Random Thought #5: More Cat Thoughts

Some days it's just not good to read the paper.

On the front page of the Tri-City Herald yesterday, there was an article about several cats missing from homes in more outlying areas, thought to be victims of coyotes.

I did not need to know this. I hate reading about cats getting hurt. Furthermore, my cats and I don't live in an outlying area, and I don't let them outside anyway due to traffic, so it's not like I needed the warning to keep my cats indoors.

Actually, though, the story was mostly about a woman who snatched her cat from the jaws of a coyote, saving its life, though to the tune of $2000 in vet bills and $10,000 in medical bills for herself. The woman was pictured on the front page, holding her cat, who looks perfectly fine now.

Of course, the article warned people not to do the same thing that this woman did if they found themselves in the same situation. It's sensible advice, but if one of my cats was clutched in the jaws of a coyote, I would do the same thing, without even thinking about it. I'm not saying it would be the smartest thing to do, but no way would I just let one of them be killed without a fight. The woman who saved her cat is a hero in my book.

Since I'd rather not have to fight off coyotes, I guess we'd better not move to the country, and my cats are definitely remaining indoor cats.

I have posted pictures of my two cats, just so that my vast readership (I think I must be up to nearly a dozen friends and relatives now :-) can see for whom I am willing to fight off coyotes.

Yet another cat book:

Cat Facts, by Marcus Schneck and Jill Caravan (New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1990). This book is divided into two sections. The first section discusses The Nature of the Cat. It includes the history of cats, cognition, learning, and memory, basic cat psychology, and how to care for your cat. The second section is devoted to pictures and description of the various cat breeds. The parts that I thought were the most interesting were those discussing cat psychology. For instance, there is some evidence that cats dream. The book explains various cat behaviors and debunks some myths.