Ecology is the science of relationships between organisms and their environments. When looking for cats, people have to consider a variety of aspects, such as the natural habitat or the environment. To make sure the environment at home is the safest for cats, owners have to make available certain things such as first aid kit for cats and play items for their recreational purpose.

Several people assume that since domestic and wild cats get enough water and food, cats may survive in cold climate because of their thick coats. Although, studies say that in harsh climate, shelter is preferred the most over any other needs. Without shelter, wild and domestic cats develop risk of possible dangers such as frozen paws and ears. Severe climate may harm their respiratory system too. Particularly, in the rains, fur of cats get wet and may cost them their lives.

Types of Shelter:

Styrofoam Cooler Shelter:

A general Styrofoam cooler may provide shelter to cats. This type of shelter is available at grocery stores and in departmental stores as well. It is also available at restaurants that obtain shipments of meat and fish filled in Styrofoam containers.

Plastic Bin Shelter:

Such type of shelter needs two plastic bins of Rubber made type, and they need to have lids of which one has to be big enough so that the lid and smaller bin fit inside it properly. Other than this, some straw for bedding along with a Styrofoam insulation of 4 by 8 foot is required.

Temporary shelter:

An abandoned or homeless cat may survive in a shelter made of commonly available items. A strong container or a heavyweight-shipping crate built with plastic and having resistance to bad climate is the ideal one.

Insulation and Bedding:

There are other ways for providing shelter to domestic cats. An insulating stuff inside the shelter house of cats gives their body the required heat and warmth. It is better to use straw for this purpose. Owners may avoid using towels, blankets or newspapers that suck the body heat of cats. In addition, owners need to change the insulating material for keeping it dry.

In cold climate, cat owners may use a Mylar blanket to line the floor or the interior walls of the shelter. Mylar imitates the body heat of cats. Mylar blankets are available at cheap prices. One more type of blanket that is available in pet stores is the Flexi-Mat Purr Pad.

Other Options to Buy Shelters:

Cat owners who have no time, skill or liking to build shelter for their cats, there is an alternative. Recently, pet stores offer cat shelters insulated with wood of superior quality. Cat owners willing to buy it may go through the web site of the store, for checking the price list or visit the nearest store.

Cats – Adaptability

Cats accommodate themselves in many places. May be an apartment, a mansion, camper or a houseboat, they get used to the environment easily. However, basic shelter requirements of cats include a litter box and provision of warmth. Owners can make available all the necessary items for cats, indoors.

Thought to date back to the time of the Vikings, the Norwegian Forest Cat is an old breed. References to this type of cat can be found in Norse mythology and Norwegian fairytales, but the true origins of his breed are unknown. Domestic breeding of the Norwegian Forest Cat, known as ‘skogkatt’ in Scandinavia, began in the 1930 by farmers, but it was not recognized as a breed until the 1970s, when breeding of ‘Wegies’ (a nickname derived from the word ‘Norwegian’) became popular.

Norwegian Forest Cats lived in a harsh and cold climate for most of the year, so their coats are adapted to this environment. It is long and thick to protect them from the hash winters and virtually waterproof. They get a summer coat in spring, resulting in shedding that needs to be attended to. Some say that grooming so not necessary, regular grooming of a Norwegian Forest Cat is a useful tool in combating shedding, though they shed far less than other longhairs. They require regular brushing to help deal with tangles and matting and may require a bath at times if they get too oily (the oil is what makes the coat water resistant). The coats themselves appear in many colors and patterns.

Adult male Norwegian Forest Cats will reach an average weight of thirteen to twenty-two pounds and females will be about half that size. They will live anywhere from fifteen to twenty years. Norwegian Forest Cats are intelligent, kind, and patient, making them a good family pet for those with children. They are also friendly and gentle, so they get along well with other family pets. This breed loves to climb, so a cat condo is a must.

If a Norwegian Forest Cat is not allowed to climb on a regular basis, he may become irritable or bored, which can result in destructive behaviors to alleviate the boredom. The meow of a Norwegian Forest Cat is described as not a meow, but as singing a soft melody. This is a hearty breed, though some may be prone to glycogen storage disease.

There is a website that has great information on Norwegian Forest Cats and most other breeds of cats. It has details that pertain to a cat breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright © 2007

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat! just might be the most dangerous book out there for writers.

And you should read it.

But first, you need to recognize how to harness what’s valuable in Save The Cat!, while understanding the principles that make it so potentially destructive.

Blake Snyder isn’t dangerous because he is wrong. He’s not. He’s not dangerous because his ideas about how to build a script around a great premise aren’t brilliant. They are.

Blake Snyder is dangerous because he doesn’t teach you how to be a writer. He teaches you how to be a salesperson.

What’s Right About Save the Cat!?



You’re going to need a lot of money to turn your script into a movie. That’s true whether you are writing a tiny independent film that you are going to shoot in your backyard. Or the next incarnation of Avatar.

Unless you are ridiculously wealthy, or have a generous uncle waiting with a check in his hand, making your movie is probably going to take more money than you have. And that means you’re going to need to convince people that they should put their own hard earned money behind your production.

We call these people producers. They tend to make writers pretty darn angry. That’s because they couldn’t care less about your artistic vision, the integrity of your writing, or how your script is going to change the world.

When a producer invests in your movie, he or she is investing in one thing: the chance that your movie is going to put butts in seats.

Without butts in seats, your movie is going to lose money. And no matter how brilliant your artistic vision, it’s not going to change the world, make anybody laugh, cry or buy an overpriced barrel of popcorn. Because no one is ever going to see it.

And that’s where Blake Snyder is right. No one is going to go see your movie unless the producer knows how to sell it. That means you need a great premise, that grabs the audience’s attention and makes them want to see your movie. And once they’re in the theatre, you’ve got to out-do the promise you’ve made to your audience, so that they can go and talk to their friends about how cool your movie was and drive even more butts to the theatre.

The Save The Cat! approach is to basically turn your script into a giant sales pitch. A living, breathing advertising device that looks so irresistible that audiences can’t help but see it, and producers can’t help but buy it, whether it’s any good or not.

Sounds like a pretty good idea, right?



Except that it’s not going to work for you.

That’s because, unless you happen to be born into a Hollywood family (Snyder’s father was producer Kenneth Snyder) or already have a multi-million dollar hit in your back pocket, nobody who is anybody is going to take a chance on your crappy script. No matter how good the premise is.



Selling Out Is For Professionals

It’s true. Hollywood is filled with writers who sell bad screenplays with great premises, and make a lot of money doing it.

And you can too.

That is, if you already happen to be a big time writer.

The problem is, if you’re like most writers, it probably means that you don’t have a multi-million dollar hit in your back pocket. And in that case nobody who is anybody is going to take a chance on your bad script.

This may seem like an unfair double standard. But it’s not. And if you don’t believe me, just answer this question:

Whose next script is more likely to make you money on your investment: Quentin Tarantino’s or Joe Smith’s?

You don’t even know what the script is about, but you already know the answer. Tarantino has a whole track record to point to. Joe just has his script.

If Joe is going to convince anyone to take a chance on him, that script had better be good. Real good. It had better make them believe in it so strongly that they’d put their own reputation, and their own hard earned money, on the line to make it.

The truth is, “great ideas” in Hollywood are a dime a dozen. And so are writers with impressive track records.

But genuinely good scripts are incredibly rare.

A good script is gold in Hollywood. And you can write one.

Blake Snyder Can Show You How To Sell It. But He Can’t Show You How To Write It.

There’s a reason Blake Snyder’s magnum opus was Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot.

Whether the movie you’re writing is a deeply moving drama, a popcorn munching action flick, or a teen sex comedy, there’s no short cut around the writing process. At least not if you want to write a good movie.

The Four Phases of Writing

In my classes, I break down the writing process into four phases. I’ll be detailing them further in future newsletters, but for now, here’s a brief overview:

1. The ME Draft

2. The AUDIENCE Draft

3. The PRODUCER Draft

4. The READER Draft

What Blake Snyder is describing in Save The Cat! is actually simply the PRODUCER phase of this process: the stage of adaptation and revision that focuses on amplifying the most marketable elements in your screenplay to turn it into candy for producers.

It’s a great place to end up. But it’s a lousy place to start.



Don’t Spend Your Writing Life Feeling Like A Used Car Salesman

No offense to any used-car dealers out there, but you’re not going to break into an industry as competitive as the film industry by peddling a broken down jalopy with a fancy paint job.

You may fool your Aunt Ida. But a real producer can tell when an engine isn’t running.



Open Yourself To The Process

If you let yourself be seduced into thinking about the pitch before you even have anything worth selling, you’re not going to get where you want to go.

Just like the kid who talks the most smack on the basketball court is probably not going to the NBA. At least not until he learns to shoot.

Learning to shoot in the world of screenwriting begins with discovering your character, and taking him or her on a profound journey.

It means getting in touch with your subconscious creative mind, which could care less about marketability, and sales-pitches, and creating a story that exceeds your own plans and expectations.

Then, when you decide to “Save The Cat”, you’ll be doing it for the right reasons: to amplify and focus what already makes your screenplay great, and to shape it into a form that the producer can salivate over.

Don’t worry, you’re going to have plenty of time to sell out later. But you have to become a writer first.

Learn To Understand The Four Phases of Writing

Curious about learning a more effective way to “Save the Cat” in your own writing? Come check out my upcoming screenwriting workshop: Adaptation and Revision.

Rather than imposing a cheesy sales pitch from the outside, you’ll learn to identify the underlying hook that already exists in your work, and focus your writing to bring it to the surface, intensify your character’s journey, and shape a story that grabs your audience and won’t let them go.

Sign up now, and check out the first session for only $20 bucks!

The African lion is nothing if not a magnificent beast; in fact, it is because of this that it has been bestowed the title “King of Beasts” by multiple civilizations throughout the millennia. We will try to do the lion Justice in this short article, by appraising you of facts about the lion that you may find to be of interest. Some of these facts will cover what lions eat, at what point in their lives they begin to roar that thunderous roar well-known throughout the animal kingdom, as well as how much protein they get in their diets.

Name of the lion is Panthera Leo, and it is a mammalian carnivore from the phylum Chordata. In the following size range we will try to cover the stats on both the lioness (which is a female lion) and the male lion: the head and body together spans from about 4 1/2 feet to 6 1/2 feet. When you include the tail the size range covers a further 26 inches to almost 40 inches. The average female lions tend to be around 265 very powerful pounds; whereas the average male is a much larger 425 pounds of pure muscle – and he doesn’t lose any speed despite the increase. In fact, the male African lion actually has a greater acceleration ability than the female lion; the lioness can reach the same velocity, however.

Size of the Male African Lion

When you consider that the male lion can be up to 10 feet long – with the tail included – and a stunning 500 pounds of absolute muscle, there’s no wonder that it is both an apex predator and a Keystone predator on whatever lands it inhabits – whether it’s the Serengeti, Kruger National Park, the Masai Mara, the Okavango crater and the Giants of Botswana. As big as the male lion is, it is considerably smaller than the largest member of the cat family in the Tiger. Panthera Tigris can be up to 13 feet long and weigh a formidable 660 pounds.

More Facts About the Lion

Out of all of the impressive things about the line, the sheer force of its roar may take the top prize – but that obviously depends on who you ask. It is a truly mighty yell, in that it can be heard in excess of 8 km (that would be 5 miles for American educated people). People who have visited liens on African safari and hurt his roar has stated that it can give you a headache from 10 m away. This trumpeting sound starts to truly manifest itself when the lion turns about one year old, and is a crucial vocalization method for the only social Big Cat.

Lines live in groups called prides, which can be as large as a unit of three – which usually involves a single male and two female cats – or as large as 40. As you can well imagine, it takes quite a lot of water Buffalo and other pray to feed a family of 40; which is why such groups almost always have more than a single lion – although only one of them is king. His brother lions act almost exclusively as support in guarding the kingdom. They may not have much access to the lionesses, but they definitely get first dibs when it comes to eating freshly killed prey.

Lastly for facts about the lion, the mane of the male lion signals fitness and is thus attractive to lionesses. Lines that have dark, full manes tend to win battles with reckless abandon throughout their robust youth and middle-age. Once he conquers the former king to usurp his pride, he makes it a point to kill all the cubs in order for the lionesses to come back into estrus and be accepting of his own seed.

Persian cats have always been a favorite breed with cat owners.

They make wonderful pets and have their good points and bad points.

On the Pro list, they are very beautiful to look at and generally have a sweet disposition, a

quiet manner and regal character. They usually tolerate everything and walk off if bothered.

They are very gentle, by nature. Another Pro is the variety of colors they come in.

You have silver, white, black, red, multicolored and golden shades, just to name a few.

They are an ornament to your life and home. They make attractive pets to look at.

They have lovely fur and are not usually prone to be destructive in any way.

Persian cats usually adjust quite well to new surroundings quickly although some can be shy around loud noises.

There are some other things you need to know. This will help you adjust to possible problems of owning that may occur.

The Cons of owning a Persian cat are the shedding of hair, the possibility of runny eyes, as Persians seem prone to this and they may also have some grooming problems.

Usually only older Persian cats have a tendency not to groom themselves.

Some owners have their Persian cat shaved by the vet occasionally if grooming becomes a problem.

It is always best to be aware of all these facts before owning a Persian cat.

Persian cats make delightful pets and will bring you much joy.

They tend to live long lives and get very attached to their owners.

In summary, this breed will make a wonderful addition to your family and a great pet as long as you are prepared for all of these things.

If a vet listens to the heartbeat of a cat and if they hear any unusual sounds, they may require more tests, but generally, they give the diagnosis of a heart murmur. The vet listens to the heartbeat, heart rhythm and the heart sounds to determine if the heart has any irregularities. The health of the cat determines if any concern for this heart condition exists.

Types of Cat Health Heart Murmurs

Two types are physiological and pathological conditions. The physiological murmur results when a fever or anemia is present. The pathological murmur results when a condition affects the valves and heart muscle of the cat. Researchers conducted tests to find out more information on cat health heart murmurs.

A Boston animal hospital conducted a test on one hundred cats and found that twenty-one percent of the cats had a heart murmur. Out of the twenty-one percent, seven cats were given an echocardiography and six cats actually had a heart problem called hypertrophy cardiomyopathy. The result of the study showed that healthy cats may show signs of a heart murmur, but without proper testing, the outcome and diagnosis is inconclusive.

Heart murmurs are measured by grades. Six different types of grades exist from I to VI with grade VI the most severe and grade I mild. Veterinarians grade the heart murmur, but the murmur graded VI does not make it the worst heart murmur to have in a cat.

Cat Health Heart Murmur Issues

Some kittens are born with heart murmurs that disappear by the time they reach six months. The incidental heart murmur occurs in cats that appear healthy, but they may show signs of weakness and color changes in the skin and tongue. A cat that shows signs of poor health may also experience heart murmurs. The only way to determine if a heart murmur exists is to run tests.

The only way to determine the severalty of a heart murmur is by an ultrasound. If you need to have your cat spayed or neutered, a veterinarian may insist on an x-ray or n ultrasound to determine how severe the heart murmur is before doing the operation. The cat that is born with a heart murmur usually receives a lower grade type, rather than an older cat that develops a heart murmur later in life.

For the most part cat heart murmurs need no type of treatment unless they become severe or cause other health problems. Cats do have potential for congestive heart failure, although rare, this may lead to your vet ordering tests for your cat if it has a heart murmur. If you suspect your cat has a heart murmur, the only thing to do is have an exam to determine the grade of the murmur and then follow the veterinarian’s advice on the care and treatment of your cat. The cat needs a healthy and happy life and only you know your cat’s personality and activities.

It can be real handy to have one or two additional Ethernet cables handy — when you are rearranging components, or have to hook up a brand-new component. Pre-made cat 5 patch cables are sometimes expensive to buy, however, so it can be cheaper to learn to make your own. But if you don’t do it correctly, your patch cable will be useless.

One of the most common mistakes that many people make when trying to make their own cat 5 patch cables is that they try to use the wrong tools. For example, they may have a crimping cool designed for use with telephone system modular connectors — they try to use this tool to crimp the connectors for their cat 5 cable wiring — but it just will work properly, because telephone connectors are a different size from those used on 5 wires.

Another common mistake is in not purchasing enough cable. You can generally purchase cat 5 patch cable wiring in 1000-foot rolls — if that will be too much for your wiring project, you can keep the rest of it in storage, in case your installed cable goes bad in the future. Or, you can pass along the extra cabling to a friend or family member so they can do their own home computer wiring.

In addition to these materials, you will also need a good-quality stripping tool — don’t try to use a pen knife or something like that to strip off the outer insulation from the cat 5 patch cable. When used properly, a stripping tool will strip away the outside covering, without cutting or nicking the smaller, inside wires — and it’s very important that you don’t.

Another very important item to have on hand is a cable tester. This device will allow you to check the integrity of your cable connections, before you actually try to use it with your computer equipment. Many people struggle, trying to figure out what is wrong with their computer network connections, when the problem can be traced to a bad patch cord.

If you look inside of your cat 5 cable, you will see four pairs of smaller wires — two wires twisted together — it is very important that you do not untwist these wires any more than is necessary in order to expose enough wiring to attach your connector. The reason for this is that each pair of twisted wires has been designed to work together, to minimize interference with the other sets of wires inside the cable. If you untwist these wires more than necessary, this dampening effect is lost, and it could affect the performance of your patch cable.

Another area where people get messed up is that they handle cat 5 cable improperly. A common mistake is to staple this cable to the bottom of a wall or on a baseboard. This can crimp or crush the wires inside your cable. Instead, use only manufacturer-recommended supplies to hold your cat 5 cable in place. As well, make sure that you do not lay your cable near any existing wiring — it may interfere with the signal transmission through the cable.

A final mistake that many people make when constructing their own cat 5 patch cables is not testing the cable once the connectors have been attached. It is always a good practice to use your testing device to verify the quality and integrity of your connections before you began using your patch cord. If your testing device indicates there is a problem, cut off one end of the cable and attach a new connector — then test it again. If there is still a problem with your cat 5 patch cable, flip it over and cut off the other end and attach a new connector there as well. Now test it — once you get a green light from your testing equipment, then you can begin putting that patch cable to good use.

Ragdolls are perfect indoor cats; but that is it – they are not the type to chase mice or other stuff a regular cat should do. This doesn’t mean however they don’t like to smell the fresh air from time to time; just be careful not to leave them unsupervised as outside their typical environment are pretty helpless – they can get lost, can be stolen easily (they really love strangers, especially the smelly ones), get hit by a car or worse, scare the crap out of your dog.

They learn very fast what should and shouldn’t do; this doesn’t mean however they are always doing what they should – they know it’s wrong but keep on doing it. Ragdoll cats can easily be accustomed to travel or wear a collar, especially if thought from a young age.

Ragdolls are maybe the most sociable cats. They are very attached to their owner and people in general and usually enjoy the company of other cats. Of course, there are exceptions (my cat being one of them – she really hates all non human species). As true family cats Ragdolls enjoy being with kids, just not the kind that tortures them continuously

Young Ragdoll kittens are usually quite active while older ones are rather well-tempered, calm partners. Often Ragdolls like to fetch tossed toys, others prefer a combination of a game of hide and seek and tag with you. They are always happy when you spend some time playing with them.

Ragdolls often answer in their soft low voice when called. Their sounds are very expressive and sometimes you think they answer you back.

If you need a lovable and ever trusting pet, then Ragdoll cat is definitely a good choice. They are the perfect combination between a dog, a cat, and maybe the small baby you don’t yet have.

You may think that a cat fountain, providing running water for your cat to drink sounds like a bit of a luxury. However, there are good reasons why vets recommend the use of a pet fountain for your cat but at the same time, you need to know which features to look for and which to avoid.

Perhaps you have never considered purchasing a cat fountain for your cat. Cats instinctively prefer running water – perhaps you have noticed that your cat tries to drink from the faucet? If you feed your cat a dry food diet it is vital that he drinks plenty of fresh water every day. Are you concerned that your cat does not drink enough water from his bowl?

Reviews of different models are mixed, with some scoring very highly and others being disappointing. I am delighted with the model I chose and which is available online for an excellent price. The filters also work out to be quite inexpensive. I am pleased I purchased a cat fountain for my cat and now appreciate why they are so highly recommended by vets.

A cat fountain with fresh, clean, running water will help your cat to drink more water. This will keep him hydrated and help to avoid health problems. Health problems caused by dehydration can include urinary tract infections and kidney problems.

Cats are prone to a condition called feline acne on their chins. This is caused by bacterial infection. The bacteria can be harboured unseen in scratches that get caused through daily use of plastic bowls. For this reason, a cat fountain made of ceramic or stainless steel is recommended.

The best cat drinking fountains have a very quiet motor. This is important as noise can be off-putting to your cat and might frighten him or dissuade him from drinking. You need to choose a pet fountain that is easy to clean. You do not want one that is difficult or time consuming to clean. It is preferable to use one that can be washed in the dishwasher for hygiene once you have lifted out the pump. It is also important to choose one with an easy to change filter that is long lasting and economical.

Finally, you need to choose one with a large capacity. A cat fountain should hold enough to keep one cat supplied with fresh drinking water for a few days. If you have several cats, your pet fountain should hold enough water so that you only need to top it up once a day at most.

Dogs may be a man’s best friend, but many animal lovers adore keeping cats as pets because of the animal’s warm yet independent spirit. There are steps that you can take to keep your pet healthy and to avoid any issues or concerns. By using a combination of care, prevention and pet health products, you can ensure your cat’s companionship for years to come.

There are two important ways in which you can maintain your cat’s health and happiness. Scheduling annual veterinarian check-ups allow a professional to give special care and attention to your cat. This allows the vet to stay current with the shots and regular exams that felines require. Paying attention to any physical changes in your pet will give you a better idea of your pet’s health. Investing in a few specialized, approved pet health products can also make a significant difference.

Conduct an overall evaluation of your cat when you are petting or sitting with it. Take a quick look at the animal from nose to tail. It is smart to do this on a regular basis and at a set time, your pet will grow accustomed to it and you will not forget its daily check-up. Alert your veterinarian if you discover any potential concerns. Begin with your cat’s head. Are its eyes clear and alert? Are its ears pink and clean? Do the ears give off a pungent smell that seems abnormal? Have bugs appeared as a dark, thick formation inside the cat’s ears? Are its gums pink and teeth healthy, clean and strong? Does tartar reside along the gum line? Has your cat developed unpleasant breath?

Gently feel and inspect your pet’s body for sores, lumps, puffiness, bumps, scratches, parasites or irregularities. Keep an eye out for flea dirt, which is similar in appearance to black pepper and appears red when dampened. Check your cat’s paws, ears and tail.

Feel free to ask your vet any questions that you may have. Don’t be afraid to verify what is and isn’t normal.

Regularly brushing your cat keeps it looking neat and tidy. Rubber brushes remove dead skin cells and loose hair. Combs that are specially designed for a cat help lift fleas and small bugs out of its hair.

It is imperative to clip your cat’s claws on a regular basis. When this isn’t done, a cat’s claws can grow into its paw pads, which may result in pain and infection. A veterinarian will be happy to show you how to properly trim a cat’s nails in a way that will not harm the animal. While many people choose to have their cats declawed, this is not the only way to eliminate its scratching. It can also be very painful for the pet. Felines can be trained to scratch only in designated areas, such as a well-designed post.

Cat owners should do as much research as possible regarding the proper care of cats. They should also own at least one book or pamphlet on emergency first aid. By familiarizing yourself with emergency procedures, you could possibly save your cat’s life. Do not attempt to treat your cat with any medications, like aspirin, ibuprofen or suphedrine. Many medicines intended for humans can be poisonous to cats.