My Life with Cats

Feline Stories

After reading the various entries I've written here it might seem like I have no interest in any kind of pet but dogs. Not true. As a professional pet sitter I care for many cats throughout the year. From the time I was very young there were always cats in our home.

The first one we had was probably my most memorable pet. His name was Patches. He was a black and white male of medium size, never had much weight on him. We got him while my family lived in Panama. Patches would patrol the tropical greenery around our Naval family quarters, always on the hunt for some unfortunate rodent or bird. This was something he would do until the end of his life at thirteen years old. While we lived in Rhode Island he was on his best hunting form, even bringing back the occasional squirrel! Patches also "protected" our yard from stray dogs. He would nap in the bushes, and when an unwary pooch would wander onto the property that cat would streak out from under the brush and attack the dog, one time actually riding on a German Shepard's back all the way to the curb. The cat knew no fear.



When I moved out to California I knew no one, and I found myself in a pet store one day looking at the cutest caramel and white kitten I had ever seen. I bought him on the spot and named him Gandalf. Not long after that I adopted another cat off the street, naming him Faramir. Yes, I was a total Lord of the Rings geek at the time. Unfortunately, the one thing I did not know about was that failing to immunize my cats would lead to their early deaths. Faramir got Feline panleukopenia, a disease that affects the digestive tract and is usually fatal. Gandalf contracted Feline viral rhinotracheitis , a type of pneumonia. I was young and stupid, but those nice kitties should not have had to pay the price for it.

Later in life, after my divorce I was renting a room from a very evil young lady who had these two cats. One was a female that lived in the girl's room and the other was this big, friendly, black and white fellow named Mervyn, after the department store. Mervyn kept trying to tell the girl (and me) that he was an outdoor cat. He would figure ingenious ways to get out of the house, if only to lie on the front walk and soak up some sun. The girl would fly into a rage when she caught him and drag him back in, scrubbing him in the tub and beating him. I moved out after being there only a few months and I took Mervyn with me. The girl never knew where I lived or that I had done it for sure, but he had happy life with me before passing at the age of eleven.



Our current feline residents are Macy and Maia. Macy adopted us one morning after trying out some other homes in the neighborhood and finding them lacking. I was on my way to work and she jumped into my car, sitting in the driver's seat and begging to be pet. I put her on the sidewalk and went to work, thinking the matter closed. My wife called me shortly thereafter, telling me the story about this cute kitten that had jumped into the car when she was taking our daughter to school. "I hope you didn't feed it", I said.

"Just a little bit of chopped-up baloney."

And as we all know, that means the cat is now yours. She is still going strong at the age of 14, climbing fences and spending nice days out in the sun. She is the undisputed Queen of the House, and all show her deference, including my dog, Bill.



We adopted Maia in 2001 from Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation, known 'round these parts as ARF. Her original name was Bethany, but we found that too normal, so we named her for the eldest of the Pleiades, the goddess of Spring. She is strictly indoors, preferring to watch TV, chase laser lights (and anything else that reflects and moves), and sleep. She is quite large, having gotten to over twenty pounds since we brought her home. I swear she only eats diet kibble and is not a counter surfer. Any weight loss advice is welcome. (She is not over-fed either!)


Those are the cats from my life. I have many favorites out there on my route, too, from the playful duo of Nan and Tucket to the evil Queen Seven. I love them all like my own.

Training Tip: Leave It!

Leave It


This exercise is valuable in that you can use the command any time Fluffy is getting close to a Forbidden Thing. Choose a very premium item like cooked chicken, a used tissue, (dogs love them!), or a stinky sock. Whatever your dog gets into most. Have him "Down" in front of you.

Now place the Forbidden Object just in front of his paws with one hand over it. When he shows interest in the object, say “Leave It” and move his snout to the side with the non-covering hand. Give him a different treat from the object one, keeping his nose off to the side. Praise the “Good Leave It!”

Slowly remove your hand from the Object. If he goes for it, continue to move his snout, say "Leave It", treat him and praise. What we are looking for here is for him to eye the Object and then turn his head voluntarily. That will show he’s getting it.

Now throw away the Object. The whole purpose of this exercise is to reinforce the idea that when you say "Leave It" you mean forever. He can’t ever think he’ll get the thing.

Don’t spend more than 10 minutes at any one time on this exercise. Practice saying “Leave It” any time Fluffy looks like he’s getting into something he shouldn’t, especially on your walks. He should not be investigating smells, food or wild critters when his attention should be on you. Simply say “Leave It!” and move along, praising the Good Leave It.

Training Tip: Stranger at the Door!

Stranger at the Door

All dogs need jobs. Your dog is trying to tell you that one of his jobs is to guard the castle gates against enemies. This includes salespeople, delivery guys and other dogs. This is actually a good thing, as it has been encouraged in our furry companions since we first let them into our lives eons ago. The problem is, some pups don’t know when to stop. This exercise will help set limits on this behavior.

You will need to have two people to make this one work. If it is a couple from the same home doing it, switch places from time to time so Rex understands the command from both of you.

The first person leaves the house and remains out of sight for about five minutes, so the pooch doesn’t suspect it’s you when the doorbell rings. The other person goes to the farthest corner of the house away from the door, like a bedroom. Have your premium treats ready!

Now the fun begins. When the five minutes is up the person outside will ring the doorbell once. The person inside will allow Rex to bark a few times and then call him back very cheerfully like this: “Rexy, come!” As soon as he appears he gets the treat and lots of praise. Now walk to the door and have your pup sit far enough away so that you can open the door without bumping him. Praise the sit, treat him and open the door. Now, switch places and repeat the exercise. Do this three times each per session to put firmly in his mind.

You can practice this a few times a week until Rex learns that his job is to bark a few times and then come find you. That gives him an outlet for the behavior and a useful job around the house!

Training Tip: Car Trips

When you have a dog in your life, nothing beats taking him places to play and hike. But some pups aren't too thrilled with the prospect of jumping into the hybrid and making for wide open spaces. He may shy away from the car before getting in or act out during the trip. His actions may be the result of general fear of the noise and strangeness of your vehicle or he may have the idea that only bad things happen when he travels in it. (Going to the vet, etc.)

In order to desensitize your dog to car trips, start small and work your way up. When you have time, go through the same routine you would if you were taking him for a walk. Go out to the car and ask him to sit. Bring treats along to help make this positive. It would be best if both of you did this together.

One person will drive while the other one sits with him in the back. Stay happy and talk to him in a friendly voice. Don’t reassure him! That will sound too much like anxiety and your dog will feel wound up again. Both of you have to act like this is the greatest thing you all could be doing. For no reason at all give Rex a treat from time to time.

If he reacts to other dogs or people outside the car, say his name and when he turns to you give him a treat, praising the way he focused on you.

At first, keep the trips very short, around the block. After getting home you may repeat the “door routine”, mentioned in an earlier column. You both get out first, then Rex gets out when you call him. He sits, then goes to the front door. Then sit, you go in, he goes in, sit and you release him.

You need to do this two or three times a week, gradually increasing the length of the trip until he doesn’t display overt anxiety. The point of the exercise is to gradually replace his anxiety with positive thoughts and experiences when dealing with the car.

Don't do this!

Training Tip: Separation Anxiety

You have the greatest dog in the world. He walks on leash like a champ, always goes outside to do his "doody" and even brings your slippers by the fire every evening. So why are you so frustrated with him? It's because you can't leave the house without your lovable pup giving a performance worthy of a canine Academy Award for grief. My gosh, you can't even go to the bathroom without Fifi clawing and scratching at the door, howling in misery until she sees you again! While we feel quite honored that anyone on this Earth is so bereft without our presence, it can be a real problem if allowed to continue. Dogs suffering from separation anxiety may put up such a racket that neighbors might complain, getting Animal Control involved. An anxious dog can also be quite destructive, chewing and scratching furniture, doors, and even drywall. What's a human companion to do?

Let's start with how you leave and enter your home. Most people have a ritual of some kind they go through before going out. Shower, dress, eat breakfast, read paper, etc. Your dog quickly recognizes your routine and if he is an anxious type he'll start getting worked up bit by bit as your departure draws near. By the time you go he'll be grief-stricken. Many of us try to reassure our dog, speaking to him kindly and petting him. We empathize with his feelings and without meaning to we amplify his anxiety by showing him that, indeed, there really is something to be upset about! Leaving our sorrowful pooch behind we head off to our day, leaving him to pine and eat the walls. Upon our return good old Rover is ecstatic to see us, leaping, running and barking up a storm. Who doesn't appreciate that kind of welcome? "He's home! He's home! The Great One has returned!" We oblige this behavior with cries of joy and big hugs, again reinforcing that it is so much better to be here than gone.

All this is fine if you don't have a dog that displays classic separation anxiety behavior. If your dog is one of the many who needs help, you'll need to change your behavior as well. Before we do that, let's play a little game with Fido. One afternoon when you have about 45 minutes to an hour for training you can get a good start on a cure. Start your usual "leaving the house" routine. Get a coat on, jingle your car keys and start for the door. Pet your pooch on the head and say "Bye bye". Then step outside. If your dog can't see you on the porch, stand there silently for a few minutes. If your dog can see you through a window, go around the side of the house to wait. Whether he begins whining or not, walk back into the house after those few minutes. Ignore your dog for the first five minutes no matter what he does. Don't let him jump up on you (a later column will cover this) and don't talk to him. Sort your mail, get a glass of water. When the time is up, meet your dog's eyes and ask him to "sit". When he does, say "Hello" calmly, praise the sit, and go on about your day. Extend this exercise to the point where you can leave, get in your car and drive around the block before walking back in. Always use this approach, called "Cool Goodbyes and Warm Hello's" when you leave. Stick with it! There is plenty of time for affection, play and good times with your Best Friend, but he needs to know that you will always be back no matter how long or short the duration. Then and only then will he stay calmer in your absence.

For comments and questions, please don't hesitate to email me through this site. We're all in this together. I'll see you out there!

Fun All Year: Geocaching with Your Dog

If you get out of the house at all with your pooch, whether you walk city streets or hike the hundreds of miles of trails the Bay Area offers, here's an activity that will add a bit of spice to your day. It's called Geocaching, an online treasure hunt that you can play anywhere on Earth. With just a GPS receiver and a sense of adventure you can seek containers that have been hidden in places from the obvious to the remote. These containers, known as "geocaches", range in size from about a .45 caliber bullet all the way to a bucket. The main goal is to find these hidden stashes and sign the log book (or strip) included in each one. The adventurous Geocacher will also find various trinkets, and may leave his or her own "signature item" to prove the find. Here's how you do it:

*Get a GPS receiver. Most sporting goods or camping stores have them, or go online to Amazon.com

*Sign on to The Geocaching Official Web Site

*Create a free account. There is no charge to join, they just want to make sure you have a valid email address. Premium Memberships are paid and allow users to find "Member's Only" caches as well as paying for all the server space needed.

*Type your zip code into the "Seek A Geocache" area and look at how many there are in just a ten-mile radius!

*Print out the ones you want to find. Check the reviews other cachers have written for hints as to how easy it was to find, if it has been destroyed (or "Muggled" as we cachers say). Some more tech-savvy folks will interface the GPS with their computer and download all that info directly. It's up to you.

*Pick a starting point and try to keep your searches in a big circle to maximize searching time.

*Try to pick as many dog-friendly caches as possible. Briones Regional Park is chock-full of caches and it's off leash!

*Get out there and start cachin'!

When You Find A Cache

Practice your "Found It!" dance. Be sure to sign the log book. Take some swag if you want a souvenir. Be sure to hide the container as well (or better) than it was but put it back in the exact same spot. That's really important. Remember to record your find online when you get back. While sheer numbers may impress some folks, most of us feel that the pleasure is in the search itself. Here in the Bay Area there is a thriving community of Geocachers and they have get-togethers from time to time that are published on the site. Four of the top 20 "finders" in the world live right here, including Team Alamo, with over 31,000 caches found! My own family has the handle "Blue Blaze Irregulars", ranked 15,987th in the world with 606 finds. Bill the Dog is a very important member of the Team, having found two caches all by himself.

Geocaching is all-weather, mostly 24/7/365 fun for you and your dog. Once you get the hang of it you can even hide some caches yourself. Hope to see you out there!

Training Tip: No Excuses!

During the week I visit several clients' homes and take their nice doggies out for walks. We go to Briones, Lafayette Reservoir, dog parks and many nice neighborhoods. I love getting out in the fresh air, burning up calories and teaching pooches to be good canine citizens. It's rather idyllic, really. It's the kind of job one only dreams about. And California is the perfect place for it, with weather to die for most of the time. My friends with office jobs tell me I'm a lucky guy and I can't disagree. So why do I come home some nights frustrated and angry? Bad dog owners.

I was walking my buddy Baxter on a back trail at the Rez recently when I encountered a gentleman walking his dog just ahead of me. The pup was doing his "doody" so we started walking by him. Suddenly the other dog sprang at Baxter, teeth snapping and his body twisting wildly on the leash. His owner was yelling at him as the dog dragged him across the pavement, knocking me down. I got up just in time to pull Baxter away before the other dog sank his teeth into his neck. In the calmest voice I could muster I said: "Sir, could you please not bring a vicious dog like that to this park!"

"He's not vicious, he's just scared!"

No Excuses!

I was walking my two "kids" Jake and Grace on a woodland trail when we were approached by a couple walking a mastiff. As they approached us the mastiff began to growl and strain at her leash, pulling the poor man along the trail. The woman told me: "Oh, she's recovering from an injury, she's not usually like this." Two weeks later we saw the same dog on the same trail. Same behavior, same explanation.

No Excuses!

I'm sure many of you have had similar experiences while walking your dogs. It can't continue. The next time somebody's dog acts out against you or your pup and their owner tries to explain it away with some lame story about their past or, worse, tries to put the blame on you, tell them:

No Excuses!

Training classes are held year-round and a small investment of money along with a responsible attitude toward dog ownership will make those stories unnecessary. I'll see you out there!