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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, you gotta love them! They are just brilliant! Intelligent, gracious, agile, usually confident and self-sufficient in so many ways, cats are nothing like dogs. They also get into trouble less frequently than our canine companions. That must account for something. So, you would expect them to have some common sense when it comes to certain dangerous objects and circumstances. But not necessarily. It seems like Miki loves all the things he should stay well away from. Is he fearless, clueless, or am I looking at it all wrong?
Miki, What Are You Doing?
My little kitten, who is now around a year old, has developed a keen interest in cars recently. Only cars that are not running or moving luckily, but still. For a cat that hates car journeys, even 10 minute ones, and doesn’t stop complaining about it for the whole duration of the drive, he certainly loves sitting and stretching on the roof and the hood. He’s not even fussed with the brand or model of the car, any one will do. And on particularly hot days, one of the rare things he learned from Lava the dog, (thanks for that Lava), which he really could have done without, is to sleep underneath the car.
Miki and Lava sleeping under the car
The View Is So Much Better From Here
I can see a bit of attraction sitting on the roof of the car. It does offer a great perspective when you think of it. You’re high enough so most predators can’t reach you, or most importantly, your annoying dog friends, and the view is pretty good. Plus, it’s a nice sunbathing spot. Well, maybe not if you’re a black cat on a hot day. What happened for Miki to develop this weird liking, I have no idea. Where I live, there is no traffic for miles and our road is a private one, and only used by friends and family when they come to visit. But, it’s hard not to worry.
Everyone Thinks I’m Crazy
So, some people’s morning routine involves coffee before work or going to the store, a brisk walk, breakfast or something else. My morning routine, before I leave the house, involves kneeling and inspecting the area beneath my car, to make sure Miki is not there. I do the same if anyone visits or leaves, and I warn everyone to drive slowly and stop if they see a stubborn black cat on the road that refuses to move. Most people think I’m kidding. Well, I am dead serious.
Miki sitting in the road
It Doesn’t End With Cars
It’s not just cars that Miki loves hanging around. I also have a well that collects rainwater. You can guess, he loves sitting there and grooming himself, as this seems the best spot for it. Thanks Miki, is there anything else you can do to increase my paranoia even further? I have trained everyone who comes to the house to put the well’s lid back on immediately, even between refills. Because, you just don’t know what ideas a cat may get.
Miki hanging out on the well
Why Is Miki So Fearless?
I have been wondering, is Miki just so brave? Is my cat a weird adrenaline junkie, or is he completely unaware of the potential danger? Or, is it much simpler? He just hasn’t had any negative experiences that have made him fearful of the car or the water well, for instance. I mean, he hates driving inside the car, but it doesn’t seem he made the connection just yet.
In a way, I am happy he is so confident, and generally he runs off every time he hears a car coming, but I do think he may be clueless on the real dangers. As most pet parents, even vet ones, the next thing I did, was of course turn to our dear friend Google.
How Do I Keep Miki Safe?
Well, Google proved to be a bit of a disappointment. Options like scaring him away from the car, by using loud noise, yelling, shooing, spraying him with water, didn’t really seem like something I wanted to do. After all, I don’t want Miki to be scared of me and frantically avoid coming near me whenever there is a car.
So, I went with a different approach, which includes treats and tempting Miki away from the car and the well, while also physically moving him when I need to go. I don’t want him to get scared if I turn the car on with him underneath, so I go with the approach of crawling on all four and calling him out. He’s a very good boy indeed and will quickly come for his treats, which he then enjoys at a distance, as I slowly drive away.
When it’s time to leave and Miki’s on (or under) the car, I pull out the treats.
All The Things We Do For Our Cats
Living in a remote area, where people don’t pay as much attention to their cats, and they often say, the strongest will survive or let mother nature take its course, I often receive declarations of my lack of sanity for caring so much for my pets. Well, Miki is my family, regardless of his four legs and a furry coat, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep him safe and happy. Such a big but wonderful responsibility we have as cat parents, don’t you think?
