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| Cats are attached to places |
During my High School days, my English teacher mentioned something unique to us about cats during an essay writing exercise. The tip was so unique that it immediately aroused my interest.
Well, what was that tip?
"Dogs are attached to people whereas cats are attached to places."
Was that tip any good?
Well, let me tell you a real life story about my experience with cats, especially about one called Kity. I don't have a photo of her, but I think we can do without it.
When Kity came home for the first time, she was a small white fur-ball. Separated from her other siblings, she was hiding under a small bush when some kids discovered her on their way back home from school. My niece Lucy was the one to first stake her claim to the kitten. She even named her "Kity," en-route.
When she arrived home with her new pet, we couldn't say "NO" to her enthusiasm. So, Kity became the No. 1 member of our family and the center of everybody's attention.
The kitten came out of her timidity very fast and thrived. Within a year, she looked like a fully grown cat. She would go missing for a day or two, but would come back as unexpectedly as she vanished. Slowly, we grew accustomed to her game of hide-and-seek.
Before the completion of second year, she was a mom, with three litters.
The kittens grew fast and were adopted enthusiastically by three of our neighbors. But soon after we had to change house to a new location.
We packed and moved out as scheduled, but Kity was not to be found anywhere. All my nieces and nephew left with some concern, but the consolation for them was that they can always find kitty later, in the very well-known neighborhood.
They found her, after repeated visits to the old vicinity. That was within a week. She was hanging around the old house, now without an occupant. She was her usual self, without a bit concerned about our absence. She was rather detached, but kids were too enthusiastic to notice it .
Their joy soon turned into dismay when she was not showing much of her old intimacy. But, the kids were too determined. They lured the feline into a large bag with some food, and carried her struggling inside. It can be borderline cruelty to the animal, but their intention was noble.
They opened the bag only when all doors were tightly closed. The cat jumped out of the bag and went straight beneath the bed. I witnessed the scene, personally. I knew what's wrong, but the children were too attached to her.
You can't keep your room closed forever...LOL!
Kity vanished as swiftly as she vanished before we shifted. Children learned an emotional lesson. They never went back in their "search and rescue mission" again.
They changed the strategy -- adopted a new pet, a puppy.
Now what does all this come to?
Cats are surely attached to places. If you move out to a far and different locality, and your cat isn't too social locally, this may work out for you. But naturally, your feline pet would prefer to stay at the older location, given a chance.
I'm not sure if this works for all the cat breeds, but ,at least, that had been my experience.
If you can share something in this regard, the comment section is all yours. :-)