Author Archives: The Swiss Cats

Happy Independence Day to all our American friends !

Claire was 16 years old when she went during the last century for holidays in the United States. She keeps of it a wonderful memory.

Claire in the USA

More than half our blogger friends are American.
Claire is a little bit gloomy these days, because she has just realized that the plane is very expensive, and that she won’t be able to attend the BlogPaws conference to meet our friends before a few years… Indeed, other unavoidable spending is already planned for the next two years… Impossible to spend in more the equivalent of a month of salary on her alone for only four days : seriously, do you know how much treats you can buy with such a sum ?!?

Flying overseas is so expensive !

However, Claire will go once to the United States with Momo (who never went there), it’s sure ! You must go there at least once in your life, it’s a country where there are so many things to be seen ! And we can already tell you that the route of these holidays will follow the way of friendships knotted with you over the years.

Some cat bloggers in the USA

Happy Independence Day, buddies of America !

Pee-Esse : in the meantime, she could visit our friends in France and in Germany, what do you think about it ?

Once upon a time, there was a mouse

PIXIE : Tuu Duu Duu Duu… A toesie, another toesie,… But what is he doing ?

Pixie one back paw in the air

ZORRO : Come… come here… mousie, mousie, mousie…

Zorro searching a mouse under the trunk

PIXIE : Ah yes ! The mouse ! With the claws which has Zorro, poor thing,… Look at this : if Zorro got on a plane, his claws would appear on the list of forbidden objects on board !

Zorro's claws

PIXIE : Once upon a time, there was a mouse who would have better choose another garden.

Zorro caught the mousie

PIXIE : Too late, Claire, my story is already finished !

Pixie looking back

Sun and cats, friends or enemies ?

Several of our friends (or their human) were these days in Phoenix, Arizona, for the 8th BlogPaws 2016 Conference. A brilliant sun and an overwhelming heat were also there, and we wondered :

Sun and cats, friends or enemies ?

The answer to this question is : a little both. We’re going to explain it to you :

Friends, because…

  • The heat of the sun allows us to compensate for the light temperature reduction of our body while we have a nap.
  • It also allows sick cats to save up their forces to fight better against the disease.
  • Sun rays (ultraviolet rays) allow us to synthesize the vitamin D, essential to facilitate the absorption of calcium and phosphor and fix them to our bones. If we are lacking vitamin D and sun, we can be suffering from rickets.

Is the sun my friend ?
Enemies, because…

  • The heat of the sun can cause a dehydration and a heatstroke.
  • Sun rays can cause a sunburn, especially to cats with a fair skin or naked cats.
  • A sunburn can cause a dermatitis : the edge of the auricle (most of the time) loses its hairs, is irritated, and covered with crusts. An ulcer can form and gradually waste the ear away. Eyelids or truffle can also be suffering.
  • An excessive sun exposure as well as repeated sunburns can cause a skin cancer, especially to cats with a fair skin, naked cats, or old cats. Our friend Harvey made the experience : he underwent the partial ablation of the auricle of his two ears because of a cancer. He very well recovered from it as you can see here.

Is the sun my enemy ?
“It is in the dose that is the poison” said Paracelse in the XVIth century, and it also applies to the sun. Have rather your naps in the shade !

Our human can be attentive to the time we spend in the sun, especially at the most intense hours, so that our sunbathing don’t put our health in danger. There is also a sunscreen for cat : no, no, we’re not kidding ! If you live in a region known for its intense exposure to the sun and if you care about your ears, think of it…