Curiosity Is A Hazard For A Cat A Lesson Or Two

Cats, ya appreciate ‘em, hate ‘em or you are as indifferent to them as they are to us. We’ve always been dog people. Then, a neighbor cat came to live outside. She did have quite a procedure of attracting male cats’ attentions. Now, we have several cats. We have learned a lot about cats. The main thing is that they possess a curiosity about everything. When can that curiosity be a hazard? When can that curiosity ruin a cat? Here are a few of the antics our cats have pulled, and it’s a darned good thing they have nine lives!

I sit at the computer a lot. It is located in a corner between 2 windows. One day I heard a racket on the front porch (outside of one window). I looked out and saw that a cat with too much curiosity had managed to stick his head in an Iams dog food can and he could not get it off! As I scrambled to the door, he jumped/fell off of the porch and staggered like a drunken sailor to the garden. There, he tried removing it himself with no luck. I talked to him quietly and made a snatch for the can. When I took a hold of it, he pulled and the look on his face was, well, priceless! Had I not been home or heard him, he might well have succumbed to the hazard of playing cat in the can. Lesson: Put 6 bricks on trash cans.

Another time while looking out the window, I saw a cat staggering and it too had something on its head. It baffled me at first, then it dawned on me what he had. He had stuck his head in a baggie. Yes, a sandwich sized baggie had peaked this cat’s curiosity and now curiosity was turning into pure panic. I flew outside wondering if the cat would let me help, as it is not a very tame cat. Lesson: A cat smothering will let you succor it. The hazard on his head was worse than the hazard of being approached by me. I snatched the baggie and the cat ran away, turning at one point as if to say ‘ya came in handy once, don’t push it!’ Lesson: Build 12 bricks on trash cans.

Cats should wear a hazard placard. And if you think outside cats are the only ones to learn a lesson the hard way, get a load of TatorSalad. Tator is a house cat for the most part. He likes to find “unusual” places to nap. I have heard faint meowing and found him covered with dirty clothes in the hamper with the lid down. Another time he somehow hopped into a dresser drawers while we were putting clothes away. We closed all the drawers without seeing him..Tator was a bit scared when he woke up and was locked in. Lesson: Never turn your back on a cat. He will ALWAYS do the unexpected!

Seriously, a cat is a very curious and fearless animal. There’s a hazard around every corner that a cat finds just too inviting to pass up. Curiosity can kill a cat. At the very least it can shave one of nine lives off!