Happy New Year, everyone. This is my blog “Cat Tales.” I normally write later in the month, but I have tests scheduled, my teeth are being cleaned, and one tooth needs to be pulled, hence this is an early edition. I’m a teeny weeny bit down because I don’t like going to the doctor, plus Christmas is over, and it seems that things aren’t quite as exciting.
Did everyone have a Merry Christmas? We celebrated with friends a couple of weeks ago. I got a packet of catsup and mustard filled with catnip from them. Oh, oh, I thought. I glanced at my mom out of the corner of my eye. She doesn’t let me have catnip, but she didn’t say anything about it. I only play with the catsup packet because it’s for cats. It says so, cat-sup. And everyone knows mustard is for hot dogs, and I am not a dog. I just play with the catsup packet toy in the middle of the night, when my mom is sleeping.
Then on Christmas, our friends came over again, in the afternoon. My mom had made a cake, and they were laughing and talking so much that I finally went into the bedroom to lie down, but I could still hear them. It did my heart wonders hearing my mom laugh so much.
My mom got me two self-warming pads and some turbo mice. I had gotten some money for Christmas, so she put it toward the warming pads. She ordered two different colors and put them in some of my favorite places where I like to lie down. I love them. They’re warm and cozy just from my body heat. I think that’s pretty amazing. And when I go to the doctor, she can put one in the carrier so I can keep warm. It’s about a 30-minute drive from where we live, and it’s cold. Then she throws a warm throw over the carrier to keep me as warm as possible.
I talked to my friend, Spaghetti Betty, the other day. She had a great Christmas, too, with her parents and grandparents. They spoiled her rotten, her words, not mine. She’s doing great and is busy with her new business, making cat costumes. Her grandma, who loves to sew, helps her. They get to talk and laugh with each other, and laughter is great for your health.
I have mentioned in several of my blogs that I thought I should go to medical school and become a doctor, so that I can better take care of my mom when she isn’t feeling well and while she is recovering from all these surgeries. She’s been hospitalized five times in the past year and has had four surgeries in a little over a year. You get my drift? Anyway, a fan wrote in months ago, saying that I should go to nursing school instead, because it takes less time, and I can still have a medical background to take care of my mom. But I had my heart set on being called Dr. Maverick. Guess what? I’m already a doctor. I ran into the bedroom the other morning, while my mom was still sleeping, and told her all about it. I said, “Mom, wake up. I’m a doctor. I was filling out a form this morning, and it asked for my name and initials. Guess what, Mom? My initials are MD for Maverick Davis. I’ve been a doctor all along and didn’t know it.” She had the biggest smile on her face, and she gave me the biggest hug. She told me that she loved me and that she always knew I was smart enough to be a doctor.
My mom is having severe spasms in her back. She’s using a walker for right now. In a month, she starts getting a series of 3 nerve blocks in her spine. OUCH! She’s been under a lot of stress and has broken out in psoriasis, head to foot. My poor mom, but she gets up in the morning, very slowly, and we start another day. Sometimes that’s all a person and a cat can do.
As I have said in the past, my mom and I don’t make resolutions. We were always disappointed in ourselves when they were broken. Usually, my mom’s resolutions consisted of exercising more, and at first, she was gung-ho and excited about getting healthy and exercising, but it never lasted long. Then for a few days afterward, she’d be kicking herself for giving up. She decided not to make resolutions anymore. My resolution usually had to do with eating more and not losing more weight than I already have. I would always be discouraged, though, when the doctor weighed me, and I had lost more weight, so no more resolutions in our home.
Guess what my mom found? She found the “smart ball.” Do you remember that I wrote about it in a previous blog, and how it terrorized us, and then it ran out of energy somewhere, and we couldn’t find it. Let me rephrase that. We didn’t try looking for it. That is one scary ball. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. You’ll have to keep reading my future blogs to keep up on what’s happening with us and that terrorizing “smart ball.” I have a feeling that ball is not done with us yet, and that’s scary stuff.
A fun fact from PetMD says that cats that scratch furniture are often marking their territory. Cats have tiny scent glands on their feet, and when they scratch furniture, they leave just a little bit of their smell on it. This tells other cats, “This sofa is in my territory, and these are my people – keep away!” Additionally, shredded corners of a couch or chair are a visual sign of your cat’s space. So, although you don’t want your cat destroying your furniture, the scratching is a signal that they love you and their space.
One step to teaching your cat not to ruin your furniture is to provide them with a large, sturdy cat tree or scratching post they’re allowed to mark. If possible, place it near their favorite forbidden piece of furniture. This way, they have something they can claim as their own.
Before I finish with this edition of “Cat Tales,” I have thought of some things to think about and perhaps do for this new year. Always be patient, kind, and respectful. Help others. This is very important. Not everyone has people in their lives who can help them in times of need. Don’t be selfish and think only of yourself. Put yourself out there and help others in whatever way you can. Maybe it’s with a ride to the doctor’s office or to visit others in the hospital. Especially after a surgery, it’s hard to do things. Be mindful that others may need a meal or two, or some housework done. If you can’t physically do those things, how about a visit, a call, or a hand-written note or letter in a card? Holidays, too, can be tough. Put yourself out there and take the time to do something nice for someone. Think of the possibilities of what this world could become if we all did our part. My mom says, “Don’t forget to pray for others.” I agree with my mom that prayer is super important.
Today’s quote: – “Of all God’s creatures, there is only one that cannot be made slave of the leash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.” – Mark Twain
That’s it for this month’s blog. I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
Love Maverick
- New Year’s Doldrums - January 2, 2026
- Meowy Christmas - December 21, 2025
- Thanksgiving Nap - November 25, 2025
Thanks for sharing M.D.! Take care of yourself and your mom!
Thank you for your comment. I try my best to take care of my mom, and she me. But, I had to send her to urgent care the other night, and they transferred her to the hospital. She had to have morphine. That’s for another blog.
Love Maverick