Exercise for Cats

**4 feline house** · 04-25-2001, 09:09 PM

Troy-

Now that you mention it, the runt of my crew is always the fastest to run into the kitchen when she smells something good coming out of the fridge or oven. However, she always got plenty of milk as a baby since Peaches had seven titties for only three baby kitties (yes, instead of a polydactyl cat, I have a polyteatyl cat!).

**Pam** · 04-25-2001, 09:32 PM

4 Feline House....You are too much!

**Troy** · 04-26-2001, 02:14 AM

4 Feline House,

...polyteatyl..how bizare, I know it's a strange question but do you know if they all work? Usually when mammals have "extra" appendages they are there in form only and don't actually function. Saying this I thought one of mine, Typha, had 7 teats but it turns out one was his bellybutton! :O

...stupid of me but I had never really thought of cats having bellybuttons.

**4 feline house** · 04-26-2001, 01:33 PM

It doesn't appear to be functional, but it isn't her belly button, either, because that is also noticeable, and her extra nipple is not in the middle of her belly - it's kind of alongside her regular teats. Since she's no longer nursing, I can't even find it anymore, but she doesn't let me have a chance to look, either, becuase she really doesn't like having her belly messed with.

**Troy** · 04-26-2001, 07:51 PM

I know what you mean about sensitive bellies. Cats seem to either love their belly being rubbed or absolutely hate it.

...and if you're not careful you can receive the "ruck & maul" treatment! - that's an expression stolen from the game of Rugby Union - not sure how familiar you are with this game but the action is very apt.

**nsweezie** · 04-26-2001, 10:52 PM

My cat Clyde is a shameless glutton. He will eat anything at all. He has to be fed separatly from all the other animals, otherwise he inhales his food, and then tries to bully food from the other cats.
He is a very small cat though, not much bigger than a kitten. I had always wondered why he was so small, a friend has one of his litter mates, and that cat is huge, at least 20 pounds. Turns out Clyde was the runt of a litter of 12. And his first owner was neglectful of him, he was an 8 week old kitten and was fed only once a day.
I really believe that he still feels like he has to eat as much as possible in case he doesn't get any food. He never got over the early trauma of being neglected.

**4 feline house** · 04-26-2001, 10:54 PM

Yes, she doesn't really like it, but when she had her babies we immediately started picking them up and rubbing their fat little bellies with our finger - they are now coming up on two years old and when we come home, the three of them are by the door waiting for us, on their backs, waiting for their belly rubs!