Life lessons for kids and cats
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Phantom learns how to play while Wan-Wan teaches a child to love
THIS PAST WEEK, I’ve seen two instances of lesson-learning, both from unexpected sources.
The first lesson comes from Phantom, the seven-kilo, 17-year-old American shorthair cat, who has been with us for a year now.
Because he has arthritis in his hips, he doesn’t move around so much. He does use his scratching pads, exercising his shoulders a bit, and when he’s in the mood, he’ll jump up to the bed.
To encourage him to exercise, I’ve brought in toys, little cloth mice on strings or on long plastic whips, but he’s not interested. I wave the toy about, imitating a mouse running across the floor, but after a glance, he looks away. “What is this thing?” I think he says.
One evening, I try yet again to interest him in some “chase-the-mousie”, but he’s distracted.
Manohra and Varee are outside the room, peering through the screen door that separates them from Phantom. These two ladies love toys. I can even keep Manohra from bullying the other cats when I wave a toy around.
This time, they’re watching me try to play with Phantom, and they really want those toys. “Gimme gimme gimme,” meows Manohra. “I want. I want. I want,” squeaks Varee.
Phantom doesn’t understand. Thinking the girls are trying to break into his room, he walks over to his side of the screen and stares at them, as in “Don’t mess with me.”
The girls won’t leave. Finally, I take one of Phantom’s toys outside, and the girls pounce on it, twisting and turning to the path the toy takes.
From behind the screen, Phantom watches them. At first, he’s confused. The girls are no longer paying any attention to him. Then his little computer-brain starts working as he slowly understands how that toy offers enjoyment.
When I bring the toy back to his room, he’s ready. He throws himself on his side, raises his arms and waits for the toy to come to him so that he can catch it.
Okay, so he doesn’t quite grasp the concept, but it’s a step forward. Who would have thought that Phantom could learn a lesson from two cats he doesn’t particularly like?
The next day, I see another way a lesson can be taught. I’m taking Wan-Wan, my tiny poodle, on her daily walk, when a young girl comes up to us.
I’m immediately worried. I’ve written before how this kid likes to hit my dog, which she does even when her mother is standing close by.
As she comes closer, I wonder if she’s going to hit my dog again.
Instead, she speaks to me. “Excuse me,” she says politely. “Does your dog bite?”
“Oh no,” I say. “She never bites. In fact, she loves children.”
“May I pet her?” the kid asks.
“Of course,” I say. “Just don’t come from behind. She won’t see you and she’ll be frightened.”
The girl very carefully taps Wan gently on the head. That’s a signal for the dog. Happily, she turns to the girl.
As soon as Wan turns, the kid jumps back, frightened. She doesn’t understand. When Wan sits, smiling, the kid moves forward again. Slowly, she moves her hand down to the dog’s ears.
Wan can’t help herself. She throws herself on her back and waits for the girl to scratch her belly.
“O-o-oh!” the kid says. Wan just smiles.
After a few minutes, the session ends, but not until I see the kid’s mother standing a few metres away. Mama doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even smile.
You can see, though, how proud she is of her daughter. I guess Mama already told her how to behave before we came along, and look how well the kid learned the lesson!
