Catscapades

Winfield with Strawberry

There are several schools of thought about feeding a cat. While most cat owners purchase over-the-counter cat food—canned and/or kibble—some feed only raw. Some cats are on prescription food diets for certain ailments—diabetes and kidney disease, for example. My grandmother used to cook chicken for her beloved Siamese cats.

How many of you feed packaged cat treats? We give our kitties a dehydrated chicken treat twice a day—on demand, you might say. Looks like chalk, but the cats love it. They also appreciate a grassy treat from time to time. Did you know you can buy little containers of grass for your cats to nibble on? Our Himalayan, when she’d see us start to step out of the house, used to beg for us to pick grass and bring it in for her to eat. Cats do create interesting rituals.

Lily is a real beggar-kitty. She’s obsessed with food—hers, Sophie’s, mine, whatever drops on the floor in the kitchen…Her favorites are cheese (which should be given to cats only in small portions), eggs (I never give them to her raw), cantaloupe, and peas. She will bypass a piece of chicken or fish on my plate to get a yummy pea.

Some veggies and fruits are okay to feed cats. In fact, when Lily had a health crisis and stopped eating, we used canned pumpkin to help get her back on track. Sweet potatoes, peas, some squash, apples, green beans, carrots are all supposed to be okay for cats. Veterinarians caution, though, don’t let your cat eat so much of these extra treats that they are not eating the foods they need.

We used to have a cat that liked cantaloupe above anything else. When I’d come home from the market with a good cantaloupe—one that was ripe—he’d always greet me in the kitchen as I unloaded the grocery bags. If I brought home a cantaloupe and he did not come into the kitchen, I knew it wasn’t ripe, yet. I always thought I’d like to take him into the store with me to pick a cantaloupe.

Now let’s discuss the foods that we may enjoy but are known to be harmful to cats.

• Chocolate
• Onions and garlic
• Green tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Caffeine
• Grapes and raisins
• Avocado

Do not give your cats chocolate treats of any kind. Do cats even like chocolate? Some certainly do. A friend made us the most decadent frosted brownie once. After going to bed that night, I remembered I’d neglected to cover the brownie pan and when I got up to do it, I found our Himalayan cat on the table chowing down on that delicious dessert. Who knew? She’d never done anything like that before.

Don’t let your cats play with or chew on tea bags. Evidently the caffeine can cause havoc with their system.

Cats love avocado. But that is another food you should keep to yourself. Don’t share bites with your cat.

Kittens love to chase grapes that fall on the floor. But you’d better pick them up and give the kitten a ball instead. Grapes and raisins are dangerous for cats. They can cause kidney failure. This is something I learned just recently. I had a cat once—the one named PomPom—who loved raisins. When I’d get out a small box of raisins for a snack, she was all over me wanting some and she’d eat raisin after raisin with me. It was the only thing she begged for. She remained healthy throughout her life despite my potentially deadly mistake.

Let’s end this by discussing milk and milk products. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant, so milk should probably not be a part of their diet. Since there are so many milk substitutes, almond, soy, coconut, rice milk, I checked with experts on this issue. Are these items safe for cats? Most say, NO. But if your cat doesn’t seem to have an issue with milk or milk products (intestinal distress, for example), then maybe a lap now and then won’t hurt.

If you have questions about feeding your cat milk products, substitute milk products, or anything else we’ve listed or that your cat seems to like, spend time doing research before giving in to her begging. Some cats seem to like the sweet taste of antifreeze, but we all know it can be deadly. So can some seemingly safe foods.

We talk often about the differences in cats’ personalities and habits. And those differences are only, in part, related to the breed. Sure, some breeds have more tendencies to be calm, nervous, energetic, mellow, playful, affectionate, more dog-like, or vocal. And if you’re seeking certain traits in a cat, you might start by studying cat breeds. While I encourage rescuing, keep in mind that there are rescue sites and facilities for certain breeds as well as those catering to any cat who needs love. And you can always seek mixed breed cats in shelters that carry genes from the breed you’re interested in—a part Siamese for the spunk, for example; part Persian for the sweet demeanor; Abyssinian for an intelligent, kid-friendly cat; or Bengal for his energy and playfulness.

Some of us are attached to certain coat styles. One of my daughters likes brown cats. I

Don’t leave me behind

adore long-haired cats. I used to be fascinated by the calico. The last time I chose a kitten from a litter, however, I overlooked a darling calico in favor of my first tabby. I know people who, if given a choice, will adopt a black cat every time—or a Siamese.

I think most of us, after we’ve had a variety of cats, will eventually let the cat make the choice. We take in the stray who shows up at our door, the kitten a friend found under her porch hiding from her large dogs, or the sad-faced tortie rescue that has no place to go.

Once, when a big yellow cat kept visiting us, we started feeding him. One day, however, the cat showed up on our porch with a sticky note stuck to his head. It said, “Don’t feed me. I belong to Tyler across the street.”

What is your cat-type? Do you lean toward a specific breed or coat color, or is your heart open to the cat who happens to need a home at the moment?

There’s no denying how important our pets are in our lives. And many business executives

Smokey, the inspiration for this series

and entrepreneurs have noticed. It’s easier than ever to travel with pets as more and more hotels and RV parks welcome cats and dogs. There are also horse motels. I know, because I’ve booked stalls for horses while traveling.

There are also bakeries featuring pet treats, even one in Massachusetts that specializes in birthday cakes for dogs. There are pet party-planners, managers who encourage pets to accompany their people into their stores, and even restaurants for dogs.  Yesterday, I ate at a restaurant that accommodates dogs–but there are also restaurants designed for dogs with doggie menus.

Every town has pet groomers. But some dogs and cats live near pet spas where they can get everything from a massage and a pedi to a blueberry facial.

One of the latest trends is including your pet in your weddings. I love some of the stories in this article. Check it out. It’ll make you smile: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/01/fashion/weddings/dogs-cats-and-other-pets-at-weddings.html?_r=1

Do you frequent a business that caters to pets? Tell us about it. The only place we take our cats is to the veterinary clinic and they go kicking and screaming—well, meowing and yowling.

The main cat character in my Klepto Cat Mysteries is quite the traveler, however. Rags has vacationed in a house on the beach. He has stayed with his family in a mansion. He visits homes with other cats for play dates and even was a therapy cat at a library. He has ridden a horse and in a row boat. In book 16, Cabin FURvor, can you believe, he rode around on the back of a dead man in a lake one dark and scary night. If you haven’t read any of the Klepto Cat Mysteries, maybe this is a good time to stock up on them for summer reading. Fill your Kindle with all 16 of them. Or purchase the first 14 in print. Order them here: http://amzn.to/1kAI8I2