We’ve heard lots about darling Thistle but, it’s time that felines were added as one of our other loves.
Do you have a mark on your door that signals to all cats
“FOOD, SHELTER & TRAINABLE STAFF”
Nemo
Most cat owners that have more than one, seem to have mostly ‘strays.’ You will hear many stories about how the cat just “showed up” one day. Perhaps you’ll be the one telling the story.
Here’s mine;
Beasley
I was working in my studio in October, on a pouring rain, cold day when 2 paws grabbed the outside window sill, then a wet cat head, with a desperate loud “meow”, rose up at the window. What could I do but rescue her? I dried her, fed her and she was ours.
“STRAY”- I think this is a total misnomer, cats are purposeful, extremely intelligent creatures and they only appear to be lost when they are really looking for the right place. They are on the hunt for a specific ambiance. You may not qualify or you may be awarded the Most Prestigious Cat World status, THE 10 STAR MARK, visible only to cats (and very few, very special dogs).
First Mark-Will you allow them to come in & eat? Some of them will want to really test your willingness, to see if you are the least bit trainable. When you find yourself bringing food OUT TO THEM, you are a good prospect. You have just received an EXCELLENT rating & a Mark on your home. Some never get over the thrill of being served “al fresco”, they will become your “outdoor cat.”
Second Mark-IF the cat decides it is willing for you to serve it inside, do you have a special place? Preferably with a place-mat on the floor so that everyone knows this is the cat schmorgesborg area. …. 2 flavors of CRUNCHIES (because you forgot what kind they liked last time & bought another flavor/brand), lots of very fresh water & a place for the ‘wet’ food. Another EXCELLENT rating & your 2nd Mark.
Tully
Third Mark- Another test is the famous “Cat Joke”. The cat stares at the ceiling & you wonder ‘whats’s up there?’ You look up, searching. You look at your cat & it’s now looking at you or some middle ground. Actually it can hardly contain itself and is saying “YES! Got’em! -high five! This is a good place to live!” During your relationship you will be tested many times. You must learn the difference between a Cat Joke, the Cat God speaking (the cat is really listening) or a giant spider rappelling down to your head. Few owners can master the difference, we all look up. Cat has a great time and is reassured you are not slipping in obedience training. If you have any sense of humor, you too will think it’s hilarious that you are so stupid.
Oreo
A black female has been showing up because of the marks on my door. She easily found the kitchen and the fabulous array of foods. It has been 9 months and the only time she lets me near her is when I take some cream out (she can read, of course) and give her some in a saucer. Then she is right there, next to me, as I squat down to pour it. I can usually sneak in a stroke or two & some chin scratches. See how she has reinforced my behavior? How can anyone think these are aloof animals? They are just always thinking. She also spends the day on a chair but leaves when I come home & then returns for dinner. The times when she does spend the night, she comes into the bedroom, paws at the blinds to wake me up so that I can let her out. It is usually around 2:30 a.m.
Cody
There is another ‘stray’ at home. He had been fixed, declawed and arrived with a loving, wonderful personality. Even the vet said he would take Cody home. Yes, you did hear the “V” word. Cody was obviously dumped for medical issues because I can’t disclose the dollars he has cost us, you might be shocked. Maybe not, been there have you?
And that is the Fourth Mark put on your Home -Willingness to spend as much as it takes for lab work, x-rays, teeth cleaning, shots, spaying, flea meds, any meds, toys & more toys. Will you get down on the floor & play longer than 20 seconds? Will you deny yourself some planned pleasure (like electricity) because of your vet bills. You will get the 4th Mark and that is why you will continue to get cats that require immediate medical care. They need it and you have the Mark.
Munchkin
The Fifth Mark- Will you rearrange your house, your love life, your daily life, not go on vacation, never be gone too long, try to anticipate their every need and fall asleep with that purring sound in your ear?. You get the 5th mark. It’s like being awarded a Michelin 5 Star rating.
Sixth Mark-Sleeping accommodations are vital to a cat. They must keep an eye out, like looking over the Serengeti, so it’s got to be high. Forget the cat beds you bought, they will only use them when you are out of the house. It has to be the sofa, better yet, the BACK of the sofa or the dinning room table, no matter what you say. You cannot fight this. Your cat is not a dog who will sleep on the ground. An especially favored spot is your front, while you are napping, because it shows true camaraderie with your leader. Your cat MUST sleep with you. They want to make sure you don’t dissappear before breakfast and are so happy that you have finally settled down in bed. They might be on you head because they can SEE that the head goes on the pillow & they can’t help it that their body is shorter than yours. Cody can’t wait for me to get into bed, I lay on my side and read for a while. He actually jumps up on my side, puts his head on my shoulder, purrs very loudly & stares at me lovingly. It seems to be the highlight of his day! Who can resist that kind of companionship?
Food (a MAJOR Mark after they have adopted you as staff and your common failings), Toys & Play, Special Places, Training you how to pet, the
Elf
Things they have made us do for them, there are really at least 10 more “Marks.”
Here is an example; Mickey LOVES to ride in the car. This was not an easy thing to interpret, as you can imagine, but his staff finally caught on. His staff has a real full time job though to Mickey it’s just time away from serving him. So his custodian takes him for a ride everyday. Sometimes it’s just around the neighborhood, though he would prefer a longer ride. He sits in either the backseat & looks out the window or on the dashboard. This attitude gets her a special Mark on her door. She now has 3 strays.
Please share what you do for your cats. Have any special Marks on your home?
using
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I was BORN with all the marks I think. My cats don’t have a special feeding mat, they have an entire room! With a very special easy to clean floor, since one is an African serval (45 lbs of love and purrs) and is paper trained. His “litter box” is a small wading pool. He isn’t a pet, he’s a whole life style!
Long ago I gave up the idea of acquiring a cat. I just put it out in the universe what I would like to have, and they find me. For example, I saw a Birman at a cat show, and my next rescue kitten grew up to look like a purebred one.
Sooooo, my current permanent crowd:
Moosie the African serval. Size of a German Shepard. He was one of my bottle babies who decided I was his. He convinced his actual owner I would make a good pet for him and he has lived with me for over ten years now. He is wildly affectionate, highly decorative (think of a small cheetah but with huge pointy ears), and loves to help raise my bottle baby rescues.
Jazzy the Cymric. She is actually a pure bred long haired Manx. Like most Manx, she prefers people to other felines. She is actually Moosie’s cat, as her previous owner didn’t like her and Moosie adored her. She’s a beautiful calico, with a lovely white bibb and golden eyes with rust colored spots. Her specialty is wrapping men who are usually indifferent to cats around her pretty white paws.
The Princess and Morpheus are litter mates. They were born to a rescue cat 10 minutes after my daughter arrived to pick her up. Kanna was so tiny and thin we weren’t even positive she was pregnant. Amazingly all the kittens were healthy. Since she couldn’t feed the whole litter, I bottled raised Morpheus and another sister. At six weeks the rest of the kittens came to us, while their mom became my Grandkitty. I ended up keeping Morpheus, who was so smart he figured out how to work a light switch, among other things, and The Princess. Morphy was 18 lbs of mischievous fun. The Princess has a small feminine face and looks demure with her huge green eyes. She is the best behaved of the whole pride and has a small, polite mew. Rarely pushy, if you ignore her polite request for attention, she can unleash a mighty yowl! Morpheus and The Princess could both pass as purebred Maine coons.
I am locally known as The Cat Lady (yes, even humans can read my welcome cat’s sign) so it wasn’t that big of a surprise when my neighbor showed up at ten thirty at night. He looked exhausted and explained he had been up for 42 hours trying to save this litter of kittens, this was the last one alive, and would I mind holding it until it died as he couldn’t take any more. He handed me a tiny white kitten, only two and a half weeks old. It looked at me with blue eyed fascination. It was crawling with fleas. “It’s not going to die.” I informed him. I live in a small town, and trying to find ingredients for kitten formula after 11 at night was a major challenge! Willetta was a phenomenal cat from the beginning. She had to have regular baths in Dawn to keep the fleas off, and then I would go outside in the sun to comb her out. She rapidly became a favorite, and I suddenly knew all my neighbors as they came to visit her. She loves to go for walks on her lead, ride in the car and go shopping with me. She was soon working as a therapy kitten (at six weeks!) and is now my clicker trained service cat. She is a little ball of fluff, very much the baby of the family. She even charmed Jazz into playing with her. It’s so adorable to see her chasing Moosie, she loves to slide across the kitchen floor, then double back right under his tummy to continue the chase. She has Himalayan coloring with a fluffy white undercoat. Her eyes change colors, as she has her daddies blue eyes around the pupil, and a greyish gold around the iris. She also is her daddy’s kitten since she is slightly crosseyed, which doubled with her sweet expression and loving nature means she rarely gets scolded, she’s just too cute!
My outside cats ebb and flow, however Major Tom, Willetta’s father (and probably grandfather) is sleeping on my back porch as I write. A gorgeous Siamese mix with big blue eyes (slightly crossed) with mid length plush fur, he’s obviously the preferred tom around here, siring at least half of the kittens. I’ve been trying for two years now to catch him and put an end to that little portion of his life. I also have a good permanent home lined up for him…if I can ever catch him.
One eyed Jackie. This little cat is from a whole litter of half tailed cats! They showed up this year as leggy kittens, at least 3 of them. Jackie’s eye soon became infected, but she (?) was too wild to catch. She’s slowly calming down, so I have hopes for her future.
I periodically trap cats, working with the Feral Cat’s Coalition. I keep a feeding station going, and a shelter where they can curl up and keep warm. Once they feel confident enough to eat in the cage, a quick trip to the vet for shots and nuetering, and hopefully a good home. The ones too wild to tame get released back into the community while I continue to socialize them. This is what gave me The Cat Lady title, which I am very proud of! And yes, I am a very good and well trained pet, and have the vet bills, special food and medications (Morphy was diabetic) to prove it. And my little furkids are worth every single penny and any amount of effort for the love, affection and laughter they bring me.