Catscapades

I’d say most of us consider our cats to be pretty darn smart. Just look at the things they get into and out of. They seem to be able to figure out semi-complex things and respond in interesting ways to the games we play with them and the games they invent. Cats know how to take care of themselves whether they need privacy and safety or attention. But do these things determine intelligence or plain old survival techniques?

Cats can be taught—they have the capacity to learn, even though some cats are resistant to doing things the way you want them to. That could be a sign of a smart cat—a smart cat with a strong mind of its own.

What has your cat done that seems over-the-top intelligent? We have so many stories, but we have to wonder, did the cat actually do that for the reason we believe or was it a fluke gut reaction to something else.

For example, Sophie used to seem to respond to what was on TV before starting her bedtime routine. She’d look at the TV when a program’s music started, indicating the program was over, then she’d trot off to the bedroom where she knew we’d soon follow.

Winfield also knew when it was bedtime and he’d go directly to his kibbles bowl. If it was full, he’d walk away satisfied. If he could see the bottom of the bowl, he’d wait next to it doing his best to catch our attention and making sure we added kibbles before heading to bed.

This week, Olivia was in the man cave with Dennis. She started to walk out when something on his TV caught her attention. Two cowboys were talking about killing a cougar. Dennis said it was as if she understood the words and she stopped and stared at the TV for a few moments before walking out of the room. You may remember me saying that Olivia (like many domestic cats, actually) is related to the cheetah, which is related to the cougar. In her DNA report they said the wild cat she’s most closely related to is the cheetah. I imagine that’s from her Egyptian Mau line. So what was it about that conversation on TV that caught her attention? Do we have an extremely intelligent cat who understands concepts such as, “Yikes, those men are going to kill my great, great, great, grandpa?” Sure, that’s where the human mind goes. But it could have been just a fluke for Olivia. Heck, maybe she heard the sound of a cougar in the background and that’s what caught her attention.

At any rate, cats are certainly fascinating creatures that can sure keep us entertained, amazed and guessing, but are they as smarter than a first grader? The debate goes on.

Most of us with cats have long histories with them. We were introduced to cats as children. What do you remember about your childhood cat-friends? Did you dress your cats, take them for rides in your doll buggy or wagon, feed the cats from the table when your parents weren’t looking, run away from home with your cat following?

Your first family cat was probably an outside cat-barn cat. And for that reason they often didn’t stay around long—things happened to them. The cat I remember most was Beloved Belindy—a plain grey cat born to be a child’s pet. She was named after a character in one of our books. I remember the day that she was hit by a car. That was the case for many of our cats as I was growing up, but my grandmother took better care of her cats.

I loved going to Grandma’s house to play with her cats—mostly apple-face Siamese cats. Oh the lovely hours I spent there just sitting with a cat and a book. I wish someone had taken pictures so I’d have more memories of those moments.

Grandma found a couple of the cats I adopted as an adult. One day she came to my house to tell me there was a litter of kittens ready for adoption at a local nursery. One of them, she said, had a face like a pansy. Yes, I adopted that kitten and named him Misty.

Another grandmother rescued cats and kept a bunch of them in her house, of course, and others in cages in her backyard. She became a drop-off spot for cats and she had each and every one spayed/neutered, but I don’t think she ever let any of them go. She never offered to let me take any of her cats home, but then I had small children and she strictly believed that homes with small children were not at all suitable for cats.

I’d love to hear (read) some of your childhood cat stories.

Wednesday we discussed how to become your cat’s favorite person. Most of you reading this already are. Do you remember how that happened? Are there other people in your household? What is their relationship with your cat or cats to each of you? In my experience, every family member has a different bond with the cat or cats, but there is one special person in the mix—the one that gets the most attention from the cat—the one the cat goes to for comfort and security.

In my house, it’s me. Most of our cats have found me to be the safe person for cuddles, to sleep next to at night, for petting, and so forth.

Our current cat, Olivia, has bonded most deeply with me. I’m her mom. But she also has a special relationship with her dad. He is the dispenser of treats. He hangs out in a room with a large sliding door and Olivia likes to sit with him on a warm day, feel the breeze through the screen, and watch the birds and various cats that walk through our yard. He has his routine with Olivia and so do I. But I can get away with more with Olivia—trimming her claws, for example, and grooming her.

When we had more than one cat, some would bond more closely with me and others with him. Although none of the cats really cared who opened the can of cat food, poured the kibbles, or filled their water fountain, as long as someone was there to do it.

There are new studies out revealing that cats are, perhaps, more attuned to us than we realized. Well, those of us with cats know that some cats are definitely not the typical aloof cats we hear and read about. As it turns out, the majority of cats actually like us hoomans. They bond with us, rely on us, trust us, and depend on us for all of their needs—including their emotional needs.

However, cats typically bond most closely with one person in a family and that’s generally the person who interacts with them most from the beginning of their introduction into the family. So if you want all of the cat attention in your home, you must put in the effort. Spend time with the cat even if it means talking to him and playing with him as he hides under a dresser or a bed. Feed the cat, groom her, ease your way into the cat or kitten’s graces with your time and attention and you’ll likely be the chosen one.

Have you ever wondered what happens to unadoptable cats—those that are blind or deaf or have disabilities? We all assume they’re eventually euthanized. But that isn’t always the case. There are many angels out there who cater to special needs and elderly cats and even cats on hospice.

It’s true. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of special needs and unadoptable cats nationwide are being rescued to live out their lives in beautiful, loving environments. For example, there are sanctuaries for blind cats, elderly cats, and many other cats with health and physical issues and disabilities. I found such sanctuaries in many cities in California, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and others.

If you want to help special needs cats, here’s a great way to do it. Find a sanctuary near you or related to the kind of disability you’d most like to support and volunteer and/or donate. They might need items as well as money and many of them could use a helping hand—for petting, perhaps.