Cat Views

Tigger

There once was a cat named “Tigger”
Who imagined himself very much bigger
A bully he became
Loving the new game
Until he met feisty little miss
He could not scare with his hiss
She turned on him with a growl
That, really made him run and yowl
What an awful scare she gave him
He ran and his in his cat condominium

There once was a cat named Chet
He really was such a special pet
To his owners he was quite a love
They even created a walkway high above
Up where he was free to roam
Feeling safe and comfy in his home
A beautiful cat tree for him was even provided
Giving him a wonderful place to hide in

I was sitting in my chair reading a book and my big white cat usually joins me on my lap, and she didn’t at least not right away. Suddenly, she came rushing in the pet door, into the room, and immediately started circling around the chair. She raced around and around the chair and paused several times and then continued to circle. Finally, she gave up, jumped in my lap, and settled down for a snooze. That I thought was the end of it, and wondered what had gotten her so stirred up. The next day, I found out what it was! I was in the kitchen running cleaner through my coffee maker and had placed a sandwich bag on the counter in preparation for use. Paying attention to the coffee maker I heard a rustling sound alongside me. Knowing that the sandwich bag was flat and wasn’t rustling, I ignored it the first time. The second time I heard it I turned just in time to see a small tail vanishing into a partially opened stack of saltine crackers on the counter. Oh no, I said to myself NOT another lizard! Grabbing the package by the top and pinching it closed, I saw the culprit. A little tiny MOUSE! So, mouse and crackers were removed from the premises to the outdoors. I realized she had brought it in to play with and that was what she was chasing around my chair. Enough of this, I decided it was time to go to My Cat’s Heaven and order her a cat gym to keep her busy and no more hunting for live toys!

Minou and Lori are housemates. Lori is a beautiful blue-eye Birman cat and Minou is a gorgeous red and white adoptee. He was homeless in the neighborhood and about a year old when he was adopted. He became leash trained so he could enjoy being outdoors from time to time. Lori, meanwhile had been the pampered pet and did not have to survive being on her own. This year Lori had a very special birthday on May 14th. She turned 14 years old! Her really special birthday gift (to be shared with Minou, of course), was a Salamanca Multi Level Cat Tree. It is being enjoyed by both cats, and she really doesn’t mind sharing with Minou.

“Cateristics “of the Turkish Van . We all know that the majority of cats do not like to be wet! These gorgeous Turkish Van cats love water. They are beautiful white cats with red spots on their heads a red tails. They also breed true to their color. Turkish Vans or just “Vans” as they are called have unique personalities.  They are very intelligent and playful cats. Some Vans love to fetch and retrieve and will play with anything they find around and socks are a favored item. Opening cabinets and doors are no problem for them, and if they can’t do it easily the will work out a solution. Dog-like, they will follow their favorite person around. These cats are very adaptable and get along well with other kinds of animals such as dogs, birds and reptiles. Once they meet the other household pets and become a family member they readily establish themselves as the Alpha pet! They do not like being held, but will lie in your lap. Petting and stroking is always acceptable but prefer to have all 4 feet on the ground. Their most distinctive characteristic is the love of water! They love to swim and will swim in streams, ponds, pools, and lakes and even water troughs. Some people will even provide a kiddy pool for them to swim in. After exercising they love to curl up in a cozy cat bed.

Have you ever noticed how cross-eyed some cats are? Siamese are notably cross-eyed, but it is so slight in some that we take no notice of it. When we acquired our delightful little four month old Blue Point Siamese kitten we often remarked about how “klutzy” he was. His wacky antics were very entertaining and always good for a chuckle at the surprised look on his face when he would go to jump from one place to another and fall short. One of his favorite things to do was jump up on the table and join me for an early morning “cuppa”. We did this for some time with no mishaps until, one morning he missed his target destination! He landed right next to my coffee cup (freshly poured and piping hot) and accidently dipped his tail in the cup. Startled, he almost literally flew across the room thus ending our morning coffee breaks! After this incident we really looked more closely at what we had thought were his “klutzy” antics and discovered that he was slightly cross-eyed. We decided we needed to provide a safer place for him to play and purchased a cat gym on which he enjoyed many hours of delightful and safe play.

This is a domestic cat breed appearing in 1994.These are fairly large muscular cats with the males weighing up to 20 pounds and the females between 10 and 15 pounds, and do not mature until they are about 4 years old. Their bodies are rectangular in shape with broad chests and shoulders and their hindquarters are as broad as their chests. Raga Muffins have thick plush coats that do not mat easily making them easy to maintain. The majority of these cats are blue-eyed color points. Raga  Muffins are an expensive breed so most owners keep them indoors due to their loving affectionate natures. Cuddles and tummy rubs are favorites and they love to play, remaining playful in to adulthood. With their great personalities they get along well with children and other pets. Cat gyms and cat perches are great means of exercising these cats. Raga Muffins are not the same breed as the Rag Dolls.

These lovely cats are the Japanese Bobtails. The many white cats you see in Oriental Restaurants with the raised paw relates to Japanese folklore that goes back as far as the 17th Century. Maneki-Neko as she originally named, was a small bobtail cat (according to the lore) that beckoned to strangers giving them good fortune. Here in the U.S. these cats are only seen in the fancy cat shows while they are seen everywhere in Japan, China and Korea. The first Japanese Bobtails were brought to the U.S. in 1908, and were not accepted for Championship Status until 1976. The unique feature of these cats is true to their name. They have a shortened rigid tail structure. They are a small to medium sized cat with a long lean body structure, large ears and the eyes are large ovals with an oriental slant. The coat is soft and silky with little or no undercoat and are water-resistant allowing them to swim (which they enjoy doing). These are very affectionate cats, but strong willed and not easily intimidated. They need to be kept active and given lots of attention. Good with children and dogs, easily trained but only if they are having fun doing it. A cat gym would be wonderful for these delightful cats to play on.

The American Curl is an interesting and adorable breed. Distinguished by their unique ears, which give them an almost “teddy bear” look. When they are born, their ears are straight and gradually curl backwards at the tips as they age, with long tufts of fur fanning outward. The major characteristics of theses cats are their curled ears, medium sized bodies, silky coats and walnut shaped eyes. There are long or short haired varieties as well as different colors and patterns. These cats have no physical disabilities to pass on as well, making them ideal pets. However, selective breeding of these cats did not begin until 1983. American Curls are very people oriented and have unique personalities. They retain their kitten-like personalities into adulthood, adjusting quickly to other pets, children and new situations. They talk in little trill-like cooing sounds. A cat gym is perfect for these darling c ats.

We all know how some cats love to “help” their owners with their daily chores while others could care less. My cat is one of the “helpers”. When I make the bed, she runs in, jumps up on the bed and pushes the spread under the pillows. (I couldn’t do it without her)! If I’m cooking she’s in the kitchen doing what she can to help. You know, batting at soapsuds is a big chore! When the Christmas tree went up, she really excelled! Playing with the branches and bits of flocking on the floor and then laying under the tree to keep it safe! The hanging crystal drops fascinate her. Due to her activities I know just what “Santa” will bring her..a  Pawprint Tunnel and Condo Play Center  from My Cat’s Heaven.