a magazine of cat tales | ISSN: 2769-058X
Many humans wrongly think we don’t express our moods at all. Perhaps they think we are unfeeling and just have the same expression all the time. For those humans who live with us for a long time and get to know us well, they learn our moods are more subtly expressed. Our eyes can indicate boredom, playfulness, aggression, or even trust. Just look closely and you will see our pupils dilate and focus differently. Or we can do the slow blink, which means we are relaxed and we trust you.
Cats have an inner or third eyelid humans don’t have. Our inner eyelid isn’t always visible, but it tends to keep our eyes protected and moist. It can wipe away debris. It helps when we need to stalk prey through grass so our eyes don’t get harmed. Vets once thought this third eyelid had no purpose and wanted it out of the way so they could exam our eyes.
Good thing there are humans smart enough to know our inner eyelid has a purpose and they need to let us have it.
There’s a common myth that giving cats to milk is a good thing. When we are kittens, we need lots of milk from our mothers so we can grow up. It’s quite common to get it from our mothers, but sometimes that’s not a possibility and so we can get milk from other animals until we are old enough to wean off of it.
Another problem with milk is that what humans tend to drink is homogenized and pasteurized which make it harmful for us to consume. My girl never gave me milk to drink, but she did give some to Spot because he was so young. Then she had to wean him off because he could no longer digest it. At that point, he no longer needed it and could eat the same food as I was eating.
So, we cats may love the taste of milk, but it’s not good for us. Don’t give us any and stick to our regular diet so we can stay healthy.
Like humans, cats can get gum disease and cavities. It’s not pretty. Although, I think as a cat, it can be hard to get proper dental care. I didn’t like my girl trying to brush my teeth. I know I wouldn’t have like to get a dental cleaning and exam because I never liked going to the vet. However, we cats need some kind of dental care or we can get cavities and lose our teeth. Also all the bad bacteria that accumulates inside our mouths causing bad breath can lead to other diseases.
Perhaps we just need a little wet food to get us to brush our own teeth with our tongues. Or try to brush our teeth. Or even feed us special treats which can help reduce plaque and tarter build up.
I find it amusing that you humans call us cats your pets. Ever wonder if we think of you as our pets? I hear some humans think of other humans as their pets. Perhaps it’s just an affection thought that makes us think of each other as pets.
I know I didn’t mind that my girl called me her cat and her pet. She knew she never owned me. She didn’t try that. I can tell you, she was a great pet to me. She petted me often and let me know how much she loved me. So, of course I rubbed up against her and let her know I could pet her too.
It’s just an herb. It’s a plant. I hear it can calm humans down. The effect on us cats is completely different. It doesn’t seem to affect kittens. Perhaps it’s their different biology. Perhaps we have to be fully grown before it affects us in interesting ways.
On catnip, we cats can go crazy and run around hyper. We can wrestle other cats and never get hurt. Or we can roll over and feel absolutely wonderful until someone makes a sudden move too close to us. Then we bolt and hide.
My girl says catnip is similar to how marijuana affects humans. Good thing catnip is perfectly legal for us cats.
We all need love. Not just humans. Cats need it too. It’s better when it’s unconditional. Even when we drive each other crazy and get on each other’s nerves. Unconditional love is the best thing around. My girl tells me she learned it from me and is glad she did. Perhaps I demanded it. I know I gave it as much as I could.
I never expected a whirlwind to be full of love. Silliness never surprised me. It tended to annoy me, but I know she loved me the whole time. Even when I did things she didn’t like. I know she hated it when I peed on the floor instead of in the litter box. But she never hated me for it. She just scolded and never hard.
I hope all cats can experience such love. We all need to know we have homes full of love without the fear of being kicked out. We all need a place to be safe and accepted just as we are.
Home is a place that is special to all of us including cats. I like home better when I have shelter with it too. I don’t like to get wet. I also want to feel safe and loved when at home. That’s what home should be and I’m glad I had that with my girl. Home with her was full of love. There was silliness and playfulness, but at least she never took it too far.
Home can change physical locations, but the feelings don’t always change. At least when our home changed physical locations, it was still safe and full of love because of her. I know she had a lot to do with it. Although she likes to think it was me just as much as her.
Home can be a place where family forms and stick together through thick and thin. It’s safe. It’s comforting. And most of all, it’s full of unconditional love.
After I grew up, play wasn’t something I liked to do that much. However, I have learned play can be a good way to learn things. My girl understands this and has told me it’s okay to play as an adult. Sometimes I’d take her advice. I think she’s correct in thinking play is a good thing for cats and it’s a good form exercise.
I remember as a kitten my brothers and I would play and learn how to respect each other better because of that play. I think that’s probably why our mother encouraged us to play. So, not all learning has to be painful. It can be fun and learned in different ways.
Just don’t expect me to play very much now. It’s just not my way. I’m not silly enough to play all the time.
If hissing and growling are ignored, then screaming happens which then leads into a fight. Cat fights aren’t a good thing. I’ve been in too many and I know from experience they can be bad and hard to recover from. I lost part of my ear from a bad fight. Perhaps my girl is right and thinks fighting should be avoided as much as possible.
However, we cats do have a right to defend ourselves from bad humans. Treat us with respect and we won’t fight you. Don’t put us in cages and demand we submit to your tyranny or else we will fight you. We have natural built in weapons that you don’t have.
We cats are people and don’t ever forget it.
Sir Socks Le Chat 