The Common Ancestors Of Dogs By Grant Carroll

The great multitude of different breeds of dog and the vast differences in their size, points, and general appearance are facts which make it hard to believe that they have a shared ancestry. One thinks of the difference between the Mastiff and the Japanese Spaniel, the Deerhound and the puffy Pomeranian, the St. Bernard and the Miniature Black and Tan Terrier as well as the beloved Chihuahua, and is perhaps confused by the possibility of their having descended from a common progenitor. However, the difference is no greater than between types of horses, cattle or even humans; and all dog breeders know the simple steps needed to produce a variety in type and size by breeding.

Before one can fully understand that all dogs as well as their wild counterparts share a close relation, one must start by learning the basic physical similarities between them. The skeletal system of the two animals is an ideal place to begin study since they are virtually interchangeable. The spine of the dog consists of seven vertebrae in the neck, thirteen in the back, seven in the loins, three sacral vertebrae, and twenty to twenty-two in the tail. In both the dog and the wolf there are thirteen pairs of ribs, nine true and four false. Each has forty-two teeth. They both have five front and four hind toes, while outwardly the common wolf has so much the appearance of a large, bare-boned dog, that a popular description of the one would serve for the other.

The habits of both species are similar as well. In the wild, wolves are known to howl in their packs, but as soon as a wolf is grouped with dogs, he takes on barking behavior. Although he is carnivorous, he will also eat vegetables, and when sickly he will nibble grass. Hunting behavior is also very similar among wolves and sporting dogs; they both hunt in packs and divide up strategically to catch their victims.

A further significant point of resemblance between the wild wolf and the Canis familiaris lies in the fact that the period of gestation in both species is sixty-three days. There are from three to nine cubs in a wolf's litter, and they are blind for twenty-one days. They are nursed for two months, but at the end of that time they can eat half-digested flesh regurgitated for them by their dam or even their sire.

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The Best Definition Of A Typical Cat By Michael Haydon

How many times have you heard that the typical cat is a predator? More times than you can imagine. But when you are trying to come up with the definition of a typical cat surely it is better to study the overall habits of a cat and come up with the best summary. For starters, what does a cat do during a typical day? Here is my list of the things that acts do:

•They purr.

•They sleep.

•They chase moving objects.

•They eat.

•They sleep some more.

I think the most common activities are sleeping and purring. From kittens to senior cats, purring is the earliest most easily distinguishable hallmark of all cats.

All Cats Purr

Whilst purring is common to all cats, it is not always indicative of its being happy. Sometimes, cats purr when they are distressed or sick. Some scientists believe that cats use purring as a mechanism to calm itself down in much the same way humans do during meditation. When they purr they produce similar brainwaves to the human ‘alpha wave’ patterns, which induce a feeling of inner calm. There have been recent suggestions that having a purring act on your lap will have a calming effect on you as well. In other words, the benefits of purring can be transferred. Many nursing homes for the elderly are keeping cats as pets for their residents with beneficial effects being noted.

Cats can sleep for up to sixteen hours a day as well as taking catnaps of ten or fifteen minutes at a time during periods of activity. Many cats also love catnip plant and will munch at it and roll around in it and, to all appearances, appear to be addicted to it. Any change in behavior should be carefully observed and may require a visit to the vet if you become concerned.

Your cat might seem to be an unusually good climber. This is typical of al cats. It is here that the similarity to a predator role is seen most clearly. From a high vantage point, the cat can observe the movement and presence of possible prey. They do this from a position of safety as they have excellent all round vision and can stay out of the way of danger. I think the best way to think of a cat is not so much as a predator, but an independent animal keeping up its hunting skills so they will always be prepared for the possibility that they may be abandoned by their owners. They maintain their independence and their predator behavior is nothing more than this.

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