I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve come to understand cat ladies. Cats make wonderful companions for many reasons. For instance, you don’t have to worry about cleanliness so much because they clean themselves up. Also, they only like attention when they like it which is fine by me because I’m the same, so pretty much they’re what they call low-maintenance creatures.

Some of you might recall my post regarding my parents’ cat Toby and how we took care of him for a week. Well, a lot has happened since then, he’s become really fond of our home so my parents allow him to stay over from time to time to the delight of everyone, especially my son, Matthew. We realised that this is a great way to experience what it’s like to be responsible owners before actually adopting ourselves.

Piling Up on Pet Supplies

Since he’s more than a guest now, we had to get various cat supplies as I already mentioned in the previous post, but our latest shopping spree included several kitten collars. Toby is prone to destroying or losing collars, which is why we didn’t get just one.

We got him a couple with breakaway buckles and they are both functional (he can set himself free if a situation requires that) and stylish (with animal print). Since we’re used to spending time outdoors in fresh air, we now take Toby on adventures with us sometimes, which is why along with the collars we had to get a harness as well.

Some cats hate to wear a harness, but Toby isn’t one of them (much to our surprise), and he got used to it within a day with the help of some training tips and his favourite treats. I think that how successfully we all handled this situation also has to do with the fact that we measured Toby properly – taking the size of the girth into account, and then we added two inches for optimal comfort (a snug fit, not a model that’s too fit to the point of causing him pain or stress).

My parents rarely, if ever, go out with him like this so I have a hint why he’s come to enjoy spending time with us. When he’s out, chasing after insects and scratching trees, he truly tunes into his feline nature. Even though he has cat trees at home, it’s not the same as being out. This way, we make sure he stays active and has a change in ambience to avoid getting the kind of boredom that not even his toys can solve.

A Sanctuary of His Own

Just as kids, cats tend to hide sometimes when they need a bit of rest from everyone else – it’s no wonder they love boxes so much. This is why we got kitten collars with bells on them so we know where he’s at – a solution to save us from suspecting he’s escaped while we’re running errands (he’s never run away before, but it’s better to be on the safe side than sorry).

Knowing it’s essential for his health and well-being, I wanted to provide him with as many hiding places as possible and also so I’d have a clue where he might be. Sure, we took care of that by getting him a comfy bed and placing it in the hallway just under the stairs where no one can disturb him, but we also had to pile up on boxes and scattered them in several rooms.

Although he does use the bed, he prefers the boxes (what a surprise!). I’m not a germophobe (at least I don’t think I am…), yet from time to time I air out the boxes too and get rid of cat hair when Toby is back at my parents’ house. All I can say from this experience is that it comes with a lot of responsibility on our part, but cats offer so much love and happiness in return that it is all worth it!