In fact, such misbegotten efforts will usually make things worse, instead of better.

My new Chromebook has created a cascade of interesting behaviors in Reverend Jim and Tristan.

Because now-elderly James Bond spends a lot of time napping, and Olwyn’s heart belongs to Mr WayofCats, I am generally surrounded by my Laurel and Hardy comedy team of Tristan and RJ.

One heartening clue pointing to how far RJ has come from his deprived background is how he was the first cat to grasp what this “thing I was typing on” meant to our closeness. As I sat on the couch, he cuddled up against my hip, purring and reaching out a paw to rest on the edge of the Chromebook. I could almost hear him saying:

Ooooh, oooh. That “finger thing” you are always doing can be done on the couch, and I can sit next to you. Ooooh, oooh.

While RJ reveled in his fresh understanding of cause and effect, Tristan was noticing that when the Chromebook appeared, happy things happened.

He instantly picked up on RJ’s excitement, even though I don’t think he grasped its source. But if RJ communicates that this is a good thing, Tristan is ready to get on board. He, too, began curling up next to me, and placing a paw on the edge of the keyboard. He’d like to “play,” too.

Many times we might be noticing our cat’s excitement over a new object, and attribute it to our cat’s natural curiosity, or the interesting smells it might have. These are all factors, but we might not be realizing just how much our own interest in the object is the source of our cat’s interest, too.

Then there’s the other side of the coin: when our cats are reacting to something we don’t sense. This can lead us to wrong conclusions.

The other night Tristan, for the first time in many months, was rowdy far too early in the morning. He wouldn’t leave the contents of our bedroom wastebasket alone. We were both disbelieving and exasperated. Hadn’t he been so good for so long?

Yes, he had been. So when I got up (too early) and brewed my coffee and sat down with my newly-skinned Chromebook… I noticed Tristan was paying much more attention to it than he had before I had “skinned” it.

Both Tristan and RJ had paid a lot of attention to my new computer device; but in ways which celebrated our mutual enjoyment of where it turned up. This was an eye-rolling focus on what it smelled like; when our cats let their jaw hang open and they look brainless, it is because their Jacobson’s organ is doing the thinking.

It all became clear to me. When I had put the protective, and decorative, “skin” on my Chromebook, I had peeled off the clear plastic guides to proper placement and put them… in the bedroom wastebasket. Now, Tristan was similarly unable to leave my Chromebook alone; only in an entirely different way than before.

It was the scent of the new plastic that he couldn’t leave alone.

Sure enough, after letting my newly-skinned Chromebook sit on my desk at work all day, I came home with it and Tristan showed no more than his usual interest. I had taken out the bedroom trash before leaving for work, so Tristan could stop obsessing about the bedroom wastebasket. And, he had.

We could have been despairing that Tristan had, seemingly, forgotten all the good manners he had taken so long to learn. We could have been upset with him for playing with the trash, when he’d hadn’t done that in months. We could have been angry that no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t seem to “train” him.

And when, in the course of sitting out, the stuff in the the bedroom trash became uninteresting again? We would have noticed that he “doesn’t bother the trash anymore,” but we would still be nervous, and suspicious of him, for seemingly, inexplicably, “forgetting” what we had asked him to do.

All of it would not be Tristan’s fault. He was only reacting, as a kitten and an Alpha and thus a noticer, to the heady scent of outgassing vinyl. There are many cats who seem to “go nuts” when their person gets a new shower curtain or raincoat; and then, just as suddenly and oddly, stop.

It’s always worthwhile to ask ourselves, “What is new?” when our cat acts in a way we cannot explain.

Chances are, that is all our cat is trying to tell us.

For more about cat misunderstandings, see my post, When they mean well.

I got this skin for my Chromebook: Mountain in the Clouds Decal Skin, but I had a hard time picking one, there were so many lovely choices.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.

My cat’s eyes are two different colors! Is there something wrong with him?

Dear Readers,

No. This is just the cat doing some genetic magic.This is known as Odd-eyed cat. This is usually seen in a white cat.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

This is what happens with the amazing powers of the white spotting gene. If we have a tuxedo cat, or one with white socks or a white locket on their chest, we are seeing this gene operating in our cat.

Essentially this gene, WSG for short, AKA “white masking gene,” covers up whatever basic color our cat was destined to have, there. This is how we wind up with black and white, and tabby and white, and calico with white patches; all following the rules of melanin distribution from when they were an embryo.

What are these “rules”? The genetics of our cat’s coat color begin at the very beginning; and work outward from their spine. That is why we don’t ever run across a cat with a white stripe down their spine; this is the place where the melanocytes (color producing cells) are at their strongest.

But as they spread outward, to the cat’s most outlying body areas, they “run out.” So we have cats with socks and lockets and bibs. This is where the color ran out, and they got white fur instead.

If their eyes are where the color ran out, they get the “baby default” color, which is blue.

All cats are born with blue eyes. It is one of the ways of gauging a baby cat’s age. Tristan arrived in my house with blue-blue eyes, even though they are now green. If our cat runs out of pigment before it reaches that eye, that eye will stay blue. If our cat runs out of pigment before it reaches that ear; they will be deaf in that ear.

Thus, the common phenomenon of blue-eyed deaf cats; or odd-eyed cats deaf on the blue-eyed side.

So if this creates a less optimal cat, how did it become a part of the cat’s genetic heritage? And it does create a less optimal cat; blue eyes, such as are common in Siamese, don’t see as well in the dark due to a reduced tapetum, which reflects dim light back onto the retina for enhanced nocturnal hunting prowess.

How did this happen?

No one knows; but my own theory is that white coats are linked with affectionate abilities in the cats who have them.

We love cats with socks, and cats with bibs, and cats with lockets. Is it the humans who bestow more love on such “cute” cats, and thus reap more love in return? Or are such white-masked cats actually more affectionate, and thus need their fine-honed survival instincts… less?

Science does not, as yet, have a definitive answer.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.

Great mousers, super-social, and able to take almost anything in stride, Beta cats fit everywhere.

As a Beta, RJ looks to his humans for getting his needs met. Because his early experiences consisted of not getting his needs met, RJ is always thrilled when an enjoyable chain of events is started.

While we used it as a training tool to help RJ over his deprivation, the act of creating, influencing, and participating in a Chain of Events is a source of joy for any Beta cat.

Most love the role I call Supervisor, since they are the most likely cat to appear and watch what we, or anyone else, is doing.

From daily window patrol to the weekly recycling sort, our Betas are always monitoring the activity of others in their sphere. They don’t just watch, either. Most display a clear interest in, and a talent for, organization, management, and motivation.

It doesn’t matter to our Betas whether they actually set the Chain of Events in motion, or just go along for the ride. Being a part of the Chain is what they crave.

It took a while for us to show RJ how his actions impacted the world around him.

Now, he is alert to the signs that something enjoyable is about to take place, and quivers with eagerness while he waits for his turn in the process.

Turning out the lights beside our bed signals him it’s time to snuggle between us and recharge his love batteries. My morning coffee ritual means I get out the wand toy and wear everyone out with some play.

It doesn’t mean Betas need an unvarying routine, either. A new routine can be exciting and interesting and a challenge; once a trusted human presents it that way.

One of their best qualities is their calm reaction, and considered evaluation, of most events in their lives.

Given a social setting where they are enjoyed and celebrated for themselves, it doesn’t matter if the other beings are human or canine or feline. A mix of any of them suits a Beta; they just want a circle of companionship.

This is where people go wrong the most with Betas. While many potential Cat Appreciators stumble at deepening the relationship, unaware of the concept of cat poker, this kind of neglect strikes at the core of a Beta’s abilities.

They expect to make their rounds, touching on each life which needs their Paw of Compassion, squaring up askew corners in How Things Work. They see themselves as part of a crew. More than other cat types, they need to know that they are helping, keeping the lines tight and the sails full, on the whole ship.

It can be a family with kids and a dog. It can be a multiple cat home. It can be one person who is home enough of the time. It can be any combination of lives which need Supervising.

We need to give Betas a team.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.

The cat, my cat, Mr. Knightley, chewed through the power cord to my phone. Clear through. He’s driving me nuts! Does my friend the cat whisperer have any ideas of what to do with my boy the chewer????

Dear Readers,

Cats can become chronic chewers because of events during kittenhood. Between teething and playing, they get pleasurable feedback from this act. This enjoyable activity can then extend into adulthood, fed by their naturally strong prey drives.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

No matter what is driving our cat or kitten into chewing things, we need to handle it properly. For all our sakes.

From 3-6 months, our kitten will be getting their permanent teeth. Some kittens pass through this stage without a lot of notice being taken, since all the kitten’s teeth are quite sharp. They can make their way through the gums in the midst of the kitten’s usual play, which involves gnawing on objects.

Since so much of kitten play is basically “killing” their toys with their teeth, kittens can get physical pleasure from relieving the pain of teething, and mental pleasure from the Joy of the Hunt.

If we have a cat who seeks out things to chew, we should:

Provide proper kitten teething toys, and explain what they should stay away from.

Coat wires and other items which won’t mind with Bitter Apple, or diluted orange or peppermint oil. These all have scents, and tastes, which discourage chewing.

Once kittens get pleasurable feedback from the act of chewing on things, (and this is fairly inevitable,) this “killer instinct” extends to seeing how many things can be enjoyably dispatched in this way.

We cannot extinguish cat energy, we can only redirect it.

A cat who enjoys chewing might need different toys than we expect:

A big ol’ stuffed animal can be just what our cat is craving if they are destroying things by gripping it with their teeth, and kicking with their back legs. I call such cats “rabbit hunters” and I make them happy the same way I did Reverend Jim when he was seven months old. I got him a Loofa Dog Toy and he “killed” it for months.

If our cat feels pulled towards wires, this can be their drive to hunt snakes. So we give them something better than wires: their own rubber snakes. Ordell loved many kinds of vermin, from lizards to rats, and we kept him supplied, satisfied, and away from our own stuff.

It might not even be play; cats on a canned food diet will enjoy good health from the protein and fat such a diet provides, but they aren’t getting the “crunch” they might crave. A dry food like Wysong Epigen, offered as treats, is a non-grain food that is good for their teeth. Our cats love Dream Treats which are designed to help clean their teeth.

When our cat misbehaves, it’s often because they are expressing a need; just in the wrong way. If we are frustrated in our training efforts, we need to stop thinking How can I make the cat stop doing this?

If, instead, we ask ourselves What can I give the cat so they can do this safely? we have a path to making both of us happy.

Isn’t that the goal?

Here’s more help with kitten teething.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to care for our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on CAT CARE.

Multiply that feeling many times when it is our cats.

see more

Cats find the pull of “territory” incredibly strong. They draw confidence from knowing a lot about their homes, and find great comfort in that knowledge. So a new place to live hits all the anxiety buttons they have.

How can we get them through this crisis?

The Prep. This is going to be a process of contraction and expansion.

At this stage, we want to contract all possible markers they think of as “home” into a small, shared space, suitable for moving to wherever it is we are going.

If we have a room to devote to this process, so much the better, but even a corner of a studio apartment will work. We will be moving all their beds and toys, litter boxes and food dishes, into designated areas to group them together in the minds of our cats.

Give them a week or two with this gradually changing process. If they show distress now, it’s a shadow of what it will be during the actual move. The response is to reassure them, and keep consolidating their stuff; while, of course, consolidating our stuff.

The boxes that are an inevitable part of any move will be our friends. Give the cats their own, and let them help with packing and marking. They will be full of questions. We should be prepared to act out our proposed plan, with big gestures we will be using through this whole process.

The Move. This is where the contraction part reaches its peak. The day of the move, we move them into their new room. If we don’t have a room (even a bathroom) we move them into a borrowed dog cage or kennel sizeable enough to hold a litter box and their bed or blanket.

This serves two purposes. We will be safely containing our cats at a time when their instincts to run and hide will be at their most powerful. We will also be shrinking our cat’s world down enough to move it to a new place.

Their stuff, and their people, is going to be how they touch base with their territorial instincts during this time, because everything else will be changing. Keeping all of that together, with them, is highly reassuring.

The Transition. How we move them into their new place depends on how far we go and how long it takes. But once we negotiate the necessary moves to get them to their new place, we should disgorge them into, as closely as possible, exactly the same place they left. We should keep all doors closed until the moving process is complete.

We should keep them there, visited and fed and watered and litter box-cleaned; for a few days, or maybe longer. If they were outdoor cats, and we plan to let them out in their new home, too, we must keep them inside for at least three weeks; to allow their homing system to reset. If we would like to make them indoor cats now, this is the time to start.

As humans, we revel in new, often expanded or optimized, living quarters. Our cats do not feel the same way. If they are moving from a small space to a large one, they can easily be overwhelmed by how their territory has advanced in size; and in implied responsibility. If their territory will be smaller, the contrast will be less if they spend time in a space that is smaller, still.

The Aftermath. Our pace for introducing the cat into their new home is dependent on the cat, or cats, involved. Our Alphas will be ready to explore their new space the next day, or even sooner. Our Gammas, if asked, will never be ready.

The more adventurous and confident they are, the more quickly we can keep the door open all the time, and let them explore. People often feel it’s “cruel” to keep a cat confined to a small space when there are larger ones they can inhabit. But this does not take a cat’s view of territory into consideration.

Suddenly thrusting a cat into a three bedroom ranch home from a studio apartment does not have the same effect on the cat as it does on the human. The human revels in the expanded space and storage. The cat feels like they have been promoted from the mailroom to CEO. It’s a lot to handle all at once.

After the move, there’s ways to help our cat settle in. We can give them a tour of the new place, with happiness and enthusiasm in our voice giving our cats clues to how they should feel about this turn of events.

We keep their “security spots” the same as we did before and during the move, so they have a safe place to flee back into. We can show them the new windows, new food areas, and new litter box spots with scent cues and objects we took from the old place to serve as anchors for them.

Most of all, we are happy and relaxed, no matter how hard a time our cats may be having with this new home. Feeding their anxiety with some of our own is the way such apprehension grows, interfering with our cat’s ability to settle in.

Soon, the new home will be no longer new. It will just be: home.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to care for our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on CAT CARE.

While Puffy was a mentally-challenged cat, (I suspected his origins were a careless backyard breeder,) he also personified the best qualities of Gammas.

He had an incredible capacity for love. He spent his first year in his new home sitting at Mr WayofCats’ feet, staring up at him with worship in his eyes.

He never got in trouble. The mere thought of causing distress would distress him.

He loved to study. This is a hallmark of the Gamma approach to life; details matter. They navigate their world by knowing every curve and crinkle in it.

They tend to be big-boned, compact bodied, long-haired cats; though Puffy was a little bird-boned bundle of fluff.

James Bond has Gamma shadings. He is shy with new things, and he fusses over details. He loves planning the ambush more than the actual ambush.

If we wonder how such cats would “make it in the wild” we are correct to be skeptical. These are cats shaped by many years of human intervention; chosen over generations for beauty, placidity, and ease of use.

While they can dispatch a mouse as well as any other cat type, they do not have the same level of prey drive. The cat qualities of noticing small changes, studying their terrain, and fitting into their territory have become paramount in their personality.

The biggest challenge a Gamma poses is getting along with other cats.

As seen at left, Puffy enjoyed interacting with Reverend Jim very much. But we had to teach RJ the gentle ways Puffy preferred. Once RJ learned to let Puffy set the pace, he was able to simply “be” with him.

Fortunately, RJ could get somewhat rowdy with James Bond, who was a fellow Beta, younger than Puffy, and more social.

This is the core of any Gamma’s trouble with other cats; the other cats are usually running several gears higher than they are.

The more assertive the other cats tend to be, the more they will interpret the Gamma’s gentle ways as not minding being shoved out of the window seat, not caring enough about their food dish to defend it, and not wanting to play at all, when it is the speed and intensity of the play which is overwhelming them.

The other thing to watch out for with Gammas is that they are so eager to please they actually need to be taught how to ask. We need to be alert to their needs, because they aren’t going to show distress… at first. While other cats make a big noisy fuss when they are hungry, Gammas will simply sit by the food dish, patiently waiting for someone to notice it’s empty.

I taught Puffy that he could tap me with his paw, and I would instantly get up and fuss over him and find out what he wanted. Thrilled with the Power of The Paw, Puffy expanded his repertoire into Drama. He would drag himself into the living room, look up at us beseechingly, and raise a trembling paw.

Often, because it was true, I would say, “Puffy, you just got treats.”

Happy to be noticed, he would leap up, find his favorite pillow, and settle on it.

It was just so thrilling to be able to ask!

My darling little Smokey-Pokey was an extreme Gamma. Most Gammas are better able to negotiate their world than he could.

But all Gammas could use our support. We might need to enforce their wishes on the other cats, be extra alert to the ways they ask to have their needs met, and make sure they are getting enough hugs and cuddle time.

Because they hate to be a bother.

Find out more with these Gamma raising tips.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Often, when we see our cat suddenly get still and “stare at nothing,” it might be caused by their hearing something that we cannot. The tip-off can be the way our cat’s ears are cocked; if they are moving, or at odd angles to each other, they are trying to pinpoint a sound’s location. They can do this within 3 inches, from one yard away.

A human has a range of 64-23k on the Hz scale. Cats start at 45, beating us handily, and move on to leave us in the dust at the high end, topping out at 64k. This is 1.6 octaves higher than we are, and .6 octaves above dogs. That’s a total range of 10.5 octaves.

While we admire our cat’s amazing sense of hearing, we might not realize the difference this makes to our interactions.

Sensitivity. Have some fun testing our cat’s hearing with these clips on The Science of Cat Hearing page. Cats are especially attuned to the kinds of sounds, (high pitched, almost ultrasonic,) that rodents make, since that is their primary prey. The flutter of a feather or the scratching of claws is also the kind of sound that will catch our cat’s attention.

What it means to our relationship: I’ve used this knowledge to help my cat’s toys sound more real. We can dangle the end of the wand toy into a cardboard box or behind a shelf on the cat tree, and wiggle it to make the sounds of prey. Find out more with making the toy act real.

If we want to gain our cat’s attention, we can use a adjustable dog whistle, and tell our cats to “pipe down” in the middle of the night without disturbing others. Provided, that is, those others are are not dogs.

This is also worth exploring if we have a deaf cat. They might not be completely deaf; the higher registers of an ultrasonic whistle might be able to reach them.

Selectivity. To quote The Science of Cat Hearing:

The enhanced sensitivity of the cat’s ears allows [them] to not only hear but distinguish between two similar sounds… Located near one another… From the distance of several yards away… Very helpful for successful hunting.

What it means to our relationship: When I remind people we need to turn down the volume for our cats, I mean it literally in the case of their hearing. We can underestimate the impact of a raised voice, loud music, or rowdy company on our cat’s ears and feelings.

Never let our cat feel trapped in a loud situation; just like us, it can cause physical pain and even hearing loss. Don’t yell at our cats; we then become frightening and threatening. The result is that our cats aren’t thinking about what they might have done wrong; they are wondering why we have become a monster all of a sudden.

Sensory. We might not be aware of how our cats are always on the alert for sound, even in sleep. They are always “scanning the sound horizon” and figuring out what the sounds mean, even if it is a garbage truck in the street or an aspiring musician next door.

Cats have a near-uncanny ability to pinpoint sound location. The thirty muscles in each ear lets their ear flap rotate independently 180 degrees. It’s the same principle as using two radio receivers that meet with their overlap. Cats can use their ears to build a “sensory world” which places sounds in a three dimensional framework.

What it means to our relationship: Our cat might be asleep on our bed, but they are still keeping tabs on everything that is going on. This is why we can’t slip the new bag of treats in the cupboard, or open the refrigerator, or even pull into the driveway, without them knowing. This is why sneaking on up them never works; though it is fun to try.

Susceptibility. Once we understand the lush sound landscape our cats live in, we can see why we should always whisper while we cuddle. When we know just how well they hear the tiniest sound, we know what an awful thing raising our voice to them is. When we realize the keen interest sound triggers in their minds and hearts, we grasp the pull of the songs with their name in them.

What it means to our relationship: When we shoot our Way of Cats videos, the sound of my voice gets Tristan all excited, inspiring ways he “gets into the act.”

I always emphasize the incredible power our voices have on our cats. They love to hear themselves talked about, they love us to talk about them in soft, sweet voices, and they will always listen to our troubles.

It’s one of the ways their world is actually richer than ours.

Learn more about cat senses with What Cats See.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.

As seen at left, (click graphic for larger version,) my last six cats run the whole range of possibilities. This is important to know whether we go to the shelter with a list of requirements, or agree to take some random kitten rescued from the side of the road.

While most cats are Betas, (2/3rds of the population, according to standard deviation math,) that means we have a one out of three chance of getting a not-Beta; an Alpha or a Gamma.

At the one extreme, we have emphasis on the Gamma’s traits of close observation, ability to map many different planes in their head, and heightened sensitivity to change. At the other extreme, we have what I think of as the “original model” of catdom; a bright, fast-moving object. This was the cat who came out of the desert to help with rodent control, and become the human’s friend.

In the middle with all these traits is the Beta, the statistical “norm.” This is what happens when cats move into new environments and adapt themselves to more confined spaces, colder climates, and the demands of domestication.

The Beta is the easiest to provide for because they see us, the humans, as the route to manipulating their environment. This keeps them out of the trouble Alphas get into with their Do It Yourself approach to environmental manipulation. This keeps them more involved with their care than Gammas, who tend to let the environment manipulate itself, and thus need a little more attention to ensure their needs are being met.

If we expect a cat who is lively and funny and loves to play, we can be disappointed at how quickly our kitten disappears; if we inadvertently chose a Gamma. If we chose a more grown cat because we didn’t want random mayhem in our lives, we can be upset by our “untrainable” Alpha, who stays kittenish most of their lives.

The beauty of understanding the cat types is that we gain a much better idea of what we are getting. We know more about their needs, and if we are the right home to supply them.

We might be Siamese fans, and think the energy, intensity, and verbal abilities we love so much are “Siamese.” They are actually Alpha traits, and shared with other breeds, such as Abyssinians, Sphynxes, and Rexes.

We might appreciate the quiet beauty of Persians, and not realize we don’t have to get a purebred Himalayan or Ragdoll to get the traits we like. The Ocicat is a rare breed. Yet, I basically got one, when a friend found Tristan abandoned in a rural field. How did that happen?

All of these traits can pop up as mixed breeds; even if there wasn’t a purebred lurking out there to be the actual Dad or Mom. That is because the genetic potential is in every cat. That is where our purebreds came from in the first place.

The attraction of purebreds is the reliability of those traits coming up in certain ways. But if we become aware of how these traits are expressed, these same traits will randomly appear.

We can get an broad ranges of choices in the shelter, or from rescues in our own neighborhood, because Siamese and Persian are two of the most popular cat breeds of the last century. Essentially, there are a lot of “purebred” genes for these two cat types out there.

This is how I regard James Bond and Olwyn as Norwegian Forest Cat mixes; even though there probably wasn’t any purebred genes there for many generations. But it cannot be denied they have the long graceful limbs, the distinctive profile, and the sweet/strong personality of that breed. Reverend Jim is very Maine Coon in appearance and personality; even though he is on the small side, and doesn’t have these traits in high prominence, as a purebred would.

We know what to expect when we notice how their genes are expressed.

If we have particular needs or preferences about our cat experience, we actually can choose with those wants in mind. We can get mellow or lively or friendly; if we look for the indicators each cat is showing.

This will make both of us happy.

Find out more about the three cat types.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.

As seen at left, our three youngest cats are good friends.

This is in spite of the fact that Olwyn (far left) and Reverend Jim (far right) and Tristan (center) have widely differing personalities. One of my duties as Boss of Cat Town is to get these differences to complement each other; not become sources of conflict.

Tristan has a “high play capacity.” Both because of his cat type, Alpha, and because of his age, 20 months. I consider cats to be still kittens until they are three; RJ, a large breed which develops slowly, wasn’t done until he was past four.

They all play together happily when it’s hiding treats in the puzzle box or throwing small toys at the cat tree. Tristan and RJ love looking out of windows together. Olwyn and James Bond love to hang out together on the bed, discussing Supervision.

But there comes a time in every wand toy play session where I have to put the cube away… and put away the two youngest kittens, too. I have to decoy them into the bathroom with their Mini-Kong filled with treats, as I described in Match the play to the cat.

James Bond has always been insistent on not being locked in the bathroom with the kittens… even though he loves treats as much as any cat. I always complied, thinking it was about his independence. But recently, I realized it was about more than that.

James was insisting because he wanted time alone with RJ; harking back to when RJ was a kitten, and James Bond was raising him. While RJ needs the separation from the two younger ones for safety reasons during his headlong charges, James Bond wants the bonding opportunities that arise when it’s just him, and his kitten.

James likes to perch on a chair or the couch, watch RJ’s thudding runs, and take advantage of RJ’s break times to play with the wand toy, himself. This is when each cat shows off for the other. This is when James Bond can radiate “I’ve taught him all he knows!” as he demonstrates his own specialty, the Ninja Paw.

James will be sixteen this coming May. He’s been showing signs that he’s feeling his age. If I hadn’t been paying attention to the subtle signals cats use, I might have missed James’ requests for this time with RJ. Now that I know, I make fusses over it, declare it Their Time, and hand out treats for both of them at the end.

James Bond was raised by a Maine Coon mix, my delightful Bubby. Sadly, Bubby passed on at fourteen, when James was still not quite three, still a kitten himself. Now James is perpetuating my Cat Civilization, by training RJ and Olwyn to carry on the important work Bubby demonstrated daily. My “Bubs” was the one who soothed new kittens, enforced good behavior, and showed How Things Are Done. He lives on, as long as I have cats who pass on his principles.

Just as, in turn, James will live on; in the kittens he has helped raise.

For more about cats needing their me-time, see my post, Time in the Bubble.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more about multiple cats in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See more posts on the MULTIPLE CAT ADVANTAGE.

Dogs roam in packs throughout their territory, with the comfort of hunting buddies and confidence that comes from ranging over large spaces. Cats tend to have solitary hunting territories, with understanding of each small space.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

This divergent view of “travel” explains why cats react so poorly to being taken away from their territory. They are uneasy in new spaces, which might belong to some other cat who will object. They don’t know what to expect, so what might be lurking there is frightening. Cats gain confidence from knowing; they reap anxiety from not-knowing.

So the adventure of new spaces is completely lost on most cats. But if we wish to have a happy kitty traveling companion, it’s possible; if we are able to control enough variables.

Choose the right cat type. This is a job for an Alpha cat. Their unquenchable curiosity and over-sized confidence are made for new spaces and places. The worst choice would be the Gamma cat, who loves their environment and never, ever, wants to leave it. Beta cats can go either way; highly friendly Betas love to meet new people. They are able to draw their security from their own person, who is accompanying them.

Choose the right way of training. Some cats are natural shoulder cats; meeting the world head-high, the way we do, works for them. We get them a harness and leash and are halfway there already.

We can also try leaving out an appropriate travel case for our cat to explore. Kitty strollers come ready to go. If our cat becomes comfortable with a carrier in our home, they can often feel they are taking a piece of “their territory” with them if they travel in it.

Starting early helps; a confident, outgoing kitten has much less to overcome than a stray who spent their first few months with us hiding under the bed. But much depends on the cat’s personality; we can work with what is already there by supporting any natural tendencies.

Choose the outings carefully. Once our cat becomes used to their safety restraints, we can start slowly expanding their environment. If we have places in the house the cats aren’t allowed in; let them explore these spaces with their new leash or carrier. This is a great, highly controllable, first environment to start out in.

If we want to keep our cat happy about their special “exploring suit” we will reserve it for happy occasions only. Cats are driven to know What Happens Next.

If we lead them to expect an enjoyable outcome, and they wind up at the veterinarian’s office; they will not forget. This will be a BIG entry in the Cat Database. With a red flag on it.

Choose our spaces and companions wisely. As we expand our cat’s horizons, we must keep our own impatience in check. Every foot out the door will create an absolute avalanche of new sensory impressions, which can flood our cat’s highly sensitive senses.

We will keep our cat thinking “happy thoughts” if we plan our first outing to last… maybe a minute. If our cat indicates they want to flee back to their secure space and think about this for 24 hours, let them.

Don’t get all excited about taking our cat to get a latte at the adorable bistro down the street on their first, or second, try. Our cat will love the meet & greet, the coffee lid of cream, and the crouching in the vacant seat next to us, watching the passerby from their safe, hidden, vantage point under the tabletop.

Eventually.

Experience a cat who did love to travel, and explore adventures with Norton, the amazing Scottish Fold, with his human.

Got here from a Link or Search?
There’s more ways to understand our cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my posts on WHY CATS DO THAT.