Are Calico Cats Always Female?
Surprisingly the vast majority of calico cats are female. Genetics plays a part in this. Coat color in cats is a sex-linked trait, a physical characteristic (coat color) related to gender. Female animals have two X chromosomes (XX), males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). A calico cat is not a breed of cat, it is a color pattern. To be called "calico", three colors must be present: black, white and orange. Variations of these colors include gray, cream and ginger. A "true" calico cat has large blocks of these three colors, a "tortoise shell" or "tortie" cat has a mix of these three colors (blended/swirled together more than distinct blocks of color).
Since females have two X chromosomes, they are able to "display" two colors (orange and black, or variations thereof) and white; creating the 3-color calico mix. Since males have only one X chromosome, they can only be orange OR black. In rare instances, a male cat can be calico. In this situation, the cat has two X. -Courtesy About.com
Polydactyl Cats
Normal cats have four toes and one dewclaw (thumb) on each front paw and four toes on each hind paw. Polydactyl cats may have as many as seven digits on front and/or hind paws, and various combinations of anywhere from four to seven are common, although each of the front and rear paws are typically the same. Polydactyl is most commonly found on the front paws only, with polydactyly of all four paws being less common. It is rare for a cat to have polydactyl hind paws only. -Courtesy Wikipedia 
Odd Eyed Cat
A cat with one blue eye and one green, yellow or brown eye. The condition most commonly affects white colored cats but can be found in a cat of any color, as long is it possesses the white spotting gene. As all cats are blue-eyed as kittens, the differences in an odd-eyed kitten's eye color might not be noticeable upon close inspection. Odd-eyed kittens have a different shade of blue in one eye. The color of the odd eye changes over a period of months, for example, from blue to green to yellow, until it reaches its final, adult color. Usually the cat is deaf on the side with the blue eye. -Courtesy Wikipedia
Why Cats Cough
Heartworms in cats-unlike the dog, the cat is not a natural host for heartworms. A cat's immune system knows that heartworm larvae shouldn't't be there, so it starts killing the larvae as soon as they get under the skin. Larvae that do survive begin to mature and migrate to the pulmonary arteries, causing severe inflammatory response and further stimulating the immune system to try to kill them. Those that do survive to adulthood live for a year or two. When they die, they can cause pulmonary inflammation, block blood vessels, and in some cases, cause sudden death.
Because heartworms in cats is mostly affected in the lungs, they cause a specific set of symptoms that are respiratory in nature. Called heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD) these symptoms can show up 3-6 months after an infected mosquito has bitten a cat. Other symptoms of HARD include difficult or rapid breathing and gagging, Sluggishness, chronic vomiting, and weight loss can also indicate heartworm disease.
Asthma another common condition of coughing is feline asthma. Triggers in the environment, such as air fresheners, cigarette smoke, and dusty cat litter, can set off an acute attack causing spasms in the airway and restricting the flow of air. Both HARD and feline asthma present similar symptoms, but testing can diagnose the problem. Cats with asthma will go through episodes of acute coughing. If the coughing becomes chronic, they could end up with chronic bronchitis.
Hairballs are a common cause of coughing. Your veterinarian should check out any persistent cough lasting more than a few days.
Cats tend to hide the fact that they're sick, so pet parents need to be vigilant for even small signs that something is wrong. coughing is never normal in healthy cats; however what is abnormal for most cats might be perfectly normal for yours.
Senior Wellness
If your like most pet parents, you would do anything you could to keep your feline campanion healthy as she ages. With a few simple recommendations, you can do just that-and perhaps even add a few years to her life in the process.
START YOUNG
Have your veterinarian perform a baseline exame. This exam typically includes a thorough assessment of body condition score, blood work, urinalysis, and a fecal exam. Baseline exams are important for your pet-by having one you can tell if something changes in the future. A baseline axam should be performed at 2 years of age, for most older pets 6 years of age is the ideal time for a senior baseline.
SCHEDULE EXAMS TWICE A YEAR
Because our pets age at a faster rate than people (roughly 5-7 human years for each pet year), they can often encounter health changes much more quickly than we do. Blood tests every 6 months can often pick up disease before symptoms are evident. In fact 18% of cats older than 7 years of age harbor disease that is only detectable through an advanced diagnostic workup.
PROVIDE PROPER NUTRITION
"We are what we eat" is even more essential as our dogs and cats age. Older pets have different dietary needs than young or middle aged pets. As they grow older they risk becoming overweight or obese. Their activity level decreases, so their diet should be adjusted accordingly. Senior diet formulas are usually lower in protein and fat, and higher in fiber and vitamins, which is beneficial to limiting the workload on the aging liver and kidneys.
ENSURE APPROPRIATE EXERCISE
Exercise is important for senior pets for many reasons. Regular exercise can help prvent obesity and improve muscle tone, joint flexibility, digestion, and cardiovascular fitness. Also just like us-their mental health may benefit from exercise. A nice walk always makes you feel better.
