Today, tomorrow and forever.

Your friend,
Fisher

Dear Fisher,
Our house is crazy these days. The kids are all hyper and they put on awful faces and try to scare me. It works just fine, thank you very much. This is holiday season, and it’s just getting started. I can’t wait until it’s over! Worst is they have pictures of black cats in the windows and they all look scary as heck. It’s an insult and gives black cats a bad name. I just want to run away from home. Can you help?
Oscar

Dear Oscar,

If you mean will I help you run away from home, the answer is “No!” But if you mean will I help you try to deal with your situation, I will be happy to. First order of business is to get the kids you live with under control. Children can become overly exuberant when suddenly allowed to act like little monsters. You may remember doing much the same when you were a kitten.

You will do well to put forth your best effort to act aloof. After all, that is one of our best traits. The children put on scary masks and rush at you. You act aloof. The little monsters will get bored with their antics. They then start to pick on each other, which annoys the parents and they end up in time out. At that point, skip the aloofness and do a little happy dance.

As for the actual night of Halloween, your adult family members should help you by:
• Setting up a safe haven, with litter box, food and water dishes.
• Select a pleasant program on TV so the endless doorbell ringing will not drive you nuts.
• Close the door to your haven. Appoint one person only to check on you.
• Treats are OK, but no candy. Candy will cause new and often worse problems.

Everyone must be on guard for your safety. Urban legend or not, cats should not go out on All Hallows Eve. Many animal rescue groups even report an increase in requests for black cats at this time, and will refuse to adopt them out. For more information, check out the excellent article over at Daily to Reader.

You are right to say this is the first of the holiday season, and no doubt the worst of it will be over soon. Next is Thanksgiving. Please remember to think kindly upon all turkeys.

Your friend,
Fisher

Dear Fisher,

I am a 10-month old, female, and definitely part Maine Coon. I live with my human mom and dad who give me lots of love. We are a happy family and I love them very much. Me and my two brothers were born in a field and abandoned by our cat mom when we were three weeks old. My human mom rescued us, but my two brothers were sick and didn’t survive. It was so sad, and they worked hard so I would survive. They bottle fed me and they had others come in to take care of me when they had to go out. I had people around me since I was very young.

Then things started to change when I was two months old and it’s just getting worse. I don’t like any other people besides my mom and dad! If someone else is in our apartment, I go into extreme anger mode. I hiss, growl, and swat at them. The worst is, I get so angry I don’t even recognize my own people. They can’t touch me or I’ll scratch them.

Mom and Dad love me so much and want to brag about me like other cat people do, but as soon as anyone comes over, they see my freaky behavior. No one believes that I am really a lover. This is a serious situation and I wonder if you can help us. I don’t want to hurt anyone, really.

May

Dear May,

I believe you are a loving kitty, but your behavior is a definite cause for concern. You should visit your friendly veterinarian. Your Mom and Dad might be fearful you will take over the waiting room and turn it into a war zone, but I encourage them to set an appointment as soon as possible. It is likely your aggression is to “save” your own home only. You may not care what goes on in an establishment belonging to another. There is only one way to test this idea, and if it is not valid, they are well equipped for first aide, blood from carpet removal, and teary-eyed patrons.

Your vet can rule out any physical disorder that may cause your serious aggression. If you are not spayed, have it done at this time. Cats often become more docile after the procedure. If your behavior does not change at home, at least you will know the problem is not physical in nature.

Next up is for your Mom and Dad to make a plan. They should wait at least a week after your surgery before allowing guests into your home. Here are a few ideas that will still allow your territorial self, but on their terms instead of yours:

1. 1. Pick a room as your new territory – one with a door.
2. 2. Add a crate or better yet, a child’s tent for your very own “small apartment.”
3. 3. If you do not take to the new set-up right away, have practice sessions with the door closed.
4. 4. Depending on your progress, your folks may want to start looking for a Cat Behaviorist in your area.

You can find more information on aggression in cats online at ASPCA. They even have a Virtual Cat Behaviorist.

And, on another note, I searched for children’s tents on line and there are a ton of them. I myself would be very happy to have one. Peace to you all.

Your friend,
Fisher

My friends, I want to to tell you about a beautiful book, “Bill at Rainbow Bridge.” Anyone who has loved and lost a pet will find an inner peace in the writing of author, Dan Carrison. It is easy to identify with the loving connection between Bill, an English bulldog, and his human, a grown up married man named David.

“Bill at Rainbow Bridge” is a small book of 90 pages. The book introduces the reader to the Rainbow Bridge through the eyes and feelings of Bill, who reacted to his new surroundings by thinking of it as, “a dog park like no other!”

My friend Fancy, also at the Rainbow Bridge. I hope she meets up with Bill.