I long for a cat that will actually let me dress it just for the thrill of power. But cats in hats are cut even without the power-rush.
Is Your Cat a Jerk?
I love cats with attitude. That being said, sometimes it can be hard to live with that attitude. Sometimes you hear stories of monster cats, but many of us have dealt with a jerk cat in our life.
Mine was this guy.
Code Name: Big Fluffy
Now, when I got Fluff I learned a lot of things. He likes to curl up into you and nap. He drools when he's happy. He rocks the sleepy eye like nobody's business. And he bites.
He is a picky jerk and there is a certain way to pet him. If you do it wrong, he doesn't stalk off or push you away - he bites. Hard. Let me clarify that it's not so much biting as attacking. He attacks you. He comes at you like you killed his only love. Like it's life or death. I couldn't deal with it.
But what's a pet owner to do? At the time, I'd just given away my cat Hector to a good family so he would get more attention than was allowed by my attention-hog Felix. But then Felix went nuts. Destructive nuts. We just moved and he was tearing up the carpet, the blinds. Running around screaming all the time. This was not normal we just moved and I'm unhappy behavior. It was too much change too soon and he was lonely.
So I brought home Bailey and renamed him Big Fluffy in a fit of hilarity. Felix was named by a previous owner and, like a good cat/dog, new his own name. Can't change it now. Fluffy is a classic cat name, but once I realized they add your last name to your cats (Smedley) and that Fluffy Smedley sounds like a mob name there was no going back. My mob boss kitty was quickly renamed Big Fluffy and we were off. Until the attacking started.
I was constantly marked up, but I was more worried for Felix. Felix is larger, used to the outdoors, and still had claws, but Fluff was a holy terror. What do you do? I was afraid for Felix but tormented by taking Fluff back to the pound. The whole time he screamed his little lungs out on the car ride home I was promising to love and take care of him. The pound I got him from was small and had few adoptions. He was already 6 years old when I got him and there's no way he'd survive if I took him back. That's the reason I get my cats from the pound in the first place!
So I decided to stick it out. I kept him isolated and slowly introduced him to Felix. 6 years later, this still hasn't been a total success. They're kind of dicks to each other. Maybe it's just sarcastic and I can't tell. Yeah, that's it.
Anyway, through the years he's calmed down. He still bites. Both myself and company. And Felix. And blankets. But it's calmed down a lot. He's turned into a kind of chilled out cat. The only thing I can contribute to that was building a lot of trust and learning his boundaries. Once that happened, we started to push the boundaries slowly until he wouldn't take your head off for the same thing. Plus, the attacking was taken down to bites. Usually a single bite and at 50% capacity. I mark that as a huge improvement.
Moreover, I think Fluff is so damn lucky that I think his attitude is cute. It's really the only things that saved his life after all.
So do you have a jerk cat? How do you put up with it?
Mine was this guy.
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| He's more terrifying in person. Promise. |
Code Name: Big Fluffy
Now, when I got Fluff I learned a lot of things. He likes to curl up into you and nap. He drools when he's happy. He rocks the sleepy eye like nobody's business. And he bites.
He is a picky jerk and there is a certain way to pet him. If you do it wrong, he doesn't stalk off or push you away - he bites. Hard. Let me clarify that it's not so much biting as attacking. He attacks you. He comes at you like you killed his only love. Like it's life or death. I couldn't deal with it.
But what's a pet owner to do? At the time, I'd just given away my cat Hector to a good family so he would get more attention than was allowed by my attention-hog Felix. But then Felix went nuts. Destructive nuts. We just moved and he was tearing up the carpet, the blinds. Running around screaming all the time. This was not normal we just moved and I'm unhappy behavior. It was too much change too soon and he was lonely.
So I brought home Bailey and renamed him Big Fluffy in a fit of hilarity. Felix was named by a previous owner and, like a good cat/dog, new his own name. Can't change it now. Fluffy is a classic cat name, but once I realized they add your last name to your cats (Smedley) and that Fluffy Smedley sounds like a mob name there was no going back. My mob boss kitty was quickly renamed Big Fluffy and we were off. Until the attacking started.
I was constantly marked up, but I was more worried for Felix. Felix is larger, used to the outdoors, and still had claws, but Fluff was a holy terror. What do you do? I was afraid for Felix but tormented by taking Fluff back to the pound. The whole time he screamed his little lungs out on the car ride home I was promising to love and take care of him. The pound I got him from was small and had few adoptions. He was already 6 years old when I got him and there's no way he'd survive if I took him back. That's the reason I get my cats from the pound in the first place!
So I decided to stick it out. I kept him isolated and slowly introduced him to Felix. 6 years later, this still hasn't been a total success. They're kind of dicks to each other. Maybe it's just sarcastic and I can't tell. Yeah, that's it.
Anyway, through the years he's calmed down. He still bites. Both myself and company. And Felix. And blankets. But it's calmed down a lot. He's turned into a kind of chilled out cat. The only thing I can contribute to that was building a lot of trust and learning his boundaries. Once that happened, we started to push the boundaries slowly until he wouldn't take your head off for the same thing. Plus, the attacking was taken down to bites. Usually a single bite and at 50% capacity. I mark that as a huge improvement.
Moreover, I think Fluff is so damn lucky that I think his attitude is cute. It's really the only things that saved his life after all.
So do you have a jerk cat? How do you put up with it?
Hot Guys with Cats
I love men who know how to treat a pussy.
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| They'll put a spell on you with those stares. |
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| Red Hot Kitty Petter |
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| I don't know who that is and I don't care. But I'll take two. |
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| Don't fight me on this. His voice alone... |
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| Which eyes do you prefer? |
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| Bloody perfect, right? |
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| Mom always wanted me to marry a Doctor. |
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| Dead gorgeous. |
Did I miss any? Send them in!
Spend Valentine's Day with Your Cat
Are you spending the day of love with your cats? Again? No fear! I'm a big advocate of taking the day off from dates and people and makeup to spend it with cats who don't care what I look like as long as I smell like tuna.
This Yahoo article, 7 Reasons Why Your Cat is the Best Valentine's Date, lists 7 reasons I can completely agree with, but let me add a few more.
This Yahoo article, 7 Reasons Why Your Cat is the Best Valentine's Date, lists 7 reasons I can completely agree with, but let me add a few more.
1. You don't have to dress up in your uncomfortable Spanx, shave your legs, or wrestle with false eyelashes for your cat.
2. You don't need to get an elaborate gift, just some catnip and they're happy.
3. You don't have to spend hours grocery shopping for your romantic meal - just chocolate for you and canned food for them. They're a very inexpensive date!
4. Hanging out at home is also their idea of a really good time.
5. They're totally not romantic, just like you - cats know just the right amount of cuddle time before it gets to be too much.
6. Cats won't get upset if you bring back the wrong kind of flowers.
7. There are no expectations at the end of the night.
8. They'll still sleep with you. And it's much easier to kick them out of bed.
9. They don't judge you for getting sloppy drunk and singing or crying or trying to dance.
10. They'll remember it all the next day, but never say a thing!
Bonus: Cats can't use cell phones to capture the night for posterity. Or blackmail.
And if that's not enough for you, then I've got just the thing...
You're welcome.
Would You Like A Little Tea With Your Cat Hair?
Running across some cute cat teacups on Pinterest reminded me of the rise of cat cafes. If you are not familiar with the concept, these are cafes that generally serve drinks and maybe light food but the interior is home to maybe a dozen friendly and furry cats. It's been done is several places the world over, but here is an example from San Francisco. It's a great idea for non-pet owners who are looking for a cuddle and many of these cafes seem to be doing well.
I love the idea, but of course I already live in one. I haven't had a cup of coffee without cat hair in it since 2005. Even then, technically it was only a 12-18 month break between pets. Such is the life. But if you can do with even more cat in your cup, here are some cute options floating out there.
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| Table for two. |
Moving With Cats
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| Felix is trying to escape by becoming one with the window. |
Moving is like Thanksgiving. It's a special event where you take time off school or work to adventure into places unknown to start a new chapter of your life. It's supposed to be filled with a new outlook on life and opportunities, but - like Thanksgiving - is generally just filled with anxiety, disappointment, stress, and a handful of your relatives screaming at each other.
So yeah, I just did that. Again. Cross-country.
If moving itself isn't bad enough, moving with cats is enough to make any cat parent consider roasting their pets for the main dish - or at least throwing them out a car window. If your cats are half as bad as mine with a five minute car ride to the vet, then imagine a 15 hour drive.
Luckily, I've done this quite a few times and am picking up new tricks everywhere I go. Unluckily, it never really gets easier. So to help anyone who is struggling with this issue or suspects they may in the future, I've created a page all about moving, relocating, or traveling with cats to share my experiences and hopefully pass on some new ideas. Click here to visit the page and God Speed!
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