Ten Reasons People Dislike Cats

1. Cats Are Independent

People tend to like pets that fawn over them and cannot live without their owner’s company. Cats do not fit that mold. This personality trait is not true for every single cat; there are some who are insecure and clingy. However, the average cat will be very self-possessed and will exert their own will over what their owner wants at any given time. Cats do not always come when called (although many do as long as it suits them), will hide when you really need them to go to the vet, and hate to be restrained in any way. Cat lovers learn very quickly not to hug their pets too closely and to always let the animal go when they do not want to be cuddled anymore. Even docile cats will scratch to escape a tight embrace. If you try and force a cat to stay in your arms that animal is less apt to come to you again. Cats are not pack animals like dogs and do not require affection to survive. They can definitely fair better when alone or homeless than dogs. Despite being independent and proud, cats still gift their owners with attention and love if the human is worthy.

2. Litter Boxes

The very idea of a litter box can tip the pet scale away from owning a cat. Many people simply do not want a box in their home where an animal goes to the bathroom. Unfortunately, litter boxes have gained a bad rap because owners forget to clean them enough and the smell and mess become overwhelming. Imagine having to step into a filthy outhouse every day that has overflowed and then you can empathize what cats go through in full litter boxes. Also, people need to have one box per cat in the household to avoid power struggles amongst their feline roommate. When a cat out of necessity starts elimination in areas outside the box it can become a chronic issue. Cats are creatures of habit and often develop favorite litters, areas and even times of day to go in the box. Try not to disrupt the routine and keep the box clean so litter won’t be the reason your cat is an outcast in the home.

3. Scratching

Cats like to scratch and you will never stop them from doing this activity. The only hope of saving your carpets, furniture, staircases and curtains is to divert their attention to acceptable scratching areas. The fact to remember is that cats do not scratch to make you mad or because they maliciously want to destroy your possessions; they scratch because it is natural for them to do so. Scratching exercises their muscles, sharpens their claws and takes off the old covering on their claws. The easiest solution to the scratching dilemma is to buy your cat a post and put it somewhere convenient for the pet. If the cat does not seem interested in the post try rubbing some catnip onto the post. You can also discourage the animal from scratching areas other than the post by employing a few proactive tactics. For example, the judicious use of a squirt gun when you catch the cat scratching might change their behavior but this method will not work when you are not home. Another effective method for stopping the scratching is rubbing fresh orange peels or spraying bitter apple on sofa arms and carpet to scare your cat away; they hate the smell. If you cannot stop your pet from scratching ask for advice at your vet. There are many products designed to keep cats away from areas in your house. These anti-scratching products use scent, sound and texture to keep cats at bay. 

NEVER remove a cat's claws because they are extensions of the toe and act as the cat's fingers. Declawing is very frowned upon now.

4. Hairballs

There are very few things in life as surprising and disgusting as walking through your home, especially at night, and stepping on a warm, mucus coated glob of fur with your bare feet. Even seeing a hairball can forever put people off owning cats. Hairballs are produced because cats lick themselves clean, sometimes spending a considerable part of their busy day grooming and chewing on their fur. Cats don’t swallow their fur on purpose; they have no choice because their tongues have little backward barbs on them which do not allow the cat to spit loose hair out. Most of this ingested hair pass through the intestines easily but sometimes if there is too much hair it mats up and can get stuck. Cats need to regurgitate the hairball or serious health issues like blocked intestines can result. The easiest solution to this potentially serious problem is to brush your cat regularly. This will reduce the amount of loose fur your cat ingests and be a pleasant bonding activity. You can also feed your cat petroleum jelly or butter to help lubricate the passage of the hair wad and make sure you buy high fiber cat food to keep your cat’s digestive system healthy.

5. Cats Seem Perverse

Cats have very strong personalities which can rub people the wrong way. They run around the house, careening off of furniture and walls, knocking valuables off of shelves for fun, leaping down from cupboard tops with no warning and then attack your feet when you try to change positions in your sleep. Sharing your home with cats can be like living in a minefield; you never know what the day might hold. Men, in particular, have a hard time with pets that cannot be controlled or at least intimidated and cats tend to be immune to disapproval. One of the most common complaints by non-cat lovers is that these pets seem to take delight in leaping into the laps of people who genuinely do not like them. This behavior seems like a deliberate act designed to annoy but there is a reason for the cat’s actions. Cats are aggressive animals and will make eye contact, move towards and hiss at other animals when threatened. People who dislike cats tend to ignore them, avoiding both eye contact and physical interactions. Cats see this type of reaction as extremely friendly so they jump right up to make friends. They don’t know the cringing person does not like them.

6. Allergies

Many people are allergic to cats and tend to hate the little creatures that produce such unpleasant symptoms. A common misconception about cat allergies is that all that congestion and red eyes is caused by the cat fur. This is incorrect. Cats have a protein in their saliva which is put on the fur when the animal grooms itself. This protein can also be transferred off the fur onto couches, carpets, and beds when the cat walks, plays, sleeps or rolls around. Allergens from cats also can be airborne for long periods of time so you need to utilize several strategies to control exposure. Rubbing the animal with a microfiber cloth can remove some of its dander; this is more effective (and safer) then bathing the animal. You can also keep the cat out of your bedroom completely to make it a dander fee zone and wash all your bedding (and chair covers) at least every two weeks in hot water. Getting a high-quality HEPA air filter system and vacuum can remove a great deal of allergens from your home. The easiest way to minimize your symptoms, besides getting rid of the cat, is to wash your hands after petting the animal with a good antibacterial soap.

7. Attitude Based in History

Some schools of thought maintain that men dislike cats because of the subconscious association to witches and continuing historical prejudice. Cats went from being worshipped by ancient cultures such as the Egyptians to being despised for over 800 years after the 10th century. Accused witches were usually women who performed healing and midwife duties. These independent women were feared and persecuted and their cats were labeled as witches helpers in the dark arts. Cats were thought of as agents of the devil and many believed that witches could turn into cats to perform their wicked magic. Hundreds of thousands of felines (sometimes with their human companions) were burned, buried alive, drowned and otherwise put to death in the name of protecting the church or community. Cats, especially black ones, to this day are still thought to be bad luck if they cross your path. This fear and distrust is not logical but catching sight of glowing cat eyes in the middle of the night can bring a shiver down many people’s spines.

 
8. Cats are not Manly

Stereotypes are not acceptable in modern society but several still revolve around pet choices. Cats have gained a reputation as being somewhat feminine despite the obvious macho attitude that most cats tend to exude. This misconception might have its roots in the familiar story about old ladies and their many cat companions. Countless jokes are made about mature single women who start to accumulate cats as a defense against their lack of masculine companions. This feminine scenario has no place for a single man and his cat. Cats are only considered okay as a man’s pet if he acquired the animal through his wife or girlfriend. Otherwise, he would have a big masculine dog to walk and throw sticks to in the park. Despite these prejudices, cats are actually perfect for men because they require very little maintenance besides feeding them and cleaning the litter box. Cats are also very forgiving if an owner has to work late or has no time for cuddling.

 
9. Cats Rub Against Everything

Cats despite their well-deserved reputations for independence also like to rub their faces and bodies against people. Women tend to love this type of appreciation but men are not as enchanted by the shedding fur and inevitable cat behind in their face. Cats rub against their owners for many reasons including the need to be affectionate. Cats also rub against things they want to mark as theirs in a territorial manner. Basically, cats have glands located all over their bodies that secrete different pheromones which are used for communication through scent. When your pet rubs against your legs these pheromones cling to you and tell other felines that you belong to a cat. Cats also like to butt their heads against you to produce a shared scent which is comforting to the animal. Anyone who has tripped because of a cat twining through their legs can attest to the fact that cats will rub up against their owner when hungry as well. No matter what your cat is trying to tell you, it is obvious that rubbing and cuddling are crucial to feline communication.

 
10. Cats Are Not Dogs

The most prevalent reason some people don’t like a feline is cats are not dogs. People tend to fall into two camps when it comes to pet ownership: dog people and cat people. Dog people enjoy the loyalty, unrestrained affection and need to please that canines display to their owners. Cat people are proud of the quirkiness, personality and self-reliance that felines exhibit. Cats should not be penalized because they are hard-wired genetically in a different way from dogs. Canines are pack animals that are submissive to their owner because that person is the “alpha” in the pack. They display loyalty and obedience because many types of dogs have these traits bred into them over centuries. Cats are not part of packs and are in many ways still relatively undomesticated. Cat and human relationships are often give and take scenarios where each receives a benefit from the other. Cats are fed, kept warm and dry while humans get the pleasure of the cat's company and occasionally a dead mouse or two.

I personally like cats just as much as dogs and that any preferences between the two is just a person’s likes and dislikes. This ‘person’ can be a man or women and can like dogs, fish or gerbils. I’m just happy when a pet gets a good home and every pet deserves that! Let’s all treat our pets like they should be treated, with as much love as they give us.

Before you get any pet, do your research on it. Does this pet fit your lifestyle? Your home? How much can you afford to spend on a pet? Should you get a baby animal or an older animal that needs a home? How much time and energy can you put into that pet?

Talk to a person who has a pet like you’re interested in and see what they have to say. If you're thorough in your search for the perfect pet, you will have the perfect pet at home and they will love you forever.


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Life's Brilliance

My friend Mark wrote these words just for me at a time when I really needed them and although it's been some time now, his words still deserve to be heard today.

He's a Veteran, and a sweet man. Mark is an excellent writer and he says the words just flow through him and I believe it. I like to think of him as a "gentle giant" he's so considerate.

He's helped me think about my problems in a way that has really helped me in the past plus it's nice to know that someone does care that much to go out of their way to write a blog for you especially in hard times.

We have just had the horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan that will forever change our world as we know it and we still all have problems of our own to contend with. It’s amazing how just the right words can move your soul.

To Mark, I pray that your soul finds peace through your writing and you have a long life to enjoy with your family and grandkids!

Life’s Brilliance*

Wonder do I what people see; be it a dandelion or a weed.
See you not the brilliant yellow; with the green of the leaves.
Or be it that what you see is just something unsightly.
They need nothing from man, yet held most contemptible by him.
Be this not like life, when what we see becomes unsightly.
That the harshness of life’s cruelty; be this when we see that which be a weed.
Oh, could we not see the color of the dandelion, life’s brilliance.

*For Bekkie

I hope you find peace in these treasured words.


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Tastes Like Chicken

Human tongue on the hospital canteen menu?

A human tongue has been served up in a hospital canteen's chicken risotto and bosses figure it was accidentally dropped into the food by another doctor.

Slovenian officials are investigating after a doctor complained about a strange piece of meat on his plate. The doctor insisted it was not chicken and after some intense bickering it was sent away for tests and found out it was part of a human tongue!

I guess that answers the question that "everything" doesn't always taste like chicken!

Inspectors have closed the canteen in Izola, southern Slovenia, to review hygiene standards. A hospital spokesman insisted: "I can say clearly that we have never used patients' parts in any of our dishes."

Bosses believe that another doctor could have unwittingly dropped the tongue in the food after treating a patient. This begs the question…Slovenian Doctor, why are you even carrying around a human tongue specimen in the canteen area of the hospital in the first place? Gives me the creeps! Thank heavens I don't live in southern Slovenia!

(And yes, this was a true story in the sense that it was in a newspaper article I saw online.)

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Alice In Wonderland Syndrome

I picked Bekkie In Wonderland for my website name because Alice In Wonderland is not only a book I'm fascinated with but it seemed a name like that for my site really captured my offbeat creativeness and personality. Just like my own little Wonderland in my head and heart! Then as I did more research into the book, the author and other things Wonderland I found many fascinating things connected to it all. My mind can do wild and wonderful things for me, but sometimes it can seem like I'm under the Red Queen's decree, "Off with your head!"

I'm sure we all have had these days, and as I was searching the web today I found a real illness named after Alice In Wonderland! It doesn't sound like any fun at all in this case! At About.com this is what I found and it's called Alice In Wonderland Syndrome.

What Is Alice In Wonderland Syndrome? Imagine this: You're hallucinating, and you know it. Time is messed up. First, time seems slow, then it seems to be speeding up. Even more noticeably, when you look at your body, it seems to be morphing. You're getting smaller. Minutes later, you're growing larger and larger. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome is a rare form of migraine aura. The most distinctive symptom is this type of metamorphosis, a distortion of body image and perspective which migraine sufferers know is not real. This can occur at any age but is more commonly experienced by children.

This syndrome was first described by C.W. Lippman in 1952 and named such by J. Todd. In his 1955 article, the syndrome of Alice In Wonderland was written about in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. He named it for Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.

Carroll is known to have had bad migraines and it's thought that much of the imagery for his writings may have been inspired by his own migraine auras.

The idea for the name of the syndrome comes mainly from the opening scenes of Alice in Wonderland. After Alice falls down a rabbit hole and lands in a hallway she finds a bottle that says, "Drink Me," which she drinks that causes her to shrink. "I must be shutting up like a telescope," she said and so she was, now only 10 inches high! Later, she eats a piece of cake that says, "Eat me," that makes her grow. "Curiouser and curiouser," cried Alice. "Now I am opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Goodbye feet!" (For when she looked down at her feet they seemed to be almost out of sight they were getting so far away.)

These are textbook migraine symptoms and describes the Alice In Wonderland Syndrome well. Lewis Carroll used his strengths and weaknesses to his advantage when he wrote his books and throughout his life. Along with this, he had other fascinating characters in his books that have very interesting backgrounds like the Mad Hatter. But that my friends is yet another blog.

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A Pill For Happiness

You know those days when you wake up feeling somewhat…unhappy. On those days, wouldn’t it be nice to have a happy pill to make you feel better? One that doesn’t even require a prescription?

A design firm in Barcelona has come up with a fun and different candy shop called “happy pills” selling placebo happiness in jars and pill cases not unlike real pharmacies.

So you wake up feeling bad for no reason with a full day ahead of you, what do you do? Maybe you need a bottle of “happy pills” to sweeten your day. Something that will make you happy by popping a pill that has no side effects. Imagine tasting that yummy candy on your taste buds; pills you can’t overdose on. Let the sugar rush take care of the doldrums and have an awesome day.

Just what the doctor ordered.

Nestled literally between two buildings on Avinguda del Portal de l'Angel, the “happy pills” shop would be fairly easy to miss. That is, if it weren't for the crowd of tourists and gawkers outside the store.

Once inside, you are greeted by rows of different flavors of gummy candy. You pick what kind, what size prescription you want and they pack them in tamper proof bottles for you. They seal the bottles shut and put the descriptions on the bottles in English or Spanish.

“Against the unbearable lightness of being”, “Against Mondays”, and “Against the square root” are some of the (translated from Spanish to English) prescriptions of happy pills they are offering at their unique store.

The process and the presentation are clean and enjoyable, long after the candy has been consumed (which happens very quickly). So I have a smile on my face and a bottle of happy pills on my desk as I write this blog.

What a clever idea for a candy store! Now, if I only lived in Spain…or had some stock in the company. Ha ha!

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Break In At My Buiding

Black Hole, my artwork.

Just as I thought things were starting to calm down in life, Murphy's law went into action and showed me this was not to be. My apartment building had a break in on Tuesday before noon and the place that got broken into was only 3 doors down from mine. In broad daylight too! I wasn't home like I usually am either so it freaked out.

For those of you who don't know what Murphy's Law is, here is the definition: Murphy's Law is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." It's a true set of rules that have been around for decades that I learned about when I went to school for electronics.

Between 11 and 11:30am I left to go pick up my monthly medications. As I walked out to my car I looked at the other apartment doors (just a habit I have) and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, not that I expected to. I got to my car and noticed a strange car parked next to mine.

First I thought to myself; "Oh no, I hope they didn't ding my car door." So I proceeded to check my car to make sure (just in case I could get the license number) that there were no new dents. I wasn't seeing any and when I stood up all of a sudden there was a black teen in the passenger's seat of the car. He had been slumped down talking on a cell phone so I didn't see him at first and we both startled each other. I told him what I was doing and we laughed because we had scared each other.

I walked around to get into my car and saw a larger older black man going through our garbage bin. He was even opening bags and he looked like he had lost something the way he was going through them but he didn't live here. I didn't know him.

So many people go through our garbage bin anymore that it's not unusual to see strangers doing this, especially for cans. I just took note of him, figured the boy was waiting for him and went on my way.

I got back around 12:30PM and my roommate James was home for lunch. He was parked in my spot and when I ran in and asked him why he said just park on the street for now because something was going on. So I did and when I was walking back to my place I saw both our building managers and some neighbors outside and they were talking in a group. Something had to be up!

When I got inside my place James told me when he got home from lunch he saw the door to #5 had been kicked in and the kitchen window was even pried open. He couldn't get the managers to answer him so he called the police. I told him about the strange guys and that the door was fine when I left so we decided it must of happened between those hours. I told him the managers were out there now and James said the police were coming soon.

I went outside and told the managers about the strangers and a couple of other people said they had seen the older black man also and some said they had seen two young black men on another day. I told them when the police came if they wanted to speak to me I would be here.

The police eventually knocked on my door and asked me all kinds of questions. I could certainly ID the younger man if they caught him and they were glad to hear that. Otherwise, I told them all I could and they left to question other residents.

I spied some of my neighbors still talking outdoors so I went to ask them if I missed out on anything. As we chatted I came to the conclusion that since it was rent time (and the apartment wasn't really tossed) it seemed like they knew what they wanted and it may have been someone they knew. They only took the money and a few other items and seemed to know where to look. Of course, that's up to the police to figure out. We're all hoping they don't come back for more.

I was so blessed it wasn't me because if someone broke in here they would have had a field day finding things to take. Still, it was awfully close, too close for comfort as I had cash hidden then.

When I was still living in San Francisco I had a white female crack addict cat burglar (say that 3 times quickly) break into my apartment and I was home. She was on the fire escape coming in my kitchen window and we came face to face. I fought with her until she got away from me out of my front door. I picked her out of a lineup and they got her but the courts (even though this was her 3rd strike for cat burglary) gave her a month in jail with no drug rehab. (They had promised she'd get rehab but that's the way things go these days.)

Still, you only have yourself to blame if you're not careful about your place. Always keep your eyes peeled when you are around your home or property. Most people do not because at home is where we feel the safest and most comfortable. If anything happens out of the ordinary or you find some strangers on your property or at your door be vigilant! They may be dressed up and have the Watch Tower with them but that doesn't mean they aren't faking it to have a look around. Don't tell anyone where you keep your valuables or even if you have them. Use your common sense, these are hard times with even more hard up people.

Keep your eyes opened these days. Stay safe and stay blessed my friends!

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Too Many Guns

Do we really need another kind of gun?

Pirates are bad and we need to stop them. Now the Pentagon has an excuse and the headlines to contract Lockheed Martin and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging to make a .50 caliber rifle that can kill from a mile or more away. The money put into it so far? Altogether, 21.8 million dollars for a start and voiding technical difficulties it could be done by 2015.

The military needs the right tools for the job and I don't have a problem with them having the guns they need to protect themselves and our country especially during war although I'm against violence. I have 2 uncles whom were proud Marines so I know what they went through and I respect the military because of them. Unfortunately even military weapons of all types have filtered down to be had by the general public through illegal means and that includes sniper rifles.

President Kennedy's death comes to mind and he isn't the only one to die from a sniper. All you have to do is look at the news reports. Guns and the stupid people using them are causing more deaths of innocent people in the U.S. then ever before. Most states are practically handing them out to the public and countless non-military people even obtain permits to carry that gun until it is pried out of their cold dead hands.

Even if you don't own a gun I bet you know someone, a family member or friend (not in a job that requires a gun) that does. There are more guns than people to shot them. With a permit to carry a person can take their gun on airplanes, buses, trains anywhere they go in this country in any public venue.

I personally know many gun-totting Americans. Not only are they proud of it they have more than one gun to their name and most of them have never went to a shooting range to practice shooting these guns. My father was one of these people and he died by his own hand gun in 1990 after which the Indiana police were quick to hand that same gun over to my brother who took it back to Florida. The Indiana police should of destroyed that gun.

If a gun is just handed over to another person where is the gun control? Criminals have been caught with all kinds of illegal guns with silencers and guns that have been altered. The police (who are sometimes the problem) can't keep up and the murder rate caused by guns has gone up alarmingly. Hand guns can be bought very cheaply on the street with the serial numbers ground off, ready for a new crime.

If the military need this supergun and it saves solders lives I'm all for it but a supergun isn't going to stop bombs and other terrorism in our modern day world. We have so many weapons at our disposal already I just feel like that much money could be better spent.

So many have so little and we already have an expensive war that (along with oil prices) has brought our economy down even more. The people making guns and bullets still have their jobs and are making good money at it.

There was a plan to stamp serial numbers on bullets for more control and although I haven't heard anything about it lately it would sure make it harder to commit crimes with all guns. Better yet if there were no guns then people would have to fight hand to hand and I feel it would be a lot more fair. Maybe one man would think twice about attacking another and the death rate from shootings would go away. Or maybe I'm just dreaming of a better less violent world without guns and the people who almost worship them.

What a beautiful dream that would be, without guns! What do you think about guns?

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