T CAT FANCY FANCY CAT EXPLAINED BEHAVIOR • STRANGE & FUN HOLIDAY OF 2012 • SAFE NEW PRODUCTS • SINGAPURA BEST SNOWSHOE DECEMBER 2012 H A DECEMBER 2012 FREE POSTER! R E ® U S W P A E G E N T, SI * PETITE CAT FANCY CAT THE AUTHORITY ON ALL THINGS CAT ® EDITORS’ CHOICE: BEST New 23Products OF 2012 ➻ Strange Behavior EXPLAINED HOW MANY Words CAN YOUR CAT Learn? Make this Holiday Safe&Fun! Happy Kitty Holiday + CONTEST WINNERS Snowshoe The Ultimate People Cat CCFcover1212.inddFcover1212.indd 1 99/24/12/24/12 88:33:09:33:09 AAMM C2_C3_C4_CF1212 9/21/12 9:40 AM Page Cov2 Born to climb Born to stalk Born to pounce Did you know the African Wildcat is an original ancestor of your domestic cat? At Purina ONE, we believe that by better understanding the behavior and needs of the African Wildcat, we can understand who our cats were born to be and deepen our relationship with them. Why do cats jump? Pounce? Stalk? Join our journey online to learn more. > www.purinaone.com/borntobe Discover your cat’s true nature. ® ® All trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. or used with permission. Printed in U.S.A. 1EdNote1212 9/21/12 9:55 AM Page 1 FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 55 • NUMBER 12 DECEMBER 2012 Holiday Miracles Editor Susan Logan Managing Editor Annie B. Shirreffs Managing Web Editor Anastasia Thrift HOW DOES A DAYS-OLD KITTEN SURVIVE GETTING SWEPT Art Director Jerome Callens up by a tornado and flung onto the top of a tree? Pre-weaned kittens Group Editor Ernie Slone Web Editorial Director require so much around-the-clock care that it doesn’t seem possible Melissa Kauffman that one, aptly named Toto, could survive that. Now that he’s a doted- Contributing Editors on celebrity, I have to wonder if Toto remembers what happened to Kitty Angell, CFA Past Vice President; *him. Interestingly, he does know that he’s special. Toto is this month’s Kay DeVilbiss, TICA Past President; Cool Cat and one you must read about, especially if you need a little Gary D. Norsworthy, DVM Special Correspondents Wendy Bedwell- hope in miracles this holiday season. Wilson; Steve Dale; Stacy N. Hackett; A breast cancer survivor and her husband, who has Marilyn Krieger, CCBC; Tiffany Lin; Cimeron Morrissey; Amanda Page, DVM; Audrey cancer and is receiving chemotherapy, are fostering Pavia; Arnold Plotnick, DVM; Sandy Robins; h kittens and other baby animals in need. Read about Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, DVM this month’s inspiring Foster Focus couple, who are Editorial, Production and Sales Office working hard to make miracles happen for cats. P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690- Like us on 6050; (949) 855-8822, fax (949) 855-3045 Animal Planet’s famous cat whisperer, Jackson Facebook. Production Coordinator Theresa Rahlwes Galaxy, tells Steve Dale in this month’s CATalyst, Marketing Director Lisa MacDonald “Never underestimate a cat.” I would say to Jackson Galaxy: “Never Consumer Marketing Manager underestimate what you do for cats.” His work on My Cat From Hell Suzanne Stowe has saved cats from homelessness, abandonment and euthanasia. By Consumer Marketing and Fulfillment Specialist Christi Hendricks teaching people how to see things from the cat’s perspective so that we can bring out their best be- Manufacturing Karen Bartz, Gina Cioli (BowTie Studio), haviors from a human perspective, he has elevated Shawn Fung, Jessica Jaensch, Jacquelyn the status of cats, and CF is deeply thankful. Kramer, Jorge Lopez, Myles Nguyen, Paul Speaking of seeing things from a cat’s per- Rosales Follow Susan spective, Sandy Robins had the opportunity to CAT FANCY (ISSN #0892-6514) is published monthly by on Twitter. BowTie Magazines, a division of BowTie, Inc., 3 Burroughs, TWITTER.COM experience what it’s like to be a cat for a day at an Irvine, CA 92618-2804. Corporate headquarters is located at 3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618-2804. Periodicals /CATEDITOR incredible museum with human-sized tunnels, Postage Paid at Irvine, CA 92619-9998, and at additional walkways and hideouts. The adventure was made mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to CAT FANCY, P.O. Box 37185, Boone, IA 50037- possible by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which sponsored a study of the 0185. © 2012 by BowTie, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in African wildcat so that we might better understand and nurture our part is strictly prohibited. own cats. You don’t want to miss her new insights in this month’s For subscription inquiries or change of address: Life’s Purrfect. CAT FANCY You’ll enjoy the cat capers from our Happy Kitty Holidays Contest P.O. Box 37185 Boone, IA 50037-0185 winners and learn how to keep your cats safe this holiday. You’ll be Telephone: (800) 468-1618 Fax: (515) 433-1013 entertained by 25 bizarre feline behaviors and our experts’ educated Visit us online: www.custmag.com/cfy MEMBER guesses at what they mean. You’ll even discover how to teach your cat Subscription rate for 12 issues is $24; 24 issues, $40. Canadian and foreign surface, add $12 extra per year, a few key phrases. We packed all these stories along with 23 of our fa- payable in U.S. funds. Please allow six to eight weeks vorite new products into this issue for your holiday read- for new subscriptions to begin. ing. With that, we wish you and Single copy price is $4.99. When changing address, give six weeks’ notice and address label from latest copy as your own feline miracles safe well as new address with zip code. Occasionally, we make and happy holidays! our subscriber list available to carefully screened compa- nies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please write us at Privacy Policy, P.O. Box 6040, Mission Viejo, CA 92690 or send us an email at [email protected]. Please read our Privacy Policy at www.bowtieinc.com. Unsolicited photographs and manuscripts may not be ac- knowledged or returned; query first in writing. CAT FANCY cannot be responsible for unsolicited material submitted. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608 Registration No. R126851765 Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Pitney Bowes The CF team (from left to P. O. Box 25542 right): Anastasia Thrift, London, ON N6C 6B2, CANADA Annie Shirreffs, Jerome PRINTED IN U.S.A. Callens and Susan Logan CATFANCY.COM | DECEMBER 2012 1 02x03TOC1212 9/21/12 11:30 AM Page 2 ON THE COVER December 2012 PHOTO AND COVER INSET BY CHANAN * ROB LITTLE FEATURES 10 DEPARTMENTS35 BEHAVIOR & TRAINING CAT CHANNEL 6 Happy Kitty Holidays 16 Use Words 4 CatChannel.com Contest Winners Cats appear to understand a surprising Your Internet Source for CAT FANCY amount of vocabulary. Here’s how you can Content & More teach your feline some key phrases. BY JANICE BINIOK HEALTH & CARE HEALTH & CARE 8 Health News 10 The Festive Feline 20 Your Cat Did What? BY ELAINE WEXLER-MITCHELL, DVM, Keep the holidays fun and safe for you and Twenty-five crazy — but common — feline AND AMANDA PAGE, DVM your cat. behaviors. BY ERIKA SOROCCO BY REBECCA SWEAT ADVOCACY & RESCUE 35 Cool Cats 14 The Truth About PRODUCTS A tiny kitten survives a tornado. Toxoplasmosis 26 Editors’ Choice BY SANDY ROBINS Learn why cats are unlikely to spread this Check out this year’s best new products. disease to humans and why you need to 36 The CATalyst know the real sources of infection. BREED PROFILE Behaviorist Jackson Galaxy shares some BY GARY D. NORSWORTHY, DVM, DABVP 30 Paws for Effect words of feline wisdom. Distinctive white markings and a lively per- BY STEVE DALE sonality are the hallmarks of the Snowshoe. IN EVERY ISSUE BY STACY N. HACKETT 37 Foster Focus 1 From the Editor A foster parent’s mission to help kittens 5 Reader Letters BREED SNAPSHOT BY CIMERON MORRISSEY 9 Ask the Veterinarian 33 Sweet and Petite 24 Ask the Behaviorist The Singapura charms its people with its LIFESTYLE 25 Products: Gift Guide loving personality and small size. 43 Life’s Purrfect 40 Feline Shopper BY AUDREY PAVIA A study of the African wildcat reveals how we 42 Ad Index can bring out the best in our domestic cats. 44 Gallery of Breeds CONTACT US: BY SANDY ROBINS 47 Cat Breeder Directory CAT FANCY, P.O. Box 6050, Mission Viejo, CA 92690-6050 58 Calendar Subscriptions: CAT FANCY, P.O. Box 37185, Boone, IA 50037-0185; 800-468-1618; fax 59 Classified Ads 515-433-1013; www.cust mag.com/cfy 60 Coming Up in CF Letters to the Editor: Mail to Attn: Letters, or email [email protected]. Letters may 61 Cat Book Club be edited for publication. 62 Cats for Kids, Sadie Reader Photos: Mail to Attn: Snapshots, or email [email protected] [subject: 63 Reader Snapshots Snapshots]. Include your cat’s name and your name, address and phone number on 64 Garfield Weighs In each submission. Photos cannot be acknowledged or returned. 2 DECEMBER 2012 | CAT FANCY 02x03TOC1212 9/21/12 11:34 AM Page 3 WHEN YOU’RE TOO BUSY TO SCOOP LITTER ODOR CAN TAKE OVER. ARM & HAMMER™ ULTRA LAST™ DESTROYS ODORS LONGER. Ultra Lastt™ is packed with powerful odor destroyers. PLUS, we’ve coated every granule with ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda. For our longest lasting freshness yet. It’s the secret to controlling litter odors even if you miss a scoop. SWITCH TO ARM & HAMMERR™. YOU’LL NEVER GO BACK.