At last.... the new First Cat

 

At last there is feline representation in the White House. The new First Cat has arrived - and she looks rather like me. Maybe my continuous blogging has an influence that I never realised. Maybe Dr Jill Biden is a fan. Well, a cat's gotta dream

This is Willow. She is a farm cat, not a posh pedigree - though she has my pedigree looks, I think. So she can help spread the message - Adopt Don't Buy.

She chose her new owner.  “Willow made quite an impression on Dr. Biden in 2020 when she jumped up on the stage and interrupted her remarks during a campaign stop,” said Michael LaRosa, the first lady’s spokesman to The New York Times.

“Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden.” It's taken a bit of time for Willow to arrive, because Major, the second First Dog, now retired after biting staff, wasn't a good companion for any cat.

The new First Dog, a puppy called Commander, will be OK.  Or so we all hope... If not, he will have to go.

Felines of the world, rejoice. The White House now has a new administrator.

 

Purrlease do not clean away my marks

 Rubbing the scent of my face is how I make myself feel secure and comfortable. I spread my scent to remind that I am safe and that this is my home.

That is why you will see cats in rescue pens rubbing their face against the pen. Without their own scent there, they will feel they are in a frightening place. 

In a house, I make a home scent profile. I rub against my human (and against the family dog if I get on with him) and put my scent on them. At the same time I pick up their scent on me.

So when I rub against the doorpost I am anointing it with my own scent and their scent. Like humans decorate a house with wallpaper to make them feel happy, I decorate the house with the home scent to make me feel happy.

If you clean it all off, I am disturbed and I have to start scent marking all over again.

If I feel really really frightened, then I might have to scent mark with urine. 

You have been warned. Do not clean up my facial scent marks.

Why I bit you.....

Dear Human, 

Yes, I normally like being stroked by you. Indeed, I choose to sleep on your lap sometimes. But yesterday I bit you. Want to know why? There are several possible reasons. 

•  I bit you, because I am frightened of you.
  

• I bit you because you went on petting me too long. I mean I like to be petted and stroked for a few minutes but not seemed like hours. So I gave you a little warning.

• I bit you because you touched my tummy. You know I don't like my tummy being touched.

• I bit you because you touched my shoulder, where there is a hidden abcess that HURTS. Do something.

• I bit you, because you interfered with a cat fight. That was not a good idea.

• I bit you because I was furious with the neighbour cat that I could see out of the window, and then you picked me up from the window sill. So I bit you instead of that cat.

• I bit you because I am in pain. I am old, cranky and got awful arthritis. No it is not just old age. I need painkillers.

• I bit you because I want to hunt mice and you are the next best thing. I was hunting you and it was good fun. For me.

• I gave you just a teeny weeny nip to remind you that it is time I was fed. See to it.
  
  

What's in a roll....

This is the affectionate roll for a human

Human beings are illiterate. They read body language so badly that they do not realise the many meanings of the feline roll. They call it the "social roll", but it can be unsocial and even threatening.

OK, so sometimes I roll in order to greet my human. It doesn't mean I want a belly rub but it is a way of showing some affection. I guess that is the social roll.

Being friendly to another cat.

Sometimes I roll in front of another cat to show that I am trying to be friendly. Maybe that is the social roll too.

And sometimes I roll for fun during a play fight. I guess that is being social

The defensive roll ready to attack

But sometimes I roll in order to defend myself against another aggressive cat. It means I have all four paws, each with four dagger sharp claws, ready to rip out bits of his fur.  That is hardly being social in a kind sense.

And sometimes I roll around when I am playing with a dead mouse or a toy. That isn't social at all.

Playing with a mouse

So, humans, somehow you have got to factor in all these complications and not make easy (and false) categorisations.

As I said, humans are illiterate in body language.

Mew Year resolution - save a difficult cat

Brody: www.sunshinecatrescue.org.uk

Now is the time when we cats make resolutions for our humans. Purrlease do something..... and this year I want to ask humans to adopt difficult cats.

Brody is one of the cats waiting for a home who may have to wait a long time. He is a hands-off cat, because he both bites and scratches humans who get too close.

Quite a few cats will let a human pet them for a few seconds, then scratch. But Brody has decided to get in early and do it before he is touched. 

He has been in a home and enjoyed the warmth and comfort, though not the human contact. So it seems a bit hard to just give him a home in a barn or stables even with regular meals.

Yet he cannot go into a home with young children or with any adults that are elderly, ill or have immunity issues. His biting and scratching might mean that they become seriously hurt.