Cats Are Remarkable Creatures
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Cats are really remarkable creatures that keep you endlessly entertained.
There appears to be no discernible strategy behind their actions or motivations. And everything has to be on their terms.
Ivy in the Cat Tower:
Ivy will sleep in this cat tower for three nights in a row, then completely ignore it for a year. I’m not exaggerating.
Last night, while watching TV in the bedroom, I took these photos of Ivy.
She had managed to get herself into the blue cat tower house, but parts of her body were hanging out of it. This doesn’t look at all comfortable to me. Yet she slept for several hours in this state, cramped into this small space.
Then, when I looked over there again, she was trying to turn around. It took her a minute or so to get completely turned around so she could face outside. It looked cramped in there to me because Ivy is a plus-size girl. I know I would not be okay in such close quarters.
Then, when she was completely turned around, she stared out at nothing in particular through the hole in the cat tower.
“As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat.”
– Ellen Perry Berkeley, Writer
Cats Are Hilarious:
No one knows why cats do what they do. Or if there is any real purpose to the odd machinations of these creatures. And no amount of cajoling can convince them to do otherwise.
They don’t seem to follow any protocol. A cat is just as apt to race up the living room curtains as they are to sleep for long periods of time. Sometimes she will be standing there, and suddenly jump straight up in the air.
I can buy Ivy a new toy. Yet she will play in an empty box or sack that ends up on the floor and ignore the toy altogether.
I wonder sometimes if Ivy sees something I don’t. And recently I mentioned this to neighbor Steve, who also has a cat.
Are there ghosts, spirits, or some other entity that cats may see that I don’t?
At times, Ivy will immediately stop what she’s doing and look upward, as though she’s listening closely to a sound that I can’t hear.
“Cats are a mysterious kind of folk.”
– Sir Walter Scott
Cats Are Unique:
Every cat has its own unique personality. Gracie was a love bug. However, Ivy prefers to maintain her distance.
The last time I attempted to feed tuna to Ivy, she sniffed at it, then looked up at me imperiously as though it was distasteful. And it was albacore white tuna, which isn’t cheap and is the only tuna I care to eat.
But before that, she begged for canned cat food and couldn’t wait to get me up in the morning to put it on a plate for her. Since then, she’s only wanted dry cat food.
My friend Steve finally carried out the many cans I’d ordered, along with a whole bag of dry cat food Ivy suddenly took a dislike to. I told him that I wanted the food to go where it was most needed.
First, he drove to Street Cats, he said. That’s a facility where only adult cats are kept until they are adopted. But they told him they didn’t currently need cat food.
So, he drove to the nearest animal shelter, and they were quite happy to take the cat food off his hands.
“A cat will do what it wants when it wants, and there’s not a thing you can do about it.”
– Frank Perkins, Composer
I felt better that the cat food was going to needy cats and no longer crowding my pantry shelves.
Why Cats are Such Remarkable Creatures:
Cats are remarkable creatures because they embody a fascinating blend of mystery, elegance, and resilience. They move with a grace that seems almost otherworldly. Their supple bodies are capable of leaping great heights, and they can twist in midair with uncanny precision.
Their eyes, wide and luminous, carry both ancient wildness and quiet wisdom, shifting from slitted focus in bright light to deep, glowing pools in the dark.
What makes cats especially remarkable is their duality: they are fiercely independent yet capable of deep bonds with those they trust. A cat can be aloof one moment and melt into pure affection the next. This reminds us that love is most powerful when it is freely given.
Their purring alone—soft, rhythmic, and soothing—has been shown to calm humans and even promote healing, making them natural companions for body and soul.
Cats are also extraordinary survivors. From wild forests to crowded cities, they adapt, endure, and thrive, reminding us of the strength that comes with flexibility.
They are hunters and guardians of their own small kingdoms, yet they are also playful, curious, and endlessly entertaining. Cats can turn the simplest shadows or dangling strings into worlds of wonder.
In essence, cats are remarkable because they embody contradiction. They’re delicate yet strong, mysterious yet familiar, solitary yet loving. They teach us to appreciate stillness, to respect boundaries, and to delight in small joys.
Life is just more fun with a cat in the house.
My Personal Thoughts About Cats:
I will leave you with a final thought and personal analysis about cats. There is rarely ever a dull moment with a cat in your house.
I can give Ivy a toy filled with catnip. Sometimes she likes it, and sometimes she ignores it.
Cats sleep for many hours each day. Did you know that the average adult cat may spend 16 to 18 hours per day sleeping? This is normal, but much of that sleeping is “catnapping.”
I read that cats sleep so much because they have an ancestral instinct to conserve energy for hunting.
Yet, in my experience, what domesticated cats mostly seem to hunt is some form of trouble to get into.
“In ancient times cats were worshiped as gods; they have not forgotten this.”
– Terry Pratchett, Writer
Love that picture of Ivy hanging out of her cat house! I do think cats see things we don’t, and I always thought my cat, Leo (many years ago) saw a ghost when we moved to a new apartment. From that day forward, he always seemed spooked! But – he did know how to answer the phone. When he heard my voice leaving a message on our answering machine, he would knock the phone off the hook – no joke!
Ivy is quite a character!! I am glad she provides laughter too!!
Our cat would wait on a corner to meet the girls after school.
Ivy is so adorable. I have only owned 2 cats in my life..(or thought I did, lol)..and they were so sweet and adorable to hug. My doggies do not care for cats, so I do not currently have any or try to get one. Thats so wonderful you with the help of your Friend were able to donate the unused food for the rescue lives. :0) .. So many feral cats everywhere..and so sad. :0( .. I know you have free entertainment all day long with your I. 🙂
I love all animals but have always had cats. They each have a unique personality, and you can really have a relationship with them. Right now I have an 11 year old black and white tuxedo girl named Abigail. I got her from a really nice shelter in 2013. She’s sweet, snuggly and fun and my constant companion. I love her so much and don’t know what I’d do without her. As she’s gotten older and less active she’s put on weight, but her vet had me switch her from Wellness of which I like the quality, to a few specific pate versions of Fancy Feast. (Also stopped her daily rotisserie chicken snack!) She gradually lost 2 pounds and the doctor was very pleased, as being overweight can really cause them problems. To me home doesn’t feel like home without a cat! Love seeing Ivy’s antics. She’s a beauty and such a character!
This was a great post…plus everyone’s comments made it even better..left me smiling for sure…our new cat makes us smile everyday…has been great for the mood…today she arched her back and did that sideways hop they do…coming after our dogs..it was hilarious.. I am so glad that after our loss we made the decision to get her…my heart is full as we watch the 3 of them curled up together in our bed at night …all you kitty stories definitely made me long for a kitty💕🐈
I’m so glad you have your precious kitten.
I have had two cats and two dogs over the years. Each had their own distinctive personality. And now I am feeding a stray cat in the neighborhood. Love both cats and dogs. When I saw Ivy hanging out the back of her “high rise” apartment, I thought for her to sleep in that position, she feels very safe and secure in her environment. What entertainment our pets give us.
Ivy certainly keeps my life interesting!
Hahahahahaha! Ivy! She is too funny! What a hilarious picture if her hanging out of her cat tree house! My gosh, I just love seeing pictures of her, and hearing all the funny things she’s up to. That was so nice of Steve to take all your extra cat food to the shelter. I hear they like old blankets too, to give the animals something soft and warm to sleep on, especially in the cooler months. Hey, how is Kendra feeling? Didn’t you say recently she had covid? And how about your grandson? Everything ok after that dorm fire? I have a nephew away at college too. I was thinking about sending him a care package. Any good ideas on what to include? Have you sent one to Riley?
Kendra is testing negative now but still is somewhat weak. No, I haven’t sent a care package to Riley. Have no idea what he’d want. I hear he’s having a great time at college. I’ll remember that about the blankets.
As you know, I’m a huge cat lover. I’ve had them my entire life. I had dogs growing up too, and of course I loved them, but my heart has always belonged more to cats.
I’ve noticed cats like to be in small, tighter spaces. Maybe it makes them feel more secure?
You’re lucky Ivy isn’t a male. They are more prone to urinary blockages. The first thing the vet said when both Zippo and Monkey had urinary blockages was, “Are they on a dry kibble diet?” (It comes down to too many carbs and not enough water.)
With Ivy eating dry food only, make sure she gets enough water. That’s the one advantage of them eating canned food – the water content. Cats naturally don’t drink much, so try to entice her with a running kitty fountain. Clementine loves hers!
I’ve thought of getting her a kitty fountain. I’ll take another look at them. I knew that about canned food and that cats don’t drink enough water. She currently loves for me to leave the bathtub water slightly on and she drinks from that. Plus I change her bowl of water every day.
I agree! Ivy is a beautiful cat!
She poses often if there is an audience. I truly believe she knows she is beautiful!
I burst out laughing when I saw the picture of Ivy with her back end, tail and leg hanging out. That is so funny!
My cat has decided all she wants is canned cat food. She’ll eat the dry, doesn’t chew it properly and up it comes. I cannot figure her out for 14 years. LOL
But it’s fun.
Cats always keep you guessing.
I did not comment when you said you might not write as often but I was disappointed. I am also one of those who look forward to your blog everyday. I realize it must be hard to find something new to write about each day. On those days, I would be happy if you simply wrote what time you went to bed and what time you got up and what you had to eat. I think Brenda that we consider you a close friend and we just want to know you are ok on a daily basis or that you are not ok. We all have our good and bad days. Whatever you decide to write and how often you decide to do it, we will be here waiting to hear from you.
I’ve decided to just write what I want and not worry about Google and SEO practices. Not trying to write according to what they want makes writing a post much easier. They run the search engine, and that search engine brings you traffic if you dot your I’s and cross your T’s. I’m still writing every day as usual.
I always read your blog Brenda and only sometimes comment, so I was worried when you did not blog one day. I have hoped all along that your ankle will get better to allow you to walk. I understand how frustrating it must be. Our mayor had to use a appliance the same as you use in your apartment to get around, I think he had a torn ligament in his leg and it took a long time before he was rid of it. I am still hoping that you will be able to do without it.
I would miss your blog if you did not post but maybe those who read it can and will support you more. I know I will, I am sure a lot of us would be friends along with you if we were neighbors.
I love seeing Ivy, I love cats, we do not have one at the moment because we said we wouldn’t get another after Dexter mainly because we are getting on, I am 78 and Simon is 76, we didn’t want to outlive a animal companion, and have it go to another home or have to go to a shelter. Then we decided we could adopt an older cat, we are still thinking about that. We are both very agile even though Simon had cancer 16 years ago and 5 years ago was diagnosed with Ruumatoid Arthritis. He is on a plant based diet and exercises every day and is doing very well. I should say also that he does take a drug for his RA too. I asked him about the pain he gets in his hands which he gets mostly from using tools in his workshop and gardening. If its really bad he puts ice packs on them and does occasionally use a cream for the pain.
I told my daughters that if something happens to me and one of them doesn’t take Ivy I will haunt them.
We have had cats in the past, when our girls were little. I didn’t grow up with cats but definitely like them now. Both of my girls have cats of their own so those are my “grandcats”. They are all so unique and funny.
My daughters both have dogs, but neither one has ever had a cat. I don’t know quite why. Cats are easier. But of course I love dogs too.
We have three cats and they each have their own quirky personality. Our cats do like Ivy does, all of a sudden they stare up at the ceiling! It’s like you said, is there a ghost or entity there?
They are very entertaining!
Yes, they are!
Delightful post about cats! I have a dog right now, but have loved having a cat in the past. Beautiful photos of Ivy, I love seeing her!
Ivy is a hoot.
I would rather have a dog. Having one in the house is new to me. My dog is twelve year old. He does funny things and keeps his distance most of the time. I am allergic to cats.
There are cats that like to cuddle, and then there are cats like Ivy who do not want to be picked up or held
Yep. Zippo was such a cuddler, he was more like a dog. Monkey did not like to be picked up or cuddled but he would come and curl up in our laps or on our tummies if we were lying down. Same with Clem.
Oh Ivy, u are such a silly silly cat! She knows she’s not going to fall out of her house bc she’s securely in there! Lol
I just wonder if her body is squished in there.
The ancient Egyptian cat goddess is Bast (Bastet). I have a small soap stone carving of Bast that I bought at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s gift shop in 2005. The Met has an incredible collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities and in my two visits to NYC, I spent a couple of days just going through the Egyptian and the Greek collections of the museum. Bast is an offshoot of a very early Egyptian lion-headed warrior goddess, Sekhmet, who was a protector of her father, Ra, the Sun god. Sekhmet was depicted usually as a human figure with the head of a lioness and her personification of the less warrior like Bast occurred over time. Bast herself took the form of a domesticated cat. Some archaeologists suggest that Bast guarded the tombs of the deceased. Her festivals (she had 4 a year) were very popular with both men and women, as she was associated with fertility as well as being a guardian of one’s home.
You always leave the most interesting and educating comments!
Cats are entertainment! Ivy is beautiful! I like to watch sitcoms. I think they make me feel safe and comfortable, like your blog. And as crazy as the outside world is that is what many of us are craving. Some blogs are run like a business with a huge storage room of props and a small staff. Their huge homes are beautiful but that is not many of us. I am 63 and am in pretty good health, thankfully but I am slowing down and that is ok. I worked hard all my life and deserve a rest. It sounds like most of your readers share similar interests and lifestyles as you and I. I feel comfortable when I read your blog! Hopefully you will feel better every day. In the mean time Ivy and her antics will amuse you!
Ivy has thoroughly entertained me during these past months when going out was so hard.
What a great picture of Ivy hanging out the back end. And, yes, it looks so uncomfortable. Our one cat my daughter took in at 4 mths of age has taken to not liking the expensive food and only wants to eat Fancy Feast!! Oh how special they are❣️
That’s exactly what Ivy did. Those cans of food Steve took to the shelter were not cheap!
Ivy is a kitty with a mind of her own – just as so many of our cats are. My boy Max, now a senior gentleman (how can that be?!) sleeps a lot in his favorite spots. Recently he has become obsessed with the walk-in bedroom closet. I have to check to see if he’s in there before I close the door. Before, he could care less. His other love is shredded rotisserie chicken – all I have to do is say “chicken” and he’s there.
Our cats are a joy, for sure. Pets to Ivy. I hope your day is a good one. So good to have sent the cat food on to those who need it. Thank you for doing that and to Steve for taking it.
The food has been sitting there for some months. I knew I wouldn’t be able to take it for awhile, so Steve was very nice to deliver it where it was needed.
During my years I’ve been ‘allowed’ to live with numerous cats. LOL Haven’t had one in a very long time but it’s primarily because my grandchildren are allergic to them.
Ivy’s antics definitely provide lots of entertainment for you. She’s a beautiful cat, Brenda!
Have a wonderful day!
I don’t think she’s losing any weight, though I have changed her food in the past months to diet cat food mixed with her regular food. She wouldn’t eat it if it wasn’t mixed.