Glossary of Terms
- Acute Metritis: An infection of the uterus.
- Agouti: The colour between the stripes of a Tabby cat. In non-agouti cats there is no contrast, producing a solid (self) coat.
- Ailurophile: A person who loves cats.
- Ailurophobe: A person with an intense dislike or fear of cats.
- Allergen: Any inanimate or living object that creates an allergic reaction in an animal.
- Altered: A cat that has had its reproductive organs removed (either spayed females or neutered males).
- Anaemia: A condition caused by iron deficiency.
- Anoestrus: The period of inactivity in the female cat's reproductive cycle.
- Asthma: An allergic condition leading to wheezing and difficulty in breathing.
- Awn Hair: Short, thick, bristly hair which lies underneath a cat's top coat.
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- Banding: Distinct bands of colour in a cross-wise direction.
- Behaviour: The act or manner in which cats conduct themselves.
- Bib: The part of the ruff, or lengthened hair, around the chest area.
- Bicolor: A cat with more than two spots of colour on the torso, either white and one basic colour, or white with one tabby colour.
- Blaze: A marking down the forehead, nose and under the chin.
- Breeding: The process of reproduction; mating and giving birth to offspring.
- Breed-suitable: A cat that meets strict breed criteria, proving its worthiness to reproduce.
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- Calicivirus: A serious respiratory illness.
- Calico: A coat pattern consisting of a mosaic blend of black and orange, plus patches of white.
- Carbohydrate: A food source including starch, sugars and celluloses, created by the combination of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.
- Carpal Pads: Anti skid pads found on the wrists of the cat's front legs.
- Caterwaul: A loud, shrill cry.
- Characteristic (typical - adj): A distinguishing trait, quality or property (noun) .
- Cobby: Describes a cat's body type characterized by a large bone structure and rounded shape.
- Colustrum: The milky fluid secreted from the mother's nipples, or mammary glands, for the first few days after birth. It is rich in protein and contains antibodies which initially protects the young kittens from disease.
- Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the membrane on the inside surface of the eyes.
- Convulsions: Strong and involuntary contraction of the muscles.
- Crepuscular (or Nocturnal): Active during twilight hours - dawn and dusk.
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- Declawing: A surgical process that permanently removes the nails on an animal (British vets have unilaterally banned it by deciding they won't ever declaw except in cases of medical necessity, not to be encouraged elsewhere). DO NOT DECLAW Your Cats need their claws as their first line of defence - Maiming your pet cat by removing its claws is not the right solution. If you think more of your inanimate objects, then a cat is not for you.
- Domestication: A process that tames animals and their offspring, so that they may live in close contact with humans.
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- Euthanasia: A process of killing animals because they are very ill, injured or contribute to pet overpopulation - the latter is a good reason to have your female cat spayed as early as possible.
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- Fat: A concentrated food source of oily, water-insoluble glyceride compounds that combine oxygen, hydrogen and carbon.
- Feline: Member of the Cat Family - Felidæ.
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus: A virus that invades the cat's DNA and uses it to reproduce, causing dysfunction of the immune system.
- Feline Leukaemia: A group of diseases that often cause cancer and death.
- Feral Cat: An untamed domestic cat that was born, or has reverted to living in the wild.
- Fleas: Wingless, jumping parasites that feed on blood.
- Flehmening: The grimace a cat makes when it draws air over the Jacobsen's Organ in its mouth.
- Free-feed: A feeding process that gives a cat open access to a food bowl all day.
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- Gastritis: An inflammation of the mucous membrane surrounding the stomach.
- Genetic: Inherited.
- Genus: A biological classification that combines organisms sharing common characteristics; ranks between species and family.
- Grooming Kit: A collection of materials needed for the care of a cat's coat, including brush, comb and feline shampoo.
- Guard Hair: Long, course hairs that make up the cat's top coat. These carry the pattern of the fur.
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- Habit: A fixed or constant practise established by frequent repetition; an acquired mode of behaviour that has become nearly or completely involuntary.
- Hand-feed: A feeding process that offers a cat food periodically during the day and for a limited time (usually twice a day, for about 20 minutes).
- Heartworm: A rare, but potentially life-threatening parasite, that travels through a cat's bloodstream and grows large in the heart.
- Heat: A period of time when female cats are sexually receptive.
- Hereditary: Derived from ancestry; describing a genetically transmitted or transmittable characteristic; inborn; independent of prior learning.
- Hookworm: A parasitic worm that thrives in unsanitary conditions.
- Housetraining: Process of instruction that teaches a cat to eliminate in a litter box.
- Humane Society: Local organizations that rescues and cares for lost or homeless cats and helps find them new homes
- Hysterectomy: A sterilization process that removes a female cat's uterus.
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- Inherent: Implanted by nature; intrinsic, innate; involved in the constitution or essential character; belonging by nature or habit.
- Inate: Inborn, inherited; existing or determined by factors present from birth; congenital.
- Instinct: A propensity that urges an animal to perform actions that are for the most part useful or beneficial; a natural or inherent aptitude that is largely hereditary and usually unalterable.
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- Jacobsen's Organ: An organ in the roof of a cat's mouth that is linked with the sense of smell and taste.
- Jowls: Loose flesh around the neck and throat.
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- Kittens: Offspring of a female cat.
- Kink: A twist, curl, bend or bump in the tail bone.
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- Laces: White markings on the legs.
- Lactating: When a female cat is breast-feeding young offspring.
- Laryngitis: An inflammation of the larynx, often temporarily making speech difficult.
- Lithe: A cat body type that is lean, narrow and small-boned.
- Litter: All the kittens born to a mother in a single birth.
- Litter Box: A lined container filled with kitty litter, used as a sanitary place for cats to eliminate.
- Locket: Solid white marking on the neck.
- Lordosis: When a Queen who is on Heat lies with her front paws down and her rear end in the air.
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- Mackerel: A type of tabby pattern where the colours of the coat appear striped.
- Mask: The darker shadings on the face.
- Mites: Very small arachnids that cause and carry a variety of diseases.
- Muzzle: The jaws and mouth.
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- Necklace: Bandings of colour across the lower neck and chest area, as if the cat is wearing a necklace.
- Neuter: Any surgical process that prevents a male cat from being able to impregnate a female.
- Nocturnal (or Crepuscular): Active during twilight hours - dawn and dusk.
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- Onychectomy (Declawing): A surgical process that permanently removes the nails on an animal (British vets have unilaterally banned it by deciding they won't ever declaw except in cases of medical necessity, not to be encouraged elsewhere). DO NOT DECLAW - Your Cats need their claws as their first line of defence - Maiming your pet cat by removing its claws is not the right solution. If you think more of your inanimate objects, then a cat is not for you.
- Ovariohysterectomy: A sterilization process that removes a female cat's ovaries.
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- Panleukopenia: Viral infection that attacks the bones and intestinal walls.
- Papillae: The tiny, pointed hooks on a cat's tongue that give the tongue its rough surface.
- Paralysis: The loss of movement and/or sensation on the body.
- Parasite: An organism that lives in or on another organism and often survives by draining nutrients from its host.
- Particolor: A coat pattern consisting of two or more colours in distinct patches.
- Pedigree: Cats that have been bred for a specific purpose or for strict physical characteristics, and have been bred along pure lines for many years without interbreeding.
- Pneumonia: A serious disease characterized by lung inflammation.
- Pointed: A coat pattern consisting of a solid colour on the body and a darker colour on the ears, tail, face and legs.
- Points: Extremes of the body comprising the mask, ears, legs and tail.
- Praise: Positive reinforcement that indicates satisfaction to your cat.
- Pregnant: When a female cat is carrying unborn offspring.
- Protein: A food source of nitrogen based substances from plants and animals.
- Puberty: A growth stage reached between 6 and 12 months of age when cats become sexually active and able to reproduce.
- Pyometra: An infection of the uterus.
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- Queen: Unneutered female cat.
- Quick: The root inside a nail that feeds blood to the nail.
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- Rabies: A viral infection that affects the nervous system, causing either hyperactivity or extreme listlessness.
- Rhinotracheitis: A serious respiratory illness.
- Righting reflex: The ability to properly orient the body during a fall.
- Roundworm: A parasitic worm resembling round spaghetti that may cause illness, particularly in young, old or weakened cats.
- Ruff: Protruding or lengthened hair around the neck and chest.
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- Scratching post: A free standing tower covered in burlap or other stiff material that cats use to safely rub their nails.
- Shaded: A coat pattern consisting of a single colour that varies from light to dark shading across the length of each hair.
- Shelter: A local organization that rescues and cares for lost or homeless cats and helps find them new homes.
- Shock: A physical state often caused by severe injury, and characterized by depressed physical response (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.).
- Solid: A coat pattern consisting of a single colour.
- Spay: Any surgical process that prevents a female cat from becoming pregnant.
- Species: A biological classification that combines organisms sharing common characteristics and are able to mate and produce fertile offspring.
- Spotted: A coat pattern with many dark, rounded spots, particularly at the rear of the body.
- Spraying: When a Cat (usually a male) sprays urine to mark its territory.
- Stereoscopic vision: The ability to see in three dimensions.
- Sterilization: A process, often surgical, that prevents animals from being able to reproduce.
- Svelte: Describes a cat's body type characterized by a fine bone structure and narrow shape.
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- Tabby: A coat pattern consisting of two or more colours in a striped pattern.
- Tapetum Lucidum: Mirror-like layer of cells behind the cat's retina. these cells reflect light for good night vision.
- Tapeworm: A long, flat, white parasite that inhabits the intestinal tract and causes illness; this infection can spread to humans.
- Ticked: A coat pattern consisting of banded hairs.
- Ticking: Light hairs that are scattered among darker coloured hairs or spatterings of lighter hairs among darker coloured hairs.
- Tom: Un-neutered male cat.
- Tortoiseshell: A coat pattern consisting of a mosaic blend of black and orange.
- Tortie: A combination of the Tortoiseshell and the Tabby pattern that is also known by the name "Patched Tabby".
- Toxoplasmosis: A disease caused by infection with a microorganism, toxoplasmosis gondii; usually producing only mild symptoms except if contracted by a pregnant woman, when it can cause blindness and mental retardation in the foetus.
- Trait: An inherent physical or mental characteristic; a distinguishing quality; a peculiarity.
- Tubal Ligation: A sterilization process that ties the fallopian tubes, preventing the release of eggs.
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- Ulcer: A rupture in the body's tissue, skin or membrane; usually associated with the stomach lining and its subsequent pain and injury.
- Unaltered: An intact male or female cat with full reproductive abilities.
- Undercolour: The colour of the hair closest to the skin.
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- Vaccine: An injection that helps the body build immunity to disease.
- Vasectomy: A sterilization process that removes a male cat's sperm transporting connective tubes.
- Veterinarian Surgeon: An animal doctor.
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- Wean: To persuade kittens that are totally reliant on their mother's milk for sustenance to start taking solid food.
- Whisker Break: An indentation in the upper jaw.
- Whisker Pad: The thickened, or fatty pads around the whisker area.
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