Friday, January 14, 2005

I don’t give my cat enough credit

Before I get to how devishly smart my cat is, let me give you a little bit more information.

A while back the boys were put on a very strict diet that consists of ground, 99% fat-free turkey, oatmeal, pumpkin and yogurt. Because they are on such a strict diet they rarely get regular dog treats. Instead, they get things like carrots, turkey lunchmeat and other healthy little snacks.

On the rare occasions that I leave the house without the dogs in tow, the dogs spend time in their crate. The routine generally is that I will put on a CD of relaxing music and then tell Benjamin & Henry to “go to bed”. The boys always run straight to their crate because they know they are going to get a treat. Once they are inside the crate, I go to the refrigerator and get them a piece of turkey. Once they eat the lunchmeat I close the crate door and then I am on my way.

Well, the cat is quite fond of the boys’ new diet because she loves turkey. When the dogs were still getting regular dog treats, she would never stir when I told the boys to “go to bed”. Once she realized that they were getting turkey, whenever I said “go to bed” she started running to her food bowl and meowing for a piece of turkey. I gave her a piece of course and this was her routine for awhile. But now she is at the point that if I turn the stereo on to play the relaxing music she will come running from wherever she may have been meowing the whole way. Before I even give the “go to bed” command she knows that I am getting ready to leave the house.

So now, every time I turn on the stereo the cat thinks that she is going to get a treat! I had no idea that she was so observant. It makes me laugh every time and I can’t help but be reminded of Pavlov and his dogs - except that Cupid is a cat and her bell is a stereo.