Beautifully expressed. There are no doubts for me about the level of connection, understanding and nurturing cats can show for our children when the kids have extra need of it. I'm sure I've told you about Bean, my little 6-year old rescue calico. When I had my second daughter 11 months after my first and was home alone much of the day with two babies including an extremely colicky newborn, my cat just took on the full time role of keeping my older baby company. She would follow her everywhere, fretting over any perceived risk, batting toys back and forth or waggling her tail to keep my baby entertained, she cuddled her constantly and as my older girl learned to walk it was with Bean anxiously beside her with her tail wrapped firmly around my daughter bum. They sat in boxes and tunnels together, played with paper bags and strings. All while I watched from the couch or rocking chair soothing my newborn and aching with gratitude. Recently Bean needed a $3000 surgery and we crowdfunded it within 24 hours because our friends knew how special she was. Gratitude doesn't touch the sides.
Imagine if there was someone, anyone, in your life who propped a photo of you in front of you and said, "look at this all day until you feel the joy I feel when I look at you".
I just can't believe how Bruce is okay being carried around like that! The cat I grew up with would have clawed my eyes out if I had tried!!! She used to frequently poo beside my bed 😂
Cats know. From the start of time autistic folk would have been the ones to care for and tame animals. Bruce probably feels Ham’s actual vibrations that the boring NT folk can’t sense. There’s no way Bruce doesn’t know.
We have a cat-dog too! We have always said that. Kiko Mā was a wee white dot when we got her (hence her name). Now she’s a big white tiger. She greets us at the door or the drive as we pull up, she comes to us for pats and loves being smushed and squished by our 6 year old. Kiko knows how to be around my son who is autistic and a little frightened of her if she gets too close, too quick. She will sit nearby and face away from him, she is just close enough to maybe get a pat from him and if she does, she purrs super loud for him. She chooses a favourite between me and my husband each day and most of the time it’s me, even though my husband is a pushover with the treats. My daughter dragged her around all the time when we first got her but Kiko’s quite a big cat now so she just goes up to my daughter and rubs faces with her.
I'm an old fart and have learned through experience to reject hard-and-fast rules regarding relationships of all kinds. I have had cats, when a young adult, but as a child was taught they were dirty and smelly by a family member who was constantly cleaning their droppings from her garden. She lived next door to a woman who had 13 cats. They used my family member's garden as a toilet. I was bitten by a dog when a child; still have the scar. But I met someone with whom I have shared the very-much-better part of my life. She taught me a lot about dogs and horses and other creatures. I was scared of the all. Fell off a horse. It hurt. but whilst there may be many, many, too many trite memes about our furry friends what has struck me most is that one actually gets more when one simply doesn't measure what one is putting in. Expectations of a return of affection from partners, pets, friends, workmates will always lead to disappointment. Just give and enjoy that process. As the parent of a child, now adult, with special needs the rewards are a constant joy.
Interestingly, on the topic of having 13 cats and poop - I’ve just been working on a piece about cat control and the dangers of Toxoplasmosis a parasite found in cat poop. And how we just view cats differently in order to protect them but also protect our native taonga and vulnerable communities. It was very interesting. I’m also working on a piece about the natural behaviour’s of dogs and how they’re not socially acceptable - and what the tension is around what dogs want to do and what they have to do in order to keep people safe and live in society. I am endlessly fascinated by our relationships with animals.
I'm in the "he knows" camp. We have Molly, probably the most remarkable cat we've ever had in terms of one who looks right into your eyes and is very talkative. At nearly 18 1/2, totally deaf, creaky and lean she's not likely to last much longer - although she has rallied with a change to wet food and a course of steroids. We'll all be devastated when the time comes, especially my (nearly) 18 year old son.
My totally unscientific observation is that those of my son's friends who always loved cats (ours and theirs) have grown into being the most lovely, gentle and trustworthy young men.
Oh Quentin - what an amazingly long life! I definitely think our lives are so enriched by our furry friends/family. Sending lots of love for you and Molly when that time comes.
I'm sure I've experienced loads of examples to suggest they have a pretty deep understanding of what's going on inside us. The cat we had when I was a kid, for instance - she never, ever slept on my bed... except when I was sick, and she'd be there constantly until I was better.
And the two cats that we have now are generally unhinged terrors whenever we have to take them anywhere in the car. However, when we had our first tsunami evacuation after moving into our new house and we were stressed out beyond belief, they were extraordinarily obedient in getting into the carriers and sitting there super quietly while we drove them to the nearest high ground.
It could be a case of selective interpretation of behavour, but I like to believe it anyway.
We currently have 3, down from our 5 at the start of 2021 and I still miss them greatly.
My husband had a cry earlier today as our 3 year old asked questions about our boy Quest who we lost in a tragic accident last year. He was the most lovely special boy who worshiped my husband. Everyone else was okay, but they would do everything together and I have so many lovely photos of them together.
Losing Penny was easier because she was very old and ill, so it was a long time coming.
Now we have Empy (short for Emperor), Crumbles and Alucard. As well as my sister's cat Babies who lives with us and a visitor cat who we call Friend.
My family has attracted strays and abused cats ever since I was a child and somehow I have carried on the cat attracting efforts. Most cats in our lives just move in (we always get them scanned for chips and investigate if they have a home) and we just have to accept it haha.
They all have such unique personalities and I love cats with all my heart.
I've always had cats, too. My first one was after Mum and Dad decided I needed a pet and asked me if I wanted a dog or a cat. I said I wanted a dog, so they got me a cat. Mine are always a bit *extra*. My current one, Emme, is a bit of a bitch, but I adore her. She has trained us to interact with her in her preferred ways, and she hisses at us for no reason. But she's also chatty and smoochy and has started grooming our 16 year old cat who can't groom himself because he has Horner Syndrome and probably gets dizzy when her tries.
But I'm mostly here to say I found this woman (pettalkwithalex) on instagram who talks to animals (as in telepathically) and it's my NEW FAVOURITE THING. I am so entertained. I don't even care if she's for real, delusional, or just into telling stories. I think that if you can convince someone you're an 'animal communicator' and chat with the animals all day (often via video call, it seems), that's a pretty sweet gig, and if it's fake, it's a pretty victimless crime. Bless it. And like, maybe you can 'tune in' to Bruce and find out what he thinks about all this.
We have a cat-dog too. Our Bruce comes to meet us when we get home, snuggles with us, follows us around and growls if he hears a strange noise. We also have his sister Tonzu, who is a cat-cat. Prone to being a drama Queen, and is equally likely to ignore you as miaow loudly at you until you cuddle her.
We had Cinnamon (Cindy) from before my parents had kids - she lasted 21 years then it went downhill from there. Portia and Lucretia. Then Flame, who had kittens Cinders, Sooty, and some other play on words. My brother had Boy, I had Libby, then mum got Pushkin after we all moved out. We now have Moana and Maui who will never die because they would rather not ever go outside. This is partly because they hate our dogs. Honestly, I don’t even like cats OR dogs that much, I am just a sucker for everyone else’s deep affection for animals!
We had Guinea pigs called bubble and squeak and it took until I was grown for me to realise they did not “run away”. I think a really high proportion of Guinea pigs get eaten by dogs :/
I have had cats but I am more of a dog person. I lost my very old dog this year.He was in his18th year. A staffyy/choc..lab - his parents were both pure breeds, and he was a very handsome boy. I rehomed him when he was five months old from a university student who was unable to keep him in the flat he had just moved into. He has been such a wonderful pet with a very gentle temperament. I always felt he was tuned into my feelings- if I was feeling a bit tired or sad he would put his head in my lap.He liked to sleep on my feet. He was a good dog for my neuro divergent grandson to be around. He tolerated having his ears and tail pulled and being kicked when my grandson was just a toddler. My son sat his son down next to the dog who had not reacted, and explained to him how he should behave around a dog,Be kind to the dog, stroke him be gentle,and careful to never hurt him, and how to notice if the dog wanted to be left alone to rest or sleep.They live in Melbourne- when they visited my grandson and granddaughter have loved walking him, and playing with him and knowing when he wanted to sleep or eat..My grandson is now sixteen and was very upset when he heard my dog -Zachary was unwell. He wanted to come to NZ to look after him. He was sad when he knew Zachy had passed away. He and his sister have recently got their own dog- their first pet. Their parents decided that my grandson especially, and grandaughter were ready to look after their own pet based on how well they had looked after Zachy when visiting NZ.
Claude is 14 years now - He is my daughter's support person. He holds secrets and gives cuddles - he is always by her side and will come to see how she is when she gets home.
Beautifully expressed. There are no doubts for me about the level of connection, understanding and nurturing cats can show for our children when the kids have extra need of it. I'm sure I've told you about Bean, my little 6-year old rescue calico. When I had my second daughter 11 months after my first and was home alone much of the day with two babies including an extremely colicky newborn, my cat just took on the full time role of keeping my older baby company. She would follow her everywhere, fretting over any perceived risk, batting toys back and forth or waggling her tail to keep my baby entertained, she cuddled her constantly and as my older girl learned to walk it was with Bean anxiously beside her with her tail wrapped firmly around my daughter bum. They sat in boxes and tunnels together, played with paper bags and strings. All while I watched from the couch or rocking chair soothing my newborn and aching with gratitude. Recently Bean needed a $3000 surgery and we crowdfunded it within 24 hours because our friends knew how special she was. Gratitude doesn't touch the sides.
Oh that’s really beautiful ❤️ thank goodness for Bean ❤️
What a beautiful story!!!
My cat got put to sleep today and this was perfectly comforting ❤️
Oh Georgia I’m so sorry ❤️
Imagine if there was someone, anyone, in your life who propped a photo of you in front of you and said, "look at this all day until you feel the joy I feel when I look at you".
It's just...such an intensely loving thing.
I think it would be the greatest thing to be loved as unconditionally as my boy loves Bruce!
I just can't believe how Bruce is okay being carried around like that! The cat I grew up with would have clawed my eyes out if I had tried!!! She used to frequently poo beside my bed 😂
Hahaha Borro would have slaughtered us if we even tried to pick him up let alone picked him up like THAT!
Cats know. From the start of time autistic folk would have been the ones to care for and tame animals. Bruce probably feels Ham’s actual vibrations that the boring NT folk can’t sense. There’s no way Bruce doesn’t know.
I like to think this is true ❤️ they have such a special bond.
We have a cat-dog too! We have always said that. Kiko Mā was a wee white dot when we got her (hence her name). Now she’s a big white tiger. She greets us at the door or the drive as we pull up, she comes to us for pats and loves being smushed and squished by our 6 year old. Kiko knows how to be around my son who is autistic and a little frightened of her if she gets too close, too quick. She will sit nearby and face away from him, she is just close enough to maybe get a pat from him and if she does, she purrs super loud for him. She chooses a favourite between me and my husband each day and most of the time it’s me, even though my husband is a pushover with the treats. My daughter dragged her around all the time when we first got her but Kiko’s quite a big cat now so she just goes up to my daughter and rubs faces with her.
Oh that is just gorgeous Betz. How special.
I'm an old fart and have learned through experience to reject hard-and-fast rules regarding relationships of all kinds. I have had cats, when a young adult, but as a child was taught they were dirty and smelly by a family member who was constantly cleaning their droppings from her garden. She lived next door to a woman who had 13 cats. They used my family member's garden as a toilet. I was bitten by a dog when a child; still have the scar. But I met someone with whom I have shared the very-much-better part of my life. She taught me a lot about dogs and horses and other creatures. I was scared of the all. Fell off a horse. It hurt. but whilst there may be many, many, too many trite memes about our furry friends what has struck me most is that one actually gets more when one simply doesn't measure what one is putting in. Expectations of a return of affection from partners, pets, friends, workmates will always lead to disappointment. Just give and enjoy that process. As the parent of a child, now adult, with special needs the rewards are a constant joy.
Interestingly, on the topic of having 13 cats and poop - I’ve just been working on a piece about cat control and the dangers of Toxoplasmosis a parasite found in cat poop. And how we just view cats differently in order to protect them but also protect our native taonga and vulnerable communities. It was very interesting. I’m also working on a piece about the natural behaviour’s of dogs and how they’re not socially acceptable - and what the tension is around what dogs want to do and what they have to do in order to keep people safe and live in society. I am endlessly fascinated by our relationships with animals.
I'm in the "he knows" camp. We have Molly, probably the most remarkable cat we've ever had in terms of one who looks right into your eyes and is very talkative. At nearly 18 1/2, totally deaf, creaky and lean she's not likely to last much longer - although she has rallied with a change to wet food and a course of steroids. We'll all be devastated when the time comes, especially my (nearly) 18 year old son.
My totally unscientific observation is that those of my son's friends who always loved cats (ours and theirs) have grown into being the most lovely, gentle and trustworthy young men.
Oh Quentin - what an amazingly long life! I definitely think our lives are so enriched by our furry friends/family. Sending lots of love for you and Molly when that time comes.
I'm fully on board with the idea that cats know!
I'm sure I've experienced loads of examples to suggest they have a pretty deep understanding of what's going on inside us. The cat we had when I was a kid, for instance - she never, ever slept on my bed... except when I was sick, and she'd be there constantly until I was better.
And the two cats that we have now are generally unhinged terrors whenever we have to take them anywhere in the car. However, when we had our first tsunami evacuation after moving into our new house and we were stressed out beyond belief, they were extraordinarily obedient in getting into the carriers and sitting there super quietly while we drove them to the nearest high ground.
It could be a case of selective interpretation of behavour, but I like to believe it anyway.
I like to believe that too Richard. It’s a nice thing to believe that hurts nobody so I’m quite happy to continue believing it! ❤️
But now that I've said that, our black cat (called Crowley) has just scratched my arm for no reason and drawn blood, so I don't know.
Hahaha fantastic name for a black cat!!
I've always been blessed when it comes to cats.
We currently have 3, down from our 5 at the start of 2021 and I still miss them greatly.
My husband had a cry earlier today as our 3 year old asked questions about our boy Quest who we lost in a tragic accident last year. He was the most lovely special boy who worshiped my husband. Everyone else was okay, but they would do everything together and I have so many lovely photos of them together.
Losing Penny was easier because she was very old and ill, so it was a long time coming.
Now we have Empy (short for Emperor), Crumbles and Alucard. As well as my sister's cat Babies who lives with us and a visitor cat who we call Friend.
My family has attracted strays and abused cats ever since I was a child and somehow I have carried on the cat attracting efforts. Most cats in our lives just move in (we always get them scanned for chips and investigate if they have a home) and we just have to accept it haha.
They all have such unique personalities and I love cats with all my heart.
I’m so sorry for your loss ❤️ my husband still grieves Borro. It hits hard.
I've always had cats, too. My first one was after Mum and Dad decided I needed a pet and asked me if I wanted a dog or a cat. I said I wanted a dog, so they got me a cat. Mine are always a bit *extra*. My current one, Emme, is a bit of a bitch, but I adore her. She has trained us to interact with her in her preferred ways, and she hisses at us for no reason. But she's also chatty and smoochy and has started grooming our 16 year old cat who can't groom himself because he has Horner Syndrome and probably gets dizzy when her tries.
But I'm mostly here to say I found this woman (pettalkwithalex) on instagram who talks to animals (as in telepathically) and it's my NEW FAVOURITE THING. I am so entertained. I don't even care if she's for real, delusional, or just into telling stories. I think that if you can convince someone you're an 'animal communicator' and chat with the animals all day (often via video call, it seems), that's a pretty sweet gig, and if it's fake, it's a pretty victimless crime. Bless it. And like, maybe you can 'tune in' to Bruce and find out what he thinks about all this.
Oh my gosh that sounds wild!! I have to look her up! I would love to know what Bruce thinks 😂
Thanks. Good points. None of us is perfect. Least of all me. The treatment of and love of animals often reveals much about us as humans.
We have a cat-dog too. Our Bruce comes to meet us when we get home, snuggles with us, follows us around and growls if he hears a strange noise. We also have his sister Tonzu, who is a cat-cat. Prone to being a drama Queen, and is equally likely to ignore you as miaow loudly at you until you cuddle her.
Amazing. I love their different personalities.
I have no idea, but I'm just here to say how much I loved that pic of Bruce sleeping on Ham's neck. It is fascinating seeing this closeness!
It’s gorgeous eh ❤️
We had Cinnamon (Cindy) from before my parents had kids - she lasted 21 years then it went downhill from there. Portia and Lucretia. Then Flame, who had kittens Cinders, Sooty, and some other play on words. My brother had Boy, I had Libby, then mum got Pushkin after we all moved out. We now have Moana and Maui who will never die because they would rather not ever go outside. This is partly because they hate our dogs. Honestly, I don’t even like cats OR dogs that much, I am just a sucker for everyone else’s deep affection for animals!
We had Guinea pigs called bubble and squeak and it took until I was grown for me to realise they did not “run away”. I think a really high proportion of Guinea pigs get eaten by dogs :/
Oh Bubble and Squeak! Rest in peace! Great cat names though!
I have had cats but I am more of a dog person. I lost my very old dog this year.He was in his18th year. A staffyy/choc..lab - his parents were both pure breeds, and he was a very handsome boy. I rehomed him when he was five months old from a university student who was unable to keep him in the flat he had just moved into. He has been such a wonderful pet with a very gentle temperament. I always felt he was tuned into my feelings- if I was feeling a bit tired or sad he would put his head in my lap.He liked to sleep on my feet. He was a good dog for my neuro divergent grandson to be around. He tolerated having his ears and tail pulled and being kicked when my grandson was just a toddler. My son sat his son down next to the dog who had not reacted, and explained to him how he should behave around a dog,Be kind to the dog, stroke him be gentle,and careful to never hurt him, and how to notice if the dog wanted to be left alone to rest or sleep.They live in Melbourne- when they visited my grandson and granddaughter have loved walking him, and playing with him and knowing when he wanted to sleep or eat..My grandson is now sixteen and was very upset when he heard my dog -Zachary was unwell. He wanted to come to NZ to look after him. He was sad when he knew Zachy had passed away. He and his sister have recently got their own dog- their first pet. Their parents decided that my grandson especially, and grandaughter were ready to look after their own pet based on how well they had looked after Zachy when visiting NZ.
Oh Zachy sounds just so special. What a gift to your whānau ❤️
Claude is 14 years now - He is my daughter's support person. He holds secrets and gives cuddles - he is always by her side and will come to see how she is when she gets home.