I was in my computer room, the one I share with Reggie our 2 year old lop bunny and as I was checking email I heard this thundrous voice of David yelling "you cats stop that!" Oski and Fiona were going at it, playing a little too rough and they can sound like a herd of buffalo running through the house. Typical kids rough housing without regard to the books, magazines and TV remote on the coffee table, if it is in the way as they sprinting through the house it may end up on the floor. Sometimes a glass of water will end up there too if we forget.
As I am hearing this verbal command from David I have to smile a bit, because we talk to the Cats as if they were human kids. They listen to our loud voices and re
spond. It's been a long time raising and living with multi-species kids that I started realizing that
they do listen to what we say and will honor the boundaries of the house and the humans who share it with them. It astonishes me how well they do understand and respond. And it is a good thing, because these beings in the home could do major damage if they didn't honor our boundaries. We would have no furniture intact, they could rip the upolstery to shreds in one fell swoop or take down the drapes with a single swipe. But they understand us. Don't get me wrong, sometimes they will still try to scratch on the sofa, but they stop as soon as we say "stop that, what are you doing?
Sometimes I only have to give them the "mommy" look and it stops. And yes, they do have scratching posts in various rooms in the house that they like and some cardboard cat scratchers to sharpen their claws and it's fine. We have such a happy household. It is peaceful and quiet and most of the time you will hear the classical station playing in the background. All the 4-leggeds in the house including the rabbits enjoy it. If you were in our home, you would hear things like "Oski, what are you thinking, you know the rules of the house". "Are you sure you are hungry now?" A phrase Tachi, our 15 year old minature panther will look at me questioning "what do you think", "Fiona, stop that Kitten-mew voice", Reggie, be safe when you are on the coffee table and I will guide down" I can use the point and tap method to guide him to safety. Oski just came up to me on the dining room table where I am writing this blog and I ask him to give me a kiss and he presents the top of his head so I can kiss it. Maybe not the exact words, but he understands i want to share affection with him. Yes, we have a great household and a wonderfully tranquil environment. How many other pet parents talk to their four-legged kids as if they understand every word? I don't think it is that rare. Having 4-legge
d kids is after all the new American Family.
