Shall I tell you about Mr. Cat? That's not what my daughter calls him, and he is her cat after all. But the name Mr. Cat seems to give him the stature he deserves.
Mr. Cat is not docile. He definitely has his moods, and there's no way to tell when they strike. Here's what happened one day when he wasn't in the mood to be pet.
The scene that preceded this scratch was quite ordinary. I hadn't taken his food away. I hadn't shooed him, or hollered at him. He just wasn't in the mood.
Mr. Cat is actually more benign today than he was in his youth. Today he will strike out and let you know if he doesn't want to be bothered. Years ago he would strike out simply to let you know he was in charge. In those days I would babysit for my daughter's dogs and cats when she went out of town. If I had to pass Mr. Cat I would give him wide berth. Without warning he would lash out and scratch, for no discernible reason. He certainly had the dogs on defense.
He has developed a habit in the last couple of years that disrupts my comfort zone. He jumps on the back of my chair (or my husband's chair), and lurks there--inches from my neck. (Notice PeakD in the background on my computer.)
When Mr. Cat perches there I'm never sure of his intentions, but I think it's mostly to give him better vantage of the table which might have food on it. I certainly take care to sit closer to his back paws than his front paws. Just in case...
Don't get me wrong. Mr. Cat is wonderful. Every night I do exercises before going to bed. I place the yoga mat on the floor and a bathrobe over it. Mr. Cat knows what's coming. Often he'll beat me to the punch. He knows what time it is and he's in the bedroom waiting for me. Sometimes he'll jump on the yoga mat. Sometimes he'll sit next to me while I exercise. I've discouraged him from sitting next to me because of his impulsive streak, so instead he'll jump up on the bed and watch.
Here he is grooming himself on the bed. Mr. Cat is very clean.
Usually if my husband and I have gone out, he'll be waiting at the door and greet us as we come home. He'll lead us to the stairs and precede us as we go up. My husband uses a stair lift. As the stair lift ascends, the cat ascends. He walks slowly ahead of the lift and waits at the top until my husband gets off.
Mr. Cat supervises.
I understand that we are essential to his survival, and therefor important to him. We feed him. That's always on his mind. He's an old cat and he does not digest most of his food. He eats all day long, little bits. And then he goes, usually downstairs, and he regurgitates some of what he has eaten. No matter how much he eats, he never gets fat. He has done this for years.
I am relieved that he eats from my cupboard and vomits on my daughter's floor. She lives downstairs, and he is her cat (officially), after all.
How did my husband and I come to have this remarkable, idiosyncratic cat? My daughter adopted a dog, and the rest is history. The dog supplanted the cat downstairs. We became caretakers by default.
I think even my daughter would say we are more attentive caretakers than she was. He gets fresh food many times a day--whenever he asks. He gets fresh water many times a day. He actually has two water bowls.
Mr. Cat has a small house for sleeping. A heated pad for resting and sleeping. Two scratch polls up here, and a scratch pad. When he wants something he comes to me and nudges. He pushes with his head. If I don't listen he tries to paw me, but I put an end to that. I simply cannot reward him with food every time he paws. After all, at the end of that paw are some very sharp nails. He seems to have learned this is not a good way to get a positive response from me.
Here's a short video of Mr. Cat when he is perched on my chair. You can see he is 'hunting'...looking for something to eat or do. This hyperactive stage is not good for me. I keep my distance.
So why do we love this cat? He has his moments, and he certainly is entertaining. He earns his dinner with his sheer entertainment value. However, I certainly would not keep Mr. Cat around children.
My husband and I love dogs. We love my daughter's dog, the one that lives downstairs. I've always loved cats, but that is not true for my husband. He has always had an active dislike of cats--maybe that comes from having had cat scratch fever as a child. But this cat is different.
Mr. Cat is audacious. He's a personality. As my husband often says, "He's his own man." The cat is a character. He is attached and yet apart. He is demanding, and affectionate. He misses us, and he needs us.
Here he is lounging on the back of my husband's chair. He doesn't want anything material from my husband. My husband does not feed, but he does (cautiously) pet him.
You can see my husband's back on the left side of the picture. Also, please note that the cover on the chair is shredded. That's the work of Mr. Cat.
If Mr. Cat had come into my husband's life ten years ago, there probably wouldn't have been a connection. Sometimes, though, timing is everything. My husband was dealing with a serious health issue when he met the cat. Mobility was limited. And there was Mr. Cat, putting on a show, every day, offering comic relief.
The cat took to my husband right away. Was it curiosity? Was it intuition? Whatever it was, it worked. My husband was entertained--delighted.
That cat costs us a lot of money. My generally practical husband doesn't blink an eye at the expense. When I get up in the morning, the cat wants fresh food. Right away. If I offer him the wrong flavor, he turns his nose up. Plus, he eats special food for a congenitally compromised kidney.
Here he is, waiting for breakfast. It's the first thing I do in the morning, feed the cat. He is vocal and physical. He follows me and howls. I don't have a meowing cat. I have a howling cat. He makes guttural sounds, more like a growling lion than a house cat.
We love Mr. Cat. Whatever he does, it can't really hurt us. It is a pleasure to 'spoil' him. He's old. All three of us have that in common. This common condition builds a bridge for us with our feline resident. He can do what he wants, when he wants. We just hope it's for a very long time.
Thank you for reading my blog. Peace and health to all.
Hive on!
Mr. Cat is so overbearing LOL.
I love cats, my daughter is extremely fond of cats...but sometimes I'm worried that she would get scratches too, especially cos Philippine still has issues with rabies.
Many people don't vaccinate their pets here, and there are also plenty of stray cats in the neighbourhood.
Strays are a problem. I have two children (now adults) who are like that. They must rescue every animal in distress, without regard to their safety. People in the area know this and call my children when there is an animal about that needs rescuing.
I love cats. I love dogs. I love goats, and chickens, and cows, and pigs, and horses. I just love animals. Sometimes I'm not too comfortable around people...but animals. Never.
I love that you have an overbearing cat, and that's OK. You love that cat no matter what :)
BTW: There have been rabies cases reported in my county. So far in wild animals, but it is scary.
😅😆
It's no wonder I'm not a cat person.
😂
As you know, I'm an animal person. Not a cat person, or a dog person, but an animal person (remember my 23 mice?). I do draw the line at insects. I respect their right to life (not in my home!!!) but feel no affinity for them :)))
Remember? Could I ever forget?:)
😆
If you're not a cat lover, and encounter a cat in this way through reluctant circumstance, you somehow begin to love the cat, thinking that it is the best of all the cats, a 'different' cat, an exception. That's the cat virus at work.
We have to specify NO CATS to prospedtive house sitters when we go away - both for allergies, and in respect for local wildlife here in Australia. My husband can't stand them, though having had an exceptional family cat called Smokey, I too have been smitten by a cat who was VASTLY superior to all other cats.
unique, without peer 😄 Yes, you understand.
I'd love to see a picture of Smokey, although, with that name I can imagine...
I understand the respect for wildlife issue. In some places, cats have completely wiped out ground-nesting birds. We can't just willy-nilly introduce species into novel environments.
There is of course no rational explanation for the affection this cat receives from us. I can point to positive effects on blood pressure and emotional well-being, but, let's face it. Love is irrational. That's OK with me.
Indeed. Thank goodness for love.
The relationship with cats are like a toxic relationship. They keep hurting you and you are still in love with them. I think cat person's like this kind of relationships haha.
No!😅 I want a sweet cat, a cat that snuggles and purrs. But this is the cat I have, so this is the cat I love. It is his nature. He was rescued from the streets as a kitten (actually, he was stuck on a car engine). Maybe his parents were feral and therefore had wild natures. I don't know. However, I love him. He is who he is. He needed a home. He needs a home. It is my pleasure to allow him to age safely in his own, unpleasant 😄 way.
That is very kind of you, usually people would only like to keep pets who wouldn't scratch them . I'm Glad you care about him so much and understood why he is the way he is . I'm really proud of you.
Dear @agmoore !
Madame!
I remember that single people have a tendency to love dogs and cats like family!
So, I assumed your daughter would be single!
If you felt my awkward English sentences were rude, I will delete them immediately!
I hope you understand that I am not familiar with American culture and etiquette!😅
Hello @goldgrifin007,
I don't speak or write Korean. I admire your ability to communicate in English. I do have a rough familiarity with a few European languages. At times I make mistakes in those languages that can be laughable. So, I understand the difficulty of trying to write in an unfamiliar language. You do a great job.
As for this:
When my husband and I married more than 50 years ago, we both knew we would adopt a dog. We did just that a month before my first child was born. We wanted the dog to be in the house when the baby came and we wanted that dog to grow with the baby. That dog was like family. She sat under the baby's bassinet and guarded the child. That was true for the rest of the dog's life.
We have adopted many pets since then. Always, we adopted pets who needed a home. Never did we buy a pet. Once we adopted the pet, we were committed for life.
I don't know if people in Korea have this kind of attachment to pets, but here it is quite common. Dogs (and cats) are treasured members of the house. For the most part, families are dedicated to them, and they are dedicated to the families.
As always, I thank you for the comment.
Dear @agmoore !
I saw that you and your husband were living with your daughter, so I mistakenly thought your daughter was single!😂
I didn't understand your current life because I don't have pets!
So, Your life gives me many surprises, mysteries, and questions!
Thank you for your kindness and generosity!
I hope your health and long life!
Family is very important to me. I feel blessed that my children live close, that my granddaughter lives close. I don't know if it's my heritage or my temperament, but neither my husband nor I are 'modern'. We consider our families to be part of us. Different family members have lived with us throughout our marriage--mothers, sisters, children, grandchildren. The only two houses we have ever bought were bought with an eye to having room for family to move in.
So...my daughter's cats and dogs become part of our household, also.
Dear @agmoore !
Madame!
I think the life you and your family live together is very happy and wholesome!
The American friends I met at Hive are all currently living separately due to their families' divorces.
Thank you for kind answer!
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