A world full of pets...

While pet parents of each respective animal will argue that their cat or dog is the smartest creature out there, it's dogs who have the numbers in their favor, according to recent findings in the journal Frontiers in Neuroanatomy. The study—which was conducted by researchers from around the world (including the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark)—concludes, among other findings, that dogs have more neurons than cats. Researchers found that dogs have over 500 million neurons in the cerebral cortex, compared to roughly 250 million in the cat's brain. (The researchers studied two dog brains and one cat brain.) Though dogs don't have the largest brain in the animal kingdom, their intelligence is on par with that of raccoons or lions. For instance, a bear has roughly the same amount of neurons as a domestic cat. So, is this the end-all, be-all when it comes to whether cats or dogs are smarter?

Turkish Angora cats have long, silky coats and elegant, sinuous bodies. Though it is known for a shimmery white coat, Turkish angora cats can display a variety of colors.They come in tabby and tabby-white, along with black with an undercoat of chocolate brown, and lastly smoke varieties, and are in every color other than those that indicate crossbreeding, such as pointed, chocolate and lavender. Eyes may be blue, green, amber, yellow, or heterochromatic (e.g., one blue and one amber or green). Ears are pointed, large and wide-set. The eyes are almond shaped and the profile forms two straight planes. The plumed tail is often carried upright, perpendicular to the back. Behaviour. Turkish Angora cats are playful, intelligent, athletic and involved. They bond with humans, but often select a particular member of the family to be their constant companion. They are in turn, very protective of their person. [10]  They seek to be "helpful" in any way they can...

The Abyssinian is thought by some to be one of the very oldest of all breeds of domestic cats. Abyssinians resemble the sculptural and painted representations of ancient Egyptian cats – they are medium in size, muscular yet elegant, with long, well-arched necks, large alert ears, long legs and exotic, almond-shaped eyes. They come in a variety of color variations, including lavender, blue, chocolate, black silver, fawn, sorrel, ruddy and sorrel silver. A unique characteristic of the Abyssinian is the banding, or “ticking,” on individual hairs. There typically are three or four bands of color on each hair. The tail is broad at the base, tapering to a point which is the color of the darkest ticking of the coat. Abyssinians are not simply ornamental lap cats, although they enjoy a good snuggle and are highly affectionate to their family members.

Are black cats lucky or unlucky? The black cat is seen as an extremely lucky omen and is welcomed as a sign of good luck to come. In ancient times cats were animals to be revered and in Ancient Egypt the humble cat was worshiped as a sacred animal. The Romans also held the cat in high regard and introduced cats as pets throughout Europe. the black cat also saw a downturn in its luck. Cats, and in particularly black cats, (deemed the colour of evil) were seen as “Witch’s Familiars” or partners in crime to the accused Witch, and the poor animal suffered similar fates to those of their mistresses. In Witch trials, ownership of a cat was taken as evidence of witchcraft and was all the proof needed to condemn both the woman and the cat to a terrible fate. The cat, and in particular the black cat, came to be seen as a very lucky omen. Good luck superstitions surrounding the black cat sprung up. To have a black cat as a ship’s cat ensured the safety of the sailors on board. Similarly, wives o...

Does cats have 9 lives? So where did the myth about cats having nine lives come from? William Shakespeare refers to the nine lives myth in his play Romeo and Juliet. There is also an ancient proverb that claims, “A cat has nine lives. Some people believe the nine lives myth is related to cats' ability to always land on their feet. Cats are also known for their dexterity and agility. Some people likely began to believe that cats must have multiple lives. Ancient Egyptians believed that cats were divine creatures with psychic or supernatural powers. The idea that they could have multiple lives fit right in with their view of cats. But why nine lives? For example, the ancient Egyptian sun god, Atum-Ra, was believed to take the form of a cat on visits to the underworld. Legend has it that Atum-Ra gave birth to eight other gods and thus represented nine lives in one. The number nine — sometimes called “the trinity of trinities" — is also believed to be mystical in many religions an...