*this was a collaborative post, Layla the cat, had a little help with the keyboard too*
My name is Layla. I am a 15year-old half Persian cat. I live with a family of two children, another cat called Jasper, some African giant land snails, some fish, a gecko, and a hamster. It
I wanted to share some of my pet hates with you today. I am 15 in cat years, which makes 80ish years old in human years, which makes me old, (ish, although I don’t like to admit it, and pretend to be a kitten sometimes, when I want the humans to think I am cute) so that means I know a thing or two. I am pretty vocal, my human says I can be a bit demanding when I want to be. I just think I am a cat who knows what I like and what I don’t, and I like to let people know.
I really don’t like it when people try to pet me or pick me up when they don’t know me. It annoys me greatly. I am very picky about who I want to cuddle me, and I object strongly to random strangers trying to grab me.
I HATE fireworks. They make me frightened and my owner has to give me medicine that calms me down and make sure I am hidden away in a quiet room when people are setting them off. If I had my way, I would ban them.
I HATE having my flea treatments and medicines (I am part of a clinical trial for a medication to help cats survive an illness that can make them very sick) and get very grumpy when my human makes me swallow the yucky tablets, or insists on putting flea drops on the back of my neck, just where I can’t reach to lick them off. However, I don’t like having fleas, much, so whilst I growl and grumble, I let her get on with the job. I am very lucky, I know that my owner looks after me, and has made sure she has got my medical care covered so that if I need a trip to the vets, she doesn’t have to worry about the cost.
I HATE being too hot. But I also don’t like being too cold. I prefer to be warm in winter and cool in summer. Being dark chocolate brown, and very fluffy can be handy when it’s cold, but horrible when it’s hot, so I try to find cool spots to lurk in and like to shed clump of fur all over the house. My human complains, but then vacuums it all up. She says that one day she is going to make cushions stuffed with all the fluff I shed.
I hate it when Jasper, the other cat, decides he wants to eat out of my food bowl, instead of his, own, or when he hangs about, waiting to see if I have left any food (I never do, he never learns) or when he tries to sniff my tail, and annoy me, when I am eating so he can sneak a few mouthfuls away from me. I might have given him the odd swipe on the nose for this, but he keeps doing it. He’s so irritating.
I don’t like being brushed, but I also don’t like having clumps in my fur, and it can get very matted, if I have been playing in the garden, or hiding from the children, in the bushes. I will run and hide when I see the brush being brought out, but my owner has learned, unfortunately, how to hold me and brush me, despite my protests.
I don’t really like small humans much, they are annoying, move fast, are too loud, and they want to grab and touch me. I just about tolerate the humans that live in the house with me, because I have figured out how to make them give me extra food and treats when the adult humans are not around. They are quite easy to train and boss about. I will let them pet and stroke me when I am in the mood.
I hate the hamster, that lives in our house. It’s really just a mouse without a tail, and I don’t understand why the humans insist on calling it “cute” and think it’s hilarious when it scuttles about the house in it’s a big plastic ball. It annoys me, and I try and get to it, but I haven’t figured out how to get inside the ball yet, but one day, I will. Don’t even get me started on why they have snails and a lizard, although the lizard can be fun to watch and one day maybe he will let me chase him around, I would quite like that.
One of my biggest pet peeves and hates though is people who don’t think about what they need before they get a pet, and don’t make sure that they can look after them. Pet care and especially medical care for any animal, is expensive, and whilst some pets may be lucky enough never to need a trip to the vet, other than for a check-up, you might be like me, and need regular medical care or be like Jasper, the other cat in the house, who is rather silly and accident-prone, likes to get in fights with other cats and has been to the vet a few times. Making sure your pet is covered by good pet insurance, and can get the medical treatment they need, without causing their humans’ financial problems is really important. I have heard my humans talking about how expensive some of the treatments and care we cats have had to have, and how glad they are to have medical insurance for us, so I really wish that all pet owners would do the same. We cats (and other pets) are important, to our families. It’s good to look after us.
I also don’t think much of people who hurt animals. People who do that should never be allowed to own pets and I don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt their pets or animals in their care. I was rescued when I was a tiny kitten, and know what it’s like to not be treated kindly.
So, those are some of my pet hates. Does your cat or dog have any they would like to share? I am off to demand another can of tuna, and find a lap to cuddle on, because really, I am in charge and the humans do what I tell them, mostly.
You can also follow Layla the Cat on Twitter and on Facebook and Instagram too…
I don’t have any pets but my boys have a lot of the above hates 🙂