Nothing rhymes with “orange.” However, “orinch” loosely rhymes with “Grinch.” A thing to remember about the Grinch is that his “small heart grew three sizes that day.” You are probably wondering what this has to do with Tabby’s Place cats. Well, at the Place of Places, orange collars are indicators. They signal to staff and volunteers that the wearers are prone to overstimulation from any or little stimulation. These are not cats to be stroked endlessly from nose tip to tail tip, if at all. There are rare and specific exceptions, but only with extreme caution.
For one, big ol’ Sam, weighing in at a hefty 22lbs, can be pet in all kinds of dreamy, wonderful ways. CAVEAT: Sam earned his orange collar. CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT. Not only can Sam become overstimulated by an overabundance of affection, he can become prickly and untouchable in the presence of other cats. When visiting Sam, it is important to suss out how much love has been lavished upon him recently and whether or not Smudge is offensively proximate to Sam’s generously-proportioned self.
Similarly, Penny is generally offended by the presence of other felines. But, she sometimes prickles simply because she’s Penny. Yet, scritches are often approved. A comfortable lap might be filled with a dainty companion. CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT. In either and any case, it is important to move slowly with Penny. Lap without pets might just be 100% of the contact she is seeking. Respecting her boundaries is key. Her orange collar is a clear reminder.
With the lofty goal of making every cat as happy as possible, their behaviors are closely tracked and reported for better or for more questionable. There are socializing programs to help. At the very least, we hope for a shift like the one Emperatriz has undergone. She no longer runs away at seeing a human. Her eyes aren’t always in maximum wide-open position. She doesn’t tremble when a person comes within 6 feet of her. However, come too close, and Emperatriz with lunge and lash. Yet, from a comfortable distance, she will slow blink and settle in a nap. How wonderful!
Also wonderful is great big Gator, whose fur coordinates well with his collar. Gator, as it happens, is very well named: big teeth, hard chomp. Gator is also a very sweet boy. CAVEATS galore: Gator is too smart for himself, too smart for us, and too apt to quickly go from enjoying a bit of a pat to using his teeth. That said, his relocation to the coat room is going well. The former office gets a lot of human foot-traffic. Plus, there is plenty of open floor space, a bench, and everything a cat could want, including a solarium.
The benefits of having Gator, His Orinch Highness, residing in the coat room are many. First and foremost for the people, there is ample opportunity to visit with the Deluxe Sweet Potato (CAVEAT!). For Gator, the solarium is first and foremost. It offers extra space and access to the great outdoors in a safe way, even when he can’t go for a stroller ride. Frequent, brief visits with lots of breaks in between stimulate that oversized brain of his. With a million caveats and explaining that twice 2 seconds is only 4 seconds, the time from beginning an interaction with Gator to ending it without incident has increased significantly since his move. CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT CAVEAT.
Some might think that it isn’t a big deal to interact with cats like Sam, Penny, Emperatriz, and Gator according to the wishes of the person. It might be deemed acceptable to be swatted, lunged at, or bitten. Absolutely not. To put it in human turns, nobody wants to be tickled beyond the point of fun. Nobody is always in the mood for any touching at all. Being ignored when begging for unwanted attention to end is frustrating. Being overwhelmed feels terrible. So, it is up to us humans to be alter to the cats’ wishes and respect them.
Tabby’s Place is a haven where every cat needs to be encouraged to feel safe. Respecting orange collar cats is one part of that. Protecting humans is also important. Cat scratches and bites can be very serious. So, it is essential to keep orange collar cats from feeling that they need to lash out. And that brings us back to the Grinch. Whatever the feelings he felt that made him mean to the Whos in Whoville, kindness and empathy won the day. With patience and understanding, the Whos embraced the Grinch. Irk, ire, and irritation melted away. And, that’s what we hope for with the cats that wear “orinch” as an alert. With attentiveness and care, trust and love will grow. Bad feelings will melt away and be kept at bay. And, then, one day, happily ever after will come…definitely at Tabby’s Place, but most hopefully in a forever home.