If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
"What's Wrong With America's Cats?"
http://pets.yahoo.com/pets/cats/hn/what's_wrong_with_americas_cats
What's Wrong With America's Cats? Renowned veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman has said that American cats suffer from something called ³the Hotel California syndrome.² Itıs a nice enough place, he says, but you canıt get out. And not only can you not get out, but thereıs not much to do while youıre there. Chicago-based syndicated pet columnist Steve Dale takes the plight of Americaıs most popular pets to heart, saying, ³We donıt give our cats enough credit.² ³Our nation has apparently decided to minimize expectations where cats are concerned,² says Dale, ³and to expect that when everyone gathers at Aunt Berthaıs house for holidays, the cat will dive under the bed every time someone comes through the door. Weıve adopted a perception of them as moody, aloof, lazy, antisocial, impersonal and anxious creatures * and itıs a self-fulfilling prophecy. We treat them as though they are that way, and they become that way. I maintain that doesnıt have to happen.² Lords of the Indoor Jungle? But arenıt cats just miniature Lords of the Jungle? Arenıt they just born confident? No. Theyıre so different from cats, lions might as well be dogs, Dale explains ruefully. ³That perception, however, may be why so many people think cats donıt need human contact. Cats may look and move like miniature lions,² he concedes, ³but thatıs where the similarity ends.² Lions hunt regularly, raise families, have a social life, play and practice stalking. Dogs get played with, taught tricks and get exercised and taken out frequently, sometimes to strange, interesting new places. Both species get to use their brains a lot. ³In contrast, cats,² he continues, ³with just as much brain and even more curiosity, donıt have nearly as much of an outlet for them. People donıt have to walk their cats twice a day, so that opportunity for experience and play is lost. We donıt interact with our cats nearly as much as we do with our dogs.² Raising Confident Cats Donıt look at your pet couch potato and panic. In fact, no matter how old your cat is, whether you raised her from a kitten or got him from the shelter as an anxious adult, youıll find instilling confidence in your cat is fun and easy; and the ³pawsitive² effects may surprise. Socialize them: Donıt insulate cats from the noisy or unfamiliar happenings of everyday life. Handle them from day one, and expose them to as many different * and different looking * people and things as possible. Dogs; men with cowboy hats, ZZ Top beards or Hasidic hairstyles; small children; people with wheelchairs and walkers. Just donıt let them be recluses. If they donıt like this exposure, make each such occasion a pleasant one by accompanying it with treats. Games, trick and toys: Play games with your cat. Hide-and-seek starts with you hiding your face in front of your cat, down on its level. When she reaches out and touches you, she gets a treat. Then move down the hall or to the end of the couch and let her ³find² you, again for a reward. ³Soon,² Dale, promises, ³you wonıt be able to hide where she canıt find you, because she knows thereıs a treat when she does.² Safe, high places: Cat trees, piano tops and safe window ledges all form vantage points which cats find essential. ³We canıt all afford those several-hundred-dollar trees,² Dale says, ³but height and security are very important. If a cat feels uncomfortable, instead of diving and hiding, it can climb to a high spot.² Multiple-cat owners should introduce the cats to the tree all at once. ³If one cat marks it first, the other(s) may think itıs off-limits.² Window ledges with locking screen windows give a cat a safely fascinating view of the outdoors. Raising a confident kitten involves a greater commitment of time and energy than raising an under-the-bed diver. But the pet you get will be a far more agreeable companion. Excerpts taken from "What's Wrong With America's Cats?" article by Angela Hunter Richardson in 1998 Special Issue of Pet Life Magazine |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Something Is Wrong | biggerbadderbarry | Cat health & behaviour | 11 | June 21st 05 07:42 AM |
From Persia: Sumfin's "Wrong" Wif Mommy | jmcquown | Cat anecdotes | 17 | April 15th 05 01:45 PM |