Tag Archives: cat

The Sound of Approval

Quilt005-450x600I love petting Scooter, my gorgeous long-haired tuxedo cat.   His fur feels like cashmere.  But  the greatest joy is that he purrs, loudly.    He makes me believe–true or not–that I’m the most important being in his life.  Then he leaps off my lap and scratches the furniture and bites his sister’s eaars.  Nonetheless, when I’m petting him, I’m sure we’re communicating.

I wish all beings made a sound which allowed me to understand their thoughts.  Oh, yes, I know many do and often loudly and crudely, but that’s not what I mean.  For example:

I wish those I cook for made a sound like “yummy, yummy” every time they enjoyed that meal or treat.  Of course, the echoing silence coming from them when chewing a dish they didn’t like might be a downside.

Wouldn’t it be great if a teenager made a positive sound when he/she happy studentsrecognized I’d done something right or good or helpful instead of that withering shrug.   Perhaps it would sound something like a dove,  a high pitched “Cool, cool, cool.”   Or, if that’s too much to expect, “Okay, okay.”  Just not, “Whatever.”

Or, perhaps, my boss–as he piled more work on my desk–might make a sound like, “Good job” or “Well done.”   Could be I’d work even harder.

As I think of this, I realize I too should make more positive sounds when something good happens.  Yes, I should actually give my approval in real words.   “Great” or “Thank you” or “I admire you”.

What do you think?

 

 

What are the cutest cats in the world doing?

Confession, Pets, ,

There are some women in the world who keep their homes immaculate.  I am not one of them.   I know women who say that they would be mortified if, after they died, people would come into their homes and find a mess.   I’ve never said that.  In the first place, I’d be dead and wouldn’t care.  In the second place, I would hope my friends wouldn’t either. 

But the cat tree was driving me crazy.  With two tuxedo cats–black and white–their fur shows up every place.  White on dark fabrics and dark on light fabrics.  The cat tree used to be light beige.  When I looked at it this morning, it was beige and black tweed.   I do have a limit with how much non-immaculateness I can put up with.   The cat tree hit it.

For that reason,  I pulled it from its corner, got a stiff brush out, and started de-furring–the cat tree not the cats.  That will come later.   Of course, as soon as the position of their favorite piece of furniture (after me) moved, both Maggie and Scooter had to come out and investigate.   They investigate by climbing up the cat tree and curling up on their levels.  As you may guess, this makes it much more difficult to clean.  I gave up. 

The picture at the top explains why. 

When I was born, my mother gave the dog away

Pets, , , ,

When I was born, my mother gave the dog away.

It was a Scottie but I  know nothing more about this dog.  I was very young at the time.   I have wondered, once I was old enough to understand, how my older brother and sister might have reacted to trading in a pet for a little sister.  I never asked.

After that, our family had few pets and none with fur.  My sister had a turtle named Tillie Mae Turtle and a parakeet named Budgie.   Neither were very cuddly and both died young.

It wasn’t until both my brother and sister had headed off to college that I got a cat.  It seems there existed a correlation between number of people in the house and having a pet.    With that cat, Hercules, I realized an important concept:  kids need pets.

In spite of fond memories to the contrary, childhood isn’t all running in the sunshine and going on family picnics.  There are some rough moments, some difficult adjustments which a child can’t or doesn’t want to share with parents or siblings or even friends.   But a pet, you can tell everything to a pet.  When a classmate says something hateful, a kid can cry into the fur.  When a kid is constantly chosen last for every team, a dog will lick the tears away.   When a child is sad, a pet listens and loves.

Oh, I know a pet means more work for parents, but I believe strongly that cat I got in middle school helped me get through high school.  I still remember his lying on my chest and purring when I needed a friend.    And I know allergies and living situations may make that impossible, but, if at all possible,  I believe children need pets to love and to love them.

What do you think?