January 21, 2009

Dear Obie,
My human is a six-year old girl named Emily, and she doesn't understand why I have whiskers. Can you tell her why cats have whiskers?
Signed, Dudley
Stanfield, North Carolina


Dear Dudley (and Emily),
Cat's whiskers are a very important tool that fulfill several functions. Whiskers help a cat feel its way around, especially at night. Whiskers are so sensitive that, when a cat is walking through a dark room, it can tell when it is approaching a piece of furniture by the change in the air movement over its whiskers! Isn't that amazing? Here's something else pretty amazing. A cat's whiskers are roughly the same width as its body, and that is so the cat will know how wide an opening is before he or she enters it! And, Emily, you can tell your cat's mood by his whiskers; if they are forward and relaxed, he is usually in a good mood, and if they are pulled back against his face, he is scared or angry.
I hope that answered your question. Thanks for writing!
Your friend,
Obie

*****

Dear Obie,
How did you find your forever home?
Signed, Thumper
Woodburn, Oregon

Dear Thumper,
I was lucky enough to be found as a small kitten and taken to Salem Friends of Felines, where I was nursed back to health by the great people there and adopted by my humans in 2008. They had just lost a kitty they'd had for eighteen years. I went to my new home in Salem and was introduced to my new sister, Meeshka, a Lynx Point Siamese who had also been adopted from Friends of Felines, and my new brother, Rockafeller, a ten-year old Maine Coon/Ragdoll mix that my humans had rescued from a five lane interstate highway in Akron, Ohio, in 1998. Rockafeller is a big fluffy guy who lets me sleep against his tummy, and Meeshka, who is just a few months older than me, is my best friend! We wrestle and play and chase each other through the house like maniacs!
Later in 2008, my humans adopted a tuxedo cat they named Mackenzie. When he was at Salem Friends of Felines, his name was Maurie, and many people will remember him as the frightened kitty who lived in the cage just inside the door to the kitty area. Well, you wouldn't recognize him now! He runs and plays and sleeps in the sunlight, and he even wrestles with Meeshka and me! He's a happy kitty now, just like me!
Anyway, I hope that tells you a little about me. Thanks for the email!
Your friend,
Obie

*****

I watched the inauguration of President Obama yesterday from my favorite perch on my human mommy's lap, and I heard what she said about the Obama family adopting a dog. Dogs are great, but I think a nice regal cat would fit into the White House a little better! That's just my opinion, of course, but either way, I really hope the new President adopts his dog from a shelter and not a pet store!
Have a great day, everyone!

*****

Remember, folks, I am not a vet! I am a cat! Always talk to your vet before making any medical decisions regarding your cat! Please!