Cats: From Another Planet?

Most people that love cats realize that they are definitely NOT from here! They are fascinating creatures; the term "iron fist in a velvet glove" fits pretty well for most cats.That is to say, they know what they want, and they know how to get it. You can almost see the wheels turning and the lamps lighting up in their little brains. The look of intelligence in their eyes is unmistakable.

Some cats are cunning and selfish, others are innocent, like children. And like children, it has to do with nurturing more than genetics. When you treat your animal companions (of any kind) as if they are not mere servants, but actual members of the family, you get much more intelligent interaction with them. You will also find out that they are not stupid. In the case of cats, in particular, they usually train their people pretty well.

One of the puzzlements for most people is the so-called aloofness attributed to cats. Of course, if you believe that's the way they are, then that is usually how they will behave with you. You see, cats are very telepathic with humans. One woman related that one of her four cats was a terrible rascal who loved to knock things off the shelf, then turn around and look at her and purr. She said that cat knew exactly what she was doing. As she related the story, she laughed and then spoke of how upset it made her that so many of her nice things had been destroyed. As it turns out, she also laughed at the cat every time it happened.

Think about this for a moment: if you are living with giants upon whom you depend for food, shelter and safety, but no matter how hard you try you just can't get them to understand your language (but you understand them most of the time), don't you think something might get lost in the translation? When it was suggested that the woman stop laughing at the cat and instead act disgusted--and she implemented the suggestion--the cat stopped knocking things off the shelf within two days. Why? Because she understood that it no longer made her human companion laugh. The woman was amazed at how quickly the cat started behaving properly.

If you have had many cats through the years, you know the truth too. Cats are little furry warrior-sages who need more than food and shelter; they can provide that for themselves quite nicely, thank you. They need interaction, like a child. They want to know that you love them and will continue to provide for them. I make sure that my cats get fed,watered, and petted, if I need to be away for awhile. But, they were hating it every time I left. As soon as they saw the suitcase and my distracted demeanor, they moved away from me. The snub of turning the back towards me and ignoring me very pointedly did not go unnoticed.

One day a psychic told me the cats loved me very much and were proud that they gave me such joy. They felt my worry though, when I prepared to leave, so felt sad and worried themselves. The psychic told me to let them know how long I would be gone, why I was going, and that I had arranged for them to be cared for by someone very trustworthy. The next time I had to go out of town, I did the whole routine. Instead of being snubbed before I left, they both jumped up on me, giving me kittie kisses and purring. Wow--what a difference. When I returned from my travels, they accepted me right back into our home, without the usual three day snubbing period. Since that time, no more snubbing.

The funniest thing is my male cat, who apparently prefers Italian food. In his last life, his favorite was Italian; spaghetti and meatballs from Aragona's in Capitola, California. The chef was delighted to be given a photo of my cat eating his spaghetti. That was what was required for my entrance back into the house after visiting my favorite restaurant. Returning empty-handed always got me the most accusatory look and prolonged snubbing; eventually I was trained to bring the requisite toll. About a year after he died, a stray male Siamese was given to me; we recognized each other right away--it was him.

When I had to travel for almost four months last year, a friend moved in so my cats would have a cat sit-ee and not be lonely. It just so happens that she is telepathic with animals and has heard some really amazing stories from all kinds of animals. Since she had been asked to give the cats a little of whatever meat she was cooking, she was in the habit of asking them what they wanted for dinner. One night "Italian" came out of my male cat, loud and clear. She gave them a little cut-up chicken, which he sniffed, then turned around, looked her right in the eye, and said, "That's not Italian!". She called me up and asked me how my cat knew about Italian food.

My cats have always been sentient (and no, I'm not some dotting old fool falling prey to anthropomorphism). When any living thing is treated with respect for the form it is in, it unlocks the connection that is the same in all of life. The spark of life, the espiritus, loves being recognized--and responds. Just ask the Buddhists; they will tell you that even insects can feel when they are being hunted by humans and will become frantic, trying to escape.

Animals watch us and copy our behaviors because it gets them more of what they want. They learn what we consider cute, and special. Maybe they actually do experiments on us to determine what works better. The behavior that never fails to make me giggle is when my cats stand up, front paws on my leg, and politely tap me on the arm...and wait. If I ignore them, the three taps come again, still polite, but a little more insistent. Further attempts to ignore are met by a poke in the chest and a few words. There is no mistaking that. The funniest thing is to look down into the furry face housing intelligence behind those lovely turquoise eyes. The look of innocence and request is enough to melt the hardest heart.

My late husband was a big, tough, CIA agent/airline pilot/firearms expert who hated cats--vehemently--until I came along. When I moved in he insisted the cats never be allowed in the house. Banished to the outdoors, when we moved a few months later, they fled the yard of the new house. Every day around 2pm I had to go looking for my male cat, who could be found dehydrated, voiceless from crying for help, laying next to a brick wall that looked exactly like the one at the old house, but without the gate. It took me about a week of this before I figured out he didn't realize we actually lived at the new house. We decided the only way to let them know where they lived now was to take some time off from the unpacking chores and just hang out in the pool. That was all it took to establish that as our new home.

Those cats loved my husband and he loved them. Every morning my mother and I would sit by the pool sipping our morning beverages, a cat in each lap. The instant those cats heard George coming through the kitchen, they vaulted off our laps to wait at the door for him to come out. We were ignored then while they paid kitty homage to the big guy. The female Siamese captured his heart by snuggling in his arms on her back, then rolling her head back to stare at him, upside down, with the utmost love and trust in her eyes. Even he had to laugh as he told her how adorable she was.

The behavior of cats in a home tells you a lot about the humans. If the cats are curious and love to greet new people, you can tell they are secure in their position in the home. If they are aloof, scared or angry (or PsychoKitty--purring and then growling), they are telegraphing the tension in the house. Like humans, animals pick up on basic survival issues. If the feeling is one of non-caring, even if they are fed, watered, and have a clean litterbox, they will never be at peace. If they know they are loved, they will even forgive occasional neglect. The love of a cat is special. Cats are honest. If they like you, they let you know and forgive the gauche behaviors and lapses in judgment that humans tend to make. If they don't like you, they let you know, and it doesn't matter what treats you bring them, they still won't like you. You have got to love an animal that stands by its' feelings even when challenged. I don't call that stubborn; I can recognize discernment when I see it (I learned it from my cats)!