I’m Pondering

Hi everyone. In case you don’t know me, by now, I’m Maverick, and this is my column “Cat Tales.” I like to write about what’s going on with my mom and me, but I also like to teach so I write informative things concerning cats. I think I would make a great teacher at a school. I would like to teach second grade. My mom said I would be a great teacher because I have a lot of patience and a pawsitive cattitude.

Today’s book that I recommend reading is “The World According To Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man & His Streetwise Cat” by James Bowen. It’s a great book for adults. You will love it.

I thought it would be fun to give you some cat names from other countries. Today’s names are from Finland.  

Finnish Male Cat Names
Aki means born in autumn.
Kivi means stone.
Lavi means lion.
Manu means greatest.
Naldo means powerful.

Finnish Female Cat Names
Helmi means pearl.
Inka means foremost one.
Kaija means pure.
Seija means serene.
Vilja means grain.

In my last column, I mentioned that tulips are toxic to cats. Other common toxic garden plants are Azalea, Chrysanthemum, Daffodil, Hydrangea, Iris Bulbs, Ivy, Lily, Marigolds, and Wisteria. According to The Spruce Pets, these nine common garden plants are extremely toxic. They can cause stomach issues, comas, heart failure, and more. If you have a pet and they are around flowers and plants, research them to ensure your pet’s safety.

Cat Facts

• Some cats love the smell of chlorine. – Is anyone up for a swim? 

• Thieving behavior is not uncommon among cats. They often grab objects like stuffed animals, feather dusters, and other things that remind them of prey. – I don’t like being thought of as a thief. My mom and I share everything. If a human grabs something in their home is that thought of as thieving behavior? I don’t think so. Don’t single us cats out for something that belongs to us in the first place.

• A green cat was born in Denmark in 1995. Some people believe that high levels of copper in the water pipes nearby may have given his fur a verdigris effect. – Did they name him Kermit?

• It turns out that Abraham Lincoln was a crazy cat president! He had four cats that lived in the White House with him. – What’s crazy about that? If he had four children that lived in the White House would people have called him the “crazy kid president?”

• Maria Assunta left her cat, Tomasso, her entire $13 million fortune when she died in 2011. – I don’t know what to say, except “wow!” I wonder if he went on a Chewy.com shopping spree.

• President Bill Clinton’s cat, Socks, was a media darling during the Clinton administration and was said to receive more letters than the President himself. – I believe it. I heard that Socks was quite popular and that he was super cute. I won’t say anything about his dad though.

• Stubbs, a 17-year-old orange tabby, is the mayor of the historic district of Talkeetna, Alaska. – You go, Stubbs. If I weren’t a writer for EUP News, I’d like to have Mayor Gerrie’s job here in the Sault. 

• A cat’s purr vibrates at a frequency of 25 to 150 hertz, which is the same frequency at which muscles and bones repair themselves. – Hmm, I’m going to have to take their word for this because when I looked the word hertz up, it says it’s a rental car. 

• A group of kittens is called a “kindle.” – Does anyone feel like reading?

• About half of the cats in the world respond to the scent of catnip. – I wouldn’t know. That’s a no, no, in our house. 

• Cat breeders are called “catteries.” – I got the cat giggles. For some reason, a picture comes to mind of the Wild West, boardwalks, and saloons. 

• Cats can be toilet-trained. – This is true. There are articles and videos of this. My brother Alex woke us up periodically by flushing the toilet. We don’t know if he used it, but he flushed it. He was such a cool brother.

• Cats can drink seawater to survive. This is due to certain adaptations in a cat’s kidneys that allow them to drink salt water without causing health issues. – I hope I never have to drink seawater. That would mean I was in big trouble. I’m not supposed to leave the house.

• Cats dream, just like people do. – This is true. My brother Alex used to dream a lot. Sometimes my mom would wake him up, in case he was having a nightmare.

• Cats perceive people as big, hairless cats. – Some of these cat facts are pawsitively ridiculous. Even if it was true, how would anyone know that? I don’t think of my mom like this because if I did, I don’t think I could snuggle with her anymore.

Today’s quote: “I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.” – Jean Cocteau

That’s it for this week’s edition of “Cat Tales.” Don’t forget you can contact me at: maverick@eupnews.com.

Until next time. 

Love Maverick

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Maverick

My name is Maverick, and I am 11 years old, and this is my first column. My mom adopted me when she found me outside her home, underneath her car. Someone had shot me. When the doctor wanted to end my life, she told him if there was a chance that I would make it, then do everything possible for me. She wanted me to know there were good people in this world and know that I am loved. It took five months to nurse me back to health. I had congestive heart failure, too. At the end of the five months, I finally met my two brothers for the first time. Boy, did I love them and my new home. I am so glad my mom didn’t listen to that doctor. If you have any questions or want to comment, you can reach me at maverick@eupnews.com. I would love to hear from all furry and non-furry pets and their moms and dads.

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