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Did you know that cats can be left or right-handed much like humans? That isn't our only similarity.

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How climate change effects the ocean.

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Did you know that unlike humans cats cannot taste anything sweet?! That means they don’t even have the taste buds to identify the sweet goodness that humans enjoy almost daily.

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Isn't it crazy that we as humans learned to co-exist and have relationships with species other than humans?

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Did you know cats are the world best animals , and I’m here to tell you why 

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Did you know cats are the world best animals , and I’m here to tell you why 

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Hey do you have a cat ? If not I’m here to inform you why there good pets

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Who doesn't know cats? This cute and adorable animal is loved by many people because it can be a fun friend and it turns out to have many benefits.

In Islam, cats are special animals because they are the favorite pets of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. In this article, the BFI Finance Team will discuss the benefits of keeping cats according to Islam. These benefits are not only related to worldly affairs but also the hereafter. Come on, see more in the following article.

These are 8 Benefits of Maintaining Cats According to Islam

According to various sources, cats bring many benefits. The benefits of keeping cats according to Islam include:

1. Reduces Loneliness

The first benefit of having a cat is that the presence of cats around us can reduce the existing feeling of loneliness and turn it into a feeling of comfort and peace. No doubt, cats are often believed to be loyal friends.

A study shows that having a cat can reduce stress and anxiety and encourage us to participate in active movement and physical activity.

2. Train Us To Become Responsible Persons

In Islam, responsibility is one of the important aspects of daily life. By taking care of a cat, we will learn how to be responsible starting from providing food, water, providing a proper bed, to keeping the cat healthy.

3. Teaches Us to Give Charity

In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, Rasulullah SAW once said:

"In every alms given to creatures who have a heart (heart) that is wet (live) will get a good reward. A Muslim who grows plants or herbs which are then eaten by birds, humans or animals, then for him as charity." (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)

This hadith gives us an understanding that giving food or drink to animals is part of the charity and therefore whoever does this will get a reward from Allah SWT.

4. Teaches Us How to Empathize and Care for Others

Caring for animals is one way to train one's empathic abilities. The benefits of keeping cats according to Islam this one can happen because we unconsciously learn to understand how they feel and try to meet all their needs.

We will feel how the cat feels if it is hungry, thirsty, sick, or afraid. We will also feel how happy the cat is if it is given love and affection.

With empathy, it will be easier for us to be kind, fair, and friendly to fellow humans and animals. We will also find it easier to help people in need, comfort those who are sad, and love those who are lonely.

5. Get Ridha and Forgiveness of Allah SWT

The next benefit of keeping a cat according to Islam is getting forgiveness and the pleasure of Allah SWT. In the book Adabul Mufrod, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Luqman explained that every Muslim is encouraged to always do good to all animals, especially cats. This is so that later we will receive forgiveness and pleasure from Allah SWT.

If we take good care of cats, then we have shown our gratitude to Allah SWT for the blessings He has given us. We have also shown our love for the Prophet SAW who really loves cats. Thus, we hope to receive forgiveness and pleasure from Allah SWT for all our sins and mistakes.

6. Unclean Free

Image Source: Pexels/cottonbro.studio

In a hadith narrated by At-Tirmidhi, Rasulullah SAW said:

"This cat is not unclean. Actually cats are pets that we often meet and are around us." (HR. At-Tirmidzi)

From this hadith, we can know that cats are clean and not unclean animals. Even though cats often eat something unclean like carrion, Allah SWT eliminates the unclean nature of cats. This is because cats are the pets of the Prophet SAW which he loves very much.

Because cats are not unclean animals, we don't need to worry if cats touch or lick our things. We also don't need to worry if the cat drinks from our ablution water vessel. We can still use the water for ablution without having to wash the vessel first.

Even so, this does not necessarily justify cats as halal animals to eat. Cats are still animals that are forbidden to eat in Islam because they are not considered halal animals according to Islam. We must respect cats as pets, not as food.

7. As a scale of good deeds in the afterlife

The seventh advantage of keeping a cat according to Islam is that it becomes a scale for good deeds in the hereafter. In a hadith narrated by a Muslim, Rasulullah SAW said:

"Surely Allah will admit a woman into paradise because she gave a thirsty dog to drink by taking water from a well with his shoe." (HR. Muslim)

From this hadith, we can understand that giving a thirsty dog a drink can be the cause of someone's entry into heaven. Especially if we give a drink to the cat which is the Prophet's favorite animal.

This shows that doing good to animals can be a scale of goodness in the afterlife for us. We don't know what will happen on the Day of Resurrection. Maybe our good deeds to animals can be our helpers or saviors from the punishment of hell.

8. Get the Intercession of the Prophet SAW

The last benefit of keeping cats according to Islam is getting the intercession of the Prophet SAW. Intercession is assistance or assistance given by someone to another person in the presence of Allah SWT. The intercession of the Prophet SAW is the highest and most important intercession among other intercessors.

In a hadith narrated by Ahmad, Rasulullah SAW said:

"Indeed I will intercede on the Day of Judgment to those who love these animals (cats)." (HR. Ahmad)

From this hadith, we can know that the Prophet SAW would intercede for people who love cats. This is a great privilege and honor for those who take good care of cats.

We know that the intercession of the Prophet SAW is needed by every Muslim on the Day of Resurrection. We don't know what will happen to us on the Day of Resurrection. It is possible that we fall into great sins and mistakes. Maybe we are threatened to go to hell.

Therefore, let's try to get the intercession of the Prophet SAW by loving cats as his favorite pets. We have to treat cats well, not hurt them, not torture them, and not ignore them. We have to give cats their rights as living beings who deserve love and protection.

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benefits of maintaining cats according to islam

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8 Benefits of Maintaining Cats According to Islam

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What are the benefits of keeping cats according to Islam? Check out the full review in the following BFI Finance article.

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7 minute read

Any cat lover will tell you, you don't need a special day to hang out with your favorite furry buddy. In fact, every day you get to spend with your cat is a special day.

While we know nuzzling up with our cats makes us happy, did you know it's actually good for your health? That's right, cats give us more than a fluffy friend, they can treat some health issues for you too.

Why a Cat Is Good for You

National Cat Day may be in October, but being kind to your feline companion is a great idea all year long. After all, the health benefits they help provide aren't limited to one day a year. Here is why cat ownership can be so advantageous to your health:

1. Cats Lower the Risk of Heart Disease

Published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, the Cat Ownership and the Risk of Fatal Cardiovascular Diseases study looked at how cats could possibly reduce stress and blood pressure in humans that they share living quarters with.

In the end, they discovered that there was a decreased risk for death in the human roommates due to heart attack and all other cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.

2. They Help Heal Bones, Tendons, and Muscles

No one really knows exactly why cats purr. But what they do know is that there is a universal, consistent pattern and frequency of between 25 and 150 Hertz associated with purrs. Through further research, it's been discovered that sound frequencies that lie in this frequency range can improve bone density and muscle atrophy.

While the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America posits that this purring and the affiliated sound waves created are a great internal healing mechanism for the cats, they do note that those same vibrational frequencies are used to help treat bones, muscles, pain, edema, flexibility, wounds, and more in people.

3. Can Help Experience Good Night's Sleep

The benefits of sleep have been touted just about everywhere. To see its value, all you need to do is compare your energy levels on a day with poor sleep versus one with a deep, restful sleep.

The Mayo Clinic decided to take on the concept of pets in bed to see if they help you sleep or keep you awake. The results were a bit mixed, but definitely leaned in favor of sleeping with pets.

Forty-one percent of the people in the study found that snuggling up to a pet was soothing and made them feel secure, while 20% were not as positive about the experience. If you're one of the people who enjoy having your pet around, then having your cat in bed at night can lead to a more restful sleep.

4. A Cat Can Help You Find a Date

This tip is mainly for men looking to attract women. And while it seems a little silly, it's scientifically based, at least a little. Dr. June McNichols did some relationship research on behalf of Cat Protection and discovered through a survey that women were more attracted to men who like animals.

Going a step further, men who like cats are perceived as even better catches, with them being categorized as nicer and more caring. All good news for those cat-loving men out there.

5. Cats Combat Loneliness

The cat lady stereotype is not just myth-ask any of your friends who proudly wear this moniker. Loving and living with a cat can help alleviate feelings of loneliness, especially among single women, as discovered in a study on loneliness and pet ownership published in Psychological Reports.

6. They Relieve Stress and Boost Your Mood

Even simply watching a cat video can make you feel better. Cat videos seem to have taken over the world, or at least social media.
| Related: Why Social Media Use Can Cause Depression and Loneliness |
Moving beyond the entertainment factor, the emotional benefits of watching internet cats and the affiliated mood elevation moderates any guilt the watcher has over procrastinating during this activity. And that's just watching cats online.

For increased benefits to your stress levels and mood, try spending more time cuddled with a cat. Direct interaction between pet owners and their furry friends has been proven to have great benefits that may be related to the activation of the oxytocin system, as found in a study on the effects of human-animal interactions and oxytocin published in Frontiers in Psychology.

7. Cats Can Help With Allergies

Children who are raised in households with two or more cats or dogs in their first year are less likely to develop allergies than those raised without.

The really exciting aspect of the study linking pet ownership to decreased allergies in children is that pet exposure seems to not only have a connection to decreased animal allergies, but also with other allergies such as dust mites, ragweed, and grass.

| Related: Food Allergy Treatments: DIY Natural Remedies and Tips |

This may mean that there's a general shift of the entire immune system away from allergic responses. Early exposure is important for children, and is also why letting them play outside in the dirt can be a healthy activity.

The Bottom Line

Estimates suggest about 4 million cats enter shelters each year, with 1-2 million of those being euthanized. With all the health benefits cats provide, it's hard to imagine not wanting one of these loving feline friends in your home.

If you can't adopt or don't want to, donations to your local shelter can help spare a life and give a cat a chance at finding their forever home. And if you do own a cat and don't intend to breed, be sure to have them spayed or neutered to help fight overpopulation and ameliorate the burden on shelters.

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Better Than Dogs? Why Cats Are Good for Your Physical & Mental Health

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From purring to snuggling up on a cold night to just being fun to watch and play with, cats are great to have around. Our feline friends offer numerous health benefits to their owners too. Here are 7 ways cats help their owners in health and even romance.

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Research suggests that cats may make our lives happier and healthier.

August 8 was International Cat Day. Cora probably started the morning like she does any other: by climbing on my chest and pawing at my shoulder, demanding attention. I likely sleepily lifted up the comforter and she snuggled underneath it, sprawled at my side. For Cora - and thus for me - every day is International Cat Day.

Cats may wake us up at 4a.m. and barf at an alarming frequency, yet anywhere between 10 to 30 percent of us call ourselves "cat people" - not dog people, not even equal-opportunity cat and dog lovers. So why do we choose to bring these fluffballs into our homes - and spend over $1,000 per year on one who isn't genetically related to us and frankly seems ungrateful most of the time?

The answer is obvious to me - and probably to all cat lovers out there, who need no scientific research to justify their fierce love. But scientists have studied it anyway and found that, while our feline friends may not be good for our furniture, they might make some contribution to our physical and mental health.

According to one Australian study, cat owners do have better psychological health than people without pets. On questionnaires, they claim to feel more happy, more confident, and less nervous, and to sleep, focus, and face problems in their lives better.

Adopting a cat could be good for your kids, too: In a survey of more than 2,200 young Scots ages 11-15, kids who had a strong bond with their kitties had a higher quality of life. The more attached they were, the more they felt fit, energetic, and attentive and less sad and lonely; and the more they enjoyed their time alone, at leisure, and at school.

With their gravity-defying antics and yoga-like sleeping postures, cats may also cajole us out of our bad moods. In one study, people with cats reported experiencing fewer negative emotions and feelings of seclusion than people without cats. In fact, singles with cats were in a bad mood less often than people with a cat and a partner. (Your cat is never late for dinner, after all.)

Even Internet cats can make us smile. People who watch cat videos online say that they feel less negative emotion afterward (less anxiety, annoyance, and sadness) and more positive feelings (more hope, happiness, and contentment). Admittedly, as the researchers found, this pleasure becomes a guilty one if we're doing it for the purpose of procrastination. But watching cats annoy their humans or get gift-wrapped for Christmas does seem to help us feel less depleted and regain our energy for the day ahead.

I can attest that a warm cat on your lap, giving your thighs a good kneading, is one of the best forms of stress relief. One afternoon, feeling overwhelmed, I said aloud, "I wish Cora would sit on my lap." Lo and behold, she trotted over and plopped down on me seconds later (though attempts to replicate this phenomenon have been unsuccessful).

In one study, researchers visited 120 married couples in their homes to observe how they would respond to stress-and whether cats were any help. Hooked up to heart rate and blood pressure monitors, people were put through a gauntlet of daunting tasks: subtracting three repeatedly from a four-digit number, and then holding their hand in ice water (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for two minutes. People either sat in a room alone, with their pet roaming around, with their spouse (who could offer moral support), or both.

Before the stressful tasks began, the cat owners had a lower resting heart rate and blood pressure than people who didn't own any pets. And during the tasks, the cat owners also fared better: They were more likely to feel challenged than threatened, their heart rate and blood pressure were lower, and they even made fewer math errors. Out of all the various scenarios, cat owners looked the most calm and made the fewest errors when their cat was present. In general, cat owners also recovered faster physiologically.

Why are cats so calming? Cats won't judge us for our poor math skills, or become overly distressed when we're distressed-which explains why cats were actually a more calming influence than significant others in some cases.

As Karin Stammbach and Dennis Turner of the University of Zurich explain, cats aren't simply small beings who are dependent on us. We also receive comfort from them-there's an entire scientific scale that measures how much emotional support you get from your cat, based on how likely you are to seek them out in different stressful situations.

Cats offer a constant presence, unburdened by the cares of the world, that can make all our little worries and anxieties seem superfluous. As journalist Jane Pauley said, "You cannot look at a sleeping cat and feel tense."

Cats are beings we care for and who care for us (or at least we believe they do). And people who invest in this cross-species bonding may see benefits in their human-to-human relationships, as well.

For example, research has found that cat owners are more socially sensitive, trust other people more, and like other people more than people who don't own pets. If you call yourself a cat person, you'll tend to think other people like you more compared to someone who is neither a cat or dog person. Meanwhile, even people who watch cat videos feel more supported by others than people who aren't such big fans of feline digital media.

While these correlations may seem perplexing, it makes sense if you consider cats just one node in your social network.

"Positive feelings about dogs/cats may engender positive feelings about people, or vice-versa," write Rose Perrine and Hannah Osbourne of Eastern Kentucky University.

When someone-human or animal-makes us feel good and connected, it builds up our capacity for kindness and generosity toward others. As that study of Scottish adolescents found, kids who communicate well with a best friend are more attached to their cats, probably because they spend time playing as a trio.

"Pets appear to act as 'social catalysts,' inducing social contact between people," write U.K. researcher Ferran Marsa-Sambola and his colleagues. "A pet can be accepting, openly affectionate, consistent, loyal, and honest, characteristics that can fulfill a person's basic need to feel a sense of self-worth and loved."

Finally, despite what you might have heard about kitty-to-human brain parasites, there's a smattering of evidence that cats could be good for our health.

In one study, researchers followed 4,435 people for 13 years. People who had owned cats in the past were less likely to die from a heart attack during that time than people who had never owned cats-even when accounting for other risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and body mass index.

This was true of people even if they didn't have cats currently, the researchers explain, which suggests that cats are more like preventative medicine than treatment for an ongoing disease.

In another study, James Serpell of the University of Pennsylvania followed two dozen people who had just gotten a cat. They completed surveys within a day or two of bringing their cat home and then several times over the next 10 months. At the one-month mark, people had reduced health complaints like headaches, back pain, and colds-although (on average) those benefits seemed to fade as time went on. As Serpell speculates, it's possible that people who form a good relationship with their cat continue to see benefits, and people who don't, well, don't.

Much of this research on cats is correlational, which means we don't know if cats are actually beneficial or if cat people are just already a happy and well-adjusted group. But unfortunately for us cat lovers, the latter doesn't seem to be the case. Compared to dog lovers, at least, we do tend to be more open to new experiences (even if our skittish cats aren't). But we're also less extraverted, less warm and friendly, and more neurotic. We experience more negative emotions and suppress them more, a technique that makes us less happy and less satisfied with our lives.

On the bright side, that means it's more likely that cats actually do bring us as much delight and joy as we claim they do, although the research is far from conclusive. In fact, the vast majority of pet research focuses on dogs, partly because they're easier to train as therapy assistants. "Cats have been left behind a bit by the research," says Serpell. Yet another bone to pick with our canine counterparts.

While we're waiting for more data, I will continue to gush to everyone I meet about how happy I am to have a cat in my life-and in my bed, on my dining table, and watching me go to the bathroom. What I lose in sleep I make up for in soft, furry love.
Kira M. Newman is the managing editor of Greater Good. She's also the creator of The Year of Happy, a year-long course in the science of happiness, and CaféHappy, a Toronto-based meetup. Follow her on Twitter!

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The Science-Backed Benefits of Being a Cat Lover

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Why do people choose to bring feline fluffballs into our homes? The answer is probably obvious to all cat lovers out there, who need no scientific research to justify their fierce love. Research has also found that, while cats may not be good for our furniture, they're good for our physical and mental health.

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Those of us who own and love cats don't need researchers to affirm the value of our cherished pets in our lives. Still, it's gratifying to find so many science-backed videos and articles to confirm what we already know about the many benefits of cat ownership.

Among the most amusing research-based videos is "Prescription Cat" from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute's Pet Effect campaign.

According to HABRI, "Scientific research demonstrates that cat ownership can confer benefits to both mental and physical health in their owners. Specifically, cat ownership can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and improve heart health, alleviate social isolation and loneliness, and reduce stress. In children, living with cats can strengthen immunity in the first year of life, and a pet cat can help those with autism and their families."

"The Scientific Benefits of Owning a Cat: 5 Reasons to Welcome a Feline Friend" from the Pet in the Net YouTube channel includes links to research studies supporting each of the benefits.

From the YouTube channel AnimalWised, "5 Benefits of Having a Cat for Health and Happiness" also cites research to back each of the benefits discussed.

In " 10 Scientific Benefits of Being a Cat Owner," published by Mental Floss, those benefits include:

1. Owning a cat is better for the environment than owning a dog.

2. They'll help you cope with loss and pain.

3. They may help you find a significant other.

4. Cat owners are smart.

5. You'll have a healthier heart.

6. Cats fulfill your need for companionship.

7. Cats can tell you (and others) a lot about your personality.

8. You'll sleep better.

9. Cat ownership could mean fewer allergies.

10. Cats can quite literally save your life.

The All Cats YouTube channel has compiled this same information in a video, "10 Scientific Benefits Of Being A Cat Owner," covering all 10 benefits in less than 9 minutes.

"The Psychological Benefits Of Owning A Cat" on the Animal Discovery YouTube channel focuses on mental health benefits of cat ownership.

In " Americans Note Overwhelming Positive Mental Health Impact of Their Pets in New Poll; Dogs and Cats Equally Beneficial," the American Psychiatric Association reported owners of both dogs and cats said their pets offer many mental health benefits.

In response to the APA's March 2023 Healthy Minds Monthly Poll of 2,200 adults, 86% of pet owners said "their pets have a mostly positive impact on their mental health." Among the benefits those pet owners cited:

69% said their pets help reduce stress and anxiety.

69% said their pets provide unconditional love and support.

69% said their pets offer companionship.

66% said their pets providing a calming presence.

63% said their pets are true friends.

According to the APA, "Cat owners were more likely than dog owners to say their pets offer companionship, provide a calming presence and help reduce stress and anxiety. Dog owners were twice as likely as cat owners to say their pet encourages them to be physically active."

For more details of the March 2023 Healthy Minds Monthly Poll, see the survey report on the American Psychiatric Association website.

For a more personalized testimonial to the demonstrated benefits of cat ownership, see Kira M. Newman's article, " The Science-Backed Benefits of Being a Cat Lover," published by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Newman covers cats' contributions to general well-being, stress reduction, relationship skills and physical health in some detail.

How We Can Help

At Brownsburg Animal Clinic, we support the bond between you and your cat by providing the veterinary care needed to maintain your cat's longest, healthiest life. Through regular check-ups, recommended vaccines and prompt attention to symptoms of ill health, our goal is to help you enjoy the many benefits of cat ownership for as long as possible.

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See selected science-backed videos and articles to confirm what we already know about the many benefits of cat ownership.

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benefits of reading

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How Long Have Domesticated Cats Been Around?

Did you know that just 70 years ago, few cats lived entirely indoors at all? In fact, for more than 10,000 years, cats have lived outdoor lives, sharing the environment with birds and wildlife. Understanding cats' place in history and human evolution reveals how very recently domestic cats came indoors and how millions of this species-who we call community cats-continue to live healthy lives outdoors today, as all domestic cats are biologically adapted to do.

Origins of the Domestic Cat

Cats began their unique relationship with humans 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent, the geographic region where some of the earliest developments in human civilization occurred (encompassing modern day parts of West Asia). One such development was agriculture. As people abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and settled permanently to farm the land, stored grain attracted rodents.

Taking advantage of this new, abundant food source, Middle Eastern wildcats, or felix silvestris lybica, preyed on the rodents and decided to stick around these early towns, scavenging the garbage that all human societies inevitably producejust as community cats do today.

Over thousands of years, a new species of cat eventually evolved that naturally made its home around people: felis catus. Pet, stray, and feral cats (stray and feral cats are community cats) are all this same species, which we call the domestic cat.

Cats Travel the World

Cats formed a mutually beneficial relationship with people, and some scientists argue that cats domesticated themselves. Especially prized as mousers on ships, cats traveled with people around the globe:

A burial site in Cyprus provides the first archaeological evidence of humans and cats living side-by-side, as far back as 9,500 years ago. Cats must have been brought to the island intentionally by humans.

In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped, mummified, and sometimes even dressed in golden jewelry to indicate the status of their owners.

In 31 BC, Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. Cats were introduced into Roman life, becoming truly widespread in Europe around the 4th century AD. A cat skeleton from this period shows the shortened skull of domestic cats today.

Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned a cat door in The Canterbury Tales in the 1380s.

From Europe, cats boarded ships to the Americas, reportedly tagging along with Christopher Columbus, with the settlers at Jamestown, and aboard the Mayflower.

Cats continued their service as mousers throughout history, even serving as official employees of the United States Postal Service as late as 19th and early 20th century America.

Towards the end of the 19th century, more Americans began to keep cats for their company as well as their utility. The first cat show was held at Madison Square Garden in 1895. By the end of World War I, cats were commonly accepted as house pets in the U.S.

Throughout all this time, cats were allowed to come and go freely from human householdseven President Calvin Coolidge's cat had free rein to wander to and from the White House during the 1920s. As Sam Stall, author of 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization and The Cat Owner's Manual, writes, "Back in Coolidge's day no one thought of confining cats indoorsnot even one belonging to the president of the United States."

Catering to Cats: Inventing the Indoor Cat

Keeping cats indoors all the time was not possiblenor was it even a goaluntil several important 20th century innovations: refrigeration, kitty litter, and the prevalence of spaying and neutering.

Even though these changes to our modern lifestyle make keeping cats inside possible, biologically, cats are the same as they were thousands of years ago. Their role in our society has evolved and broadened over the last hundred years, but their basic behaviors and needs haven't changed.

Cat Food

Unlike dogs, who have undergone many physical changes since domestication and evolved to survive on an omnivorous diet, cats haven't changed much, and still require a high-protein diet. Before the development of refrigeration and canned cat food in the 20th century, feeding indoor cats who could not supplement their diets by hunting would have been impossible for most Americans, who could not afford extra fresh meat or fish.

Kitty Litter

Up until the 1950s, cats roamed American neighborhoods freely, using the great outdoors as their litter area. Pans filled with dirt or newspaper were used indoors by a few cat owners, but it wasn't until the first clay litter was accidentally discovered in 1947 and the subsequent marketing of the Tidy Cats® brand in the 1960s that litter boxes really caught on. With the invention of cat litter, cats rocketed to popularity as indoor pets, but their outdoor survival skills remain.

Spaying and Neutering

Until spaying and neutering pets became available and accessible around the 1930s, keeping intact cats indoors was messy business during mating season. Techniques had been developed for sterilizing livestock, but American households would have had a hard time finding a veterinarian trained to safely neuter pets before this time. Just as cats found their own food and litter areas outdoors, 20th century cats bred and gave birth outdoors as they have done since their origins in the Fertile Crescent 10,000 years ago.

While some of those cats' offspring can, if brought into human contact when they are young enough, successfully be socialized and integrated into human homes, many cats remain outside and live the same outdoor lives they always have with or without human contact. Although generally adult community cats-who are not socialized to people or indoor life-cannot become indoor pets, neutering and returning them to their outdoor home improves their lives.

Cats are Part of Our Environment

In the thousands of years that cats have lived alongside people, indoor-only cats have only become common in the last 60 or 70 years-a negligible amount of time on an evolutionary scale.

Throughout human history, cats have always lived and thrived outside. It is only recently that we have begun to introduce reproduction control like spaying and neutering to bring them indoors. And also, bring the outdoors to them: using canned food and litter boxes to satisfy biological needs developed over thousands of years of living outdoors.

Although human civilization and domestic cats co-evolved side by side, the community cat population was not created by humans. Cats have lived outdoors for a long time; they are not new to the environment and they didn't simply originate from lost pets or negligent pet owners. Instead, they have a place in the natural landscape.

Community cats deserve to live their lives outside just as they have for thousands of years. Indoor homes are not an option because they have not been socialized to live with humans. They would be scared and unhappy indoors. Their home is the outdoors and, just like squirrels, raccoons, and birds, they're well suited to their outdoor home.

Accepting and acknowledging this simple reality is key to understanding and helping these animals. TNR is an act of compassion society can extend to them.

Just as many, many kind people place bird feeders, suet and bird houses in the gardens to help increase the odds of birds living through cold winters, many kinds people feed community cats and build outdoor shelters for them.

Through TNR, we further help cats by spaying and neutering them and having them vaccinated.

This is not only good for the cats, but also does a nice job of balancing needs and concerns of the human communities in which community cats live. People don't want cats rounded up and killed. They do want to see cat populations stabilized and often appreciate when some of the behaviors manifested by intact cats are brought into check. TNR makes great public policy; it is a well considered, balanced approach to helping improve co-existence between outside cats and humans in our shared environment. This is why so many cities are adopting it. TNR stabilizes cat populations, greatly reduces the number of calls of concern about cats that municipalities receive, decreases euthanasia rates at shelters, and saves municipalities money.

1. Driscoll, Carlos A. et al. "The Taming of the Cat." Scientific American (2009): 71-72.

2. Donalson, Malcolm Drew. The Domestic Cat in Roman Civilization. The Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, New York: 1999.

3. Weir, Harrison. Our Cats and All About Them. Fanciers' Gazette, London: 1892.

4. Stall, Sam. 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization. Quirk Books, Philadelphia: 2007.

5. Bradshaw, John W.S., The Evolutionary Basis for the Feeding Behavior of Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) and Cats (Felis catus), 136(7) J Nutrition (2006).

6. Rainbolt, Dusty. "The Best Idea," Cat Fancy. (August 2010): 30-31.

7. Grier, Katherine C. Pets in America: A History. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill: 2006.

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How Long Have Domesticated Cats Been Around? Did you know that just 70 years ago, few cats lived entirely indoors at all? In fact, for more than 10,000 years, cats have lived outdoor lives, sharing the environment with birds and wildlife. Understanding cats' place in history and human evolution reveals how very recently domestic cats [...]

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Informing people about how long a cat lives 

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Informing people about how long a cat lives 

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health benefits of owning a cat

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Informing people that cats can be good pets

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History of cats

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Write a potential main point to cover in a speech about cats

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Addressing common myths about cats

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How time is perceived differently in different cultures

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How Temple Grandin changed feedlots for the good

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How Temple Grandin changed feedlots for the good

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History of medical advancement

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Explain and elaborate pros and cons of various testing methods in comparison.

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Informing the audience about animal testing

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How cats are good for people's health

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The advancement of AI

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Discuss the changes in how we view and humanizing animals (i.e pet are seen as a member of our family unit)

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Autism

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How to Clean a house

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Write a potential informative speech topic

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Did you know we have made advancement in science that expanded our methods of testing? Some of these newer methods are even more effective than animal tests.

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History of popcorn