Today is National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day. Now, I do ask my cat questions, along the lines of where have you been? Or, why did you break that? But – it’s interesting to consider what questions my cat might want to ask me.
One question I’m sure my cat would ask is, “why do you keep petting me when I want you to stop?” My answer should be, okay, I’ll pay attention to your body language; when your ears flatten and your tail twitches I’ll see that and stop before I get scratched or bitten.
Another question my cat might ask is, “why can’t I get on the table or the kitchen countertop? I can see better up there and sometimes find tasty treats!” My answer? Because I don’t want cat fur in my food. What I could do is make a high place for you to sit so you can see better, like a cat tree or even a shelf.
Another cat question: “why do I get in trouble when I sharpen my claws on that nice big scratching post in the den, the one you call a couch?” Uh-oh. My answer should be, I know you don’t understand that is an expensive piece of furniture. I can provide a really sturdy, scratching post, and maybe rub a little catnip on it to get your attention.
My cat might ask, “what is that terrifying noisy thing you run across the carpet?” I must admit that even I don’t like the sound of a vacuum cleaner, so I can imagine the noise frightens my cat. When you have to vacuum, maybe move your furry friend to a safe place in another room with the door closed, to help your buddy feel safer and more protected.
The idea behind National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day is to encourage cat owners to understand their pets better by looking at things from their four-footed friend’s perspective; it just might improve life for both of you.
So give it some thought - if your furry friend could talk, what questions would it have for you, when you’re speaking of pets?
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