Behavaior modification

We’re taking the cats to behavior class this afternoon. Who knows, maybe they’ll stop jumping on the counters, knocking over the trash can, waking me up at 6 a.m. and causing general chaos around the house.

Gross!

My cat threw up last night — twice. I’m not sure why or how it happened.

I came home, fed the cats and sat on the couch to watch the Angels came. The cats ate, cleaned themselves and chased each other around.

Then, I hear a “hack, hack, hack” sound. I turn around and see Smokey vomiting up a mustard yellow glob of gross-ness. I freeze, unsure of what to do. My mind races as it conjures up images of cleaning products, paper towels and latex gloves. For a few seconds, I’m lost in thought.

“Hack, hack, hack.” The sound brings me back to reality. Smokey is coughing up another mustard-yellow glob of goo. This time, I’m set. I know what to do.

One eye is on the cats. They’re looking at the vomit curiously, circling around it and sniffing it. I’m afraid one of them might take a nibble at it. Another eye is on the kitchen cabinet, where I retrieve a chemical concoction made by Arm & Hammer specifically for pet stains. I also find a fat roll of paper towels.

Gingerly, the vomit is scooped up with two thick sheets of paper towels. The chemical spray is liberally applied to the carpet. I watch and observe. Not enough spray, I think, and more is added, blanketing the beige fabric with more snow white suds.

I never smelled the vomit. The chemicals did their job, masking the unknown odor and bleaching the carpet. Smokey seemed fine for the rest of the night. She didn’t throw up again, and she continued playing with Marshy. At one point, she crawled onto my lap and fell asleep.

I pray this doesn’t happen again, although I know it will. “Cats just throw up sometimes,” my boyfriend (who was not there at the time) tells me. I guess it’s true. Cats do throw up sometimes. I just hope that when this happens again, I’ll be there. I need to spray.

Food preferences

Wet food night is always a treat in our house. Wet food, or canned food, is devoured while dry food is nibbled on throughout the day.

Science Diet's Culinary Creations Roasted Chicken Dinner in Gravy

Last night, I introduced the kitties to Science Diet’s Culinary Creations Roasted Chicken in Gravy (for Kittens). First, the texture was completely different. Instead of a semi-solid shape, it was small chunks of meat in a runny stew. Usually, canned food takes on the shape of the can when I put it on a plate. This chicken in gravy was soupy.

The kitties rejected it. After a few bites, they walked away. I couldn’t tell exactly how much had been eaten, but it wasn’t much. A few minutes later, both cats went back to the dry food bowl and continued their dinner. That never happens during wet food night! I’ve never seen the cats pass up canned food for dry food. (And yes, they’ve loved other Science Diet canned foods.)

Chatty kitties

Much like new mothers hear their infant’s cry and learn to distinguish between a cry for food, diaper change or comfort, I must learn about my kitties’ mews. Marshy is the chattier of the two cats, and I have no idea what she wants.

Circling around my chair, she mews and meows in her high-pitched voice. I think she wants love and attention. Or is it food? A few pats and scratches behind the ears sometimes satisfies her. On other occasions, her meowing continues, despite lots of love and attention.

I wish I could understand her language. Is she hungry? Is she thirsty? Does she want to play?

60 hours later

My last allergy pill was 60 hours ago. That means, the medication probably wore off about 36 hours ago. I’d say this is Allergy Level 2. Itchy nose and throat. My eyes are OK.

Maybe they’re friends

I worry about whether my cats are friends or frenemies. Then, there are times when one cats sniffs, licks or brushes up against the other. It’s so sweet, and I know I can rest easy. They’re probably friends.

Why do you want a cat?

… although they brought chaos, they also bring peace.

Claritin

I’m utterly dependent on Claritin. This week, I went more than 24 hours between doses, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. Runny, stuffed noses… and more. It’s a sad reminder that I’m only human, not Wolverine!

Fighting or playing?

My cats came as a pair. They’re not siblings or distant relatives. “They’re friends,” said their foster mother. When I saw them sleeping together in the pet cage, Smokey (then Missy) had her arm around Marshy (then Marshmallow). It was a picture of bliss.

Now, I’m not sure the two are even friends. They seem to tolerate one another, sitting next to and near each other. One often follows the other around. While I don’t see them grooming each other, I’ve seen plenty of cat fights. Is it play fighting and friendly wrestling? Or is it real aggression, even jealousy? I’ve done numerous Google searches, trying to figure out if my kitties are friends or frenemies.

• Play Aggression – Play fighting includes pouncing, chasing and stalking. It’s also part of the house’s hierarchy.
• Screaming or yowling is a sign that the playing has escalated into fighting.
• Another way to tell the difference between fighting and playing. Try breaking up the fight by clapping your hands or making a noise. If one cat runs and hides, it’s probably a fight.
• Is there a size difference? Age difference? One is fixed and the other isn’t? Has one been to the vet or had surgery? All these could change/upset the original pecking order.
• If cats groom one another, then they’re probably friends.

I think my kitties are friends.

What kind of cat toys to buy

Is there a word that describes my toy addiction? Every time I go into a pet store or even a store that sells pet supplies, I can’t resist looking, and often buying, a new toy. I even search for new toys online. How do you describe that?

Oh yeah. It’s called spoiling your kids cats.

When we first brought the kitties home, we purchased a small arsenal of toys — balls, mice, feathers, various stuffed animals. The cats were interested at first, but soon abandoned the toys. Over the next few days, I bought more toys, hoping that new ones would catch their attention. Not true. The new toys weren’t necessarily more interesting. In fact, each cat seemed to gravitate toward a few types of toys.

Here are my guidelines about toys:

• Toys should not be expensive. Cats don’t care if you buy the $10 or the $2 mouse.

• Colors, sounds, bells and lights are good. Anything that will catch a cat’s attention is a good thing.
• If it moves on its own, it’s less work for you.
• Don’t underestimate the power of string.
• Try everything (the cheap version) at least once. Find out what your cat likes to play with.
• Inspect the toys. Just make sure they’re not falling apart and your cats aren’t getting injured from them.
• A box is a toy. So is a shoe string and sheet of paper. These are not long-term toys, and you should always watch the cats to make sure they’re not going to swallow anything or hurt themselves. Whenever my cat goes crazy with string or a box, it’s amusing for her and me.
• Some toys should be “special.” If you reserve a few special toys for just you and your cat, those toys will be more interesting. I have a mouse on a string and a couple of stuffed animals that I occasionally pull out. No matter what the cats are doing, they’ll always want to play with the special toys.
• Sometimes, you have to be the toy. A simple mouse lying on the ground isn’t interesting. But if you pick it up and entice your cat with it, they’ll think it’s irresistible.