Usually a cat mother will teach her kittens how to use a litter box or tray. I know my mother taught me when I was very young. Not that I remember it. I didn’t always use a litter box until after I went to live with my girl. She actually showed me the box of litter and even picked me up and set me down in it. I knew what it was for and used it when I needed to.
Spot was a different story. My girl brought him home and he was much too young. My girl had to bottle feed him. I taught him how to be a cat. He picked up strange habits from her. I was the one who taught him how to use the litter box. My girl was no help with that.
The little guy looked up to me from the start. He was glad to be around an adult cat. I couldn’t stand him at first, but I can be a great example of a well behaved cat. So, I did my best and he learned how to use the litter box instead of going on the floor. It didn’t seem to matter that he had to climb into the box when he was so small. He just did it and buried his waste as he was supposed to. I couldn’t complain about that. Neither could my girl.
I came across Nuri who is currently living with my girl. She readily agreed to an interview.
Sir Socks (SS): How long have you lived with my girl?
Nuri: For a few years. We’ve bounced around quite a few times. I hope we don’t have to travel again, but she seems to think we will.
SS: I lived in a few different places with her. I don’t know what the problem is. Whatever it is, it’s bad. I think she has asked for help and can’t get what she needs.
Nuri: I know she has anxiety that gets too high at times. I do what I can to comfort her. She says I help her out. I don’t know what the real problem is either. I do believe she’s the best human for me, but other humans don’t like her for reasons I can’t understand.
SS: Hmm. I suppose the dislike of other humans is a factor. I agree with you that she’s a great human to be with even though she’s too silly for me.
Nuri: She’s not too silly for me. I have to deal with other cats and they don’t always want to play with me. But she will. She even offers or plays with me when I approach her.
SS: That’s good. I know she used to play with Spot too. He truly believes she’s his mama and a cat.
Nuri: (laughs) She told me she bottle fed a kitten. That must have been who she meant. She did tell me she’s lived with other cats. I never cared about the other cats. I see no reason to be jealous of those who came before me. Or even of those she meets now and pets them. I’m just glad she knows what I need.
SS: I trained her well.
Nuri: I’m so glad you did. Most of the time I’m afraid to complain when things aren’t quite right for me. Yet, she has told me sometimes I do need to complain. I did once and she never got mad at me. She understood what I was complaining about.
SS: She was always good about understanding and taking care of the problem. (pause) Is it true your story is a rags to riches?
Nuri: Yes. I was born and raised on the street. I know how dangerous cars and raccoons can be. I also had to fight other cats just to survive. I was scared when humans grabbed me and put me in a shelter. Then I met Ali. My world hasn’t been the same since. It took me time to get used to her and her ways, but I’m glad we met.
SS: She turned my world upside down in a good way. I’m glad she’s a part of my life too.
Nuri: I’m glad she came when she did. I feel much safer inside or even on an enclosed patio. I feel very safe when she’s around. I know she will protect me.
I can’t say I’ve gotten along well with female cats as I did with Nuri during this interview. I know Nuri hasn’t always like male cats either. I’m sure it was because she grew up on the street. She seems to tolerate them better now that she can’t get pregnant.
Well, it took some time to train my girl. I know I was the first cat she had ever lived with and she didn’t know much about how to take care of cats in general. At first I had to reminder her to clean out my litter box, fill up my food bowl, and to pet me. My goodness. But at least she listened to me. She did give me what I needed when I asked for it.
But she didn’t always understand what I said to her. I tried by repeating the same word for her until she got it. I don’t know why she has that problem. She’s not stupid or slow. She usually is quite smart and understood when something was wrong. She would then do her best to solve the problem.
She once told me to call her “Ali.” I am quite good with language. I am quite a vocal cat. I talk more than the average cat. This talking thing does work. You just might have to do a lot of it before the humans get your meaning. Well, I listened carefully to her. She knew I could understand what she said to me. She is one of the few who will sit down and actually talk to me as the person I am.
I’m glad she understands I’m a person and not an object. So, when she told me her name, I listened carefully. I memorized the sounds. As a cat, I don’t have the same vocal organs as humans have, so I can’t speak any human language as well as humans can. But I was able to learn her name. Yes, I could call her “Al-lee.” She understood me and got excited when she heard me say her name to her. She was talking on the phone to someone at the time and it stopped her talking to whoever it was.
She was quite impressed by it. It was hard for me to say “Ali” all the time I needed something. So, eventually I just called her “Al.” It was much easier for me. She still understood me without any trouble. She is the one person who defended me to others who claimed I was too stupid to know how to talk. She asserted because she knew me well enough that indeed I knew her name and understood her as well as understanding how I had to talk to her so she could understand me as well.
The language barrier we started out with was the hardest part of my training of her. Once we got past that, we were fine. We were able to live with each other and communicate effectively. Never mind how much we fought at times. At others, we were very happy with each other.
However, even after getting past the language barrier, I couldn’t tell her how to do everything. She had learn on her own. I watched her carefully, and she did quite well. That’s how I know she’s smart. She can figure lots of things out. She was able to give me what I needed. I never had anyone like this in my life before. Others just wouldn’t understand or even try to make things better for me. They would just leave. They would complain that I was just too whiny.
I’m glad she learned how to take care of me and kept listening to me. I did have valid complaints that she took care of. She got be to so good at taking care of me that I became quiet. For once in my life, someone understood what it was like to be me. I wasn’t complaining just to complain, or because I was whiny, but because I had valid complaints.
My girl also has an excellent memory. Once she learned what I needed, she was able to remember when to take care of what she needed to take care of for me. I no longer had to remind her of what she needed to do. She just remembered and I could be quiet knowing she would take care of everything.
Her mother couldn’t believe how quiet I had become. But my girl knew the reason. She knew she had learned how to take such good care of me. That’s all that mattered in the end. It was the main reason I was able to become an indoor cat without any complaints. I knew she’d take care of me. I no longer had to fight other cats. I was happy living with her.
Besides, I was getting older and I was having trouble with my teeth and claws. Not a good thing as a cat who wants to live outside. Not when you have to fight off other cats or even defend yourself from dogs. I didn’t have to deal with those things anymore. I no longer had to hunt. I have regular meals and plenty of love and attention whenever I ask for them.
So, I stopped going outside and became solely an indoor cat. I have never regretted my decision even though I have lost some amount of freedom I once had. Now I could stay at home in a safe place all day. I had someone who understood my needs and just took care of them without any complaints.
I was very blessed. I just had to teach her what she needed to know. She was willing and able to learn. That’s all mattered. She had earned my trust so completely, that I never want to be separated from her ever again.
Sir Socks Le Chat 