By Janice Murasko
Last week in “Days of Our Nine Lives,” new ARF cats played a cat safety game.
Phil: Oh, boy! We have a new member of our cattery!
Atlas: Woo hoo! Tell us more.
Phil: Everyone, meet Newton.
Newton: Hi there! I am happy to be part of your ARF family.
Buffie: As we are happy to have you join us, but hopefully not for long.
Newton: What do you mean? I just got here!
Harley: Oh no, no, no! All that Buffie meant was that we all hope you’ll find your forever home in a short time. This is a great stop-over place to be, but a family that makes you part of them is your goal.
Phil: So, Newton, tell us about yourself.
Newton: I am a young boy who really likes attention from people. I’m good with other cats.
Atlas: That sounds promising! You’re handsome and super friendly, so you have a good chance at being adopted.
Phil: But while you’re waiting for that to happen, you’ll feel right at home here.
Cuddles: I had so much fun with the dog and cat safety quizzes last week. Do we have more?
Phil: Sure! Here is one for you. What can cause a cat to become stressed?
Cuddles: I know! Boredom! I certainly get stressed when I’m bored.
Phil: Right! Without sufficient mental and physical stimulation, a cat can become bored.
Atlas: What can cat parents do to prevent this from happening?
Phil: A housecat needs a “hunting experience” which can be found in food puzzles.
Don: How about changes in routine? Is that one of the reasons?
Phil: Yes! We cats thrive on routine, regular schedules.
Newton: And what about inter-cat conflicts?
Phil: You bet! When a home has multiple cats, territory issues can cause stress. A call to a cat trainer/behaviorist can help.
Be sure to keep up with the animal antics of “Days of our Nine Lives” each week. And please stop in to say hello to the entire adoptable cast at the ARF House, 26890 Highway 243. ARF is open Saturdays 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and during the week by appointment. Please call 951-659-1122.
Creature Corner is sponsored by Sandi Mathers.
