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Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Cats can be skittish creatures, scared of sudden and loud noises. Or at least cautious. Miki is a bit special when it comes to noises, which I like to interpret as fearlessness. Since he was a kitten, he’s been living with me in my rural house, which is undergoing major renovations. So, instead of getting used to loud TV noises, as I don’t have a TV just yet, he was slowly becoming accustomed to some other noises, such as drilling, chainsaws, and concrete mixers.
On the other hand, the look of surprise on his face when he saw a washing machine in action for the first time was really something. He was fascinated by it for hours, sitting in front of it as if he was hypnotized.
When Your Home Is A Construction Site
Because I have a rescue dog that is scared of heavy machines and tires, likely due to past trauma, I am used to being very careful when workers or trucks with building materials are coming in. There’s a lot of barking and running around. As soon as the noise stops, it all goes back to normal.
However, there is always this little black shadow watching from the nearest bush or branch, not seeming phased by the sudden chaos. So far, I’ve had dozens and dozens of trucks and cars coming to the property for various works. This includes digging around the house with heavy machinery, breaking large rocks, unloading various building materials, trees being knocked down, and much more. Miki’s been a part of all this, and he probably now thinks this is what normal life looks like. At least, he’s learned quite quickly how to use the wooden ladder to go between the different floors.
Miki Would Make A Good “Sniffer Dog”
As soon as the car or truck engines are off, there goes Miki; his own little inspection begins. He never lets anyone other than me get too close to him, but he will jump in unfamiliar cars if the trunk is open, or will sniff their tires. Even the big caterpillar excavator, I would find him sniffing around it, while kind of conspicuously stalking the driver.
Miki’s nose certainly keeps him busy. I often wonder what he thinks of all this noise. He still comes inside to eat his food, but if there is noise coming from the inside, he doesn’t stay too long. One evening only a few weeks ago, I had to drill a few holes in the wall to hook in some shelves and a mirror, and I do regret not taking a picture. There was Miki sleeping on my bed. He did open one eye and gaze at me with a sign of annoyance on his face, as it was way past bedtime, but he didn’t move. The dogs were also quite relaxed.
Even Bricks and Wood Blocks Make A Nice Cozy Bed
I caught Miki resting and grooming on various not-so-comfortable spots, such as blocks of bricks and wood pellets. You’d think the poor cat doesn’t have a proper bed. Instead of using those beds and blankets, he seems to have toughened up. The bricks have become his watch point, as they are stacked up to almost five feet, and probably give him a sense of security.
I don’t think Miki is not fearful of the sudden noises; he has just become more accustomed to it than most cats would, through desensitization from a young age. But luckily, he kept his cautiousness and knows when to run off and hide.
How Do I Keep Miki Safe?
When your home is undergoing renovation while you are living there, it can be stressful for everyone, human, canine, and feline alike. A construction site is not safe for animals unless they are supervised 24/7. And I have taken several steps to make it even more so.
Alongside wearing his GPS tracker, I am meticulous in stopping every person from leaving before I can ascertain Miki’s whereabouts. I warn and ensure all chemicals are stored safely and never spilled in the environment, and the areas where the works occur, if indoors, are closed off so Miki can’t wander in. It’s gotten me a bit of a reputation, but I don’t care. Miki’s safety is all that matters.
This article is a part of Dr. Maja and Miki’s series.
