White Pine Student Interest Essays: Animals

 Welcome to the last part of our student essay series! Today we celebrate the unique bond between humans and their pets and learn a few fun facts along the way!

The Perks and the Cons of Having a Dog or a Cat 

Maxmillion Alejo

    Dogs are bound to need maintenance. Because you have to give them baths, you have to take them on walks, you also have to feed them more than once a day. Also sometimes they don’t smell good, and you have to give them a bath. Also, sometimes they need grooming sessions to keep their fur nice and soft. And you have to do these things as a dog owner.     Dogs are good pets for physical activity to keep you active. You have to play with them and walk them. Approximately 60% of dog walkers met the criteria for regular moderate and/or vigorous leisure‑time physical activity compared with about 45% for non‑dog owners and dog owners who did not walk their dog in a 2005 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. And having to walk and play with them is a lot of physical activity.\     Pets like dogs and cats are going to be good for mental health. They are able to help with mental health through emotional and practical work. Their emotional work is able to help relieve stress like you just forget your worries. That's the benefits of having pets.     Cats are not that much work and really don’t need that much maintenance. All you really have to do for cats is feed them and clean their litter box. Cats do not need to be walked at five in the morning in the dead of winter with Subarctic temperatures. They will do their business in their litter box while you can sleep in after a late evening. All they need is a litter and a litter box and a five-second daily scoop. So in conclusion they are not that much work because all you have to do is feed them, love them, and clean their litter box.     A con of having cats is that they can cause allergies. Because fur carries dander and their saliva can cause allergic reactions. Some evidence for this is that saliva is known to cause allergies. Some people are not good with dander, it makes them feel sick. Work Cited Farricelli, Adrienne. “Pros and Cons of Cats and Dogs.” PetHelpful, 27 March 2023, https://pethelpful.com/cats/Pros-and-Cons-of-Cats-and-Dogs. Accessed 7 May 2024. Work Cited van Heeckeren, Anna M. “10 Mental & Physical Health Benefits of Having Pets.” One Health Organization, 23 February 2021, https://www.onehealth.org/blog/10-mental-physical-health-benefits-of-having-pets. Accessed 7 May 2024.

Cats ❤️

By Hannah Caballero

Cats are one of the many mammals on this planet. They range from the mighty mountain lion to the simple house cat. Let's look at a few of the most popular breeds of house cats.

The Maincoon

The Maincoon is a very interesting cat. Since the U.S. is a very temperate zone, most native cats don’t have a reason to have long hair. “The Maine Coon cat is considered the only longhair breed native to the United States” (Hill’s Pet). Even though most cats don’t need long hair to survive in the United States, the Maincoon has it anyway.

The Maincoon was made from two or more different breeds. One breed from another country had children with other breeds. “This breed [the breed from another country] probably was introduced by seamen who sailed into New England” (Hill’s Pet). Essentially, a cat on a ship came to the U.S. and mated with another breed, creating the Maincoon.

The Maincoon’s popularity shifts occasionally. For example, people will fall in love with other cat breeds, but then go back to loving the Maincoon. At Hill’s Pet, they say “…the Maine Coon cat dropped into second place in popularity. This ranking has changed once again in recent years and the Maine Coon is now once again America's Cat.” This is saying that the Maincoon’s popularity dropped to second place but has retaken its first place spot in recent years.

The Ragdoll

The Ragdoll can have many different color and pattern combinations because they naturally have very diverse colors. “These friendly felines are semi-longhaired, blue-eyed, colorpoint cats that come in a variety of coat patterns, colors, and colorpoint combinations” (Basepaws). What this is saying is that these cats can look very different from one another.

An interesting thing about Ragdolls is that they are a combination of many different breeds, meaning they were created from different cat breeds having children with each other. “It [the Ragdoll] is said to have originated in California during the 1960s when breeder Ann Baker bred Josephine, a free-roaming domestic white longhaired cat, with other free-roaming cats in her neighborhood” (Basepaws). This is describing how Ann Baker created the Ragdoll by breeding a lot of cats with each other.

Ragdolls get their names because they go limp when they are held. This quirk is one of their most defining features. “They exhibit quirky behaviors such as…going ‘limp like a ragdoll’ when held” (Basepaws). Since they go “limp as a ragdoll” and their breed name is the Ragdoll, it probably came from that quirk.

The British Shorthair

British Shorthairs are a popular cat breed. One of the reasons why this is is because they have a nice personality. “British Shorthair cats have a gentle and friendly nature, making them a beloved breed among cat lovers” (My Lovely Feline). This means that their personality and gentleness makes them popular among the cat community.

Their good temperament is one of the reasons why people like them. They are a popular cat breed and people like them for pets. “British Shorthair cats are known for their calm and easygoing temperament” (My Lovely Feline). If they are known for their good temperament and people like them for pets, then their good temperament is probably one of the reasons why people like them.

A British Shorthair’s color can vary quite a lot from cat to cat, and they have the possibility to have many different color combinations. “From classic blue and black to tabby, tortoiseshell, and even colorpoint variations, British Shorthairs are truly a sight to behold” (My Lovely Feline). Their varied color can make them very beautiful cats.

Works Cited

“Everything You Need to Know About British Shorthair Cats.” My Lovely Feline, unknown, 7 July 2023, https://mylovelyfeline.com/blogs/content/british-shorthair-cats-everything-you-need-to-know. Accessed 3 May 2024.

“Maine Coon Cat Breed - Facts and Personality Traits | Hill's Pet.” Hill's Pet Nutrition, unknown, unknown unknown unknown, https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/cat-breeds/maine-coon. Accessed 3 May 2024.

“Ragdoll Cat Breed Information | Ragdoll Cat Characteristics, Grooming, Temperament Breed Information & Insights.” Basepaws, unknown, unknown unknown unknown, https://basepaws.com/cat-breeds/ragdoll. Accessed 3 May 2024.