Cats Love Independence

We Train Everyone!
Check out this kitty's travel

If you've read any of my stories you know I'm out and about...a lot. And, I work hard at training the humans. This kitty definitely sets a pace for an entire crew. And, he seems to have everything under control.

When I go out, trouble seems to find me even when I'm on an innocent bug chase. I need to practice this control without trouble. I'll let you know if I find the secret.

If you haven't read about my adventures where trouble meets me wherever I go, check out the books on Amazon.

Head bumps!

Max

Opening Doors: A Guest Post from Tim Hammill

Guest post from Dad (Tim Hammill)

It's about me, so I think this is really cool. :)

Opening Doors

I have to say I was really impressed in what Max did today. I was in the bathroom, really minding my own business reading when in walked the dude himself.

     He sat beside the door and watched me. I could just see him out of my periphery vision and decided to ignore him. Good luck on that one fella.

     All of a sudden he wandered over and sat in front of the short cabinet that the sink is in. And like every other trailer and home in the world there is a small storage compartment there, with a door that closes over it.

     Now I’m not sure and Max never told me if he wanted that door open or if he in fact wanted to get up onto the counter top and then get into the sink to take one of his cat naps. But he stood up and placed his front paws on the top of the cabinet’s door and not the counter top. I could see him tense as he wound himself up to launch himself onto the counter top.

     This is where a little bit of imagination comes in on your part. Instead of flying straight up onto the counter top, the door swung open and little by little Max was forced to walk backwards on his rabbits footies until he was up against the bathroom door with no place to go. That is until he dropped his paws allowing the door to swing back a little.

     Not wanting to be jerk and embarrass him, I held my mug and didn’t laugh not one little bit. That is until he tried to do the same exact thing a second time and then a third with the same results each and every time.

     On his third try. I thought I have to go and get a camera. It only took seconds and I was back. Max was still in the bathroom sitting in front of the cabinet waiting. I sat down on the bathrooms floor up against the tub and waited too. Minutes passed but nothing happened.

     ‘Hmm’ I thought how could I help this along? Followed by this is going to be a great photograph.

     In short order I tried two, three, four different things to make my little guy repeat what he had done earlier three times in a row. I even flipped a length of toilet paper around which he swatted at but he wouldn’t move from the corner he was laying in. Nope this was shaping up to be a no-go. Finally I opened the door and he came around to gaze inside but that was all. I shut the door and helped him place his front paws up on the top of the door. Thinking that he’d get the picture cause you know he’s smart. Again nothing, well he started to howl at me and even swatted at his dad, what a mutt.

     No matter what I tried he wasn’t going for it. Finally I gave up and untangled my legs and stood, I left to take my camera back to my office. When I came back I looked into the bathroom, more out of curiosity than anything else and there to my chagrin was Max, his front paws up on the top of the door walking backwards until the door stopped and he stood there looking up at me a priceless expression on his furry face, of. “I did it… where were you?”

     I took this a learning experience that was way overdue for me….

Head bumps,

Max

More Max! Book 4 Tails From The Park

Cat Territory

Purrrr! I'm turning in circles. The humans have done it again. My fourth book is now ready to pre-order. It will be live on October 15. Tails From The Park (Series 4)

Every cat has his territory, and he protects it. "Slippery When Wet" tells the story of a new cat coming into my space. There's a beginning which starts like the photo and an end. Read the excerpt below.


Don't forget to pre-order my next book at Amazon.

Triumphantly, he came down the path toward me. The dead rodent’s tail and short little legs hung down lifeless and limp. With his cat eyes flashing and his neck muscles popped out, this ghost held his head up high. Only once did he glance over his shoulder just to make sure he was alone and safe. I watched him intently from my perch. I sat up and hunched my shoulders forward with a paw draped over the edge of my wooden shelf. I’m sure he saw my claws when they gripped the edge just for effect.

From deep inside of me a growl built up as I glared down at him. But even forewarned, he didn’t slow down until he was almost under me. At that point he dropped his kill to the ground and looked up. Nervously licking his lips, he waited. I know fealty when I see it and I was impressed with this youngster.

I could smell the sweet scent of blood as it wafted up to me in the hot air. Even though this was his kill, and me being me, I made him wait for it. For, what you ask? Why…my approval of course. As a poacher he needed permission from me, the yard master. While he anxiously watched, I lay down on my side. Hesitantly he licked his whiskers that were matted with the dead rodent’s blood.

Droplets of red, red blood dripped off his lion’s chin. All I could think of was how slippery fur feels when it’s soaked wet with blood.

Slippery when wet, my grim little joke! 

The Sounds Cats Make

Cat Sounds 

If you've read Tails from the Park you've encountered some of my Maxisms which are the special sounds I make to communicate both with humans and other cats.

Just for Humans

Did you know that cats have a unique ability to tailor sounds to the humans in their life? When cats want your attention they will experiment with sounds until one works to get the desired results. Some people call this idiosyncratic sounds. Cats are one of the few animals that can make up their own sounds, a cat vocabulary, localized to his own human family.

Pretty cool, huh?

A Wide Variety of Sounds

Cats have a wide variety of sounds their humans should get to know.  Here's a brief list from Messy Beast

• Caterwaul - cat wants sex!
• Chatter - excitement, frustration e.g. when prey is out of reach or escapes (involves rapid teeth-chattering jaw movements)
• Chirrup - friendly greeting sound, a cross between a meow and a purr! (friendly greeting sound with rising inflection; familiar to most cat owners)
• Cough-bark - alarm signal (rare in pet cats); like us, cats can cough both voluntarily and involuntarily)
• Growl - threat, challenge, warns others to go away
• Hiss (with or without spit) - threat, fear, warns others to back off
• Meow - general-purpose attention seeking sound used by adult cats to communicate with owners or with kittens
• Mew (of kittens) - distress, hunger, cold (to attract mother's attention)
• Purr - contentment, relaxation, also to comfort itself if in pain (cats in extremis may purr); a loud purr invites close contact or attention
• Scream - fear, pain, anger, distress
• Squawk - surprise, shock (somewhat strangled sound)
• Yowl - a threat, offensive or defensive, but also used in a modified form by some cats seeking attention when owner is out of sight
• Idiosyncratic sounds - a sound which a particular cat uses in a particular context.

If you missed the Maxisms you can get all the Tails From The Park books by visiting my author page. You can leave me a message there, too. I love to here from my readers.

Healthy Skin & Coat for Cats

A Dull Coat Needs Attention from Humans

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Hey! We cats always think we are the best looking animal around. Sometimes we need humans to notice when things aren't quite right.  Like a dull coat.

Often, a dull coat is a result of the food we eat. We need lots of protein. (More than--OK, I'm going to say it--dogs.)

We don't have the same nutritional needs as humans either, so a "low-fat" food may really be harming our body. We need fat. Fat "lubricates" our coat and gives it tone, plus it keeps our skin supple without dry flakes. I think you humans call it dandruff. If your cat is a bit plump, try cutting back on carbohydrates rather than fat.

Here are some other signs of dry coat:

• Too many baths! Baths strip the skin of important oils. Unlike dogs (there, I said it again) cats don't need a bath unless something really sticky, or smelly is beyond our ability to clean by ourselves.
• Overweight kitty. A very plump kitty may not be able to reach all the parts of his body. This can lead to an unkempt coat, and in super fluffy cats, snarls and tangles.
• Getting older. Yep, it happens to cats, too. When we become less flexible it can limit movement and our ability to groom.
• Medical conditions. You really, really need the vet for these. Kidney problems, autoimmune diseases, diabetes and other illnesses. Your vet is your cat's friend.
• Parasites. They are more than annoying. Fleas, ticks and worms can affect the skin and coat. 

If a little change in your cat care and feeding doesn't help. Be sure to consult your veterinarian for possible causes.

The Brush

Brushing your cat on a regular basis helps to stimulate the follicles. Plus, brushing helps distribute the natural oils along the entire hair. 

So aside from getting rid of surface dust and dirt, those regular brushings help keep our coats glossy. Plus, we love the attention.

Your cat will look as awesome as she feels.

If you like cats, be sure to come to our Book Party this Saturday, August 22. Join in the fun. My co-author, Tim Hammill, will read from my stories.

Max

Healthy Food, Healthy Cat

We Are What We Eat

Water and Nutrition

Cats are hunters. All those crazy kitten moves are training for capturing prey. And, as cartoons and cats show, mice are their natural prey. Mice contain about 70% water. That water keeps everything flowing inside.

Cats with water-based food lead a more natural life with fewer health complications. So, give us wet food!

Meat is our nutritional mainstay. Cat foods with grain by-products just don't imitate the live prey we catch. Knowing this is important for human parents of indoor cats. They need water. Wet food is the best way to keep your cat hydrated. 

If you feed dry food, make certain your cats get enough water. Some cats drink more water when it is running. You can turn on the faucet for them several times a day or get a fountain with running water. Make certain you keep the fountain clean. Clean the fountain and change the water frequently. We don't like stagnant water. So, even if the water is there, we won't drink it.

A healthy cat is a happy cat. Hmmmm. I wonder how much water bugs contain.

Here’s a tasty tip to help encourage your cat to drink more, offered inThe Veterinarians’ Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats:

• Locate a couple leaves of fresh catnip

• Fill a bowl with water and crush the leaves under the water

• Sit back and watch susceptible kitties ‘go wild’

Head bumps!

Max

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Live Kittens

Double Dare You To Stop Watching

What is it about kittens?

The kittens were live when this post was created. This is the special rerun.

I was one once. We love to explore and interact with the world around us.

See how long you go before you stop watching.

Leave a comment below and let me know.

Max  

Who says cats are solitary?

Cats Bond

Well, they definitely hang out together. Baby and I have been together for a long time now. I'm certain we have a strong group scent. We are cat buddies.

Yes, we have our separate routines. I go out adventuring much more. She likes to stay close to home even when she is outside. I get distracted.

But, every day, several times a day, we spend time together especially if we have a window for viewing. 

Cats do balance their lives between play and sleep and just being. I like being with Baby.

Now, every cat is not my friend. For instance, there's a cat, Ivan, who lives in the park. I can't stand him. We just don't mesh. 

I can't tell you why some cats get along and others don't. Animal behaviorists have theories about how kittens are raised and if they spend enough time with their mothers before they are separated. 

I'm kinda sceptical on those theories because, just like humans--I've been watching--we like some cats and not others.

Have to tell you, Baby is a winner. 

Find out more about how we met in Tails From The Park.

Max

Empathic Cats

Empathy Cues 

Humans! They need proof. We cats have known all along that we respond to your feelings. 

Anyway, now there's proof. In a recent study, Social referencing and cat–human communication, scientists found that cats referred to their human's feelings as a reference to how they could respond.

Most cats (79 %) exhibited referential looking between the owner and the object, and also to some extent changed their behaviour in line with the emotional message given by the owner. 

 My personal theory is that the more time we spend with humans, the better we read them. But, hey, what do I know? I'm a cat. 

I've been with my human Mom and Dad a long time in cat years. I think I read them pretty well.