Cat language

Does your cat meow?  Mine don’t.  None of them.  They each produce a sound that is supposed to pass for a meow, but doesn’t even come close.

We’ll start with the youngest, Gabriel.  Not only was he not paying attention when his mother gave him speech lessons, he wasn’t even in the room.  When he opens his cute little mouth he says “mee”.  Sometimes it’s short, sometimes he stretches out the “meeeeeee” like he’s singing a song. 
It sounds so sad, so utterly pitiful.  Whether he’s crying for food, to get a head rub or to be let into the bathroom, his mournful plea cannot be ignored. 

Next up, Mickey, another one who never learned how to speak cat language properly.  He doesn’t even try.  When Mickey tries to say something he doesn’t get any further than “Eh” or “Ei”.  It’s quite cute, but completely useless.  Not that he’s much of a talker to begin with, he only makes an effort when he wants to play with his laser light.  Once play is over, that’s it for the talking.
He might make an effort to get into the bathroom, but Mick prefers to scratch the door.

Then there’s Charlotte.  Charlotte has a deep, raspy voice, making her meow sounds like “meih”.  Her cry reminds me of a shy old sheep.  Charlotte knows how to purr though, something Gabriel nor Mickey have quite mastered.  Oh they purr, but very, very softly.  Charlotte on the other hand has quite an engine.

Last but not least, Chanel.  Chanel is the talker of the family. She has a whole repertoire of sounds but a proper “meow” isn’t one of them.  Whenever we talk to her, she politely answers, ranging from “mei”, “meei”, “eeeeh” to “mooow”.  Most comical is when she says “now”.  When we ask her “When do you want your food?” she replies with “now”.  When asked again “Do you want your food now?” she’ll confirm that she wants it now.

As for purring … nobody purrs like Chanel.  Whoever she curls up with in bed can forget about sleeping.  She purr so enthusiastically that she sounds like a low flying helicopter.

Cat language … not the easiest language to understand, yet Gabriel, Mickey, Charlotte and Chanel seem to have no problem understanding me.

Adopt from a shelter or a breeder

Yesterday we talked about toys, today we're gonna take on a more serious subject.  The subject of adopting from a shelter or a breeder.  Since I was a shelter cat once, I feel I should bring the problem of over populated shelters to your attention.

When considering adopting a shelter pet or a purebred pet, you might want to ask yourself how far you are willing to open your wallet. Do you want to spend $500 to $1,500 for a purebred animal? Or, $0 to $120 for a shelter pet?

It sounds good, doesn't it, saving all that money? And, it gets even better.

An added bonus when adopting from a shelter is that the fee includes spaying/neutering; and most times, required vaccinations are also current. When buying a pet from a breeder, this is not the case.

With a global problem of overpopulation of cats and dogs, spaying/neutering is not only the right thing to do, but the responsible thing to do. Shelters know this and have introduced the free spaying/neutering program.

Knowing that so many homeless pets need a loving home, does it really make sense to fork out hundreds of dollars on a purebred pet? Have you ever visited a shelter or looked at pictures of shelter pets on-line? Does your heart not bleed just a little bit seeing the miserable faces of so many cats and dogs? Can you look into their sad green or brown eyes and turn away?

What makes a purebred animal so much better than these cats and dogs? Both are fury, with a head, a body, four legs and a tail. Both will be your faithful, loving friend for years to come.

If a kitten or a puppy does not appeal to you, there are plenty of adult pets eager for your company. Some of these older cats and dogs were birthday or Christmas presents, only to be cast aside when they grew out of their cute stage. They were banned to a life outside, exposed to the elements, with minimal food and water. They were yelled at, kicked at and had to endure a variety of other abuse and neglect. Where is the love they once received when they were kittens and puppies?

You can change their lives. You can give them what they had to do without for so long and crave the most - love and attention.

By adopting a pet from a shelter you do more than gaining a friend, you save a life. Now, wouldn't that make you feel good? In the eyes of Fluffy or Fido you would be a hero. And don't think they don't know it, they do and they will be ever so grateful.

Now as for purebred animals, it is true that they come with a pedigree which is probably longer than yours. But do those papers make any difference to you? Do Fluffy or Fido's parents and grandparents really matter? If you were considering a racehorse I would say okay,' the family tree is important; but we are talking about a cat or a dog, a rabbit or a hamster!

Look into your heart.

Look into your soul.

Look into your wallet.

What do you see?

When adopting a purebred animal you will see a lot less in your wallet. And perhaps at night you might see a shelter animal invade your dreams and ask, "Why didn't you adopt me?"