Petting (Your Cat)

by Liza 


A subtle “purr” and an innocent glance shows their affection towards you. A flick of the tail and a spiked-up back brings out their wild and playful side. An adorably large yawn followed by the action of curling up into a ball demonstrates their well-known talent of “sleeping the day away”. A wimpy whine and soft brush up against your legs for their delectable can of Fancy Feast Canned Food: “Cod, Sole, and Shrimp Feast in Sauce”. A fierce growl in a pouncing position defends their territory with great pride. So many diverse details to simply show their love and respect for you; nonetheless, all we need to do to show this is one, simple, basic task. Petting your cat proves your love towards them.
I have met only a handful of people who deeply and truly understand the artful technique of petting your cat. First, start with the tip of your index and middle fingers midway between the two ears. Then, gently and slowly begin applying a tad more pressure as you run your full hand along the back of your cat’s neck. Next, as you near the half-way point of the spine, move your hand in a back-and-forth wave motion so as to massage your cat’s lower back muscles. And lastly, as you approach the tail, take full grasp of the tail in a gentle and light grip and follow the “pathway” till you reach the end of your destination. While following these four basic steps, you should also enjoy the experience of comforting your cat. Can you feel every miniscule, delicate hair run through your fingers as if time had been paused and transformed into slow motion? Can you sense the overwhelming emotion of passion and calmness that engulfs you and your cat with each stroke? Can you truly comprehend the impact you are having on your cat’s life as you run your hand from head to tail based on love? Only by understanding the artful technique of petting your cat can you sincerely experience these emotions.


My Cat is a Happy Cat



Her pink mouth and white whiskers,
her wrinkled face when she sneezes,
Tucked in beside me—
her supple body—
stirs gently in the night.

When dawn arrives,
she awakes with fervor,
embracing the day
with all it has to offer.

I lean into her boundless energy—
a life force that sustains itself,
and find that every part of her
is mimicked in me, myself: divine.

Aligning mistakes of yesteryear,
the anger of misread intentions,
placing therein the vapid slot:
a fulfilling sense of adventure.

Cozying up on my lap,
she licks her paws contentedly;
I stop in my tracks just to watch—
considering unconditionally
that death is not an option,
and life is for the living.

Susan Jane Goldner

It is true that just fewer than six moths ago, I, too, did not know the artful method of petting your cat; nonetheless, I was taught at a well-trained and well-mannered business: The Cat Hospital of Petaluma. I was just recently hired there as an assistant veterinarian to help around the hospital and to get a feel of what it is like in this particular area of expertise. I have concluded that I would like to fulfill my dream of becoming a veterinarian based on my experiences so far. However, while working at the hospital, I not only observe surgeries, learn vaccination procedures, or hear medical terms, I also learn a great deal about the thoughts, actions, and feelings of cats. One related example is how much human interaction can impact a cat’s behavior. This year, Doctor Liz Mills raised and adopted out over one hundred and twenty kittens at the hospital. However, many of them could not have been put up for adoption without human interaction first. This one-on-one time with people trains the kittens to be more friendly, adaptable, and compassionate to and with their future owners.
To put it quite simply, if you want to show your love towards your cat, all you have to do is pet them. The soft brush against your leg followed by an innocent stare, the overwhelming emotion of calmness both you and your cat feel as you interact together, the beautiful experience of connecting and bonding with your cat, the subtle “purr”, begging whine, and wild gleam in their eyes all demonstrates their ways of proving their love to you. Now, how can you prove your love for them?