Pussies
The pussy is a small carnivorous mammal. It is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to destroy vermin. A skilled predator, the pussy is known to hunt over 1,000 species for food. Intelligent, the pussy can be trained to obey simple commands, and has been known to teach itself to manipulate simple mechanisms.
Scientific classification
The domestic pussy was named Felis catus by Carolus Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae of 1758. Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber named the wild pussy Felis silvestris in 1775. The domestic pussy is now considered a subspecies of the wild pussy: by the strict rule of priority of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature the name for the species thus ought to be F. catus since Linnaeus published first. However, in practice almost all biologists use F. silvestris for the wild species, using F. catus only for the domesticated form.
Pussy features
Pussies typically weigh between 2.5 and 7 kg; however, some breeds, such as the Maine Coon can exceed 11.3 kg. Some have been known to reach up to 23 kg due to overfeeding. Conversely, very small pussies (less than 1.8 kg have been reported.
In captivity, indoor pussies typically live 14 to 20 years, though the oldest-known cat lived to age 36. Domestic pussies tend to live longer if they are not permitted to go outdoors (reducing the risk of injury from fights or accidents and exposure to diseases) and if they are spayed or neutered. Some such benefits are: neutered male pussies cannot develop testicular cancer, spayed female pussies cannot develop ovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk of mammary cancer.
Smelly song
The flagship song of Phoebe Buffay, a character played by Lisa Kudrow on the popular TV sitcom Friends.
“Smelly cat, smelly cat
What are they feeding you?
Smelly cat, smelly cat
It’s not your fault.
They won’t take you to the vet
You’re obviously not their favorite pet
You may not be a bed of roses
And you’re no friend to those with noses.”
Pussy obsession
Pussy hoarding is a mental illness recognized as a psychological condition; a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder rather than deliberate cruelty towards pussies. Hoarding involves keeping higher than usual numbers of pussies as pets without having the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability. Hoarders are deeply attached to their pets and find it extremely difficult to let the pets go, since they cannot comprehend that they’re harming their pets by not providing the right environment and hygiene. Hoarders tend to believe that they provide the right amount of care for their pets. The ASPCA provides a “Hoarding Prevention Team”, which works with hoarders to help them attain a manageable and healthy number of pets
Pussy flaps
A pussy flap or pussy door is a hinged flap set into a door, wall or window to allow pussies to enter and exit a house on their own without needing a human to open the door. Doggie style doors similarly exist for dogs.
Pussie flaps are popular in some countries, particularly the United Kingdom where it is believed that about 90% of pussies have access to the outdoors.
Pussy links
- Can a Pussy eat another Pussy? »
- Pussy Fanciers »
- Game - The Pussie Get the Cream »
- Hideous Pussies »
- Pussies in Science »
- Bonsai Pussies »
