Wow! Do I have a lot of catching up to do! I have a lot of things to write about, but tonight I'm just going to pass along a story that my sister told me over the phone. It had me in stitches!
My sister Barbara, who is 45, has probably had at least 50 cats during her lifetime. She currently has, I think, three. Well, she did have three. Recently, a little white kitten showed up at her house and kind of took over. She says she is a very smart, alert, responsive kitten, just as sweet as she can be towad her, but she is also a little dickens, annoying the older cats. One of the older cats, Zazel, in particular, gets very aggravated with the newcomer, whom my sister named Paynim ("Paynim" means something, but I can't remember what.). Zazel is a very picky cat who usually prefers not to be petted or touched at all. Occasionally he wants a little bit of attention, then decides abruptly that he's had enough; and if you're in the middle of petting him he will nip at you to tell you to stop.
Now Barbara has rarely had a cat that gets really enthused about catnip, and neither have I. But she does keep some little catnip-filled toys usually; balls and mice and such. Well Zazel has never shown any delight in catnip. But shortly after Paynim joined the family Barbara noticed Zazel holding a little catnip-filled mouse in front of his face and breathing in deeply. Then one day she saw Paynim being a "pain" towards Zazel, aggravating him, trying to get him to play, pouncing on him, etc. She watched in amazement as Zazel went to find the little catnip mouse. He rubbed his face all over it, breathed it in and then, presently, with what she said looked like a smile on his face, went off to find Paynim and actually played with him!
She has witnessed this phenomenon several times and so has my mother! So I don't doubt it! I think it's amazing! And so funny! The poor cat is self-medicating in order to cope with the young, rascally kitten! I told her she has to try to get it on videotape or at least take some before and after pictures! The next time I go to visit I think I'll take Zazel a box of catnip!
3 comments:
This is the cutest story. My daughter and I are cat people and we have found our cats were never interested in catnip. I had come to a conclusion that cats liking catnip is a myth. Maybe they just use it when they need it in certain situations. lol Paula
FYI: I think "Paynim" means "pagan", but I could be wrong.
That's one smart cat. Thanks for linking me to this story.
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