By: Mel
News in the world of pet remedies is the creation of a product that helps induce a sense of wellbeing and calm in domestic cats. Stress and strain affect our animals, be it in the form of loud voices, banging doors or the actions of frenzied children holding on to tails and feet. Dogs maintain a level of joy throughout, easily cajoled with some quick loving, but cats can be a bit more tricky. The cats that I live with respond in the way most cats do, they ignore the issue and get on with it.
I have tried to seduce my cats with catnip but they remain wholly uninterested in any mind altering states this herb could offer them. So I am keen to see if the active ingredient in this new treatment – valerian – will hold any charm for them.
I have just returned from a short trip away and when I returned home today my two cats did not greet me when I came in. They usually do, but as it is a sublime day out there, the lure of the garden is too great. A few hours later while I was busy saving the fish in my tank from expiring as a result of the attentions of an overzealous fish –sitter, who had radically overfed them – I heard my older cat come in the door.
He announced his presence with a loud miaow and as I went to greet him noticed he had brought me a ‘gift’ from the garden. A beautiful brown snake all tied up in knots. And there lies the dilemma, I – a vegetarian – have a deep connection and love of a hunting carnivore, who expresses himself by bringing me gifts of semi -alive creatures that I then set about rescuing and trying to revive.
Maybe some valerian will calm down his need to hunt or maybe the little creatures will be sought after but not removed from their places of safety by claws and a paw. Maybe I need some valerian too.
On the subject of cats, why do so many people feed cats fish?
