How much do you know about your pets? Test your knowledge with these questions.
Cats
1. What does it mean when a cat's ears are erect?
a) The cat is aggressive and
ready to pounce
b) The cat is in an equable
mood
c) The cat is hungry
2 Where do cats produce their
famous purring noise?
a) in the larynx
b) in the diaphragm
c) in the stomach
3 Your cat has been bitten. Do you need to consult a vet?
a) Normally not. A cat's skin is
relatively insensitive
b) To start with, it's enough to
clean and disinfect the wound. A
few days later the vet should
inspect the injury
c) Go see the vet immediately
4 Why is the mother's vigorous
licking so important for newborn
kittens?
a) to clean the fur
b) to stimulate breathing,
digestion and circulation
c) to relax the mother
5 How long is the life of an average cat?
a) 12 to 15 years
b) five to ten years
c) 25 to 30 years
Dogs
6 How should you react as a rule
if your dog starts scrapping with
another dog?
a) Don't intervene. The two
dog-owners just go off in
different directions
b) Shout at both dogs
c) Drive the other dog away
7 How long does the "social
imprint phase" normally last
in puppies?
a) from the 3rd/4th week of life
to the 8th week
b) from the 3rd/4th week of life
to one year
c) from the 3rd/4th week of life
to the 6th month
8 What is meant by so-called
"pup-protection"?
a) A bitch will never leave
her puppy undefended
b) Puppies never get bitten
by full-grown dogs
c) There is no general
pup-protection
9 Who goes through the door first?
a) the dog
b) the dog-owner
c) both together
10 How long can you leave a grown dog on its own?
a) two hours maximum
b) up to five hours
c) 12 hours maximum
11 Your dog is lying flat on the floor staring at an oncoming dog. What does this mean?
a) He needs a rest
b) He is behaving submissively
c) He intends to launch a
(possibly playful) attack
12 If your dog shows fear, what is the best way to respond?
a) by stroking him
and talking to him soothingly
b) by pretending nothing has happened and ignoring him until he has calmed down
c) by telling him sternly to
"stop that nonsense"
13 A strange dog approaches you growling. How should you
respond?
a) You turn and run
b) You stand still without
looking at the dog until he
calms down or help arrives
c) You look him in the eye
and make threatening gestures
Ornamental fish
14 An aquarium for coral fish must have . . . ?
a) heating
b) a coral landscape
c) large stones
15 What is the deciding factor
for the number of fish kept in an aquarium?
a) the hardness of the water
b) the amount of water
c) the temperature of the water
16 You have brought your goldfish into the house for the winter. When can you put them back in the garden pond?
a) when it stops raining
b) when spring starts
c) when the water
temperature reaches 10°C;
17 What is the minimum depth for the water in a fishpond?
a) 40 centimetres
b) 60 centimetres
c) 80 centimetres
18 How long should you leave a
new aquarium (with plants) before putting the fish in?
a) one day
b) five days
c) 12 days
Small animals
19 What should a hamster never be given to eat?
a) chocolate
b) carrots
c) radishes
20 What does it mean when your hamster brushes over its cheek pouches with its front paws from
back to front?
a) It is a sign of fatigue
b) It is a sign of aggression
c) It is trying to retrieve the food it has stored in its pouches
21 All hamsters have vibrissae. What does the word refer to?
a) sensitive face-hairs
b) scent glands
c) incisor teeth
22 Where do guinea pigs get their name?
a) They were originally
imported from South America and most probably their name was influenced by the word "Guinea" which was used at the time to refer to any remote place
b) They originate from Guinea
in West Africa
c) The first specimens imported
were sold for a guinea
23 How long are female guinea pigs pregnant?
a) eight to ten weeks
b) 15 to 20 weeks
c) 14 days
24 What is essential in guinea-pig grooming?
a) a bath once a week
b) regular brushing
c) regular checks on claws
and teeth
25 Tortoises need . . .
a) a lot of attention and cuddling
b) at least one other tortoise
in the vicinity
c) sun or UV radiation
26 If you stroke a tortoise's shell, then it should . . .
a) withdraw into its shell
b) make hissing noises
c) extend all four legs
27 What is the word for the ventral (stomach-side) part of a tortoise's shell?
a) plastron
b) carapax
c) scutum
28 Rabbits are . . .
a) largely vegetarian
b) exclusively vegetarian
c) carnivores
Birds
29 What is the ideal place for a budgerigar's cage?
a) a really sunny spot on the
window-sill
b) a high, light, draught-free spot
c) on the floor
30 Your budgerigar fluffs up its feathers to an unusual degree. What is this a sign of?
a) Only the males do this to
defend their territory
b) Only the females do this
shortly before laying
c) Extended feather fluffing
indicates that the bird is ill
31 What do canaries mainly feed on?
a) seeds
b) lettuce
c) fruit
32 What should you never do to a canary?
a) keep it alone in its cage
b) cut its toenails
c) stroke its head
33 Why are parrots almost the only birds that enjoy having their feathers stroked?
a) Mutual grooming is an
expression of pair bonding, so
parrots like having their feathers
stroked
b) Parrots are frequently
infested by lice and stroking
suppresses the itching
c) It is the best way of removing
dust from their feathers
34 How many toes do parrots have on each foot?
a) three: two pointing forward,
one backward
b) four: two pointing forward,
two backward
c) five: two pointing forward,
two backward, and one on the
inside of the foot
Answers: 1b, 2a, 3b, 4b, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8c (but submissive and placating behaviour does protect pups), 9b, 10b (not daily), 11c, 12b, 13b, 14a, 15b, 16c, 17c, 18c, 19a, 20c, 21a, 22a, 23a, 24c, 25c, 26a, 27a, 28b, 29b, 30c, 31a (including canary seed, turnip seed, millet and a little hemp), 32a, 33a (Parrots should not be kept in isolation as they will get lonely.), 34b
R359.40
R254.40
