Emily Hall, Founder & Owner of kittycatgo.com
November 16, 2021
Steve Dale, Radio Host and Certified Animal Behaviour Consultant
November 23, 2021
Many thanks to Cat Advice Columnist and author, Pamela Merritt, for sharing this week’s blog post! Stacy interviewed Pamela in episode #259 of the podcast, available to listen here.
Cats are now the most popular pet in the world. But the most joyous holiday season can be our cat’s worst nightmare. Everyone needs tips to help people, and their cats, enjoy the festivities.
Pamela Merritt, author of The Way of Cats, a well-reviewed and highly rated book on Amazon, runs the popular site of the same name, for over a decade.
“I specialize in cat training,” Ms. Merritt said. “Making people happy by making their cats happy. Instead of the cycle of punishment and avoidance.”
Principle One: Don’t fight the cat.
We lose. By this I mean we cannot obedience train them. But that doesn’t mean we can’t train them. We have to explain and persuade. Which is more fun, in my opinion.
For holiday decorating, this means making things either inaccessible, like in another room. Or making them portable, like a basket of greenery and treasured ornaments we can put away in a closet.
Principle Two: It’s their holiday, too.
Find traditions we can establish with our cat. Like my big rescue boy, Reverend Jim. He and I shared a bag of shrimp each holiday season.
Loving exchanges cement our bond of trust. This is how our cats will — not obey, but cooperate — with us. In nature, cats live in cooperative colonies. Mirror that social structure. Then, we ask each other favors.
Principle Three: Celebrate like a cat.
Cats are highly rational beings. They need a good reason to do something.
Don’t overload ourselves with holiday celebrations if we really want a night home. With the cat.
When we put all breakables in safe places, get them presents to play with instead of the decorations, or share our (unseasoned) holiday roast beast, it’s a holiday. For everyone.
