Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 6

Then of course their welcome first son came along.  And our welcome visit happened soon afterwards bringing to them gifts from home in New Zealand from their own parents.  And all I remember from that visit is that famous line from our cousin’s wife – “I am just waiting for life to go back to normal!”  I have never forgotten her saying that and I can still see in my mind’s eye the entire scene as it unfolded. Those of us who are parents know exactly to what I am referring here.

The same when you get a cat, only the cat will always be dependent on you and your schedule.  You used to sleep in?  Well, forget that in a hurry.  Cats like to go outside to check out the perimeter early in the morning.  They like to relieve themselves before their breakfast.  They want breakfast at pretty much the same time every day.  They like their sleep when they want it.  Does this sound oddly familiar?  I giggle every time I think about people who think that life will return to normal shortly.  Not so with the cat.

Keith used to get up to go to work at 4am every morning – naturally before he left he fed Mottel.  Mottel loved him – he bounded around him all hours of the day when they met up.  No sleepiness involved with either of them. You have to understand my husband – he was brought up on a farm when things had to be done at a certain time.  And no matter what hour of the day, and no matter how physically tired he was, if he came in the door and his mother needed something doing – he would go back out in all weathers to keep her happy.  Sleep in his life was a privilege not something accepted as a standard in his life.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 5

9am saw the postman walking through the yard – Whitey knew him too – he was always kind enough to bring him something tasty as he always had his cup of tea with Keith’s Dad at that hour of the morning.  Smoko breaks, between shift breaks, lunch breaks, tea breaks – Whitey was in attendance at all ceremonies.  He worked like clockwork just like those who frequented the truck yard every day.  Yes sirree – Whitey was the Yard’s cat – everyone loved him and he absolutely loved being the boss there as well.  When I have asked Keith on occasion what memories do you have of Whitey – he always says to me “well I know he was always taking over – he ran the show!”

So if you think that a cat cannot be trained to live side by side in the world of humans, then think again.  Keith had a very well-trained cat for many years until he got a little too old and once day missed his footing around the 32 wheels of the big-rigs around which he worked – you can guess his demise from those few words.

Do you like to sleep in?  Do you have a cat?  I am not sure whether sleeping in and having a cat are two things that go together well.  It’s like when you bring home the new human baby and you just presume that it won’t be long before life returns to normal.  Which reminds me of a cousin we visited soon after they had their first child.  Previous to this momentous change in their lives, they had both been avid skiers – travelling the world to the renowned ski spots thoroughly enjoying their chosen sport of fun, pleasure and lucrative income.  They used to teach skiing to patrons who were attracted to the mountains in every country they headed for – they had an ideal SINGLE life as a married couple – no encumbrances, no commitments other than to each other – life was truly fun.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 4

And with Keith being a workaholic, he had 3 jobs – his sleep pattern was never the same on any given day – and wherever Keith had to sit before and during work hours, he trained himself to doze off even if it was just for a few minutes at a time.  This habit of his was not looked upon as very polite when he and I got together several years later as we would go out on dates with my friends only to put up with Keith snoozing when we sat down for any length of time together.  Hence my friends thought he was quite rude.

It was nothing in those days to drive a truck for his dad all day, then do a courier paper run in the early evening followed by some other little job that needed doing and perhaps a date with his girlfriend at that time –  I think that Whitey always thought that bed was his most of the time as truly Keith was hardly in it.

Truck yards have their own unique hours depending on the type of freight they haul.  More often than not, the gate would squeak open at 3.30am; Whitey would be up and out of bed ready at the door for that first truck driver to let him out. Then he would wend his way between wheels, trucks, legs – sniffing for anything tasty that might have crept in through the night – there was always a rat or several mice available – there was a tannery next door – Whitey would have a field day all hours of the day with his open smorgasbord.

Truck drivers always liked coffee when they came into the yard, so there were always morsels to eat from each of them as well as the usual plate of kibbled food that Keith or his dad would pour into his bowl twice a day.  Then the first trucks would be gone by 4.30am, Whitey was always busy during the early morning hours of every day – checking out who was going out and to where.  Had he been a human, then no doubt he would have been their despatcher as Whitey knew everything from those wheels – exactly where they were going and coming from.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 3

Another friend has not been strong in her endeavours.  While at first, their cat appeared to be very well trained to just have its own sleeping quarters, with the cold winter nights setting in and often being home alone with the cat most evenings, that little minx has moved into the forbidden zone. First of all, it became very friendly with my friend – you know how it is, “let me sit on your knee and enjoy your company that way.”  “Let me wander around your legs as you move around the house.”  “Let me stay near your feet by the fire.”  All those little “let me” thingies that if you are not awake to it, eventually become “it won’t really matter if I just curl up on your feet while you sleep would it?2  To “it does feel nice that you are keeping my back warm when it is so cold” – to taking advantage of half of the soft pillow beside her head.  Needless to say hubby who was extremely happy to come home to a feline-free bed, now is not so happy sharing pillows and wife with “the cat”.

We have a special needs young granddaughter – I say young – 11 nearly 12 and going on 30.  She can become quite disruptive when out of her routine; therefore, rules have to be established right from the beginning when she comes to visit.  And now that she is able to converse with you sensibly, it is becoming easier to talk to her about what would she like to do and when.  Unfortunately she also never lets you forget once you have said something is about to happen.  And her memory is the most perfect memory God ever blessed anyone with.

We have had probably 2 cats between us before and during our marriage.  Keith’s cat before I even met him – loved the routine of the truck yard.  He of course, slept with Keith in those days – after all it was only him, Keith and Keith’s dad.  Plenty of room in 2 beds if one became boring.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 2

Thankfully she had her  own cat flap to go in and out therefore we did not have the bother of getting up and down to let her out or to let her back in. And  her entrance and exit was way down the back of the house, therefore by the time she had padded her way down to our bedroom which was right in the front of the house, there were no longer wet paws climbing in between us making muddy paw marks on my lovely waterbed fitted sheet.  Her fur might still be wet though which was often something that upset me on rainy nights.

By the time we downsized to our bus our favourite Mottel was no longer – as I mentioned earlier in another chapter she had suffered a fatal stroke when jumping up into Keith’s arms.  Before we downsized however, we did take a couple of trips away to Auckland to visit our children in the bus and their cat loved our bed – not inside – but on the outside this time – we often found him curled up on the soft blanket that covers our duvet as we always left the door open for young grandies frequent visits during the day.  And because we were parked in their driveway – we were just opposite their back door, therefore it was very convenient for their cat to slink in – sometimes sitting in the sun on the steps or up on the dashboard by the wheel, but mostly on our bed down the back.

Our Mottel never travelled with us – she was quite happy being left at home guarding the place – well why wouldn’t she be?  She had the free reign of a nice warm house with multiple rooms and waterbeds to curl up on and no doubt made the most of our bed when we were away.

One of my friends finds it very easy to put a no go zone on their bed – their cat is so well trained and knows it’s place in its own bed out in the lounge. Even in the daytime, there is no sign of the cat on their bed or anyone in the house’s bed for that matter.  She started out as she meant to carry on and right from the minute the kitten came into the house, it was introduced to its own boudoir luxuries.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Luxury cat Beds

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 1

Losing Sleep Because Of Your Cat Pt 1

I’m not sure about you, but I do suffer from sleep deprivation at night. Not because I have a pet of any kind, it’s just that I wake up to a call to nature and find it difficult to get back to sleep again.  I have tried reading. I have tried writing another chapter to a book. I have tried staying up to get a few hours work done so that I could possibly sleep in in the morning.  None of it works.  I still find myself a victim of less than 5 hours sleep most nights.  What’s more, the more I get into health issues, I realise that that is not a good thing for someone my age – or anyone really as during sleep time, your brain is supposed to be resting and your body is supposed to be healing itself.

Therefore it leaves me wondering how do people with pets get on when they want to play and go for walks outside and then to be let back in again during the night time hours when their owners are themselves settling into a good eight or nine hour block of pure rest.

I thought I would ask around to friends I have who have cats and ask them if they have possible solutions to this problem if they have it in their house.  Actually from memory when we had cats ourselves – only one at a time as that was all I could handle!  – I remember our cat Mottel loved our water bed.  She loved to lie right down between us which was often a problem for me as I like to cuddle my husband at night and especially when he worked late and came home not just tired but very cold to the touch.  Of course, he wanted to be by the source of heat in his bed when he eventually was able to climb in.  However, when you have a very long stubborn sleepy cat between you, then I can assure you that our nights were not often peaceful, calm and loving towards each other.  He loved the cat in our bed while I did not!

Thank you for reading my blog.
Please comment below and share my link.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Cats

Getting Your Cat To Sleep

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 7

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 7

And then there is the Facility Therapy Cat who along with their handler actually live in an assisted-living facility such as a care or nursing home.  Their roles are entirely made up of providing comfort, support and just their own presence to all of the residents in the home.  What a comfort to just see cat wandering around or lying on the couch or on someone’s knee.  I know when my father-in-law was in a home, they had a couple of Facility Therapy Cats who lived on site and everyone loved them.  My father-in-law would often seek out their companionship of the cat when his long-time partner became a tragic victim of Alzheimer’s  and who never knew him most days.  The cat served him well during those years before he passed himself.

A Therapy Cat is also most useful in a detention centre of some kind.  Because of their calming natures, a person who is locked up for various reasons can find great comfort from the visit of a Therapy Cat.  In some cases, their presence on occasional visits have helped rehabilitate them back into a normal life situation.  All praises go to the Therapy Cat and their owners who take the time and have the patience to bring comfort to those who suffer wherever they may be housed.

Next we have an Emotional Support Cat who actually resides with the patient needing them.  Amazingly and with great foresight on the part of the medical profession in charge of the situation, they come to them as a prescription cat.  So long as the patient shows no signs of an allergy to the cat being prescribed, then that is the only drawback.  I think I mentioned earlier that this could be the difference to being on harmful medication or not. Certification is not needed in the case of an Emotional Support Cat as with the Therapy Cat.  However, the prescription for such an animal needs to be in the possession of the patient at all times, the prescribing doctor usually being a mental-health practitioner.  Should anything happen to the cat or the person, there is this necessary paper-trail to provide up to date information in cases of travel or being out and about in the public arena.

So you see, cats can be most useful  as Cats In A Medically Supportive Role. Their roles are necessary for the servicing of those with mental health problems, recovery from physical and mental accidents of either nature or of the world, in the work place as a calming authority, in detention centres in the same capacity, as just great companions to provide someone to care for and love when their own two legged companions have gone the way of the world.

Physical, Mental and Emotional trauma of any kind can be treated with or without medicine by just introducing our feline friend into the midst. They have been adored and respected from year 1.  And now in 2017 why should they not be allowed to continue in this role as very special beings created and sent to we humans as a comfort and loving friend in times of need.

Thank you for reading my blog.
Please comment below and share my link.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Emotional Support Therapy Cats

Cats

How To Describe A Cat

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 6

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 6

We have a special needs granddaughter who loves the animal world – we tried her with a cat, but she was too rough with it and hurt it to the point of it becoming aggressive – not through any fault of her own were she a normal thinking person.  It’s just that with her disabilities both mental and physical she was unable to be careful and soft and cuddly with a cat.  She does much better with a dog that is larger and able to take her rough treatment in a much more sturdy way.

Other families that I have observed with mental illness in their family take to a cat much more readily.  The y are, after all, normally domestic creatures of a friendly disposition and can be good for anyone working out of an anxious or depressed state of mind.

There are also cats that are known as Therapy cats.  These cats belong to an organisation that takes them visiting all over the place – to rest homes, to individuals with special needs, to hospitals, to kindergartens, and to schools.  There are many places where a Therapy cat be needed for short periods of time and not as a live-in type of situation.  Cats of course have to qualify for this service – they first of all have to be registered as a Therapy Cat with an organisation.  Other requirements of them are that they should be familiar with travelling and will travel with and with ease.  They should be very social animals with an ability to be calm in all situations with an assortment of people and personalities. They should have a minimal shedding problem.

Their roles then would be to help with people undertaking therapy on a physical basis.  Perhaps when one is recovering from surgery, or doing their best to regain their motor skills after stroke or accidents. It is amazing just how liberating it can be to someone to just be able to hold and fondle and pet a cat.

What an amazing feeling of accomplishment that would bring to someone’s mental state being able to do something as simple as that when previous to this they have suffered such debilitating awkwardness due to something that has cut them off from leading a normal life for a period of time.

Thank you for reading my blog.
Please comment below and share my link.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Emotional Support Therapy Cats

Cats

How To Describe A Cat

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

 

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 5

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 5

Cats really cannot be described as being a service animal as such. Their abilities to fetch and carry do not really conjure up a picture within me as being that helpful to someone who might not be able to see,  hear or get around in public places for example.  But that does not mean to say that cats cannot be used in other areas of support when needed.

As I mentioned before some cats are sent as angels and they just arrive on your doorstep and become what you need just at the right time. Their presence is awesome – they are awesome.

When one is emotionally challenged a cat can be just what the doctor ordered and the only side effect that I can see is that they might miss depositing their excrement outside of the litter box occasionally.  Wouldn’t it be great if we humans could get along without drugs and harmful medicines that hurt you in other ways when used for a particular ailment in your body, when all you would need is a prescription for a cat to love and nurture.

Emotional support and companionship may not be considered a physical work task, however, their presence in these roles are certainly worth consideration where cats are concerned.  My sister has always had a cat – she has suffered mentally through our cruel upbringing all of her life and I know she has had a few cats in her life to help comfort  her in times of need.  And even where she works as a carer through the long night hours at a facility that houses people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities, their house cat is among their prized possessions. My nephew suffered a tragic and horrendous beating when he was a mere 13 year old young person at the hands of a bully, which left him mentally retarded for the rest of his life.  He is now in his thirties and he adores their cat as a comfort to him.

So people with mental health issues do well to have a cat as their support animal.

Thank you for reading my blog.
Please comment below and share my link.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Emotional Support Therapy Cats

Cats

How To Describe A Cat

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 4

Cats In A Medically Supportive Role Pt 4

Cats just have this special thing about them – I know they are angels sent to us when we need them. They are smart as well as affectionate. And such good companions.  Mottel used to wait on the drive until Keith came home from work.  I did my best to always be at least awake when he got home as his hours of work could have him coming home at any time of the night.  He could always count on Mottel to be there though – awake and alert ready to jump up into his arms and bury herself deep into his work clothes.

So our Mottel was a great companion.

Our children have their own cats now and I see that same love with them and with the next generation of family.  It is marvellous that such an animal could be created to be of such comfort and joy to each individual.  One of my daughters is a busy executive and leads a lonely life otherwise – her Leo serves her well as a comfort and a loyal companion to her.  Our grandchildren in another family just dote on their cat and through my books they are learning why cats do certain things so that has been helpful for them.

The question has been raised as to whether a cat can be as supportive as a dog?  Well, I think that there are two worlds a dog world and a cat world.  Dogs are desperately needed in rehabilitation situations, such as guide dogs, or as companion dogs – and they can be taught to fetch and carry.  From my own experience with cats, I am not sure that they can be taught such much-needed skills.  Dogs have their place in a world filled with anxiety for many people who need service, whereas I think that a cat can provide emotional and therapy support.  Dogs are much needed where there is a person with physical limitations – whether it be a disability both physical or/and emotional – their special training help many people in the world to get on in life where without their dog the quality of their lives would be severely hampered.

Thank you for reading my blog.
Please comment below and share my link.

Debbie Nicholson

Click here for your Audio link to this blog

Life Happens Volume 1

Life Happens Volume 1 A Collection of Funny Emails and Facebook Messages Dating From The 1980s To 2012

Our Favourite Links

Cathy’s Well Groomed Site

Debbie’s Other Blog

Emotional Support Therapy Cats

Cats

How To Describe A Cat

Amis de Chat Book 2

Amis de ChatNew Product Launch