Dear Tabby:

Dear Tabby,

I was a stray kitten for a long time, and then I got trapped and taken to a shelter, where I was adopted by a very nice family. They have one other cat, and she tells me that Thanksgiving is a huge deal with our humans. She says that a lot of loud people visit, and she always makes herself scarce. She offered to show me some good hiding spots, but I want to participate! I want to meet everyone and show them how adorable I am, and eat a ton of turkey, too.

Do you think this is a good plan? In my experience, most humans are friendly and think kittens are the cutest things ever. Meeting new humans is a great chance to have my head scratched and my tummy displayed and admired. Also, I really love turkey and want to be out and about when it’s being served. So how about it?
New-to-Thanksgiving

Dear New:
I’ve experienced many holidays, so let me give you my opinion. People who visit at Thanksgiving are usually related somehow to your humans, and so you should be on your best behavior. Some may not be used to friendly felines, and some (I’m sad to say) may be scared or hostile toward cats in general. So use caution when approaching a strange human. It only takes one misunderstanding before you get banished to a distant corner of the house. Your family loves you, but they will be stressed because of the holiday, and they may find it easier to shut you away, then educate their guests on how to properly treat a cat.

Typically, the guests will have lots of strange and interesting smelling outer fur, which they may leave in a heap in a room somewhere, so you can investigate and even curl up there for a nap. This is a prime snuggle spot. Or you can wait until the guests are watching TV or sitting and chatting, to casually stroll in and display yourself. However, prepare to be ignored, simply because there’s so much commotion. (Hint: Visiting kids are a good bet when looking for attention. They might not have cats at home, so they will be intrigued by you.)

For the turkey itself, it pays to be cautious and sly if you want to swipe a few bits. It’s a good idea to wait until after the guests have eaten and then lurk around in the kitchen afterward. Things will be hectic, as everyone will be cleaning up, and you are likely to score some tidbits then.

Best of luck.
Tabby

Losing your cat

Last week, I had to put my eleven year old tabby, Zoe, to sleep.

I’ve seen articles on grieving, which always struck me as kind of strange. Does it really help to know that your feelings are “normal”? Well, maybe. But to me, going through the “stages” of grief doesn’t make them hurt any less.

Zoe came into my life rather abruptly – she was ejected from a car as a kitten. I never learned the names of the people who did this. although I can think of several things I’d like to say to them, if I ever get the chance. She wasn’t just dumped – like a piece of garbage – she had been starved, as well. Since she couldn’t talk (that is, speak English), I was left to fill in the blanks of her history as best I could.

The vet cautioned me not to get my hopes up, but fortunately, she made a full recovery and joined my two cats as part of our family.

This upset the Head Cat, who may have feared that she was going to be replaced. Because Zoe wanted to be in my lap every second, her irritation was understandable. It took her a long time for her to forgive me for bringing in an interloper. (I think because Zoe was a kitten, she was mature enough not to take her feelings out on her.)

The male cat did not appear to mind, losing interest after he had sniffed her butt for a few minutes. Had she been male, though, there might have been more friction.

Once healthy, Zoe enjoyed the same treats the other two did: sunning herself on the screened-in porch in warm weather; bird watching (including the wild turkeys who wandered into our yard in fall); and “helping” me do such chores as folding laundry and making the bed.

She also developed a taste for “people food,” which I did not set out to foster. I’ve seen the effect that giving your pet things like bacon and eggs, cheesecake and candy does, and I definitely did not want Zoe to develop a weight problem.

However, she was sly, and often, I would forget about her habit (it appeared and reappeared seemingly at random), and would return to my snack to see her sampling it.

For some reason, she was fond of the flavor chocolate mint. She also liked my homemade ice cream, and the white chocolate truffle flavor from our local Coldstone Creamery. When I tried to give her a little of the store bought generic vanilla brand, she scorned it. For a former stray, she had gourmet tastes. My other cats never tried sampling candy, much less ice cream or coffee, regardless of where it was left out.

She also liked coffee, including Starbucks’ caramel mochachinos and vanilla lattes. I wasn’t thrilled about this (she first figured out that she liked coffee by licking the lid of my takeout cup), but I gave her a small bit now and then. And I understood better why some people give their pets lots of people food.

Now that she’s gone, I find myself still using her name. I also keep setting out a bowl for her when I serve my cats canned food. I know that this is “normal” or at least part of the way I grieve because I’ve gone through it before.

To be honest, Zoe could be a pain at times, such as when she’d jump up to investigate the candles I burned on 9-11, or when she’d try to nap on top of my tax forms in April. But all memories of her, I will cherish.

RIP: Zoe: May 2001-Nov. 2010

Dear Tabby: Part 4

Dear Tabby:
I love my owner very much, but the other day, she really hurt my feelings! I caught a wiggly snake outside and decided to give it to her as a gift. I thought she would have a lot of fun playing with it (I certainly did). But when I brought it inside, she started screaming. She picked me up by the scruff of my neck and threw me back out!

Why would she do this? I was just trying to be generous. She told me that I was “bad” for “hurting” the snake, but I don’t understand. Can you explain why she acted this way?”
Bemused and Confused

Dear Bemused and Confused:
Humans are funny when it comes to gifts. They prefer the kind you get at the store, and they prefer any food gifts to be thoroughly dead. But don’t make the mistake of killing your prey and then presenting it to your owner – this won’t get you any praise or gratitude either. Humans prefer getting their meat from the store, where it has been dead for months and months. This way they can pretend that it was not alive to begin with, which makes them feel better about consuming it.

Strange, isn’t it. Humans believe what we call prey, such as mice, birds and moles, have “feelings.” They become upset when they see us playing with them, which they misinterpret as “hurting” the prey. But humans themselves enjoy the sport of hunting. It depends on the human, though. You will find a wide range of attitudes toward the best way to secure meat for one’s family.

Some humans are fine with cats hunting certain prey but not others. Others simply dislike any sight of you playing with a morsel. As irrational as this may seem, respect your human and keep your gifts to yourself. Humans are capricious, and sometimes there is no understanding their whims.

Dear Tabby, Part 3

Dear Tabby,
I’ve just been adopted by a new human. Because I’m a kitten, I don’t have much experience with humans. So I was wondering how trainable they are? Do they take a lot of time to catch on to what you want them to do, or are they fast learners? Any help you can give me is appreciated!
New to this “pet” business

Dear New:
You ask a very good question. How trainable are humans? Well, it depends.
Many humans are highly trainable, as long as you use persistence and consistence.

For example, suppose you want to train your human to feed you breakfast at a certain hour. Your human would prefer to sleep in, but you are hungry now. So what you do is choose a behavior that your human finds irritating and impossible to ignore. You can knock things over with your tail or head so that they make a loud and satisfying crash. Or you can try the always popular dragging your claws against something, so that you produce a screechy noise. This is a sound that, like fingernails on a blackboard, is almost impossible to ignore.

Last, never underestimate the power of your own voice. Keep this up long enough, and even the sleepiest human will get up and give you breakfast. Of course, this works with many other things, too.

Good luck!
Tabby

Trash can kitty

A few days ago, a local Good Samaritan and her kids rescued a kitten, which had been dumped in the trash at a Honey Dew Donuts.

The kitten, dubbed “Trash Can Dan,” was rescued by my town’s Animal Control Officer. Apart from fleas, he’s in good shape, and is currently recuperating at the town shelter. Not only does he seem remarkably unscarred from his ordeal, he has people lining up to adopt him, since his story made the local news.

He has a purr motor like you wouldn’t believe and is playful but not aggressive. He enjoys attention and likes being snuggled. Finding him a “forever home,” should be snap.

It would be nice if some of those people who are eager to adopt him would instead consider a kitten or cat, whose plight is less-publicized but just as urgent. Most abandoned, neglected and mistreated cats do not make the local news, but they are every bit as deserving of a good home as this little sweetie pie. If shelter cats could talk, they could tell you some truly fur-raising stories of their pasts. Perhaps it’s just as well they can’t.

For the full story, visit www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2010/08/21/north_attleboro/7843989.txt

Dear Tabby 3

Dear Tabby:

Lately, I have been noticing how clumsy my owner is. Her legs seem incapable of performing even the most basic of tasks. Unlike me, she cannot simply leap onto wherever she needs to go and grab her desired object with her paws. She needs to use a stool, or her tiptoes, or ask the Other Human to get it for her.

This is just bizarre! Ever since I was a kitten, I have been able to perform beautiful leaps and bounds in order to reach whatever destination I choose. My body is a marvel of grace and coordination. I can accomplish such feats as grooming my butt with both of my back legs splayed in the air with ease. However, my owner can’t. How come?
Agile But Puzzled

Dear Agile But Puzzled:

Cats are uniquely designed. We have a special bone structure that makes jumping onto high places in a single bound, as you said, effortless. As a result, we are the epitome of precision and power. (Dogs don’t like to admit it, but this is why they are jealous of us.) Unfortunately, humans are not designed as well, and so must rely on stools and ladders (or other humans) in order to climb and reach objects.

If your owner is having a lot of trouble reaching something, try using your tail or a paw to knock it where she can get it. Some humans appreciate this; some don’t. But try to be patient with your owner, in any case. She really is doing her best.
Tabby

Dear Tabby 2

Dear Tabby:

My owner is very nice, but she has rather a lackadaisical approach to grooming. She grooms herself only one or two times a day! Well, I must clarify. Some parts of her get a lot of attention and others not so much, and I can’t figure it out. For example, she is very concerned about the fur on her head and brushes it a lot. The same with her teeth and her front paws. But other parts get a short shrift.

Now I know my owner is busy, but when I was a kitten, my mama taught me that I should always give myself a full grooming seven or eight times a day. Perhaps nine if a nearby cat decides to groom herself. Why doesn’t my human do this? And why does she always use water, soap and strange smelling products rather than just her tongue? It seems like a lot of work.
Signed: Confused

Dear Confused:

Humans’ tongues work poorly. A human may use her tongue to clean off a small spot on her, but otherwise, she can’t use it the way cats use theirs. To clean all of her, a human requires a lot of water. Humans, as you know, have to wear artificial fur, which also gets dirty and requires cleaning (though they use machines for that). So it is (I suppose) rather a lot to worry about keeping clean at all times.

Perhaps your owner would appreciate your help in keeping clean. Some owners do not mind a grooming. Others, however, dislike the sensation of your tongue. If that is the case with your owner, try to be tolerant and remember, your owner is not unique. Almost all humans have a slapdash approach – by cat standards – towards grooming.
Tabby

Downside to declawing?

Dear Tabby:
My owner is seriously considering declawing me because I keep using the furniture as a scratching post. It’s not fair! No self-respecting cat should have to lose her claws. Any suggestions on how to stop this travesty would be appreciated.
Signed: Needs Intervention Fast

Dear Needs Intervention:
Yes, humans seem to be irrationally attached to their furniture and prefer it intact rather than leaking gobs of stuffing. Why is anyone’s guess, after all it’s much cooler ripped open, so you can see what’s inside.

Tell your owner that research has shown that cats who are declawed tend to be more anxious than the average cat, and that deprived of their claws, will bite more – simply in order to defend oneself. After all, if your owner was deprived of say, a working phone, during a burglary, she’d have to rely on the next best thing to defend herself. Some may argue that comparing a burglary to a feline threat is a absurd comparison, but it’s not! Any threat to a cat must be dealt with as seriously possible. Using claws can help keep an unwanted other pet from stealing a lap or a treat. Which is theft in feline terms.

Also, declawed cats may be more likely to “scent mark.” Surely, your owner would prefer a slightly torn couch over a house that reeks of urine. Even altered cats’ urine has a tendency to linger, even with diligent applications of the Lysol.

Good luck!
Tabby

Poodle Cuts for Cats?

A cat with a poodle cut

Once in awhile, a cat will arrive at the shelter with badly matted fur. Sherlock, the cat pictured above, was in such rough shape, due to fleas and neglect, that he was given a poodle cut. Used on breeds like Himalayans and Persians, it consists of shaving the cat’s body fur. Fur on the legs, head, neck and tail remain, though all but a “pompom” can be left on the tail. The end result is that the cat looks a little like a lion, or as one visitor said, Aslan from the Narnia series.

Sherlock is a semi-Angora, and his coat is already growing back. As long as it’s properly maintained, it won’t need to be shaved again. In winter, this could cause discomfort, especially for an indoor/outdoor cat, but since we’re in the middle of an ongoing summer heat wave, it probably feels good to him.

As a side note, I’ve heard of cats that allow themselves to be vacuumed. Seriously. I’ve never met one myself, but all animals, from horses to felines, vary a lot in how easily they tolerate clippers.

Top Ten Reasons for Surrendering a Cat

All ages and breeds get surrendered at shelters

1. We’re moving.
2. We’re having a baby, and we won’t have time for the cat.
3. We’re being evicted and are going to be homeless soon ourselves.
4. Someone in our family is allergic.
5. The cat is really my neighbor’s, but my neighbor no longer wants the cat and claims it isn’t hers, so I’m doing the dirty work.
6. My landlord, partner, etc. won’t let me keep the cat.
7. I don’t know who the cat belongs to, but it keeps showing up on my doorstep, so here it is. (Sometimes followed by: And here are the kittens, too.)
8. The cat is too shy. I adopted it, but it keeps hiding. (Sometimes followed by: Can I get a friendlier one?)
9. The cat sprays constantly, and I can’t get it to stop.
10. The cat needs vet care, but I’ve never gotten it any before, so maybe you could help. I don’t want/can’t afford to spend the money.

Yes, I’ve heard all of these.