January 17, 2010

Dear Obie,
How are big cats different from other cats?
Signed, Iris, Age 6

Dear Iris,
Big cats, like lions and tigers and leopards, are different from small house cats like me in many ways, but one of the most unique is in their ability to roar! Oh, how I would love to be able to roar like a lion, especially when my sister, Meeshka, is picking on me, or when my food bowl is empty!

Big cats can roar because of the difference in the structure of a bone that is present in the mouths of all cats. The bone is called the "hyoid" bone, and it connects a cat's tongue to the roof of its mouth.

In small cats, like me, the hyoid is hard, while in big cats it is flexible. That flexibility allows big cats to open their mouths really wide and let out ferocious roars!

But don't count me out. I'm practicing. And I'm sure, one day, I will surprise everyone with my own roar!

*****

Dear Obie,
Where do butterflies go in the winter?
Signed, Amanda, Age 7

Dear Amanda,
Butterflies migrate, just like many birds. You see, butterflies are cold-blooded, which means that their body temperature is the same as the air around them. And since they can't put on a jacket or warm clothing when the air gets cold, they have to migrate to someplace warmer.

Migration is when an animal or group of animals travel to a specific location on a regular basis. Caribou in the Arctic migrate every year, as do many butterflies. They travel to the same location every year, and they follow the same route.

The monarch butterfly has possibly the most amazing migration of all butterflies. Monarch butterflies in the northeastern United States and Canada migrate south to a small area around the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico, a one-way journey of over 2500 miles! When the monarchs arrive, the mountainous area is transformed. Butterflies cover every tree branch, every bush, practically every inch of ground. The earth becomes a carpet of orange and black.

In the spring, the monarchs begin their return journey to the north. Along the way, the female monarchs lay eggs on milkweed plants, their favorite food. When the babies hatch, they go through metamorphosis and then continue their own journey to the north.

*****

Salem Friends of Felines has lots of sweet and adorable kitties that need good homes. If you have space in your home and heart for an adorable feline friend, please visit Salem Friends of Felines, a fantastic no-kill shelter located on Commercial Street just south of Mission. I was adopted from there, and look how great I turned out!!

*****

"Like a graceful vase, a cat, even when motionless, seems to flow."
-George F. Will