I bought this kitty lounger for both of the kitties to share, then I realized Andy needed one for himself. There is a lot to learn about cat priorities and politics, and the lounger episode brought up one: Dougy couldn’t and wouldn’t share the lounger with Andy once he decided it was his lounger! It’s part of the kitty code.
I learned most of what I know about cats by making mistakes understanding cat politics and priorities.
Here are a few of the things I know about cats that I didn’t know before I got Andy and Dougy: kitties don’t share much; kitties sniff butts; kitties knock over wastepaper baskets; kitties sometimes poop on the carpet even though there are three litter boxes (one for each cat plus one, they tell you…and that is the reality here); there are reasons for pooping on the carpet and you have to learn Cattinese to find them out; there is no manual for learning Cattinese – you are on your own, Bub; you will find anything squishy coming out of either end of your cats with your bare feet in the dark; anything squishy coming out of either end of your cats will be on the carpet; scratching posts come in many shapes and colors, for example, settee-shaped and ottoman-shaped; you don’t want to medicate a cat and the cat agrees with you; if you rent, there is a good reason pet deposits (sic) aren’t refundable; if you move a litter box, the cats most likely will continue to use the spot where it used to be as their toilet…and more.
I still love the little buggers, though, and expect my cat education to continue as long as I have them.
Snoops and Kommando will share a window with no problem. But they each have their own cat tree. I brought home a scratching post. Snoops took ownership the first day and that was that.
Andy and Dougy are exactly the same! Well, on one of the cat trees, Dougy gets the top side, and Andy gets the rope scratching post.
Gotta have their own turf. 🙂
And how! (Dougy claims me, a smart move since I know how to operate can openers!)
Sounds like quite an adventure. The carpet bit is why I’m glad I have hard surface floors. Frankly, even though I like dogs, I am happy to trade stepping on the occasional hacked up hairball for long walks in winter weather.
There is that advantage! I’ve seen those piddle pads for dogs, but I don’t think I’d like the business of having a male dog using one! Plus, it can’t be any more fun dealing with a used doggy piddle pad than it is cleaning a litter box. Almost makes walking the dog outside in the sleet and snow sounds like a winner. LOL!0
They keep teaching us things, even into their elder years where they become even more eccentric.
Finding squishy things in the carpet is never a pleasant adventure. 🙂
Good grief! I don’t know if I’m ready for that or not!
No, I’m no fan of squishy things underfoot!
This is a true pedagogy to learn their rules and codes .
But take care of the carpet when you walk on! 🙂
In friendship
Michel
Ha! Believe me when I say I know better not to walk around in the dark barefooted!
The arse-sniffing is the reason why I would never have more than one cat. I have a serious cat arse aversion anyway & I don’t think I could cope with that.
They do it with a bit more subtlety than dogs, sort of a “Oh, hi brother…” slinking by and sniffing in passing.
I read where Persians are the most loving of cats. Beats the hell outta me…Siamese are not even listed!
Shoko
Makes no sense to me Shoko! The most loving cats I’ve known have always been tabby cats, and the most loving of those was one I got from the local shelter! Andy and Dougy are sweet, all right, but they both prefer not to be held for very long.
On the other hand, every Siamese I’ve known not only was very sweet, they were really talkative!
I daresay MOST of us learned about cats by making mistakes, same as you did !
I have no doubt of it! Ha!
Yes Doug it is an education
And just like being a parent
Of a child which I
Am the pets and children
Will take you to task
I grew up thinking of kitties as these benign entities that never did anything naughty. (I didn’t have cats till I was retired, and only occasionally saw them at friends’ homes, where they always were well-behaved and sweet…) I am well-trained…um…know more about kitty cats now!
Even my little sweet girl has those squishy-problems. Sometimes she has swallowed one of my long hairs – and when that comes out at the other end, it interferes with the poopability … and hence she tries to get rid of it – on the floor. Countless times have I had to clean the (thankfully uncarpeted) floors. I always tell myself, she doesn’t do it because she wants to but because she has to.
Exactly! Andy likes grass, which inevitably ends up in a puddle of squishy vomit on the floor. But he needs it, so…!
Hilarious and so true!
I do understand – and speak! – Cattinese; learned it as a toddler. That’s why all three of them share the litter box, food dish, and water bowl, as well as a wet food treat on Friday mornings. However, I still find “squishy deposits” on the rug in the middle of the night, and silly little Pyshka tries to clean them up by smearing them all over the place. She is a cleanliness fiend, this girl!
OH NO! Well, I guess I should be thankful I do the spreading about here…if I don’t walk with the soiled part of my foot elevated.
LOL
Mine taught me to always wear my slippers inside the house. They protect my feet, but allow me to track “whatever” around the house without knowing it! Have a tidy weekend. Not referring to laundry detergent.
LOL! I should wear something on my feet, though (unfortunately) finding things barefoot means they get cleaned up before they stain the carpet or harden and require extra effort to clean. (The guest bedroom is a place I rarely visit, so anything deposited there oftentimes is dried and hard to clean up. Ugh!)
Sometimes none of it makes sense. My cat Morgan will not allow Mollie on the cat tree but she will tolerate Hazel. What’s up with that. Of course, Mollie won’t let her on one of the beds in retaliation. Whatever.
LOL! I admire anyone with three or more cats. Two are a handful! I have a similar situation where one day Andy is king of this or that hill, then the next day Dougy is. All the favorite spots seem to be open to challenge.
Sounds like they have taught you a lot. Mine have taught me a lot too.
LOL! I have no doubt of it!
Oh my gosh yes!! There is a language for all of us anipals. Thank goodness mom speaks pig so she understands me. Dad on the other hoof will never understand me… or mom for that matter. Snorts and rolls with piggy laughter. XOXO – Bacon
it is true we can learn a lot from our pets… and even after we lived for years with one as soon as we get another one the whole thing starts again… but different… ;O)))
How true. My first two cats were totally different than Andy and Dougy.