My Human Answers YOUR Cats’ Questions Today!

As I promised, for National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day, my human is here to answer your cats’ questions! And while it started off slow, I wound up with a bunch of cats wanting to know stuff. My human couldn’t answer all the questions — and I told her only the cat questions, not the human ones — but she did as many as she could. So here you go.

Katie Isabella asks, “Why would I turn my favorite wet foods almost completely down here for four days, and just eat the dry? Mom feeds me a variety and sometimes will repeat a fave. Then, the cycle of rotation continues.”

Well, I’m not psychic, so I can’t read your mind, Katie! Cat food preferences are sort of a mystery to me too. I just try to roll with it, and not buy too many of one flavor at one time. Sadly, this means I can never buy cases at a discount, but then, a discount is no good if half the food goes to waste (or gets donated).

Shortcake asked, “Why do my humans think it’s weird when I run around the house at night? They run in one place all the time, and I want to show them a better way!”

It’s not that your humans think it’s weird, they are probably just a bit annoyed because your running around wakes them up at night. I agree about the running in one place all the time. It’s pretty boring! I do cardio dance videos myself just for that reason. And for the record, my cats think I’m weird when I do it, and they’re annoyed because I’m taking up their space in the living room when I do my workout videos.

Mira asks, “Do you know anyone who wants a small annoying tortie? This house is only big enough for one tortie! I’d also be willing to throw in my brothers.”

Sorry, Mira, I don’t know any takers! Binga thinks one tortie is enough here too. And she only wants minions, and I’m not sure your brothers would fit that description.

Jack and Gwennie ask, “We want to know if your human has any tips on how to get us kitties used to annoying things like brushing, nail trimming and checking our teeth. We don’t like that at all. Is there a way to make it easier for us?”

It’s really much easier if you start off that sort of thing when kitties are youngsters. Summer’s breeder, I believe, starts her kittens with that at three weeks. Binga is a problem child when it comes to trimming her claws, so if I don’t have someone to help me restrain her, I try to find a time when she is sleepy or very relaxed to do claw trims. You might try one of those restraining bags, where you put the cat in, with just their head sticking out, and whatever appendage’s claws you are trimming. One thing that is helpful in general, is if your human handles you firmly, and with confidence. When we humans are scared or even the slightest bit tentative when handling cats, they sense it, and it makes the cats skittish and fearful themselves. Cats are such energy sponges. If I want to look at Binga’s teeth or brush her, I just go in and do it very matter-of-factly, and don’t allow her to take control.

Barley asks, “I want to know if Summer’s laidback and easygoing purrsonality is typical of her breed or is it just her.”

It’s just her — although Somalis are very intelligent and people oriented, they tend to be more active and busy than Summer is. The line of cats she comes from have especially good temperaments, however. That’s part nature and part nurture. Summer’s breeder makes sure her kittens are very well socialized and well used to being handled. The ones she brings to shows usually have pretty amazing and affectionate personalities. But if a good foster at a rescue gets a pregnant mom cat and helps raise the kittens from birth, they will often be just as awesomely socialized.

Spitty asks, “My human sometimes reaches over when I am sleeping and look all cute and snuggly, and pets me. While this is nice, it disturbs my pleasant dreams and sometimes wakes me up. Sometimes, I get crabby about that, and take a little nip out of her hand. She feels rejected, and while I don’t much care, I wish I could explain to her that I.Need.My.Sleep! Any suggestions?”

Honestly, I don’t really have any suggestions. Your human knows how you are, so she must expect you will wake up and nip at her when she does that. I’d just leave you be, myself, until you were awake. Or if I really wanted to pet you, I’d bring treats to waft under your nose to wake you up first — that way, you’d be less likely to be cranky.

Agatha Christie asks, “The woman who lives in my house was informed at the beginning of her employment that my name is Agatha Christie. She has known that fact as long as she has known me. However, it seems she forgets it rather often and calls me something else like ‘Sweetie’ ‘Sissy’ ‘Silly Kitty’ ‘My Sweet Baboo,’ ‘Pretty Kitty,’ ‘Baby Girl,’ ‘You Little Stinker,’ (my least favorite!!) and ‘Missy.’ Is she senile? Do I need to wear a name tag? Do you do this to Summer, Binga, Boodie, and Smokey? Surely not! What can I do? Do I just go along with it? Is this nicknaming business just part of life with the woman? Help!!!”

Most humans have a weird nickname fetish. They do it to each other too. I actually dislike nicknames, so they don’t get used much in my house. You will just have to deal.

Georgia, Julie and JJ ask, “Do you give the cats scritches and belly rubs several times a day and who likes it the most? Do they demand them?”

The only cat here who gets regular belly rubs is Summer because she enjoys them. Binga often hangs out behind me in my office chair, so she gets scritched there, but usually not belly rubs. Boodie gets petted occasionally, but not as often because she keeps to herself a lot. Nobody really demands to be petted — I think they must get enough and don’t feel the need to ask for more.

Piper asks, “At night just before we go to sleep I like to lay on my human’s shoulder, grab her arm with my paws and give her little bites while also meowing in her face. She doesn’t seem to enjoy this. What am I doing wrong?”

It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong, it’s just that your human isn’t fond of this little ritual. At the same time, it doesn’t sound like she is trying to stop you either. If they are just little nips and you aren’t drawing blood, I don’t think there’s a problem, really.

Bella and Shadow ask, “We want to know why the big loud male human won’t let us eat our meals in his bedroom. He wants us to eat in the kichen and then he walks by us. Shadow gets scared and runs and hides and then I, Bella, eat his food. The lady human feeds us anywhere we ask to be fed when he is not home.”

Some humans have more rules for things than others. Apparently your male human has some rules that your lady human doesn’t. You’re cats, you should know how to take advantage of this situation.

Hansi asks, “Why is it suddenly white outside? I can see the bunnies at night much better but my human won’t let me go out, no matter how hard I scratch at the window. And, what’s a window?”

Hansi, all that white is a very cold thing called snow, and you would not want to be out in it, no matter how awesome it might be to chase bunnies. I think you already know what a window is — it’s the thing that separates you from the snow and bunnies.

Marv asks, “Why does my Mom not like it when I bite her?”

Probably because cat bites hurt and get infected really easily. I know somebody who wound up in the hospital for something like five days because of a single cat bite. We non-furred creatures are rather fragile.

Cathy Keisha asked, “Why is TW such a drama queen when I bite her or attack her ankles while Pop isn’t? My main question is why are the peeps so overjoyed to see my poos in the litter box? They get so happy, they sing a little song. I poo just about every day. Sometimes I withhold my poo to punish them. Do humans really sell our poos on the black market?”

See Marv above — TW is probably worried something like that might happen to her. Maybe your male human’s ankles don’t wound as easily as hers. As for the litter box thing — one way to gauge a cat’s health is by keeping an eye on what goes on in the litter box. If everything is good there, it makes us happy because it means we don’t have to drag you kitties to the vet. For the record, while I keep an eye on what goes on in the litter boxes here, I’ve never sung about it. As far as I know, there isn’t a black market for cat feces. Although sometimes the vet clinic does ask for a sample.

The Purrjam Cats ask, “We were wondering, where does your mom find most of your clothing? You girls have great taste. We love your wardrobe.”

I find these outfits most often at the pet store, in the dog clothes section! Sometimes, if Summer and I are working a Pet Expo, I shop there too. Occasionally we get hand-me-downs from other dressy cats, and once a friend offered to hand make a formal dress for Summer. She wore it at the BlogPaws red carpet event that year.

Zorro asks, “I love to bring gifts to my humans, especially Claire, but it looks like she prefers gifts that don’t fly, or better, dead gifts. Every cat knows that catching a moth, a bird, or a bat (and keep it alive to offer it) is much more difficult than catching a mouse (and keep it alive). Why doesn’t she understand the real value of my presents?”

I’m afraid that we humans are pretty lazy when it comes to our food. We like things already prepared and ready to go in the oven or frying pan (or in my case, the mircrowave). Dealing with live things is beyond nearly all of us. Most of us don’t even like dead things because we don’t eat those kinds of critters anyhow. I hope Claire at least thanks you for your efforts, though.

Lola (and Lexy) ask, “I want to know how to get our mom to stop paying attention to the computer and more attention to me. Umm… I mean us.”

You guys are cats — you should know how to get her attention away from the computer. Mine come right up on the desk chair to hang out with me. What do you want me to do, tell your human to pay more attention to you myself? Wouldn’t that take the fun out of it?

Valentine asks, “I guess I would like to know if you get requests to do purr-ivate visits for birthdays, anniversaries and such?”

A couple of times, a therapy pet event has specifically requested Summer. So far, we haven’t been asked for private visits for parties, but we are available for hire! We prefer public appearances, though. Or at least I do — I love speaking for audiences, and I think Summer enjoys being part of that.