Apr 26, 2007
Apr 25, 2007
Why cats have no sweet tooth
Unlike most mammals, cats—both domestic and wild—are indifferent to sweets. In a new study, researchers say they have learned why.
The taste buds of mammals bear complexes of molecules designed for sensing specific flavors, called receptors. “Sweet” receptors consist of two protein molecules hooked together, said Joseph Brand, senior author of the study and associate director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Penn.
Brand and his co-researchers said cats don’t produce one of the proteins, because the gene that codes for its production doesn’t work in cats.
The gene probably lost its functionality because it has no use given the felines’ carnivorous behavior, the researchers said.
“We took a behavioral question and answered it molecularly,” Brand said.
Cats can’t recognize any carbohydrates, a class of substances that includes sugars, according to Brand. They therefore eat a meat-and-fat only diet similar to the “Atkins” diet popular in the United States.
The findings raise key evolutionary questions, Brand noted. One is “when and why did cats lose the ability to taste sweet things?” Another is a chicken-and-egg question: “Which came first, the carnivorous behavior or the inability to taste sweets?”
Brand added, “I said jokingly, no wonder cats are cranky—not only do they have to hunt for their food, but they also can’t enjoy a sweet dessert!”
The study is published in the July 25 issue of the research journal PLoS Genetics.
The taste buds of mammals bear complexes of molecules designed for sensing specific flavors, called receptors. “Sweet” receptors consist of two protein molecules hooked together, said Joseph Brand, senior author of the study and associate director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Penn.
Brand and his co-researchers said cats don’t produce one of the proteins, because the gene that codes for its production doesn’t work in cats.
The gene probably lost its functionality because it has no use given the felines’ carnivorous behavior, the researchers said.
“We took a behavioral question and answered it molecularly,” Brand said.
Cats can’t recognize any carbohydrates, a class of substances that includes sugars, according to Brand. They therefore eat a meat-and-fat only diet similar to the “Atkins” diet popular in the United States.
The findings raise key evolutionary questions, Brand noted. One is “when and why did cats lose the ability to taste sweet things?” Another is a chicken-and-egg question: “Which came first, the carnivorous behavior or the inability to taste sweets?”
Brand added, “I said jokingly, no wonder cats are cranky—not only do they have to hunt for their food, but they also can’t enjoy a sweet dessert!”
The study is published in the July 25 issue of the research journal PLoS Genetics.
Apr 23, 2007
Kitty Updates
The bad news:
there are only 2 left from the litter of 6 newborns. My guess is that they were premature, because they were so tiny and the 4 of them didn't have much of a chance. We tried hard though.
The good news:
the remaining 2 kittens, including the red male, are strong and growing and pooping just fine!
Yes, kitty poop can get me ecstatic LOL. It does tell you a whole lot about the kitten's condition though. My husband said that I am the only person he knows that jumps up and down clapping her hands about a piece of kitten poop! hehehehe
I am keeping a close eye on the lighter colored calico of the litter of the 4 girls. She only weighs half of what her sisters weigh and is not eating as much as I would like her to. But she looks ok, is not dehydrated and her digestion appears to be ok too, except she seems to have no control over her bladder, while her sisters are using the litter box for almost a week now.
The 3 sisters are almost ready to go up for adoption. One more week the most!
there are only 2 left from the litter of 6 newborns. My guess is that they were premature, because they were so tiny and the 4 of them didn't have much of a chance. We tried hard though.
The good news:
the remaining 2 kittens, including the red male, are strong and growing and pooping just fine!
Yes, kitty poop can get me ecstatic LOL. It does tell you a whole lot about the kitten's condition though. My husband said that I am the only person he knows that jumps up and down clapping her hands about a piece of kitten poop! hehehehe
I am keeping a close eye on the lighter colored calico of the litter of the 4 girls. She only weighs half of what her sisters weigh and is not eating as much as I would like her to. But she looks ok, is not dehydrated and her digestion appears to be ok too, except she seems to have no control over her bladder, while her sisters are using the litter box for almost a week now.
The 3 sisters are almost ready to go up for adoption. One more week the most!
Apr 21, 2007
Apr 19, 2007
The Rainbow Wildlife Rescue is open again
The Rainbow Wildlife Rescue is open again, limited, but open!! As of now we can ONLY accept nongame species (incl. Cottontails - a more detailed list will follow soon) as well as small exotics in need.
Please read MY STORY to find out why we can't rescue all the animals we would like to.
Below you will find valuable information on how to find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and emergency care instructions for orphaned or injured urban wildlife:
Did you find a:
Many baby birds are found by people and taken in to be cared for. People believe the baby bird is rejected by its parents, lost, or can not get back into the nest. The fatality rate of baby birds that are taken in by kind-hearted individuals is very very high. Many people ask if a baby bird will be rejected if a person handles the baby and the bird parents smell the human. This is just an "old wives'" tale. Baby birds are NOT rejected by their parents if a person handles them. In fact, most birds have a very poor sense of smell. |  |
DO NOT TRY TO RAISE INFANT OPOSSUMS IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING! THEY WILL DIE!!! IT IS ALSO ILLEGAL IN MANY STATES! FIND A WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR HERE! Most opossum babies end up orphaned, because their mother was hit by a car (their only real defense is to play dead...) or killed by dogs. |  |
Baby squirrels sometimes fall out of a nest that has been damaged in a storm or by an aggressive male squirrel. The squirrel may not be an orphan at all, but may have just fallen from its nest. If one squirrel has fallen from a damaged nest, others may have fallen out as well. It is recommended that you warm the baby squirrel in your hands or by holding it close to your body and then place it at the base of the tree. Given time, the mother will return and retrieve her baby. |  |
If you found a Cottontail Rabbit in the Stephenville, TX (Erath County) area, please call me, Birgit, at 968 - 4626 This is the time of year when people find wild baby bunnies during the day and think they have been "abandoned", when in all likelihood, they have not. Before you try to save a wild baby bunny, know the facts. |  |
U.S. Wildlife Rehabilitator Contacts
Locate a Wildlife Rehabilitator HERE
or by State
A-M States
N-W States
Apr 18, 2007
3 runts
The litter of 6 has started to open their eyes. 3 of those are very weak..it has been touch and go with one of them and the others started fading away. 3 runts, that's what it looks like.
Anyways, one passed away last night, and the other 2 are going fast. They are suffering and whimpering and I will bring them in to make this faster on those poor souls.
7 left! No obvious problems with any of those, except the occasional soft stool, but nothing out of the ordinary. Knock on wood!
Anyways, one passed away last night, and the other 2 are going fast. They are suffering and whimpering and I will bring them in to make this faster on those poor souls.
7 left! No obvious problems with any of those, except the occasional soft stool, but nothing out of the ordinary. Knock on wood!
Apr 17, 2007
Kittencare 101
A friend with a camcorder took this video of me feeding and bathing a few kittens. I thought this might be helpful to watch:
My Story - One Year Wait Unfair to Baby Animals
Today I am posting my story behind the wildlife rescue and why it is closed right now.
A quick update on the kittens: the 3 boys will go up for adoption today and the runt of the other litter is looking better!!! :)))
A quick update on the kittens: the 3 boys will go up for adoption today and the runt of the other litter is looking better!!! :)))
My Story - One Year Wait Unfair to Baby AnimalsMy mission in life has always been helping to protect and nurture animals injured or abandoned, regardless if they were wild, exotic, or domesticated. In fact, by the age of 5, I was already known as “Miss Dolittle”. Since that time, up to the present, I have been an active volunteer at many rescues and shelters in different parts of the world for more than 35 years. In 2000 I moved to Stephenville, Texas. I learned of the lack of wildlife rehabilitators in the area and decided that I could fill that void.
The reason for this was that I still needed one more outside enclosure to pass the required State inspection necessary for the State permit. I learned later on that I had to apply simultaneously for both permits, so the application for the Federal Permit was put on hold. Then the news came that we are going to be moving soon, which meant I would have to go through the entire wildlife application process again. I put the State Permit off as well as spending the money on the material for a new enclosure, expecting to be moving within 3 months. These 3 months turned into 3 years, this time due to paperwork delays by the Federal Government. In the meantime, I was actively helping out at the local animal shelter on a regular basis. A licensed rehabber was there in the beginning to show me how things worked. Then the rehabber moved to another county and I continued to help out at the shelter. Over the next 3 years I established and registered a non-profit organization in Stephenville to help support the ever-growing wildlife care needs that were not covered by the limited resources of the local Humane Society. While awaiting the Government paperwork, on which the move depended, to be finalized, I kept taking in animals, raising them, releasing them. I started the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue, Squirrel-Rescue, and Pets and Wildlife Forum Websites to share the information that I have learned. Everything went great. I was living my dream! I took on various online jobs that allowed me to stay home 24/7 and attend to the babies and sick animals. To learn how other animal lovers handle similar situations, I joined an online community related to the subject. I had 5 pink (no fur yet) squirrel babies that had fallen out of a tree in a storm. Someone in the community contacted the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, who in return sent the Game Warden to me, who knocked on my door a few months ago in February because someone had complained that I was keeping squirrels without a permit. I received a citation and fine, which I paid the same week, believing that this was my punishment for breaking the law, which I admit. I did not follow the rules. At that point I realized I would not be able to continue caring for wildlife until all the legalities were addressed, so I finished building the outside enclosure, filled out the State Permit application, and sent it in. A month later I received the following reply (excerpt): "Thank you for your application for a wildlife rehabilitation permit. At this time, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is unable to process your wildlife rehabilitation application due to a wildlife rehabilitation violation dated February 15, 2007. Departmental policy is to wait a period of one year after the citation before reviewing a rehabilitation permit application. I was shocked! Barred for a year in addition to the pretty hefty citation? For trying to save some innocent helpless babies? Where does the punishment fit the crime here? You can drive for 90 minutes into any direction before you can find another wildlife rehabilitator. What is the community supposed to do when they find a wild baby animal? I am sure many of you reading this are nodding, because you found yourself in similar situations and have probably broken the law numerous times yourself without even knowing it!
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My Story - One Year Wait Unfair to Baby Animals
My Story - One Year Wait Unfair to Baby AnimalsMy mission in life has always been helping to protect and nurture animals injured or abandoned, regardless if they were wild, exotic, or domesticated. In fact, by the age of 5, I was already known as “Miss Dolittle”. Since that time, up to the present, I have been an active volunteer at many rescues and shelters in different parts of the world for more than 35 years. In 2000 I moved to Stephenville, Texas. I learned of the lack of wildlife rehabilitators in the area and decided that I could fill that void.
The reason for this was that I still needed one more outside enclosure to pass the required State inspection necessary for the State permit. I learned later on that I had to apply simultaneously for both permits, so the application for the Federal Permit was put on hold. Then the news came that we are going to be moving soon, which meant I would have to go through the entire wildlife application process again. I put the State Permit off as well as spending the money on the material for a new enclosure, expecting to be moving within 3 months. These 3 months turned into 3 years, this time due to paperwork delays by the Federal Government. In the meantime, I was actively helping out at the local animal shelter on a regular basis. A licensed rehabber was there in the beginning to show me how things worked. Then the rehabber moved to another county and I continued to help out at the shelter. Over the next 3 years I established and registered a non-profit organization in Stephenville to help support the ever-growing wildlife care needs that were not covered by the limited resources of the local Humane Society. While awaiting the Government paperwork, on which the move depended, to be finalized, I kept taking in animals, raising them, releasing them. I started the Rainbow Wildlife Rescue, Squirrel-Rescue, and Pets and Wildlife Forum Websites to share the information that I have learned. Everything went great. I was living my dream! I took on various online jobs that allowed me to stay home 24/7 and attend to the babies and sick animals. To learn how other animal lovers handle similar situations, I joined an online community related to the subject. I had 5 pink (no fur yet) squirrel babies that had fallen out of a tree in a storm. Someone in the community contacted the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, who in return sent the Game Warden to me, who knocked on my door a few months ago in February because someone had complained that I was keeping squirrels without a permit. I received a citation and fine, which I paid the same week, believing that this was my punishment for breaking the law, which I admit. I did not follow the rules. At that point I realized I would not be able to continue caring for wildlife until all the legalities were addressed, so I finished building the outside enclosure, filled out the State Permit application, and sent it in. A month later I received the following reply (excerpt): "Thank you for your application for a wildlife rehabilitation permit. At this time, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is unable to process your wildlife rehabilitation application due to a wildlife rehabilitation violation dated February 15, 2007. Departmental policy is to wait a period of one year after the citation before reviewing a rehabilitation permit application. I was shocked! Barred for a year in addition to the pretty hefty citation? For trying to save some innocent helpless babies? Where does the punishment fit the crime here? You can drive for 90 minutes into any direction before you can find another wildlife rehabilitator. What is the community supposed to do when they find a wild baby animal? I am sure many of you reading this are nodding, because you found yourself in similar situations and have probably broken the law numerous times yourself without even knowing it!
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Apr 16, 2007
Kittens' first day outside
The first day outside for the 3 boys and 4 girl kittens. The 3 boys are almost ready to go back to the shelter to be put up for adoption. It might get a bit more quiet in here!
The six not so newborns anymore have started to open their eyes. They are so tiny though, it's amazing. The runt of that litter is not doing so good and I am afraid I will have to make a decision soon...
The six not so newborns anymore have started to open their eyes. They are so tiny though, it's amazing. The runt of that litter is not doing so good and I am afraid I will have to make a decision soon...
Apr 12, 2007
The 3 oldest boys are almost ready
I started cutting down on the milk. They are nibbling on the dry food and are using the litter box now each time they have to go. They still have the small boxes in their cage, but I will exchange it tomorrow for the normal size one. I'm very happy with their progress.
Here they are after feeding:
Here they are after feeding:
Apr 8, 2007
The 4 female kittens opened their eyes yesterday!
I will post some pictures later, just wanted to make note of the beautiful occurrence right away! So far each of the 13 kittens has survived. 2 of the newborns, the runts, aren't eating as much as I would like to see it, but they are not doing too bad either. Time will tell. Time is something I don't have much lately hehehe. Feeding every 4 hours where it takes me 2 hours to feed all of them. The newborns I feed of course every 2-3 hours, so that's all I'm basically doing..warming bottles and feeding. And I wouldn't want it any other way! loool
Apr 6, 2007
13 Kittens, six newborns
These six kitties are less than 48 hours old.
My Great Dane Olliver is already very interested. He keeps helping me with cleaning
the kittens after feeding :).
I am not happy with the runt of this litter, have to keep a close eye on her.
The other 3 boys are doing great and the 4 girls are about to open their eyes!
My Great Dane Olliver is already very interested. He keeps helping me with cleaning
the kittens after feeding :).
I am not happy with the runt of this litter, have to keep a close eye on her.
The other 3 boys are doing great and the 4 girls are about to open their eyes!
Apr 5, 2007
First 2 litter of kittens this year!
The 4 girls are 1 week old (eyes still closed) and the 3 boys are now 2.5 weeks old. All 7 are doing ok. I received the boys when they were 10 days old and just opening their eyes:
The 3 boys are starting to play now and figuring out balance, hehe:
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The 3 boys are starting to play now and figuring out balance, hehe:
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