Cat Views

Some cats are very athletic and love to show off their ability. It is amazing how supple they are and what they are capable of! Our small kitten decided he was a “high flyer” at the age of 3 months. We lived in a second story apartment with casement type windows (they crank outward to open). Accidently we left one of the windows a little more ajar than usual. Our kitten was always in the window wanting to go out. Well, he seized the opportunity to squeeze out the small opening with as much force as he could muster and shot out of the window and dropped to the ground. In a panic we rushed down the stairs and out the door expecting to find our precious little kitten severely injured. To the contrary, our kitten was full of energy and delighted with himself for finding such a quick way to get outside. We watched our windows very carefully after that! As he grew older, he loved to jump and practiced jumping from the top of his cat tree while in the house. In the evenings when the boys were out tossing the football around he would jump up trying to catch it. His trip out of the window must have spurred him on to become a high jump athlete.

The Chartreux cats were named for the Carthusian Monks of France. According to legend, these cats lived with the monks. Their woolly textured fur is reminiscent of well known Spanish wool of the Eighteenth Century and also contributed to the naming of these cats. Chartreux cats have a robust body, broad shoulders, deep chest and medium short finely boned legs. Their blue fur is medium length and “woolly” with a very dense undercoat. Round heads and round eyes are other characteristics but their distinguishing feature is their “smile”. These cats become very attached to their human family and will develop a dog-like behavior. They will follow like a dog, and even fetch a ball. Being a quiet breed, they will chirp rather than meow. These are very intelligent cats and find television fascinating. As kittens, they are very precocious but may not physically mature for 3 years. Playing in their Triple Level Cat Tree keeps them entertained for long periods of time

Turkish Angoras are a rare breed of beautiful cats. It is believed they originated in the mountainous regions of Turkey. Their written history can be traced back as far as 16th century France. These cats have a soft, silky, medium-long coat that rarely mats. They are elegant, fine boned cats with loving, playful natures and easily adapt. They accept dogs and other pets but assert themselves to become the “Alpha” pet of the household. These cats are excellent companions for children, and seniors. Cat trees and cat perches are good choices for these gorgeous cats to entertain you as well as themselves. Turkish Angoras are usually called “Turks” and are all white however; today at a cat show you might see them in black, cream, blue and red. Turks are considered a National Treasure in their native land. Current “Turk” owners consider them a “treasure” as well.

There once was a cat named Ogee
Who loved to play in his Pet House Cat Tree
Up he would climb to the top
Where he really would have to stop
At the top he would stay and play
Before he decided to make his way
Layer by layer down he would go
Till he reached each limb below

Cats are amazing creatures and awesome to watch! Their lithe movements and supine positions are reminiscent of a well-oiled precision machine. Innate hunting skills allow them to survive even in the strangest situations. Independent and quirky personalities of cats are the delight of many pet owners. Several well used sayings about cats come to mind while watching our pets. “She walks on silent cat feet”, and “Dogs have masters, but cats have staff”. It is always surprising when a cat suddenly appears as if from nowhere. It can cause you to wonder!
Most cats love their toys and have playful natures. It is interesting to see what they find to play with that can keep them busy for some time. As much as they love their toys, they love a warm place to snuggle and snooze. Heated cat beds and cat condos are an ideal place for them to nap. They also like cat trees for exercise (especially indoor cats), and are great fun to watch while playing in one. Yes, we pamper our pets, and why not? They are a wonderful source of comfort and companionship. Watching their antics can amuse us for hours.

Many cat owners become very frustrated with their cats when they turn the attention of their claws to the furniture or the curtains. But one of the best ways to prevent this behavior is to understand why a cat scratches in the first place. To that end, owners should realize that scratching is a natural instinct for cats, as is nesting. That’s why a traditional scratching post might not always deter cats completely from their furniture scratching ways.

In order to completely eliminate this behavior in undesirable places, cat owners need the ultimate cat scratcher. This allows cats to nest and snuggle down while scratching. These often offer multiple sides scratching, not just one. So no matter what position you cat takes, his paws will always be in the direct vicinity of some area of the scratching post. By tailoring to this cat behavior, many owners can successfully save their furniture without resorting to extreme measures.

My grandson has a very acrobatic cat. She loves her Cat Tree House and spends a great deal of time performing regularly in it. One of her favorite tricks is to swing down from layer to layer and hanging over the edge. One day she went too far and found herself caught between the cat tree and the wall. Finally she extricated herself and decided playing on the floor next to it with her tail was safer but she soon got bored with that and was back in her cat tree. Once again she was entertaining us with her antics by swinging from layer to layer like a monkey. She really loves her cat tree!

The Main Coon Cat is America’s only native longhaired cat. It is suggested their origins began with longhaired cats brought in from the Scandinavian and Baltic areas. The old sailing vessels used cats to control the mice population. These cats bred with the heavier-bodied powerful short haired cats common to the seaboard states, creating a Native American and natural breed adapted to the New England climate.
The Main Coons have a long body and deep chest. They have the incredible mass and strength required to catch their prey in the heavy brush of New England. Being night hunters they have extremely long whiskers and a massive tail. Their tail has a thick, muscular base giving them total balance and agility when chasing at high speed or  climbing a cat tree.The Main Coon cats are the most perfect predators of our domestic cats, and they have no wild-species bloodlines associated with them. In spite of their prowess at hunting they are loving and intelligent house pets with a sweet disposition.

Our lovely white cat, Misty, was an enigma. We could never figure out her personality. She only liked one family member, adored small children and climbing her Baobab Modern Cat Tree, but hated our next door neighbor. She could turn from friendly to nasty in an instant, yet she was always in our midst. If we turned the water on to shower or bathe, she was right there. Up on top of the shower doors she would perch until the right moment to jump in! If the bath water was left unattended, she would be in it first. Misty would ask to be let out, but when we opened the door for her, she would swat at us! A beautiful, picture perfect cat with a Jekyll and Hyde personality.

There is a specific group of people who are determined to complete as many projects as they can on their own. Whether it’s because they are proud of their handiwork skills or because they just can’t stand to pay money for something they can do on their own, one of the products that do-it-yourselfers love to tackle is the cat tree. This is an ideal project for a bored retired carpenter, because the materials are readily available and the construction is fairly straightforward.

The only thing to keep in mind is that these cat trees are designed for the comfort and safety of your animal. Make absolutely sure your construction work is sturdy enough that your cat’s constant jumping, leaping, and lunging won’t cause the entire thing to collapse. Also make sure your project is clean enough that no stray nails or other dangerous items are sticking up. Also, as is the case with many projects you complete yourself, be prepared to display something that doesn’t look as neat, tidy, or professional as a store bought item!