Spaghetti Betty Moves To Town

Hi everyone. It’s been a while since I have written my “Cat Tales” column. I have been super busy. You know how it is with great U.P. weather. Winter is a thing of the past, and it’s time to get out and enjoy the weather and all that the U.P. offers.

I have a new friend. Her name is Spaghetti Betty, and she just moved here from California. That’s a picture of her, isn’t she cute? I asked her if she lived in Hollywood and she gave me “the look.” You know what I mean, the look a female gives you when you’ve said or done something dumb. “No silly, not everyone is from Hollywood,” she said. She’s sweet and sensitive and loves to talk and read just like I do. She told me about a book called “The Firefighter’s Kitten” by Holly Webb. It’s about moving to a new town and away from friends. It’s a great book, and Spaghetti Betty and I highly recommend it. You’ll probably be hearing more about Spaghetti Betty in the future. It’s nice to have a friend to hang out with.

In other news, I’ve been taking care of my mom. A few weeks ago, she fell going up cement stairs, and she sprained her neck, all the way down to her left foot. She’s been a mess. At first, she went to urgent care, and then a few days later she ended up in the emergency room. Her foot is still swollen and bruised, but you should have seen her. She was black and blue all over. She has back spasms now, and can barely move her neck. Below her knee is a very large hematoma. Her doctor said that it will be a while before it goes away. I think I should attend medical or nursing school. That way I can take care of my mom. I’m just thankful she didn’t break anything.

Then in July, she is having eye surgery. This is her fourth surgery, but the first of this kind. My Aunty Lynn will stay with me for a couple of days to help my mom out. The doctor has told her that she will have a lot of pain and will be bruised and swollen for weeks. Now do you see why I should get some training to take care of my mom? I think I’d like being called Dr. Maverick. It has a certain ring to it.

Cat Fun Facts

• Just as a person has a dominant hand, a cat usually uses one front paw more than the other. This has been associated with gender in both people and felines. Most female cats are right-pawed, and most males are left-pawed. The percentages are different for people, but the trend is the same. Only about 10% of humans are left-handed, but most are male.

• The eyes of a cat can detect the smallest movements, even in very low light. Cats can see images in as little as one-fifth the light that people and most animals need to see.

• A cat’s nose contains 200 million scent receptors, making it 40 times more powerful than a human’s.

• The cat’s weakest sense is taste. People have about 10,000 taste buds on their tongues, but cats have less than 500.

• Cats have very acute hearing, with the ability to hear the ultrasonic sounds made by small rodents (at 60 to 65 kilohertz), and they can determine the direction of the sound by using the 20 muscles in each ear to pinpoint the location.

• Cats are unable to taste sweet things. It is believed that there is a mutation in one of their taste receptors that keeps our feline friends from enjoying sugary snacks. 

• A cat’s fur is sensitive to air movement, with the whiskers being the most perceptive to the cat’s environment. A blind cat will move its head from side to side so they can use their whiskers as a blind person uses a cane.

• Like human infants, kittens sleep most of the time, as their quickly developing bodies release certain hormones necessary for growth during sleep. However, once they are done growing, there isn’t a certain hormone released during sleep. Cats just continue to sleep because they can. By the time they are about nine, a cat will have slept for about six years he or she has been alive.

• How many of you cat lovers spend time talking to your cat? Well, for those who do, your cat will likely talk back more than those who don’t! Cats can make over 100 different vocal sounds, putting to shame the 10 dogs can make. However, if you think cats are the only ones that purr, you are mistaken! A cat’s purr, roughly the same frequency as a diesel engine that’s idling, is just one of many. Other animals purr also, like lemurs, elephants, squirrels, and gorillas!

• Cats tend to seem aloof and difficult to understand. However, their brains are much more similar to a human’s than a dog’s – about 90% to a human’s! The portions of their brains that moderate emotion are about identical to ours. They also have nearly double the neurons a dog has and boast a much better long-term memory. Now, if only we can keep them awake long enough to use all that intelligence!

• Cats’ brains may be impressive, but their physical capabilities are equally amazing. They can manipulate their meows to sound like a human infant when they want to manipulate a human. Have you ever had a cat get in or out of a tiny space? That’s because their clavicle bones are free-floating and allow them to squeeze through small spaces. Cats can move their ears independently of one another and up to 180 degrees using the more than 20 muscles that control their ears. Wow!

• The fastest recorded a domestic cat can run is about 30 mph. That’s three mph faster than the 27 mph record of the fastest man in the world.

• Although there are more cats than dogs kept as pets in the United States, only about 11% of people would consider themselves cat people, and statistics show that many of those cat lovers are also introverted. However, cat owners tend to be more willing to try something new, perceived as more sensitive, and more likely to have a graduate degree.

These fun facts come from “Ross Education” and “Eastwood Veterinary Hospital.” 

I hope everyone has a great week. Enjoy the weather, read a book, and call a friend. That’s advice from the future “Dr. Maverick.” 

Take care everyone.

Love Maverick

Today’s quote – “When I am feeling low all I have to do is watch my cats and my courage returns.” – Charles Bukowski

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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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