Catscapades

You might have clicked on this link simply to discover what in the heck the title implies. It’s about black cats. Tomorrow (October 27) is National Black Cat Day. This is different from Black Cat Appreciation Day which is August 17. Why do black cats get these special days of honor? Why not white cats, tabbies, chocolate-colored cats. Well, there is a special day of honor for tabbies in April. But I digress.

Black cats, they say, are the last to be adopted and the first to be abused, so National Black Cat Day was established to help promote the beautiful, amazing black cat.

Have you ever had a black cat? I’ve had litters with black cats and found them wonderful homes. Yeah, I was more inclined to keep the colorful calicos. I found a gorgeous black cat once when I was full-up with cats at my house and I found her another home. I haven’t known a lot of black cats, actually—but there are a few in the neighborhood that run free. One is a love-bug and the other one is a terrorist. One of my grand cats lives across the street—he’s an inside kitty and I LOVE being kitty care-taker to this beautiful and affectionate pure black boy. He’s a munchkin—such a sweetie.

If you have a black cat, give them a hug tomorrow (well, two hugs—it’s a special day). If you don’t have a black cat and you have room in your heart for another cat—consider adopting that black one hiding in the corner of the pen or poking his paw out trying to get your attention–the one who may have been waiting for a FURever home for a very long time. Open your heart to a black cat and open your world to a bundle of joy.

Some cats are more vocal than others—but then you’ve noticed that. Purrsonally, I prefer the fluffy quiet type. I had a talkative cat once. Drove me crazy. Maybe that’s because I like to do the talking.

Lily vocalizes for only two reasons. She sort of yowls when she has captured one of her stuffed toys and is on her way to drop it at my feet. If she decides to play-hunt in the middle of the night, she’ll announce her arrive with her play-prey even then. And she mews sweetly when she wants food or a drink out of the spigot.

Sophie has been a very quiet tortie for most of her 14 years. Lately, however, she has a lot to say. She has developed quite an opinion. She doesn’t like it when Dennis goes outside. She’ll sit at the screen door and call to him to come back in. And she has become demanding. Every evening she demands grass. In fact she threatens us. She’ll look at my philodendron hungrily and cries until someone brings her a few strands of grass from outside or we put her container of grass on the floor where she can reach it. She also meows politely when I place her food bowl on the floor. I consider that a thank you and always respond with, “You’re welcome, Sophie.”

When I visit a neighbor, her cat Joy welcomes me with her meows and chirps. She tells me what she’s been doing that day, describes how she’s fe-line, shares secrets from the neighborhood, and probably asks for treats. She’s part Siamese and very vocal. Her counterpart, George, has never said a catty word to me.

My mother’s cat Smokey (AKA Rags in the Klepto Cat Mysteries) vocalizes, but not excessively. He will respond with a soft “me-aaa” when you speak to him. And when he wants a treat (he lives for treats), he won’t stop chattering until you’ve done your job as a visitor—give him a treat. His voice is soft. But if he’s outside and wants inside and his kitty door is blocked, he’s been known to MEOW!!! so loudly that everyone in the house at the time fears for his very life. When we rush toward the sound, we discover Smokey sitting quietly at the door patiently waiting for someone to open it.

Cats sure know how to get our attention whether it’s through meow-words or actions. Have you noticed your cat mewing at you when you’re on the phone? Does she think you’re talking to her?

I’ve read that cats don’t communicate the same way with each other as they do with people—that they’re imitating people when they “verbalize.” I’m not quite sure that’s true. Cats snarl at one another, yowl, hiss, growl and I’m pretty sure I’ve heard a mother cat make chirping sounds to calm or warn her kittens.

Do cats suffer from separation anxiety like some dogs do? Symptoms of separation anxiety can vary from animal to animal. A dog or cat or hamster (perhaps), who finds himself alone and bored and especially unhappily alone for long hours or even one hour, might respond in some destructive way. Dogs are known to chew shoes, dig the carpet up, yank things out of the closet, pull things off the counters, eat a platter of cupcakes, and bring things in from outside that do not belong inside. Cats with separation anxiety are sometimes known to urinate and defecate outside the litter box—often on her owners’ clothing and bed. Some will over-groom to the point where they leave bald spots.

If you have such a cat, know that there is help. There are things you can do to ease the problem. Here’s a site with ideas for managing your cat’s separation anxiety: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/10-ways-to-manage-cat-separation-anxiety

In our household, we don’t have a problem with symptoms of separation anxiety, but we sure do get the sad face when we’re preparing to leave. Or is that our imagination (feelings of guilt because we’re leaving)? Here’s Lily as I was packing for our recent weekend trip to Half Moon Bay to attend a wedding. Hard to leave that little face.

Sometimes when we return home, we get the cold shoulder. This time, however, both girls came running when they heard us walk through the back door. Sweet. Or was it because it was supper time.

Something to look forward to: CATS the musical is scheduled for release as a movie December 20, 2019. Can’t wait. Did you see the play? Spectacular. Plan ahead and give the best Christmas gift ever to your cat-lovin’ friends—tickets to the show. You might want to plan an event for the showing next December—a cat-themed luncheon with friends before or after the show, wear your favorite kitty-cat garb, serve cat-shaped sandwiches and a litter box cake. Ever had a litter box cake? It’s hard to take that first bite because it looks just like your un-cleaned litter box. But it tastes good. Learn more about CATS the musical as a movie here: https://variety.com/2018/film/news/cats-musical-movie-wicked-1202923412/

There have been many movies with cats and several staring cats. I wonder how many cat doubles they need in order to complete the scenes when using real cats. I’ve noticed, and maybe you have, too, that even some thirty-second commercials use more than one cat. Ever watch the one where the Himalayan (or is it a Ragdoll?) waits until his owner leaves, then whips through the house leaving fur everywhere? When the man gets home, he grabs his duster and cleans the blinds, some sort of glass thing, and the floor to get all the fur up. Watch. Doesn’t it look like the cat changes its looks a little in the middle of this commercial?

Can you imagine the Klepto Cat Mysteries as movies? I wonder how many cats they’d have to use in order to film Rags’s role. Something to ponder.