Friday, February 11, 2011

What do I look for in a human to adopt? Should I get a pedigree?

Dear George,
I am between homes at the moment. I have a home where they feed me but they have added a dog and I am not happy about that. I have been patrolling the streets looking for better accomodation. Obviously, I have to make sure there are no resident dogs and, in my case, I don't want another resident cat either. I am a singleton by nature. Those two requirements I can manage. But how should I choose the human? Do I just go for the first one that feeds me? Should I think of adopting a pedigree?
Love Whiskerette.

Dear Whiskerette,
When choosing a human, go for function not form. Humans come in all shapes and sizes but it is a mistake to choose them for looks. What you need is a human that functions well - one that is generous with the cat food, has time for you when you want it, and in the UK good central heating is an absolute must. I suggest you make a home check visit before adopting one.
I don't recommend a pedigree. In theory cats and pedigree humans have hunting in common. Posh humans often have the view that "It's a nice day, let's go out and slaughter some wildlife." Not unlike us. But unfortunately some of them shoot cats or employ gamekeepers who do. Also you've got to think of the inherited disorders among pedigree humans, due to inbreeding (see Debretts studbook). Some people believe that the shooting stick was invented because so many toffs have hip dysplasia.
I think you will be better off with a humbler mongrel (or moggy) human. They have kinder hearts.
May I put in a word for elderly humans. They look rather manky but they have the advantage of not going out to work any more. They will be at home, when you want them. They will keep their heating on (at least in one room) all day during bad weather. They sleep a lot - which means you have a living bed warmer more often available.
Most of them have a routine not unlike ours - eat, nap, eat, nap on sofa or bed, eat, nap in front of TV, eat, nap with more TV, and then a long nightime nap. Most of them don't over indulge in human-catnip, ie alcohol, so they don't get rowdy, silly and noisy. Many of them no longer have children or partners at home, so they can concentrate on indulging and enjoying your company.
True, some oldies don't have much money but, in my experience, many of them will buy good quality cat food and if necessary go without treats for themselves. Of course they may not be able to afford vets fees but that is an advantage. We hate vets.
Just be careful about winding round their legs - you don't want them to fall over.

Love George.

16 comments:

  1. Dear Whiskerette, you look way too pretty to be between homes! You definitely need one home with a well trained human who will love you and obey to all your commands. Avoid the cocksy ones - they usually have a strong pedigree.
    Sir Winston

    ReplyDelete
  2. Check first to see if the dog in trainable!
    If not.....the dog must go!
    Wishing you best of luck
    Sebastian

    ReplyDelete
  3. Whiskerette, a dog can be fun and a good friend.
    I share my house with a dog; we play a lot. Don't act in haste. Consider all the pros and cons.
    if they are good people .....I'm sure the dog is easy to train. Is it a puppy or adult dog?
    Porthos

    ReplyDelete
  4. No, don't adopt a pedigree! Adopt a human moggy!
    They are such fun. They tend to think that nothing else is more important then you on earth!
    Try them first - ask to have breakfast at 3 am - if they get up to feed you....that's it! Move over! As soon as you see them watching TV or reading...cry...asking them to play with you.
    If they do......they are...your moggies for life!
    Love
    Fluffy

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would "select" the one who gives me treats when I want. And as many as possible!
    Minnie

    ReplyDelete
  6. Whiskerette, be my Valentine!
    You don't need to find another home or human!
    Frederico

    ReplyDelete
  7. You give me goosebumps seeing you wandering around on a street with traffic! I lived on streets for two years. Hope you'll find the perfect home for you soon!
    Is the "added" dog that little brownish spot I can see between the parked car and the bush?
    It seems very little....you can train him/her.
    Love
    Shumba

    ReplyDelete
  8. Whiskerette, if you are a singleton that means you like to read! And perhaps to eat and nap!
    Select a middle age human moggy (as my sister calls them) who wear eyeglasses (sign that she/he reads), is well rounded (sign that she/he enjoys good food) and does not have any gym gear (sign the she/he likes to nap). This is the almost perfect type of moggy who won't add any dog to the household ...being too lazy to take the dog for a walk!
    Cayenne

    PS. Happy Valentine's Day to all cats!
    May you all get your favorite treats!
    George, Wuudler and Celia (of course)- would you like to be our Valentines? We can have some fresh mice & champagne :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Find your own Valentine, Pepper-Pot. Celia is mine.
    Harvey

    ReplyDelete
  10. Harvey, mon ami...quite a bold statement you make!
    What do you mean by "Celia is mine"?
    Why not let Celia choose?
    Porthos

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hey, Harve....do you think you are Romeo and Celia is Juliet?
    Frederico

    PS. I share my home with a rabbit! I know you, rabbits, can be very possessive!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Harvey, you are such a darling! I'm happy you love Celia so much! We love her too :-)
    How about sharing her as our Valentine (even if only in our minds)?
    Love
    Cayenne

    PS. We just had some champagne with our mommy & daddy and we were thinking of you, Celia, George, Wuudler! But you wouldn't have some fresh mice, would you? Nor did our parents! Ugh!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Whiskerette, you are soooo beautiful that I don't see why or how your humans thought of taking a dog! This only proves that their brain is in "slow motion"! What were they thinking? Or, better, what were they not thinking?
    I'm sure many will be happy to offer you the best!
    Diego

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ahh! Harvey...you are a very courageous bunny!
    Fight over Celia? Uhhh! Hot! Hot! Hot!
    What George have to say about losing his secretary to Valentine's dates?
    Love
    Tutu

    PS. If you ever change you mind and let Celia be Fluffy's & Cayenne's Valentine...come over to my place :-)))

    ReplyDelete
  15. Harvey, we love you, but...are you nuts?
    Why choose Celia? She's eating meat!
    Perhaps....she's enjoying right now a rabbit stew!
    Choose our parents; they eat only carrots, lettuce and bananas....just like you! At least you can share a decent dinner :-)
    Love
    Fluffy

    PS. Sorry Whiskerette, but that's a typical example what a human can put us through :-)
    Celia became the center of attention and...I bet she's enjoying it! She always gets away with murder! She must be a pedigree! If she would have been a moggy (human) ...she'll be different (we love her thou)!

    ReplyDelete
  16. You need a human that is easy to train. You that will cater to you every little wish and one that will feed you good quality food. One that can cook, because they will, more than likely, have some delicious human food leftovers that you will enjoy like chicken and salmon and occasional piece of steak. In addition to a trainable human if they have a dog you must be the alpha animal. You will have to let the dog know you are in charge and he might have to give up his bed for you, if it is comfortable enough, if not you will have to take over the human's bed and the sofa.

    BTW, Celia deserves to be the center of attention she is such an excellent secretary for you and such a wonderful caregiver. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Help for cats whose humans show behaviour problems.

This blog is devoted to the study of human behaviour. We cats, who live with this sometimes unpredictable and always feeble minded species, can benefit from seeing their behaviour in its proper scientific context. The study of feline dilemmas, training problems, and difficulties with humans, can only benefit all of us. All of us train our humans - to buy the right food, for instance, but many of us do not have knowledge of how to improve our training methods. The human species is obviously not as intelligent as the cat, but nevertheless can learn quite a lot - if properly managed. Topics of interest include the use of claw and order, purring as a human reward, rubbing your human up the right way, when to bite, spraying as a method of making our wishes known, ignoring the human, human harassment, human inattention and sheer human stupidity. I welcome your questions. Photos can be sent via my secretary's website, www.celiahaddon.com This blog has been chosen as one of the top 50 feline blogs by Online VetTechprogramms.org