Penny For Your Thoughts, Feline Daughters

by Kevin Burton

   They have ways of expressing themselves, but my cats don’t speak any English or Spanish, so I don’t always know what they are thinking.

   Do I really want to know what they are thinking?  Well, we can’t know, which is probably for the best.

   But I did stumble upon some cat-think speculation recently, written by Megan Milstead of PetsRadar.  The educated guess of the vet she interviewed, is pretty much the same as mine.

   “As a pet parent, I often wonder what my cats think about throughout the day. What are they pondering when the rub their face on th9nings,” Milstead writes. “What’s going through their minds when they knock a vase off the edge of the table? And do they think about me when I’m not there?”

   “Cats are confusing and mysterious creatures – one minute they’re rolling around on their belly and purring as you stroke them, the next, they’ve got four paws wrapped around your arm with claws buried deep in your skin – so I’d love to know what really goes on in those heads of theirs.”

   “To find out the answers, I asked Dr. Rebecca MacMillan, a qualified vet with 16 years of experience working with cats, to see what she had to say. While we can’t ever know what’s inside their brain, experts like her can make a pretty good educated guess!”

What cats think about

1. Food and water

   “You could probably guess this one yourself, but Dr MacMillan explains that food and water are high up on your cat’s list of thoughts, as their survival depends on them.”

  “They are hardwired to give this some serious consideration. If your cat is bored and lacking other forms of mental stimulation, then food will dominate their thoughts even more,” MacMillan said. “

   Oops.

   Our acrobat cat Lakin is considerably bigger than when she arrived at our house.  She probably is wanting more exercise and play than I have been giving her. My bad. I will try to work in more play!

   As for our senior cat Ronnie (Veronica), she opens her mouth to eat and to scream about not being fed.  She is the omnivore, the reason we are now doubly careful not to drop food in the kitchen. 

2. Their environment

   “Next on the list is their environment. What place can they explore next? Where can they hide? What could they jump on? And are there any threats to be wary of? Cats are curious by nature and are always looking for ways to interact with the world around them,” MacMillan said.

   “New sounds, visitors, or smells will give your cat some pause for thought and could even make them feel anxious. Cats are very territorial animals and will spend plenty of time keeping an eye on their surroundings, in between cat naps and other activities.”

   “It’s important to provide your feline with plenty of the best cat toys, ledges, scratching posts and hiding spots to help them express these natural instincts.”

   Lakin is the queen of boxes.  She has never met a box she didn’t like. Sometimes I make her a little fort out of boxes delivered by Amazon. That way everybody gets in on the fun. 

   Ronnie has a favorite bed, one she inherited from my (late) cat Mex, who sniffily disdained it. Ronnie isn’t much for boxes though.

3. Social interactions and play

   “Cats are more sociable than most people think, and a lot of the time, they’ll be thinking about how to interact with you and any other pets they live with,” Milstead writes.

   “Hopefully, these are all positive thoughts, but some cats will suffer from stress and anxiety when introductions haven’t been smooth,” MacMillan said. “Cats soon learn to seek you out for play and a fuss, so they might be thinking about this and contemplating their next move.”

   “When it comes to play, your cat needs around an hour every day, but you can break this up into smaller sessions to make it more manageable.

   So I mentioned playing more with Lakin, but I doubt it gets up to an hour per day. 

   “Don’t forget that cats also sleep a fair amount, so catnaps will help to break up their day, giving their busy brains a rest,” MacMillan said.

   “While humans often dwell on the past, cats are excellent at living in the moment and are most interested in what’s happening now,” Milstead writes.  “But they have pretty good memories!

   So Lakin remembers she is not supposed to get on the dining room table; Ronnie remembers she is not to linger on the stairs.

   When they disobey, I don’t ponder their thoughts, but employ the squirt bottle to give them second thoughts.