It’s purrfect!

Most cats communicate through a variety of vocal noises, such as purring, hissing, meowing, to name a few. They generally display their own personalities through these vocalisations and most people find them very endearing... sometimes though they can be very annoying.

Purring/meowing is the cat’s way of getting your attention and this is quite normal. Obviously during mating season, the vocalisation from your cat increases and this can become quite annoying. Siameses are known to have a much louder purr/meow than most other breeds whereas Abyssinians and Persians are generally rather quiet cats.

The various sounds: Cats purring loudly for their dinner is quite different to the cat who meows very loudly in the middle of the night – generally demanding attention. If they do not get the attention they desire, then obviously the purring/meowing becomes louder and louder. Hissing, however, is a totally different situation and the cat is letting you know he is not pleased about something.

Excessive vocalisation: It is, however, difficult to actually describe excessive vocalisation as all cats are different. It really depends on how much ‘noise’ the pet parent is prepared to put up with.

The attention-seekers: A lot may have to do with the time of day... is it getting close to meal time and you are being rather slow to provide their dinner? Do they want you to play with them or do they want to go outside?

Purring in discomfort: It is also wise to make sure that your cat is not unwell or injured and this is the only way they can get our attention to help them... the sounds they make in cases such as that are generally very different to those they make when all is well.

Getting their own way: Pet parents must always keep in mind that cats are highly intelligent animals and they can soon learn what I call THE DRIP SYSTEM – if they keep pestering us for long enough we will eventually give in. It is like a dripping tap that is hard to ignore – we soon stop what we are doing and go and turn the tap off.... cats work on the assumption that we will soon give them the attention they want – regardless of what we are doing.

If a cat learns that her pet parent will immediately pay her attention, then she will soon realise that loud purring/meowing will get her what she wants – even if it is only more attention! It is hard to ignore a cat who constantly seeks attention but like a naughty child we need to limit the time we give her – especially if we are very busy – and eventually the cat will realise.

(Joan E Henderson is based in Australia and she has judged furry felines in many other countries including USA, Bermuda, Malaysia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Philippines and New Zealand)

Little miss PURRFECT

Cats are smart – and have their own personalities, here’s how to teach kitty etiquettes.

• Cats do acquire a working vocabulary of many words, and every cat has her own individuality. Your cat can be taught by positive reinforcements.


• First, cats learn language by being talked to. Try to use the same words over and over. Talk to your cat when giving her treats, petting her, when grooming her, when playing with her, and when handling her. Let your tone of voice carry message as well as your words.


• Cats learn from physical reinforcement. Take your cat to a scratching post if she scratches your furniture or rugs. Put her in the litter box and scratch her front feet in the litter box. She will understand. Do this several times for a cat being first introduced to your household. When you want your cat to learn to come being called, reinforce this by always offering a treat or food when you call her, and call the same way each time. For example, “Here kitty, kitty, Moonbeam Kitty” every time you put out food or offer a treat.


• Most important, cats do NOT learn from punishment. Almost never is physical punishment a good tool to change your cat’s behaviour in a direction you want. Instead, you must focus on positives: Provide opportunities for good behaviour. Reinforce good behaviour when it occurs with treats, petting, and praise. Reinforce your own positive presence by treats and by play.


• Eliminate stressful interaction opportunities whenever possible.

(Kit Humphrey, featured columnist of Cats & Kittens, is a retired physician from Siberian Gatos Cattery in the US)

Sphynx : touching softly on every purrfect heart

Love, companionship and caress… here comes Sphynx, the embodiment of love, to delight all kitty lovers.



Love to be with you…always

The Sphynx are extremely outgoing cats. They are very people oriented and require a lot of attention. Being an active breed, they love to play. They are very inquisitive and really enjoy to participate in anything their parents are doing. They are highly intelligent and can often learn commands. They can even learn to play fetch very easily. They get along great with children, as well as other animals including dogs.

Hairless…yet beautiful

The main characteristic of the Sphynx is her hairlessness and it varies from cat to cat. The Sphynx have a wedge shaped head with large lemon shaped eyes and large ears as well as a long whippy tail. They have a nice sized body with a round belly. They come in various colours. The colour can be solid, spotted and even pointed with blue eyes. All coat and eye colours are accepted in the show ring.

Kitty Care…

Taking care of newborn Sphynx kittens can be challenging. They are very fragile at birth and remain so for the first few weeks of their life. Keeping them warm is a must. Sphynx cats tend to have a lot of energy so they need to be fed a high quality diet. Due to their lack of hair, they are indoor only breed. Sphynx cats and kittens like to be in an environment that is not less than 70 degrees F.

Grooming…I like it!

Just because they are hairless does not meant that they are maintenance free. They are not hard to take care of, but do require weekly grooming. A cat approved shampoo is recommended, as well as weekly ear cleaning.

The crux of all goodness…

The Sphynx has been compared to a few other animals for good reason. They are monkey-like because they love to climb and jump. If they get their mind set on doing something, they figure out a way to do it. They also like to sit and ride around your shoulders… They are also very much like man’s best friend, they love to greet their parents at the door when they arrive home. They love to sit on your lap while you are watching television or surfing internet. When bedtime comes, they prefer to sleep with you –usually under the blanket.

Healthy…with a delicate heart

The Sphynx are generally a healthy breed with a life expectancy just as long as any other cat. In recent year, the Sphynx breed has developed some heart issues such as Cardiomyopathy. Many breeders screen their Sphynx for heart issues prior to breeding. Typically an ultrasound of the heart is done to check for abnormalities. Then yearly rechecks are advised.

(Kim Copeland has been breeding and showing Sphynx for over 7 years. For more info about this breed, visit: www.bare-cats.com)

Purrfect felines in the show ring in America

The warmth and friendship of the people involved in the cat world is wonderful. Cat shows throughout the world are fascinating and it is a feast for the cat lovers.

Here’s some info about the American cat shows:

• The show is held over 2 days.


• The owners bring their cats to the judging cages and then sit back and watch the judge assess and often talk about their cat or kitten.


• The cages where the cats are held, when not being judged are beautifully decorated with colourful curtains and cushions while judging cages are not decorated in any way.


• There are 6-10 rings, making it a busy day for the judges, stewards, ring clerks, show manager, workers and the owners of the cats.


• There are All Breeds Rings and Specialty Rings. In an All Breeds Ring, the judge has both longhair and shorthair cats to assess against each other. In a Specialty Ring, the judge has All Longhairs or All Shorthairs but never the two groups against each other.


• Cats are judged on the basis of awarding points.


• Any cat or kitten who bites or scratches a judge is marked U.T.H. (unable to handle) and wins no awards and cannot be judged by any other judge on the day.


• The American style show generally awards beautiful Rosettes to the Top 10 cats. The most important thing when entering a show is - win or lose, you always take the best cat home.

(Joan E. Henderson of Melbourne, Australia has judged furry felines in Australia, USA, Bermuda, Malaysia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Philippines and New Zealand. She can be contacted at felines@hotkey.net.au)