Tel-Aviv's feral cats

Cats strange eating habits

Does your cat have strange eating habits? You’re not alone. Yeah, cats do strange things sometimes. Here are some weird cats eating habits and the reasons behind them.

Playing with food

My Amiga loves to chase grains of dry cats food all over the living room. Her tail twitch in excitement, and she freezes in place and then pounce, slapping the grain and sending it to the farthest corner so she can chase it again. She’s very funny and cute when she does that.

This feline behavior is evolutionary. Cats in the wild had to chase their food. Although this was many decades ago, the habit goes on. Evolution works like a program in a computer, that keeps working long after it’s been installed. Besides, Amiga grew up on the streets. She’s a rescue, a feral cat.

Putting toys in the food bowl

That’s a real strange and funny eating habit I never knew about, until I got my Hazelnut. As a kitten, she loved to place her toy mouse in the food bowl and eat around it.

When cats do that, it’s because they like to pretend they’re eating their prey, just like in the wild.

Talking while eating

Another strange eating habit among felines is mewing and making sounds during mealtime. This, too, is evolutionary. Wildcats had to protect their food from other hungry creatures, and one of the ways to do that is warn other animals to stay away from their food.

Wanting you near during mealtime

There seem to many many weird cats eating habits my new cats have taught me about. My Amiga wants me to stand within touching distance while she eats, the side of her body lightly touching my calf.

Showing affection before eating

Another strange cats eating habit that had startled me. My Princessa rubs against me, standing on two, over and over again right before she goes to the food bowl.

Perhaps this behavior stems from kittenhood, when mother cat would rub against her kittens to show them affection right before feeding them. Or maybe food is associated with love in this cat’s mind.

Not eating

If your cat isn’t eating, it can be an indication of a health problem, or a mental problem. A sick, depressed, or anxious cat won’t show interest in food. A healthy, happy cat will have a normal appetite.

Afraid of food

Sometimes, there’s a problem that causes the cat to stop eating, like teeth problems or ulcers in the mouth. The Persian cat I used to have suffered from kidney problems that had caused mouth ulcers. When I put the bowl food on the floor for her, she ran away from it.

If the cat knows eating causes pain, the cat may be afraid of the food.

Eating a small amount of food for a long time

That may be an indication that your feline suffers from teeth problems, or other problems in the mouth. They try to eat, but it’s difficult. Watch your feline while she eats and see if she chews on one side of her mouth, if food falls out of her mouth while she eats, or if she drools a lot. They do that when they find it difficult and painful to eat.

Eating many small meals

This kind of feline eating habit looks strange to us humans, but it’s perfectly normal for cats. This is simply how they eat.

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Do cats come back after they run away

Will my runaway cat come back?

How often runaway cats come back? Pretty often, but that depends on the situation, whether there are coyotes in the area, whether the cat is friendly and trusting, getting too close to the wrong person who might hurt her, or simply following someone home and being kept as a pet in the new house. Whether there are dangerous roads close by, and whether or not the cat is daring and reckless enough to cross them.

Cats usually know the way home, so lost cats will come back home in most situations. My cat ran away and had returned after two and a half months. I’ve heard a taxi driver tell me his cat disappeared for a week and came back. This story I’ve heard on my way to the vet, because I don’t have a car and don’t drive, and taking a cat to the vet on the bus is a nightmare.

When my cat had gone missing, I had called many vets in the city and asked if they saw her. They didn’t, but one vet told me her cat had run away too, and had come back after two or three weeks.

Even if your indoor cat had never been outside, she can still find her way home in most situations, even if she wanders into an unknown territory that she’d never seen before.

Runaway cats usually return home because they know where their food bowl is, and they miss their owners. But there are exceptions.

A new home

When you move into a new home, or when you get a cat and put her in your home, which is new to the cat, the cat may run away because they don’t understand this is their new home. If the cat hasn’t been in the house for at least two weeks, Your lost cat may not come back. There are ways to prevent your cat from running away.

Why do cats run away

Cats run away out of curiosity, or because there’s a new pet in the house.

Kittens who haven’t been neutered are especially prone to running away before they reach puberty. Spaying your kitten can lower the chances of it going missing.

A cat can take a walk through the neighborhood and get into a situation where she can’t get out. The vet I had talked to when my cat had run away had told me about a cat who fell into the sewer and was stuck in there for weeks. The gardener heard her mewing and called for help. The cat was saved and returned to her owner. Good ending.

I’ve heard that sometimes sick cats run away to die. My cat was very sick when she’d run away, and she had died two and a half months after she’d returned. Bitter ending.

How to make a lost cat come back

Look for your cat in the yard and outside, and wiggle a box of its favorite treats. Teach your cat that the sound of treats rattling means a treat is on its way. Teach them that by rattling the box every time you dispose treats, but the treats must be given immediately afterward, or the cat wouldn’t associate the sound with the treats.

You can put your cat’s pictures on all social media, including youtube, with your phone number and a request to call if found. You can put pictures and hang them on bulletin boards. Call all vets and shelters in the area.

A woman at the vet had once told me her cat went missing, and she took the elevator to the top floor of a tall building and looked around, and she’d found her cat.

If you know someone who has a trained bloodhound, try giving the dog your pet’s favorite toy, one that they’d touched recently. If you don’t know anyone, ask on social media, ask your friends, ask the vet. But it has to be done early, before the scent disappears.

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Why do so many people love cats

Why are cats so popular among humans? There are so many cats videos on youtube. There’s a huge amount of cats sites and blogs all over the internet. There are so many cats lovers out there, and there’s always demand for cats food, stuck on shelves in pets stores and supermarkets. Why do so many people prefer cats?

Here are two reasons that can apply to other animals, and nine more reasons that apply mostly to cats. Why so many people like cats.

Unconditional love Cats love us without questioning. It doesn’t matter if we’re not funny and don’t know how to tell a joke, if our social skills are lousy, if we don’t know how to dance, or if we suffer from social phobias. Cats accept us without judgment.

Velvety fur Petting a cat is soothing, as every cats owner know. The feel of a cat sitting on your lap is warm and soft.

Here are the reasons that are unique to cats, why so many people love felines.

They’re athletic You can’t help but be in awe of your cat’s ability to jump above your head. Such a small animal, but with so much power in its back legs. They can do things we can’t. They’re superior to us. The fearless way they climb trees, and the graceful way they walk. That’s one of the reasons why so many people like cats, just the pleasure of watching them walk.

The focus way they stare I love the way cats stare at silly things like a spider on a wall. Their ability to focus and be fascinated with a grasshopper leaping in the grass. It’s amazing. They’re in awe of this world and all the little things it has to offer. It moves you toward their point of view, that this world is truly a fascinating place.

Their calmness Cats purr contentedly and close their eyes, infecting us with their relaxation. If ever there was an animal who could meditate, it’s a feline. That’s another reason why so many people like cats, because it calm us down to watch them.

Their self respect Most cats take their time before they let you pet them. You have to prove yourself, prove you’re worthy of their love. They don’t let everyone touch them, so if they let you pet them, if they jump on your lap, you’re special. And that’s another reason why so many people like cats, because they tell us we’re special when they accept us and allow us to cuddle them.

Their playfulness Don’t you just love watching a cat run after a piece of paper, a ball, or a toy mouse? The way they leap and run, the way they lie on their side and paw at a toy or a shoelace, tail slapping against the floor.

Cats have unique abilities There’s something magical about cats and their abilities. Some cats know when you’re going to take them to the vet or force a pill down their throat. Some people believe cats can see ghosts or know when someone is going to die.

Cats are observant and sensitive They know your routine. They know when you woke up. My Amiga always whines a few minutes after I wake up. If she did while I was sleeping, I’d wake up because my sleep is so light. All my cats wait in front of the kitchen in the morning, knowing this is where the food comes from. They know when someone is afraid of cats. You can tell by the way cats always go to people who don’t like them. They know what you’re feeling. They sense you. They get you.

They make baby sounds Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between a crying baby and a gurgling or mewing cat. The reason why so many people love cats is the reason why so many people love babies, an evolutionary trait.

Evolutionary need Farmers have needed cats to fight rats eating their food, and rats had carried flies that had caused deadly diseases through history. Cats were humans’ lifeline, our hope and salvation, what had stood between us and hunger, diseases, and death.

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How to keep your cat from running away

I know from bitter experience the horror of losing your cat. The heartbreak and worry, imagining the worse one minute and hoping the next. My cat had come back, but some cats don’t. Runaway cats can be hit by cars, eaten by predators, or taken in by a stranger. This is how you can keep your cat from running away.

A secure cage

Whenever taking your cat to the vet, make sure the cage’s door is locked. Try rattling the cage’s door before you put your cat in it. If it’s loose, don’t put your cat in the cage.

Don’t pick up the cage by its handle. It might strain the top and cause it to come off. Slide one arm under the cage and wrap your other arm around it, circling the door.

Hold the cage with the door slightly higher than the back. If you hold the cage with the door tilting downward, the cat may slide and slam against the door. The weight of the feline may cause the door to open.

Cover the cage with a towel or a long shirt. The dark soothes cats and makes them sleepy and less likely to fight and rattle the door.

Choose a cage instead of a cat’s carrier. I’ve once put my cat in a carrier and attached a leash to his collar. He was out of the carrier in less than five minutes. Luckily, I didn’t have enough time to take him out of the house when he escaped. Always check the cage’s door in the store before buying it. A strong, secure cage will keep your feline from escaping.

Secure your house

My cat had torn the screen on the open window and escaped, although he did come back the same day. If you want to keep your cat indoors, screens themselves may not be enough to keep your cat inside.

Two four, brief me on the outside surroundings.

Well, sir, there’s no fence around the human’s house, and beyond that there’s a humanless field leading to the Great Feline Mountain.

In his attempt to escape, Fluffy studies the outlines of his human’s home and plans the most daring and amazing escape plan of all times.

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To keep your cat from escaping this way, shut the windows behind the screens, or have shutters installed.

When moving into a new house

In the event of moving a cat into a new house, wait two weeks at least before letting your cat out of the house. It gives the cat time to accept the new house as his home. Otherwise, the cat will attempt to go back to his old house and may lose his way.

Cats are notorious for escaping when their owners open the door! If you can not leave your house or let anyone in for two weeks, keeping the door closed all the time, that’s an excellent way of keeping your feline from escaping.

However, if that’s not an option, other cautionary measures can be taken. To keep your cat from running away, every time you leave your house, look behind you and make sure your cat isn’t hiding behind a furniture nearby, ready to leap toward the door the moment you open it.

When coming back home, open the door a crack and make sure your cat isn’t hiding behind it. Then hurry inside and shut the door as fast as possible.

You can carry a spray bottle full of water with you, and spray your cat if he tries to run out the door. Or you can install a buzzer that buzzes loudly whenever the door opens, causing the cat to stay away from it.

Spay and neuter

Kittens run away before reaching sexual maturity so they won’t have kittens with their immediate family members. It’s an evolutionary trait that keeps them from having kittens with birth defects. Spaying and neutering you kittens lowers the chances of them running away, especially if they’re outdoor cats.

Secure your yard

If you live in a home, instead of an apartment, you can let your cat outside if your build a cat-proof fence around your yard. The fence must be higher than six times the length of your cat. Cats have powerful muscles in their back legs that help them jump to amazing heights. Don’t take chances. Make the fence much higher than that. Better safe than sorry.

Only a fence made of rocks or steel will keep your cat from escaping. A wooden or plastic fence can be climbed easily because the cat’s claws sink into the surface, the way a person holding two knives can climb a tree by digging the knives into its bark and pulling himself up. A wooden fence can be coated with steel, but beware! The covering may peel off eventually, leaving bare wooden spots your cat can dig its nails into.

The fence must be far away from trees, the house’s roof, or anything else your feline can climb and leap from. Everything must be beyond leaping distance. Keep in mind cats can leap pretty far, and every cat is different. The longest horizontal jump for a cat was 7 feet according to https://cat-world.com/how-high-can-cats-jump.html#How_far_can_a_cat_jump

Make sure there’s no chair, ladder, large rock or anything else your feline can climb near the fence. A 7 feet high fence with a 2 feet chair right next to it is really just 5 feet for your feline to jump to.

And there shouldn’t be any flat surface in the middle of the fence, anything that sticks out like a shelf, that you cat can use as a trampoline or a temporary stop on its way to the top. Or any other flat surface like a windowpane that your little jumper can land on, that will shorten the jump above the fence.

Make sure there are no large holes in the fence, and that it digs way into the ground. Remember cats can dig under fences. They can also squeeze into holes half their size.

Don’t walk your cat with a harness

I’ve tried this one with my cat, and he was out of the harness in five minutes.

Don’t take your cat to the vet without a cage. You may not be able to hold him. Cats often panic when being taken to the vet, and they’re much stronger than their size, with sharp teeth and claws. A cat can easily wiggle out of your grasp, while biting and scratching like crazy in his struggles to get away. And even if the cat isn’t scared, he might leap suddenly out of your arms.

Get a tracking collar

A tracking collar can be helpful, but it may not always work. The device can fail, or the cat may be wondering off too far. The cat may get rid of the collar, too. My cat always knew how to get out of cats collars.

Getting a tracking collar can lower the chances of losing your cat, but all cautionary measures mentioned above must be taken even with a cat wearing a tracking collar. A tracking collar doesn’t replace these steps and isn’t enough to keep your cat from running away. It’s just an addition.

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Can animals show altruism

You look at your pet and wonder: Can animals be selfless? What is altruism in animal behavior, and how common in altruism in animals?

Some people believe showing unselfish concern toward others’ welfare is something only humans are capable of, that it’s part of our social behavior. However, animals can be altruistic and compassionate, too, sometimes more so than humans.

I used to feed feral cats in my parents’ yard. They had about ten cats, and there was a blind kitten. The other cats would lick their bowl clean, except when the kitten was around. Then they’d leave a little food on their bowl and move aside whenever it started toward the food bowl.

A black cat had taken a piece of chicken once and took it to the blind kitten. She chewed a bit on the way, though. Another cat had looked at the food the kitten was eating like she really wanted it, but she didn’t take it, although it was a sacrifice for her. These cats were always hungry. There wasn’t enough food for all of them.

Animals from all species show altruism. It’s an evolutionary trait that had enabled animal mothers to care for their young. Animals don’t plan on getting pregnant. They don’t expect their cubs to make them happy or fill their lives. They care for their babies because the babies can’t fend for themselves. This kind of animal altruism is what causes animals to adopt cubs of other species.

I met a lady in a pet store who told me her little dog would cry whenever seeing a wounded feral cat or bird, and wouldn’t stop crying until her owner took the creature home to care for.

I had a huge cat, Angel, who always let the smaller cat, Milky, eat first. Once, Milky had twisted her back leg, and she’d let out a bloodcurdling scream. Angel ran toward her and sniffed her nose, showing concern.

The animals’ ability to love their young transforms into an ability to love their human family, and sometimes other pets they’d grown up with. And animals are also social creatures, although their methods of socializing and communicating are different than ours.

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Is it unusual for a grown cat to act like a kitten?

It’s not that common for a grown cat to act like a kitten, but then some adult cats act like kittens. It depends on the feline’s personality, just like some people never grow up.

I had a grown cat named Angel who had acted like a kitten. When he was five years old, he’d leapt in the air and clapped his front paws, looking just like a huge kitten. It was funny, especially because he was a huge cat.

He had also reminded me of a kitten because of the fascination he showed with toys, insects, and other moving targets. They way he’d stared at them like they were the eighth wonder of the world, with huge pupils. It was comical.

It’s probably more likely for a hyper cat to act like a kitten. My Angel was very hyper. He’d run through the house and knock things down, and he used to scratch and bite me playfully, the way grown cats do, but kittens do more often.

Angel had calmed down when he’d turned seven and had started sleeping much more and playing much less.

My Hazelnut still sounds a bit like a kitten when she mews.

But none of my grown cats had ever climbed on me, like Hazelnut did when she was five weeks old. They’d never sat on my shoulder or head like she did. It’s also kittens who usually bring home trash, and Hazelnut has pretty much stopped doing it.

Some cats owners wish their older cats won’t act like kittens, because they’re tired of the toilet paper all over the house, the house looking like after a tornado, and being scratched and bitten all the time. Not to mention their kitten climbing on their head and shoulders when they’re in front of the computer surfing through the net or trying to get work done.

However, I kind of miss it.

Do your cats act like kittens?

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Do cats have phobias?

Do cats have phobias? Yes. Cats can have phobias, just like humans. Felines who are anxious by nature are more likely to suffer from irrational fears. You may be able to tell if the cat has an anxious nature by the look in her eyes. My Princessa’s eyes constantly move around, looking for imagined dangers. Her body is often tense.

Cats common fears

Unfamiliar environment
Sudden noise
Unfamiliar humans
Dogs
Closed places
Vets
Humans moving too fast close to her

Reasons for these common feline phobias

In the wild, you don’t know what kind of predators lurk in an unfamiliar environment. Rustling leaves can indicate the presence of a poisonous snake or a large predator creeping closer. Humans and dogs are also considered larger predators. Being stuck in a closed place in the wild isn’t a good idea because it cuts off your escape route in case of an attack. And vets handle cats and sometimes cause them minor pain.

Less common feline phobias

My Amiga had an irrational fear of my new pants. She refused to sit on my lap and kept staring at them, sniffing them and then retreating quickly. Maybe it was the smell. In the wild, an unknown smell can indicate poison, disease, predators, fire.

Also, she runs away when I throw a toy mouse for her to chase, and none of my other cats do that. They all run after the toy, not the other way around. She might fear the toy will hit her. She’s also a bit afraid of the shoelace when I wiggle it in front of her, which is why I don’t tease her with it the way I do with my other cat.

Years ago, I had my house exterminated. When it was over, I put a blanket on the floor before letting my cats back in, so they won’t step on the floor. Amiga was terrified of stepping on the blanket. She kept staring at it like she expected it to come to life and smother her. I had put a food bowl at the edge of the blanket and took it closer to the center of the blanket, one inch at a time. She had overcome her irrational feline fear.

See phobias through feline eyes

Cats aren’t as logical as we are, which may actually protect them against phobias. They don’t watch the news, and they aren’t aware of some dangers that lurk outside. They probably don’t worry about something that might happen unless they’d suffer some kind of prior trauma.

For example; your cat isn’t going to develop car phobia, and isn’t going to stay awake waiting for you to come home, worrying about an accident. Cats phobias need a trigger. The sudden loud noise or the smell from unfamiliar material. Cats don’t pick up phobias by obsessing about the statistics of car accidents and crime.

But felines have a hard time overcoming their phobias. They don’t know all the tricks, to take one step at a time, to pretend to be in a safe and quiet place, to rationalize that statistically it’s highly unlikely for a cat to be killed by dogs.

How to help your cat overcome irrational fears

How to help your cat overcome feline phobias? One step at a time, just like humans who suffer from phobia. First you place the object your cat is afraid of within sight, and then closer and closer. It might take time and patience.

Your kitty will feel safer if you’re there for her, and she doesn’t have to overcome her feline phobias alone.

Sometimes treats can help the cat associate the thing that scares her with something pleasant. There’s also petting and ear scratching.

Does your pet have a phobia? Let’s share stories in the comments. I’d love to hear your story.

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What's the bravest thing your pet ever did?

The bravest thing my cat Hazelnut ever did was on the first day I found her, a sick, motherless feral kitten, five weeks old.

She was hiding under the bushes in front of a bank when I found her. I went to pick her up, and she screamed in rage and attacked me. She wasn’t scared. She was angry.

Now put yourself in her shoes. Suddenly a huge creature, and I mean huge, all five feet two inches, back then weighing maybe a hundred and eight pounds. To a kitten, that’s probably the equivalent of a creature over a hundred times your weigh and towering over you like a building. Suddenly such a creature reaches out a huge hand and grabs you, trying to kidnap you.

But Hazelnut seemed to be saying, “How dare you pick me up without my permission? Who do you think you are, bothering me?”

What's the bravest thing your cat ever did?

Amiga, Princessa, and Chocolate Paws had leapt through the window into my first floor, ground-level apartment. I consider it a very courageous thing to do. Imagine walking into an unknown territory that houses an unknown creature much larger than you, without knowing what to expect. Would you walk into a bear’s territory? That’s the bravest thing my three cats have done in their effort to get food.

My cat Milky had run away and had stayed on the streets for fend for herself for two and a half months. That’s the bravest thing my Persian cat Milky had done, and she wasn’t a brave cat at all.

My Amiga had attacked a feral cat that had wandered in from outside. The cats’ feeders call him John The Bully. (John and the word bully rhyme in Hebrew). My Amiga had flown at him with the feline battle cry. You know these furious screams that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on edge? I’ve seen quite a few cats fights, because there are so many feral cats around here, but I’d never seen cats fight so frantically before.

I had clamped my hands next to the fighting cats, but they didn’t care. I ran toward John The Bully to scare him away, and he hissed at me and started toward me, clawing at the air. (The cats feeders don’t call him John The Bully for nothing). I filled a glass with water and threw it at him, and he leapt out the window and ran away. I consider it not the bravest thing my cat Amiga had done, but one of the bravest. She had fought like a tiger.

What’s the bravest thing your pet had ever done? Cat or do or rabbit or parrot. It doesn’t matter. I love pet stories.

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Feral cats video

I just had to take a picture of these feral cats and load it to youtube. Sorry, no music to go along with it. Funny how so many stray cats crowd together, and apparently some kindhearted person has left them some food. Maybe that’s why they stick together.

I was on my way to a tiny park behind a shopping center when I saw these cats outside some abandoned building a few months ago.

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How to get over the death of a cat

How do you get over the loss of a pet? I hate it when people shrug it off and say, “Oh, it’s just a pet. Get another one.” It’s not helpful at all. In fact, it’s annoying.

People love their pets and grieve deeply when they’re dead. Unfortunately, cats don’t live as long as we do. But if pets outlived their beloved humans, who’d take care of them when we’re gone? Why can’t I get over the death of my cat? Because she was my baby, and people who don’t love animals may not understand it.

I can tell from first hand experience that copying with the loss of a cat is devastating. After my Persian cat had died from pkd and enlarged heart, I was walking toward the supermarket, and suddenly, I didn’t know where I was and what I was doing there. I just froze, unable to form a coherent thought. Luckily, I came back to reality after a few minutes.

How do you get over the grief of losing a pet cat?

Get into forums dealing with the loss of a pet

There are forums that deal with this kind of pain, where people trying to get over the loss of their pets get together and offer comfort, advice, and memories. Here’s one. https://www.griefhealingdiscussiongroups.com/forum/11-loss-of-a-pet/

There’s also the rainbow bridge with hotlines, forum, e-cards, and more. https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/

Hide or look at pictures and videos

For some people, it helps to look at videos and remember, while for others, this will only bring painful memories. Every person is different as an individual, but we all know ourselves and know which approach is better for us. I don’t have any pictures of videos of the cats I used to have, and if I did, I’d get rid of them because they’d remind me of what I’d lost.

Buy a new pet

This will work for some people, while it may not work for others. If you’re not sure buying a new pet will help get over the sudden death of a cat at the moment, take your time and don’t rush into it.

Find a challenge

Set yourself a goal for something, whether it’s saving money, taking a course, or opening a blog. A challenge can be a great distraction and help you get over the loss of your pet.

Family and friends

Spending more time with the people you love can be healing and can help when you feel you can’t get over the loss of your cat.

You have nothing to feel guilty for

Pets owners often feel guilty when their pet dies. Know these feelings usually have no hold in reality. I had felt guilty after losing my cat, even though now I know there was absolutely nothing I could have done to save her. When you lose your pet, you don’t think clearly and reasonably. There’s usually no logic to the guilt. It’s nothing but an emotion born out of pain and loss.

Knowing it wasn’t your fault, and that you could’ve have possibly changed the outcome of things can help you get over the loss of your pet.

Train your mind

I didn’t know what to do with the pain and the grief, and I asked myself too; how do you get over the death of your cat? This is difficult, but I found out I could do it. This is my story.

First, I took my cat to the vet for teeth cleaning, left her there and went home, intending to pick her up when the vet calls. When they called, the vet said he has bad news. I had foolishly though they had to take out a tooth, but he said she’s dying.

Turned out she had pkd and an enlarged heart. One kidney was ruined, and the other barely working. This was the first shock.

The second was when she’d run away for two and a half months. I could hardly sleep or eat, and I’d lost weight. But I had a feeling she was alive. I just knew it.

And then one day, on a bus going home from work, I suddenly had the feeling that two huge blue eyes were watching me, her eyes. I arrived home feeling hope that she’d come back that day, and was bitterly disappointed when I opened the door, and she wasn’t there.

So I had sat down and tried to watch TV. Suddenly, something made me look up, and she was there, having leapt into the my first floor ground-level apartment from the window.

At first, I thought she was a hallucination, because I’d fantasized about her coming back so many times. When I picked her up, it was like I was picking up nothing. She had no weight, and I could feel her ribs and spine sticking out.

And then two or three months later, she died. Not from her starving on the street, but from her enlarged heart.

And then three and a half years later, my other cat had to be put to sleep because he had some problem in his spine, being fifteen and a half, an old cat. He was in pain and disabled, and the vet said nothing could be done.

The thing is, and this is what I’m getting to, after so many blows, my mind had found a way to avoid the pain, like an immune system that had finally found the way to fight a disease, a form of self-preservation. When in the past, I couldn’t stop thinking about my cat, Milky, now whenever I thought about my other cat, Angel, there was a switch in my brain, and I started thinking about other things instead. It helped a lot with the grief.

Although each person is different as an individual, and what works for one person may not work for another, this could work for some people. Whenever you think too long about the pet you’ve lost, and the pain gets too much, simply think about something else and concentrate on it real hard.

Picture the beach, for example. See the waves up close, closer and closer. Pay attention to the smaller details, like the foam on the waves and the seashells. Feel the hot sand under your bare feet, hotter and hotter. The noise of the waves getting louder, and the salty small sharper. You can train your mind this way and get better with practice.

I call this method ‘the switch.’ It’s what it is in my mind. I don’t know if someone out there had thought about this before me, and if there’s a name for it in psychology. All I know is that it helped me get over the loss of my cat.

This statue of a sleeping cat will honor the memory of your furbaby. Each piece is individually hand painted, lightweight and can be placed in the house or the garden. There’s a statue of a dog, too. Click to view.