Where Have All the Good Cats Gone?

…part 2

A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.
- “Winter-end Excursion to the Sutherd” (1902) -Mark Twain

I’m often asked: “What is the difference between dogs and cats?” I can answer that.

A dog owner comes home each night to find the dog greeting her at the door. Tail wagging! Barking! Thrilled that she’s home.

The dog thinks, ‘Wow! Every night, she comes home to feed me, change my water, take me on a walk, pick up my poop, and rub my belly. She must be God.’

A cat owner comes home each night to find the cat fast asleep, sprawled on the back of the couch. Walking over to it, she greets him excitedly, thrilled to see her little kitty.

And the cat thinks, ‘Huh! Every night, she comes home to feed me, change my water, refill my catnip, clean my litter box, and stroke my fur. I must be God.’

You’re So Vain You Probably Think this Story’s About You

The Egyptians are probably the most well-known civilization which revered cats. As the Brooklyn Museum’s curatorial fellow Antonietta Catanzariti explains, it’s a mistake to imagine that the Egyptians worshipped cats. Instead, the connection between felinity and divinity derived from a careful observation of the way these animals comported themselves.

“What they were [actually] doing was associating cats to specific deities because of their attitude, how they were behaving in the natural world,” Catanzariti says. “Everything had a meaning. A cat protecting the house from mice. Or it might just protect kittens. These were attitudes that were attributed to a specific goddess.” An icon of the motherhood goddess Bastet in her cat form. — Smithsonian Magazine 10/11/17

Other scholars point out: “The Ancient Egyptians held cats in the highest esteem, the penalties for injuring or killing a cat were severe. They worshipped a Cat Goddess, often represented as half feline, half woman, whom they called Bastet. The main center for the worship of Bastet was in northern Egypt at the city of Bubastis.”

Photo by Jayden So on Unsplash

There you have two informed opinions — some considered them gods…others3sg9jkjkghhhbnm…Off the keyboard, Mr. Whiskers!

Sorry about that.

Does it matter to those of us who love our cats whether they were worshipped by ancient civilizations? We still treat them like gods regardless of what a past culture believed. Spoiled, pampered gods.

Thou Shalt Have No Other…

Cats are easily offended gods. And they don’t take kindly to a challenger. Your little Pippin is no different, and gender matters not. Territory is king! If given a choice, a cat would pick ‘being a big fish in a small pond’ every single time.

We talked about Pippin’s behavior when his surroundings changed.

You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!

If you thought moving a few pieces of furniture around or spraying some air freshener set him on edge, try bringing in [GULP] another cat.

Thank you, Sir, May I Have Another?

A belligerent hierarchy exists in multi-cat households. But Spring is in the air, and a young cat owner’s fancy turns to…a gorgeous brown, black-striped female tabby named “Nessa.” Fixed, of course, just like Pippin is. Hey, you’re not stupid.

She came from the home of an elderly woman who doted on her since she was a kitten. Nessa was the queen of her one-cat household until the day this woman passed away. She found herself being saved from lethal injection by you…and, consequently Pippin.

You take your vet’s advice on how to introduce her to your home, doing all the right things:

1. Keeping her in a room by herself for two weeks so she and Pippin can pick up each other’s scent safely under the door.
2. Switching out rooms for an hour here and there to let them explore the other’s domain.
3. Being sure to give Pippin extra love and attention during this critical phase.
4. Allowing them time in the same large room — with maximum supervision, of course— giving treats to exhibit the benefits of acceptance.

At first, Pippin is agitated, generally regarding her as the vilest creature he’s encountered. Trust me, she feels the same.

HISS. LOW MOAN. GROWL. SPIT. HISS AGAIN. Did I mention the joys of cat ownership? Now might be a good time to remember those benefits while getting a Bloody Mary. Hey! Tomato juice is healthy. And, besides, they haven’t resorted to Clash-Of-The-Titans-Level fighting yet.

Time passes, and they do their share of fighting and bickering, seemingly taking turns as the aggressor. You do your best to stay out of it, intervening only when it gets too rough. After all, you know they need this to establish hierarchy. It doesn't mean fighting is over once the structure is set, but the main event’s over and the crowd left the arena.

Cats will be cats. An ALPHA is crowned. Meet Queen Nessa.

Alpha cats exert their dominance over the other cats in the household. This can lead to aggressive encounters when another cat is a threat to its dominance. The cat may exhibit hissing and swatting or an out-and-out attack. Trust me, images of Simba and Scar will come to mind.

But what about the number two cat, if you have three or more?

Usually second in line to the alpha cat is the beta cat, although this doesn’t necessarily mean the beta cat aspires to be alpha. When the alpha cat is out of the room, the beta cats may try to establish secondary dominance.

And In this Corner

“But how do you tell when cats are just playing and not trying to tear the other in half?” you ask. Here are some helpful tips you may observe:

1. Fewer vocalizations take place in serious fights — cats need all energies focused on the enemy at paw.
2. The alpha cat will be the one who, when engaged in play or fight, doesn’t hiss, growl, or spit. He or she doesn’t need to. Being number one means knowing it.
3. Cats will often lie down and stretch out a paw to touch the other or bow low to the ground and nip at the neck to engage play. The beta lying down and rolling over when the alpha walks in the room is a show of submission, not play.
4. Hierarchy and territory are incredibly important. So have some space for each cat to call his or her own. it doesn’t have to be much.
5. Keep one more litter box than the number of cats you have in the house. This way there is always an open one somewhere. Cats can be weird, just like humans sometimes.
6. Pheromone diffusers and calming collars can help as does creating a calming environment.

Finite

Pippin and Nessa are different. Treat them as individuals. You’ll be amazed at how distinct each cat can be. Everything from what food they like to whether they enjoy climbing high or sleeping in a play tube on the floor.

Whatever the differences, struggles, or height of that learning curve, cats bond significantly with their humans and one another in a household — even with the dog. Frequently with amusing results. After all, there’s one in every family.

AND…

No matter what others think or say, the love of a cat is unconditional and can touch your heart and life in ways you can’t imagine. Often bringing out the best in you, the plaything of the gods.