Tag Archives: emotional support

27

Onyx’s Human Returns

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Ed Note: You may recall that everyone has been awaiting the return of Blondie to get the house back to normal. She’s been back a week and a half but things don’t seem quite right yet.

Sgt Stripes: Hey Onyx. What’s going on?

Onyx: What do you mean?

Sgt Stripes: You don’t seem to be very excited about your human getting back home.

Gypsy: Yeah. You were supposed to move back upstairs when she got here.

Onyx: I never said that. Everyone just assumed that was what was going to happen.

Gypsy: You said that was the reason that you kept trying to get outside. You wanted to track her down.

Snoops:You are acting pretty weird.

Gypsy: You never came downstairs before she left. You were the princess while Angel and I had to spend months in the sunroom.

Angel: They’re right. You always got special treatment.

Onyx: That’s because I’m the house panther. The empress of the night.

Snoops: You’re only empress when you’re upstairs. I’m the real empress.

Sgt Stripes: Snoops does have seniority. Why aren’t you back upstairs  with your human?

Onyx: I decided that I like it downstairs. I even have a new favorite spot.

Gypsy: You mean on top of the freezer? That’s a weird place to hang out.

Onyx: It’s actually very warm up there. I just need someone to put a pillow or a blanket or something down for me to lounge on.

Gypsy: You can’t see anything up there.

Onyx: I still go out on the inside porch. I just don’t want to go outside anymore.

Sgt Stripes: I thought you were some kind of emotional support animal for Blondie.

Angel: That was why you thought you were so special.

Onyx: I am special. But Blondie took me for granted.

Snoops: What do you mean?

Onyx: I was with her for all of the bad times. I never left her side. But then she disappears for two months and expects everything to be the same when she gets back.

Snoops: You know she needed to go away for a little bit to get healthy again, right?

Onyx: That what she says. But she didn’t take her emotional support cat. She deserted me. And I discovered that I can get cuddles from the other humans here. And all of the good treats are downstairs. I’m even trying wet food once in a while. And I really like it when Mom lets me drink out of the kitchen faucet.

Gypsy: There are definitely benefits to being on Mom’s good side.

Onyx: She spoils you. Every time you get really neurotic, she gets you back on track.

Gypsy: You’re just jealous because she gives me lots of cuddles.

Onyx: Blondie used to do that with me.

Snoops: Are you just going to sulk for the rest of your life? Why don’t you just go back to her?

Onyx: She needs to apologize. And promise not to leave me again. She was gone a long time. And she left those small humans behind. I’m really not fond of small humans.

Sgt Stripes: I didn’t like them at first either. But they are excellent at filling the kibble bowl and giving treats. Even Snoops lets them pet her.

Onyx: Blondie knows where to find me if she wants to apologize.

Angel: That’s not really her thing. Maybe you should just forget about what happened and go back upstairs. Cold weather is coming, and she has the good blankets up there.

Onyx: I’m going to take a nap. Then I’ll think about it.

33

Cat Forum: Domestic Violence and Cats

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Editor’s Note: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the US. We’re taking a break from our usual (hopefully) humorous topics and looking at an issue that has hit our household. If this topic is too painful for you, please take a break this week and come back next Saturday.

Hello! It’s Onyx here. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. About a year ago, my human, along with Angel, Gypsy, and myself, had to escape a domestic violence situation involving my human’s former husband (I’ll call him loud human). He was really nice when I first moved in, but as time went on, he became loud, mean, controlling, and eventually, abusive, both physically, emotionally, and verbally. He was mean to everyone in the house, including the mini humans, and the cats. So I’m writing today to bring awareness to domestic violence involving pets. 

  • 71% of domestic violence survivors report that their abuser threatened, harmed, or killed a pet. The abusers will do this as a way to control or get revenge on their victims. Animals may also be used as weapons against the victims. 
  • Half of domestic violence victims would rather stay with their abuser than leave their pets. Thankfully, my human was in a situation where she could keep me (and Angel and Gypsy. Loud Human got Thunder, as she was his cat). She was able to move us all in with her mom. But it’s so sad to know that this is a choice that must be made by victims every day. 

  • 52% of survivors are forced to leave their pet with their abuser. Because of this, 25% of victims will return to their abuser; oftentimes, their abuser will use the pet as a means to get their victims back. 
  • 87% of battery perpetrated pet abuse is committed in front of the abuser’s partner; 76% is committed in front of children. 
  • 13% of animal abuse involves domestic abuse. 

  • 85% of domestic violence shelter workers report that they commonly encounter clients who speak about pet abuse; people in shelters are 11 times more likely to report pet abuse than people who are not abused. 
  • Pet abuse investigations are often starting points for social services getting involved in domestic violence situations. 
  • Domestic violence survivors who reported pet abuse also reported twice as many child abuse cases, as compared to survivors who did not report pet abuse. 

  • Animal abusers are more likely to be domestic violence perpetrators; additionally, these abusers are more likely to have been arrested for other violent crimes, have a history of delinquent behaviors, and often have a history of suffering abuse in their childhood. 
  • 55% of domestic violence survivors report that their pets are very important emotional support structures in their lives. 
  • 19.5% of victims without pets will postpone seeking shelter, whereas 33.3% of victims with pets will postpone seeking shelter. 

  • 65% of domestic violence survivors worry about what will happen to their pet upon entering a shelter; because of this, 40% of victims don’t leave their violent situation due to their pet. 
  • Only 12% of domestic violence shelters can take in pets, and only 24% of shelters can provide referrals for local animal welfare houses. Because of this, survivors have lived in their car for up to 4 months, waiting for a spot at a pet friendly shelter to open up. 

That’s a lot to swallow. There are tips on getting your pet ready to leave a domestic violence situation. These tips include: 

  • Know what shelters around you allow pets, or at least have an established safe haven foster care program. Check out this website for statewide information on where you and your pet may be able to go: https://www.safehavensforpets.org/ 
  • If taking your pet is not possible, try to arrange for your pet to stay with your vet, a local shelter, or a friend or family member. Try to avoid leaving your pet alone with your abuser. 

  • Create a safety or escape plan that includes your pet. 
  • If you do have to leave your pet with your abuser, and are able to go back for them, ask a police officer or member of animal control to escort you. Never go alone. 

  • Put vaccines and registrations in your name; if at all possible, leave your abuser’s name off of them. 
  • Prepare your pet for a quick escape; have all of their pertinent documents (including vet records, vaccination records, registrations, and microchip information) in one place.  

  • After you leave your abuser, there are still some steps you can take to protect your pet. These include:
    • Not leaving your pet alone outside. 
    • Changing your vet. 
    • Bring as much food and medicine as possible for your pet when you leave (and favorite blanket or toy, if applicable). 
    • See if you can include your pet on any legal protection orders you may get. 30 states, including my state of Michigan, allow pets to be included. 

Although resources vary from state to state, I found some national organizations (in the US) that may help your human and you in domestic violence situations. These organizations include the ASPCA ((888) 666-2279), The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (800-799 SAFE (3233)), American Humane Association (1-800-227-4645), Purina (972.487.2200), and Safe People Safe Pets (617-999-3055).  

Domestic violence is atrocious for everyone involved. And it’s infinitely more difficult to escape when you have a pet. My paws are crossed that one day, domestic violence will no longer be an issue. However, for now, if you or someone you know is in need of resources, please try to access them as conveniently as possible. Stay safe, and have a safe and happy October (which is also Black Cat Awareness Month!)

20

Sgt Stripes: Reporting from Sick Bay

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Sgt Stripes here. We want to thank you all ‘s for your well wishes to our humans. Our human brother and sister are doing much better. Mom seems to have gotten the worst of it. She even went to the doctor yesterday (that’s like a vet for humans). They gave her three kinds of medicine. She is still coughing a lot, but we are hoping that annoying habit will end shortly.

The ladies and I have been sharing nurse duties. Upstairs, I have been assisted by one of our newcomers. Not Onyx. She remains aloof and stand-offish. My aide is named Gypsy. She is a beautiful dilute calico. Snoops and Kommando have been handling the downstairs duties. We make sure that she is never cold or lonely. We also still let her feed us so she doesn’t feel useless. (She’s not doing much else.)

We know that none of our readers would ever question whether a cat knows that their human is sick. But there are apparently humans out there who think that we are all aloof, unfeeling balls of fur. In case you ever run across one of them, you can tell them the following about how cats know when their humans are sick.

Smell Cat GIFs | Tenor

Humans smell weird when they’re sick – There are chemical changes that take place when humans get sick. They only have about 5 million smell sensors, so they can’t tell a lot of the time. We kitties have about 200 million smell sensors. We know when something’s not right. In fact, studies have shown that cats can detect high blood sugar and cancer through smell.

Lolcats - dinner - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on

Humans act weird when they’re sick – We know your normal behaviors. And we notice when you’re acting different. We love our routines, and when you’re sick, you mess up our routines. (Like our breakfast was 2 hours late today.) Humans lay around a lot when they’re sick. We can tell when you hurt, and we want to help you. We spend our lives around our humans. We want them to be in top shape for us.

Why Is My Cat So Needy? - 7 Reasons Explained | Cute cat memes, Cat memes, Funny cats

Cats exhibit some common behaviors when their humans don’t feel well.

We get clingy – Obviously, all cats are different. Some cats are more cuddly than others under any circumstance. But, generally speaking, cats want to cuddle with their sick human. This is particularly true if the humans has a fever. We cats love to be warm. We’ve been working in shifts. Snoops and Kommando sit on Mom downstairs. Gypsy and I lay with her upstairs. Sometimes, I’ll let Gypsy handle the bed while I take the cat tree, but it’s usually the three of us together.

Separation Anxiety - Lolcats - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on them | funny pictures | lol cat memes | lol cats

We get anxious – If the human is sick enough that they can’t fully care for kitty, the cat can feel anxious and get frightened. Mom’s not that sick, so we don’t have that issue. However, we do find the extended coughing spells very annoying.

Cute Cat licking : r/aww

We lick – If we think our human is stressed or upset, we may try to help by licking them.  It de-stresses us, and we want to help.

Lolcats - medical - LOL at Funny Cat Memes - Funny cat pictures with words on them - lol | cat memes | funny cats | funny cat pictures with words on

Mom says that she used to have a cat that she called her “get-well kitty.” Critter always knew when someone was sick and would stay with them until they felt better. Apparently none of us are quite that good, but she says that I’m the closest she’s seen. Hopefully, it’ll only be a couple more days. This is exhausting.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.