A Cat is NOT a Small Commitment

I hear people constantly saying how they're just not a dog person because dogs are too much commitment. But that they could see themselves being a cat person because cats are so low-maintenance and don't need constant attention.

Well, that's a fallacy.

I adore my Samo, but she is a difficult pet more often than not. The reward of her companionship and friendship is worth getting through those difficult times - even where there seems to be no end in sight. And those rewards aren't just of my own imagining: the health benefits of cats, of any companion animal, have been scientifically documented and include lower blood pressure, a reducing of stress, a longer life span, and many others.
So why is Samo difficult? And how do I cope with those behavioral problems? Let's see:

1. Sometimes she refuses to eat unless I watch her. This usually happens after I have been out of the house for a really long time and she is suffering from a mild case of separation anxiety.  I usually fill her bowl and take a couple minutes to sit with her while she eats. Otherwise, she will follow me around the house meowing - "Come watch me eat. Come watch me eat." - at me whilst I attempt to do my house chores. It's easier to take two minutes to watch her eat then to trip over her for the next two hours.

2. She refuses to scratch her scratch pads but prefers my vintage chairs and other supposedly off limits fixtures.  Cats need to scratch and they need to do so from a up-stretched position - it's natural and it's instinctual. So to scold her would be pointless. And I will not resort to declawing because I happen to find it cruel. So I use the transference method or have even had to resort to simply covering up what she has been clawing in hopes that she forgets about it.  Generally this works. But if she's going to be stubborn, she's going to be stubborn.

Samo and me in the kitchen.

3. 6am is when her internal clock goes off and, therefore, when she attempts to awaken me. Why do some cats insist on trying to give their owners an early wake-up call?  DON'T GIVE IN. Don't get up and give your cat food or water or attention. If you are going to want to sleep past this time ever again: ignore them.  If you wake up and do give them whatever they are asking for, they will continue this behavior as it yielded positive results. But if you ignore your cat and make them go back to sleep or at least quiet down, they are more likely to be weaned of such behaviors.

4. She needs me home. If I am gone for a day or for a more than my usually 6 to 8 hours of work/school, I notice a change in her behavior: she'll claw at the carpet in the corners, she'll try to knock pictures off the wall, she meows at me for no particular reason.  But she does have a reason: she missed me, she was lonely, she was bored. And she needs to be played with and doted upon.

I suppose the bottom line is that ANY PET is a commitment. And it is not wise to get a cat if your reasoning is that they are less of commitment and do not need as much of your attention as some other indoor pet. It is not accurate and you will be made aware of that quite soon by your new kitten.

How to Leash Train a Cat

Step 1: First you need to choose your leash and halter combination.  Putting a leach on a regular collar is not a good idea because your cat can quite easily slip it's head through the opening.  If you get a halter, which can either be specifically fitted for a cat or you can opt to purchase a small dog halter, the cat has a much harder time figuring out it's escape route.

Step 2: Put the halter on your cat and just let him/her wander around the house getting used to the feel of the contraption.  Some cats will just lie down and other will run become restless.  I started Samo at a young age so that she would grow accustomed to it a bit faster but any age should work. It's just a matter of patience.

Step 3: Attach the leash. Do with the least what you did with the halter. Just let the cat get used to the feeling.
It may take several times before your cat treats the leash and halter combination with relative indifference.

Step 4: Begin to hold the leash (we're still inside the house at this point) and let the cat get used to that pressure. Guide your cat in certain directions.  Cats, by nature, are not inclined to do as they are told or to follow but if you patiently guide them they will listen.  Samo has a tendency to follow me around anyway so the leash was just a way to secure her whilst outside.  If I begin to tug on the leash she will simply lie down and purr - a bit of friendly defiance.

Step 5: Once your cat is happy with Step 4 - take your cat outside.  The new noises and smells will likely overwhelm your cat and I would not expect your cat to go very far at first.   But the experience is the important part. 

Step 6: Gently ease your cat into short walks around your yard, block, neighborhood.  Your cat will appreciate the exercise and the new stimulus.  After a few walks you will notice a healthier cat: both physically and mentally.

Have fun!!

My Cat is my Analyst

Anxiety comes in many different forms for many different people.  Mine comes to me in waves of high energy and a panic attack usually ensues. There are few things that calm my anxiety and that help my energy level out so that I can become a functioning, non-hyperventilating member of society again. After trying several medications, naturopathy, massage, and other techniques, I found that the presence of a therapy pet is my solution.

Now a therapy pet doesn't have any special training or registration process. It is simply an animal that you travel with that helps to alleviate your anxiety and to provide comfort.  These types of pets range from the expected such as cats and dogs to the rather unique such as parrots and reptiles.  My therapy pet comes in an adorable package of a black, 11 lbs, feline: Samo.  She is a bit too intelligent for her own good sometimes: she open cabinets, plays fetch, knows how to lie down on command, and doesn't leave my side for more than a few minutes. She has become my constant companion and I am fairly dependent upon her in anxiety causing situations. But how did she become my legitimate "therapy pet"
I went to my doctor who was well aware of my struggles with anxiety and talked to her about my relationship with Samo. And she suggested that Samo become my therapy pet. This process was not as difficult as one might assume. Unlike with a service animal, a therapy pet does not need to have any special training. My doctor simply wrote me a letter that details my anxiety and list Samo has my therapy pet.  The letter is signed by my doctor and expires one year form the date it was written. With this letter Samo is welcome anywhere with me: busses, airplanes (for free - there is no animal fee with a therapy pet on an airline), museums, apartments even with no pet policies...basically any public space which might have previously had qualms about average felines in their space.  I simply put Samo in her pet carrier,which also fits underneath an airline seat comfortably, and we are ready to go.  She also wears a halter and leash for when she needs to stretch her legs or chew on some grass. This American Airlines carrier is always a good choice because it is made of a fabric so that it can bend a bit under the seat and it is the appropriate airline size as well:
The only downside is going through security with Samo because they do ask that the pet is  removed from the pet carrier and held on the passenger's person through the security scanner.  But I am luck for Samo has also risen to the challenge and responsibility of being my therapy pet and she quietly purrs while I hold her and walk through the scanner. Some people opt to give their pets tranquilizers during the flight or you can choose not too...but, in my experience, most therapy pets are better behaved than people's children that occupy the flight.

So if your anxiety has been controlling parts of your life, I would suggest giving a therapy pet a try. It's an easy solution and easy process...there's nothing to lose.

Pets as Therapy

For me, I find that my pets provide me with a great deal of comfort.  I have a horse named Foxwood Belle. Since that title is a bit of a mouthful, I call her Foxie.  She is an off-the-track Thoroughbred and will turn 9 this next year. Aside from her rather persnickety mare personality, Foxie has become a great friend to me.  I don't get to see her throughout the year because I attend school in Maine and must leave her behind in the Pacific Northwest.  She waits patiently for me and receiving wondering training. My constant companion is Samo: an intelligent black feline with a personality piercing enough to match her emerald green eyes.  Samo is named after the tag name of Jean-Michel Basquiat. No it is not some version of "same-ole, same-ole" which is what most people think. Samo is named after my favorite artist and is my legally registered therapy pet.

In the posts on this blog, I will discuss therapy pets, horse issues and situations, and whatever other pet issues may arise.