Today, Monday August 8, 2011, is World Cat Day. Personally, I think every day should be World Cat Day. Our feline friends often get short shrift. They sent out the door to fend for themselves against cars, birds of prey, other animals. Some reproduce at will when TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) is the most humane and efficient way to resolve the feral cat problem so they can live out their lives and not produce more ferals.
We need to give more consideration to cats. Stop treating them as second class pets for those who don't want to be caregivers. Cats are solitary hunters but they are not the loners that people claim them to be. They crave attention, they want to be with us and they can be taught anything you can teach any other pet. Clicker training is easy and every family member can do it. In two or three short sessions a day you can capture your kitty's attention, avert behavior problems and build a stronger bond with your cat. You can't leave your cat alone and expect her to fend for herself with food and water. She needs companionship, her litterbox scooped and, worse, if your house caught fire, what would happen to kitty?
With a harness, you can take your cat for a walk. Some cats love to play fetch and every cat loves an interactive toy. I filled an entire book with everything you need to know about cats (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Cats-Meow-Everything-Caring/dp/0470641673/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312696562&sr=1-1), far more than I could put into a blog post.
If you love cats, spread the word about what they're really like. If you have room in your life, your home and your heart, consider adding a cat to your family. There are so many cats that would appreciate a loving home, who have lost their home due to death in the family or some other family crisis. Consider an older cat who would appreciate a chance to love and be loved.
What better time to start than today, World Cat Day?
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