Jack Henry, Jack for short, is my cat, and he’s finally given up trying to force himself on top of my laptop computer. I block him with my forearm and scratch his chin until he withdraws. It’s my way of saying no, but I still love you. He turns his back and looks out the window. It’s his way of saying he’s offended, until he curls up on the sofa beside me.
Jack’s been my buddy for 16 or 17 years; I’ve lost count. Jack is a white domestic short hair that I adopted from a veterinarian that used strays, feral cats, and unwanted cats to teach veterinary students to neuter and spay cats. I chose Jack because he was white, and I thought he’d be easy to find should he get lost. I did not know that he was stone deaf, as are most solid white cats. No one mentioned that.
Here are a few cat facts you may not know. Cats have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws. Ten percent of a cat’s bones are in the tail which they use for balance. Dogs have been domesticated for twice as long as cats, so cats are relative newcomers to the home. Cats have two vocal chords and can make about 100 different sounds ranging from a sweet “mew” to a ghastly wicked howl. Cats can jump about seven times their own height.
These are a few cat facts I’ve observed on my own: Cats can climb higher in a tree than any ladder can reach. A cat can stay there for as long as four days. A cat will climb out of a tree into a basket your husband is holding while said husband is standing on top of the tallest ladder you own, simply because your wife says that the cat will not do it.
It is unnecessary to purchase a store-bought cat bed; instead, lay your favorite black sweater on the couch. Black sweaters are cat magnets, especially if your cat is a white haired cat.
A cat brush is an unfortunate purchase as you will spend much time hunched over, chasing the cat that does not want to be brushed. However, a cheap 10-cent comb from your purse will be adequate, especially if the cat has just woken from its 10-hour nap.
Cats are naturally very clean animals and you will not need to bathe them unless you come home one day to find your cat standing in 4 inches of wet cement, and then the cat will be very anxious for you to snatch it up and bathe it with a water hose as quickly as possible.
Putting out two dishes of differing cat food daily will reveal how fickle your cat is.
To comfort your cat, or perhaps yourself, lean in close to the cat’s neck and hum, then listen to the cat hum back to you. ‘Tis sweet.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 45 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
