputable source, either a commercial hatchery or a recognised breeder. Usually the classified section of rural newspapers will have advertisements for poultry detailing available breeds and prices.
REPLACING YOUR FLOCK
Don’t keep old hens! For maximum production, you should replace your flock when birds reach 75 weeks of age. Beyond this age, the rate of lay is much lower, and egg shell and albumen quality will be poor.
REARING OF YOUNG CHICKENS AND PULLETS
Rearing chickens from day-old requires husbandry skill, time and proper equipment. Attention to detail is required to avoidhigh mortality, ill-thrift and poor lifelong performance. If this is considered to be too daunting, obtaining point-of-lay pullets instead of chickens remains a good option.
Before the chickens arrive, all manure and litter from the previous flock must be removed and the enclosure scrubbed thoroughly with detergent and sprayed with a sanitiser approved for use in poultry houses.
Dirt floors must receive special attention. The objective is to minimise contamination of the environment with bacteria, viruses
and parasites. Day-old pullets obtained from the supplier should be vaccinated against Marek’s Disease and Infectious Bronchitis Virus. To contact a vaccine supplier please see the “More Information” section in this booklet.
Protection from predators such as rats and cats is essential. Day-old chicks should be reared for at least the first 3 weeks inside a draught-free enclosure, on clean, dry litter material (such as wood shavings or rice hulls), with a heat lamp or heater positioned so that the temperature at the level of the litter is 32°C to 35°C.
It is essential that the day-old chicks can easily access fresh water. A balanced feed of appropriate size, such as Barastoc Pullet Starter, should be provided in feeders. By scattering feed on paper around the feeders and drinking points for the first 24 to 48 hours, the young chickens will more readily learn to gain access to feed and water.
Decrease temperature gradually, aiming to reach about 21°C to 24°C at 3 to 4 weeks of age. Once birds are fully feathered, at around 5 to 6 weeks of age, they can tolerate lower temperatures.
Significant fluctuations in temperature from day to night should be avoided. Extreme high temperatures should also be avoided as this may lead to mortalities and poor performance. Roof sprays or internal shed misters can be of assistance.
For optimal egg production and egg quality, pullets should be vaccinated and treated as recommended by the supplying hatchery.
For example, a standard body weight-per age-chart is useful to gauge progress of your young flock. Contact your commercial hatchery for further details.
POULTRY HOUSING

It is important to provide all poultry with protection against inclement weather and direct sunlight. The house must be ventilated, however it must also provide shelter from draughts and very hot winds. Exclusion of foxes and other predators is essential.

Convenient access to fresh water is important. If using surface water (dam, river, irrigation) it must be sanitised to be suitable for consumption by domestic poultry. This is to reduce the risk of infection with serious emergency poultry diseases (i.e. Avian Influenza) from water contaminated by wild birds, particularly waterfowl. For more information, contact your State Department of Agriculture or Primary Industries.
To achieve optimal egg production from the modern laying hen, it will be necessary to provide lights to ensure a minimum of 15 hours of light per day – particularly for flocks reaching point of lay in autumn, when natural day length is decreasing. If you wish to control lighting, safe access to electricity is important.
To determine the appropriate size of a hen house, allow approximately 0.37 square metres (4 sq.ft.) of floor space per bird. Thus a 20 bird flock would require a floor area of at least 7.4 square metres (10 ft. x 8 ft. or 80 sq.ft.).
Local councils may have restrictions on the keeping of poultry. It is wise to enquire about your local council requirements. A Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals, Domestic Poultry in Australia also regulates poultry housing. This is available from your State Department of Agriculture or Department of Primary Industries.
You should make yourself familiar with these requirements.
PERCHES
Poultry have a natural tendency to perch. Without perches they will perch on anything available including nests, feeders and, if not too high, the top of the fence.
At night, and without perches, the birds will crowd into a corner of the hen house and soon a hard, caked patch of manure will form.
Additionally, the hens’ claws and feathers will get dirty and caked with droppings which will be transferred to the nests and subsequently to any eggs laid therein.
By providing perches for roosting, your eggs will be much cleaner and your hens less “flighty”. The average hen needs approximately 250mm (10 inches) of perch space. Additionally, it needs to be within a comfortable jumping height. In general, 600mm (2 feet) will suffice.
NESTS

Nests need to be comfortable and fairly dark to ensure seclusion from the rest of the hen house. The amount of nesting space per flock is again dependent on flock size. As a rule, 6 layers require approximately 1 square metre (9 sq.ft.) of nesting space.
Nesting material can be of straw and wood shavings and should be at least 100mm (4 inches) deep.
Shallow nests cause fighting and encourage feather picking and cannibalism. Keep nests clean to avoid soiling the eggs.
Hens can be trained not to sleep in nests by providing perches and excluding them from the nests in the evening. This will also reduce the incidence of broodiness amongst the hens. Reopen the nest when they are asleep and after a week or two the birds will have formed a roosting habit, greatly reducing the amount of droppings in the nests.
Collect eggs twice a day to ensure freshness and minimise the opportunity for egg eating.

Assistance Dogs Australia and PETstock sponsorship program

Robert Siddle — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:14:27 +0000

Assistance Dogs and PETstock South Melbourne Sponsorship
Ever thought of sponsoring a puppy that would help people with certain disabilities?

We did and currently sponsor Jaxon who is 10 months old.

We feel that this has been so successful that we have decided to sponsor another puppy but need someone to assist us.

PETstock South Melbourne would provide everything you need at no cost to you, Vet’s bills, food, toys, equipment etc.

What you would need to do is care for the puppy and help with his training.

One thing that stops many people from sponsoring a puppy is committing the time and also what happens when you want to go away.

Well, we would also assist with that.

Just talk to us and we can discuss whether this arrangement would work for you.

Regards
Robert Siddle
Director

The Domestic Hen – Egg Quality

Robert Siddle — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:46:29 +0000

EGG QUALITY
BLOOD STAINS ON SHELL
First quality eggs, as defined by egg marketing authorities, are those that are well-formed, with clean, uncracked shells, with an air cell that is not more than 5 millimetres in depth and with a yolk colour not less than No. 10 on the DSM Yolk Colour Fan”.
THE EGG SHELL
It is important that eggs be uncracked and kept very clean and dry, as bacteria from dirt and stains can penetrate even through an unbroken shell.
SHELL COLOUR
There is no relationship between the colour of the shell and the quality of the egg, its flavour or “cookability”. Commercial hybrid hens can lay either white-, tinted- (creamy coloured) or brown-shelled eggs. Brown-shelled egg laying hybrids are now the most commonly farmed hens.
The incidence of blood stains on the egg shell occurs more frequently with young birds, though it is quite usual with any aged bird when a double yolker is laid. The shell is stained when small blood vessels that line the oviduct rupture when an egg passes through, though subsequent eggs are generally free from any stains.
Note: Blood-stained eggs could also indicate cannibalism within the flock and it is especially important to investigate and check each bird for possible injury around its vent.
YOLK COLOUR
Carotenoid pigments derived from plants consumed by the bird accumulate to pigment the egg yolk. Although orange yolks look good, there is very little nutritional difference between paler yellow and darker orange yolks.
Pasture and vegetable scraps can contribute a range of carotenoid pigments to the hens’ diet. These can be variable, hence yolk colour is likely to vary when hens are given access to a variety of feed sources.
BLOOD OR MEAT SPOTS
Some may find blood or meat spots to be unsightly. However, they present no harm to the consumer and can be easily removed. When a mature yolk is released from its follicle in the ovary, the follicle usually bursts along a line (the stigma) that contains few, if any, blood vessels. If the follicle does not tear exactly along the stigma a tiny blood vessel may be torn and escaping blood may form a “blood spot” in the egg.
Some breeds of laying birds have a genetic tendency to lay more eggs with blood spots. Also, you can expect a higher occurrence of blood spotting in young hens just coming into lay.
Albumen (egg white) is formed around the yolk as it passes through the oviduct. “Meat spots” are thought to be pigmented or non-pigmented pieces of albumen left behind during formation of the previous egg. The pigment involved (Ooporphyrinse) is associated with colouration of brown-shelled eggs; hence meat spots are less common in white-shelled eggs.
Occasionally, meat spots are made up of pigmented epithelial cells that line the oviduct. Unlike blood spots, meat spots tend to show a random incidence throughout lay with no age-related effect. However, birds that tend to lay eggs with meat spots are likely to continue to do so throughout lay.

FRESHNESS
The best way to prolong freshness is to promptly collect eggs and store them in a refrigerator. As a rule of thumb, as much freshness is lost in three days at room temperature as in three weeks in the refrigerator.
Fresh, well-stored eggs are more flavoursome, produce firmer cakes and custards and the whites beat up to produce stable foam. The moment an egg is laid it contains no air cell, though as it cools and loses moisture, a slight vacuum is created serving to draw in air through the pores in the shell.
As the egg ages, this air space becomes bigger. You can use the following as a guide on hard-boiled eggs:

RUNNY ALBUMEN
When a fresh, well-stored egg is fried, the albumen is more likely to stand high and close to the yolk rather than spread across the pan. Runny albumen can be caused by a number of factors including genetic tendency, age, health and nutrient intake.
Albumen tends to become runnier as the hen gets older and when intake of key nutrients such as protein is compromised. It is important to provide young stock with shelter and water, especially during hot weather, to avoid a severe reduction to feed intake (see Poultry Housing).
It is also important to offer ample feed and avoid diluting balanced Barastoc feeds with poor quality forages at any time. Illnesses such as Infectious Bronchitis, whilst presenting no threat to human health, can be detrimental to albumen quality.

The Domestic Hen

Robert Siddle — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:05:06 +0000

The Domestic Hen
Although indigenous to virtually all continents, it is believed that wild fowl were first domesticated for their eggs in Egypt nearly 5,000 years ago.
The following diagrams show the main characteristics of the domestic hen with which a poultry person should be familiar.

Eggs are considered one of nature’s most complete foods, containing all of the essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals.
The consumption of two eggs alone is said to supply the following percentage of daily human requirements outlined in the table below.

Protein 20%
Calcium 8%
Phosphorus 20%
Iron 26%
Iodine 10%
Vitamin A 20%
Vitamin B 12%
Vitamin B1 12%
Vitamin B2 8%
Vitamin B12 24%
Vitamin D 24%
Kilojoules 670
Weight Watchers points 2
The egg, as illustrated, is made up of 5 main sections:
1. The shell, which consists mainly of calcium carbonate, is quite porous, containing nearly 8,000 minute holes through which gases and water vapour can pass.
2. The shell membrane, which acts as a barrier against bacteria.
3. The layered albumen (egg white) including the chalazae, which hold the yolk in the centre of the egg.
4. The yolk.
5. The germinal disc, which can be seen as a very small spot on the centre of the yolk’s surface, is where the chicken develops in an egg that has been fertilised for hatching.
Barastoc Chook Book available from PETstock South Melbourne

Senior Dog Exercise

Robert Siddle — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:45:13 +0000

Many dog owners believe as their dog becomes older they no longer need exercise, however this is far from true. Much the same as humans, dogs often suffer from arthritis as they age, which tends to lead to stiff joints and pain. The main concern with this is that the more time your pet spends still, the stiffer they become, accelerating the pain experienced from arthritis. Consequently, it is important to remember that if your dog has arthritis this does not mean he/she should remain sedentary as this results in further stiffening and a harder time trying to move, just like people.

For this reason it is important to continue with daily exercise when your dog is younger and continue this through their senior years; however it is important to tailor to their comfort level. Keeping in mind your dogs comfort level will involve being aware that your senior pet would not be expected to run or walk at the same speed or distance as a one or two year old can. It is necessary to keep track of how your dog is feeling during exercise to ensure you do not push him/her further than they are able as this can result in more pain and they will become reluctant to walk in future. When considering this, a daily short walk or activity is essential in keeping your dog as healthy as possible.

There are ways to help combat the severity of arthritis. Adding glucosamine to their diet can help ease swelling or inflammation whilst helping to lubricate their joints more. This can be done in several ways, two main ones are by adding a glucosamine powder to their daily meal or giving treats high in glucosamine. The correct dosage is dependant on your dog’s body weight and can be found out on the back of most of the packaging. In at PETstock South Melbourne we have a variety of glucosamine products. If you have any specific questions or would like to purchase some for your dog please do not hesitate in asking for help from one of our friendly staff at PETstock South Melbourne. The main aim of combining physical activity and dietary supplements for pet is so they can continue to be comfortable and happy for longer.

Old Dog Walking

Remember managing physical activity to your dog’s ability is an excellent way to reduce the severity of arthritis. Combining this with a good diet which is preferably holistic will help your dog to age gracefully.

Do Dogs of Various Sizes Have Different Exercise Needs?

When considering how much exercise your dog needs it is important to take its size and weight into account. Regimes will differ greatly between a large dog and a small one as the small one may need to take 3 steps for every 1 of the large dogs. This ultimately means that a smaller dog will work off more calories in a shorter distance. Therefore, each dog needs to have their own exercise routine tailored for him or her, so that it is enough exercise, but do not overdo it.

If you are accustomed to exercising a larger dog, you cannot expect a dog that is five times smaller to keep the same exercise routine. A good way to know if your dog has had enough exercise is to familiarise yourself with how he/she behaves afterwards. Consider is the dog worn out but still content? Hopefully they will be puffed and tired but not sore and unhappy. If you come home from exercising and the dog collapses and goes right to sleep and is very stiff the following day, you probably over did the exercise. Alternatively if you come back from an exercise and the dog is still wound up, he or she did not get enough exercise.

Therefore, the exercise you provide your dog is very individualized just as it is for people. Some people can jog for 10km and others for 15, but the end result is the same for both people. For instance if you have a naturally hyperactive dog ie a sheep dog such as a border collie you will need to exercise him/her more than you would a more a toy poodle. It is essential to acknowledge that finding the appropriate balance is very important.

Therefore, you need to begin with walks or fetching and see how your dog responds. If he or she is constantly active, then give them more exercise, because a dog that is not exercised with pent up energies has no other outlet than to be destructive. If your dog is destroying items in the home, it is not the dog’s fault if you are not providing the necessary exercise. Consequently, remember when you own a dog, regardless of their size, breed, or age, they need exercise; it is part of being a responsible dog owner.

You do not have to be an exercise junkie yourself in order to provide your dog with the needed exercise. You can play fetch with your dog, which provides excellent exercise because it gives him or her chance to run, catch, and then bring back the ball or toy back. At PETstock South Melbourne we can help to supply you with the necessary exercising aids, especially for active dogs. Some of the products available include ball throwers, Frisbees, playing tuggle ropes, jolly balls and many other toys to help keep your dog active. Keep in mind many dogs also love to swim so if you have a pool or can take them to the beach, swimming is a great form of exercise.

When taking your dog for a walk it is also important to ensure he/she is wearing the correct collar and lead which suits both you and your pet. There are a range of walking devices accessible which can be helped fitted by staff at PETstock South Melbourne including choker chains, variety of harnesses, haltis and other accessories which can help make walking your dog easier. We also have a variety of leads to suit.

Additional walking/ travel aids are also available at PETstock South Melbourne including travel bowls, water bottles, treat pouches, poo bags & holders and many other handy aids.

Is Your Dog a Couch Potato?

Dogs tend to reflect their owners behaviour. Often they do not like to exercise because you are a couch potato too; they have not been shown an alternative way to live. It is important to note that even if your dog has always been a couch potato, it is never too late to get your dog up and going for some exercise. Exercise is important for a healthy body and healthy mind. It is best to be consistent with exercise, it doesn’t matter if you are walking your dog or playing fetch; the more you do the greater the benefits you will see and its never to late to start!

To begin with do not be put off if your dog looks reluctant to go for a walk. Once you start to get into a routine, the saddened look when you grab the leash will start to disappear. Monitor the change in your dogs fitness as you continue to regularly exercise him/her; initially, he or she is probably going to be exhausted and want to go right to sleep when you take a quick walk around the block. Be patient as dogs are no different to humans and it will take your dogs body a while to become accustomed to exercising and actually enjoying the benefits of it. Gradually you should find your dog will be excited when you pick up his leash.

Initially begin with light exercise, perhaps a stroll around the block the first few times building up to a couple of blocks later in the week and continue to increase the distance and or pace. As time progresses your pet will not be so tired or winded during your exercise outings. Additionally he/she will most likely start to loose some weight and slimming down. This is a great benefit of exercise as it will help to keep your dog fit and healthy in both the body and the mind

Remember if your dog has been lazy for a long period of time it will take your initiative to get him/her going and being active. There are some handy tools you can use to help make your pets exercising time more enjoyable that you can purchase at PETstock South Melbourne. We have a variety of leads tailored for both you and your pet depending on comfort and size. There are also a variety of harnesses, collars and haltis. In addition various treats can help with training whist exercising that can be obtained from our large treat section in the PETstock South Melbourne store or accessories such as portable drinking bowls. If you have any queries regarding the best walking tools for you our helpful staff will be more than willing to assist you.

Lastly it is extremely important to consider your dogs diet when considering your pets healthiness as a whole. PETstock South Melbourne offers a large variety of premium and holistic dogs foods which can cater for every dogs needs. These types of foods are best as they have less fillers and are a more natural diet. The bonus in feeding your dog this type of food over the food accessible in the supermarket is that they should be able to eat slightly less and poo less as more nutrition is absorbed rather than passed through! Less poo to pick up yay! Some of the brands we stock are Eagle Pack, Holistic Select, Advance, Royal Cannin, Hills Science Diet, Nutro and Pro Plan to name a few.

Cat Senses

Robert Siddle — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:39:34 +0000

During the middle ages cats were believed to have supernatural powers as a result of their keen senses that were superior to humans. Cats were able to see and hear things people could not. Now that we have a greater understanding of cats, we know that there is no black magic involved; rather cats have heightened senses which help them survive as solitary night time hunters.

Cats have ears that are specially adapted to hear the soft, squeaky sounds of the tiny rodents that are their prey. They can hear sounds three times higher than humans and their large ears can move forward, backward and sideways to better locate the source of the sound. By moving their ears as they listen, cats are able to determine the source of a sound with excellent accuracy. The sensitive hearing of cats helps them to locate their prey during a hunt.

In the wild, cats do most of their hunting at night which is why a cat’s vision is superior to a human at night but inferior to a human in daylight. Cats cannot see in total darkness; however they need only 20% of the light intensity that people need to be able to see at night. Their eyes have cells that enable them to see movement and objects at very low light levels helping them to more easily locate prey. Unfortunately cats are far less skilled at distinguishing objects in comparison to humans; they compensate for this with their amazing ability to see motion, which they can detect much more quickly than humans. During the day time cats rely on their smell and sound senses more.

A cat like many animals relies heavily on its sense of smell. Its sense of smell is fourteen times stronger than a human which is attributed to the fact that Humans have only 5 million cells in thei noses to help sense odours and cats have an astonishing 200 million of these cells. They have a scent organ in the roof of their mouth called the Jacobson’s organ. The organ analyses air that enters the mouth, rather than the nose, to detect odours. At PETstock South Melbourne we sometimes get customers that say they are struggling to get their cat to eat. A good way to help encourage eating is to take advantage of their strong smelling nose and give them food with a stronger sent.

Cat taste senses are actually less developed than human taste senses. Humans have approximately 9,000 taste buds, while cats have only 475. Also unlike humans cats are not very sensitive to sweetness or salt; their tastebuds are there to help detect the protein and fat they need to survive.

Of course cats are also sensitive to touch! Their most sensitive places are their face, paws and whiskers. A cat’s whiskers are the most sensitive part of its body. They contain special hairs set deep in the skin called vibrissae. A cat will be aware of the tiniest movement in the air because of his amazing sense of touch. This helps cats to be such efficient hunters.

Not knowing the difference of a cat’s senses to a human, many people observed its behaviour as magical. Some cultures even worshiped a cat as a god. Hence, the lores and legends developed over time. Secrets of the Cat: It’s Lore, Legend and Lives available through Amazon books goes back in time and reviews stories of its behavior.

Cat Vision

House cats use their special vision to play. They can jump and land with amazing accuracy in the dark to catch fast-moving toys. In addition, cats use vision to catch bugs and rodents that may enter the home.

Cat Taste

At home, a cat’s sense of taste will keep her from getting into salty or sweet snacks, which would be bad for her. However, her taste buds will drive her to enjoy a turkey sandwich left on the counter!

Cat Sense of Touch

Touch is important to your cat emotionally. Petting and stroking your cat is good for her. It slows the heart rate, relaxes the body and causes purring.

Cats also use touch to mark their territory. Your cat will rub against your leg as a way of saying, “You belong to me.”

Cats Sense of Smell

Cats can smell the presence of other cats outside of the home and can even use scent to identify other animals their human friends have encountered.

Cats also use their sense of smell to get familiar with the meals you.