Tag cats

My Cat Loves Socks And Underwear

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sweet KazuI have a very affectionate, playful cream European Burmese cat who is an absolute joy to live with. However, don’t be fooled by her adorable face and sweet demeanor. Kazu is quite mischievous and has a tendency to steal underwear and socks. It doesn’t matter if they are clean or dirty, or even if they are brand new. Kazu just has a strange fixation on those wardrobe items. I have watched her dig through the laundry basket to find a random sock, then trot all over the house with her little treasure. Here is a photo of a recent sock heist which ended at the food bowl: Sock

Kazu will often make a game of her conquest by tossing the item into the air with a whip of her little head so that she can chase after it, and at times will initiate a game of fetch utilizing the pilfered piece of clothing. Because of my cat’s habit, I must put away clean laundry immediately, and I also have to keep Kazu out of my closet so that she can’t go in there and hop into the dirty laundry bin. My morning ritual consists of hiding my underwear and socks so that she won’t steal them as I am showering.

More recently, Kazu has fallen into the habit of running off with my Incrediwear therapeutic sleeves. If I have to wash dishes, I will take my arm sleeve off and leave it on the coffee table or kitchen counter, only to discover that she has stolen it. Apparently she enjoys the anionic technology of Incrediwear products! In all the years that I have lived with cats (a few decades!), I have never encountered a cat who steals small articles of clothing. It’s an amusing character trait which makes Kazu even more endearing.

Cat Naps

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Ever since my dear friend and meditation teacher Rob died, I have been more aware of little moments I can capture during the course of a typical day which can also serve as brief meditation sessions. One thing I have gotten into the habit of lately is pausing before I stretch and get out of bed, allowing myself to enjoy a moment of stillness. I spend a couple of minutes observing my breathing, how energy flows through me, and how the room feels, looks and sounds. It’s a welcome change from the rushed manner in which I used to hit the ground running as soon as I woke up.

Kazu and Tenshi, my dogs trapped in cats' bodies

Kazu and Tenshi, my dogs trapped in cats’ bodies


My rescue kitty and nap buddy Shima

My rescue kitty and nap buddy Shima

The most fulfilling and endearing moments I have allowed myself to indulge in are the ones I spend with my cats. Two of my cats are very doglike and love everyone, while the third cat is extremely attached to me. All three are sweet and tend to demand a lot of my attention when I am home, but I often keep my interaction with them to a minimum because I am in the midst of a pile of work and usually typing or running around the house doing chores. Like faithful dogs, my cats will often follow me from room to room, looking up at me expectantly, purring away and doling out unconditional love.

I have made a concerted effort lately to greet my cats with pets and kisses in the morning while they are sprawled out on my bed. When I come home, I will often lie on the floor, bed, or sofa with them, taking a few moments to just be with them. My shy rescue cat, Shima, will frequently lie on my chest while I pet her, and if we are both very relaxed, we will take a nap together in this position. Every once in a while, a feeling of guilt will wash over me, even though I know I will most likely finish all the items on my to-do list for the day. But this feeling passes quickly, and I remember how important the bonding process with pets is. Even as I write this I have all three cats in the living room with me, with my boy lying alongside my left leg.

My blue male Burmese, Tenshi, is very much a dude and exhibits alpha type behavior with the other two (female) cats. But he also loves to be hugged and squeezed, will push his face into my hands and actually likes having his muzzle grabbed and scratched and his belly softly rubbed while he is on his back. He is also a lap kitty and will often snuggle with me while I write away. My female European Burmese, Kazu, will sometimes take up residence on my lap, and at other times, will rest her head on her favorite pillow just like a human would, and will watch me work. Kazu is also the cat who plays fetch, greets me at the door most faithfully, and purrs if I merely look at her. Basically, my cats make it very easy for me to steal moments of presence and joy with them. I just wasn’t paying enough attention to their signals before Rob died.
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If you have pets and you find yourself ignoring them because of your workload, do yourself and them a favor by pausing each day to bond with them. I am not talking about a couple of quick pets, I am referring to a true connection in which your animal senses that you are fully interacting and remaining in the moment. There have been particularly hectic times in which I became so incredibly busy that my cats got nothing more than a perfunctory tickle under the chin or an ear scratch, but considering how highly socialized two of them are and how needy my rescue cat is, I definitely neglected them somewhat during those times. It doesn’t seem fair to them, especially considering the fact that they greet me at the door, hang out with me in whatever room I am in, and sleep by my side at night. Who knows? Maybe if I had a daily nap with Shima atop my chest, all my stress would easily melt away.

My Cats Are Dogs Trapped In Cat Bodies

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Shima the part feral shy girl

Shima the part feral shy girl

All three of my cats are five years old and have been with me since they were kittens. I have one rescue, Shima, who came into the household when she was three weeks old, so I became Mommy in a big way and bottle raised her. Since Shima’s feline mother was feral, Shima’s personality is understandably very skittish, and she needs a lot of coaxing to warm up to strangers. She even runs away from me if I move too quickly. She is very much a feline in her mannerisms and personality, and fits the stereotype of the aloof cat who doesn’t interact much with humans.

My Labrador trapped in a cat's body

My Labrador trapped in a cat’s body

In stark contrast, my two Burmese cats are like dogs, following ANY human around the house, even complete strangers, playing fetch, begging and grabbing treats with their paws on command. My European Burmese, Kazu, dutifully waits for me to enter the house from the garage when I come home and purrs instantly upon seeing me without me petting her. Kazu has the coloring and the personality of a Labrador Retriever, and is always so happy and sweet. I could definitely learn a thing or two from her about how to be in a state of contentment all the time. Another characteristic which Kazu shares with dogs is her innate penchant for fetching. The first time Kazu approached me with a toy and nudged me, I hadn’t realized that she had an instinct to fetch, but I soon discovered that this was something she enjoyed immensely. During her fetching sessions, in which she will continue to fetch for as long as I throw the toy, she purrs the instant she drops the toy next to me and begins to nudge my hand if I don’t pick up the toy immediately.

Check out Kazu’s fetching talents here:

Tenshi my boyMy American Burmese, Tenshi, is the alpha male of the group and loves meeting new people. He is such an in-your-face cat that he rubbed against the legs of the plumber during a recent visit to our house and investigated every single thing the plumber was working on, prompting the plumber to laugh and remark on the doglike nature of my cat. Tenshi walks with a swagger that I have only seen in a few tomcats over the years (pretty impressive for a eunuch!), and he picks on Shima and Kazu regularly. He gets very jealous if people give the other cats attention and will literally shove them away or hit them in the face to scare them off. If I go on a trip for a few days, Tenshi glues himself to me and doesn’t allow me out of his sight. Whenever I go into our trophy room, Tenshi will yell at me until I come back into the main house.

Though I love dogs, I lament the fact that I can’t have them. At least my two Burmese cats make up for it by acting exactly like dogs!

Just Because I Like Cats, Doesn’t Mean I Am A Cat Person

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Yes, I like cats. As a matter of fact, I adore them, and have always gotten along well with them and understood their movements and instincts. As a child I was able to befriend strays who would never dare come near any other humans, so this earned me a label very early on of “cat person”. Why do I have to wear such a label because I like and own cats? The labels “dog person” and “cat person” are often attached to an applied exclusion in which the two are not expected to comingle, and in which both labels could not possibly be worn by one person. So what if I have cats? It doesn’t mean that I am anti-dog! I would LOVE to have dogs, but since I have always been a fan of large dog breeds, and because I don’t have a yard, it would be unfair of me to have dogs at this point in my life. I am also so incredibly busy that I wouldn’t have time to walk a dog or devote the extra time which dogs demand from their owners. Most importantly, two of my cats are very doglike and follow me EVERYWHERE I go when I am at home.

My babies...

My babies…

Another thing I do not engage in is collecting cat motif items. Do not expect to walk into my home and see cat pillows, cat artwork, etc., in the common areas, because I will not subject myself nor anyone else in the household to such feline tributes. The only cats you will see in my living room are the living furry companions who are family members and sources of great joy to me. I do have photos of my cats on the fridges (we have two fridges in our place), but there are only a few.

It always surprises me when people who don’t know me well reveal with hesitation that they have dogs, as if I am anti-dog. Instead, I respond with excitement, asking them what kinds of dogs they have. Honestly, I adore dogs so much that I get dog lust if I hang around great dogs. I have also been tempted on more than one occasion in my life to adopt a dog even though my schedule has never been accommodating enough for me to be a good doggy mom.

Whether you have cats or dogs, chances are I will be fine with them all.

I Am Not A Cat Person

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cat-dog-cuddleI find it very interesting how people choose to be polarized when it comes to dogs and cats, suggesting that it is not possible to like both mammal species. Though I have cats as pets and have spent my entire adult life being owned by cats, this by no means establishes an exclusive love for cats and dislike for dogs. In fact, I adore dogs, especially the larger breeds, and truly wish my lifestyle could accommodate the needs of large dog breeds. When I visit friends who have large dogs, I become envious and find it incredibly difficult to leave them. I love the unabashed loyalty that dogs deliver to humans, and I appreciate all the characteristics of the canine species which have earned them the nickname “a man’s best friend”.

Why don’t I have dogs? Again, I love large dog breeds and simply do not have the space to accommodate a large dog. I do not have time to walk a dog daily either. Though I enjoy the company of smaller dog breeds, the idea of a small dog breed as a pet does not resonate with me at all. I have cats because they do not require daily walks or regular baths (though I do bathe my cats every other month). I also have chosen two Burmese cats as part of my three cat brood because they are so doglike. Burmese cats are lap cats, very intelligent, active, affectionate, and will follow me from room to room. As a matter of fact, they enjoy being with any of the humans in the house. My Burmese cats will approach strangers and make instant friends with them. One of them plays fetch regularly, initiating play by bringing toys to my feet and dropping them, then looking up at me expectantly, just like a dog would. Check out this video of Kazu playing fetch:

My rescue is a different story, as she is skittish, very “catlike”, and spends most of her time hiding in my bedroom. She is very choosy about the people she warms up to and is the type of cat who perpetuates the stereotype that cats keep to themselves. She is my quiet, shy, moody child and I accept her completely as part of the family.

Just because I have a household with cats and no dogs does not mean that I am a “cat person”. What it comes down to is that I love animals, period.

My Cat Plays Fetch! Check Out This Video

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My European Burmese Kazu loves playing fetch and will bring toys to people when she is in the mood to play. I never trained her to play fetch but for whatever reason, she absolutely loves the activity and does it almost daily. Though I love dogs, I almost feel as though I have dogs with my fetch-obsessed Burmese!