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Presents... 3 Check It Out! 4 Spot the Difference 6 Jack 8 Big Feline Fun Facts 9 Molasses 10 That Domesticated Wild Cat 11 The Hairless Cat 12 The Cat of the House 14 Puzzles 16 Why Do Cats Have Whiskers? 17 Delightful Pixie-Bobs 18 Why Does My Cat Act Crazy? 20 Cat Funnies 21 Max & Gracie 22 Cats in the White House 23 Screams from the Mountain 24 10 Purr-fectly Purr-tinent Facts 26 Chinatown Cat 29 Kids Corner 30 Puzzle Solutions 2
Feline is the name given to cats. There are domesticated cats, which are small and live with us as pets. Wild cats, especially large ones, live in the wild or in a zoo. They do not make good pets. Which do you like? Perhaps you are a cat owner. Kittens are cute and adorable. Developing a relationship with a young cat is special. You will have a friend for life. The large wild cat family includes lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and cheetahs. They are distantly related to domesticated cats that are pets. The large and small cats have similarities and differences. They all have four toes on their hind feet and five on front. Cats walk on their toes, and their soft pads reduce the sound they make. They all like to rub up against something to mark their territory. Cats are nocturnal, they like to be active at night. They all stalk their prey and then strike with lightning speed, whether it is a big cat with a wild animal or a pet cat with a bird or rodent. They are all independent, like to keep themselves clean, and can be quiet and aloof. But big cats don’t purr, and pet cats can’t roar. Find a cozy spot to enjoy your cat issue. Maybe your cat will join you. Don’t forget to scratch under its chin. Enjoy learning why your cat acts crazy sometimes and why their whiskers are very important. When finished, send us a picture of you and your cat for a future cat page.
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Can You Spot the Difference? by Casey Steinhauer
Leopard
Have you ever had a hard time finding one of your friends during a game of Hide-and-Seek at the park? Your friend’s green shirt and brown pants blended with the grass and bark of the tall trees. They were camouflaged by their surroundings. Jaguars and leopards are two big cats that use camouflage to hunt in their environments. They look very similar but live on different continents. Jaguars are native to South and Central America. They are the third largest cat in the world. Only the tiger and lion are bigger. Jaguars weigh about 125 to 210 pounds, but some males weigh over 300 pounds. Jaguars aren’t fast runners like cheetahs, so they sneak around their jungle habitat to ambush their prey. They eat animals like deer, turtles, fish, and caimans, a reptile related to alligators. A jaguar’s powerful jaws prevent their catch from escaping. Jaguars also like to hide on the thick branches of a tree then leap down on their unsuspecting prey. Their thick and powerful legs make them great leapers.
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Jaguars have a spot pattern on their body called rosettes. Each spot is shaped like a rose with two dots in the center. Their spotted body helps them blend into their surroundings to hunt their next meal.
Jaguar
Like jaguars, leopards also have a spot pattern on their body. But their rosettes do not have any dots in the middle. Leopards are found in more habitats than any other large cat in the world. They live in forests, grasslands, snowy mountains, rainforests, and other habitats on the continents of Asia and Africa. People who go on safari in these places rarely see leopards because they are experts at hiding during the day. They mostly hunt at night. A leopard’s body is slender compared to the thick body of a jaguar, and their tail is longer too. Adult leopards vary in size. They can weigh 130 to 200 pounds. The larger ones can measure eight feet long. The shade of their coat depends on their habitat. Both leopards and jaguars can have black coats. Leopards, like jaguars, use surprise attacks from the trees to catch their prey. They also can move quietly through tall grass to sneak up on an animal. To keep their catch from being stolen by another predator, leopards use their strong jaws to drag their prey up into the trees to eat. They will feast on their meal for days. Leopards eat a variety of animals, from insects and rodents to baby giraffes. Jaguars and leopards are majestic large cats that look and behave in similar ways, but both have unique features that enable them to thrive in their different habitats. Can you spot the difference between the two big cats by looking at the pictures? (If you need help, look for the answer below the pictures.)
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by Mary Ryer • illustrated by Ginny Pruitt • colored by Gaurakisora Tucker Daniel Walters snapped the tail onto the model airplane he was building. Jack, his black and white cat, sat nearby on the kitchen table, poking at loose model pieces with one paw. “You’re trying to help, right, Jack?” asked Daniel. “I told Dad how smart you are. He thinks cats can’t do anything.” A rattling noise began outside the old farmhouse. “That’s Mr. Gilbert’s truck,” Daniel told Jack. Daniel watched through the window as his father put down the boards he’d been carrying and began talking with Mr. Gilbert. Shaking their heads, they examined the empty place on the barn where the door should be. Then Mr. Gilbert climbed back into his truck. As it bumped and squeaked away, Daniel saw his father begin to pace. Daniel ran outside. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “A mountain lion at the Gilberts’ farm, not an hour ago.” “Will it come here?” asked Daniel. “I don’t know, but I’d better put the sheep into the barn right away,” answered Mr. Walters. “But there’s no door. The mountain lion can walk right in,” said Daniel. “Not if I’m out here watching,” said Mr. Walters. “They don’t like to be around people.” Mr. Walters sat for hours on the porch. In the warm summer night, the farm was peaceful. But in the darkest shadow, the mountain lion watched, waiting for the right time. That time came when Mr. Walters began to nod. In minutes, he was asleep. Crouching low in the darkness, the mountain lion slipped though the tall grass toward the barn. Daniel’s father didn’t see the big cat leap onto the lowest
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branch of a nearby maple tree. And he didn’t see it creep along that branch – right over the fence that protected the barn. Inside his room, squeaking and tapping noises woke Daniel. Jack stood at the window, scratching the glass with his front paws. “Jack, what are you doing?” Daniel asked in the middle of a yawn. “Rrrooww,” yowled Jack, whipping his tail from side to side. Daniel walked to the window. “Rrrooww,” Jack hissed and spat. It didn’t take Daniel long to see that the maple tree had a visitor. He pushed up the window. “Dad, it’s the mountain lion! It’s near the barn!” he screamed. In seconds, his father was awake and crossing the porch. “Hey!” he shouted, reaching for the hose. “Meeeeeoooww.” Jack’s screeches echoed off the barn. Crouching, the mountain lion turned to face the house. The first spray of cold water struck the animal on its side. Confused, it backed up. The second shot of water made it leap to the ground and run for safety. When his father came into the house, Daniel stood near the door holding Jack. “Is it gone?” Daniel asked. “It’s gone,” answered Mr. Walters. “But how did you know it was there?” “Jack woke me up.” “Hmmmm,” said Mr. Walters, scratching Jack’s neck. “I guess I was wrong. Cats can do a lot more than I thought.” “See? He is smart,” said Daniel. “Purrrrr,” said Jack.
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Did you know? LYNX are easy to identify. These members of the cat family have long tufts of black hair on the tips of their ears. They also have huge paws and a short stubby tail. The lynx has a super sense of smell. It can smell a rabbit that is 1000 feet away! It’s not a very fast cat, so it also relies on its sharp eyesight and good hearing to hunt for prey. Lynx make dens in rock crevices and under ledges.
Did you know? The beautiful BENGAL TIGER is one large cat! It can grow to be 8 to 11 feet long, nose to tail. Bengal tigers are very strong and muscular. No two tigers have exactly the same stripe pattern. They use their distinctive coat to blend in with their environment as they sneak up close to their prey. Then, they spring! These tigers can eat as much as 60 pounds of meat in one night. Bengal tigers are endangered, and there are many programs in place to protect them.
Did you know? There is an old saying: A LEOPARD can’t change its spots. And why would it want to? Leopards have gorgeous spotted coats. These spots come in handy. When leopards are lying on tree branches, the spots let leopards blend in with the leaves. Hidden, leopards wait for prey to pass by underneath. Then – pounce! – down they jump. Leopards like the water and are strong swimmers. They are graceful animals with long tails. 8
by Carol S. Was • illustrated by Deborah Wright Molasses the cat is a burnt-sugar brown. He’s looking for something and roaming through town. He slinks into a shoe store. It isn’t in there. He steps into shoes that cats cannot wear. The salesman calls out, “Hello, little guy!” Molasses just looks then leaves with a sigh. He finds city hall and climbs every stair. Wondering . . . wondering, Where, oh where? Then he slips past the feet of the town’s friendly mayor. “Here, kitty,” she says, bending down on both knees. “Come here, please.” Molasses jumps onto the mayor’s huge chair, but quickly sees that it just isn’t there. The copy store’s large door mat says WELCOME. Molasses says to himself, Maybe that’s where it is. He finds a machine with the lid opened wide. Then he paws at a button off to the side. A flash underneath takes his picture, just like that. Meow! I’m no copycat! He runs from the store before his copy comes out. He looks for just the right route to take. He finds his way to Fire Station Number Nine just as the engine is getting a shine. A very large fireman calls, “Here, kitty, kitty!” Molasses can see it isn’t there, either. Oh, what a pity! Molasses keeps looking as the day wears on. He tries a bike shop, a dry cleaner, and a tanning salon. He peeks inside the ice cream store, wishing and wishing with all his heart. A worker sees that Molasses is alone, so he scoops him some ice cream, minus the cone. What Molasses wants most can’t seem to be found. Then he notices a child turning around. Finally, finally, she is right here! Jamie comes running, her curly hair bouncing. She opens her arms and cries, “Molasses, you’re found!” He jumps into her arms with a leap and a bound. She asks, “Where have you been, you silly little kitty?” Molasses just purrs and remembers the city.
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