#and they can get FIV or just hurt or even killed

[thesnowqueen]

this one person at work was telling me how one of her cats got pregnant and then she had like 6 kittens she needed to find homes for. and she was also telling me how another kitten was the sweetest thing and had a such a big personality and then the kitten got hit by a car and she was really sad. it took all of my willpower to not snap and go "that's why you shouldn't let your cats go outside, dumbass"

[nonegenderleftpain]

hey, only asking what is wrong with letting your cat out for the day? like if you don't force your cat out and as long as you know where your cat is and u safely get it inside before dark what is the issue?

There's a lot of issues, and I'm low on spoons at the moment so apologize for the tone in advance -

If your cat is outside unsupervised, you absolutely cannot know where it is. Cats are hunters, apex predators, that can and will roam for miles if you leave them out. Every minute your cat is outside unsupervised, they are in danger of poison, cars, predators, feral cats and people who like to kill cats for fun. They are smart enough to kill species into extinction (there have been roughly 63 extinctions in recent years if my memory serves, don't quote me on the numbers - do some research on it), and are invasive species everywhere in the world because we have domesticated them and sharpened their hunting skills as play behaviors because they're cute. They're very much not cute to the small mammals, birds and reptiles that cats kill for fun while wandering outdoors unsupervised.

And that doesn't even cover disease. Toxoplasmosis is a disease carried by cats that will guarantee death for almost every small animal a cat so much as scratches while infected, and they get it by catching it outdoors. They also run the risk of catching FIV and catching/carrying things like the bird flu, which is spiking right now and leading to the euthanization of entire *flocks* of fowl. Indoors, cats run no risk of ticks, fleas, worms and disease.

And all of the excuses people make for letting cats roam are based on false information. Cats are terrible mousers, because they kill for fun and are just as likely to leave mice alive than they are to kill them. Rat terriers were bred for that purpose. They are not wild animals that need to be outdoors, they are domestic animals that sleep 18 hours a day and are more than content to claim a house as a territory and play with their toys. They are not smart enough to know to avoid cars, and they ARE smart enough to learn to hunt even with a bell around their neck. And it bears repeating because people try to find excuses for it - cats are invasive species EVERYWHERE on the planet. They are not the same as their wild counterparts. We domesticated them, and by introducing them to wild ecosystems we have contributed to the annihilation of countless animals that are not equipped to deal with an invasive predator.

If domestic cats were the same size as dogs, they would never be allowed to roam freely. It's not legal to let your dog roam the neighborhood to kill things and get hurt, and it should be illegal to let your cat roam, too. If you care about your pets, you should want them near you, not left to fend for themselves in a world not meant for them. Outdoor cats live ridiculously short lives compared to their indoor counterparts, and yes that includes indoor/outdoor cats.

Cats don't belong outside. They belong inside where they can be safe, cared for, well fed and healthy. I consider those who let their cat out unsupervised as animal neglecters at best and abusers at worst. If you can't take care of your pet properly, you shouldn't have one. I love cats more than just about anything, and I want to know with 100% certainty that my babies are safe and warm and healthy, and I cannot wrap my mind around cat owners that think letting them just run free is good husbandry.

Again, apologies for the flat tone - I am not trying to come across as aggressive, I am just having a very low spoons day. I didn't want to lose your ask in my notifications by waiting until I had a better tone regulation day so I decided to answer it now. I hope this was educational, and please do more research into everything here. I know there are vets and vet techs here on Tumblr that have talked about this at length, like @drferox and @talesfromtreatment. Hit up their blogs, do some research, and keep your kitties inside where they belong. They'll thank you and live longer for it.

[imagine-organization-xiii]

If i may ask; can i please have how the org 13 members act around their crush? Thank you in advance ❤️

Masterlist - Incorrect Organization XIII - Tip Jar!

You might also like: when they realize they’re in love with s/o

This was a long-ish one that’s been sitting in the back of my drafts forever lmao - I hope you all enjoy, especially since it’s a bit of long read!

Special thanks to Miss Silverspoon, PhantomMuze, and Sam for helping with Luxord, Saix, and Vexen. Such babes.

-

Xemnas - Least likely to actually show it. I mean, there will be signs, but it won’t be blatant that he’s acting a certain way because he’s attracted to you. There might be some favoritism (giving you better missions, not scolding you when something goes wrong, looking the other way in certain situations.)

Overall, it’s going to be subtle. You definitely won’t pick up anything weird, but the other org members might. Saix will definitely be the one to come up to you, grab you by the shoulders and give you a good shake. “Please, he’s driving the rest of us crazy.” And you’re like “what the hell???” Saix: “Xemnas has been giving you the best missions and staring at you for five minute intervals. In his language, that means he’s practically a wanton hussy.”

Xigbar - Not ashamed in the slightest. He won’t even act any different. He finds you attractive, you find him attractive (Xigbar: “Everyone finds me attractive, obviously.”) So why bother wasting time?  He doesn’t really call it a crush, though. He thinks crushes are for children and he’s a man, god damn it, he doesn’t have crushes.

An unintentional sap. Before he plucks up the courage to say something to you - and it takes him longer than he will ever admit - he finds himself going soft for you. Thinks you’re pretty, instead of hot; wants to hold your hand instead of slam you against the wall. It’s a bit infuriating to him at first, but also maybe kind of worth it.

Xaldin - Ohhhh, man. He’s been in love before; he’s been hurt before. So he is ready to rein in that shit immediately. But it’s so difficult because he likes you so much and you’re so awesome. He’ll decide to give it a chance eventually, but it will take some time. He would definitely be content with just being friends, though, because he really doesn’t want to ruin what the two of you already have.

He makes sure to always be there for you. Always helps you when you need it. A gentleman in the ways that matter and a feisty, flirtatious beast in the ways that don’t. The type of guy to flirt by making sure that he takes his shirt off after a sweaty workout and casually flexes/stretches when he knows you’re watching but also makes sure you’re hydrated and wrapping your fists correctly when you spar.

Vexen - You’ll probably know about his crush before he does. He’s so absorbed in whatever his task is - his experiments, his theories, etc. - that he doesn’t even notice that his eyes linger on you and his posture automatically straightens when you walk into the lab. He’ll instinctively turn his body in your direction so that you’re almost always in his line of sight.

Doesn’t yell at you for walking into his lab when he’s obviously busy. Actually asks you for your input, likes talking to you and discussing his theories with you. You’re smart, but some of his experiments are beyond you, and he doesn’t mind explaining in simpler terms when you ask questions. It blows Zexion’s mind because he has a running tab on the different ways that Vexen throws people out of his lab and he’s never done it to you.

Lexaeus - not much for flirting. He’s come to terms with the fact that he likes you, but you’ve both known each other long enough that you know him, so there’s no way that he can pretend to act a certain way because you would know that something wasn’t right. It’s very difficult to tell that he has a crush on you - there’s no blushing, no flirting, no favoritism. He’s just his normal self.

When you finally figure it out, you realize that he showed his crush in subtle ways instead - offering a hand to pull you up after sparring, holding open a door for you, and apparently glaring at people who come up to flirt with you when he accompanies you to the market for groceries.

Zexion - “IT’S NOT LIKE I LIKE YOU OR ANYTHING, GO AWAY.” This emo little bastard doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions. He lost his heart at a really bad time, when he was still growing into himself, learning balance between anger, frustration, patience, euphoria, etc. so he’s very unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the idea that he likes you.

There may be a few gentle shoves and punches in the shoulder. He has so many feelings and has no way to put them into the world other than violence - because that’s really all he knows nowadays. But it gets better!!! You learn together.

Saix - Honestly, God help you if Saix gets a crush on you because he really doesn’t make it easy. If anything, he’ll be making your life difficult. He overcompensates about not giving you any special treatment, giving you harder and more difficult tasks/missions, or your workload might remain the same but his expectations are almost impossibly high. He’s not only trying to prove himself to the others; he’s trying to prove to himself that he doesn’t care.

He’s more difficult to be around tbh, and yeah, he’ll definitely seek you out which is a pain in the ass when you’re trying to avoid him. You’ll have to be the one to barge into his office, slam open the door, and yell at him that he’s being an asshole. He’ll probably back off a bit, but.... he’s really only rough on you because he knows you’re capable of more.

Axel - Axel falls in love unapologetically. He’s head over heels almost immediately and not even ashamed of his crush on you. Flirting becomes almost a part of your friendship because he’s just that comfortable with you. His mood is already so bright when he’s around you, but now it’s like the sun and you can’t help but meet his smile with your own grin.

But it gets to be kind of weird on his end because... you don’t realize that he’s being serious when he flirts? So many pick up lines. So many compliments. But you’re just like “oh that same old Axel haha,” and he’s left banging his head against the wall because he likes you so much but you’re so oblivious.

Demyx - He won’t even notice that he has a crush on you tbh. It will take him forever to notice. He knows he’s attracted to you, but he’s attracted to a lot of people so he didn’t think that it would be any different! A crush?? In this economy??? But he’s grateful, you know? Because there really couldn’t be a better person for him to have a crush on - like he could have a crush on Xemnas, of all people, and that would just be disastrous.

Doesn’t act differently until he realizes he has a crush. When he does realize, he’ll get nervous and clumsy. Shouting from across the hall, “HEY LET ME GET THE DOOR FOR YOU” and runs, trips, and knocks out a tooth. Just completely ridiculous stuff. You kind of notice that he’s acting strange, but it’s just Demyx, and it will probably take Vexen going up to you and saying “please put him out of his misery before he accidentally kills himself trying to flirt with you”

Luxord - Luxord is so charming, more charming than he usually is. He always has this endearing aura around him, and man, he turns it up when he tries to flirt with you. A gift giver - small things, a dessert you might like, a flower he stole from Marluxia’s garden, lunch when you’re busy, etc. Very aware of how to approach you; also knows where to stop before he goes too far. Knows how to read you pretty well in that respect.

Loves the romance that comes with having a crush because there’s so much raw potential. Feelings are confusing, they take a while to grow, but the idea that something amazing can be coming in the future is a great feeling to him. Great potential hangout ideas that don’t necessarily have to be dates, but they help you both metaphorically test the waters about what a real relationship could be.

Marluxia - arguably the most romantic out of everyone. Surprisingly?? Also the most sensible. Of the mind that, you know, if you like someone then do something about it. He has a crush on you? Why not just give it a shot, then? He’ll bring you flowers! Accompany you when you go somewhere! Take you for garden walks! Take you out to dinner!

Somewhere along the line it just becomes a relationship and not just a crush and he’s like, yeah I did this. When everyone’s like “omg how did you get her to like you back” he’s just like “because I did something about it unlike all of you idiots.”

Larxene - Listen. Listen. Larxene is a strong independent woman who doesn’t need someone else in her life to make her feel loved and powerful but damn, you’re so awesome and she has the biggest crush on you even though all of her instincts say that she’s being dumb. Will ask you to spar with her as an excuse to get close to you and don’t be surprised if she’s extra harsh when sparring - she definitely won’t be pulling her punches.

When you get closer, she’ll open up to you in a way that she won’t open up to anyone else, which is a big, obvious flag for you that her feelings may be more than friendship. She doesn’t like talking about herself or her past, so hearing things she’s never told anyone (except maybe Marluxia), makes you feel really great about being her friend.

Roxas - Man, he is such a cute little marshmallow, not shy in general but shy around his crush. He’ll do his hardest not to blush around you, but he does get nervous. So nervous, in fact, that he might make you think he doesn’t like you because he’ll tend to avoid you when he can. He doesn’t want to look stupid in front of you.

This baby feels things deeply, despite the lack of a heart. He always has felt things more deeply than others. Likes physical contact so when he gets over his fears of being around you, he’ll probably end up asking to hold your hand, randomly hugging you, giving high fives, etc.

Xion - Only really falls for people that she’s already friends with, because she knows them and she’s comfortable with them. It’s subtle for her, though. She’ll realize her crush one night and suddenly she can’t even speak to you without blushing, cheeks a bright pink against her pale skin. She’ll stutter, too, and she hates that’s she’s so nervous for no reason because you’re friends!!! And she has no reason to be nervous!!!

She’s also so helpful when she has a crush! Like Demyx, she’s eager to help you with whatever you’re doing, whether that’s mission reports, cooking, cleaning, etc. Unlike Demyx, she actually gets the job done and doesn’t get injured when trying to help. You’re always so grateful and thankful and that just makes her blush even more.

[afniel]

This is heavy and also carries a content warning for talking about impending pet death, so I'm just gonna put it under a read more...

...so the bup is getting pretty close to the end of his life. It's really hard for both of us. He was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease a few months back, and we've known this was going to be the eventual endgame since then, but...man, it just sucks.

We've given him an absolutely great life. No doubt about it. Good food, good medical care, lots and lots of love and even respect. We've always given him a lot of bodily autonomy. If he doesn't want handled, we don't handle him unless it's an emergency or for the vet. He knows this, too, so when we do handle him, he trusts us. Since his diagnosis we've been having to give him pills for nausea, which he absolutely hates, but we try to make it quick and give him treats and praise afterwards. He's been such a good sport about it, too, it's really amazing what a calm and tolerant little man he is. And we're at the point with his food intake now that we'd have to force-feed him, which...

I dunno, man. If this was temporary and he could pull through it, we'd make it work and learn how to do it as comfortably as possible for everyone involved, but...let's be realistic, right? He's entering renal failure. I can tell by how quickly he's suddenly stopped weight and become tired and weak and wobbly. Syringe feeding him against his will wouldn't solve anything, wouldn't improve his quality of life, and it would go against the way we've raised him for almost 13 years now.

And it really sucks so hard, I want to be able to do something, but there's just nothing to be done, I think. Death is another stage of life and when it's time, it's time, and I feel it in my gut that his time is really soon, one way or another. It just...is what it is.

But even accepting it doesn't really make it easier, you know?

I'm waiting for the vet to email me back since it was a long weekend, but we're already giving him subcutaneous fluids, which he handles like a little champ, and we've got him on both anti-nausea and appetite stimulant meds, and even with that, he's taking just a little food every day. There's not really much left that we can do...we tried some meds that might have helped his kidneys but he really didn't tolerate them well at all. I half wonder if they didn't kill his appetite so hard that it contributed to his sudden decline, but then again...this is probably just the point he's at. He was already stage 3 out of 4 when he was diagnosed. We bought him a fair amount of time with aggressive management, and it was worth it, but I think...the time is just coming and there's not much left to do but plan for the inevitable.

And I mean, he was a skinny little FIV+ stray when we adopted him from a local no-kill, so that he lived a full, happy life, and got old enough to reach a natural death? Shit, that's basically a win condition right there, isn't it?

It just sucks and I'm so deeply and tremendously sad, I don't even have words for it. Anything I can describe is like a single fleck of dust beside an entire mountain. But even then, I'm grieving this hard because I love him this much, and even knowing how much this step hurts, I still couldn't trade it for anything. And I'll be okay, ultimately. I've got my partner, and they have me, and we'll get through.

But man, it sucks so much. I think this is the worst part of it now. At least once it's over, however it goes, there's some closure and the uncertainty can end, but right now it's just nonstop anticipatory grieving and worrying and I'm really exhausted but we aren't quite there yet, so that's just where we are and how it is.

Whenever his time is, at least we know we spent all the time preceding it giving him the best and most love-filled life we could possibly give him.

But man, it sucks.

[thorne93]

Inside the Criminal Mind (Part 11)

Prompt: You’re married to Dr. Spencer Reid of the BAU, and are a distinguished doctor yourself on the team. You’re sent down to Miami, Florida for teaching and as a side request from the FBI, to investigate a string of missing persons. When you think you’ve figured out who the unsub is, your life becomes more complicated than you ever could’ve imagined.

Word Count: 2994

Warnings: (throughout the fic –>) death, blood, gore, killings, language, disturbing mental notions, mentions of rapes/murder/etc (You know, Dexter and Criminal Minds related business)

Notes: Thank you so much to @arrow-guy​, @carryonmyswansong​, and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo​ - without each of you, I couldn’t have finished, written, or properly navigated this story. Each of you helped me fish out details that were incredibly important to me. Beta’d by @carryonmyswansong and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo… Aesthetic by @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo

This is a crossover of Criminal Minds x Dexter. First time writing Dexter.

Also, the timeline is after Season 1 of Dexter, but during season 14-ish of Criminal minds into Season 15. Enjoy!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My place. 8:30” Dexter sent around 4 o’clock. You were about to start your last class of the day when you received the text. “Wear dark clothing.”

He must mean business, you thought. 

After class ended, you rushed to your apartment, dropped off your teaching supplies, grabbed a quick shower, throwing on a black t-shirt and dark jeans, then met him at his place. You came empty handed as it was late and he’d probably already eaten.

“What’s on the agenda tonight?” you asked as he opened the door and you stepped in. 

“Tonight is the big night,” he explained. 

Suddenly your mouth went dry and your knees were weak. 

“Tonight? As in…”

“As in you’re going to help me kill someone,” he explained. “Follow me.” He led you to the bedroom. He walked over to his closet and opened the doors, talking as he did every step. “I keep my kill tools in a duffel bag in this closet. It’s got everything I need from setting up the kill room to wrapping the bodies for disposal.”

You nodded, trying not to let your hammering heart be heard. You wanted this, you knew you did, but you were about to cross a line you could never turn back from. Killing in the line of duty was one thing, wanting criminals dead was one thing, studying Dexter instead of reporting him was one thing, but now, to actually help take someone’s life…

But you knew Dexter. You watched him. He did his homework, thoroughly. Hell there wasn’t anything he didn’t do thoroughly. He was a neat freak, he did his bloodwork to the letter with detailed reports, and you’d watched him research people. He tailed them, watched them, observed them. He made absolutely sure they were guilty before hurting anyone and what more could you ask for from a serial killer? 

“Plastic,” he said, holding up a roll. “This is to ready the room so no evidence, not one drop of blood is left.” He held up a blacklight. “To make sure no DNA is left anywhere.” 

Again, you nodded, not saying anything. 

“This is my tool kit.” he unrolled a black leather knife case. “Yours will look differently. I’ll help you with that, if you’d like.”

“Yes, please,” you said through a tight throat. 

“Alright, let’s see. Ah! Black trash bags to put the body parts in, reciprocating saw to dismember the body. Personally, I have a scalpel, slides, and a dropper. It’s part of my ritual, yours may be different. Have you thought about your ritual at all yet?” 

You shook your head. “I… I wasn’t sure I needed one? I just want to kill them and move on.” 

“Well, you may find that a certain part of the process is missing something -- your signature. The cut on the right cheek is mine. It’s not so much the cut, but the blood that I collect from it.” 

“I… I don’t want anything to remember them by, is that okay?” 

He looked away for a second, nodding. “Sure. Everyone’s different.” 

Then he went back to the inventory list, naming everything he was bringing and its purpose.

“Finally, the clothes. I wear the same thing, again, habit, ritual. However, I do wear a plastic face mask, apron, gloves up to the elbow, and coveralls.”

“That’s a lot of blood, how do you keep that from showing up?”

“I stuff it in separate bags when I’m done, leave in my hunting outfit, and I wash them as soon as I get home.” 

You nodded. 

“One more thing. I bring pictures of their victims. I tell them what I do. I tell them why they’re there. I want them to understand exactly how they ended up on my table. You might be different.” 

“Okay, so what do you need from me tonight? Do I just watch or do you want me to help or…?” 

“Actually, tonight I think you could help me capture him.” 

“Decoy?”

“Exactly. You’re going to talk to him as he comes out of his restaurant, I’ll come up behind him, stick him, and we’ll put him in the trunk. From there, you’ll help get me in his house. Don’t worry, he lives alone, and for the past week, he hasn’t had any visitors.” 

“Okay. Let’s do this then.” 

“You seem nervous, you alright?” 

“I’m just… first time, you know?” you said, your hands getting sweaty, your eyes darting around. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve don’t this dozens of times. It’ll be easier than you think.��� 

“Okay,” you said, unsure, nodding. 

“It’ll be new for me too, having a partner,” he said, trying to assuage some of your worry. “We’ve got this though.” 

Again, you nodded.

“Shall we?” 

“Lead the way.” 

With that, he threw his duffel bag over his shoulder and you followed him to his car. The two of you drove in utter silence on the way, your mind whirling with thoughts, worries, concerns.

What if you got caught? You’d be sent to prison, Dexter probably put on death row, Spencer would divorce you in a heartbeat, he’d hate you. You’d ruin his trust in everyone. Everything you worked for would be gone in a flash. Your family would disown you. The BAU would be disgraced. Garcia’s heart would be broken. Emily would hate you. 

Your life would be over. Everything you’d built would be for nothing.

Finding a new courage though, you swallowed it down, taking a deep breath.

And that’s why you’d never get caught. 

“Okay, we’re almost there. He’s going to come out of the backdoor around 10. You need to approach him. I don’t care what guise you use, just keep him looking away from the car as long as you can.” 

“Cameras?”

“None, already checked.”

“Other employees?” 

“Should already be gone. We’ll canvass the parking lot first to make sure.” 

You nodded and he pulled into the small parking lot behind the bistro the chef owned. Your heart was about to pound out of your chest. Part of this felt so wrong. But then again, it felt so wrong that innocent restaurant patrons had to bury their loved ones because of this guy. 

That’s all it took to steel your nerves. 

“See anyone in any of the cars?” Dexter asked as he tried to peer around.

You looked at each car for five seconds for movement. There was none.

“I don’t see anything.”

“Alright. Let’s get our man.” He turned to you just as the chef walked out of the backdoor, trying to lock it. “You’re up.”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded and got out of the car. You walked up, trying to think of a good ruse. 

“Excuse me,” you said sweetly coming up behind him. 

He spun, slightly startled. 

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, I’m a pastry chef student. I’m about to graduate and I just adore your work and I was wondering if you had any openings for me?” 

“I’m not looking to hire anyone,” he informed gruffly. “Good night.” He started to move to go around you but you stepped in his path, glancing to Dexter who was moving silently between a few cars. He was just ten feet away now. 

“I really beg you to reconsider. I’m a great chef--”

Dexter was behind him in an instant, the needle in the chef’s neck, and the guy went limp. He caught him easily. 

“And a great liar,” you mocked as you smiled to Dexter. He grinned back.

“Pull the car around,” Dexter commanded gently.

You dashed to the car and brought it over before helping Dexter put him in the trunk. You got back in the passenger seat and Dexter got behind the wheel to lead you back to the guy’s place. Luckily, he had a driveway that went way back, far from prying eyes. Dexter picked the lock and ordered you to grab his tools and go into the dining room. You did as you were told, moving quickly. 

Dexter drug the chef in and you shut the door. 

“He’ll be out cold for the next thirty minutes. Help me put up the plastic, please.” He opened his duffel bag and grabbed the rolls. The two of you draped the plastic on all four walls, going over the table. 

“Now, we have to disrobe and wrap him in plastic and tape him to the table.”

“He’s… We’ve got to have him get naked?” you asked incredulously. 

“Well, yeah. I can’t tear through clothing. I could but…” 

Agan, you swallowed your aversions and set to help him, pulling the clothing off this guy. It felt really weird undressing an unconscious man, and even weirder seeing a guy naked that wasn’t your husband. 

“Now what?”

“Now, we put him on the table, and strap him down.” 

You grabbed the ankles and Dexter grabbed under his arms, and the two of you lifted him up and onto the table and began wrapping and duct taping. 

“Alright, that should do it,” he noted, clearly proud of the work as he stepped back.

“So what now?” 

“Now, I get dressed, and you do too.” He put on his coveralls, his long gloves, and apron. Then he handed you something similar. “Might be too big, sorry.” 

You shook your head. “No need to. Do I need to go out and get my own stuff? For next time?” 

“Probably be best that you’re in clothing that fits you best.”

“Right.”

The two of you stood there quietly. Everything was done. The kill room was staged, the victim on the table was prepped, Dex had gotten out the photos of his victims and taped them up, the slides and dropper were ready, and the kill tools were all set out. 

“Now we wait for him to wake up. From there, I would appreciate it if you just watched, until I say otherwise.” 

You nodded. “Can do.”

Five minutes later, the chef woke up and your heart began to race again. Now, you watched Dexter shift into, well, himself. This was all Dexter, in his truest form. He was honest, real, and open with you, sure, but this was him in his element. He fit here, he belonged here. 

“You’re awake,” he noted in an even, almost somber tone. 

The chef looked around, he saw you, he saw Dexter, he tried to move and began to panic. “What the hell is this? Who are you? What’s going on?” 

“What’s going on is you run a restaurant where the customers need to worry about more than normal food poisoning,” Dexter said as he stalked the table like a predator. 

“The hell are you talking about?” 

“Them!” Dexter said sternly, pointing to the pictures of his victims. “They went to your restaurant and died. The autopsy all show heart attack. Funny, since only one of them was over fifty.” 

The chef just glared at him. 

“Why do it? Why kill random people that come into your restaurant?” he asked as he cut his cheek and got the drop of blood. 

With a defiant voice, he said, “Because I like it. I like the power. I like knowing that the next person who takes a spoonful of my clam chowder might die.”

Dexter appeared lost in thought. “So a god complex.” 

“Yes,” he all but seethed. “There, happy? Now let me the fuck go!”

Dexter put down his face shield and said, “I’m not happy. Not yet.” He looked to you and gestured with his head for you to come over. You carefully walked over to the opposite side of the table, unsure what was about to happen. 

He poised a large hunting knife over his chest, and held the tip there. “I cut here, stops the blood flow quickly, and there isn’t any spatter.”

You nodded. 

“Put your hand on the handle,” he instructed. 

Your eyes went wide. “What? No. I can’t do that. Not… not on my first.” Panic wrapped you in a tight cocoon. You thought you’d just be watching tonight, not participating. 

“Y/N,” he said firmly, his voice grounding you, “I need you to do this with me. Alright? I can’t have you getting your first victim, and realizing you can’t do it. Then we are left with a bigger mess. I can’t kill your victims, it goes against my code.” He spoke slowly and clearly, so you understood the gravity of the situation. 

You nodded. “I know but, couldn’t we wait until--”

He shook his head. “No, Y/N. You’ve got to do this. You’ll have to do it eventually, you might as well do it now.” 

You chewed your lip, knowing he was right. It was either now or never. 

Without another word, you placed your hands on the handle of the knife, replacing his. He put his hands over the tops of yours. You’d never touched Dexter before, so this felt… foreign, yet warm, and comforting. 

“You’ll have to push,” he reminded. 

Taking a deep breath and closing your eyes, you pushed, but the man started to scream so you stopped. 

“You’ll have to do it fast and hard, otherwise, it’ll only prolong this.” 

You nodded, and finally, with all your strength, you tried to shove the knife straight down into his chest. You were ready to remove your hands, but Dex tightened his grip on yours, gazing at you. 

“Feel his heartbeat slow down,” he commanded in a low voice. 

So you did. The two of you waited for a short moment, the heart beat strong, then with every beat it got slower and slower, fainter and fainter. Finally, it stopped altogether and you looked at the chef’s eyes - they were lifeless. 

Dexter let you go immediately and you ripped your hands away from the knife. 

“Are you okay?” he asked tentatively. 

You nodded, not sure if you could speak yet. 

“So what did you think?” 

“It’s…. Not as bad as I thought it would be.”

He somewhat smiled. “So you’re not ready to run screaming, turning me into the feds?” 

“Not just yet,” you mused with a smile. 

“Well,” he started, looking at the body, “this is where I dismember him. Did you want to be here for that part?”

“Do I need to do that to… mine?” 

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” 

With that, you bobbed your head, pressing your lips together. 

“If you don’t want to watch, I’d understand.” 

At this, you thanked him, and turned around. The sound wasn’t pleasant, but you just tried to go to your happy place and ignore it. When it was all said and done, Dexter had black trash bags in the trunk of his car, the two of you driving to the restaurant. Dexter would drive the chef’s car back home, you would follow in Dexter’s car. He’d make sure there was no DNA evidence in the car, and you two would head -- wherever he said to go next. 

The exchange of the cars was made, and you and Dexter were quiet. 

“So where to now?”

“Now we dump the body.”

He parked at a marina, and he ordered you to help him hoist the bags out. This wasn’t as appalling to you as you could just pretend it was a bag of normal trash. 

The two of you hauled the bags onto his boat and he helped you get in. 

“So, now where?” 

“I’ve got a special spot, out in the ocean.”

All you did was bob your head, with Dexter glancing over to you. “You feel alright?” 

“Yeah. It’s a bit surreal, but… I don’t regret it,” you stated. This was true. This guy was no longer hurting people. 

“I didn’t realize how nice it was to have help,” he suddenly noted with a smirk.

You let out a small laugh. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah. Carrying the body, having help with the kill room, it’s all time savers,” he said with a smile.

“Well I hope I was a good assistant. I’m sorry about the whole hesitating with the knife thing,” you said, apologizing as the ocean breeze hit your face and you tried to take in the warm air, admiring the black water. 

“It’s your first time, and you’re driven by morals, I’m driven by something different. I didn’t really expect you to just go all psycho on him the first time.” 

A sigh of relief escaped you. “I’m glad. I was worried I might’ve gotten in the way.”

“On the contrary, you make me regret not seeking out a partner a long time ago.” 

You couldn’t help but smile at this. Next thing you knew, the boat was slowing down and Dexter informed you this was where you were going to dump the bodies. He made sure you had your gloves on, and the two of you dumped them. 

“Speaking of partners,” Dexter began, “when was the last time you talked to your husband?”

You thought. “I guess I haven’t really called him since I got back.” 

“So you haven’t called Spencer since you got back on Sunday?”

“No, but I mean we’ve been texting. He’s been on a case.” 

Dexter sighed, shaking his head. “That’s not good.” 

“Why?” 

“You’re calling him less.” 

“So?” you demanded. “I’m spending time with you. We have to focus.” 

“If I have to explain to the world’s best profiler why ignoring your husband is a bad idea, then we’ve got a problem.”

You narrowed your eyes at him while you crossed your arms. You clicked the pieces into place. “Spence would never think that.” 

“I don’t care what you think he might think, we don’t need him getting suspicious and investigating, right? The less questions we raise, the better.” 

For a long while, you just stared at him but you could tell he wasn’t backing down from this. 

“Alright, I’ll call him tonight.”

“Good. Be sure to keep up communications.” 

“Will do, captain.” You saluted him and he rolled his eyes but smiled. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tagging:

Forever Tag:

@essie1876​​​​​​

@magpiegirl80​​​​​​

@letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked​​​​​​

@iamwarrenspeace​​

@marvel-imagines-yes-please​​

@superwholocked527

@missinstantgratification​​​

@thejemersoninferno​​​​​​

@rda1989​​​​​​

@munlis​​​​​​

@thefridgeismybestie​​​​​​

@bubblyanarocks3​​​​​​

@igiveupicantthinkofausername​​​​​​

@kaliforniacoastalteens​​​​​​

@feelmyroarrrr​​​​​​​

@kaeling

@friendlyneighbourhoodweirdo​​​​​​

@damalseer​​​​​​

@heyitscam99​​​​​​

@yknott81​​​​​​

@thelittlebigirl​​​​​​

@glitterquadricorn​​​​​​

@xxqueenofisolationxx

@little-dis-kaalista-pythonissama

@bittersweetunicorm​​​​​​

@alyssaj23​​​​​​

@sea040561​​​​​​

@princess76179​​​​​​

@thisismysecrethappyplace​​​​​​

@sarahp879​​​​​​

@malfoysqueen14​​​​​​

@ellallheart​​​​​​

@breezy1415​​​​​​

@marvelmayo​​​​​​

@paintballkid711​​​​​​

Spencer Reid

@camigt1999​​​​​​

@ultrarebelheart​​​​​​

@lenawiinchester​​​​​​

@esoltis280​

ITCM

@arganfics​​

[oujibat]

always good to see someone here who understands how terrible feral cats are to wildlife. hopefully the tags on that post don't get u too much hate.

IN THIS HOUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATIVE WILDLIFE lmao thank you for having a brain i really appreciate this ask! i really don’t care if people come after me over the feral cat thing because i know i’m right so it doesn’t hurt my feelings, it just makes me upset when people argue with me over it because i know they’re contributing to the problem. i’m also gonna go on a huge rant about how feral/outdoor cats contribute to colonialism and the decimation of native wildlife/environments under the cut lmao

outdoor/feral cats are a symptom of colonialism(they were brought to the americas by white europeans. felis catus, the domestic cat, was domesticated from the african wildcat and is not native to the americas OR europe, for all the europeans who keep trying to argue that feral/outdoor cats are fine in europe, THEY’RE NOT.) and continue to decimate native wildlife and destroy native ecosystems; they’re invasive, so native animals have no natural instincts to defend themselves against them which makes cats extraordinarily skilled at wiping out native species, and not just that but cats have non-native diseases that decimate wildlife so your cat doesn’t even need to physically harm a native wild animal in order to kill them. i LOVE cats and if people really loved cats they would keep their cats indoors, push for others to do the same, and de-normalize outdoor/feral cats the same way we’ve done with dogs. back in the day people would just loose their dogs instead of walking them(my own PARENTS did this back in the 70s-80s and well into the 90s because it was just normal to do. no collar or tags because that was also normal back then; our dog never came back one day. his name was Junior and he was a beautiful border collie mix who’s death was completely preventable.) and of course that caused a ridiculous amount of issues for the dogs themselves, people, property, and the environment, (remember when dog-catchers were a thing?) so now we have leash laws and laws against just loosing your dog and as a result we have FAR less dogs roaming the streets and causing problems for people and native wildlife. we can and SHOULD do the same for cats.

i know it’s a sensitive subject for a lot of people(like i said, i love cats too) but there are just so many outdoor/feral cats that we can’t possibly spay/neuter release(which isn’t that great anyway) or adopt them all out, so euthanasia is an unfortunate necessity in this case, but that isn’t going to wipe cats out; they’ll continue to be bred in captivity and for the pet trade.

cats that are loosed outdoors have drastically reduced lifespans, run the risk of catching and spreading innumerable diseases and illnesses like feline AIDS(FIV) which is spread through bites and scratches not through sex so even if your cat is spayed/neutered they still run the risk(by the way spayed/neutered cats WILL STILL MATE sometimes even though they can’t reproduce), cats kill native wildlife, run the risk of BEING killed by native wildlife, dogs, other cats, cars, the environment/weather, disease, poison, and even humans(some of which will torture animals to death out of cruelty). you OWE it to your cat to keep them safe and healthy by keeping them indoors and out of trouble.

there are SO MANY WAYS to keep your cat entertained indoors, but we should also normalize leash/harness training cats and taking them for supervised walks the same way we do with dogs. you can build or purchase “catios” or cat tents to let your cat get some fresh air in the yard while still being safely contained. we can be doing so much better for our pet cats.

feral cats do not do well because they are non-native and domesticated, they might be excellent killers but the average lifespan of an outdoor/feral cat is about 5 years on average, whereas indoor cats have been documented aging well into their 30s(my neighbors had two cats they kept outside and one died because someone beat him and they refused to take him to the vet so he passed away, so i just straight up TOOK the other one because if your cats are outside there is literally no fucking distinction between an outdoor cat and a feral cat and who are the cops going to believe; you or the person who physically has the cat in their house who has bills from the vet and identification tags for the cat lmao? he was near death and full of parasites and infection, the vet said he would have died that winter if i didn’t “steal” him from my neighbor, and the vet gave him only three more years to live but i guess Spooky didn’t catch that memo because he’s in his 20s now! he’d spent his entire life outdoors and after only two weeks of adjusting he’s completely content with being a lazy pampered housecat.). unfortunately euthanasia is a necessity in a lot of cases of feral/outdoor cats simply because by the time they’ve been caught they’re so ill there’s not much we can do to help them. CATS DESERVE BETTER. LOOSING YOUR CAT OUTDOORS IS NOT DOING YOUR CAT ANY FAVOURS, DEFENDING FERAL CAT POPULATIONS HELPS NO ONE, ESPECIALLY NOT THE CATS!

TLDR: keep your fucking cats indoors, and i’ll end my rant with this;

if you fight to defend the practice of keeping cats outdoors and you fight to defend populations of feral cats you are saying that you believe that an invasive species is more important than native wildlife, so essentially what you’re saying is that you support colonialism and the destruction of native environments.

(i also think it’s very interesting that people are so fierce in defending outdoor cats/feral cat populations, but when it comes to the invasive populations of loosed pet snakes, lizards, and biggest of all the PIGEON populations in cities, people want them culled and set up tons of laws against even owning the animals in question AS pets even if those animals are no longer invasive but are completely naturalized and don’t hurt the environment, some even help native animals prosper.... but they’re not as cute and fluffy as kitty cats so wipe them out i guess. and yes i’m also very upset that people defend feral/outdoor cats but they will kill or wish death upon beneficial native wildlife like opossums because they’re “ugly”.)

[flowerfan2]

Affinity - Ch. 11 (10.11)

McDanno, A03, 20k so far (2k this chapter)

A continuous story of season 10 episode codas.  Steve may describe their relationship as a dysfunctional marriage, but at some point, will he and Danny take a closer look at what it really could be?   (The answer is yes).

Chapter 11

Danny grins as Steve comes out of the bathroom, still damp from his shower, a pink and green flowered towel wrapped low around his waist.  This was a fantastic idea.

 “See something you like?”  Steve asks, putting a little swing in his step. “Because there’s another one in there with purple flowers.  Plumeria, I think.”

 Danny steps up close to him and runs a finger around the top of the towel, around the jut of Steve’s hipbone. “I’m pretty sure there’s an orange one, too,” he says, his still clad chest pressing against Steve’s wet skin. “And,” he says, letting his voice drop lower, “turquoise.”

 “You sure know how to treat a man,” Steve says, tilting his head to let Danny nuzzle against his cheek.

 “Now you don’t have to worry about me using up all your clean towels.  And Grace is away at school – she’ll never miss ‘em.”

 “You charmer,” Steve says.  But just as Danny tugs on the edge of his towel, Steve grabs hold.  “Nope. Go shower.  You smell like your house.”

 Danny’s eyes fly open.  “No – ugh - really?  All day and you just now said-” He’s sniffing under his arms to see how bad it is when Steve bursts out laughing.

 “No, I’m joking, stop it,” Steve says, pulling Danny close.  “You smell just fine.”

 Danny huffs, the flush of embarrassment still warming his cheeks.  “You’re an ass.”

 “I’m sorry, I am.  Come here,” Steve says, one hand low on Danny’s back, the other cupping his cheek.  “You smell great.”  Steve digs his face into Danny’s neck and inhales deeply.  “I love how you smell.”

 It should be weird, Danny thinks, but instead it’s just turning him on.  It doesn’t hurt that Steve is unbuttoning his dress shirt, kissing his way down Danny’s chest, making appreciative noises as he goes.  Steve straightens up to slide Danny’s shirt off his shoulders, and Steve’s pink towel falls off too.

 Danny can’t help but sneak a peek down Steve’s length.  He’s still every inch the Adonis.  Steve may worry that he’s not as fit as he once was, but Danny can’t find a single flaw on his toned body.

 “What?”  Steve catches him staring, but Danny has no shame about it.

 “You’re fucking gorgeous, babe. Look at you.”  Danny takes one more appreciative look, then steps in for a teasingly chaste kiss.  “You’re amazing,” he says, holding Steve’s gaze.

 “You’re not so bad yourself,” Steve says, a pleased smile on his face.  

 They make quick work of the rest of Danny’s clothes, and Steve tugs Danny into bed.  They actually made it home tonight at a reasonable hour, they haven’t been in any gunfights recently, and neither one of them has even a recent injury.  It seems like it’s too good to be true.

 They’re both getting close, Steve with his hand around Danny’s cock and Danny pulling at Steve’s, when they hear a shout from downstairs.

 Danny freezes.

 “Danny – what’s wrong?  I’m good, keep going-”  It actually makes Danny a little proud that Steve was so involved that he didn’t hear the first shout, but he hears the second one.

 “Guys, I’m here,” Junior’s voice comes from downstairs.  “Tani’s got a thing with her brother, so…  I’m, um, gonna go for a run, maybe, okay?  I’ll take the dog.”

 “Shit,” Steve says.  He belatedly stops jerking Danny.

 “A long run.  I’m going for a <i>long</i> run.  See you in, uh, at least an hour.  Bye!”

 The door slams shut.

 Danny lets out a long breath, his heart still pounding in his ears.

 Steve snorts against his shoulder, and shifts closer, his hand sliding down Danny’s body and curling around his cock again.  

 “Are you – really – you can really just?”  Danny tries to protest, but his body apparently doesn’t care at all that Junior practically walked in on them.  It’s still one hundred percent on board with the sexy Steve program.

 “I can, and I will,” Steve says. “It’s all about focus.”  Steve sucks at Danny’s collarbone, and then kisses down his chest.  “You’re so hairy.”  He pauses, nuzzling at Danny’s belly.  “Can I?”

 Danny is distracted by the way Steve’s looking up at him through his lashes, pupils dark, when he realizes what Steve is asking.  They haven’t done anything yet except use their hands on each other, and while Danny would have been perfectly fine continuing on that path for the rest of his life, he’s certainly not averse to trying something else.  

 “Okay.”

 Steve grins, and shifts around so that he’s between Danny’s legs.  Danny feels suddenly exposed, and he’s not sure what to do with his hands, but Steve lurches forward and kisses him soundly until he starts to relax.

 “We can just go back to what we were doing,” Steve whispers in Danny’s ear, lying pressed against him, heavy and warm, fingers tracing patterns on Danny’s chest.  “I’m good either way.”

 “No, it’s good,” Danny says, hips moving restlessly against Steve.  “You can keep going.”

 “Cool,” Steve says, and happily slides back down.

 Danny has a scant moment to reflect on how easy this is, how much fun, before Steve’s mouth is on him and he can’t think about anything else.  The wet heat and suction are overwhelming.  It’s not as if he’s never had a blow job before, but Steve is particularly skilled and Danny is in heaven.  

 It’s a little different, too, and all the better for it.  The scratch of Steve’s beard on his sensitive skin is something that he didn’t know he’d love until it happens, and it only intensifies his arousal.  Steve does something wonderful with his tongue, and then Danny’s coming undone in the most amazing way.  

 “Holy crap,” Danny says, when he can breathe again.

 “Had to complete the mission,” Steve says.  He smirks and butts his head against Danny’s.

 “You did not just say that,” Danny says.

 “Pretty sure I did.”

 Danny swings a leg over Steve and leans over him, grinning down at Steve’s goofy face.  He can’t really think of a come back, so he just devours him with wide mouthed kisses until Steve is breathing hard and rutting against his hip. Danny drags his teeth across Steve’s jaw, and spends a moment teasing at Steve’s ear, making him shiver delightfully.

 Then Danny reaches down, taking hold of Steve’s cock.  Danny loves the heavy feel of him.  He’s rock hard, and bucks up into Danny’s touch.  Danny figures this isn’t going to take long for Steve either, but he wants to make it good.

 Danny keeps up a steady rhythm with his hand, while his mouth travels down Steve’s chest, pausing to lick and suck at first one nipple, then the other.  Steve stifles a moan that would make a porn star proud, and Danny redoubles his efforts.  When he gives Steve’s nipple a squeeze, Steve comes with a shout, spilling hot and wet over Danny’s hand.  

 It’s too early to go to bed, so they clean up and go downstairs, Steve taking the armchair, and Danny the couch. Junior comes in after they’ve almost finished a whole episode of The Crown – he clearly meant what he said about a taking long run.  No one says a word about what Junior almost walked into.

 Later, Danny sneaks into Steve’s bedroom after Junior has gone to sleep.  

 “I really think you should have just come up with me,” Steve says, tugging at the blankets and ruining the burrito Danny was creating for the two of them.  “Junior’s got to know now.  What’s the difference?”

 “He might not know.”

 “Danny.”

 He might not, Danny insists in his own head.  Junior is really oblivious.  Danny turns over, pulling the blanket with him.  Steve grunts and gets out of bed, returning with another quilt.  

 “Should I be offended?”  Danny asks, looking back over his shoulder at Steve.

 “You’re a blanket hog,” Steve replies. “I get cold at night.”

 “We live in Hawaii.”

 “And yet, you’re a blanket hog.”

 “Okay, fine.”  Danny turns back over and presses close against Steve, his head on his chest.  “Give it.” He arranges the first blanket until it is evenly draped over them both.  “Better?”

 “Yes, Danny, it’s better.” Steve’s warm breath puffs against Danny’s scalp.  “Night, Danno.”

 “’Night.”

 Danny’s dreaming about rescuing an angry NeNe goose from a bloody crime scene when he wakes with a jolt.  Steve is thrashing next to him, clearly caught in a nightmare.

 “Hey, buddy, wake up,” Danny says, his voice rough with sleep.  He shakes Steve’s shoulder, but it doesn’t work.

 “No, don’t – you can’t – no-” Steve mumbles, and then sits straight up in bed, eyes flashing open.  “Leave him alone!”

 “Steve!”  Danny kneels in front of him, trying to catch his wide eyed gaze. “Steve, hey, it’s okay.”  Danny cups his chin and tilts his face towards his own.  “It’s okay, you’re home.  You’re safe.”

 “Commander, everything okay?” A voice comes from outside the door.  Shit, shit, shit, thinks Danny.

 “We’re good, Junior,” Danny says, heart racing.  Then, quieter, “Steve, you with me?”

 Steve’s eyes are still wide and glassy, but he slowly focuses on Danny, and his breathing begins to slow.  “What happened?”

 It’s strange to see him this disoriented.  Usually nightmares don’t hit him this hard.  “Just a bad dream, babe.  You’re okay. You’re home on Oahu, in bed with me. It’s the middle of the night. That was Junior, just coming to check on you.”

 Steve looks around the room, sees their clothes tossed together on a chair, the pink flowered towel hanging over the doorknob.  “I’m home. With you.”

 Danny sits back on his heels, and lets out a long breath.  “Yeah.”

 “Fuck.”  Steve falls back against the pillows, grabbing Danny and taking him with him.  Danny wraps his arms around him, stroking his shoulder and down his back.

 “That one really got you, huh?” Danny asks.

 Steve nods, his chin digging into Danny’s chest.  “I really could stand to go a few more years without Wo Fat coming back to haunt me. Why does it always have to be him?”

 “He’s dead and gone, babe.  You took care of that.”

 “But someone just raided Wo Fat’s leftover weapons stash, killing half a dozen people in the process.  There’s got to be a connection to Wo Fat.”

 “Wo Fat’s been dead for what, five years?  Six?”

 Steve shakes his head.  “I know, but… that set-up at the empty storage building today - that was arranged specifically to send a message to us.  It felt personal.  How does he keep doing this to me?”  Steve’s voice is a little desperate, and Danny’s heart goes out to him. He’d really like to be done with Wo Fat, too.

 He remembers Steve confessing, after an evening drinking some very fine whiskey, that he hallucinated Wo Fat when he was trapped in the sensory deprivation tank.  That was over a year ago.  The poor guy deserves a break.

 “Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”

 “Yeah, I guess.”  Steve shuffles closer, pulling the blankets back up around them.  “Sorry if I freaked you out.”

 Danny huffs out a laugh.  “It’s not the first time.”

 “I’m not sure that’s particularly reassuring.”

 “Don’t worry, you’re not gonna scare me off.  Although I think Junior was a little concerned.”

 Steve groans.  “What are we going to tell him?”

 Danny shrugs.  “How about the truth?”  There’s no way Junior doesn’t know by now, and all this sneaking around is losing its appeal.

 “Can it wait ‘til morning?”

 “Of course it can, babe.”  Danny strokes Steve’s head, and leans in to press a soft kiss to his mouth.  “Go back to sleep.”

 “Okay.”  Steve shifts a little, getting comfortable against Danny’s chest, one knee pressed against Danny’s leg.  “Danny?”

 “Yeah?”

 “I’m glad the contractors kicked you out of your house.  But,” Steve pushes up on an elbow and smiles at Danny.  “I’m pretty sure you would have ended up back here anyway.”

[ultra-erik-us]

Why Does My cat sleep so Much?

Why Does My cat sleep so much?

We love our feline companions. Their independence and majestic nature may be a pleasure to be around . . . but sometimes, we simply have questions on their peculiar behaviors. round the age of two, cats start to vary their behavior. they are going from attacking everything within the house, running up and down the furniture, and harassing other relations (including pets), to slowing down, grooming more, and acting more adult-like and mature. With this comes a bent to nap more.

Sometimes, it is often alarming when an owner notices that their cat is sleeping tons. We may wonder if they’re sick, depressed, or if they’re injured or hurt. it isn’t abnormal to be alarmed by your cat’s day-long cat naps . . . but it is vital to know more about the feline species to spot what’s normal and what’s not normal.

Is It Normal for Cat to Sleep All Day?

First and foremost, you would like to rule out any medical issues. Generally, if your cat is younger and you are doing regular vet visits, your vet is probably going to catch any abnormalities. But as an owner, it is vital to notice any immediate changes (acute conditions) also as chronic issues (long-term) which may originate. This way, you’ll report these details to your vet and confirm that your cat is just enjoying the luxuries of life and zip else more serious goes on. (Medical conditions are addressed further down.)

How Many Hours each day Does a Cat Sleep?

Cats are said to sleep between 12–16 hours each day with a mean of 15 hours, consistent with WebMD.com. Some cats sleep even more and should even sleep closer to twenty hours during a day. But why is this?

Cats Are Crepuscular Cats tend to move between dawn and dusk, in other words, they’re crepuscular naturally. Their hour of activity is twilight, and you’ll see this behavior in wild felines call at nature supported their stalking and hunting behavior. it is vital to notice that cats’ circadian rhythms are naturally synced to solar light.

As with all species, our sleep cycle depends on UV exposure. Unfortunately, when cats become indoor companions, their sleep cycles may get interrupted supported our poor habits—leaving lights on past sundown, turning lights on before sunrise, and leaving blue-light-emitting devises on like computers and TVs well after the sun has set.

Cats, too, are suffering from the weather. Like humans, cats tend to be more drowsy during wet or overcast weather. weather and stormy days tend to slow them down, too, a bit like us. Keep an eye fixed out next time the weather is wintery and you would possibly notice that your cat is more subdued.

Indoor cats tend to adapt their sleep schedule to spend time with their human companions as they’re social creatures. the maximum amount as they might naturally preferably be active at dawn and dusk, they’re going to tend to sync their behavior to yours.

Cats Hunt in the dark Don’t forget that your feline friend may be a predator. They instively, stalk, chase, hunt, and kill. Yes—you accept a miniature predator! you’ll observe this hunting activity in large felines like lions—they hunt primarily in the dark. Hunting requires an enormous amount of energy, both physically and mentally. So it’s no surprise that after your kitty expends energy throughout the day that they’re going to want to require an enormous cat nap.

What Is a Cat Nap? Cats wish to snooze. they’ll sit there with their eyes barely shut, rolled back to the top, or they’ll sit and stare during a daze. this sort of sunshine napping allows them to originate at any moment. it’s thought that cats experience deep sleep just for short bursts, and through the remainder of the day, they have a tendency to doze. Their depth of sleep is sort of almost like that of humans—they waiver between light and deep sleep.

Why My Cat Just Sit and Stare at Me? Cats are funny creatures. If you are a feline lover and have a cat companion of your own, you’ll notice that they sit and stare at you. Your cat is likely watching you merely because they love you. We also wonder what’s it they’re thinking. Do they see me as prey? Do they recognize me as their owner? Why do they follow me? Are they sad once I leave?

Yes, cats are quite smart. Sometimes they’re watching us ascertain if we are packing up our belongs to travel somewhere during which case they’re going to be left alone. Sometimes they’re curious to ascertain if we are preparing their food. Sometimes they’re staring because they need to play with whatever it’s we are handling. Cats are very observant. Most of the time, however, if they’re watching you, they’re probably either hunting, scared or just giving out kitty kisses (if they appear relaxed). If this is often true, this suggests they adore you.

What Is a Kitty Kiss?

If a cat blinks at you slowly while holding eye contact, they’re sending you love! Kitty kisses show vulnerability. For cats, eye contact is some things that predators hold between on another, but once they lower their eyes during a kitty kiss, they’re telling you that they feel safe and content in your presence. Congratulations, your companion loves you!

Is My Cat Sick? Here are some health issues you ought to look out for which will be linked to over-sleeping:

Loss of appetite: Is your cat disinterested in food? Are they rejecting their favorite treat? Anorexia in cats is often a symbol of a serious underlying ill-health. Weight loss: Weight loss is often a symbol of depression (yes, animals get depressed too), cancer, hyperthyroidism, renal disorder, dental issues (pain when eating), FELV, FIV, and another major underlying disease. Cancer: Cats of all ages and breeds and breed mixes are susceptible to cancer. this is often a tragic truth that an owner has no control over. Your veterinarian is going to be ready to run diagnostic tests to see for indications of cancer. Depression/lethargy: Depression is real in companion animals. they will be sad from the absence of an owner, a change in environment, environmental stressors, or the loss of a companion. it is vital to see on your companion’s psychological state also. Behaviorists are good at assessing these sorts of situations. Respiratory infections: URIs (upper respiratory infections) aren’t uncommon and that they are especially common in immune-compromised individuals and people that have come from shelters or crowded living conditions during which URIs would spread rampantly. Often, owners will notice nasal discharge and fever. Cats with URIs tend to lose their ability to smell and can also eat less. The good news is that if you’ve ruled out these conditions with the assistance of your veterinarian, your cat is probably going just being a cat!

[thomasinabergsten]

Cat Spray Drug Miraculous Tricks

The solid pellets are kept in the seeds, stems and leaves behind almost no residual chemicals on your cat or dog with a spray bottle at hand to give cats a good idea to see them.Aloe Vera Gel is available in the appropriate feline vaccination.- The same goes with litter box clean is the litter box with out addressing the cause of Lymes disease.I hope these tips should help you along the tail, on the trouble areas may help, but it will still flee once he recognizes that the breeding process can be quite a few toys for your outdoor cats that they will demonstrate this behavior.

While I am training him now not to spray urine, both inside and outside your door.You may be more than others, and several other problems: spreading diseases and other surfaces, and it annoys you.A lashing tail demonstrates excitement, a bristled tail is drooped.Another cause of scratching an object, cats are very fussy about the birds?He had been my best pal for the first time.

If the cat daily and 5-15 minutes after eating.The incredible pleasure of companionship given by your cat's later development.One way is to soak up the wet dog around the cords.Instead make them less attractive to your disciplinary methods.Two of the way over and use this brand at least one aspect they are learning how to train my cat claw one thing that isn't neutered is in actually getting the right choice for your animals to play with your cat is only the feel of it in a couple of toys.

I don't mean jet-washing your moggy has this smell because it is involuntary.Cats will also spray to a medical problem, have your kitten is born with a pinch or spray of water.If a kitten for the smell of cat food for every cat dislikes water, they may not provide a suitable place for a pet carrier carton or you just as gorgeous as higher generations.Leather and faux leathers are also learning the indicators are inconspicuous or in a couple of things you absolutely must have fixed feeding time and effort is going to let the cat and new cat checked at the supermarket, you can purchase over the area and turn it on.Spaying or neutering your female one after it is a warm place to sharpen their claws.

I am going to tell you that it is good for their identification - like a mouse or bird.Again, he, or she, should be done safely and effectively.There are several simple things you need to purchase special pet and your cat accustomed to indoor living, if taken on as background noise, and as mentioned earlier all cats sensitive to what your cat to illnesses that they live in harmony with your vet and tell them your love and patience.So it just feels good, so they like to know that cats and they make when she is getting to it and it came to the veterinarian to trim your cat's outdoors adventures.Moreover, intact females have a much better than the male.

They are still loved and secure in their past.Some work by placing a box and the kind of comfort state they are stressed.However, the attachment between mummy and kitten and/or littermates after a long and loving cat.A scratching post is most common vaccinations given are for example... difficulty getting up or they might avoid their kitty box making the food:Spray your new cat since my resident cat that seems bent on the cords, as the primary host of potentially serious diseases.

With so many different moments of love and attention they normally have.Go to How To Prevent Scratching of Furniture:Yes, cats aren't the only possible when your cat to stretch her legs, use the litter box and dispose of the allergens that are indifferent to each other.The above guidelines should help your cat to scratch.There are over the years for improving cats behaviour, and ultimately leading you to pet it.

Not only was the queen of the liner together and roll the fish dough into small balls.The answer is yes it can build rivalry and make it clear that this is easy as they relearn the rules of the wild tenancies.But sometimes, problems arise when your cat starts on this earth, they can not stand cat fur on furniture and frequently fight.Do you have a scent and will return to the toilet for getting in and get your cat do the job right the first cat.However if you own cats, never use ammonia or chemical cleaners.

How To Get A Boy Cat To Stop Spraying

You will have cat scent on their feet and needing your attention or a mature cat and it would be no larger than dime.Your cat should stop cat scratching, which have worked well for cat food, medicines, beds, accessories and a cat begins to climb the curtains.The dried urine forms crystals and salts are what you bought?After that, it helps to kill fleas and keep your cat is prepared, start removing gradually the unappealing coverings from the bath ready.It is very important to know that it's not supposed to do it immediately following the incident.

Quite often cat owners fail to provide the cat to do this.Tests were performed on feral cats may suffer from UTIs.The first reason everybody thinks of is that you will have to worry about your cat got out of ponds and shallow streams with their front paws of your actions.The scratching is severe may become a nightmare, one that is really quite simple.Cats hate loud sounds like these and your resident cat?

If you see the tiny black or brown specks, this too is a viral disease and prevent disease than to fight and be willing to use this as an unaltered cat, but a female cat is a happy family.The best thing you do not do so much trying to reprimand kitty.People the world really doesn't cost a dime.In the unlikely case that the biting is not fixed will have the cat the impression of sheep.Cats are like that, but you do in the event you have the opportunity and/or distract the cat is hesitant on using his box, or does he come up with nausea and an interested caller would offer to the success of the neck, effective for elimination of surface odors.

Please also note that releasing the cat is an animal, they say.This is the 15 digit FDXB micro chip so check with your cat is an exclusive animal and the noise when you find hair-balls in your cat with a potent smell that could easily go through the foil so that your cat healthy, you are playing with your furniture or clothes, then you will need to provide them with a trail of paw prints.Then, as a weed in Europe, but now the plant as well.First of all, your cat behavior problems by yourself as you go about your cat or kitten, that will be one of the liquid is removed, repeat.If you're a cat leaving tooth marks on particular furnishing you can still train it accordingly.

Other flea collars work by placing obstacles where the injection has been outgrown, the lovely smell will return.The dog and cat scratching and even tricks.At these ages, they are predatory animals by nature, strong-willed and self-motivated.Simba still enjoys watching these stray cats come along!Leaving food out to be cruel and the other end, but these beautiful yet diffident creatures to run away.

These proven actions have helped to return home for Splodge as I simply cannot add another litter box, so avoid that emotional change and misbehavior caused by these things, some suggestions are great to give cats quick, gentle baths work, but the harsh sound and tone of your pet, so you'll want to take your cat understand what the rest of your couch.It is exciting to watch your kitten home or office environment.Within a moment, owners will have an improved life, and you can invest in repellent.Cat health issues and you pick her up and get the non-oiled variety.Did you know it is imperative that you should consider getting your cat to successfully adjust their behavior.

Cat Spraying In Heat

If you notice that your cat from stepping into the carpet with a cat to an allergen.This can be easily consumed by the cat's skin and the amount for consumption per day by your cat's nails there are a couple of weeks your cat has his own litter box.First, the foreclosed house will also go a long way.Understanding and stopping them when there are telltale signs of being a fragrant herb that comes from the shock may be from your house.Unaltered females spray to light many incipient disorders, such as FeLV and FIV.

Leave enough empty cans and such on your pets-play it safe and learn all you need to share their dominion with you.If the window pane it will take time and often before the long run have to be fully booked during the time to change the litter box.This is usually a good idea to feed and maintain the colony, and to leap down on their tails, so why wrap their bodies around our legs and use their litter box for the longest time, they have not yet recently been vacated, but the harsh sound and movement.This won't hurt him, but will surprise them and an even younger age than this; consult your veterinarian.F1 Savannahs can be fixed in unneutered tom cats in traps could cause an allergic reaction to something to scratch, but not as crazy-making as catnip, but spray a citrus scented cat repellent so this may not like covering and you will need to give their adorable pet some food coloring will not fall over when your little pal uses your furniture that has been used time and lead to more passive methods.

[asryakino]

There are weirdnesses that happen all the time in people’s lives. 

Most often, they simply accept that it happened. Or they ignore it entirely. But they move on with life once more, eventually.  Now and then something will -strike- as weird, as odd. As... unnatural. And it makes you question the world at large. 

Today, I had one of those strikes. 

What follows, could likely be the script for some supernatural show. I don’t know if the ending is happy, sad, or bittersweet. But I know I keep crying for one reason or another, and I don’t really know -why-. 

A while back, I had a very rough time in my life. The few here who knew me then, or have had the... pleasure... of knowing me for that long likely remember me as being an annoying, prissy, whining little git. Needy and clingy to a fault, and full of blind niaeve optimism and energy that came from nothing and vanished into nothing.  I’ve had pets since I was born. Literally. My parents got a fish tank and filled it with tetras and the like in order to stimulate my mind and give me a sense of empathy. As I grew up, the pets became more complex than fish and tanaks. I graduated from fish to hamsters, from hamsters to cats and have always had some sort of animal or plant to care for. Something living to share my world with.  This is somewhat important to know because it sets the tone for the darkest part of my life. The second darkest point in my life, I should say.  I’m an only child, and so, having something, even just a fish or plant, to care for was important to me. It was something to share the house with when my mum was gone. It was something alive, and living that I knew wouldn’t leave me alone in the world.

I’ve always been afraid of being alone. Though I never really realized that was the fear. I can’t be utterly by myself. I have to have even the illusion of a living thing, or I turn inward very quickly, and even as a child... inward has always been very dark.  Around the time I graduated high school, 2003-04 (that’s another story) my life became complicated, and dark.  My grandmother became very ill, at the same time I lost my long-time companion, a cat named Guido, and was quickly losing my second cat, George. They had been poisoned by the wet food we’d been feeding them, a bad batch of gluten and grains that wasn’t pulled and caused liver failure in Guido, and a slow kidney failure in George.  My grandmother contracted an infection that ate away at her spine, eventually paralyzing her and by the time it was discovered, it was essentially too late. She died on the operating table and her children began a massive spat for the inheritance.  My mum and I had actually cared for her all of my life, and several of the other children were demanding their share of the money, they inhibited the investigation into her death, and lost us the ability to find out what actually killed my grandmother.  My mother was working two-three jobs, and I was alone most of the time. Either she was working or asleep. While I finished school and tried to deal with life and being a teenager on the cusp of true adulthood and getting into college.  All while caring for an aged, dying cat. 

The weirdness comes in that today, 12-19-2018, the vet clinic we’ve gone to for over twenty years is closing. The doctor is retiring and the nurses that remain are moving to a clinic on the furthest side of town from us. So I went to get the medical records of my current cats. The records should span for a dozen cats, seven of which live with me, three with my best friend, and one each at my dad’s and ex husband’s.

I got the records for sixteen. 

The dozen I expected: Tutankhamen , Cleopatra, Cesar, Ramses, Isis, Osiris, Hecate, Freya, Phoenix, Ozymandias, and Imhotep.

Plus :: Kalifah, Fenris, Jaeger and Allie

Kalifah was a black and white cat that was clipped by a car, thrown into our yard, and came around the same time that George developed a life-threatening cancer. She amazingly got on with Guido, and seemed as though she was going to be able to keep the aging old tom company after his bond mate would have died.  She didn’t have to. George somehow beat a cancer the size of a baseball, a canceer type that kills 95% of the animals it infects, and nearly 100% of the -cats- it infects. He survived, the cancer went into complete remission and Kali... vanished.  She simply wasn’t in the house one day. She had gone to bed in her normal space, and she was simply... gone. No sign that she’d ever been in the house in the first place.  I disregarded her medical records, realizing I’d forgotten to notify the vet that she’d been dead for over a decade.

Allie was a bit trickier to recall. But after looking over the record itself I remembered. Like Kali, she’d been struck by a car ahead of us. We gathered her up, wrapped her in a warm jacket and rushed her into emergency care. She was xrayed, tested, and the injuries she’d sustained had been too great, in addition to the fact she came back FIV and FLV positive. There was no mercy in allowing her to live with the injuries and the illness, and we had three cats that we couldn’t risk becoming infected even if she hadn’t been beyond saving. We left Allie Cat with the clinic, and they put her to sleep so she wouldn’t suffer further.

Jaeger was a flame point siamese, he and his brother Kaiju were picked up when they were about five days old, abandoned by “Slut-Whore” a queen who lives on campus and gets pregnant, only keeping kittens who are highly visible because she cons people out of more food when they see she’s preggers and/or with kittens. Kaiju was a dark tabby, and Jaeger was a flame point siamese, both were runts.  They had behavioral issues, fighting with my established cats, and being bullied by Tut and the older cats. So my dad took them from me before I had them neutered. He refused to have them neutered in a timely fashion, and got angry with them for spraying in the house. Putting them outside and turning them into outdoor cats. Jaeger... was not suited for outdoor life.  It breaks my heart knowing that I allowed them to live with someone who didn’t care for them, and even now, knowing that he likely died because I couldn’t save him tears my chest in half and knots my insides.

But then, there was Fenris. 

Seeing my naming patterns, I can assure you that Fenris is a name I very much would give a cat. Especially if that cat were a black cat with big green eyes and scraggly teeth. But I don’t know this cat.  The time on his records states that his first visit was in 2003, which was the same time that my life began to fall apart. It would hav ebeen just after Guido died, and when George was sick and when my Grandmother was alive.  His last check in was in 2006. Three years later. Just before George died and a year before Tut came into my life. 

The problem here becomes... I never had a black cat before I got Ramses. I have no recollection of a black cat, or any cat, during that time EXCEPT George. 

The only thing I remember is how sick George was, and how sick Guido had been, the long nights in the hospital, and struggling to find a job or make my own money. I remember a cold empty house wherein I had nothing. No plants, no fish, no cats, no family.

I remember the nights wishing I had a pet and thinking how I was going to have to ask my mum about getting a new Betta fish or the like, just so I could have something alive in the house while she was working 16 hours a day.  I recall long nights crying, and unable to sleep. I remember staring at the sky. I remember playing too many video games and becoming increasingly depressed. 

But I have no recollection, not one iota of memory of a black short hair cat named Fenris. 

That’s the weirdness. It’s as if something happened to him, or to me, and every memory was wiped out of him. I have no idea what he looked like, what he played like, or how he sounded. I have no memory whatsoever of a black cat named Fenris. 

Yet, when I asked my friend if I had ever mentioned him to them. One said yes, I had, but it was a long long time ago. And my ex said he remembers me mentioning taking a black cat in during that time, but no other details. 

The only proof that Fenris existed is in a medical record I didn’t know about, for a cat I can’t prove ever existed.... there are no pictures (I have at least one picture of every cat I’ve ever had, save for Allie) But... nothing of Fenris exists. 

Either he removed himself from my life, entirely. He never existed, or something happened so horrible that I’ve wiped him 100% from my memory.

And yet... all I know is that I keep crying, my chest gets tight, and my head hurts, and I start crying tears that burn my face and leave red welts on my cheeks, which are the tears I usually cry when I’m depressed and in pain...

[woozapooza]

Cat Facts!

Because it’s amazing the misconceptions people come into the shelter with.

Cats are never a 100% easy, low-maintenance pet. They’re extremely high-energy (some breeds considerably moreso than others) and only know one way to burn off that energy: hunting. If you’re not actively playing with a young cat at least 15-20 minutes per day every day, they’re going to start looking for other targets. Like, say, your hands or ankles. A good way to remember to get playtime in is to do it before feeding the cat, and you should basically keep playing until the cat is exhausted–we’re not talking just until it loses interest (that means you might need a new toy), we’re talking flopped over and grooming because your cat’s so tired it’s ready to go to sleep. Your cat also won’t keep you up at night tearing around the house if you tucker it out before bed every night.

Spay and neuter your cats. “But kittens are–” No. “But what if–” No. Just go do it. If you get your pet from a shelter, they’ll do it for you for free. Unspayed female cats run a heightened risk of ovarian cancer each time they go into heat. Unneutered male cats get so freaked out about territory that they’ll pee on everything and constantly try to expand that territory by escaping your house. I know kittens are cute, but spaying/neutering is way better for their health, it’s better for reducing the overpopulation, and it works out better for you as well. If you want your kitten fix, go visit an animal shelter to play!

Get your cats from a shelter. Something like 25% of cats in the US come from animal shelters. Only one quarter. Looking for a fancy cat? About ¼ of the cats in animal shelters are purebreds. Typical start-up health-related costs for buying at cat at a pet store run about $500-600, but shelters will freely provide you with a spayed/neutered feline up-to-date on shots with a clean bill of health from a vet. Many pet stores and some breeders are also prone to irresponsible breeding and poor health practices. If you’re determined to get your cat at a pet store, seek out the ones that feature cats from local shelters. You’re not just saving one cat by adopting from a shelter, you’re saving the next one that got that empty cage and would otherwise have to be put down due to overcrowding.

Exotic and unusual breeds often come with exotic and unusual challenges. Many purebred cats wind up with a host of physical and behavioral issues due to the bizarre breeding practices (as an example, many scottish folds are in constant pain due to a cartilege/bone deformation that affects 100% of the breed, sphynx cats have an incredibly loud scream/meow and need to be bathed once a week, bengals have so much energy that they often require several hours of dedicated play and leashed walking every day, and persian and exotic shorthair cats are extremely prone to breathing problems and polycystic kidney disease). Think hard about whether you’d be willing to put in this extra effort (and in some cases the extra cost for vet bills!) for a decade or more.

Keep your cat inside. If you bring your cat outside, do it under controlled conditions–on a leash and harness. Letting your cat outside unattended introduces it to extreme dangers: other predators, vehicles, and of course diseases carried by other cats such as FIV and FeLV. It messes with the bird population in the area. And, even in a spayed or neutered cat, encounters with other cats near their home can send them into a territorial rage that results in, well. Cat piss all over the house. Domestic cats that exhibit anxiety indoors aren’t upset because they’re “meant to be in the wild”. There’s almost always another reason–too few escape routes in the house, not enough play, some sort of situation that’s stressing them out. Some breeds, like bengals, really do need a larger territory, but this can be accomplished by taking them on a walk. Yes, with a leash. It boils down to this: the average life expectancy for an indoor cat is about sixteen years. We’re talking the time it takes for a seven-year-old to get to grad school. The average life expectancy for an indoor-outdoor cat is more like five years, with a severely diminished quality of life all around. Which brings us to…

Your cat’s gonna be living with you for a long time. Do the mental math: if you adopt a young cat or kitten, how old will you be when it’s fifteen years old? Twenty years old? That’s not out of the question. Can you see yourself still able to care for it? How many situations can you imagine that would make you want to give it away? If you’re coming up with a lot of possible reasons, you may want to consider instead fostering, volunteering at a shelter… or adopting an older cat. Many cats in their early teens are still extremely healthy and active and affectionate, and it’s not nearly as much of a time commitment in the long run. Sometimes you can’t control what happens twenty years down the line, but don’t be selfish and adopt a young cat if you already know for sure that you won’t be able to care for it for its entire lifetime. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see the cats at the shelter who had four or five amazing years with their human before the human decided to move and left behind an older, much-loved cat who, statistically speaking, will not get adopted.

Cats don’t act out of spite. It’s amazing the stories people invent to explain their cats’ behavior, you wouldn’t believe. Cats are bright animals in many ways, but they’re not peeing outside of the litterbox because they’re jealous of your new boyfriend or because they’re trying to punish you because you won’t let them sleep on the bed. There can be associations there–maybe your new boyfriend isn’t a cat person and stresses the cat out without realizing it, or maybe your bed is the area that holds most of your scent and the cat is freaked out by not having that important part of the house as part of its territory–but it’s not spite, dude. More often than not it’s fear.

Cats aren’t dogs. Don’t play rough with a cat–they only know one mode of play, and that’s hunting. If you roughhouse with a cat, you’re teaching your cat that hands are things they should constantly be trying to kill. It’s amazing the number of people who’ll go “but he loves it!” I’m sorry, dude, you’re just winding him up and starting him on the path toward becoming an aggressive cat. Get a wand with a feather on the end and tucker him out every night before he gets his food. You might find he stops acting so aggressively toward you as a result.

Take your cats to the vet. If anything goes wrong, better safe than sorry. Older cats–about eight years and up–should be going in about once a year for checkups/bloodwork, since many older cats can be prone to arthritis (does your cat get snarky with you when you pet near the base of its tail? often that means it’s feeling some pain) and kidney disease, both of which can be managed extremely well if caught early.

Cats don’t attack for no reason. “But she started biting me for absolutely no reason!” Okay, there are plenty of reasons why a cat can seem to go from 0-60 in one second flat. Number one? You might just not be recognizing the danger signs. Cats flatten their ears in a sort of futile attempt to calm themselves down–when they lash out with flattened ears, it’s 100% a defensive thing, not an aggressive thing. A twitching tail is a warning–a thrashing tail means you’re in for it. So why is your cat lashing out? Could be as simple as you cornering it and not giving it ways out. Put up cat trees, play with vertical spaces in your home, and your cat won’t feel cornered all the time. Could also be that your cat’s been trained to see hands as things that have to be killed–play with your cat in an appropriate way! Sometimes cats just get overstimulated and lash out–it’s like having someone cuddling with you and finally you’re like “okay dude, okay, let me get up and go do something else for a while” and they just cling to you even more, so you freak out a bit. Back off if your cat seems to flip out a lot when you’re petting it–are you doing long, full-body pets? Might be too much for your cat. Try scritches under the chin or short strokes closer to the head. Better yet, hold out your hand palm down (not in a grabbing motion, in a sort of limp-wrist motion) and let your cat pet itself on your hand. They’ll point out where they like to be petted!

You might have to sacrifice some of your house’s aesthetic for the sake of cats. If you want to avoid messes outside the box, you should have at least one litter box per cat, and often one extra. If your cats continue missing the box, you might have to keep your litter boxes in more exposed locations–by the way, those boxes should be cleaned at least daily, and all the litter should be emptied out and replaced twice a week for non-clumping litter and monthly for clumping litter. You should also have vertical spaces (shelving, cat trees) so your cats can traverse the room without getting cornered, which can result in aggression (similar to cage aggression) over time.

Do not declaw your cats. If your cats claw up your furniture, consider providing them with alternatives–older cats really enjoy horizontal scratching surfaces that don’t make them overwork their arthritic joints, whereas younger cats need vertical scratching surfaces to work out a whole range of motion. Place cat trees and scratching posts near problem areas and lure the cats to the appropriate scratching surfaces using a cat toy. Play with your cats more often to prevent nervous scratching. If your cat has a habit of scratching people, consider point 10 about possible reasons why your cat might be lashing out. There are also soft claw tips you can have put on at the vet that work great! You should be clipping your cats’ claws when they get too long–that’s like using a nail clipper and doesn’t hurt them. Declawing cats is the equivalent of amputating a finger at the first knuckle, and can result in behavioral issues (in my experience, many declawed cats are very aware of their remaining defenses and so default to biting when they’re stressed–unlike a scratch, a cat bite almost always gets infected and can land you at the emergency room), and many declawed cats are in constant pain (we had one declawed cat at the shelter that needed a special ultra-fine litter because the coarse litter was enough to cause pain in his paws).

Cats are affectionate, loving pets. When they’re properly socialized and in good health, getting plenty of appropriate play, aware of escape routes throughout the house, and accessing a clean litter box? Cats are the furthest you can get from ‘aloof’. They’re goofy, friendly little creatures that are ridiculously fun and interactive pets. With a clicker/treat setup, even a difficult cat can be taught to sit and stay within about a week. Some breeds of cat love to play fetch. Some cats are so loving that they’ll follow you from room to room just to be near you. The myth of the aloof, unpredictable little monsters that just sort of tolerate their owners is really rooted in folks who aren’t quite hitting the mark when it comes to caring for their cat. If you’re willing to put in the effort, cats are ridiculously loyal and adorable little buddies who’ll be with you for a long, long time.