Cat Sitting: Not Everyone Cracks The Nod!

Not everyone is a good cat-sitter either.

In the past I used to wonder about the madness of some cat owners. A cat is a cat, I thought, and you know if they are hungry they must jolly well hunt for a mouse or two! I should have know better than to make a judgement because now I have joined the ranks of cat-lovers and owners.

To be frank, we can get rather carried away with our loved ones....our cat(s). Here are a few little clues about us:

• We never run out of cat food. We might run out of ' human food ' but never ever for our babies...
• Some of us ( not us as we own a feral cat, Tigger who has trained us. Her fiefdom is outside only ) buy furniture that can only be used by a cat.
  Little cat-gyms. Rather cute and often placed next to the TV. You don't want to miss out on any display of genius: " Oh look Darling, isn't she clever for doing a handstand like that."
• We stick to proper meal times. Our Tigger gets fed before us. In fact, trips are planned around our cat's meal time.
• When you hear us talk to our cats, you might wonder if we have lost the plot along with our normal voices. In my defence, I do realize that I sound like an idiot when I talk to Tigger, but at least I do it in English knowing that the neighbours won't understand what I am saying...
• We research our little one's body language for clues. Oh yes, they speak a sign language. It is all in the tail. Should you see fangs, I suggest you run!

Amazon.com:The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do--and How to Get Them to Do What You Want
Amazon.de/at:The Cat Whisperer: Why Cats Do What They Do--and How to Get Them to Do What You Want

Last week a friend with numerous cats ( at least 7 ) phoned to deputize me as her chosen cat sitter. I felt and still feel extremely honoured. She lives 20 kilometers away and I drove there a few days ago to get instructions and be vetted at the same time. No, they haven't left yet.

From the start, she said: " Look, don't worry if you can't get here more than once. Our cats are a bit too hefty as it is and I am glad if they get put on a diet." Oh, famous last words, because she at the same time told me to put out almost double the quantity of food, so that they wouldn't go hungry!

Biggi