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Thank your cat during National Pet Week!
May 4, 2012
CATalyst Council’s “Spokescat” CAT Stanley shares 5 ways to thank your cat during National Pet Week
Sunday, May 6, marks the beginning of National Pet Week and to celebrate, I thought I would share five ways you can thank your cat for being the wonderful, attractive, perfect companion it is. While I’m not sure it would ever be possible for a mere human to truly appreciate any cat to a full enough extent, I encourage you to try during National Pet Week. After all, we do provide you with love, devotion, a lower heart rate, beauty in its most natural state, acrobatic displays, and so much more.
1. Take your cat to the veterinarian. From my perspective, ensuring your cat is healthy and well taken care of should be your only concern in life, and that starts with regular visits to the veterinarian. Deep down, we know you’re only doing it because you love us and want us to be around for as long as possible.
2. Play with your cat. This will increase your bond with your cat, and allow your cat to express its natural instincts (e.g., hunting, jumping, sprinting) in a positive way. It’s also great exercise—both mentally and physically—something most cats could use more of.
3. Get your cat to appreciate its carrier. Personally, I love my carrier, but from what I understand this is not the general consensus among my peers. My carrier is a great place to hang out. It’s always out in a nice, quite place and has a lovely, fuzzy, fluffy blanket in the bottom; just thinking of it is making me long for a nap. Friends tell me that this is not the case in their homes. Rather, they only see their carrier when it is time to go somewhere, and this can be frightening. Do your cat a favor: Watch this video and take the suggested steps so that you don’t frighten your cat with its carrier anymore.
4. Create a new space for your cat. I know the old joke that goes something like “want the best seat in the house? You’ll need to move the cat.” However, your cat would probably enjoy a seat that was made just for its lounging pleasure. Environmental enrichment is important for us cats, and part of creating a rich environment is ensuring your cat has a space of its own. My favorite spot in my house is a cat tower right next to the window where I can be up high and watch the birds outside.
5. Give your cat a little extra love. Most days all I want as a thank you from my people is an extra scratch behind my ears. Show your cat you appreciate all it does for you by taking a little time for an extended snuggle on the couch.
Show your cat how much you appreciate all it gives you by taking the time to do just one of these things during National Pet Week. The happy purrs you receive in return are our way of saying “thank you” for recognizing how important we are to you.
For more information on CAT Stanley, visit his bio on the CATalyst Council web site at
http://www.catalystcouncil.org/resources/health_welfare/cat_stanley/index.aspx.
