| Cats: the mere word conjures up images of mystery | | | | and happy home with proper care and plenty of love |
| and beauty, of ancient Egyptian goddesses, of | | | | and affection. They're not here to serve me in some |
| Halloween night and witches on broomsticks. What | | | | way. Also, as an animal lover, I don't want to see |
| other animals are so associated with occult imagery, | | | | mice killed, and so my cats don't have access to |
| while also being commonplace companions in our daily | | | | smaller creatures. |
| lives ? Wolves may share a spine-tingling association | | | | Cats fill a special place in our hearts and in our homes |
| with ancient legends, from the werewolf to the big | | | | and I can't even imagine my life without them. They |
| bad wolf of fairy tale fame. Dogs may share our lives | | | | give me so much pleasure every day. They are |
| and can be found in most suburban backyards. Yet | | | | individuals and quite varied in their personality traits. |
| only cats move silently and comfortably between the | | | | Our two cats, although they are sisters, are different |
| two worlds of the mystic and the mundane. Why do | | | | from each other in everything except their black and |
| cats fascinate us and why do we love cats so ? | | | | white coloring. Becky is large, while Polly is small. |
| Cats are beautiful. Cat lovers and non-cat lovers alike | | | | Becky is well-mannered and demure, perfectly fitting |
| must admit to the beauty of their large, soulful eyes | | | | the image of the elegant queen-like cat. Polly is |
| and lovely faces, their elegant silhouettes, their dainty | | | | playful and comical and relentless when she wants |
| noses and paws, and their metronomic tails. Cats | | | | something from us. Becky obediently jumps onto the |
| may have shimmering green eyes, cool blue eyes or | | | | table when she knows it's time for her daily brushing. |
| surprising yellow eyes. Their fur may be long or short, | | | | Polly makes a game of it, running away like a scamp |
| smooth or bushy, uniformly colored or patterned like | | | | and dodging us until she is ready to be caught. Becky |
| tigers or calicos, and come in many shades of | | | | is always receptive to a good patting or belly rub and |
| orange, yellow, brown, grey, black, and white, or | | | | frequently solicits our affection. Polly is more of a |
| some combination of the above. | | | | loner who consciously selects the times when she |
| Cats are fascinating to watch. We're amused by the | | | | wants to cuddle up and be patted. They are so |
| comical antics of lively kittens playing, leaping, | | | | different from each other, yet both are so lovable |
| bounding, and rolling about the floor, sometimes | | | | and necessary to our lives. |
| reacting to things that we mere humans can't even | | | | Cats give us so much and, in return, we must always |
| perceive. We're entranced by the graceful | | | | give them our best, from the best of care to an |
| movements of adult cats, their ability to move | | | | abundance of love and affection. If you welcome |
| silently and stealthily, the ease with which they can | | | | cats into your world be sure to give them everything |
| leap and climb and walk along sloped surfaces or | | | | they need to lead happy and contented lives. Critical |
| narrow ledges that only a trained human acrobat | | | | elements include healthy balanced diets, constant |
| would attempt. | | | | access to clean fresh water and litter pans, and daily |
| Some people admire cats for their mysterious ways | | | | brushings to keep fur glossy and healthy. Regular |
| and associations with the night and with past ages | | | | veterinary visits for shots and prompt veterinary |
| when magic seemed more possible. Some respect | | | | attention in case of illness are both a must, as is a |
| them for their reputation of being aloof loners. Dog | | | | safe environment. |
| people claim that cats, being too independent, view | | | | Indoor cats need enough space to feel comfortable, |
| humans with disdain. Cat lovers say that being loved | | | | including furniture of varying heights, because vertical |
| by your cat means much more than being loved by | | | | space is important for cats just as floor space is. |
| your dog because, while a dog is a social animal who | | | | Cats also require cozy corners where they can get |
| needs a master or pack leader to slavishly follow, the | | | | away from people. Before adding cats to your |
| cat is by nature solitary. If a cat craves your | | | | household, walk around and examine your home as if |
| companionship it is because she has chosen you and | | | | you were trying to make it childsafe and watch out |
| because you have earned her love, trust, respect | | | | for drawers and cabinets that can be opened too |
| and affection. | | | | easily. Because cats can climb, you must take more |
| In my own experience, cats are wonderfully loving | | | | precautions than with children or dogs to prevent |
| and affectionate friends. True, they may not be | | | | access to household cleaning products, potentially |
| waiting by the door, wagging their tails, when you | | | | poisonous houseplants, and electrical wires. |
| come home. On the other hand, one of my cats | | | | Remove heavy objects that could fall and injure cats |
| does wait by the door when we come home and our | | | | and don't carry heavy objects or pass hot cups of |
| other cat is constantly seeking eye contact with us. | | | | coffee (lest they slip out of your hands) directly over |
| As soon as we look at her, she meows to solicit our | | | | your sleeping cats. Be aware that (despite the cliche |
| attention. They both show affection and they love | | | | of kittens playing with balls of yarn) long strand-like |
| to receive it and few activities are more relaxing than | | | | objects such as yarn and tinsel are very dangerous. |
| sitting on a sofa stroking a cat for hours on end. | | | | Playful cats may get tangled in them and choke and, |
| Cats are so soft and warm to the touch, and they | | | | if swallowed, they can obstruct the intestines. |
| love to curl up on your lap to be patted and given | | | | Outdoor cats also need protection from cars, busy |
| chin and belly rubs. | | | | roads, dogs, extremes of heat and cold, and other |
| In addition to the emotional reasons that so many | | | | dangers. Be aware that on cold winter mornings cats |
| people love cats, there are also many practical | | | | may climb up under the hoods of parked cars, |
| reasons that cats share so many of our lives and | | | | seeking warmth. Look under the hood before you |
| homes. They are a very practical choice of house | | | | start your engine. |
| pet, especially for city dwellers. They are small and | | | | As you check out your environment, making it |
| thus easily adapt to life in a small urban apartment. | | | | cat-safe, remember that cats are clever and can |
| They don't need to be taken outdoors for daily | | | | sometimes learn to open doors. They also love to |
| walks, making them easier to care for than dogs, | | | | sleep in warm cozy spaces, so be careful not to |
| especially for people who are at work all day or who | | | | inadvertently shut them into drawers or closets. Be |
| lack a big yard or who hate to walk in the rain. Cats | | | | sure that they haven't climbed into open washing |
| are also very clean and quiet and they don't track | | | | machines or other appliances before you turn them |
| mud onto your carpets, chase cars or bark at | | | | on. Children need to learn the importance of handling |
| passers-by, which could attract the wrath of your | | | | cats gently and you need to be almost as agile as |
| neighbors. | | | | your cats in order to not step on any little cats' feet |
| Cats are smart and kittens are easily trained to use | | | | or tails. As cats love to shoot out of nowhere at the |
| litter boxes, making them far neater and far easier to | | | | last second and get under foot, I tend to glide |
| assimilate into a household than are puppies. Because | | | | around my apartment rather than lift my feet and |
| of their small size, cats don't eat the quantities of | | | | risk stepping on someone. |
| food required by large dogs, making cats more | | | | A few extra precautions, that will soon become |
| practical than dogs for families with smaller budgets. | | | | second nature to you, can go a long way towards |
| It's also feasible to share a home with several cats at | | | | keeping your cats healthy and safe for many years |
| one time. | | | | to come. Good care, plus lots of love and plenty of |
| Cats were first welcomed into human homes for | | | | play and affection will enrich your cats' lives. In return, |
| their ability to kill mice, for their usefulness to | | | | your cats will enrich your life in so many ways that |
| humans, but for me this is a negative point. First of | | | | are impossible to count. It's not hard to see why the |
| all, I see companion animals as independent beings of | | | | ancients revered cats, but it's more important to love |
| another species who share our homes. It's an honor | | | | them and to share our lives and homes with them. |
| to be accepted and trusted by fellow creatures, and | | | | Cat lovers of the world can unite in saying that |
| my goal is to deserve that trust, to give them a safe | | | | they're cat people and proud of it ! |