Sophie: a frisky feline with a penchant for causing trouble
“An ordinary kitten will ask more questions than any five year old.”
~Carl Van Vechten
Anyone who has had both a cat and a dog for a pet will agree: the relationship you have with a cat is very different than that you have with a dog. Cats relate to people on a different level. My own relationship with Sophie illustrates this.
Sophie is a very vocal cat. Over the time that we’ve had her, she has developed her own vocabulary. Different sounds mean different things. When she’s hungry, there’s a certain vocalization. When she wants to bond, there is another vocalization. Paying attention to the particular sound a pet makes before signaling something to you is a great way to bond with your pet. You establish communication between the two of you.
My cat is very smart. She figures out things quickly. We try to challenge her too, with switching out toys, playing games that encourage her to find something. We challenge her, and she responds. It’s a good relationship.
There are other ways to bond with your pet. Establishing a schedule or routine is another way to create this bond. Sophie gets fed at 4:00 p.m. every afternoon. Afterwards, she gets her yummy, i.e., her C.E.T. cat treat. My husband makes a game of it with her, encouraging her to chase it around and fetch it for him.
Bonding with your pet on a more intimate level is beneficial to both you and your pet. Take the time to learn about your pet ,and the quality of your relationship will improve vastly.
Having a pet is a commitment. Not only is the commitment one of health, providing a good home and good food, but also of giving a pet a quality life. That means building a good relationship with your pet. Perhaps more so with dogs, it also means dog training
Too often pet owners may complain of their biting dog or the dog that just can’t be housebroken. They may be the scorn of the neighborhood with their barking dog. It’s too bad because that pet wants a good relationship with its owner. It’s up to the owner to provide it.
Many avenues are open to pet owners. Your veterinarian is a good place to start. Your local humane society will also be a good resource. Other training methods also exist. One such method involves teaching the owner as well as the pet with the best dog training video. To succeed, the owner needs to assert themselves in a manner that a dog is “hardwired” to understand.
Having a pet is a privilege. A responsible pet owner will take the time to build a relationship with his pet. Proper training is integral to the process.
Many people think of their pets so fondly, as if they were their children. Having no children myself, I can plead guilty to doting a bit of maternal instinct on my cat, Sophie. I refer to her as “my little girl.”
Thinking of pets as little people can have unforeseen consequences. For example, you’re enjoying a tasty meal. Fluffy and Fido are looking up at you with their big, brown eyes. What harm can a bit of meatloaf do? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Dogs and cats evolved differently over time. Their physiology does not mirror people’s. Thus, they process foods differently.
You probably all know that chocolate is toxic to pets, dark chocolate especially. Other not-so-obvious food items can also be toxic. Avocados, onions, garlic, and chives can all cause gastro-intestinal distress. While we immediately associate cats and milk, cats can be lactose-intolerant. Feeding pets people foods containing xylitol, a sweetener found in bakery items and candy, can interfere with insulin release and possibly lead to liver failure.
While it’s often with only the best intentions, feeding your pet people food can cause serious harm to your pet. For your pet’s sake, stick to the dog or cat food.
Photo by avlxyz
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