Your cat has something to ask you

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It’s almost time to celebrate National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day.

What? Answer your cat’s questions? That was news to me, too. I thought we humans just took orders from the cat masters. So I asked my three cats if they knew about Cat’s Questions Day. They just looked at me as if to say, ‘Doesn’t everyone know that?’ This momentous day falls on January 22 each year.

I then asked the feline threesome to start making a list of their questions. The purpose of this day is to be aware of your cat on a more conscious level and notice when your cat is trying to ask you something. Your quest is to figure out what your kitty is saying, and do your best to answer the question.

Here are some of the questions that CC, Norman and Benny came up with. The first question is from 15-year-old CC and Norman about the newcomer kitten Benny.

Why did you bring that home?

Q: What makes you think we want to share our home with that brat? Did you think we would just say, “Fine, just bring in another cat”? That thing doesn’t stay still for a minute. Why did you bring in a kitten to taunt us in our old age? How come he’s getting all the attention?

A: I understand your dismay but sometimes we have to help others. Benny was abandoned, cold and all alone (just like you two were) and needed a home. So it was the right thing to do to invite him in. It is everyone’s job in this house to play with Benny and make sure we wear him out running around.

Why can’t I get up on the counter? This question is from Benny the kitten.

Q: I really like being up on the counter, I don’t understand why you keep moving me somewhere else. Why do you tempt me by leaving food up there and having fun plants to play with? The kitchen counter is the best place in the house to look at the birds.

A: Well Benny, we have given you many other places to watch birds and be up high all over the house and we grow grass especially for you to eat. I think you just like to be the center of attention at all times. We will continue to direct you to the Benny-approved spots in the house.

We really like our house, but can we go outside and play?

Q: Our house is so cozy and we have a lot of room to run around, but it would be a lot of fun to go outside and do some hunting.

A: I keep you indoors for your own safety. Kitties that are free to roam are in danger of having their life cut short from predators, cars, people and other dangers. They also end up with fleas, ticks, worms and other parasites and diseases. I have a nice ‘catio’ for you to play in, that way you can be outside and stay safe.

Conclusion

Your cat may have many behaviors that you don’t understand. You may think he or she is behaving badly, but there is always a reason for the behavior. Try to figure out what your cat is saying to you and put the effort into fixing the problem. Many people don’t want to try to understand their cat and surrender them to animal shelters or worse, abandon them somewhere. It doesn’t have to be that way. Most cat issues are solvable. Understanding your kitty’s behavior will help you resolve problems and strengthen your relationship with your furry friend.

If you need more help figuring things out, you can always ask your vet or contact a feline behavior specialist.