Sparkle the Designer Cat's Blog, page 12

Impromptu Afternoon Portraits

I had a pro photo session this week! I’ll show you the results of that when they’re ready. But then when my human and I got home, of course I wanted to do more! I’m like that about getting photographed. I can never get enough. Plus there was some cool light at the foot of the turret. So my human grabbed her camera.

We had to work really fast because the light was moving.

Before it disappeared, we did manage to squeeze in this portrait.

Of course, I was even more lively after that and went dashing up the stairs.

You can tell what a good mood I was in!

I finally took some time to relax…and since the light was pretty cool coming through the shutters, my human grabbed another shot.

I hope you enjoyed these impromptu afternoon portraits! Let me know if you have any favorites.

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Pet Shop Browsing…and Petting!

I got to have a shopping day, which as you know I always love.

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to this store, so I had new inventory to check out.

There were all sorts of new cat toys!

There were new treats too, although my human said I didn’t need any! Can you believe it?

The only downside was that the best catnip toys were on top of a tall display bin.

The bins on my level just didn’t have the quality nip toys. Such a bummer!

I did get some attention from the store employees. It wasn’t too busy when we were there, so they made a big deal out of me!

I also got lots of compliments on my good looks.

As always, it was over way too soon!

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A New Paris Hilton Pet Dress

Remember my Paris Hilton pet dress that my human found at Ross Dress for Less? Well, she was back there the other day and there were more! So she picked up two of them, and I’m modeling one for you today. It has pink stars and a cute bow at the back.

For some reason they came with these glasses…but they are huge! Way too big for my head. In fact, they are big enough to fit on my human’s head. She does have a small head for a human, and they look small on her, but still.

It’s a pretty summer dress, don’t you think?

I thought this hat might look good with it.

Here’s a different angle so you can see the bow, which I really think is the best part of the dress.

And although I didn’t have star-shaped glasses that fit me, I thought maybe my pink heart shaped sunglasses would go with it.

So what do you think? Do you like it? Did I pick good accessories? Let me know in the comments!

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Trying This Cat Trick Again Was Too Fun!

Remember that trick where I was running through a tunnel and ringing a bell? I’m back at it, and my human was hoping I would do better!

I was very excited to give it another try!

I will admit, I wasn’t exactly perfect at it. Although I think I did pretty good.

But you know what? I think the important part is I had fun! And you can see just how much fun I had in the video below.

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Caught Off Guard Outtakes

Yep, it’s time for this week’s funny photos! And my human really caught me off guard with many of these!

My human has a talent for shutting her eyes at just the same moment someone is snapping a photo of her. Usually she’s not the one behind the camera!

My human blames this awkward photo on me, saying that I moved when I should have been staying still. I say it’s her fault because she still could have made me look better.

She deserved this after that last photo.

My human had some crazy idea about me being on my hind legs for a few shots from my Cat World Domination Day announcement. I don’t think she ever got what she wanted. But she did get a photo featuring her hand holding something tasty!

I say we should all stick our tongues out at human misbehavior on Cat World Domination Day!

And that’s it for the outtakes! Yes, I had a couple more than usual — it was one of those weeks! Have a favorite? Let me know in the comments.

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Watch the Peach Kitty Behave Like a House Cat!

The peach kitty stopped by so I came outside for a visit.

Of course he got some treats (and I did too!).

But then he wanted to go in the enclosed patio…and you probably know why.

He can’t get enough of those catnip toys!

I would have preferred to be out in the fresh air, but we decided to go in and join him.

Since the bed in the enclosed patio used to belong to me, my human put me on it to see what he’d do…and he came right over. Of course I left right away!

He stayed in the bed…and just wait ’til you see the video! You would almost think he was a regular house cat.

It’s really a fun video, and it’s only the part where we’re in the enclosed patio. I hope you enjoy it.

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Gearing Up for Cat World Domination Day 2025

Cat World Domination Day 2025 is almost here! It’s June 24, in case you don’t know or forgot, and this year that is a Tuesday.

For those of you who don’t know what Cat World Domination Day is about, it’s the day that cats celebrate their world domination. Kind of like Canada Day or the Fourth of July. Since my human founded the day for my predecessor, Sparkle, I always have a party to celebrate!

The party has a different theme every year. But we don’t announce it ahead of time. It’s a surprise! There will also be a small giveaway.

I can guarantee you’ll want to stop by and help me celebrate!

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Why Cats Seem Less Social Than Dogs—But Actually Aren’t

People are often surprised when I show up on therapy pet visits because they don’t believe it’s something cats can do. They believe that cats aren’t friendly or social, and that this is a role mainly for dogs.

What people don’t realize is that cats are social creatures and that house cats need human interaction. To neglect this side of a cat only creates behavior that perpetuates the myth.

The truth is that cats’ social behavior is misunderstood. If more people learned that a cat’s needs are in this area, you’d see many more friendly cats — and also many more therapy cats. I love doing my therapy pet work, but there’s only so much I can do as one kitty! We need so many more therapy cat volunteers.

The Social Structure of Dogs Versus the Social Structure of Cats

Dogs and cats have very different social structures in general, and this helps drive the idea that dogs are more socialized. The human social structure is far more similar to dogs.

Dogs Are Pack Animals, and Humans Are Similar

Dogs are most comfortable being part of a cohesive group. They work cooperatively and have a social structure. Who else is like that? Humans, as this Psychology Today article points out. Since the majority of humans are used to living in this type of environment, they not only gravitate to dogs, they’ve selectively bred them to enhance this feature.

Cat Colonies Are More Loosely Structured, With Room for Individual Expression

While cats are solitary hunters, outside on their own, they often form colonies that are matrilineal based. While there may be more dominant cats than others, there’s no alpha and things tend to be more fluid. In addition, cats tend to have territories, and that’s an important part of their structure. You can learn a little more about cat colonies in this paper about social organization in the cat.

Since there’s no true leadership, and colony cats tend to function more independently, it’s harder for humans to understand the social structure of cats. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It is, and it’s an important survival mechanism.

A Personal Observation

Case in point: as you may know, we have a small colony in our neighborhood. One time my human looked at her security cam video and saw a coyote headed up the path by her kitchen. The next video, just a minute or so later, showed the frightened coyote being chased off by a very angry colony cat. (Don’t worry — since then our neighbor has arranged a shelter to better protect the kitties from predators.)

So yes, cats in an established colony can be protective of the group.

The REAL Reason Cats Behave Less Socially Than Dogs

The truth is that cats are less socialized because humans expect them to be less social! It really does just come down to that.

Since humans don’t expect cats to be friendly or need their company as much as dogs do, they don’t get the same attention and behavior training that dogs do.

Dogs that don’t get enough socialization wind up with behavior quirks and can act out in destructive ways. Cats who suffer the kind of benign neglect that’s common tend to merely withdraw. They tend to only exhibit bad behavior if they are extremely stressed out.

Everything That People Do for Dogs

If you own a dog, or have friends that have dogs, think about everything their do for their best friends:

Take them on walks every dayPlay with them frequentlyTake them to the dog parkBring them along on errandsSend them to obedience school, or train them themselves

Dogs get a lot of socialization and companionship. Most of the time, cats are lucky to get one-tenth of that. So no wonder cats are less socialized.

Yes, You Can Have a More Social Cat

Cat socialization is like any other project — the more effort you put into it, the more get out of it! Think of all the attention people put into their dogs. Put some of that energy into building companionship with your cat.

Of course, cats aren’t dogs, so your approach will be different. But you still need to give them the attention.

What Motivates Cats to Be Social

Cats don’t function as pack or team members. Instead they’re very benefit oriented. They want to know what’s in it for them. Cats are motivated the most by the following rewards, and your cat will favor one or two of them over the others.

TreatsToys and playtimePraise (yes, praise!)

You may be a little surprised by the last one on this list if you believe cats are aloof and impervious to affection. But you couldn’t be more wrong.

Praise Is the Secret Sauce Your Cat Needs

Cats respond to praise possibly more than anything else. They actually get a lot of pleasure out of it. No matter what you are doing with your cat, praise them. Did they eat all their dinner? Praise them. Did they catch the toy you threw? Praise them. Did they actually return the toy to you? Praise them even more! Even if you feel a bit foolish. Your cat will appreciate it.

Praise is such a positive human-feline interaction, and you can’t do too much of it.

Schedule in Treat Times and Playtimes

Cats thrive on routine. People with dogs have regular times they walk them, and usually certain days they take them to the dog park or do training sessions. So whatever activities you choose for your cat, have set times for them.

Anything that involves a regular routine and ends with a reward (treats, praise or both) will go a long way to make cats happy social creatures.

And the shorter the better. A 5 to 10 minute play, treat, or training session is perfect. Cats are natural sprinters. They’re not marathoners.

Spending Time With Your Cat Is Easy and Inexpensive

You don’t need anything fancy to work on making your cat friendlier and more social. A game of tossing treats across the room for them to chase is more than enough to make most cats happy. You can add any type of toy that suits them. The important thing is that you’re spending time with them doing something they enjoy.

You can also use those 5 or 10 minute get-togethers to teach them simple tricks like high fives, paw shakes or sitting up. Most cats enjoy learning something new, especially if they get lots of praise for their attempts.

Rewarding Good Behavior

Cats should also be rewarded for behavior that you want more of. If you would like your cat to spend more time with you, reward them whenever they are around you. Have company? Reward them when they stick around, and even more if they interact with a guest. If they need to be brushed or have their claws trimmed, reward them when you are done. If this is something they tend to resist, give them extra special treats when you finish.

More Advanced Socialization

Would your cat walk on a leash and go on adventures with you, or at least to the pet store? If you think your cat would enjoy these activities (not all cats do), start to introduce them slowly. Harness and leash training is a very gradual process that must be done in steps over time.

If you are taking your cat places, start off slow, simple, and very, very local. Make sure they are safe at all times, and reward them every time they go somewhere with you.

When you are taking your cat out of their territory, they need to trust you implicitly. In fact, when you are out with them, you become their territory and their safe space. And you need to establish that relationship with your cat before anything else. This is where all that work you put in comes handy — spending time with your cat and building a close and happy relationship with them.

The Other Key: Be Patient

Socializing a cat may seem difficult, but the truth is that it doesn’t involve any more work than a dog would. And most people aren’t complaining about the things they do for their dog (usually they brag about it!). Cats just need a different approach, and they develop their social skills more slowly. But if you hang in there, don’t push or force them, and let them figure it out at their own pace, they may surprise you.

If you would like to know more about cat socialization myths, check out this article in ScienceDirect.

Have you ever had an exceptionally social cat? Or socialized a cat that started out shy or withdrawn? I’d love to discuss it in the comments!

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A Very Nice and Routine Visit with My Assisted Living Pals

I got to visit my assisted living friends on this week’s therapy cat visit! If you are wondering how I could be out and about in Los Angeles right now, don’t worry. Things are totally calm here, and all the focus is on one 6-block area of downtown. There is some major overreaction about things happening here, and that is all I will say.

My visit started with one of my regulars. She was sitting on a couch near the door to the great room and she was so happy to see me! So of course we visited with her first. I think she cried a little bit she was so happy I was there.

While I was visiting her, another one of my regulars came over with her walker. She remembers me by name, but it’s really hard for my human to understand her. But the important part was I got to spend some time with her.

The staff brought me around to a lot of the residents and took photos. One woman kept insisting she didn’t want to be photographed — and then she was okay being photographed. And then she remembered she didn’t want to be photographed!

A couple of my regulars were missing that day. But I did see the nonverbal woman with heavy hands and spent a lot of time on the couch with her. I also saw this one man, who has been there for several years. He used to be more present, but today he seemed a little vague and had to be reminded I was there.

Another of my regulars, a very elderly lady, was napping on a couch, but she woke up in time to visit. At first she wasn’t sure what was happening because she’d just woken up, but then she realized I was there, and she started petting me and telling me she loved me.

One of my funniest visits was with this Latin man who never really pays that much attention to me but who I think kind of likes me. I sat next to him and the staff member took some photos and she started laughing! She showed my human, and the man and I both had the same serious facial expression.

As we were leaving, we ran into one of my regulars coming into the great room. So we spent a few minutes on my way out.

It was a nice visit, and very peaceful.

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Guard Cat Shopping Day

I was out of my frozen food, so my human and I went off on a shopping day. The thing about that was, according to everyone who did not live in her city, we were under siege with violent protests. Plus the National Guard and Marines were being called in. Was I going to have to play guard cat?

Apparently not. I should have known because, for one thing, my human would have never allowed me to be in any sort of danger. And for another thing, the newscasters and the people who don’t live here have the facts all wrong. The protests were peaceful with the exception of a handful of troublemakers who weren’t really part of the protests. And a couple of bad things the police did.

The thing is, my human was around for the 1992 riots here. And those really were riots! The whole city shut down for a day or two, and my human had to drive through part of it to get to the house she was living in at the time. That, and the recent L.A. fires were probably the scariest things she has ever lived through.

For a hot minute, my human sensed that these protests might turn dangerous. But then she realized that this is a different time and situation. People wanted to come together to support their neighbors, not tear things down. And when she realized that only a really tiny part of downtown was affected, she figured she might as well take me shopping.

Of course, even though things were calm for our shopping errand, that could still change at any point. My human is hopeful that things will pass without anything really awful spreading. But at least we don’t need to run anymore errands for a few days.

I love my shopping days.

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