Cat Wisdom 101 Cat LOVE Month
Happy Groundhog Day! It’s Merlin here for another Monday’s With Merlin which I hope doesn’t feel like the film Groundhog Day. Sometimes it feels like we’re repeating things but maybe not. That’s what happens you’re about 100-years-old like me. A few years ago we used to blog about Cat Appreciation Month in February and then we stopped. There are so many pet holidays every month it’s hard to keep track BUT Valentine’s Day is coming and I thought why not celebrate the love of cats all month? So we are. Every post this month will be focused on CAT LOVE. We have some lovely topics and surprises including a fabulous giveaway tomorrow you’re going to love.
Your homework this month is to discover new ways you can show love to your cats or other cats in need. How are you feeling cat love today?
Odin, Domino and Nou Nou are becoming friends. Princess N is besotted with the boys especially Odin and trails him like a lovesick puppy. He’s acting like the older brother with the pesky little sister. He’s still a mama’s boy needing extra love to keep jealousy at bay. As always love and patience wins this game. Interactive play helps cats bond. The battery-operated mouse toy Frolicat Pounce was a great icebreaker.
There are a few other pet holidays in February worth considering.
National Pet Dental Health Month
Spay/Neuter Awareness Month and World Spay Day is Feb. 26, 2015.
National Prevent a Litter Month
Feb. 14, 2015: is Valentine’s Day but also Pet Theft Awareness Day.
Feb. 15-21, 2015: National Justice for Animals Week.
Feb. 20, 2015: Love Your Pet Day.
57 Comments
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Cynthia Southern
I love the vintage cat pictures.
da tabbies o trout towne
doodz…way awesum ya get a long sew well with yur sister….we willna make any commintz bout R’z…….
N heer she comes now….
=^,,^=
Bev Green
So wonderful that this transition has been peaceful.. luckily I have never really had huge introduction issues..male or female maybe I am just very lucky..what a great month for kitty appreciation..every day I wonder at how lucky I am to have my girls..a new toy here and there to keep them interested.. a snuggle with them in their catio is lovely..the water feature making sweets running water the flowers and the breeze of summer..and a chance to stop being a human for awhile and to just be cat…in the moment…I hope that shows them how much I care 🙂 loves Fozzimum xx
meowmeowmans
Wow, so many things to celebrate and recognize in February. We are really pleased that Nou Nou, Odin and Domino are becoming friends! 🙂 So cute that she follows Odin around!
Sometimes Cats Herd You
It’s so adorable hearing that Nou Nou has a crush on Odin. Many years ago when we had an office cat, a semi-feral who was recovering from a spay had a similar crush, and it’s one of the most adorable things to watch… even if the gentleman cat is a bit perplexed by the crush!
Cathy Keisha
What a lot of holidays this month. TW couldn’t show her love to the Maple or Park cats cos of the freezing rain and snow but she did order my fave food online today. The way to this cat’s heart is through her stomach.
Layla Morgan Wilde
True about the heart!
The Island Cats
For a short month, February sure is a busy one! We’re glad to see Nou Nou is fitting in with the others.
Layla Morgan Wilde
It promises to be busy and full of love 🙂
Carolyn
Nou Nou has certainly changed the family dynamics and Odin has a fan! how sweet!
Over the years I have definitely become much more attuned to Austin’s body language and his funny and very varied meows, squeaks and chirrups! Though I don’t always get it right, I think he feels I’m learning how to sense his moods!
The Swiss Cats
We’re glad to see that the boys are becoming friends with Nou Nou ! Purrs
maggie
Nou Nou is a very pretty little cat. I’m glad there is peace in your household.
That’s a lot of pet related holidays! Happy February.
Layla Morgan Wilde
It was a peaceful transition. She’s so tiny compared to Odin.
Brian Frum
Welcoming new friends is totally wonderful!
Crepes
I see love on the horizon for Odin!!! – Alana.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Good thing they’re spayed/neutered 😉
Darlene Arden, C.A.B.C.
That’s so sweet! Love is in the air!
Layla Morgan Wilde
I sure hope so. The transition happened seamlessly with no serious aggression.
Annabelle
Isn’t that sweet how Nou Nou is becoming such good friends with the boys, especially Odin. February is a short month but there’s alot of love packed in!
Skeeter and Izzy
Happy Everything Cat Day and Month and Year!!!!!!
We just knew that Nou Nou would fit in sooooooooooo well with the boys!!
We will always be true to you dear Merlin.
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo. >^..^<
We will be showing more love when we start back with the TNR when the weather breaks more.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Merlin says thank-you for being true blue!
Caren Gittleman
Lots of ways to show love this month, thanks for sharing!! We marked our calendars for many of them last month when we heard about them.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
We have some good ones this month!
Tamago
How great Odin and Domino are making good friends with Nou Nou!
I agree, interactive play helps kitties bond. Goro and Niko are not best friends but they gather and play together when I bring out food game box 🙂
Sammy
How grand that Odin, Dom and Nou Nou are bonding as friends……sometimes these things seem to take FOREVER but “slow and sure” works better than just dumping a “new” cat into a situation – you did it RIGHT for everyone’s sake. She’s such a pretty cat. Happy to see Merlin is the Valentine’s poster boy!
Hugs, Pam (and Sam)
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Merlin loves being any poster boy 🙂 Our kitty introductions were different from past ones. As a behaviorist, I bend rules to adapt to the individual cat and situation. There is no one size fits all when it comes to introductions.
Kathryn
Aww, I’ve known you and your cats since you had Coco and Merlin in 06 and did you have Domino then, too? I don’t remember. It is a marvelous journey to see you on with your kitties. Love that you have a girl kitty again, too and that she and Odin are becoming friends.
Oh, watched the kitten bowl yesterday! Fantastic!!! Really loved it! Tried the Puppy Bowl, but Kitten Bowl was so much better. Better even than the Patriots.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
OMG that’s right from our other blog. Domino had just arrived around then. Adding a female has created a different dynamic for sure. I watched some puppy bowl too but kitten bowl was better.
Kathryn
Oh yes, from your other blog. Is that still going?
Dorothy
So I’ve always thought respect and love go hand in hand. To try to practice that idea, I’ve begun trying to greet my cats in a more cat-like way before swooping in and petting them. It occurred to me one day that I would not appreciate someone stroking their hands up and down my entire body without invitation but I was stymied by how to ask permission of my cats. Verbal questions just didn’t work. Not long afterward I read something from Jackson Galaxy that pointed out that cats sometimes greet one another by touching noses and that we can mimic that behavior by offering a finger in place of a nose. Since then I’ve started offering my pointer finger to my cats while verbally asking permission to pet and/or cuddle. Sometimes they turn away which seems to be a very clear, “No, Not Now.” But, more often, they touch my finger with their nose and follow through by rubbing the side of their face or top of their head against my hand. That signals to me that my touch and attention are welcome. Sometimes it’s hard to be refused but the occasions when I’m welcomed make up for that. After all, I sometimes am forced to refuse when they try to initiate a petting or cuddle sessions. Remembering that makes being refused easier. Oddly enough, I feel like they more open and enthusiastic about our time together since I’ve begun to ask first. So, in short, I think I’m showing my cats how much I love them by remembering to treat them as complete, with thoughts, feelings and deserving of respect.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Dorothy, thanks for your thoughtful response. Cats are finetuned to our emotions (as a new study proves) and showing respect as you’re doing is communicating in their language. We need more cat guardians like you! The rubbing of cats’ head against humans is called bunting and all of Jackson Galaxy’s advice has been documented by other books and behaviorists years before he become famous.
Coccolino
Happy Groundhog Day. It’s so nice to see they are becoming friends!
Michelle
Happy Groundhog day to you too. So glad they are all becoming friends 🙂
Summer
How nice that Nou Nou is becoming friends with Domino and Odin – that’s the kind of love I really enjoy hearing about!