(or a cage, as the case may be)
KITTY PSYCHOLOGY 101:
FELINE FREAKOUTS – OUR CRATES
I WAS A SHELTER CAT. My mom adopted me when I was a little less than 5 weeks old. My biological mom was gone. It was just me & my siblings – eating dry food instead of mom’s milk, infested with fleas (how embarrassing) & all five of us confined to a tiny little cage.
WE HAD no space. No privacy. No milk. No mom to cuddle with and give us kisses. We sat there, in that shelter, crawling over each other, mewling at the top of our lungs and being forced to, pardon the expression, sh*t where we ate.
In short, it sucked.
THIS IS WHY we shelter cats so often freak out when placed in carriers and crates. We’re not trying to be difficult when we yowl at the top of our lungs, claw at the door like a man possessed or, heaven forbid, have *ahem* accidents. We’re not trying to punish you.
WHAT YOU’RE WITNESSING is a feline panic attack of sorts. We are, after all, designed to be wild and free. Confining us to a cage for weeks on end with no affection, no ability to roam or act like cats, especially if we are young and separated from our moms, is traumatic. Plain and simple.
EVERY TIME we are forced into a carrier it causes terrifying flashbacks of the life from which we were rescued. A life of forced isolation and loneliness. A life of not knowing if we will be saved, if we will be loved and allowed to live or be forgotten and left to die.
SO NEXT TIME you’re trying to wrangle your former shelter cat into a crate, please remember this. Remember how much we love you. Remember the suffering we went through and have a little extra patience with us.
We love you so much.
You saved our lives and gave us homes filled with love…we’re just a little scared of those cages…and now you understand why.
Kitty Kisses & Cuddly Chaos,
Mischa Woods Frederick
PS – And don’t forget that almost every time we leave the house you take us to the vet. Do you know what those sadists do? Sure we’re afraid of the cages, but getting stabbed with needles and having thermometers stuck up your butt is no picnic either. I’m just sayin’…
PPS – Adopt a pet & save a life. We’ll be the best friend you ever had. Promise.
images :: © 2013 alli woods frederick ::
