It’s special, because you have to work to earn it with so many cats. They are not dogs. They do not have dog ways. They are not pre-disposed by selective breeding to immediately unconditionally love humans. They have a cat temperament, and a cat disposition. It is naturally more reserved and suspicious. Like me. There’s a reason I get along with feline kind.
There is nothing better than sandpaper kisses and gentle head boops and finally the tap, tap, tap of a gentle, elder paw asking for assistance. Zeke departed in 2020 after nearly 18 years of constant, consistent love and devotion. Some might say he was "dog-like" - he would seek out human company every time we were in the house. My daughter had bottle fed him as a kitten because he was taken from his feral momma too soon. It created a human bond that lasted through all of the years he graced us with his fluffy "catness". I still miss his gentle presence.
Mina was taken from her mother too early and so imprinted on me as a parent (I didn't do the taking, I agreed to accept her after it had been done). She really does seem to think I'm her mother. This cat is so physically intimate with me, and trusts me so much it breaks the heart.
I’d have to think their primal remembering of bad events is more distinct than ours as we have that darned frontal lobe that tries to talk us out of knowing what’s dangerous for us. (Both a good and bad thing, I suppose.) That being said, I think animals sense things in humans, and other animals, and have a strange way of knowing what we need. Another primal trait that most humans don’t have. Whether it be cats, dogs, or whatever - the connection made is ridiculously special and I love that hurt animals of all kinds find each other and heal together. I’ve had cats and dogs. No cats for a really long time bc both kids are allergic. But each species has its own wonderful qualities. However, as much as I love my dog.....I desperately wish I had the boundaries of a cat. The ability to walk away, say no, and not *need* approval would be fantastic. ❤️ you Josh!
We adopted several rescue dogs over the years. They were all miniature schnauzers. I grew up with cats and the best arrangement was when we had a cat and a dog together. After some initial reservations they accepted each other and became best buds. But we have allergies in our family so cats became a no-go but dogs worked out fine. I agree Josh that pets can have PTSD. Our current schnauzer, Ladybug, was three years old when we adopted her. She had been shuttled from one foster group to another for I don't know how long. Although we 've have had her for over seven years now she still freaks out when she sees another dog. Her initial bark is apparently bravado because it quickly turns into a whiney distress call for help. She weighs eighteen pounds but I can still manage to pick her up if we seem to be headed towards a confrontation we can't avoid. These little ones seem to have the same types of psychoses that humans have. Maybe that's why they're called our best friends.
the irony is, Bob, that its Not the cat,dog,bird,book,rug,dust etc that makes us 'allergic'' ...it's the fruggin' Dairy with all its Pus,bacteria,viruses which ramps up the immune system into overdrive...check out notmilk.com , with an A-Z list compleat with medical citations, & do a yt search 'dairy dangers'...this ol' mechanic's rhArt dissolved,along with!! chronic allergies,asthma,ear aches,skin&gut issues!! just by dumping dairy...[praise be to 86yr old mrsEd,a customer at the garage that saved my hide with this info about deadly dairy.] As well, mega vit C,B complex& transdermal Magnesium,& EV coconut oil are de rigeur to restore body balance. Easy peasy,eh? cheers
It makes me happy that you and Shredder have each other because you have a reciprocal relationship built on love and trust. Too often it's our animal friends who provide this when the humans in our lives fail or fall short. Wishing you and Shredder lifelong happiness together, for the loss of one to the other is not easy. My beloved feline companion, a foundling kitten Maine Coon was with me for 13 years. He will always have a place in my heart and memories.
We take for granted the extreme honor it is to love an animal and be granted their trust and friendship. They make us so much better and soften our rough spots. And often they are gifts to us when we didn’t even know we needed them. Thanks for the gratitude reminder in this article, and thank you for trusting your readers with a picture. There’s nothing better than pet pics :).
Aug 28, 2022·edited Aug 28, 2022Liked by Josh Slocum
This actually made me cry. I'm a cat lover too. Had a brother and sister pair for about 17 years and they both passed away within a month of each other, very quickly and in their sleep while lying on me....about 3 years ago. Each loss broke me. Those animals 'knew' me. They understood me. They could tell when I was sad, or if my pain levels were pretty bad. They'd go from being either mental, house-wrecking, balls of fury, OR that arrogant insouciance that only a cat can really pull off (lol), to coming to me to be affectionate and cuddly. just like your picture there with Shredder.
I don't understand how people don't like cats. Maybe it's because they're really smart and they can get the measure of someone instantly upon meeting them. My boy cat LEAPT into the lap of the guy who was just about becoming my boyfriend, despite never having jumped up into anyone else's lap ever before that. It was amazing! I kind of took it as a sign that the boyf was definitely right for me. My cat literally showed his approval! The boyf is now my man of 14 years and that boy cat fell in love with him too; as did his sister cat who practically lived sprawled all over said boyfriend every night.
Me and my other half actually carry cat treats as well as dog treats and bird seed with us every where we go. We like to meet friendly critters, and he'll sit down on the pavement or the road, just to get an animal to come to him for a stroke and a treat.
Seeing you with your cat made me cry both happy and sad tears. I miss my cats so much that I still cry over them. I'm not ready to go get another couple from the rescue sanctuary just yet (I believe in always going for rescues...and the ones others don't want will always grab my heart!) Part of me wants to me able to have that love of a cat or two again, but I had my other 2 for so long, it's like losing a proper family member. They WERE proper family members! I can't bring another 2 in just yet, but I will in time.
I have happy tears too though, because I can see that proper bond of love and trust that comes from being a best friend. They're holy terrors, incomprehensible weirdoes, gorgeous angels who sometimes behave like demons. Thank you for sharing this. It really touched me.
Much love
Bex
PS If I make take the liberty of asking you to 'boop da snoot' on Shredder for me? Just my way of saying hello! x
Wow, thank you for this article! It's from almost a month ago but I just subscribed, so thought I'd compliment you anyway. I too love cats (I have, and love, 6!) Many people don't realize how wonderful they are, so glad to read the words of someone else who does. P.S. Not sure if you like the late great Freddie Mercury, but I sometimes think of the hilarious dedication on his solo album: "This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry -- also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the cat lovers across the universe -- screw everybody else!” Well, actually I love dogs and other animals too, but I understand his sentiments! Best wishes to you and Shredder.
Walking to a polling place with my girlfriend and cat Jammers starts to follow. I pick her up and start to carry her back when a truck drives by and scares her… claws out right across my throat. We joked that she thought I was taking her to the wood chipper. Went and voted. Got back looked in the mirror and had a perfect (not purrfect) horror movie, bleeding slash right at my t-shirt collar. Voted that way.
I love his name. Shredder. Yes I know, I'm sure it's because he literally shredded you a few times but I also think he's helped to shred some of the pain and despair you found yourself in. I know my furry companions have. What a blessing they are.
Cats are the better people. I have four. Each has a distinctly different personality. I love all of them.
There is nothing better than sandpaper kisses and gentle head boops and finally the tap, tap, tap of a gentle, elder paw asking for assistance. Zeke departed in 2020 after nearly 18 years of constant, consistent love and devotion. Some might say he was "dog-like" - he would seek out human company every time we were in the house. My daughter had bottle fed him as a kitten because he was taken from his feral momma too soon. It created a human bond that lasted through all of the years he graced us with his fluffy "catness". I still miss his gentle presence.
Oh, sweet Zeke. I know.
Mina was taken from her mother too early and so imprinted on me as a parent (I didn't do the taking, I agreed to accept her after it had been done). She really does seem to think I'm her mother. This cat is so physically intimate with me, and trusts me so much it breaks the heart.
❤ Breaks it, yet also heals it. Mina knows you are worthy of her trust.
Shredder is a true wonder 🤍
This is wonderful
I’d have to think their primal remembering of bad events is more distinct than ours as we have that darned frontal lobe that tries to talk us out of knowing what’s dangerous for us. (Both a good and bad thing, I suppose.) That being said, I think animals sense things in humans, and other animals, and have a strange way of knowing what we need. Another primal trait that most humans don’t have. Whether it be cats, dogs, or whatever - the connection made is ridiculously special and I love that hurt animals of all kinds find each other and heal together. I’ve had cats and dogs. No cats for a really long time bc both kids are allergic. But each species has its own wonderful qualities. However, as much as I love my dog.....I desperately wish I had the boundaries of a cat. The ability to walk away, say no, and not *need* approval would be fantastic. ❤️ you Josh!
I like you even more now! (For what THAT’S worth)
We adopted several rescue dogs over the years. They were all miniature schnauzers. I grew up with cats and the best arrangement was when we had a cat and a dog together. After some initial reservations they accepted each other and became best buds. But we have allergies in our family so cats became a no-go but dogs worked out fine. I agree Josh that pets can have PTSD. Our current schnauzer, Ladybug, was three years old when we adopted her. She had been shuttled from one foster group to another for I don't know how long. Although we 've have had her for over seven years now she still freaks out when she sees another dog. Her initial bark is apparently bravado because it quickly turns into a whiney distress call for help. She weighs eighteen pounds but I can still manage to pick her up if we seem to be headed towards a confrontation we can't avoid. These little ones seem to have the same types of psychoses that humans have. Maybe that's why they're called our best friends.
the irony is, Bob, that its Not the cat,dog,bird,book,rug,dust etc that makes us 'allergic'' ...it's the fruggin' Dairy with all its Pus,bacteria,viruses which ramps up the immune system into overdrive...check out notmilk.com , with an A-Z list compleat with medical citations, & do a yt search 'dairy dangers'...this ol' mechanic's rhArt dissolved,along with!! chronic allergies,asthma,ear aches,skin&gut issues!! just by dumping dairy...[praise be to 86yr old mrsEd,a customer at the garage that saved my hide with this info about deadly dairy.] As well, mega vit C,B complex& transdermal Magnesium,& EV coconut oil are de rigeur to restore body balance. Easy peasy,eh? cheers
It makes me happy that you and Shredder have each other because you have a reciprocal relationship built on love and trust. Too often it's our animal friends who provide this when the humans in our lives fail or fall short. Wishing you and Shredder lifelong happiness together, for the loss of one to the other is not easy. My beloved feline companion, a foundling kitten Maine Coon was with me for 13 years. He will always have a place in my heart and memories.
❤️🔥😘
Comfort and bliss = your pic
We take for granted the extreme honor it is to love an animal and be granted their trust and friendship. They make us so much better and soften our rough spots. And often they are gifts to us when we didn’t even know we needed them. Thanks for the gratitude reminder in this article, and thank you for trusting your readers with a picture. There’s nothing better than pet pics :).
If you like cute/happy humor, follow TweetsOfCats on Twitter. It just makes my heart flutter.
❤️
This actually made me cry. I'm a cat lover too. Had a brother and sister pair for about 17 years and they both passed away within a month of each other, very quickly and in their sleep while lying on me....about 3 years ago. Each loss broke me. Those animals 'knew' me. They understood me. They could tell when I was sad, or if my pain levels were pretty bad. They'd go from being either mental, house-wrecking, balls of fury, OR that arrogant insouciance that only a cat can really pull off (lol), to coming to me to be affectionate and cuddly. just like your picture there with Shredder.
I don't understand how people don't like cats. Maybe it's because they're really smart and they can get the measure of someone instantly upon meeting them. My boy cat LEAPT into the lap of the guy who was just about becoming my boyfriend, despite never having jumped up into anyone else's lap ever before that. It was amazing! I kind of took it as a sign that the boyf was definitely right for me. My cat literally showed his approval! The boyf is now my man of 14 years and that boy cat fell in love with him too; as did his sister cat who practically lived sprawled all over said boyfriend every night.
Me and my other half actually carry cat treats as well as dog treats and bird seed with us every where we go. We like to meet friendly critters, and he'll sit down on the pavement or the road, just to get an animal to come to him for a stroke and a treat.
Seeing you with your cat made me cry both happy and sad tears. I miss my cats so much that I still cry over them. I'm not ready to go get another couple from the rescue sanctuary just yet (I believe in always going for rescues...and the ones others don't want will always grab my heart!) Part of me wants to me able to have that love of a cat or two again, but I had my other 2 for so long, it's like losing a proper family member. They WERE proper family members! I can't bring another 2 in just yet, but I will in time.
I have happy tears too though, because I can see that proper bond of love and trust that comes from being a best friend. They're holy terrors, incomprehensible weirdoes, gorgeous angels who sometimes behave like demons. Thank you for sharing this. It really touched me.
Much love
Bex
PS If I make take the liberty of asking you to 'boop da snoot' on Shredder for me? Just my way of saying hello! x
Wow, thank you for this article! It's from almost a month ago but I just subscribed, so thought I'd compliment you anyway. I too love cats (I have, and love, 6!) Many people don't realize how wonderful they are, so glad to read the words of someone else who does. P.S. Not sure if you like the late great Freddie Mercury, but I sometimes think of the hilarious dedication on his solo album: "This album is dedicated to my cat Jerry -- also Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany and all the cat lovers across the universe -- screw everybody else!” Well, actually I love dogs and other animals too, but I understand his sentiments! Best wishes to you and Shredder.
Walking to a polling place with my girlfriend and cat Jammers starts to follow. I pick her up and start to carry her back when a truck drives by and scares her… claws out right across my throat. We joked that she thought I was taking her to the wood chipper. Went and voted. Got back looked in the mirror and had a perfect (not purrfect) horror movie, bleeding slash right at my t-shirt collar. Voted that way.
I love his name. Shredder. Yes I know, I'm sure it's because he literally shredded you a few times but I also think he's helped to shred some of the pain and despair you found yourself in. I know my furry companions have. What a blessing they are.
It was his name given by his original owners, and it was so obviously correct. :)
I love it! It was his destiny! :)