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"Kissing Fidel is at its best when the nutty family members engage in rapid-fire banter...there are some awfully funny moments in this offbeat look at the Cuban-American experience." - Broadway.com
"Formally, Kissing Fidel marries Racine to telenovela, unleashing issues of duty and restraint into a genre where people are oversexed, overwrought, and over-the top... Machado's aggressive assault on the realistic frame of the dysfunctional family drama holds great promise." - The Village Voice
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Minimum Fee: $75 per performance
Full Length Play
Time Period - 1990s
Settings Of Play -
Miami, August 1994, after midnight
Interior Set
No Special Cautions
Friendship, Hispanic issues, Love, Parenting/Family
Appropriate for all audiences
College Theatre / Student, Community Theatre, Dinner Theatre, Professional Theatre, Reader's Theatre, Shoestring Budget, Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups
OSCAR MARQUES - a novelist in his 40sOSVALDO MARQUES - his father in his 60sMIRIAM MARQUES - his aunt, Osvaldo's sister in her early 50sYOLANDA HERNANDEZ - another aunt, his mother's sister in her early 50sDANIEL - his cousin, Miriam's son, thirtyISMAEL - his cousin from Cuba, twenty-five
Eduardo Machado was born in Cuba and came to the United States when he was eight. He grew up in Los Angeles. He is the author of over forty plays. They include The Floating Island Plays, Once Removed, Stevie Wants To Play The Blues, A Burning Beach, Havana Is Waiting, and The Cook. They have been produced at many major regional theaters, as well as in Europe and Off-Broadway, including among ... view full profile
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We Just Landed ... Can't I Get Some Sleep ???
Paris Travel Blog› entry 1 of 11 › view all entries
October 16th, 2005 – by: jmaretich
I'd seen many pictures of it before and thought it was nice and all that, but it was much bigger that I had imagined, and very intricately carved. I thought we were going to have to role-play the video game "Frogger" to get to it, but you entered a subway entrance and walked under the Charles de Gaulle Etoile and entered through one of the support legs of the structure.
I enjoyed looking down at the traffic circling the monument. The Arc sits in the middle of the Etoile, or star. There were about 10 to 12 roads extending from the Arc, like the spokes of a bicycle. It is six or seven lanes wide, but no white lines or lane markers. Not for the faint of heart!
Back at street level, there is a tomb or marker for an unknown French soldier. Hard to imagine Hitler's army "goose-stepping" their way through here 65 years or so ago.
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When I was five, my mother gave birth to a little girl who, according to everyone who laid eyes on her, was my twin. For nine months I tip-toed around my mother's belly, hoping not to make too much noise or fuss. I rubbed her stomach whenever I could, which was all the time since I was SUCH a mama's girl.
From the time my parents found out, I knew I was going to get a little sister. At five, I had been the princess of the house (which probably drove my older brother crazy), but I was looking forward to a baby, a little girl like me, and definitely someone closer to my age to hang with (and boss around) than my big brother who was nearly in his teens.
So when August rolled around, and our whole family was in LA for our bi-annual reunion, it was only fitting that my sister would pick that weekend to make her grand entrance.
Except, things didn't go according to plan.
My mother, so used to premature labor, ignored the nagging pain until she couldn't stand it anymore. My father raced her to the hospital, only to find out that two of the women he loved most in the world were struggling to stay alive. My mother's womb ruptured, leaving my sister suffocating inside her and my mother nearly bleeding to death. Two weeks later, my sister's little body was taken off of life support, and my chance for a sister evaporated into thin air.
I've always wondered how my life would have been different had my baby sister survived. Would we be rivals? Would be thick as thieves? Would we do each other's hair? Would I school her on dealing with boys, hold her hand through our parents' divorce, teach her about this dude named Nas and how his music changed my life? I've always wondered how life would have changed had Charise been able to make it past those first two weeks. But she didn't.
Since I didn't grow up with sisters, and despite my mother's best efforts to mold me into the perfect little lady, I slipped easily into tomboyhood. With an older brother and a father who coached high school basketball, it was bound to happen. I grew up being able to spit sports facts like a pro and trade rap quotes with all of the boys around my way. Because of this, I always had tons of male friends, which made being friends with other girls in my neighborhood somewhat dicey. Never mind that I was too shy to even look at boys like that, being accepted in the male inner-circle made me suspicious or (somehow) a threat to other girls, so I stayed in my cipher—building with dudes, but always, always longing for sisters.
Ironically, I found my first group of girlfriends in high school, which is typically a time when kids splinter into warring cliques, hell-bent on being cooler than everyone else. But it was then that I found my girls. The girls I could share everything with—secrets, M.A.C. lipstick, Spanish notes. I found them and, for the first time, I felt whole.
That feeling of wholeness has repeated itself over and over again throughout my life. Even though most of my crew from high school has split and splintered due to jobs, husbands, and life dragging us all over the country, I have continued to experience the healing balm of sisters.
In college, my roommates and sorors sustained me—offering laughs, advice, and Top Ramen when times were hard. And in grad school, my sister circle held me down when—less than a semester away from completing my Master's—I was downsized from my job, found out I was pregnant, and was three thousand miles away from home.
Sonia Sanchez summed it up best when she said, "You can't put splinters back together, but that's what we did as sisters. Sisterhood is very important. That hood is a covering. Sisters make everything possible on this earth."
I have been blessed. Even though I don't have my own biological sisters, I've had the good fortune to meet and befriend some of the most beautiful, giving, and intelligent sisters on this planet.
Too often the media focuses on the negatives. Women are often seen as rivals—catty, and jealous of each other, but, really . . . we have been supporting each other since the beginning of time.
It was our sisters who helped us to sing songs, cook meals, and piece together our families when slavery threatened to strip our humanity. It was our sisters who prayed for us, cooked for us, worked in our places when our men were murdered or lynched or hauled off to jail simply for being Black. It was our sisters who we ran to when our partners left us, heartbroken and seemingly unable to move on. And today, it is our sisters to whom we run when we need advice, or to vent, or to get told like it really is.
This is my praise song for all of my sisters. Black and White, Latina and Asian—I thank you. Thank you for seeing past the bullshit and divisive rhetoric and loving each other in spite of what we are constantly told.


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Engine Mechanical problem
1997 GMC Sierra V8 Two Wheel Drive Automatic 83000 miles
The truck gradually took more and more key turns and fiddling to start. At times it wouldn't start at all and was incredibly frustrating but after 15 minutes of looking in the engine(and not finding or doing anything) it would magically turn over and start. Someone suggested the park neutral switch, another suggested the starter. I have replaced the park neutral switch and had the starter tested(turned over quite easily). Could I have installed the park neutral switch wrong? Before if I pulled the park lever towards me and turned the key it started. Now I don't get anything and I believe I hear a clicking noise in the engine bay. A friend suggested the fuel pump tonight which I will check tomorrow. Any ideas?
have the same problem?
Monday, October 26th, 2009 AT 7:25 PM


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Georgia State Fair Opens in Spring For First TIme
Back after absence in 2009
By Lisa Limerick & Robert Limerick
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The BBS last week also set its final estimation of GDP growth rate in FY2004-05 at 5.96 per cent, which was 5.38 per cent in its provisional estimate.
A planning ministry source said the bureau has prepared these projections and calculations to help design the next national budget.
To Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Research Director Zaid Bakht the provisional estimate of FY06 GDP growth appears to be achievable.
However, he expressed doubt about the final BBS estimation of FY05 GDP growth and the revised FY04 GDP growth rate, which shows a huge rise from 5.52 per cent to 6.27 per cent.
Zaid said last year agriculture production suffered due to floods, but this year the production in this sector has been good. Since agriculture plays a major role in the GDP, this year it has risen.
According to BBS, the agriculture and forestry sector, which represents 17 per cent of the GDP basket, this year posted a 4.67 per cent growth, compared to 1.80 per cent in FY05.
The manufacturing sector also performed well, Zaid noted, which is evident from the import volume of capital machinery and industrial raw materials. The export from this sector marked a healthy 19 per cent growth this year, he mentioned.
The BIDS research chief however expressed doubt about the sustainability of this year's growth rate, given the ongoing power crisis, which is likely to hit the industrial growth severely.
BBS PROJECTIONSAccording to the BBS provisional estimation, the manufacturing sector, which represents 16.5 per cent of the GDP, rose by 10.47 per cent in FY06, whereas its average growth rate has been 6 to 8 per cent in the last five years.
The construction sector rose by 8.37 per cent this year, compared to last year's 8.31 per cent. This sector represents 9 per cent of the GDP basket.
Fishery that accounts for 5.03 per cent of the GDP also grew by 3.89 per cent against 3.64 per cent in FY05.
The transport, storage and communications sector, which represents 10 per cent of the GDP, rose by 8.25 per cent in FY06 compared to 7.92 per cent in FY05.
Wholesale and retail trade representing 14.12 per cent of the GDP marked a 7.26 per cent growth in FY06 compared to last year's 7.06 per cent.
Real estate, renting and business activities representing 8.14 per cent of the GDP have marked a 3.69 per cent growth, which was 3.65 per cent in FY05.
Community, social and personal services representing 7.52 per cent of the GDP marked a 4.08 per cent growth compared to last year's 4.05 per cent.
Among other sectors, mining and quarrying contributed 1.14 per cent to the FY06 GDP, electricity, gas and water 1.64 per cent, financial intermediation 1.70 per cent, public administration 2.76 per cent, education 2.46 per cent, and health and social work 2.25 per cent.
This year mining and quarrying grew by 8.73 per cent, electricity, gas and water 7.72 per cent, financial intermediation 7.12 per cent, public administration 8.21 per cent, education 7.98 per cent, and health and social work 7.13 per cent.
FINAL ESTIMATE OF FY05 GDP GROWTHThe BBS final estimate puts the growth of agriculture and forestry sector in FY2004-05 at 1.80 per cent, which in its provisional estimation was negative, (-0.37 per cent).
In FY05 the growth of manufacturing has been reset at 8.19 per cent from 8.43 per cent in the provisional estimation and construction at 8.31 per cent from 8.69 per cent.
In FY01, the last year of the immediate past Awami League government, the BBS in its provisional estimate set the GDP growth at 6.04 per cent. But, soon after the change of government, the bureau in its final report lowered the percentage to 5.27.
The GDP growth in FY02 was 4.42 per cent, which in FY03 the BBS set it at 5.26 per cent.


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What does HRAP mean in NASA?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand HRAP in the Governmental field in general and in the NASA terminology in particular.
High Resolution Accelerometer Package
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Discuss this HRAP abbreviation with the community:
Use the citation below to add this abbreviation to your bibliography:
"HRAP." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2018. Web. 20 Mar. 2018. <https://www.abbreviations.com/term/562744>.


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Online news source Video Ad News recently conducted an interview with Ed Haslem, senior vice president of marketing at YuMe, an online video advertising firm. The purpose of the interview was to discuss the release of YuMe's Household Targeting ad service.
Haslem explained briefly what the service provides:
"In a nutshell, Household Targeting delivers 100% in-stream, interactive video ads to all screens in a household – smartphone, tablet, CTV, PC. By utilizing our Connected Audience Network these ads will reach more than 147M video viewers per month, in the United States."
How does the service work? It uses complicated "heuristic algorithms," as Haslem calls them, along with other processes that normal humans like myself could not possibly understand. The main point is that the service looks to close the gap that exists between online video and TV advertising, insofar as household exposure. Online ads, unlike those on TV, are usually only seen by a single family member at a time, giving TV ads a marked advantage.
Haslem said brands that would likely use YuMe's service are those that already use TV ads heavily: cars, movies, restaurants, travel, etc. Because these brands routinely include an entire household in the decision process (unlike, say, buying a set of golf clubs for Dad), adding online ads with family-wide exposure makes perfect sense.
YuMe plans to go public soon, as it filed for a US$65 million (S$82 million) initial public offering earlier this month, which was higher than expected (possibly due to this new service). The company posted US$123 million (S$156 million) in sales for the 2012 fiscal year.
See full interview at VideoAdNews.com


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Water and Environmental Design
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It was the first time this subject was done in a block mode style. It was a good subject, small class makes it easier to understand the subject.Anonymous, Semester 2, 2014
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I have hooked up a momentary foot switch to my m20d. But it takes two clicks to activate any selection. I use it to start a backing track. Click one, nothing, click two starts, click three, nothing, click four, stops.
What am I overlooking here? I have tried a couple different switches, and I was told they are "momentary" switches.


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Postgraduate Japanese A
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Cartoon Cat Pictures Definition
The English word cat (Old English catt) is in origin a loanword, introduced to many languages of Europe from Latin cattus[13] and Byzantine Greek ??tta, including Portuguese and Spanish gato, French chat, German Katze, Lithuanian kate and Old Church Slavonic kotka, among others.[14] The ultimate source of the word is Afroasiatic, presumably from Late Egyptian caute,[15] the feminine of caus "wildcat". The word was introduced, together with the domestic animal itself, to the Roman Republic by the 1st century BCE.[citation needed] An alternative word with cognates in many languages is English puss (pussycat). Attested only from the 16th century, it may have been introduced from Dutch poes or from Low German puuskatte, related to Swedish kattepus, or Norwegian pus, pusekatt. Similar forms exist in Lithuanian puiže and Irish puisín. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simply arisen from a sound used to attract a cat.[16][17]
A group of cats is referred to as a "clowder" or a "glaring",[18] a male cat is called a "tom" or "tomcat"[19] (or a "gib",[20] if neutered), a female is called a "molly"[citation needed] or (especially among breeders) a "queen",[21] and a pre-pubescent juvenile is referred to as a "kitten". The male progenitor of a cat, especially a pedigreed cat, is its "sire",[22] and its female progenitor is its "dam".[23] In Early Modern English, the word kitten was interchangeable with the now-obsolete word catling.[24]
A pedigreed cat is one whose ancestry is recorded by a cat fancier organization. A purebred cat cat is one whose ancestry contains only individuals of the same breed. Many pedigreed and especially purebred cats are exhibited as show cats. Cats of unrecorded, mixed ancestry are referred to as domestic short-haired or domestic long-haired cats, by coat type, or commonly as random-bred, moggies (chiefly British)), or (using terms borrowed from dog breeding) mongrels or mutt-cats.
While the African wildcat is the ancestral species from which domestic cats are descended, there are several intermediate stages between domestic pet and pedigree cats on the one hand and those entirely wild animals on the other. The semi-feral cat is a mostly outdoor cat that is not owned by any one individual, but is generally friendly to people and may be fed by several households. Feral cats are associated with human habitation areas and may be fed by people or forage in rubbish, but are wary of human interaction.[25]
The wildcat, Felis silvestris, is the ancestor of the domestic cat.
The felids are a rapidly evolving family of mammals that share a common ancestor only 10–15 million years ago,[26] and include, in addition to the domestic cat, lions, tigers, cougars, and many others. Within this family, domestic cats (Felis catus) are part of the genus Felis, which is a group of small cats containing approximately seven species (depending upon classification scheme).[1][27] Members of the genus are found worldwide and include the jungle cat (Felis chaus) of southeast Asia, European wildcat (F. silvestris silvestris), African wildcat (F. s. lybica), the Chinese mountain cat (F. bieti), and the Arabian sand cat (F. margarita), among others.[28]
All the cats in this genus share a common ancestor that probably lived around 6–7 million years ago in Asia.[29] The exact relationships within the Felidae are close but still uncertain,[30][31] e.g. the Chinese mountain cat is sometimes classified (under the name Felis silvestris bieti) as a subspecies of the wildcat, like an African variety F. S. lybica.[4][30] As domestic cats are little altered from wildcats, they can readily interbreed. This hybridization poses a danger to the genetic distinctiveness of wildcat populations, particularly in Scotland and Hungary, and possibly also the Iberian Peninsula.[32]
The domestic cat was first classified as Felis catus by Carolus Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae in 1758.[1][3] However, because of modern phylogenetics, domestic cats are now usually regarded as another subspecies of the wildcat, Felis silvestris.[1][4][33] This has resulted in mixed usage of the terms, as the domestic cat can be called by its subspecies name, Felis silvestris catus.[1][4][33] Wildcats have also been referred to as various subspecies of F. catus,[33] but in 2003 the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature fixed the name for wildcats as F. silvestris.[34] The most common name in use for the domestic cat remains F. catus, following a convention for domesticated animals of using the earliest (the senior) synonym proposed.[34] Sometimes the domestic cat has been called Felis domesticus[35] or Felis domestica,[1] as proposed by German naturalist J. C. P. Erxleben in 1777, but these are not valid taxonomic names and have only rarely been used in scientific literature,[36] because Linnaeus's binomial takes precedence.[37]
Cats have either a mutualistic or commensal relationship with humans. However, in comparison to dogs, cats have not undergone major changes during the domestication process, as the form and behavior of the domestic cat are not radically different from those of wildcats, and domestic cats are perfectly capable of surviving in the wild.[38][39] This limited evolution during domestication means that domestic cats tend to interbreed freely with wild relatives,[32] which distinguishes them from other domesticated animals.[citation needed] Fully domesticated house cats also often interbreed with feral F. catus populations.[25] However, several natural behaviors and characteristics of wildcats may have pre-adapted them for domestication as pets.[39] These traits include their small size, social nature, obvious body language, love of play, and relatively high intelligence;[40]:12–17 they may also have an inborn tendency towards tameness.[39]
There are two main theories about how cats were domesticated. In one, people deliberately tamed cats in a process of artificial selection, as they were useful predators of vermin.[41] However, this has been criticized as implausible, because there may have been little reward for such an effort: Cats generally do not carry out commands and, although they do eat rodents, other species such as ferrets or terriers may be better at controlling these pests.[4] The alternative idea is that cats were simply tolerated by people and gradually diverged from their wild relatives through natural selection, as they adapted to hunting the vermin found around humans in towns and villages.[4]
Cat (with a DECtalk DTC01 for scale)
Main article: Cat genetics
The domesticated cat and its closest wild ancestor are both diploid organisms that possess 38 chromosomes[42] and roughly 20,000 genes.[43] About 250 heritable genetic disorders have been identified in cats, many similar to human inborn errors.[44] The high level of similarity among the metabolisms of mammals allows many of these feline diseases to be diagnosed using genetic tests that were originally developed for use in humans, as well as the use of cats as animal models in the study of the human diseases.[45][46]
Main article: Cat anatomy
Diagram of the general anatomy of a male
Domestic cats are similar in size to the other members of the genus Felis, typically weighing between 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) and 5 kilograms (11 lb).[30] However, some breeds, such as the Maine Coon, can occasionally exceed 11 kilograms (25 lb). Conversely, very small cats (less than 1.8 kilograms (4.0 lb)) have been reported.[47] The world record for the largest cat is 21.297 kilograms (46 lb 15.2 oz).[48] The smallest adult cat ever officially recorded weighed around 1.36 kilograms (3 lb).[48] Cats average about 23–25 centimeters (9–10 in) in height and 46 centimeters (18.1 in) in head/body length (males being larger than females), with tails averaging 30 centimeters (11.8 in) in length.[49]
Cats have 7 cervical vertebrae like almost all mammals, 13 thoracic vertebrae (humans have 12), 7 lumbar vertebrae (humans have 5), 3 sacral vertebrae like most mammals (humans have 5 because of their bipedal posture), and a variable number of caudal vertebrae in the tail (humans retain 3 to 5 caudal vertebrae, fused into an internal coccyx).[50]:11 The extra lumbar and thoracic vertebrae account for the cat's spinal mobility and flexibility. Attached to the spine are 13 ribs, the shoulder, and the pelvis.[50] :16 Unlike human arms, cat forelimbs are attached to the shoulder by free-floating clavicle bones, which allow them to pass their body through any space into which they can fit their heads.[51]
Cat skull
The cat skull is unusual among mammals in having very large eye sockets and a powerful and specialized jaw.[52]:35 Within the jaw, cats have teeth adapted for killing prey and tearing meat. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two long canine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey's vertebrae and severing its spinal cord, causing irreversible paralysis and death.[53] Compared to other felines, domestic cats have narrowly spaced canine teeth; which is an adaptation to their preferred prey of small rodents, which have small vertebrae.[53] The premolar and first molar together compose the carnassial pair on each side of the mouth, which efficiently shears meat into small pieces, like a pair of scissors. These are vital in feeding, since cats' small molars cannot chew food effectively.[52]:37
Cats, like dogs, are digitigrades. They walk directly on their toes, with the bones of their feet making up the lower part of the visible leg.[54] Cats are capable of walking very precisely, because like all felines they directly register; that is, they place each hind paw (almost) directly in the print of the corresponding forepaw, minimizing noise and visible tracks. This also provides sure footing for their hind paws when they navigate rough terrain. Unlike most mammals, when cats walk, they use a "pacing" gait; that is, they move the two legs on one side of the body before the legs on the other side. This trait is shared with camels and giraffes. As a walk speeds up into a trot, a cat's gait will change to be a "diagonal" gait, similar to that of most other mammals (and many other land animals, such as lizards): the diagonally opposite hind and forelegs will move simultaneously.[55]
Like almost all members of the Felidae family, cats have protractable and retractable claws.[56] In their normal, relaxed position the claws are sheathed with the skin and fur around the paw's toe pads. This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the forefeet are typically sharper than those on the hind feet.[57] Cats can voluntarily extend their claws on one or more paws. They may extend their claws in hunting or self-defense, climbing, kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Most cats have five claws on their front paws, and four on their rear paws.[58] The fifth front claw (the dewclaw) is proximal to the other claws. More proximally, there is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth "finger". This special feature of the front paws, on the inside of the wrists, is the carpal pad, also found on the paws of big cats and of dogs. It has no function in normal walking, but is thought to be an anti-skidding device used while jumping. Some breeds of cats are prone to polydactyly (extra toes and claws).[58] These are particularly common along the northeast coast of North America.[59]
Normal physiological values[60]:330 Body temperature 38.6 °C (101.5 °F)
Heart rate 120–140 beats per minute
Breathing rate 16–40 breaths per minute
As cats are familiar and easily kept animals, their physiology has been particularly well studied; it generally resembles that of other carnivorous mammals but displays several unusual features probably attributable to cats' descent from desert-dwelling species.[35] For instance, cats are able to tolerate quite high temperatures: Humans generally start to feel uncomfortable when their skin temperature passes about 44.5 °C (112 °F), but cats show no discomfort until their skin reaches around 52 °C (126 °F),[52]:46 and can tolerate temperatures of up to 56 °C (133 °F) if they have access to water.[61]
Cats conserve heat by reducing the flow of blood to their skin and lose heat by evaporation through their mouth. They do not sweat, and pant for heat relief only at very high temperatures[62] (but may also pant when stressed). Unusually, a cat's body temperature does not vary throughout the day; this is part of cats' general lack of circadian rhythms and may reflect their tendency to be active both during the day and at night.[63]:1 Cats' feces are comparatively dry and their urine is also highly concentrated, both of which are adaptations that allow cats to retain as much fluid as possible.[35] Their kidneys are so efficient that cats can survive on a diet consisting only of meat, with no additional water,[64] and can even rehydrate by drinking seawater.[63]:29[65]
Cats are obligate carnivores: Their physiology has evolved to efficiently process meat, and they have difficulty digesting plant matter.[35] In contrast to omnivores such as rats, which only require about 4% protein in their diet, about 20% of a cat's diet must be protein.[35] Cats are unusually dependent on a constant supply of the amino acid arginine, and a diet lacking arginine causes marked weight loss and can be rapidly fatal.[66] Another unusual feature is that the cat also cannot produce the amino acid taurine, with taurine deficiency causing macular degeneration, wherein the cat's retina slowly degenerates, causing irreversible blindness.[35] Since cats tend to eat all of their prey, they obtain minerals by digesting animal bones, and a diet composed only of meat may cause calcium deficiency.[35]
A cat's gastrointestinal tract is also adapted to meat eating, being much shorter than that of omnivores and having low levels of several of the digestive enzymes that are needed to digest carbohydrates.[67] These traits severely limit the cat's ability to digest and use plant-derived nutrients, as well as certain fatty acids.[67] Despite the cat's meat-oriented physiology, several vegetarian or vegan cat foods have been marketed that are supplemented with chemically synthesized taurine and other nutrients, in attempts to produce a complete diet. However, some of these products still fail to provide all the nutrients that cats require,[68] and diets containing no animal products pose the risk of causing severe nutritional deficiencies.[69]
Cats also eat grass occasionally. Proposed explanations include that grass is a source of folic acid or dietary fiber.[70]
Main article: Cat senses
Eyes of a tabby cat
Cats have excellent night vision and can see at only one-sixth the light level required for human vision.[52]:43 This is partly the result of cat eyes having a tapetum lucidum, which reflects any light that passes through the retina back into the eye, thereby increasing the eye's sensitivity to dim light.[71] Another adaptation to dim light is the large pupils of cats' eyes. Unlike some big cats, such as tigers, domestic cats have slit pupils.[72] These slit pupils can focus bright light without chromatic aberration, and are needed since the domestic cat's pupils are much larger, relative to their eyes, than the pupils of the big cats.[72] Indeed, at low light levels a cat's pupils will expand to cover most of the exposed surface of its eyes.[73] However, domestic cats have rather poor color vision and (like most non-primate mammals) have only two types of cones, optimized for sensitivity to blue and yellowish green; they have limited ability to distinguish between red and green,[74] although they can achieve this in some conditions.[75]
Cats' whiskers are highly sensitive to touch.
Cats have excellent hearing and can detect an extremely broad range of frequencies. They can hear higher-pitched sounds than either dogs or humans, detecting frequencies from 55 Hz up to 79 kHz, a range of 10.5 octaves; while humans can only hear from 31 Hz up to 18 kHz, and dogs hear from 67 Hz to 44 kHz, which are both ranges of about 9 octaves.[76][77] Cats do not use this ability to hear ultrasound for communication but it is probably important in hunting,[78] since many species of rodents make ultrasonic calls.[79] Cat hearing is also extremely sensitive and is among the best of any mammal,[76] being most acute in the range of 500 Hz to 32 kHz.[80] This sensitivity is further enhanced by the cat's large movable outer ears (their pinnae), which both amplify sounds and help a cat sense the direction from which a noise is coming.[78]
Cats have an acute sense of smell, which is due in part to their well-developed olfactory bulb and also to a large surface of olfactory mucosa, in cats this mucosa is about 5.8 square centimetres (0.90 sq in) in area, which is about twice that of humans and only 1.7-fold less than the average dog.[81] Cats are very sensitive to pheromones such as 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol,[82] which they use to communicate through urine spraying and marking with scent glands.[83] Cats also respond strongly to plants that contain nepetalactone, especially catnip, as they can detect that substance at less than one part per billion.[84] This response is also produced by other plants, such as silver vine (Actinidia polygama) and the herb valerian; it may be caused by the smell of these plants mimicking a pheromone and stimulating cats' social or sexual behaviors.[85]
Cats have relatively few taste buds compared to humans. Owing to a mutation in an early cat ancestor, one of two genes necessary to taste sweetness may have been lost by the cat family.[86] Their taste buds instead respond to amino acids, bitter tastes and acids.[87] To aid with navigation and sensation, cats have dozens of movable vibrissae (whiskers) over their body, especially their face. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protective blink reflexes to protect the eyes from damage.[52]:47
Main article: Cat health
The average life expectancy for male indoor cats at birth is around 12 to 14 years,[88] with females usually living a year or two longer.[89] However, there have been reports of cats reaching into their 30s,[90] with the oldest known cat, Creme Puff, dying at a verified age of 38.[91] Feline life expectancy has increased significantly in recent decades.[92] Having a cat neutered or spayed confers some health benefits, since castrated males cannot develop testicular cancer, spayed females cannot develop uterine or ovarian cancer, and both have a reduced risk of mammary cancer.[93] The lifespan of feral cats is hard to determine accurately, although one study reported a median age of 4.7 years, with a range between 0 to 8.3 years.[94]
Cats can suffer from a wide range of health problems, including infectious diseases, parasites, injuries and chronic disease. Vaccinations are available for many of these diseases, and domestic cats are regularly given treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms and fleas.
In addition to obvious dangers such as rodenticides, insecticides and herbicides, cats may be poisoned by many chemicals that are usually considered safe by pet owners.[95] This is because their livers are less effective at some forms of detoxification than those of many other animals, including humans and dogs.[35][96] Some of the most common causes of poisoning in cats are antifreeze and rodent baits.[97] It has also been suggested that cats may be particularly sensitive to environmental pollutants.[95][98] When a cat has a sudden or prolonged serious illness without any obvious cause, it is possible that it has been exposed to a toxin.
Many human medicines should never be given to cats. For example, the painkiller paracetamol (also called acetaminophen, sold as Tylenol and Panadol) is extremely toxic to cats: even very small doses need immediate treatment and can be fatal.[99][100] Even aspirin, which is sometimes used to treat arthritis in cats, is much more toxic to them than to humans[100] and must be administered cautiously.[95] Similarly, application of minoxidil (Rogaine) to the skin of cats, either accidentally or by well-meaning owners attempting to counter loss of fur, has sometimes been fatal.[101] Essential oils can be toxic to cats and there have been reported cases of serious illnesses caused by tea tree oil, including flea treatments and shampoos containing it.[102]
Other common household substances that should be used with caution around cats include mothballs and other naphthalene products.[95] Phenol-based products (e.g. Pine-Sol, Dettol (Lysol) or hexachlorophene)[95] are often used for cleaning and disinfecting near cats' feeding areas or litter boxes but these can sometimes be fatal.[103] Ethylene glycol, often used as an automotive antifreeze, is particularly appealing to cats, and as little as a teaspoonful can be fatal.[104] Some human foods are toxic to cats; for example chocolate can cause theobromine poisoning, although (unlike dogs) few cats will eat chocolate.[105] Large amounts of onions or garlic are also poisonous to cats.[95] Many houseplants are also dangerous,[106] such as Philodendron species and the leaves of the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum), which can cause permanent and life-threatening kidney damage.[107]
BehaviorSee also: Cat behavior, cat communication, cognition in cats, and cat intelligence
Free-ranging cats are active both day and night, although they tend to be slightly more active at night.[108][109] The timing of cats' activity is quite flexible and varied, which means that house cats may be more active in the morning and evening (crepuscular behavior), as a response to greater human activity at these times.[110] Although they spend the majority of their time in the vicinity of their home, housecats can range many hundreds of meters from this central point, and are known to establish territories that vary considerably in size, in one study ranging from 7 to 28 hectares (17 to 69 acres).[109] Cats conserve energy by sleeping more than most animals, especially as they grow older. The daily duration of sleep varies, usually 12–16 hours, with 13–14 being the average. Some cats can sleep as much as 20 hours in a 24-hour period. The term "cat nap" for a short rest refers to the cat's tendency to fall asleep (lightly) for a brief period. While asleep, cats experience short periods of rapid eye movement sleep often accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests that they are dreaming.[111]
Social grooming in a pair
Although wildcats are solitary, the social behavior of domestic cats is much more variable and ranges from widely dispersed individuals to feral cat colonies that form around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.[112][113] Within such groups one cat is usually dominant over the others.[36] Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about ten times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories.[83] These territories are marked by urine spraying, by rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and by defecation.[83] Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, and growling, and if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite some cats cohabiting in colonies, cats do not have a social survival strategy, or a pack mentality and always hunt alone.[114]
Domestic cats use many vocalizations for communication, including purring, trilling, hissing, growling/snarling, grunting, and several different forms of meowing.[7] By contrast, feral cats are generally silent.[115]:208 Their types of body language, including position of ears and tail, relaxation of whole body, and kneading of paws, are all indicators of mood. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats,[116][117] e.g. with a raised tail acting as a friendly greeting, and flattened ears indicating hostility. Tail-raising also indicates the cat's position in the group's social hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate animals.[117] Nose-to-nose touching is also a common greeting and may be followed by social grooming, which is solicited by one of the cats raising and tilting its head.[113]
Cats intimidate opponents by arching their backs, raising their fur, turning sideways, and hissing.
However, some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats may show aggressiveness towards newly arrived kittens, which may include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as Feline Asocial Aggression.[118]
For cats, life in proximity to humans and other animals kept by them amounts to a "symbiotic social adaptation".[this quote needs a citation] They may express great affection towards their human (and even other) companions, especially if they psychologically imprint on them at a very young age and are treated with consistent affection.[citation needed] It has been suggested that, ethologically, the human keeper of a cat functions as a sort of surrogate for the cat's mother,[citation needed] and that adult housecats live their lives in a kind of extended kittenhood,[119] a form of behavioral neoteny. It has even been theorized[120] that the high-pitched sounds housecats make to solicit food may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly hard for humans to ignore.
The hooked papillae on a cat's tongue act like a hairbrush to help clean and detangle fur.
Cats are known for their cleanliness, spending many hours licking their coats.[121] The cat's tongue has backwards-facing spines about 500 micrometers long, which are called papillae. These are quite rigid, as they contain keratin.[122] These spines allow cats to groom themselves by licking their fur, with the rows of papillae acting like a hairbrush. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitate hairballs of fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage-shaped and about two to three centimeters long. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through the gut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush.[121] Some cats can develop a compulsive behavior known as psychogenic alopecia, or excessive grooming.[123][clarification needed]
Among domestic cats, males are more likely to fight than females.[124] Among feral cats, the most common reason for cat fighting is competition between two males to mate with a female. In such cases, most fights will be won by the heavier male.[125] Another common reason for fighting in domestic cats is the difficulty of establishing territories within a small home.[124] Female cats will also fight over territory or to defend their kittens.[citation needed] Spaying females and neutering males will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked to sex hormones.[citation needed]
When fighting, cats make themselves appear more impressive and threatening by raising their fur, arching their backs, and turning sideways, thus increasing their apparent size.[116] Often, the ears are pointed down and back to avoid damage to the inner ear and potentially listen for any changes behind them while focused forward. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually comprise of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites. Cats will also throw themselves to the ground in a defensive posture to rake their opponent's belly with their powerful hind legs.[126] Serious damage is rare as the fights are usually short in duration, with the loser running away with little more than a few scratches to the face and ears. However, fights for mating rights are typically more severe and injuries may include deep puncture wounds and lacerations. Normally, serious injuries from fighting will be limited to infections of scratches and bites, though these can occasionally kill cats if untreated. In addition, bites are probably the main route of transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).[127] Sexually active males will usually be involved in many fights during their lives, and often have decidedly battered faces with obvious scars and cuts to the ears and nose.
Hunting and feeding
Cats feed on small prey, primarily birds and rodents.[128] Feral cats and house cats that are free-fed tend to consume many small meals in a single day, although the frequency and size of meals varies between individuals.[114] Cats use two hunting strategies, either stalking prey actively, or waiting in ambush until an animal comes close enough to be captured. Although it is not certain, the type of strategy used may depend on the prey species in the area, with for example, cats waiting in ambush outside burrows, but tending to actively stalk birds.[129]:153
Most breeds of cat have a noted fondness for settling in high places, or perching. In the wild, a higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats may strike prey by pouncing from such a perch as a tree branch, as does a leopard.[130][clarification needed] Other possible explanations include that height gives the cat a better observation point, allowing it to survey its territory. During a fall from a high place, a cat can reflexively twist its body and right itself using its acute sense of balance and flexibility.[131][clarification needed] This is known as the cat righting reflex. An individual cat always rights itself in the same way, provided it has the time to do so, during a fall. The height required for this to occur is around 90 cm (3 feet). Cats without a tail (e.g. Manx cats) also have this ability, since a cat mostly moves its hind legs and relies on conservation of angular momentum to set up for landing, and the tail is in fact little used for this feat.[132] This leads to the proverb "a cat always lands on its feet".
Eating a house sparrow.
One poorly understood element of cat hunting behavior is the presentation of prey to human owners. Ethologist Paul Leyhausen proposed that cats adopt humans into their social group, and share excess kill with others in the group according to the local pecking order, in which humans are placed at or near the top.[133] Anthropologist and zoologist Desmond Morris, in his 1986 book Catwatching, suggests that when cats bring home mice or birds, they are attempting to teach their human to hunt, or trying to help their human as if feeding "an elderly cat, or an inept kitten".[134][clarification needed] Morris's theory is inconsistent with the fact that male cats also bring home prey, despite males having no involvement with raising kittens.[129]:153
Domestic cats select food based on its temperature, smell and texture, strongly disliking chilled foods and responding most strongly to moist foods rich in amino acids, which are similar to meat.[69][114] Cats may reject novel flavors (a response termed neophobia) and learn quickly to avoid foods that have tasted unpleasant in the past.[114] They may also avoid sugary foods and milk; since they are lactose intolerant, these sugars are not easily digested and may cause soft stools or diarrhea.[114][135] They can also develop odd eating habits. Some cats like to eat or chew on other things, most commonly wool, but also plastic, paper, string, aluminum foil/Christmas tree tinsel, or even coal. This condition is called pica and can threaten their health, depending on the amount and toxicity of the items eaten.[136][137]
Since cats cannot fully close their lips around something to create suction, they use a lapping method with the tongue to draw liquid upwards into their mouths. Lapping at a rate of four times a second, the cat touches the smooth tip of its tongue to the surface of the water, and quickly retracts it, drawing water upwards.[138]
Main article: Cat play and toys
Domestic cats, especially young kittens, are known for their love of play. This behavior mimics hunting and is important in helping kittens learn to stalk, capture, and kill prey.[139] Cats will also engage in play fighting, with each other and with humans. This behavior may be a way for cats to practice the skills needed for real combat, and might also reduce any fear they associate with launching attacks on other animals.[140]
Owing to the close similarity between play and hunting, cats prefer to play with objects that resemble prey, such as small furry toys that move rapidly, but rapidly lose interest (they become habituated) in a toy they have played with before.[141] Cats also tend to play with toys more when they are hungry.[142] String is often used as a toy, but if it is eaten it can become caught at the base of the cat's tongue and then move into the intestines, a medical emergency which can cause serious illness, even death.[143] Owing to the risks posed by cats eating string, it is sometimes replaced with a laser pointer's dot, which cats may chase.[144] While concerns have been raised about the safety of these lasers, John Marshall, an ophthalmologist at St Thomas' Hospital, has stated that it would be "virtually impossible" to blind a cat with a laser pointer.[145][clarification needed]
A newborn kitten
When cats mate, the tomcat (male) bites the scruff of the female's neck as she assumes a position conducive to mating known as lordosis behavior.
Female cats are seasonally polyestrous, which means they may have many periods of heat over the course of a year, the season beginning in spring and ending in late autumn. Heat periods occur about every two weeks and last about 4 to 7 days.[146] Multiple males will be attracted to a female in heat. The males will fight over her, and the victor wins the right to mate. At first, the female will reject the male, but eventually the female will allow the male to mate. The female will utter a loud yowl as the male pulls out of her. This is because a male cat's penis has a band of about 120–150 backwards-pointing penile spines, which are about one millimeter long;[147] upon withdrawal of the penis, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina, which is a trigger for ovulation. This act also occurs to clear the vagina of other sperm in the context of a second (or more) mating, thus giving the later males a larger chance of conception.[citation needed]
After mating, the female will wash her vulva thoroughly. If a male attempts to mate with her at this point, the female will attack him. After about 20 to 30 minutes, once the female is finished grooming, the cycle will repeat.[146]
Because ovulation is not always triggered by a single mating, females may not be impregnated by the first male with which they mate.[148] Furthermore, cats are superfecund; that is, a female may mate with more than one male when she is in heat, with the result that different kittens in a litter may have different fathers.[146]
The gestation period for cats is between 64–67 days, with an average length of 66 days.[149] The size of a litter averages three to five kittens, with the first litter usually smaller than subsequent litters. Kittens are weaned at between six and seven weeks, and cats normally reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months (females) and to 5–7 months (males), although this can vary depending on breed.[146] Females can have two to three litters per year, so may produce up to 150 kittens in their breeding span of around ten years.[146]
Cats are ready to go to new homes at about 12 weeks old,[150] or when they are ready to leave their mother. Cats can be surgically sterilized (spayed or castrated) as early as 7 weeks to limit unwanted reproduction.[151] This surgery also prevents undesirable sex-related behavior, such as aggression, territory marking (spraying urine) in males and yowling (calling) in females. Traditionally, this surgery was performed at around six to nine months of age, but it is increasingly being performed prior to puberty, at about three to six months.[152] In the USA approximately 80% of household cats are neutered.[153]
Main article: Cat communication
The cat is a very vocal animal. Known for its trademark purring, it also produces a wide variety of other sounds.
The mechanism by which cats purr is elusive. The cat has no unique anatomical feature that is clearly responsible for the sound.[154][clarification needed] It was, until recent times, believed that only the cats of the Felis genus could purr. However, felids of the Panthera genus (tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard) also produce sounds similar to purring, but only when exhaling.[155][clarification needed][unreliable source?]
A Black cat under the snow.
Cats are a cosmopolitan species and are found across much of the world.[38] They are extremely adaptable and are now present on all continents except Antarctica, and on 118 of the 131 main groups of islands – even on sub-Antarctic islands such as the Kerguelen Islands.[156][157] Feral cats can live in forests, grasslands, tundra, coastal areas, agricultural land, scrublands, urban areas and wetlands.[158] Their habitats even include small oceanic islands with no human inhabitants.[159] This ability to thrive in almost any terrestrial habitat has led to the cat's designation as one of the world's worst invasive species.[160] Despite this general adaptability, the close relatives of domestic cats, the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) and the Arabian sand cat (Felis margarita) both inhabit desert environments,[4] and domestic cats still show similar adaptations and behaviors.[35]
Impact on prey species
Young feral cat eating a cottontail rabbit.
To date, there are few scientific data available to assess the impact of cat predation on prey populations. Even well-fed domestic cats may hunt and kill, mainly catching small mammals, but also birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates.[128][161] Hunting by domestic cats may be contributing to the decline in the numbers of birds in urban areas, although the importance of this effect remains controversial.[162] In the wild, the introduction of feral cats during human settlement can threaten native species with extinction.[159] In many cases controlling or eliminating the populations of non-native cats can produce a rapid recovery in native animals.[163] However, the ecological role of introduced cats can be more complicated: for example, cats can control the numbers of rats, which also prey on birds' eggs and young, so in some cases eliminating a cat population can actually accelerate the decline of an endangered bird species in the presence of a mesopredator, controlled by cats.[164]
In the Southern Hemisphere, cats are a particular problem in landmasses such as Australasia, where cat species have never been native and there were few equivalent native medium-sized mammalian predators.[165] Native species such as the New Zealand Kakapo and the Australian Bettong, for example, tend to be more ecologically vulnerable and behaviorally "naive" to predation by feral cats.[166] Feral cats have had a major impact on these native species and have played a leading role in the endangerment and extinction of many animals.[167]
Cat numbers in the UK are growing and their abundance is far above the "natural" carrying capacity, because their population sizes are independent of their prey's dynamics: i.e. cats are "recreational" hunters, with other food sources.[168] Population densities can be as high as 2,000 individuals per km2[169] and the trend is an increase of 0.5 million cats annually.
Impact on birds
The domestic cat is probably a significant predator of birds. UK assessments indicate that they may be accountable for an estimated 64.8 million bird deaths each year.[128] Certain species appear more susceptible than others; for example, 30% of house sparrow mortality is linked to the domestic cat.[170] In the recovery of ringed robins (Erithacus rubecula) and dunnocks (Prunella modularis), it was also concluded that 31% of deaths were a result of cat predation.[171] The presence of larger carnivores such as coyotes which prey on cats and other small predators reduces the effect of predation by cats and other small predators such as opossums and raccoons on bird numbers and variety.[172] The proposal that cat populations will increase when the numbers of these top predators decline is called the mesopredator release hypothesis.
On islands, birds can contribute as much as 60% of a cat's diet.[173] In nearly all cases, however, the cat cannot be identified as the sole cause for reducing the numbers of island birds, and in some instances eradication of cats has caused a 'mesopredator release' effect;[174] where the suppression of top carnivores creates an abundance of smaller predators that cause a severe decline in their shared prey. Domestic cats are, however, known to be a contributing factor to the decline of many species; a factor that has ultimately led, in some cases, to extinction. The South Island Piopio, Chatham Islands Rail,[171] the Auckland Islands Merganser,[175] and the common diving petrel[176] are a few from a long list, with the most extreme case being the flightless Stephens Island Wren, which was driven to extinction only a few years after its discovery.[177][178]
Some of the same factors that have promoted adaptive radiation of island avifauna over evolutionary time appear to promote vulnerability to non-native species in modern time. The susceptibility inherent of many island birds is undoubtedly due to evolution in the absence of mainland predators, competitors, diseases and parasites. In addition to lower reproductive rates and extended incubation periods.[179] The loss of flight, or reduced flying ability is also characteristic of many island endemics.[180] These biological aspects have increased vulnerability to extinction in the presence of introduced species, such as the domestic cat.[181] Equally, behavioural traits exhibited by island species, such as "predatory naivety"[182] and ground-nesting,[179] have also contributed to their susceptibility.
Cats and humans
Main article: Cats and humans
Girl with young cat
Cats are common pets in Europe and North America, and their worldwide population exceeds 500 million.[9] Although cat ownership has commonly been associated with women,[183] a 2007 Gallup poll reported that men and women were equally likely to own a cat.[184]
According to the Humane Society of the United States, as well as being kept as pets, cats are also used in the international fur trade,[185] for making coats, gloves, hats, shoes, blankets and stuffed toys. About 24 cats are needed to make a cat fur coat.[186] This use has now been outlawed in several countries, including the United States, Australia and the European Union.[187] However, some cat furs are still made into blankets in Switzerland as folk remedies that are believed to help rheumatism.[188]
People less often eat cat meat than the flesh of other common domestic animals.
Further information: Cat meat
Estimated domestic cats in top cat-owning countries and regions (millions, rounded to the nearest hundred thousand): Country Domestic Ref. Feral Ref.
Europe 60.0 [191]
China 58.0 [192]
Australia 2.7 [193] 18.0+ [194]
Russia 17.8 [195]
Brazil 11.0 [196]
United Kingdom 9.0 [197] 1.0+ [198]
France 10.0 [199]
Japan 10.0 [200]
Germany 8.0 [201]
Canada 7.9–8.5 [202][203]
Italy 7.5–9.4 [204][205]
Ukraine 7.4 [206]
Poland 6.0 [207]
India 3.9 [208]
Netherlands 3.0 [209]
Spain 2.8 [210]
Belgium 1.7 [211]
Mexico 13.5 [212]
New Zealand 2.0 [213]
South Africa 2.0 [214] 7.0 [215]
There are approximately 220 million domestic cats in the world, according to the International Federation for Animal Health Europe (IFAH).
Few attempts to build a cat census have been made over the years, both through associations or national and international organization (such as Canadian Federation of Humane Societies's one [216] and over the net,[217][218] but such task doesn't seem so simple to achieve.
Feral cats
Main article: Feral cat
American feral farm cat
Feral cats are domestic cats that were born in or have reverted to a wild state. They are unfamiliar with and wary of humans and roam freely in urban and rural areas.[8] The numbers of feral cats are not known, but estimates of the US feral population range from 25 to 60 million.[8] Feral cats may live alone, but most are found in large groups called feral colonies, which occupy a specific territory and are usually associated with a source of food.[219] Famous feral cat colonies are found in Rome around the Colosseum and Forum Romanum, with cats at some of these sites being fed and given medical attention by volunteers.[220]
Public attitudes towards feral cats vary widely: ranging from seeing them as free-ranging pets, to regarding them as vermin.[221] One common approach to reducing the feral cat population is termed trap-neuter-return, where the cats are trapped, neutered, immunized against rabies and the feline leukemia virus, and then released. Before releasing them back into their feral colonies, the attending veterinarian often nips the tip off one ear to mark the feral as neutered and inoculated, since these cats may be trapped again. Volunteers continue to feed and give care to these cats throughout their lives. Given this support, their lifespan is increased, and behavior and nuisance problems caused by competition for food are reduced.[219]
History and mythology
Main articles: Cultural depictions of cats and Cats in ancient Egypt
Egyptian sculpture at the Louvre
Traditionally, historians tended to think that ancient Egypt was the site of cat domestication, owing to the clear depictions of house cats in Egyptian paintings about 3,600 years old.[4] However, in 2004, a Neolithic grave was excavated in Shillourokambos, Cyprus, that contained the skeletons, laid close to one another, of both a human and a cat. The grave is estimated to be 9,500 years old, pushing back the earliest known feline–human association significantly.[11][222][223] The cat specimen is large and closely resembles the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), rather than present-day domestic cats. This discovery, combined with genetic studies, suggest that cats were probably domesticated in the Middle East, in the Fertile Crescent around the time of the development of agriculture and then they were brought to Cyprus and Egypt.[4]
In ancient Egypt cats were sacred animals, with the goddess Bastet often depicted in cat form, sometimes taking on the warlike aspect of a lioness.[224]:220 The Romans are often credited with introducing the domestic cat from Egypt to Europe;[224]:223 in Roman Aquitaine, a 1st or 2nd century epitaph of a young girl holding a cat is one of two earliest depictions of the Roman domesticated cat.[225] However, it is possible that cats were already kept in Europe prior to the Roman Empire, as they may have already been present in Britain in the late Iron Age.[41] Domestic cats were spread throughout much of the rest of the world during the Age of Discovery, as they were carried on sailing ships to control shipboard rodents and as good-luck charms.[224]:223
Freyja and her cats
Several ancient religions believed that cats are exalted souls, companions or guides for humans, that they are all-knowing but are mute so they cannot influence decisions made by humans. In Japan, the maneki neko is a cat that is a symbol of good fortune.
Freyja—the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility in Norse mythology—is depicted as riding a chariot drawn by cats.
Many cultures have negative superstitions about cats. An example would be the belief that a black cat "crossing your path" leads to bad luck, or that cats are witches' familiars used to augment a witch's powers and skills. The killing of cats in Medieval Ypres is commemorated in the innocuous present-day Kattenstoet (cat parade).
According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Germany and some Spanish-speaking regions they are said to have seven lives,[228] while in Turkish and Arabic traditions the number of lives is six.[229] The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations.[230] Also lending credence to this myth is the fact that falling cats often land on their feet, using an instinctive righting reflex to twist their bodies around. Nonetheless, cats can still be injured or killed by a high fall


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A Good Day at IDA
It's a good day, and we're excited to share with you our brand new logo, shiny new website and a whole new look for In Defense of Animals. These changes are just the beginning of what's coming to you from IDA in the months ahead.
This year, we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, as we continue to care for and rescue animals worldwide while campaigning for a better life for all animals. Stay tuned for the celebration!
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It will make him happy if you do, he loves the attention!
Here's to a good day for the animals and for those who care about them,
All of us at In Defense of Animals!
Now enjoy the video and don't forget to share with your friends.


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Screeching Weasel
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Screeching Weasel is an American punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They were formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel (aka Ben Foster who also used to be a columnist for the punk fanzine Maximum Rocknroll) and John Jughead (aka John Pierson). The band gained prominence in the early 1990s after signing to East Bay punk label, Lookout! Records and are cited to be a major influence over many bands playing that style of punk music.Read More...
Through the years, the band went through many line-up changes, with Ben and John being the only constant members since the band's inception. Screeching Weasel officially broke up for (roughly) the third - and allegedly final - time on July 6, 2001.
The band did a few surprise shows between 2001-2009.
Ben Weasel reformed the group in March 2009 with a new line-up, and without John Jughead. Ben had released solo albums that were the same just in his name. John finally settled for T-Shirt money for being an original member of the band and a royalties for a handful songs he co-wrote, and let Ben play as Screeching Weasel with the hundreds of song lyrics and music has written.
Former Members include renowned punk rock record producer Mass Giorgini on bass guitar, Dan Panic (born Dan Sullivan) on drums, and Danny Vapid (born Dan Schafer,on guitar or bass, depending on the band's necessity. Dan is currently fronting The Methadones and formerly of Sludgeworth)
Members of Screeching Weasel have gone on to form bands such as: The Methadones, The Mopes, Even in Blackouts, and Sweet Black And Blue.
Screeching Weasel has also included members of Green Day, Sludgeworth, Common Rider, Squirtgun, and Teen Idols.
During one of the band's many break-ups, Weasel and Vapid also formed the Riverdales. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002 entitled Fidatevi.
In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout! Records in the wake of long-running financial and personal conflicts. The masters were subsequently licensed to and reissued by Asian Man Records.
On December 7, 2010, it was announced that Screeching Weasel will release a new album on March 15, 2011, the band's first album in eleven years. The album will be titled First World Manifesto and will be released on Fat Wreck Chords. It will contain 14 new songs and is produced by Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects. It was announced that the label will also be releasing the back catalogs of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales, and Ben Weasel.
On March 18, 2011, during Screeching Weasel's South by Southwest Festival performance at the Scoot Inn in Austin, Texas, Foster reached from the stage and slapped a female audience member who had spit on him several times. This sent off a fire storm web frenzy from all of the self -righteous non Screeching Weasel fans. Ben apologized for his actions, but all of the perfect people who never loose there cool were not satisfied.
Ben and his hired band had a falling out. He found out who his true friends and fans were. After over a year of spending time with his family and raising a new baby, he released Carnival of Schadenfreude EP in 2011 with huge interest and has resumed his music career again full swing. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
Top SongsTotal plays on Last.fm over the last 6 months
- Lyricsthere's a real cool club on the other side of town
where the real cool kids go to sit around
and talk bad about the other kids
yea it's a real cool club and you're not part of it
there's millie, pickles and pattycakes too
- LyricsTry and tell us our future's at stake
We're gonna slamdance on your grave
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
Say we're a bunch of lazy bums
We just wanna act stupid and have some fun
- LyricsI went through the automatic doors
My shopping cart ran in to hers
Our eyes met for a second, then she turned away
And after just a little while
I went in to the canned goods aisle
- LyricsI got a little lisp
and I been working on my limp wrist
See women are a drag
and I think I wanna be a faggot man
A mincing ninny,
- LyricsMy right to say what I want
and think the way I want to think
My right I want to speak my mind
My right to yell, my right to scream
My right and no one's ever gonna tell me what i have to do
- Cindy's on Methadone - 66,913 plays
- Veronica Hates Me - 57,489 plays
- I Can See Clearly - 51,031 plays
- My Brain Hurts - 62,069 plays
- Guest List - 56,860 plays


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When Khloe was married to Lamar Odom, Rob lived with them. Then, when Khloe and Lamar split up and Khloe moved out of the house, she moved into Rob's town home with him. Now, Khloe has a new house and Rob is living there.
While nobody (except the family, obviously) knows exactly what Rob is going through right now, various family members have said that he's having a tough time and he's probably very grateful for the fact that he's living with Khloe, who is a huge part of his support system.
Turns out, though, Khloe is actually really grateful to have him living there, too. In fact, she is the one who is encouraging the whole thing. In her revealing interview with Complex magazine, Khloe said she loves having Rob around.
"Rob lives with me now and I wouldn't have it any other way," she told them. "I love having him with me. I have a big a** house and I wanted it so he could feel like, comfortable."
"He's going through a hard time now and it's behind gates," she continued. "With this crazy lifestyle you have to think of places where you can still have your freedom. Kourtney and Scott live in the same gated area. My nieces and nephew come over at least three times a week. I have everything, my brother's there and I love him. I get crazy if he's like, 'I'm moving out.'"
She also seems to really enjoy helping him. "I just bought him a rug for his bedroom and he was so cute. He'll text me and tell me how much he likes it and he notices things. So, I like it," she explained. "I call him my son as a joke. I'll call my assistant and be like, 'Did you guys ask if he wanted lunch?' or this or that and my sisters hate that I do that. I do baby him but I'm a maternal person."
We think it's awesome that they could both totally be living on their own, but they choose to live together because they just enjoy being around each other so much.
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"Ah, island life has charms not to be found elsewhere."
- quote from the private letters of Robert Louis Stevenson
Your donation to these private sacred gardens envisioned for spiritual healing, though not tax deductible, is greatly appreciated and recognized as coming directly from your heart amd soul; your gift will be used to purchase what is needed in the way of gardening necessities, trees, plants, flora, fauna, pathway lighting, memorials, fountains, gates and seatings as well as maintenance of the land. This garden is the culmination of all aspects of my life's work, a way to leave behind on the earth a sacred garden honouring the spirit of Robert Louis Stevenson. This is an expansion of my work in the Adirondacks devoted to courage, nurturance, literature and the profound beauty & spiritual nature of Hawaii nei.
Mail your financial gift to
Rabbi Leonard, P.O. Box 566, Honoka'a, Hawaii 96727 USA
You will receive a thank you cd of your choice for giving $1850 or more.
request Robert Louis Stevenson UNDERWOODS, Selections from Robert Louis Stevenson's 'A Child's Garden of Verses, Stevenson in Hawai'i or
Rita Leonard's Throne of Sapphires
Gifts of any amount gratefully appreciated
Legacy gardens and works devoted to G-D ongoing beyond the last breath...
Mahalo nui loa, R. Leonard 2016


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Get to know Anna and her community garden friends with the first four books of the Friendship Garden series, now available in a collectible boxed set!
Eight-year-old Anna Fincher tries to make a new city feel like home by starting a community garden with her new classmates in Green Thumbs-Up!
In Pumpkin Spice, the kids of the Friendship Garden rally together to find their missing pumpkin before the contest at the Windy City Pumpkin Fest.
Then, Anna and her community garden friends spring into action to help raise baby chicks in Project Peep.
And in Sweet Peas and Honeybees, Anna, Kayla, Reed, and Bailey are buzzing over bees—and throwing a bee bash!


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Secrets of Success
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (Suggestions Please)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
In the past month and a half I've been dealing with a multitude of events:
*I've been reappling to college (transferring credits in).
*I've been going to CT to attend my youngest sister-in-law's bridal shower, and other associated events.
*I've been talking two pregnant friends through some hormonal changes.
*I've been having my sleeping pattern miserably disrupted by hubby and the rain again
*I've been having arguments with hubby about the necessity of cleaning when both of us have allergies to dust and mold, and neither of us (especially him) likes cleaning
*I've been doing other things besides.
I've been, I've been, I've been. In my multitude of I've been, here's what I haven't been doing:
*I haven't been cooking at home more than once in a while, relying on take outs a lot (my lean mean steak burger vs diner burger -hey, I'm anemic, I crave beef when low on iron - is no contest)
*I haven't been eating on a regular, scheduled basis, or even when I feel hungry
*I haven't gone outside except when absolutely necessary (a lot of the above is easily done over the phone or online), thus minimizing movement
*I haven't been exercising in the house due to clutter and dust
*I haven't been socializing other than above events and yet
*I haven't been having my needed alone time
*I haven't been going out to find good cross-traines (even though I have nice shape-up sneakers, which are awesome for walking, I still need something for running/biking; I also don't know what to look for in those)
* I haven't been going out to find some good outdoor workout clothes (again, I don't know what to look for, I've got boobs and hips and get discouraged at the prices and smallness of the items at the athletic stores).
*I haven't been feeling good about myself
I know it's time to start changing these lists, and yet the more I've put it off, the more overwhelmed I feel. I am now at over 200 lbs, more than the 198 when I first started on here.
I know I need a training buddy, and I'm starting to realize that hubby might not work for that (his schedule is too erratic, so he ends up exercising when I'm asleep most times). I also need some semblance of a routine, but don't know how to go about achieving it.
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Thanks to everyone for your support and suggestions! It helped a lot in getting motivated again!
2884 days ago
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My SparkPage
Make a list of goals for the week. A week is a small period of time and make them reasonable but positive steps. Write a blog with your goals and post them prominently in your house. Get invested in completing these goals. Then you will hopefully have something to build off of and can go from there.
2886 days ago
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hey!! I am glad u vented it's always good!!
2887 days ago
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I agree. Start making lists of things that you DID DO.
Start small, maybe 15 min walk 3 times a week.
Write a blog about things you are thankful for, instead of looking at the negative.
I'm sure there are wonderful, positive things in your life. Concentrate on them and improve on them.
Here's to you my friend.
2887 days ago
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I saw your note of needing support and thought I'd drop by. Strange, just read the SP Article "One Step Back, Two Steps Forward" also referred to in "The Spark"
Here's the link:
One thing which so many people don't realize is that it is a lifestyle change...not simply changing eating habits and exercise, it's about everything. My best advise is to press that giant reset button, regroup a little and set a few goals which will help you start your journey.
Even simple things planning one or two meals for the week, straightening up one room, committing to 15 minutes outside to do anything...start slow, take those baby steps.
You are still ahead of where you started from because look! You reached out to your SP family!
2887 days ago
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Great advice from both Sparkers. Just take it one Baby Step at a time. Slow and steady wins the race.
2887 days ago
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Okay, this sounds really familiar. So a little humble advice:
I. Clear yourself a little space and keep it clear. Get a air purifier and put it your clear space so you can get some exercise and then relax. Take cleaning a little at a time...budget yourself an hour a day (or less) and spend it "declutterfying" & concentrate on trashing what you can (OK, I still have notes from high school classes in the 80s LOL). You will be pleasantly surprised and satisfied about how much you can get done.
II. Concentrate on your own needs. Relationships should be reciprocal. I know it's hard, but make sure you get something other than feeling you helped someone else when you are doing all that you need to do. It's also OK to say "NO" or "NOT NOW" Especially if you don't want to burn yourself out. In the same vain, you will probably never get your DH to like cleaning, so don't waste your energy brooding about it, maybe he will even pitch-in when you lead by example.
III. Learn to say "so what" if you need not to home cook your meals. You can still make healthful choices at most places with a menu or in the grocery prepared food section.
IV. Forgive yourself, and get on with it!
I did and do.
2887 days ago
Comment edited on: 4/27/2010 7:58:30 PM
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I read in the Spark Book today about one step back and two steps forward....this is a most profound way to look at it. Sometimes I lives get so garbled with occurances that it tend to forget what is important. I find that is the time I need to regroup and figure it all out. It may also mean that perhaps we have to downsize a bit the things that are important just temporarily. It could be as little as using Lean Cuisine instead of cooking or parking further away in the parking lots to get extra exercise. As long as we are taking those baby steps forward we are still winning the battle. As I told my husband today....he is my trainer in the corner and his job is to make sure that my portions I eat are good and that I get my exercise....motivation. For today or whenever you need it I am your trainer who will wipe your face and tell you that you can do it. Jeannette
2887 days ago
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After I said my name and asked if I could help her, she blurted out, "You know what you are, Mr. Wyatt, you're nothing but a hippie Republican."
Before I could ask her what she meant, she had hung up the phone.
I've been called worse without a doubt. (Worse than a hippie, I mean.)
It wasn't the first time someone had used an interesting way to describe my political views. Shortly after arriving in Manteca 19 years ago, a caller - who did not give his name - demanded to know whether I was a Republican or a Democrat. I explained I was a Republican but I could never ever recall voting straight party line.
The caller responded by saying, "Good, that means we'll have a liberal finally editing the paper."
I thought that was a bit odd until I learned to appreciate that in many ways San Joaquin Valley Democrats do indeed make Republicans appear liberal on more than a few issues. The reason inland California is so red compared to the true blue coast has more to do with the attitude of Democrats and independents than it does sheer numbers of Republicans who, by the way, don't really dominate voter registration rolls in the valley.
Since the more recent caller didn't give me an opportunity to have her explain why she'd describe me as a "hippie Republican", I gave it some thought.
I make no secret that I bought a Ford Escape hybrid nearly five years ago not for the tax credit - which I just missed - nor for the gas mileage. I bought it because it reduced emissions.
If that makes me a hippie then every responsible farmer and rancher I know can be called a hippie as well. Stewardship of our resources is how agriculture is sustainable and profitable. A prudent farmer doesn't destroy what he earns a living from by misuse.
On the flip side I don't believe in environmental perfection which is where too many seem to want to take the concept of environmental protection.
As for being a vegetarian it is a choice I made about health and not a political statement. Don't get me wrong. One shouldn't abuse animals. At the same time, I have no quarrel with those who hunt or fish or dine on steak. Personally, I like leather jackets made from the real stuff.
My tendency to want to recycle and not use plastic bags has as much to do with trying to be prudent as it does with having an obligation to future generations. You save money by recycling. While I don't go as far as saving California redemption containers to take to recycling centers, I understand fully well that the more items I recycle, the lower our garbage bills are going to be. It costs a lot of money to bury stuff that could otherwise be recycled. If I'm going to get on government's case about being a big spender of our money, I need to be willing to do my part to help keep the cost of government down.
Also, if I respect the sacrifices of those who went before whether it was spilling their blood for our freedom or sweating and braving hardship to settle and build America, I should do my part in any way I can to repay that debt to those who will follow me. Recycling is one small way of doing that.
There are some who tend to think Republicans who may think generally the way I do by not marching to the same exact drummer that they do are RINOs - Republicans in Name Only. It's a shame as the "my way or the highway" approach of many on the right as well as many Democrats who lean heavily to the left isn't conducive to governing.
Everything can't be the proverbial line in the sand. It takes a strong dose of being pragmatic to come to solutions. It doesn't mean caving in on every point nor does it mean digging in your heels every time either. Barry Goldwater - who in my opinion was the most influential Republican of the 20th century who held fast to his principles - knew when he had to reach across the aisle to make things work as America came first and foremost with him as it did Democratic stalwarts such as Hubert Humphrey and Scoop Jackson.
It wasn't about party politics.
Goldwater, for example was routinely scorned by many organizations that lobbied on behalf of Israel's interests because he made it clear to them he was not a Jew first or a Republican first. He was an American first and foremost.
If adhering to that philosophy makes me a hippie Republican, so be it.


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October 9, 2012
NobamaNevada - Californians head to Nevada to GOTV!
Hat tip: Sally Zelikovsky
To learn more or help please go to NobamaNevada.org or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Please watch and take part, if possible. "The San Francisco Tea Party and MyLiberty San Mateo took 120 folks to Reno to precinct walk for the Romney campaign on Sept 28-29 (called NobamaNevada) and it was such a huge success that the Romney campaign has been busing people to Reno and Vegas gratis every October weekend. We have one more NobamaNevada event scheduled for October 26-27th and we are trying to get the word out about it as well as the Romney campaign-sponsored deployments."


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Thread: Questions about Challenges
5/03/2010 1:12pm, #1
Questions about Challenges
Just a quick question in regards to all of this If this had come down to a fight how good a show would he have had to put up to be considered legitimate?
does he have to win? or just prove that he can hold his own or does he get points for just having the balls to turn up.
5/03/2010 1:35pm, #2
Mike Omerbegovich BJJ homestudy no gi... - No BS MMA and Martial Arts
5/03/2010 1:42pm, #3
5/03/2010 1:53pm, #4
At the gym, when we are trying to decide who's close to promotion, we don't expect the White Belts to be winning over the Purples and Blues, but we do expect to see proper defense, escapes, feints, and attacks. Winning is just a bonus.
This "test" would have been the same, I think. If he showed strong technique, it wouldn't matter if he lost the fight.
5/03/2010 2:00pm, #5
IMMAA - Mike Omerbegovich Challenge
I spoke with Sifu Mike and he asked me to deliver this message to all the people on this forum that continue to disrespect the IMMAA and Mike Omerbegovich:
"Tell them I welcome any one of them to come to my studio and prove their skill. If they beat me, I will hand them all of my "meaningless" certificates. When they don't, I will even donate one of my Home Study Certification Courses to any opponent that can even last 5 minutes (limited to the 1st 3 opponents)."
~ Master-Mike Omerbegovich
So, if you are in the SoCal area/ Inland Empire, here's your chance to be a hero to bullshido and back up all the smack talk. Any takers? No? Thought so. But if your crazy enough to accept the challenge, direct serious responses to [email protected] and let's get it on.
I will personally video tape the match and post it for all to enjoy. And here's a reminder of the skillset you are up against:
Last edited by It is Fake; 5/03/2010 2:17pm at .
5/03/2010 2:46pm, #6
IIF, I'm in absolute agreement with you there. If he did, indeed, make such claims (which I also doubt) he should bee held accountable to them. I forgot about that particular quote, and focused mostly on Mike O's plethora of BB claims.
5/03/2010 2:51pm, #7
Omega smash!!!
5/03/2010 2:52pm, #8
Yes, I competely agree. If it was [email protected] and he showed up to prove he earned or they are legit, holding his own would be fine IMO.


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Born Oct. 5, 1884
Died Sept. 25, 1904
Son of C.C. and Ada Winkler.
Headstone and Footstone
Contributed on 4/29/09 by mountain_veteran
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Record #: 185659
On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 4/29/09 • Approved: 4/29/09 • Last Updated: 8/16/12 • R185659-G0-S3


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10 of the Soppiest Love Quotes
It's Valentine's Day, so what better time to celebrate all things love? Here's a selection of 10 of the soppiest quotes ever.
If you're stuck for a quote for your card, try one of these. Warning: Bonus points will be earned.
1. "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." - Emily Bronte/Wuthering Heights
2. "Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the desire to mate every second of the day. It is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every part of your body. No … don't blush. I am telling you some truths. For that is just being in love; which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? But it is!" - Louis de Bernières/Captain Corelli's Mandolin
3. "Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and more disciplined heart is as coals, deep-burning, unquenchable." - Henry Ward Beecher
4. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
5. "To love and be loved is the greatest happiness of existence." - Sydney Smith
6. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." - William Shakespeare/Romeo and Juliet
7. "My Heart is, and always will be, yours." - Jane Austen/Sense and Sensibility
8. "We're all a little weird, and life's a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love." - Dr. Seuss
9. "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle
10. "To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with." - Mark Twain
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