Cat - Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopard is a unique animal. A medium sized cat, it has sufficient genetic diversity to classify into a specie, unique from the leopard and Bornean clouded leopard. The cat, though, is not strictly included in big or small cats, owing to its inability to roar or purr respectively. Length is around three to four feet, weight approximately forty to fifty pounds, with males being generally bigger. It occurs in the wild exclusively in South East Asia. The Clouded Leopard coat is generally tawny and is marked by a number of irregular shapes mimicking clouds, hence the name. The tail is nearly three feet long, at times as long as the body, and assists the cat in its acrobatic climbs up and down trees. Capable of moving over branches horizontally, hanging from them by its hind legs, and coming down tree trunks head first - clouded leopard is considered as one of the best tree climbers in all cats, a fact assisted by large paws and sharp claws that support grip on trees. In fact it spends most of its day time on trees, resting on branches. Previously considered a nocturnal hunter, the Clouded Leopard is now seen in activity during day time as well. Prey is usually taken on the ground, though jumping at it from trees is a preferred tactic. Hunting is assisted by its long canine teeth, considered to be the longest proportional to body size in family felidae. In fact the long fangs have led many to compare the Clouded Leopard to the Saber toothed tiger! Prey is usually small to mid-sized animals including monkeys, birds, porcupines and deer. Owing to its rarity and elusive nature, the Clouded Leopard has seldom been studied in the wild. Few animals have been successfully collared and monitored. As a result, very little is known about its behavior in nature, though it is generally considered a solitary cat that comes together for mating and perhaps raring of the young. Gestational period is around three months and on average a litter of three cubs is born. They are blind and helpless initially but become active in a month's time. Lifespan is nearly seventeen years in captivity and eleven years in the wild. The beautiful Clouded Leopard is classified as a vulnerable specie and strict embargoes are placed by CITES and the US government on the trade of live animals or its parts, allowing only the scientific study of these great cats. The bans though are poorly enforced in the native countries and this has led to a global Clouded Leopard population that is less than five hundred - much like Asiatic lions they face extinction unless greater protection of these cats and their habitat is enforced in the wild. Breeding in captivity is quite difficult owing to the aggressive nature of male clouded leopards who frequently attack females when introduced to them. A new approach though, that employs grouping the animals together before they are one year of age, has proven to be more successful, raising some home for sustenance of this wonderful specie of cats! The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on clouded leopard. Learn more about cats here: http://ailurophiles.blogspot.com Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Omer_Ashraf Cat - Spay Or Neuter Your Cat You can avoid unwanted problems for your fluffy, furry friend when you spay or neuter your cat. There are surplus amounts of cats and kittens living in alleyways and wandering the streets, unhealthy, unclean and mean- all because an owner was not responsible and did not spay or neuter their cat. It is not necessary to wait until your cat matures in order to spay or neuter them. In fact, there are misconceptions about waiting to spay or neuter. A female cat does not need to have a litter of kittens or go into heat before being spayed. Both female and male cats should be spayed and neutered by six months of age. Both sexes undergo a surgical procedure to permanently remove the sex organs. In females, the spay or ovariohysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and ovaries and in males, a neuter is the removal of the testicles. Having this procedure done by six months or even earlier will prevent the cat from developing annoying mating instincts such as spraying urine around your house and/or yard and decreasing the need for the cats to escape outside, looking desperately for a mate- which can cause them to get hurt, lost or disoriented. Neutering your male cat will lower his desire to fight with other cats and prevent unwanted litters of kittens. Female cats, when spayed, have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, which tends to be fatal in cats. When you spay your female cat, you prevent her from contracting pyometra, a painful and very serious infection of the uterus that affects older females and requires surgery and intensive medical care. Of course, unwanted litters and difficult pregnancies in older cats are completely prevented if you spay your female cat early. In addition to all these health benefits, you will not have to listen to the awful, disturbing sound of a female cat in heat, slinking around the house with her tail in the air! Neither male nor female cats will gain weight after being spayed or neutered. Some veterinarians suggest early spay or neuter. This term refers to cats being altered at a very young age, between 6 and 14 weeks. This procedure has been in practice for 25 years in North America and is a safe operation for your kitten to undergo. Studies have shown that early spay and neuter does not affect the behavior of your cat in any way differently than spaying or neutering at six months. What it provides is the absolute assurance that your cat will not breed unwanted litters. Humane societies all over the world are overrun with unwanted cats and other animals. It is imperative that a responsible owner take his or her part in helping to control the population of unwanted pets and reducing the stress on the Humane Society in your area from placing these animals in friendly, loving homes. Many pets are euthanized when the shelter cannot find a home for them. If you want to breed your cat, discuss birth control options with your veterinarian.