Eric Mayer

Speaking of lethargy (as I was the last time I got up the energy to write an entry here) the cat is lying in the window again. Sabrina spends most of her time sleeping. She's almost sixteen so maybe she needs the rest, but on the other hand, she spent most of her time sleeping when she was six.

Sometimes I find myself hoping that she wanders from one adventure to another those her dreams that send her paws twitching. She's been a house cat since she was rescued from a neighbor's garage, where her feral mother had found shelter during a cold autumn. She's only been outside, in her hated cat carrier, a handful of times, to move house or go to the vet.

By the time Sabrina turned up I'd seen too many pets crumpled by the roadside, had too many fail to return for their evening dinner. If she never goes outside, she won't miss it, I decided. Now, when I see other cats trotting across the yard or into the woods, exercising their freedom, I wonder whether Sabrina has missed all that?

Cats aren't people, though. Does a cat want more than to have a guaranteed shelter and supply of food? How many feral cats are so lucky? Do most people want more, for that matter? How many would choose a short, exciting life, to a long one? Would you rather be Elvis or outlive him? I doubt that cats ponder such questions.

Here's an experiment. Install a cat in a beautifully heated cat cave out in the woods. Make sure there is a constant supply of fresh food and water by the door and clean litter nearby. Does the feline resident come out to eat and then just go back inside to spend its time sleeping every day? Does it ever decide to head out into the dangerous world unnecessarily? Simply for the fun of it. (Well, we're assuming our pampered pet has been "fixed.")

Maybe such a cat would be impelled to hunt by instinct. But that's not really the same as hunting for fun, is it? Although, one might argue that frustrating a cat's instinctive urges is cruel.

I don't have any answers and if my furry and snoring partner in lethargy does, she's not saying anything.




	Eric Mayer Byzantine Blog Home Get Email Updates Cruel Music Diana Rowland Martin Edwards Electric Grandmother Jane Finnis jimsjournal Keith Snyder My Incredibly Unremarkable Life Mysterious Musings Mystery of a Shrinking Violet Mystery*File Rambler The Rap Sheet reenie's reach Thoughts from Crow Cottage rhubarb This Writing Life Woodstock's Blog Email Me Admin Password Remember Me 1481579 Curiosities served Share on Facebook				2005-07-14 5:41 PM Cat Denied Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (3) Speaking of lethargy (as I was the last time I got up the energy to write an entry here) the cat is lying in the window again. Sabrina spends most of her time sleeping. She's almost sixteen so maybe she needs the rest, but on the other hand, she spent most of her time sleeping when she was six. Sometimes I find myself hoping that she wanders from one adventure to another those her dreams that send her paws twitching. She's been a house cat since she was rescued from a neighbor's garage, where her feral mother had found shelter during a cold autumn. She's only been outside, in her hated cat carrier, a handful of times, to move house or go to the vet. By the time Sabrina turned up I'd seen too many pets crumpled by the roadside, had too many fail to return for their evening dinner. If she never goes outside, she won't miss it, I decided. Now, when I see other cats trotting across the yard or into the woods, exercising their freedom, I wonder whether Sabrina has missed all that? Cats aren't people, though. Does a cat want more than to have a guaranteed shelter and supply of food? How many feral cats are so lucky? Do most people want more, for that matter? How many would choose a short, exciting life, to a long one? Would you rather be Elvis or outlive him? I doubt that cats ponder such questions. Here's an experiment. Install a cat in a beautifully heated cat cave out in the woods. Make sure there is a constant supply of fresh food and water by the door and clean litter nearby. Does the feline resident come out to eat and then just go back inside to spend its time sleeping every day? Does it ever decide to head out into the dangerous world unnecessarily? Simply for the fun of it. (Well, we're assuming our pampered pet has been "fixed.") Maybe such a cat would be impelled to hunt by instinct. But that's not really the same as hunting for fun, is it? Although, one might argue that frustrating a cat's instinctive urges is cruel. I don't have any answers and if my furry and snoring partner in lethargy does, she's not saying anything. Read/Post Comments (3) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top