A cat article by the catgirl herself

I wrote this article a few years ago, and sent it to some cat magazine. It was rejected, because the magazine doesn't approve of cats going outside unless they're on a leash (cats? On a leash?). And after reading the article again after all this time, I'm sure it also could've been written better, but how could I not share my one cat article with you?

A Cat Who Thinks He’s A Dog?

My cat, Hobbes, is a real character.

A long haired tuxedo, who I found in my childhood as a stray, he has since been an indoor-outdoor cat. I have a dog, Willy, too - a long haired collie mix found by my brother as a stray (we have a talent for attracting strays in our family). Like many an owner, he is taken for walks- usually by me and my father, and my mother when I'm not in town.

I can’t remember exactly the first time Hobbes began tagging along when I walked Willy.

At first, he’d go in our direction, though usually keep his distance, running behind the bushes of various neighbors’ lawns.

This only happened infrequently, but then a few years passed and my family moved from Dayton, Ohio proper to the suburb of Centerville. We kept Hobbes in the condo, much to his agony, for the required six weeks.

And then, it started again.

I’m not sure how long after, because I was away at college, but he started going for walks with Willy, more and more regularly. By the time I had graduated and arrived home, he had a set routine, which continues to the present.

During the day he usually does not come along the whole way. He stops at a certain point, before an area that is a little noisier and busier. As soon as Willy and I turn around and head back, Hobbes comes back with us, jogging along when he gets a little behind.

All this is the talk of the neighborhood, or at least of the complex of condos where I live. People see me walking Willy, and then Hobbes comes trotting along a few feet back, and they can’t help but chuckle, or tell me how funny they think Hobbes is.

But it doesn’t end there.

At night, Hobbes gets braver. He’ll often try to come along for the walk the whole way, because it's much quieter. And when Willy and I get too fast for him, he’ll do something almost as funny as going along for the walk: meow, rather pathetically. From the sound of him, you’d think that he ran up a tree, or was in some kind of dyer trouble. And though it is funny, when I actually hear him meow I can’t help but pity him.

Is there an official explanation for all of this?

“It is uncommon for cats to go for walks with their owners,” explains T.J. Dunn Jr., DVM. “But for some reason, there are a few cats that do enjoy tagging along. In your cat's case, he may become slightly anxious about being so far from home base, and start to lag behind. Then, seeing itself somewhat isolated from his ‘family’, the cat vocalizes during a heightened state of anxiety. This could be looked at as a mild case of separation anxiety and the kitty is seeking contact and security with his ‘family.’”

So there you have it: a cat with separation anxiety. And though the vet didn’t say it, must think he’s a dog.

**

That was back in the days when I was in Ohio a lot more often, and Willy was alive. But Hobbes is still kicking and has taken on some of Willy's other ways, like begging for food in the same spot Willy used to. They definitely have some kind of strange connection. I miss Hobbes...here in New York the only pet in my apartment is my roommate's hamster. Not quite the same (though I freely admit he is very cute in his hamster way).

Four more posts to the deadline, and this week has not been quite so productive. I didn't even make it to three hours. But I plan to make up for lost time over the long weekend. Have a great Presidents Day!