When we switch because of Daylight Savings Time, we rely on the cable box telling us the right time. Mr. Bond relies on his internal clock, which sometimes tells him I am going to be late for work if he doesn’t lend a paw.
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Mr. Bond is a master of scheduling. When I was going to college, it never took him long to figure out my new class times, which changed every four months. He knows weekends from weekdays, and if I tell him tomorrow is a holiday, he happily settles down for sleeping in. If I forget to tell him I’ll be staying late or be gone overnight, he gives me indignation when I get home. If I tell him beforehand, he won’t wait in the hallway.
Cats have excellent scheduling abilities because of their master predator instincts. Since the domestic cat’s ancestors were not the biggest or the fiercest, they became the smartest. Their advantage was to figure out where their prey was going to be, and then be there.
So cats love their routines.
We are quickly reminded if we are slow with the food or the litter cleaning. What we might not realize is that most cats will be equally interested in our own routines. They know when we settle down for a favorite show, and are available for petting. They know when we are likely to bring out the vacuum, and will make themselves scarce. Cats are observers of all the little things we do.
They do their best to fit themselves into our schedules, and then expect us to be as devoted as they are. Knowing what to expect makes them feel powerful and in control. That’s something we can identify with. This is because cats, with their abilities to foresee and anticipate, gain security from knowledge.
We show love for our cats by being considerate of their schedules, even though our own might be erratic. Taking the time away from our own concerns to make sure they get their food and water and litter needs taken care of lets them know that we still love them. If we are going to be late, or busy, or otherwise engaged, we should be considerate enough to let them know.
Mr. Bond’s greatest scheduling intervention was the morning after I had stayed up late to study for a hairy physiology test. I either slept through the alarm or forgot to set it, because my first clue something had gone wrong was Dear Husband saying “What are you still doing here?” Mr. Bond, unable to rouse me, had gone out to the living room, where Dear Husband was sleeping on the couch, and had woken him up by playing with a crackly plastic bag. Then he had done the “Lassie move” by luring Dear Husband into the bedroom. I stuck my feet in my shoes and threw on my coat and made it to school in time to take the test, though I was still wearing my pajamas. I didn’t want to let all that studying go to waste.
Some might think Mr. Bond is exceptional with his concern for my obligations. But that’s not because he is an unusual cat. He has had the benefit of my own appreciation of his devotion and his intelligence, which lets him exercise those abilities.
So anyone has the potential to have a great cat like James Bond. They only have to appreciate the cat they have, and see what comes when we let them bloom.
So why doesn’t Mr. Bond sometimes know that I’m not really late for work? It’s simple.
These are times I forgot to tell him.
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