Running into Cats

Have not been posting here since I started my running blog last week. However, some relevant news for cat lovers. I just saw on the back of a Big Blue Bus that the Cat Show is in town today and tomorrow at the Santa monica Civic Auditorium. Now, I've seen snippets of a cat show on the Animal Channel, and the cats are really judged on being pretty. They don't trounce around like dog shows accompanied by their masters. Now if I go to this thing, will I require binoculars? Will it be worth it? I could always just drop by the animal shelter and give some attention to those cats in the cages - Now those are some animals looking for some much needed attention. Looks from the website though that any cat can enter to be judged - pedigreed or not. Check it out! Here's the website for the Santa Monica Cat Club Cat Fancier's Association Cat show.

Cat socializing for the day

It was my first day as a volunteer at Pet Orphans. This is a an independent "orphanage" for cats and dogs in beauutiful Van Nuys! I spent the day with the cats in the two room cat house that was fully airconditioned (otherwise, it would have been a hair-raising coughing congested experience in the valley heat). It seems that more volunteers spend time with the dogs so I'm happy I got the two rooms largely to myself for about an hour. There were all kinds of cats - black, calico, long haired, short haired - But what really distinguished each of them was their eyes. Two of them had the saddest eyes - as if they had misplaced something but they didn't know what it was - It broke my heart. For a few moments, I just sat and observed the territorial behavior of the cats - particularly amongst diva-esque Tilly - a super friendly cat to people, who doesn't get along with any of her fellow felines. When I checked her name info card outside the door, I noticed that she had actually been returned from a home - possibly because she didn't get along with the owner's other cats. One cat was sooo incredibly thin she was all skin and bones - A beautiful little calico who I believe was called Priscilla.

Please visit the petorphans website and see if any of these beauties speaks to your heart. There are also little kitties in the "Not Feline Well Center" who are getting strong enough for adoption. Of course, there are also dogs of all sizes - and their photos are all on the website as well:

www.petorphans.org

Don't be fooled by the picture below - Although Tilly looks victimized by the black cat, she was actually on her way to get another cat who was up behind the TV (can't see in this photo). It was like gang warfare for a few moments in the cat house!

What We Humans Can Learn From Cats

As a new owner of an adorable kitten, Maosie Malouse, I realize how we humans, with our advanced brains, capacity for language, nuclear bomb creation, and public relations strategies, have a lot to learn about basic human skills from a non-human 9-week old kitty.

1. Maosie is not afraid to jump to great heights. She is also not afraid to fall down from them.

2. With as much energy as they have, kittens know how to be completely still.

3. Kittens learn to keep themselves clean, innately. For us humans, it is a different matter all together.

4. Maosie know every nook and hidden enclave of her territory, better than her owner. She stayed hidden
underneath the oven before I found her there, hiding patiently.

5. Cats and kittens may seem like gluttons for affection but I don’t think they are. Maosie requires my attention for
only a couple of minutes. Any other affection she exhibits is reciprocated from the attention I give her first.

6. Cats have strong backbones. I accidentally stepped on my kitten yesterday. Apart from a possible newfound
suspicion of her owner’s love, she came out of it unharmed.

7. They are very inquisitive. They are also quick learners. In the case of cat vs. dog, they definitely have the upper
hand.

8. A cat only uses its claws when necessary.

9. The first couple days of life with Maosie, she cried at night and was fearful of her surroundings. She has now
adapted and doesn’t hide behind the oven anymore. In the case of cat vs. human, cats are way more adaptable.

10. My kitten is only 9 weeks old and she knows that crap only belongs in her litterbox.