Cat Observations #10

In 2009 Mrs B and I adopted two brothers, Razz and Kain, from the RSPCA. It was my first experience of cat ownership having grown up either with a dog or goldfish in the house, the latter in a tank, of course, and not just in some innocuous location like the sofa or kitchen table. Since Razz and Kain joined the family we have also adopted two kittens, Buggles and Charlie, and two Norwegian Forest cats, Bilbo and Frodo, so you could say it's quite full in our household now. Though Mrs B knew what to expect, having previously owned both dogs and cats, it has been a steep learning curve for me and my lessons are still not over. In this blog I want to share some of the weird and wonderful antics I have discovered in the feline world, which is much different to the kingdom of dogs where obedience is paramount. A cat's motto seems to be, "I do what I please, so deal with it, you moron."

[image error] Bilbo waits for his next customer 

Grooming

I've been a cat owner for nearly two years now and in that time I've come to the conclusion that our feline friends are rather selfish. So long as they have plenty of naps and get fed twice a day they don't seem to need anything else. However, although they are largely independent they do show some remarkable signs of affection, examples that Mrs B and I have recently witnessed.

The majority of the time the six cats are happy to find a comfy spot (usually one of our seats if they have their wits about them) and nap the day away. There are, however, those pleasant moments when they'll come and sit in our laps, generally when we're busy and don't want to be disturbed. This is usually Bilbo who, despite being underweight and having had all his fur shaved off when we first adopted him, is one of the most affectionate of the bunch. He tends to sit with Mrs B most of the time but likes to shift between us on occasion, using a small table as a bridge. Kain is a funny one. Rather than committing to sitting on us he'll often perch on the arm of a chair and allow us to stroke him. He's a giver of affection but on his terms only.

Although all the cats enjoy attention and sitting on us it's Bilbo and Kain that are the most remarkable. Every now and again they'll climb onto the back of our chairs and initially you feel their weight tugging the chair back but things soon settle. Moments later our viewing of the TV or working away on our laptops is interrupted by paws on our shoulders and Bilbo or Kain grooming our hair! Kain was the first to display this behaviour, finding plenty to keep him busy in Mrs B's long hair. I'd like to say he's gentle when he tugs on Mrs B's locks but that would be a lie. After a few pulls at strands of hair he looks like he's chewing something disagreeable before resuming the act.

When Bilbo and Frodo arrived it was the former that seemed to take over Kain's grooming duties. At first it was just Mrs B that enjoyed this hair treatment in the comfort of her own home but in recent weeks I too have become one of Bilbo's targets. The first time it happened I was taken by surprise, well you would be wouldn't you? Bilbo didn't persevere with my hair as long as he has done with Mrs B but he still tended to it long enough to let me know he was there and afterwards I wasn't sure how the experience had left me feeling.

Grooming is clearly a sign of great affection but given that these six boys are always carefully plotting to outwit me in our ongoing battle for supremacy, I do wonder if there's something more to their act. Is a subliminal message involved, their way of trying to say you need to wash your hair more it's filthy? Whatever the answer I find myself momentarily statuesque whenever one of the cats sits on the back of my seat. Mrs B thrives with all this attention, of course, but she's long been under the spell of these six cats. I, of course, no different.

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