As with dogs, cats look very different from people, but share many of our body’s characteristics. For example, they have a circulatory system to carry blood and a heart to move it, lungs to breath, and a digestive system to absorb nutrients and get rid of waste, etc.

Like dogs and people, cats come in many sizes and shapes and about 40 different breeds (ex., Siamese, Himalayan, Persian). Most of the cats we have in our homes are either domestic shorthair or longhair varieties and are generally mixtures of different breeds.

Cats have a rapid metabolism when compared to humans. They have a higher normal body temperature (101.5 degrees F, 38.6C), faster heart rate (120 to 140 beats per minute), breath faster (16 to 40 breaths per minute), and mature faster (average life span 12 to 20 years, depending on breed, diet, health care, etc.).

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Cats have been family friends for thousands of years, dating back to about 1500 BC when they were first domesticated in Egypt. Before then they were worshipped as gods (and they still think they are, I believe . For instance, the Egyptian gods of fertility and war were given feline personalities and feline images can be found on many early civilization artifacts.

Wild cats such as tigers, lions and leopards, are some of the best hunters in the animal kingdom and domestic cats share these characteristics. For instance, they are used on farms, in granaries and warehouses and around country homes to catch mice. Of course, most cats are primarily pets (although I love dogs, I am a “cat person” myself and have two lovely, furry friends in Ben and Nipper).

One great think about cats is they need less attention than dogs. You can actually leave them overnight and not worry about needing to find someone to let them out (of course, if they are left for more than a day, you should arrange for someone to come in and clean their litter box, feed them and give them water - and a dose of love - in your absence).

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Although obviously different from people, dogs share many of our body’s characteristics. For example, they have a circulatory system to carry blood and a heart to move it, lungs to breath, and a digestive system to absorb nutrients and get rid of waste, etc. Like people, dogs come in many sizes and shapes. But it is not the similarities that are so interesting, rather it’s the differences.

Today, we’ll talk about metabolism. Dogs have a higher metabolism than people. They have a higher normal body temperature (102 degrees F, 38.9C), faster heart rate (70 to 120 beats per minute), breath faster (18 to 34 breaths per minute), and mature faster (average life span 8 to 16 years, depending on breed).

Young dogs have more energy than human children, but their higher metabolism makes for a shorter life span (a rule of thumb is that 1 dog year equals 10-12 people years for the first 2 years of their life, then 4 people years per dog year after that.

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As you may know, dogs are descendants from the wolves that roamed wild in ancient times. Dogs have had relationships with people for thousands of years. They originally were used as guard animals and beasts of burden. In other words, they were working breeds. Although there are still many working breeds today, the service role of dogs has expanded tremendously to include assisting disabled individuals, helping law enforcement by sniffing out illegal drugs and other illegal item, and doing search and rescue. They even have been used (because of their superior sense of smell) to attempt to detect cancer in its early stages.

In the next post of “All About Dogs” we’ll talk about the physical characteristics of dogs.

While you are waiting for that post, please check out the incredible natural dog food available at Wholesome Pet Supply. Thank you.

Although your cat or dog may have a furry coat, cold weather can still be extremely dangerous. Imagine how you feel after being out on a cold day for more than a few minutes—even with your winter coat, you are probably still very cold. Cats and dogs are the same way, and if you leave your pet exposed to the cold for too long, he or she may show signs of hypothermia. In a worst-case scenario, hypothermia leads to death.

There are many different reasons why your cat or dog could become too cold. If you typically let your pet outdoors, remember that he or she will need to come back inside more quickly during the winter. This is especially true for smaller pets, pets with short hair, or pets recovering from an illness. Also, never let your pet outside if he or she is wet, for whatever reason. In fact, if you bathe your pet or your pet otherwise gets wet, dry him or her immediately if the weather is cold, even if you are indoors. Make sure your cat or dog cannot get outside in any way—your pet may not be able to figure out how to get back inside, and by the time you realize that he or she is missing, hypothermia could have taken hold.

Hypothermia is a medical condition when the body temperature drops too low for the organs to function properly. Frostbite often occurs in the extremities, because the body will begin to shut down unnecessary body parts in order to keep the vital organs as warm as possible. If you pet has hypothermia, you’ll see your pet shivering, moving slowly, and breathing shallowly. Eventually, your pet will become unresponsive and die. Therefore, it is important to warm up your cat or dog.

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