PAWSibilities of Cats

Ever since my girlfriend got a cat, her phone (like many other cat owners) is full of pictures and videos of her new furry feline. I want to be as welcoming to this new addition to the family as possible, but there still seems to be a little tension between the cat and I.  Being the human in this human-feline “relationship”, it is my responsibility to make the effort to at least be friends with it.   This involves playing with the laser pointer, giving it attention, and taking pictures of it to send out to our extended family through VideoDrop stickers.

Cat (in the hat) Tricks

Did you know that when a cat arches their back, it can actually mean something other than being a cool yoga position? Examples of what an arched back could signal include:

• Fright
  • If this is the case, their fur will likely also be sticking up and their tail may look puffed. This is the cat’s attempt to look bigger and tougher.  There may even be some hissing involved.  When this happens, I will know to keep my space until she calms down and realizes that I am not a threat.
• An effective stretch
  • This helps cats keep their bodies nice and flexible. I notice this a lot after the cat takes a long nap.  It helps her loosen up her body and it has become part of her routine.
• Playful mood
  • They may even hop around at the same time. If there are no signs of aggression, this is a great time to be playing with the cat.  It teaches the cat how to learn and play.

Besides the arching of the back, there is other feline body language like the position of their ears and whiskers.  These can be quite subtle and something else to look out for.

Feline Foodies

There was a lot to learn besides how to play and read this cat’s changing moods throughout the day. While my girlfriend is away, I need to know what to feed this feline and what foods I might avoid. Since cats are carnivores, they rely on food sources from other animals. This means they need:

• High protein
• Some fat
• Low amounts of carbohydrates

Paws plus Penless

After I am around this cat for a while, I’m sure I will understand why the internet is so cat-crazy.  I’m going to give my girlfriend some cat VideoDrop stickers so she can make her own videos of her new family member.  I’m sure her cat will have her own personal scrapbook not to mention her own Instagram account with many funny cat videos (and hopefully many followers).

“In ancient times cats were worshiped as gods; they have not forgotten this” – Terry Pratchett

“Dogs have owners, cats have staff” – unknown