All it took to draw the first cat to Tabby’s Place was for there to be some portion of a building. Flash forward to building Quinn’s Corner, and the initial finding was proven true again. If you build a cat sanctuary (or an addition to one), cats will come. Once the cats are at the sanctuary, well, that’s when the hard work really begins.
There is plenty of hard work to be done at Tabby’s Place, and each staff member in every department has their work cut out for them. The same is true for volunteers. Amidst the long list of effortful tasks to be done daily includes figuring out how to draw cats. Disambiguation to follow. Promise.
A while ago instructions for drawing a cat using the number 61 was making the rounds on the interwebs. That’s not what happens at Tabby’s Place. Okay, well, some of our artistic Tabby’s Place family members do exactly that. But, that’s not the kind of drawing that staff and volunteers focus on when it comes to the cats. It’s all about cajoling cats – drawing them out of their shells and hiding places – so they can be given something they need, or so they will cooperate with something someone needs to do for them.
Situations requiring such drawing of cats include socializing shy cats, regular health care (claws clipped, ears cleaned, etc.), and brushing. Actually, for some, like Juel, brushing is a primary draw. But, for a cat like Anka, there often needs to be something special proffered for brushing to be deemed remotely acceptable. Treats are an excellent way to convince cats to cooperate. Anka likes squeezeables. Triscuit, who needs eye drops, likes crunchies. Taylor Ham will go for pretty much any treat…whether it’s intended for feline consumption or not. Also, if it isn’t offered, he might just help himself. He’s fun that way.
…ahem..
But, treats aren’t the only way to draw a cat. If you want to get Tootsie involved in an activity, pick a colorful wand toy and get waving. To engage Colonel Peabody, simply enter the room. With a very shy cat like Hircine, try slow blinks, yawns, and soft speech. The speed of results is entirely dependent on the cat and the direction of the predominant winds and the level of humidity in the air and the ambient air temperature…and every other little detail that shapes a cat’s mood because, well, cats, man.
Anyway, drawing cats all gets down to finding the right lure for the right cat at the right time. And, that can change from cat to cat and from time to time. No matter the challenge, the humans of Tabby’s Place are up for it, and, thankfully, the treat supplies are well stocked.
But, wait! This just in! Apparently, there’s a way to draw cats starting with the number 200. Yup, 200 cats sounds just about right, but who’s counting?