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One Step Deeper into Cat World, These are 8 Terms Cat Lovers Must Know

When talking about community, there must be terms that only the members of the community will know the meaning. Likewise in the cat lover community, although there is no such thing as an official membership, there are several terms that only a cat lover would know. For those who are beginners, here is how to take a step deeper into the cat world.

1.     WF and DF

This is the most basic term that cat lovers must know. WF stands for ‘wet food’ while DF stands for ‘dry food’. Wet food usually refers to canned cat food that contains more water. Dry food is food in the form of dry kibble and is often used as a cat's daily food.

2.     Kibble

You might be wondering what it means by ‘kibble’ in the previous point. In the cat world, kibble is the granules of dry food. The kibble or physical form of dry food is different depending on the brand. Some are round, flower shape, bone shape, etc. The size of them can be different as well. Some can be smaller in diameter than others. The difference in size is for cat owners to choose the one that is suitable for their cats. Food for kittens usually has smaller kibble rather than food for adult cats.

3.     Stray and Feral cat

Cat lovers are certainly familiar with these terms. Both of them refer to cats who live on the streets. Even though they both have no man's land, they both have differences. Stray cat refers to cats that live side by side with humans, usually in our neighborhood, markets, offices, schools, and other places. Stray cats tend to be tame to humans. Generally, they are deliberately released, lost, or even thrown away by the owner for various reasons. As on feral cats, although some live side by side with humans, they tend to be independent and solitary. Difficult to touch and approach, they can even growl or hissing when humans approach. We can say that feral cats are returning to their nature as predatory animals. They prefer to find their own food by hunting small animals. In fact, feral cats come from stray cats who are never touched by humans or experience trauma given by evil humans. Feral cats themselves can turn back into stray cats if humans slowly approach them.

4.     Foster

It is not uncommon for stray cats to be adopted and cared for by cat lovers who find them. The term ‘foster’ refers to people who take care of stray cats but only temporarily before the cat gets a forever home. Usually, the fosters can’t keep the cats forever because they already have many cats in their house or various other conditions.

5.     Shelter

As the name suggests, this is a shelter for cats without owners who need help. Professional shelters usually work closely with veterinarians to ensure the cat's welfare is maintained.

6.     Hoarder

As opposed to shelters that take in and care for the welfare of cats, those who are collecting cats are known as hoarders. These cats are typically adopted off the streets because someone feels sorry for them or finds them to be adorable. Tens or even hundreds of cats might be gathered in one location by a hoarder. Sadly, there are occasions when this location is unsuitable and cats are prone to illness. Animal hoarders are frequently indicators of mental health issues. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, people who hoard animals have a deep emotional attachment to them yet struggle to care for, manage, or part with their "pets" without considering how they would make a good life for themselves.

7.     Sterilization

Sterilization is the act of removing a cat's reproductive organs so as to limit its reproduction. In males, it is called castration or orchiectomy. The testes, which are the primary source of testosterone hormones, are removed in order to accomplish the procedure. Cats getting this surgery will have lower hormone levels. Meanwhile, in females, it is called ovariohysterectomy (OH). The ovariohysterectomy method is used to lift the uteruses and ovaries during the procedure. As a result, even when the cat mates with the male cat, it is unable to become pregnant.

8.     Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR)

House cats are usually sterilized to limit having too many offspring. For stray and feral cats, this program is usually called Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR). Initially, the cat will be lured closer with food, then the cat will be caught to be sterilized. Once the cats have fully recovered, they will be released back to their original place. This action was taken to control the excessive cat population without having to keep them.

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