Kneading and Air Biscuits

It has taken Boudicca seventeen years to figure out how to knead and when she finally did knead, she did so for approximately 10 seconds. 99% of the time she simply does rather googly air biscuits. Oddly, she regularly makes air biscuits at the vet’s office when she is petted, examined, or even when getting poked or prodded (included getting blood drawn). She’ll make air biscuits when slung over my shoulder or when lounging in order to better receive adoration. (Usually purrs get louder if she is told she is a pretty girl.) It’s adorable and incredibly charming. Go Miss Dancing Paws.

Here Boudicca demonstrates how to simultaneously sunbathe and make air biscuits.

Charlie makes air biscuits too, usually when he is being exceptionally flirtatious and seeking rubs. Cue slow blinks, very loud purrs, lots of flopping, and the occasional super cute squeak.

As of yet, Garrus has not kneaded or demonstrated air biscuits. I’m not sure if he is simply too dignified a Gentleman Cat to do so or if he has not yet relaxed enough to go googly and knead. But he does slow blink and semi-flop (in a refined manner, of course).

I’m pretty sure when I took this photo Garrus was actually purring, despite his irritated looking expression.

Do your cats knead? Do they make air biscuits? What makes them happy (or googly) enough to do this? Have you ever had a cat drool when kneading?

Cat Lessons: Sunbathing

In my time as a cat owner, my fur people have taught me a number of things. I’d like to share some of them with you. Here is one of them: get a little sun.

Many cats enjoy sunbathing and my cats are no exception. They enjoy the warmth, they get to sprawl and relax, they might doze off, and if they are near a window, they have an opportunity watch the interesting goings-on outside. Garrus, especially, is apparently solar-charged. He seems to wilt rather like WALL-E when his batteries are low.

The boys’ favorite sunning spot is the master bathroom, especially this winter. We have a unique set up in there. As we don’t use the garden tub, Aaron fitted boards on top of the tub and created a platform. On top of this platform he placed the two Cat Genies, which need water hookups and a fair amount of space. (If we had more room in the house we would have put one Cat Genie somewhere else but we have made do with this arrangement.)

The cats have found that there is sufficient room for them to loll around the Cat Genies, and that sunlight streams through the window in the afternoon. This makes Garrus in particular a most happy cat.

This picture was taken with the same setup we use now but before we transitioned to Cat Genies. (It is clear in the photo that there was more room on the platform and the boys took full advantage of this.) This was also one of the first times I had seen Garrus flop on his side like this. It was delightful to see him look so utterly relaxed.

[Read in Sir David Attenborough’s voice] “Now here we see the meditating cat in its traditional pose, accompanied by its spotted companion. Transcendental vegetation is very important to these creatures and can best be accomplished after basking in sunlight for a period of time and not being disturbed, even though it is most tempting to do so. We must remain absolutely quiet in order to hear them begin to purr. This is a sign of great contentment and relaxation and that the meditating cats are reaching the zenith of transcendental vegetation.”

Yesterday afternoon, I found Charlie lounging inside one of the Cat Genies as if it was a lounge chair or hammock. (Don’t worry, it had just finished its cleaning cycle and was therefore clean and sanitized. I think he liked it because it was also warm from said cleaning cycle as well as the sun.) He was very talky about how happy he was about finding a new spot.

Charlie felt it was necessary to (1) warm his belly, (2) flaunt said belly, (3) be ridiculously cute and flirtatious at the same time. He squeaked all the while I took a number of photos.

Later Garrus came over to investigate what all the squeaking was about and found a spot for himself. I managed to snap a photo of him mid-slow blink.

Boudicca sunbathes too! She does, however, restrict her basking to a shorter period so I am not always able to snap a photo of it. When she sunbathes in front of the back door, she normally looks outside the window and watches birds. I am unsure why she turned around and looked mildly miffed.

I believe this was Garrus’ first sunbath in our house and one of the alternate sunbathing spots. This was also one of the first times I saw him start to relax.

Here is Boudicca catching a late afternoon sunbath. In this photo, her lowered and extra green eyes make me think of Maleficent.

Do your cats like to sunbathe? Do they have favorite spots? Do these spots change from season to season or according to their moods?

Squeaky Mondays

It appears that Charlie woke up on the extra squeaky, and if it’s possible, even cuter side of the cat tower this morning. He’s been trotting around the house squeaking, chirping, cheeping, and trilling rather cheerfully as he visits everyone. And…he’s just found his toy mouse. I expect the zoomies and much vigorous play sessions, which include enthusiastic squeaks of their own, will soon follow.

Have a great Monday everyone!

Pictured above: Last evening Charlie was very curious about my phone’s camera. It’s hard to snap a non-blurry photo of him!

Happy Cuddle Up Day!

Happy Cuddle Up Day! Especially in the cold heart of winter, don’t you think that’s an appropriate holiday to celebrate?

I just learned about a most apt idiom: a “three dog night,” where a night is so cold it requires three dogs snuggling close to keep warm. (I would imagine cuddling with three Newfoundlands would be a most different experience than say, three Chinese crested dogs. In my house, if it got cold enough, it would definitely be called a “three cat night”.)

Although it’s warming up where I live, I am always game for a cuddle, and I am fortunate to have Boudicca, who is definitely my cuddliest cat and demands regularly scheduled lap time every evening. Charlie and Garrus absolutely love to cuddle with one another and freely use each other as pillows. That’s one of the reasons why we could not bear to separate them and adopted them together.

Grammar Geek Alert!: What’s the difference between cuddle and snuggle?

In English we use these terms interchangeably. Cuddle [noun] is defined as an affectionate embrace, often given to family members and close friends. [I would argue this applies to fur people.] Snuggle [noun] is sometimes defined as an affectionate hug. There the words are nearly identical but the given definition for snuggle is not always correct. The connotation for the word snuggle usually implies lying closely and comfortably, as in a nest. As verbs, however, the two words have more distinct definitions.

1. Cuddle [verb]: to embrace affectionately, to lie together snugly; to cradle in one’s arms so as to give comfort or warmth; to lie close or snug; to crouch; to nestle.
2. Snuggle [verb]: to lie close to another person or thing, hugging or being cozy; to move or arrange oneself in a comfortable or cozy position

I could dig into etymologies but that would be a tangent…In any case, now you know the difference between the two words! However, they are clearly synonyms.

Whether you prefer to cuddle, snuggle, lie under the covers, lounge on the couch binge watching Netflix, or simply be in the general vicinity of your pet (and human companions, if you feel so inclined), there are all kinds of benefits for doing this! Here are a few suggested activities for Cuddle Up Day:

1. Building trust. This is a crucial element of any relationship between human and pet. A pet that does not trust its human and vice versa will not have a very stable or healthy working relationship. Both humans and pet need to develop trust in the other, and that does need hard work, time, and patience in both parties. Personally speaking, Aaron and I have worked hard to build Garrus and Charlie’s trust (and vice versa) since we fostered and adopted them. It’s been very rewarding and the boys are so much happier for it.
2. Warmth. It’s January–it’s cold. Enough said!
3. Affection. One of the reasons humans keep pets is to give spontaneous displays of affection. Or maybe that’s just me. Once in a while Garrus gives me his vampy smile after I kiss his head, and all three cats slow blink at me when they feel particularly relaxed.
4. Oxytocin. If you engage in serious cuddling (yay!), there’s a chemical reaction at work, and it’s called oxytocin. Basically it’s the warm fuzzies. It is also the same hormone that causes mothers to bond with their newborn infants. For humans, oxytocin has a number of health benefits such as reducing heart disease, reducing blood pressure, dulling pain and muscle aches, lowering stress and anxiety, mitigating depression, and boosting the immune system. Studies have indicated that trust [between humans] develops as a result of the release of oxytocin, so it could very well develop in between owners and pets. In short, everyone feels the benefits of this happy-making hormone. Expect purring and tail-wagging.
5. Cuddle party. Have a bash. Stay in your PJs or go all out and invite your friends, humans, canine, and/or feline alike. (For all you rodent, ferret, and bird fans, please enjoy yourselves too. I believe that all critters should be loved equally.) Strategically place pets on or around you and get cozy. Watch movies. Make pet-friendly treats. Distribute belly rubs freely. Have fun!

NB: Not all pets will be comfortable cuddling close. Some pets have larger personal bubbles of space and will not move closer no matter how much you entice them. Do not force your pets to do anything they genuinely do not wish to do.

If your pet needs extra space, respect that need. Provide them cozy bedding and toys. Don’t ignore your reserved or shy pet; give them attention and affection (especially if there are other pets in the house), talk to them, and periodically and invite your pet to join you if they wish. If your pet has a fearful reaction when picked up (for example, if you’ve adopted a former stray that had minimal handling), talk to your pet about this behavior. This may be something that you will need to work on to lessen your pet’s anxiety, or it may indicate a medical issue.

Garrus, for example, can be affectionate but he is completely unaccustomed to being picked up. This is most inconvenient when we need to trim his nails. While he may never be a cuddly cat and I can respect that, I do not want him to be fearful when we trim his nails or when the vet examines him. We are acclimating him to being handled.

How are you going to celebrate Cuddle Up Day?

Gratitude

This morning Charlie surprised us by waking us up at 5AM with his thunderous purring and persistently–but adorably–being enthusiastically lovey. Later when we got up, he was still affectionate and giving slow blinks to everyone. I’m happy to see him becoming more relaxed. Garrus, as usual, was eager to give tail hugs and receive pets. When Boudicca came over, I picked her up and held her against my chest; she rewarded me by going limp and purring contentedly. What a great way to start the day!

This Thanksgiving holiday I will visit my family, and among those are two dogs, Chiquita, a well-behaved and delightfully fluffy Kooikerhondje, and Chiya, a sassy Tibetan Spaniel. I’ll get my dog fix! I expect I will snuggle the pups whenever I can.

As everyone turns their thoughts to what they are thankful for this holiday season, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about being thankful for pets. My cats enrich my life in so many ways such that I felt inspired to write about it! Here is a collection of reasons to be thankful for your pets:

1. Unconditional love. Enough said.
2. Hugs and snuggles. Awesome time all around. Pets also make great nap buddies.
3. Constant companionship. It’s hard to feel lonely when share a home with a pet. When I’m just doing everyday tasks, I usually have one cat following me around the house attempting to “help” or at least be near me. Boudicca, for example, is my designated office supurrviser.
4. Fun. Pets take playtime and finding happiness in the little things very seriously. These are healthy attitudes for humans too.
5. Comfort. Pets brighten your day in ways big and small. Whether you come home from a stressful day at work, have gone on vacation for weeks, or are just feeling sick, pets offer unconditional love. It’s hard not to smile when your dog greets you at the door with a blur of a wagging tail. My cats greet me with squeaks, trills, and question mark tails. When I have a migraine, Boudicca feels that it is her duty to apply purr therapy until I feel better.
6. Laughter. Seriously. My cats make me laugh all the time from sheer adorability and scampery antics.
7. Never a dull moment. A pet in your life may very well keep things busy and interesting with their shenanigans! Humans and their pets constantly learn from one another.
8. Health. Having a pet lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, reduces the risk of heart disease, and makes you move more, especially if you have dogs. I certainly benefit from regular purr therapy.
9. Purpose. Having a pet gives you a sense of purpose and someone to care for. While having a pet is lots of work and a big responsibility no one should take lightly, pets do reward us tenfold for caring for them. Everyone wins!