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Last Updated: Jul 19th, 2008 - 05:32:38 |
Demystifying The Cat Mystique
By Lisa Barker
May 5, 2008, 14:10
As the 'mother' of seven cats, I am surrounded by felines
daily. This makes me an expert on cats, but you don't need seven to understand
their language. One cat will be able to train you quite
sufficiently.
There is the question mark tail that they greet you with,
not to say, "How are you? Have you had a good day?" but to say, "Where have you
been? And why is my bowl empty?"
There is the chirrup-type of purr, that
little high-pitched gurgle deep in their throats. It means, "At last! You're
here! Adore me!" (Because cats need total adulation.)
There is the purr.
Be it a murmur or a motorboat, it is one of the rare instances of positive
feedback your cat will ever give you. Enjoy it while you can, because in the
blink of an eye your lap could change from a comfy seat to a pin
cushion.
And, finally, there is the hiss. This lets you and any other
unwelcome being know that the cat does not wish to share breathing space. Bug
off.
But that is not the way it is in my house. I have at least three
cats that flunked Cat Language 101. They simply cannot hiss, growl or give a
warning meow.
The first cat sounds like a small child blowing
raspberries. "Pbbbfffft!" It sounds like she has a tongue two sizes too big for
her mouth. The second cat snorts and the third cat sounds like she's hawking up
phlegm.
So you get these three lovely cats in one room and what you have
is the feline version of the Three Stooges. Some days it sounds like an old man
is dying in my kitchen when they all congregate in there.
It's especially
disconcerting when I'm trying to cook dinner. "Pbbbfffft! Snorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!
Hocccccccck!"
"Knock it off! You're making me sick!"
This totally
defies the idea that cats are dainty, well-mannered and well-groomed. They're
not. And if you have enough of them, you'll see that they let themselves go and
hang out on the sofa all day in front of the television with their fat bellies
protruding.
You know all those naps they take? It's just to get out of
doing some work around the house. I have seven cats and a garage full of mice.
Somebody isn't pulling his weight around here.
So just when you start
thinking about getting a dog, your cat drops a dead mouse at your feet, rubs up
against your leg smiling at you with that enchanting Zen-cat expression that
makes your heart warm and you forget all about that dog, what's-his-name, and
you vow to give this feline relationship one more try.
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About
the Author(s) : Jelly Mom™ is written by Lisa Barker and syndicated
through Parent To Parent™ and is available for newspapers, websites, e-zines and
newsletters. Here's all the info you need to publish Jelly Mom™: http://www.jellymom.com/editors-pubinfo.php
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