A New Blog Look and a New Kitten

Well, spring has finally sprung and lots has happened since I last posted here. Bored with the old blog appearance, I opted for a new one. More importantly, however, is the news on the cat front: last fall, two of our three old cats, Black Bear (my favorite, ahem) and Little Girl, passed away within a week of each other.

Late in October, Bear started acting differently. A subtle change at first, but I noticed. I also had a feeling that it was not just a couple of "quiet days" that cats have now and then. Always a healthy eater, I knew he was in trouble when he began leaving some of his dinner on his plate. When he was six years old, he had been a "plugged" cat, suffering from Feline Urological Syndrome and had to be rushed to the animal hospital to be catheterized lest he die of uremia. Since that time, he had been on daily methionine to acidify his urine. Now, he was nearly 14 years old. I had a sinking feeling that the old problem had returned and morphed into kidney failure.

J. and I took him to our holistic veterinarian, who took blood for liver and kidney function tests. Two days later, I received the news: terminal kidney failure. The vet said his numbers were off the charts, and it was amazing that he had done as well as he had for so long. I attributed that fact to the homemade diet he had been on for the past few years. Once I calmed down, I called back and made an appointment to euthanize him. It was three days hence, and I was determined to spoil him like crazy before the end of his life.

He was still eating, so we gave him all the neat treats we could think of: canned cat food, canned fish snacks, etc. He was pampered more than ever (quite a feat, I assure you). When the time came to bundle him off to the vet, we were sad, but knew we had done all that we could to give him a great life. I had hoped he would live to 20 years, but the end came quickly and he was in fine fettle until almost the very end.

Little Girl, who had been having some recurrence of urinary tract problems herself during the previous summer, became despondent over his loss. The only female, she had "belonged" to Bear, the alpha male, and was despondent without him. She would wait for him, and cry when he didn't appear. She stopped eating. Soon, her kidneys failed, as well; we had her put to sleep less than a week after Bear. To those who claim that animals cannot love, I have this to say: You are dead wrong.

Poor J. buried two cats in one week, the second one on his birthday. As he trudged up the driveway after putting out Miss P.'s trash, looking lost and depressed, I said, "Let's go out to lunch and stop by the shelter to see what they have on hand for kittens." He looked surprised, but agreed. No way was I going to let him remember his birthday only as the day he buried Miss Thing! So, off we went--and found ourselves a cute little bargain.

Next time: A new playmate for Goldie.

Cute Kittens Trying to Kill Each Other

Each year, we treat ourselves to one expensive wall calendar, the subject of which is "kittens". This one becomes the main calendar, hanging in the kitchen near the phone and getting lots of views. As we go through each month, we discuss which photos we like the best. Of course, they are all great - after all, they are pictures of kittens. But, invariably, we both pick favorites that have a unifying theme: Cute Kittens Trying to Kill Each Other.

As you may have guessed, these pictures involve kittens at play. Usually, there are two of them, probably siblings. One of the kittens is either ready for action, or totally clueless; the other is springing into attack mode. The other scenario is that one kitten is actively biting and mauling the other, most often with claws visible and and an ear in his mouth. We find these photos immensely entertaining, particularly since we have had kittens and know exactly what is going on here: Play with a purpose.

For all young animals, play is how they learn to get along in the world. The essence of communication is learned early in order that the caregiver will know what the youngster needs and wants. Human babies, for instance, make many sounds long before they learn speech, all of which are geared toward inspiring the parents to care for and ensure his/her survival. Animals don't "speak" per se, but learn communication skills the same way. They also need to learn how to stalk, hunt and kill prey in order to survive. That's where their siblings come in.

Much of kitten play is geared toward the hunting process. At the same time, the issue of dominance is being determined. Note which kitten seems to be on "top" most of the time (hint: It will be a male if there is one in the group), and you will have a good idea of who is going to be Top Cat. This makes perfect sense, since the cat on top of the pile is most likely to be the best hunter and fighter, and thus more apt to be in demand with the ladies. It's all about procreation, after all!

Letting your kittens go crazy on each other is really fun to watch. Even though this activity is entertaining and necessary, however, it can get a little rough. Most of the time, no injuries are sustained during play-fighting, but sometimes, someone does get hurt. Corneal injuries are most common, since kittens flail at each other with claws extended. These usually heal with no lasting effects, but may necessitate a trip to the veterinarian.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to monitor this play to make sure it does not go too far. This will reap benefits later, as your kittens will have learned early to moderate their aggression. They will still learn what they need to know, and the dominance issue will naturally resolve itself. So don't feel guilty watching your kittens beat the crap out of each other - after all, it's only natural!
Chat later!

A New Kitty for Miss P.

A short while ago, our neighbor Miss P. mentioned to us that she would like to adopt a new cat. She has always had many pets, but over the past two years their numbers have been decreasing. After the recent loss of Mr. D., her German Shepherd, her cat Punkin has been pretty lonesome. Miss Molly, the "retired" old lady cat, isn't much fun for him to play with. Upon hearing this comment, both J. and I immediately offered to accompany P. on this adoption quest. The date was set for a week ago Saturday, the 10th. A local garden center was hosting a kitten adoption day with the Dakin Animal Shelter, similar to what the shelter had done with local banks a while back. It was decided that a kitten would be a better choice than another adult, who would most likely be considered an interloper by Miss P.'s two cats.

At the appointed time, we all piled into our car and set off. As we discussed cats and kittens en route, Miss P. said, "One thing is for sure: I'm not getting another tri-color cat!" Miss Molly is a calico, and, as we have discussed here before, they certainly have their own special ways. We were all sure that there would be plenty of kittens to choose from, so color would not be a problem. Shortly, we arrived at our destination. Happy as clams, we all made for the door of the garden center, sure that many kittens awaited us there.

It didn't take long to ascertain that there weren't any kittens on the premises. We asked and were told that the adoption day was the next Saturday. Miss P. had called that very morning to check on the time, plus there was a sign out front announcing "Kitten Adoption Saturday", but with no posted date. Disappointed, we decided to go straight to the Dakin shelter in a nearby town to examine the merchandise at the very source.

As we entered the shelter, cages of adult cats greeted us. They were all very handsome, but where were the kittens? Oh, we were told again, they didn't have any kittens. What about the garden center's gala the very next weekend? They were going to bring kittens from their larger facility for that event. Did we want to look around, anyway? Well, what the heck, we said. We're here, so we might as well see what they have to offer.

It was lucky that we did. In another room, we immediately noticed a young female, very frisky and friendly. A four-month-old tortoiseshell, she was incredibly cute. But, another tri-color? Miss P. looked dubious, but was soon under her spell. We all took turns petting her and unanimously decided that this was the one. Wouldn't Punkie be surprised!

As the shelter employee clipped her nails, she writhed and squirmed in a most entertaining manner. When we got back to Miss P.'s house, Libby (as she was to be called) immediately set out to make the place hers. As Miss P. said later, "It's like she's been living her for years."

Another happy adoption story...with a moral. If you are ready to open your heart to a (or another) pet, don't be discouraged because the "ideal" you had in mind is not available. Look around the shelter, take it all in. Chances are the one you didn't know you wanted is right there waiting for you!
Chat later!

Turning Kittens into Pussycats

Everyone knows how much fun kittens are. Not only are they cute, cuddly, squeaky and goofy, but they do the craziest things: Climb your pant leg, knock over lamps as they wildly chase each other around the living room, stuff like that. What may seem cute and not-very-destructive when an animal weighs one pound will not be quite as attractive in a cat ten times that size. Therefore, it is up to you to make sure that the unfettered energy of youth does not translate into bad habits carried into adulthood.

Let's take the example of your kitten using its claws to climb your leg. Kittens don't know how to sheath their claws, and they are too small to jump onto furniture, counters, or whatever. So, they just climb. This gets them where they need to go, and exercises their leg muscles as well as those that support the claws; it is also good practice for learning to climb trees. There comes a time, though, when they are too big for this behavior and it becomes destructive. Unless you want your cat to climb your drapes, your shower curtain, etc., you must break this habit quickly. When our cats were several weeks old, J. and I pet-sat for the friends who took the fourth kitten from the litter. Imagine my surprise when, as I'm preparing his food, this cat starts climbing my leg! I had broken my kittens of that habit early on. I unceremoniously swiped him off my leg, saying, "NO!" The next time he looked like he was about to try it again, I pointed my finger at him, again saying, "NO!" He didn't do it again.

You also must teach your kitten to "play nice", or you will wind up with many scratches on your hands. When kitty starts using his claws, gently squeeze his paws. When he starts getting overwrought, stop playing; continuing will only ruin the training. He will soon learn to play without scratching or (god forbid) biting you. When your kittens' roughhousing gets too wild, break it up before any injuries occur. There will always be disagreements in the multi-cat household, but they will be less serious than if you just let them fight it out. Be a referee; it's your job to teach them what the house rules are.

Growling (another sign of aggression) must also be curbed. If cats growl at each other, break it up. Many kittens tend to growl when fed, even when fed alone. If this happens, pick up the bowl until the growling stops, then give it back. Do this as many times as it takes (it won't take very many); you should never have to worry about your cat nailing you if you take his food away. Of course, you probably won't need to ever do that. The point is that you are the boss, not the cat. Do the same thing if she growls while carrying a toy; remember, starting this training when they are young will both save you injury and teach the animal who sets the rules. Animals who think they can dominate you are not fun to have around, particularly when they grow up!
Chat later!

Lap Cats

Shortly after our cat Min died and I had brought home the litter I found outside my laboratory window at the University, J. said to me, "I want the gold tabby to be my cat. That means he prefers me to you and will sleep on top of me in the easy chair in the winter to keep me warm. I want my own lap cat!" Well, I guess he told me. You know what? Goldie is a lap cat, and he really favors J. How did we manage this? Magic!

Not really. Just about any cat can be turned into a lap cat with the right training. Males are usually more amenable to this behavior than females, though there are certainly females who will cuddle up with you at any time, and on short notice. The majority, however, are lap cats when they are in the mood. Depending on the animal, this can be often or occasional. It is my experience, though, that females are much more insistent than males when they do want attention. They'll hound you until you sit down (in their preferred chair, of course) and invite them up into your lap. Isn't it great to be so popular?

The first step to creating a lap cats is lots of handling when they are young. Hold them on your lap and cuddle them. Crazy as kittens are, they will grow to love this attention, and associate affection with being very close to you, i.e., in your lap. When you know that you'll be settling in for a while, say, to watch a movie or read the paper, invite a particular cat to jump into your lap. If you've been paying lots of attention to them, the passel of kittens will certainly be in the same room with you already, since they'll want to be around you. Of course, they'll probably be tearing the room apart, but grab your favorite and put him in your lap. Pet him as long as he'll take it, then let him go. Repeat the process with another one. As the kittens get older, they will start jumping on your lap, even without being invited to do so.

As you can see, it is not difficult to make your very own lap cat out of any that is available. Even if you adopt an adult, the same measures will work just as well. As a matter of fact, it may take less time because he or she won't be so kitten-crazy anymore! The lesson here is simple: If you want to be loved, be loving. It really works, and not only with cats!
Chat later!

Cat Napping

A short time ago, I read an article by Karen Kaplan of the Los Angeles Times on the subject of napping.  To be more precise, the article discussed the results of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center on Social and Demographic Trends.  Now, I've never thought of napping as trendy, nor does it seem like a new and exciting subject to explore.  However, it was an interesting read.  For example, did you know that people in the earnings range of $75,000 to $99,000 per year nap the least?  If you tend to like snoozing, you'd be better off making a bit less or a bit more.  Who'd have guessed?

Anyway, while I was reading this article, I started thinking about cats (so unusual).  Now, there are the experts on napping!  Well, just look at the title of this post, for example.  Everyone knows cats excel at relaxing and sleeping.  Just think of all the English words that  describe rest (sometimes permanent), inertia, slowness, or quiet that use "cat" as a
prefix: catacomb, catatonic, caterpillar, catastrophe...oh, wait, scratch that last one.  Well, you get my drift.  Even silent, creeping burglars get the "cat" connotation!  And which yoga pose reminds you of a stretching, lithe, relaxing cat?  Why, the cat pose, of course.

Cats sleep a lot.  Adult cats sleep about 16 hours each day.  That seems excessive, doesn't it?  Kittens sleep even more than that and as cats age, they also spend more time asleep.  Think about how a cat sleeps, however.  Often, they take short naps (!) and, even when they are fast asleep, they almost literally have one eye open.  Cats are light sleepers, a trait inherited from their wild and not-so-distant relatives.  Always being on the alert for danger necessarily makes one's sleep less deep.

One note of interest from the above mentioned study was the fact that only 18% of respondents who had napped in the previous 24 hours described themselves as "happy".  The majority were only "pretty happy" or, more depressingly, "not too happy".  Well, I guess there is ONE aspect of napping that has nothing to do with cats!

Movie of the Week:  Hud, starring Paul Newman and directed by Martin Ritt.  Made in 1963, it's a story of dysfunctional family values that never seems dated.  An interesting bit is that all these family members are male.  I'd never seen this movie, which is strange because Paul Newman is (still) one of my all-time favorite actors. Mm-mm!  That guy was hot, right into old age, I must say.  Anyway, a great flick--check it out.
Chat later!