Tatiana: My Cat

[Tim]

Tess:

As promised, here are some other photos of my kitten

[Tim]

Me:

He really is a sweet little fellow. These are lovely pictures of Apollo.

Tess:

I'm glad you liked them

Me:

If you take any more of the little fellow, be sure to share them with us here. Cats are so sweet.

Tess:

Okay, I will. And yes, cats are so sweet, I know that now

Me:

Welcome to the wonderful world of cats, Tess

Tess:

I had always thought cats were independent and didn't really care about their owner. Well I was wrong. My Apollo is very friendly towards me. He loves to sleep with me and purrs every time I pet him.

Me:

That's a common misconception about cats. Many think that just because they're independent, they don't care about their owners. However, it's not true.

Tatiana is very affectionate towards me.

Trilly, the cat I had before Tatiana, slept with me all the time.

Tess:

Yes, it's a cliche. Your two cats are a perfect example of that.  

Many think that just because they're independent, they don't care about their owners. 

It's always people who don't have a cat, who say that kind of things. I was like that not too long ago. 

As a dog-owner, I can say that dogs too can be independent. Some of them are just as independent as cats are.

Me:

There are a lot of misconceptions about cats and dogs out there. You really have to be an owner of either one to debunk said misconceptions.

[Tim]

Me: 

Tatiana is still sleeping with me all the time now. Usually she comes in during the night when I'm asleep and joins me. I'll wake up and they she'll be, happily curled up beside me.

Tess:

That's what my Apollo does too .

Me:

Looks like Tatiana is in good company then

Tess:

Last night, Apollo cried and cried because Olga was not sleeping in the same room as him. He kept meowing until I asked Olga to come in.



Proof that those two ones now like each other a lot. That's really sweet.

Me:

Aw, that is sweet. Apollo missed his new friend.

Tatiana is still sleeping with me a lot now. Even if she isn't there when I go to sleep, I'll wake up and there she'll be.

Tess:

That's so cute. Tatiana really is adorable. People who say that cats don't love their owners don't know how wrong they are.

Me:

I agree. Cats love their owners just like dogs do. I guess because cats have that independent streak in them, some think they're not capable of love. Well, those people are dead wrong.

Tess:

Yes. People who think that cats are like that seriously need to get one.

Me:

I've been around cats all my life. I know that they're capable of love.

[Tim]

Tess:

I will have my Apollo neutered on Friday. I'm rather anxious about this operation. I know it's ridiculous, but I can't help it.


I hope everything will be alright.

Me:

He'll be fine, Tess. It really is a routine operation.

Tatiana has a vet appointment this week too, on Thursday. However, it's just her annual check-up and rabies shot (which is required by law, even though Tatiana is a full time indoor cat).

Tess:

He'll be fine, Tess. It really is a routine operation.

Thanks, Tim. I'm sure he will, but I'll be very relieved once all of this will be over. 

(which is required by law

Interesting. In France, it's not required, only recommended.

Anyway, I hope your Tatiana will have a clean bill of health. Keep us informed

Me:

but I'll be very relieved once all of this will be over.

He'll probably be home the same day.

I hope your Tatiana will have a clean bill of health. Keep us informed

I will. Of course, this will mean stuffing her into her carrier, and she's never too thrilled when that happens.

Tess:

He'll probably be home the same day.

Yes, he will. That's what the vet told me.

Of course, this will mean stuffing her into her carrier, and she's never too thrilled when that happens.

...Because she knows that means going to the vet

Me:

Yes, he will. That's what the vet told me.

Yeah, they come home the same day now. When I had my late cat, Trilly, spayed in 2000, she came home that day.

Because she knows that means going to the vet

Once she sees that carrier, she knows what that means

Me:

Tatiana went in for her check up and her rabies shot.

She got a clean bill of health

Tess:

That's good to hear . I hope you didn't have too much trouble putting her into her carrier .



I just removed the water and food of my Apollo, like the vet told me to do. He must be fasting 14 hours before the operation.

Me:

I hope you didn't have too much trouble putting her into her carrier

No, it went okay. She just meowed a lot once I got her into it.

I just removed the water and food of my Apollo, like the vet told me to do. He must be fasting 14 hours before the operation.

And he'll try to wear you down by a lot of meowing. Poor little fellow.

Tess:

And he'll try to wear you down by a lot of meowing. Poor little fellow.

I was surprised but actually, he didn't meow even once !


After the operation, the poor little one was pretty upset and scared. It was only when I took him in my arms that he calmed down, and then fell asleep. 



I'm glad everything well went. All I have to do now is adjusting his food.

Me:

After the operation, the poor little one was pretty upset and scared. It was only when I took him in my arms that he calmed down, and then fell asleep.

I'm glad everything well went. All I have to do now is adjusting his food.

In a couple of days, he'll be back to his normal routine. It took that amount of time for my cats after I had them "fixed" to return to normal.

[Tim]

Me:

Anniversary time.

Three years ago, today, I adopted Tatiana

Tess:

Happy Anniversary to both of you !

I'm amazed you remember the date. I can't say the same thing about my pets. I don't remember the exact day when I adopted them (and I got Apollo only for two months !). You got a pretty good memory.

Me:

Yeah, I tend to have a good memory when it comes to Tatiana. Of course, I only have one pet. You have several.

Tess:

Yes, it's true. That can explain why I don't remember everything about my pets. However, I do remember the year of adoption of each one of them.

Me:

Tatiana and I spend the whole day in bed yesterday. She only got up when it was time to feed her.

Tess:

Aw, what an adorable cat... That's so sweet

[Tim]

Me:

Tatiana got out of the apartment again last night. As I was steering her back towards my apartment, she suddenly veered off, like she was chasing something. Turns out she was, a mouse! The poor mouse did not survive. However, it wasn't Tatiana that killed it, but me. I accidentally stepped on the poor thing.

Needless to say, Minto, the company that manages this apartment building, is going to get a call from me.

Betty:

Uh oh, that's never a good sign! Good thing, Tatiana discovered it.

Me:

Yeah, that's my little cat.

Of course, I didn't mean to kill the mouse by stepping on it. I would have caught it and put it outside. However, I was so focused on corralling Tatiana that I lost track of the mouse and SQUISH

Betty:

Oh, poor mouse... Even if it was probably chewing on wiring and spreading germs, among other unpleasant things.

Me:

Yeah, it probably was.

Still, I don't like hurting an animal if it can be avoided. If I had been able to catch Mr. Mouse, I would have put it outside.

Betty:

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've never liked it, myself, when my cats brought home dead birds and shrews.

(Now, bugs are a different story. Blecch! )

Me:

They usually say that if a cat is well fed, it won't kill. However, sometimes the urge to hunt is strong in them, they've been doing this since the days when Smilodon Fatalis roamed the Earth.

Thousands of years of instinct is hard to get around.

Betty:

Yeah, killing is just the natural instinct of cats, I'm afraid. They're natural born predators, although some are better at it than others.

However, if a cat is well-fed, they'll usually kill not for food, but to instead, give a "gift" to their owner. Anyone who's ever walked outside and seen a dead bird or squirrel right in front of the door knows what I'm talking about,

Me:

I know. The first cat we had would kill rats and leave them on our back porch. Needless to say, his gifts were not appreciated.

Thankfully, Tatiana being a full time indoor cat, there is really little chance of me getting such "gifts".

[Tim]

Me:

Now that summer has arrived, Tatiana has something else to chase, insects.

I've seen her suddenly look up at something and then zoom off chasing it. Chances are that she's spotted a fly (cats have much more acute senses than humans have) and decided to play with it

Tess:

Apollo enjoys chasing insects too. As well as mice, rabbits and lizards. He nearly killed a poor little rabbit the other day (I rescued it just in time). He also hurt one of our chickens a few weeks ago.

Me:

Yeah, cats do get the urge to hunt, especially if they have access to outdoors, like Apollo does.

Being a full time indoor cat, Tatiana doesn't have that many opportunities to hunt. There was that mouse incident a few weeks ago, but that happened outside my apartment, in the hall. I have yet to see a mouse inside the apartment itself. Of course, I don't know if Tatiana just wanted to play with said mouse or eat it.

[Tim]

Me:

Tatiana has been staring at the ceiling more often. I look up, but I see nothing.

Of course, as I have said, the sense of cats are more acute than those of humans.

Betty:

Could it be a ghost?

When a cat stares off into space, is he thinking deep thoughts, trying to remember where he left his favorite toy or could it be he’s seeing a ghost? It’s unnerving right before bedtime or when a cat stares out of a lighted room into the dark hallway.

What is a ghost? Janice Gilligan, animal communicator, says, “I think of ghosts as spirits stuck in the physical world, attracted to places or energy sources, as opposed to beings that have transitioned and choose or have the ability to continue relationships with their loved ones.”

JellyBella says, “I don't know if it's ghosts or not, but Stan and Bella are always staring at things I can't see. Of course, our house was once a funeral parlor, so I guess there may be a few "late" guests passing through!”

“Cats are very sensitive creatures. They hear and smell things beyond our ability,” says Cheylink.

Gilligan agrees, “Consider the electronics ghost busters use, devices that amplify what our ears are incapable of hearing. They use lights, meters and thermometers. Cats are very self-aware and capable of evaluating their surroundings. They, like other animals, haven’t been programmed to rely solely on their five ordinary senses.”

Cat ghosts? TTMom says her cat Penny came back to visit. “When Penny died we were living with my in-laws. When we moved back home, Toes looked all over the house for her. I started seeing cat shadows out of the corner of my eye. I even felt Penny get up on the bed.” Many owners experience similar experiences after a pet has gone on but TTMom had an actual sighting. “I was in the kitchen and saw Penny cross the living room and go down the hall to the back of the house. Toes watched her walk by and then took off after her. He came back and looked all over before complaining to me. All I could do was say, "I know. I saw her too."

Gilligan says, “I asked a cat if she was able to “see” ghosts. Her response was “We’re at least as able to discern presences as humans are.” I’ve sensed that cats aren’t always (or even, usually) napping when they’re in that sphinx position, eyes closed, relaxing in the sun. I believe they meditate. I think they experience the presence of a ghost on a more intimate level than seeing.”

“Lynx was on the vanity counter in my bedroom while I was getting ready for work. All of a sudden he looked over my shoulder. I turned and there was nothing there,” says Telynn. “His eyes were following something. It really gave me a creepy feeling. I've seen him stare at a spot on the wall before but I never felt like that. That morning, I really got goose bumps over it.”

Whether you truly believe in ghosts or just know that creepy feeling of not being alone, perhaps the best attitude to take is the one Chausiefan used as a child. “Can some cats protect us from evil ghosts? I used to pretend that they could when I was a kid, just to help me sleep at night.”

Possible example image:

[img src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a3/84/dd/a384dd1acfa8f6eb4868a27fa4420894.jpg" alt="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a3/84

Me:

Well, as I mentioned in an earlier post, a previous tenant of the apartment I currently live in, did die here. I wonder if she's the one Tatiana's been seeing.

Betty:

Spooky! Maybe you could keep a closer eye on her, whip the camera out whenever you see her staring off into space.

Me:

Perhaps it's Bastet, the Egyptian Goddess of Cats.

Legend has it that Bastet visits her children. Of course, only cats can see her, she's invisible to humans. That's why cats appear to start at nothing, Bastet is paying a visit.

Katherine:

Well Cats do supposedly possess a sixth sense for knowing or seeing things we don't if you believe it that is so who knows or maybe their hearings as accurate as dogs are and so can hear the minutest of things like they do perhaps.

Me:

I guess that stems from the days when animals were wild. They needed acute senses to hunt prey and such.

Still, I wish I could see what Tatiana is seeing. I wonder what I would see. The ghost of the previous tenant? Bastet? Something else entirely.

I must admit, I am curious.

Betty:

Cats have incredible senses. They can see, smell, and hear tons of things that we'd never notice.

[Tim]

Jana:

However, Tim, Tatiana seems to love your media around the house. And Ginger is also sweet. I should take photos from the cats of my neighborhood.

[Tim]

Tess posted:

I took this photo of Apollo a couple of days ago. Seriously, cats like to sleep in the most weird places   !

[Tim]

Katherine:

That's cute wakas.

Me:

That's a sweet picture of Apollo, Tess. He looks so cute sleeping there.

Tess:

Thank you. I'm glad you liked the picture of my little rascal

Me:

Please post more pictures of Apollo when you can. He's a sweet cat.

[Tim]

Katherine:

Does she like Christmas then?

Me:

Yeah, she does.

She also likes knocking the tree down. It's like Pets Gone Wild: Christmas Edition.

[Tim]

Me:

Today is Tatiana's birthday. She's now five years old.

Katherine:

Happy birthday Tatiana.

Me:

On Tatiana's behalf, I thank you




Tess:

Happy belated birthday to your beautiful cat Tatiana !

Me:

Thanks Tess, from both of us

[Tim]

Me:

Tatiana just had her annual check up. She got a clean bill of health

Katherine:

That's good Tim. Obviously not having a pet myself anymore I don't have to worry about that.

Jennifer:

That's always great news. It's a relief to hear when a pet's in perfect health.

Tess:

Good to hear that your beautiful little Tatiana is doing fine

Mine is in good health as well. Right now he's hunting outside (I don't know what, I suppose it's mice, birds and rabbits). He also finds our chicken very appetizing and likes to chase them occasionally .

You know what they say: "cats are killers", well it really isn't a cliche ! Apollo can't just stand seeing another creature smaller than him alive.

Tess:

Good to hear that your beautiful little Tatiana is doing fine

Mine is in good health as well. Right now he's hunting outside (I don't know what, I suppose it's mice, birds and rabbits). He also finds our chicken very appetizing and likes to chase them occasionally .

You know what they say: "cats are killers", well it really isn't a cliche ! Apollo can't just stand seeing another creature smaller than him alive.

[Tim]

Tess:

Hey have you ever heard of something like this??: when we go for a walk with our two dogs, Apollo likes to come along. And we stop off, he meows until we start walking again. Really funny to watch

Me:

That does sound like something a cat would do. They hate to be left out of things.

When I'm in the bath, the bathroom is closed. Tatiana will meow up a storm until I open the door again. She does not liked to be shut out of anything.

Katherine:

And things like cupboards also I'd guess right?

Me:

One time she got herself shut into a cupboard. I hadn't seen her go into it. Then I heard her meowing and couldn't find her (I'm in a one bedroom apartment, only so many places she could have been).

I finally traced the meows to the cupboard and let her out of it.