How Cats Can Become Man's Best Friend

I have always been rather partial to cats and could never understand the fascination many pet owners had for dogs. From early childhood, I adored these furry little creatures who roamed so freely and did not seem to have a care in the world. I used to "adopt" stray cats as a child and bring them home. I would feed them and see them each day after coming home from school. My parents were not quite so impressed with the cats I would bring home and constantly warned me of the diseases these cats could have. But I did not really care.

Coping with our new cat

Now I have my own cat, who has been with me since he was seven weeks old. My husband and I had been discussing getting a cat for quite some time. I liked the idea of raising a female kitten. My husband surprised me one day by bringing home a beautiful looking black and white domestic short hair cat. The cat was a male, but I soon got over it! I did not know that raising a kitten would be a lot like raising a child. I just remembered how independent and free adult cats are. I should have known better. The first week Jake was with us he cried incessantly at nighttime, presumably pining after his mother. I felt like I had a new baby. He soon settled down, but he was hard for me to manage. For some reason, he latched onto my husband straightaway and seemed to be wary of me, perhaps even a little jealous. I did not think I would be able to win his affections, especially as he would constantly lie in wait for me, jump out and attack me! I was bitten, scratched and chased. Perhaps Jake saw it all as a game. But I wasn't laughing!

Cats need discipline too

We soon realized that this little scruff of fur needed some discipline. So we started using a squirt bottle each time Jake misbehaved. We filled it with water and squirted him with it. He came to see the bottle as punishment, so he started to learn to behave better. I also felt a lot better about this method. It gave my cuts and scratches time to heal. Kittens are such mischievous little things. I remember coming home one day and calling for Jake. I could not find him anywhere. Finally, I found him behind some furniture amongst some wires. I know this will sound absurd, but when I prodded him and he didn't respond I thought he had chewed through the live wires and had electrocuted himself. He was going through a chewing phase at the time, much the same as a child. So I thought he was dead. I called my husband at work and told him. He did not think it was possible. I kept prodding and he finally opened an eye and looked at me as if to say "What are you waking me up for?" It was such a relief. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I remember thinking "We haven't even had him for long and he's dead already".

Introducing cats to the big outdoors

When Jake was about four months old we started letting him go outside. He had not been in any contact with other animals since his earliest weeks of life, so we wondered how he would deal with the other cats and dogs that lived nearby. It was comical to see his reaction to our next door neighbour's cat. He seemed so curious to see another animal of the same species as him. He pparently thought he was the only one! But this cat was not ready to make friends. She soon made it clear that our yard was her turf and she proceeded to chase our cat and let him know who was boss. At first, he seemed really scared of her. She was aggressive and seemed to enjoy bullying our cat. As the months passed and they spent more time in each other's company we noticed that Jake now had the upper hand and had let her know our back yard was no longer hers. He let her stay and they seemed to get along well after that. Jake had the run of the area. He had the woods to run and play in, other people's yards and endless fences and sheds to scale. Watching a cat is actually very entertaining. They provide amusement without even knowing it.

Tips to stop cats scratching furniture

We have finally figured out how to stop Jake from scratching our furniture. We used to use a spray that was meant to deter scratching in certain areas. It worked for a while, but then he would still scratch the same area. I considered de-clawing him, that is until I found out what it really entails. It is a cruel procedure that involves amputation, not a simple little operation at all. As soon as I found out about this, I started looking into alternative ways to save our furniture. I read about a much more humane alternative, trimming a cat's claws. It was so simple. This can be done by a vet or at home using nail clippers. Only trim the claws from the two front paws. Just trim the tips of the claws and do not cut too deeply down to where the claw turns pink. Cats do not tend to like anyone handling their claws. I have found the best way of doing this is to reassure your cat and as you hold them in your lap, then press down gently on their paw, to extend the claws and then carefully trim the claws. I was able to do most of them straightaway. Some cats will only allow you to do just one or two claws at a time. Go at your cat's pace and be sure to reward them afterwards for their patience, with a cat treat or extra attention. I have found this to be the perfect solution for us. It does not hinder Jake's ability to scale fences and he can still scratch and stretch outside without tearing up our furniture on the inside. I can now leave the house and not worry about what Jake has destroyed since I have been gone. A strategically placed scratching post may be all that your cat needs. Or try a treatment that you can get from the vet's, which is like a cat pedicure set, Softpaws. As the name suggests, it softens the claws and lasts for a few weeks. Each cat is different, so choose what works best for you.

Pet heroes

I have read about many heroic acts from dogs in rescuing their owners from a burning house or how Guide Dogs have been trained to provide assistance for their blind owners. I really admire such animals. Has anyone heard of what a cat can do too? Contrary to popular belief, cats do not always think of preening themselves, eating and sleeping. They also have a very keen sense of danger. I remember hearing of a cat who woke up her owners by scratching their faces when there was a fire downstairs. They woke up and were able to get out in time. Cats are also protective of their owners and will step in if someone threatens them, in much the same way that a dog will. We proved this point when Jake was still a young kitten. My husband and I were play fighting and he had me in a position I could not easily get out of. I started yelling for him to let me go, laughing all the time. Before we knew what was happening, Jake jumped up and bit my husband. He thought I was being attacked, so he stepped in to help! I was really touched by my cat's loyalty.

Loyal friend and companion

Jake is over two and a half years now and weighs 12lb. I was worried when I took him off the scales at the vet's recently. Why were other cats in the waiting room 7lb or 8lb while mine seemed so heavy? The vet assured me that he was a healthy weight for his size. He is a very long and lean cat and carries his weight well. Jake is a firm feature in our lives. We call him our "cat kid" and our "flesh and fur". He now treats me more or less the same as my husband. I get as many cat hugs and he likes to sit on my lap too from time to time. We can't imagine life without him now. He is a member of our family. We sometimes take him away with us. It is easier to do so now that hotels are starting to admit pets as well. It normally only costs an extra $5 for the room, which is definitely worth it. Many people like to own a pet when it is a puppy or kitten, but they do not always consider the long term care of the animal. Animals are adorable when they are young, but then they grow up. Owning a cat should be a life long commitment, unless something serious comes up and the animal must be given away. Make sure it goes to a good home though and do not just abandon your pet. That pet has formed a relationship with you and sees you as their protector and friend. So do not cruelly dispose of your pet like a bag of refuse. Before I moved here, a man who lived a short distance from me savagely killed his dog and dumped the body because he did not want to deal with the costs involved in shipping his pet. I was outraged at this and hoped the law would punish him severely for his cruelty. If you will be moving in the foreseeable future or will have other issues to deal with then consider whether you would really make a sensible pet owner.

Cats can be trained

With proper nurture and care a cat can be as good of a companion, if not better I believe, than a dog. I like the fact that cats do not require the same level of care that dogs need. They do not need to be taken for daily walks, although we would put Jake on a lead before he had received his vaccinations, allowing him the exercise. Even cats can be trained to accept a lead. It may not be easy, as cats are so used to coming and going as they please. But it is possible. Do not listen to anyone that says cats cannot be trained. They can! It may take a little more patience, but it can happen. We have recently bought a new couch and we did not want Jake on it. So we compensated for this by making him up a nice comfortable cat bed, with his familiar smelling blankets and placed it beside the couch. When he looks like he will jump onto the couch, we place him back onto his bed. We have repeated this each time and it has worked. Cats are intelligent animals. So make sure you give them their dues!

More benefits of owning a cat

There are so many benefits to having a cat that I could talk for house about it. We get up in the morning and receive an instant greeting from Jake, cat talk for "Good morning", we presume. He likes to spend time in our company and does not like to be apart from us for too long, unless he is outside. As we watch TV or do something else together he is there with us, as if he is joining in. At nighttime, he will sometimes sleep in the corner of our bedroom. We feel as if he is watching over us and making sure we are alright while we sleep. We love being cat owners and would not exchange Jake for a dog. Perhaps you feel the same way about your cat.