The Way of Cats

There are many black cats who are jolly and friendly and will sit in anyone’s lap. However, it’s been my experience that black cats run a bit shyer than they would be in any other color.

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If we look at their history, we can see that there might be reasons for black cats to be a bit shy. Black cats are the cats with the most superstitions about them. In different cultures they can bring bad, or good, luck. They were supposed to have magical powers, and have been adopted as a symbol by many different types of people.

I think black cats got this reputation because of their invisibility at night. Seeing only a pair of glowing eyes at night, before flashlights and streetlights, would have been a jolting experience. The reputation began to stick to the cat.

Then, in the Middle Ages, religious hysteria targeted cats, especially black ones. The exact number of cats destroyed in panics are disputed; what it is not disputed is the fact that they were targeted. So the better the cat was at actually being invisible, the more black cats would descend from that cat.

Black cats come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as sweet, and as friendly, as any other cat. That black fur can be shiny velvet, or dark and fluffy and as chocolate cake. Their eyes are shown off to great advantage with the dark background. If they are a bit shy, that only means they will be all the more devoted when they do thaw.

But if you hesitate about bringing one home, out of some vague feeling that black cats are bad luck, remember that many people think black cats are good luck.

And taking one home… might be magic.

Read more about black cats on Wikipedia.

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There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.

Cats love feeling in control of their environment. Giving them opportunities to influence our behavior will increase their confidence and security.

Here, we see RJ taking the advantage and rolling the die in one of my Konfuse-A-Kat games.

We roll the die and do something; he rolls the die, and we do something again.

This game, called Gesture, is played with a die that displays the words rock, paper, and scissors on the various faces.

By throwing the die, and using the appropriate gesture to pet the cat, we have a petting game that will draw them in.

We are laying the foundation for blending our verbal language with our body language. By saying the names of the different gestures, we give the cat a good reason to learn them.

RJ likes the game so much he can be lured from one room to another, simply by my making the three gestures, silently, with my hands.

When I announce the game is starting, Mr. Bond will appear and join in. If Puffy is going by, he gets roped in. This is a great bonding game for multiple cats.

Giving the cats something to enjoy, together, is always a good move to promote harmony.

So make gametime something that every cat can enjoy, even if we have to choose a new toy for each cat.

Encourage the cats to be happy in each other’s presence, even if some of them do not interact much.

Make sure we have a good time, too.

That’s the recipe for a happy cat family.

Find out more about Konfuse-A-Kat.

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There’s more ways to get our cat to be affectionate in The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See all of my CAT AFFECTION posts.

Is it true that it is dangerous to let cats out around Halloween? Are black cats in particular danger? Do shelters not adopt black cats around this time?

Yes.

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It’s not actively dangerous to let your cat out around Halloween. But it is a time when people will be milling around outside, carrying flashlights and talking to each other, many of them small children who are unpredictable. This can confuse the cat, make them want to hide until the commotion is over, and maybe even get frightened into a bad situation.

Are black cats in danger? If only from cars, but that is bad enough. Add extra dark to extra traffic, and it’s not a good idea for them to press their luck, or one of their nine lives.

Do shelters restrict adoptions at this time? Yes, but not for particularly nefarious reasons. People might want to decorate with a cat, and then lose interest after the holiday. Best that they reconsider their decision. Like baby bunnies at Easter, and puppies at Christmastime, holidays are not the time for a quick decision on a long commitment like adoption.

So have a good, spooky time at Halloween, but refrain from frightening the cat. Their appreciation of Halloween is somewhat different.

For more about urban myths about cats and Halloween, see this Snopes article.

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There’s more to The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my LATEST CAT ADVICE.

A reader writes:

I moved my 16 year old female cat’s litter box from the spare bathroom to my closet. It fits fine and we get no more water splashes from the shower and litter on the guest room floor. BUT - while she uses the box in its new location, she still uses the old bathroom floor and rug. How do I stop her from using the old bathroom as her litter box?

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Dear Reader,

She’s sixteen, which means she relies a lot on her old habits. If she gets an urgent call of nature, and heads to where she’s used to going, there might not be enough time for her to realize her mistake and doubleback to where the new box is.

And she is willing to use her new box. I’m betting she just forgets.

Help her remember by:

Leaving the bathroom door closed for now. This is an immediate signal that indicates the old place is no longer available.

Give her time to make new habits.

And if she has a pattern to when she uses the litter box, be alert at those times, and remind her by showing her where the new box is. Make it a happy time; tell her how glad we are she is using the new place, praise her for doing so, and tell her we are reminding her where it is.

How many times have we moved something, and then kept going to the old place where it was kept? Lots, I bet. The cat can go through the same thing.

If this doesn’t work, try a strong scent to drive them away. A rag sprayed with that orange cleaner works well, or peppermint scented candles, anything with that sharp scent. If it makes our eyes water, it will do worse to the cat’s nose.

Also, since cats tend to not go where they eat, put some bowls of food there, or feed her treats there. Or stack some precariously perched empty cardboard boxes or empty tin cans there, so brushing against them causes them to topple.

Making it an unpleasant place to go will remove the urge to keep going there.

Just wanted to say thanks again for your great advice. I have been feeding her there and the behavior has stopped. You are the cat whisperer!

You are welcome.

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