Before we learned to speak we all had the ability to communicate with all living things. I remember as a child talking to flowers, bugs and my dog, not even questioning that they did not understand me. It was an innocence soon lost when adults told me it was silly, not socially acceptable, and they couldn’t understand what I was saying anyway. With my own animals and those I have the pleasure of working with every day I try to recapture that innocence lost. I talk, laugh and even sing to them. And I do think there are times they understand, or at least pretend to so they don’t hurt my feelings. I sometimes think animals look at us as being funny creatures, at times clueless in a way. According to most animal communicators I have talked to or worked with, they say animals refer to us as “the others”, looking down on us as being very low on the spiritual chain. I can see their point of view. There are so many wonderful lessons we can learn from our animals if we are still and tune in.
I am sometimes asked why a cat is doing this behavior or that, something not socially acceptable to us. They are trying to tell you something the best way they know how. In our busy lives we rush around and ignore what they are tring to say. Don’t tune out, tune in. The answer is usually right in front of you. Are you paying attention?
Just like our own health, it is sometimes easier to give up responsibility and turn our cat’s health over to someone else. Although I have great respect for the veterinary field and worked in it for several years, there are alternatives to your cat’s health issues. Education is power. The more we can learn about a health issue, the more intelligent decisions we can make regarding our cat’s health. There are many folk remedies that can be made at home to aleviate problems your cat may be experiencing. One of my “go to” books is Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats by Amy Shojai. Whenever one of my cats has an issue, before I call the vet, I always do my homework. There are so many simple remedies that are safe and natural and at low cost. I like the holistic approach to health care because they don’t just address symptoms, but try and get to the root of the problem of what is causing the symptoms to begin with. Sometimes just addressing the symptoms causes countless vet trips, expense and stress for the cat, and then you end up with the same problem resurfacing later. Empower yourself with your cat’s health by educating yourself.
It’s interesting to me the variance in what people mean when they say they love their cat. What does that mean really? Although cat’s needs vary, they are not as independent as one might think.They might pretend to ignore you, but the fact of the matter is they love having you around. (Even if some cats would never admit it). I always look at them like small children with fur. You can buy kids everything they want but spending time with them is what matters most. If you are not spending quality time with your cat you are missing out on an enriching experience. Having a pet requires more than just food and water. They have emotions and feeling just like we do. When they do not get the attention they need they will act out in ways that we don’t like. It’s the only way they have of showing their displeasure of being left alone. Why not take your cat for a ride in the car, or try training your cat on a halter and leash and go for a walk. Or try clicker training to teach your cat some new tricks. Don’t miss out on your cat’s life. Owning any animal gives us a lot of rewards but it also requires sacrifice on our part. But I think the rewards outweigh that by far.
I always am amazed when people come in with a certian idea of how they want their cat to look, which is a good thing…. Unless the cat is very matted. Then we don’t have a lot of choices. De-Matting a cat is extremely painful. Regular grooming is required in order to have a luxurious coat on your cat. You can’t expect to salvage a “Pelt” just because you don’t want your cat shaved down. I always base my grooming decisions on what is best for the cat, not so much the owner’s vanity of how they want their cat to look. It is what is best for the cat, if we do indeed need to shave the cat down. Would you want someone ripping a comb through your hair if it was matted? I think not. Even cats that are not professionally groomed on a regular basis and need to be stripped of months of undercoat suffer. Then the cat equates grooming with a negative experience. We don’t want that. It’s not fun for anyone involved including the groomer. As groomers we are at risk for getting scratched or bit as the cat is getting upset….and I can’t blame them. Grooming is part of responsible pet ownership.Just because you CAN let your cat get in horrible condition does not mean it’s right. A lot of groomers will only take clients that come regularly and you can see why. It is twice the work to groom a cat that has not been in in 6 months vs. a cat that is in every 6 weeks. Grooming is hard enough work. We don’t need to make it any harder or our career will be short lived. When you tell a dog owner their dog needs to come in every 4-6 weeks, they don’t even blink. When I tell that to cat owners they are shocked. Why should it be different for cats? I don’t think it should. And it is so much more pleasant to live with a clean kitty that smells good. From a groomers point of view.
It’s interesting that after posting my blog yesterday that a client came in today with the very issue I was talking about. Improper elimination. I could tell the cat was low on energy, and I suspect cystitis or UTI. So we decided to forego his grooming until he feels better. We have to remember;it’s not “improper” elimination to a cat. They don’t want to not use the litter box. This poor little guy associates the litter box with pain and so therefore goes elsewhere thinking that will fix the problem. The owner was so relieved after talking to her. She will be going to the vet tomorrow, but in the meantime I told her about a product from Apawthacary called “Tinkle Tonic.” I have used this herbal formula to great success in my own cats. A few drops several times a day can relieve symptoms greatly. So before you react, respond. Think why this is happening. The answer is usually right in front of you.
Trying to understand a cat through human thinking is a losing battle. As humans we are shortsided and feel like everyone, including animals think like us. Why is my cat doing socially unacceptable behaviors? Try to look at life from a cat’s point of view. If your cat is urinating in places outside the litterbox, there is usually a reason. First you need to rule out any physical problems. Since cats don’t speak our language, the only way they have of communicating is doing something to get our attention.” Hey, look, I peed on your bed! My litter box is disgusting. Would you use that thing?” Or, “Why have you left me for so long. Where have you been? I thought you loved me.” Or, “Hey, I am not feeling well. I’ve been trying to tell you, but you won’t listen. Do I have your attention now? What? Now, why are you spraying me with that water bottle? Wow, humans are idiots!” If you put yourself in a cat’s paw so to speak, things start to look a lot different. Most animals don’t do things without a reason. Your animals are talking to you. Are you listening?
Just as in life, there are variables in the care of animals, and we all have our own opinion as to the level of care that should be provided for our cats. I see everything in my salon, from one end to the other. I see people who are emotionally dependent on their animals and live vicariously through them. I see other people who barely notice their cat until it “interferes” with their life, meaning the cat is leaving hair all over the house, it smells, etc. Of course I have my views on what proper care of any animal should be, but that is my opinion. I am not here to be a moral compass for anyone. That being said, my biggest challenge in 12 years of owning my salon, is trying to get people to understand that their cats have needs, just like we have needs. Because cats can sometimes be independent in nature, and because they don’t complain, it is easy to ignore that they do indeed have needs. Whether it be grooming, good quality food, or time spent with them, they still have needs. Denial does not change that. It’s easy to get away with doing what we want when we are not called on it. If they could, they would. But they don’t have voice. Their only way of letting you know something is wrong is by behaving in a way that is socially unacceptable to us in our environment.
Put yourself in their paws for a second. They are dependent on us. They can only get as good of care as we decide to provide. It some instances, this saddens me greatly. When I see a cat come in year after year matted, and I have tried to educate the owner, it affects me greatly.
Cats are very sensitive creatures, and provide us with an incredible gift if we are there to recieve it. Don’t miss out on what your cat’s needs are, and what they are able to give back to you in return.
For some reason we all have this idea that dogs need a bath and cats groom themselves. I don’t know who came up with this idea, but I always laugh when I hear it. Not because I am a cat groomer and this is what I do for a living, but because of what I know. Because cats have a more independent nature than dogs, it does not mean they do not have needs, grooming being one of them. Cats are living, breathing creatures that get just as oily and dirty as dogs. The skin is the largest gland in the body which is used to excrete toxins. Because cats will lick themselves to try and clean themselves, they are now ingesting those toxins. So they are healthier when kept clean. This is especially true if they are challenged with any medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease. Cats have huge egos and love to be clean. Their morale actually goes up after a grooming, and I hear this from clients all the time. Cats are the new dogs. There are more cats in households now than dogs, so the need for more services and products is rising. Being a cat groomer is still a rare profession, but there are more and more every year.
So the next time someone laughs about your cat getting groomed you can explain some of the benfits. Listed below are some of the top ones.
1) No matting, less stress for the cat
2) Less hair and dander in the house
3) Less expensive to keep your cat maintained instead of letting it go until the cat gets matted.
4) A healthier cat. Cats that are kept clean are healthier.
5) Allergy relief for people allergic to cats, removing the dander and loose hair.
Cats are first and foremost obligate carnivors, the consumate meat eater in the animal world. All you have to do is look in their mouth and you can see those are tearing and shredding teeth, not kibble chewing teeth. Carnivors do not possess the enzyme in their body to break down and utilize grains, so feeding them a more species appropriate diet will produce a cat with better health and longevity. Dry food causes a lot of problems in cats including obesity, dandruff, kidney disease, UTI, IBS and more. Because your cat’s body was designed to get their mositure from what they eat, they naturally are not drawn to drinking enough water to replace the dehydration that dry food causes. People think it’s a good sign to see them drink a lot of water. It is the opposite. I have a cat who has been on the raw food diet for over 10 years. He is 16 years old. I can honestly say I have never seen him drink water. Since kidney disease is the leading cause of death in felines it makes sense to not wear out their plumbing system by dehydrating them. There is no difference between “Muffin” and the big cats of Africa except size. Anatomically they are exactly the same. And you don’t see Lions eating kibble. Remember, it is not what is easy or convienant, but what is best for the cat. There are several raw cat food companies out there. I like Rad Cat, but there is Darwins home delivery as well as a couple more.
With the re-model almost complete I can’t help but think back to 11 years ago when I first started with very humble beginnings. Earl helped me re-model the space and took great pride in the salon and loved working with all the great cats and their owners. He had a special connection that came so naturally. As I am working hard every day getting the new space ready I know how proud he would be to see this expansion and the work we have done to make this a beautiful space. He was a craftsman that could do almost anything with his hands. We have all said we can feel him among us during this time. And I don’t know if it was our imagination or not, but we have heard someone hammering in there while we were working, when no one was there. I think he is watching over all of us, helping us move forward. I know he would have wanted this for me and for City Kitty.
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