Smart cat gift selections
One of my readers asked for information about the Scottish Fold. She said years ago she’d had one visit her. She lived on a farm, and had four other cats. The Scottish Fold jumped in a window she kept open for her cats, looking for food. She was pretty sure it was a stray, as … Read more
If you visit the Cycladic Islands of Greece, you will find several lovely, whitewashed villages. The warm climate there allows islanders to spend a great deal of their life outdoors. IT’S A CAT’S LIFE IN THESE GREEK VILLAGES In these villages live many cats. Though these cats are forbidden to cross the threshold of the … Read more
Your cantankerous cat lady received a comment from a reader today. He read one of my posts and mentioned that kittens were his favorites. I got to thinking about kittens and decided a post about your kitten’s development stages might be just the thing. After consulting the Google oracle, I gleaned the information to present … Read more
Humans have attempted to understand cat behavior since ancient times. Observation can be a great teacher at times. Here are some quotes about cats that I found in a charming book called Cat’s Journal, featuring drawings by artist Susan Powers. These quotes illustrate well some characteristics of cats. Here are several of them: … Read more
When I lived on my homesite claim on Spruce Island, often my only companions were my animals, three cats and a dog. They were not just pets; they were my friends. I sincerely believe that friends are family you choose yourself, and if some of my friends had four feet, what difference did it make? … Read more
Cats are surrounded by myth and superstition, probably more so than any other animal. They have been revered, considered bad luck or good luck, feared, and loved. Always a source of mystery, cats have intrigued us and caused us to invent a multitude of stories about them. Cat beliefs originated from a combination of ancient … Read more
Is your cat having fun? This question could be an important one. A playful cat denotes a healthy cat, so if his antics cause you a bit of laughter, be assured that he feels well. Your cantankerous cat lady found an interesting article about cats and the importance of play, written by Pam Johnson-Bennett for … Read more
Have you ever wondered what goes on in your kitty’s fuzzy head? How does he think, without language? How does he see the world through his bright, round cat eyes? DO CATS HAVE LANGUAGE? Though they do not speak, cats do have a language of their own. Though not just composed of sounds, it also … Read more
Catnip (Nepeta catarea) is a perennial herb, a member of the mint family. It is safe for cats. The plant is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, but once it was imported to the United States, it was found to grow well here, too. The plant contains a chemical, nepetalactone, which is found in the … Read more
I was fortunate — I did find my purrfect pet companion. In my 80 years on Planet Earth, I’ve almost always had a cat in the family. My last cat, Carlos, was with me for 12 of his 14 years. For the last six years, we were together most of the time, as I had … Read more