Meowllo and welcome to Service Cat Monday. One of da things mommy hears most offen when tellin’ peeps ‘bout us is, “Service Cats? I’ve never heard of a cat being a service animal?” And then da next biggest question is, “What do they do?” Once mommy tells a few of da things we do fur her peeps jaws drop a bit; some in disbelief and some in awe. We’ve covered a lot of topics in this series, includin’ trainin’ tips dat every kitty could benefit from. So, ifin you’ve missed any of our postys, purrlease click on da links at da end of this post. As with all our educational postys, da followin’ will be written in human English. Purrlease leave your questions, comments or topics you would like covered in da comment section below. We’ll be discussin’ da last of da questions we’ve received today. So without further adieu, let’s get on with it.
When people hear that mommy passes out and that we help her in the shower, it probably conjures all kinds of pictures in ones head. We guess that based on the question mommy is asked. And our friends Shoko, Kali and awnty Jean of the Canadian Cats made certain to ask, “Just what can an average cat do to help you in the shower? How do they Move you?” For all of you that are new to our blog, let us back up a minute and explain what they’re talking about. See, mommy passes out. This happens for many different reasons, none the less it happens daily and often while she’s taking a shower. And it was Shad, mommys’ first ever Service Cat that trained herself and showed mommy what a kitty is capable of. You can read Shad’s story here and here. Please be aware the Shad posts were not educational training posts and are therefore written in cat speak. Anyways, the question remains, just what is it that the average cat can do to help an unconscious human? After all, the average cat weighs in at about 8 to 10 pounds and hates water.
Shad, Mommy’s Original Service Cat
As most of you know mommy has rather large kitties. She always has. Even Shad, who weighed in at 15 pounds, was considered large. And yes, at 15 pounds she was healthy and not considered overweight. Shad was amazing, and without her there might not be a me or sis Raena. But mommy did learn that some of the things we are trained to do require 2 cats; otherwise it’s just too hard on kitty. Now let’s get back to the shower and just what it is we do.
Healthy Lexi at around 30 pounds
You are right, even 2 healthy 30 pound kitties can not pull or push a wet, naked, over 100 pound human out of a bathtub. We aren’t concerned with getting all of mommy out of the tub. The only concern is that she doesn’t drown. So all that’s necessary is to make sure her head is out of the water flow. To accomplish this we push mommys head and torso up over the edge of the tub. Stop imagining things and let me explain. This is exactly why 2 cats are needed. Each kitty gets under an arm and positions in the armpit and pushes at the same time thus moving the torso and head. On occasion, some kitty does have to grab a mouth full of hair and reposition mommys head to lay on or over the edge of the tub. We then get out and roll around on our towels and wait for mommy to come too. We don’t mind water. We’re trained from the beginning to be in and around both standing water and flowing water like a shower.
We, like Shad, are devoted to mommy. There is a special bond that exists between a Service Cat and their human handler. This is NOT among the first tasks we are trained to do as it is asking a lot of a kitty and bonding takes time. And for that reason we will not be posting the how to’s to train this task to your kitty. It is something that the new kitty starts learning from the resident kitty at this point, as Raena is already trying to help me help mommy. We do hope this has helped you understand a bit more just what a kitty is capable of. But remember, NEVER expect more of an animal than size, breed and species would dictate. The love and devotion Shad and mommy shared caused Shad to go above and beyond. Mommy knowing the kind of love and devotion she gives and elicits has allowed her to have that continued help from the cats who came after. Anyone can have that relationship and any kitty can be trained. But you must start with a solid foundation.
I’s a good helper aren’t I sissy?
Yes Raena, you’re a good helper and are gonna be a fine Service Cat. Anyways, we do hope we’ve helped you to understand a bit more of what we do. Fur those of ya’ dat read Shads’ story we hope you enjoy it, she is very much a pawrt of who we are today. Mommy wants me to remind ya’ dat cuz she be naked and we live alone of course, there will never be any fotos of us purrfurmin’ these duties. Mommy says she’s no pb bunny. We need to know what you all wanna hear next, so leave your questions in da comments. We’re gonna see ‘bout goin’ fur a stroll while da weather’s nice, so have a great day.
Do you (your cat) like water?
Is there something you would like to know how to train?
Well today we cided to join da blogosphere in memberin’ those who came afur and awe now lost. We don’t believe in da rainbow bwidge, but we do believe in God and heaven. Now in meez showrt 5 and a half years meez lost many furiends dat weez met here but me duns’t know loss like mommy and sissy. So today sis Lexi’s gunna be tellin’ ‘bout da luv dat da world no longer knows.
Dear God purrlease watch over all our furiends and furmily. And let those who have gone to be wiff you know dat weez luv them and miss them. Amen
Faynkz Dezi. Weez not like to dwell on da loss as it’s very draynin’ and negative, so stead weez gunna commemorayt da lives of those dat held a place in our hearts. I’z lost 3 brofurs in minez 16 yearz. And weez told ya’ a little ‘bout ‘em in udder posteez. But we never talk ‘bout da sisfur I’z lost. See I’z was born one of a litter of 3. I’z had a brofur and sisfur littermayt. Mommy took us awl in and lubbed us very much. But as you know ifin youz read our blog or followed us on facebook, our birthz were anyfin’ but normal. Minez brofur was froewn onto da grass and I’z was froewn into da wooden fence. Our littermayt sisfur was froewn onto da cement patio of da yard we was born at. By da age of 2 weeks it waz evident dat she had brayn damage. Mommy fawt so hard to keep her alive but at 3 weeks old minez littermayt gave up and didunt wanna fight anymore. So mommy took her to da VET and sent her off too heaven. Now I’z’ll be honezt and tell ya’ I’z didunt really know her and so I’z not miss her, but mommy finkz of herz offen. Fur da 3 weekz she did live, she knew nuffin’ but lubz and da warmff of a mommy.
And of course there’z da furzt Service Cat mommy had, Shad. I’z idunt know her neeber, but she iz a grayt inspirayshun fur those of us dat came after her. She only lived a very short 5 years, but she lubbed and waz lubbed a lifetime afur she left this world. She left her mark on mommys heart and in hers life. And then there’s my brofur, Devon. Himz took me in and taught me everyfin’ himz knew. When himz got da brayn tumor and had to go to heaven I’z really missed him. I’z didunt understand why himz had to go away. But I’z will awlwayz member himz lub and acceptance.
Shad with her pig brofur
Dat’z me wiff minez brofurz Devon on da kownter and Lucky.
And then there was minez brofur Lucky. Only 28 dayz older than me, we kulda been littermaytz. We grew up togedder and learned to be service cats togedder and changed homez many timez wiff mommy togedder. Oh how I’z missed minez brofur Lucky when himz went to heaven a short 5 yearz after our birthz. Fur many yearz Christmas was nebber da saym. But time healz da broken heart and knowin’ himz wazn’t hurtin’ or sufferin’ anymore mayd lozin’ him eazier to bear. Himz luv lives on fru mommy and me.
Lastly I’z lozt sweet Ransom. He waz such a sweet boy and his life was far too short. But in himz short life he knew da luv of da agez frum mommy and me. Himz waz smart az a whip and charmed awl da peepz who met him. Himz fierce fightin’ spirit will live on furever az long az we member.
I habz known a lot of loss in minez yearz here, but I’z also known a lot of lubz. Those who came afur and have gone on to our mansion in heaven will a;ways be missed. But their lives and luv left a never endin’ mark on all those they touched. We will nebber furget them. Their legacies live on in me and in Deztinee and all those dat will come after us. I’z lubz minez mommy berry much and Dezi too. I’z nebber wanna leave them. But I’z habz a feelin’ I’z won’t know anymore loss, but stead sis Dezi will have to help mommy fru it. Minez body iz getting’ old and fingz don’t alwayz work rite anymore. But I’z left minez mark and will keep rite on duin’ it till God callz me to heaven to join all those I’z sed goodbye to. I’z not eaten in da lazt 2 dayz again, and so mommy of course iz worried. Any purrayerz you kuld spare wuld fur shur be purreshayted. Youz know mommy dusn’t habz much money, but she givez ebberfin’ she haz to us. Epic, unconditional, unending luv iz what mayd each of us choose mommy az our very own. 1 day or 100 yearz wiff mommy feelz like a lifetime. I’z been very blezt to habz da life I’z have and so were all those we celebrate today. I’z wuldn’t change minez life fur anyfin’ in da world and I’z know da udderz wuld say da same. Love Lives on Furever!!!
Fank you sissy, but don’t you be finkin’ ‘bout goin’ anywhere, mommy and me need you too much. And yous so wight, we awe so very blest to have da lives we do. Purrlease just member dat luv knows no bounds and will as sissy sez, liv on furever and ever.
Well definitions awe behind us now and weez movin’ on. Meez been thinkin’ long and hard ‘bout what stowry to tell next. And weez been readin’ da comments and me thought ‘bout it and decided we needed to stawrt at da beginin’. Back befur me and even sis Lexi. Back to a time when mommy furst had hers accident. Mommy. Lexi and me talked ‘bout it and decided you needed to unnerstand how it all began to unnerstand how we got to where we are now. Those of you who followed our bloggy back when we furst stawrted have already read this stowry, but we have lots of furiends now who wasn’t with us then so weez hope yous all enjoy da look back.
Lots of years ago afur mommy’s accident hers had a beautiful white Persian kitty named Shad. They were really close as they had been thru lots together. Mommy had gone back to school and her and Shad lived together alone. Then one day mommy had a car wreck dat left her disabled. Among many of hers purroblems, she passed out. Sometimes mommy would just lose consciousness outta da blue. And then there was actions or surroundings dat could cause her to pass out. She always got a little warnin’, but it still happened. After passin’ out at school and in da shoppin’ center, mommy’s doctors stawrted talkin’ to hers bout lookin’ into a Service dog.
Mommy likes doggy’s fine but hers had a kitty cat and lived in a small pawrtment and couldn’t hardly afford to feed Shad and herself. Mommy just didn’t think a doggy was very feasible fur her. So mommy just kept trudgin’ on and tryin’ to make it. Now Shad had always been very clever, And back in those days fones wus big and had answerin’ machines dat recorded to a tape and played aloud fur everypawdy in da room to hear. When mommy wusn’t home and sumpawdy dat Shad knew would call, she’s would paw at da fone til she’s hit da speaker fone button and then try to talk to them. More than once mommy came home to half messages and da fone off da hook. Mommy thought it wus cute so hers didn’t worry ’bout it too much specially since Shad only did it wiff people she knew.
SHAD, Mommy’s Original Service Cat
So one day mommy was makin’ some dinner and hers passed out and hit hers head on da corner of da desk. Mommy is very tall and da floor is a long way down. MOL Anyway when mommy came too hers heard sumpawdy bangin’ on da door hollerin’… POLICE. Mommy got up and answered da door and there stood a very nice policeman askin’ ifin she’s was alright. Mommy told him hers was fine and asked why he was there?. He told mommy dat da police had received a 911 call from hers address. Mommy told him hers had been unconscious and she’s hadn’t called 911. He asked ifin anypawdy else coulda called, and mommy told him dat she’s lived alone. So hims called into dispatch and they told him dat all they heard was a cat meowin’ on da other end of da line. So he’s asked mommy ifin hers had a kitty cat and ifin was pawssible dat da kitty called 911. You’s know is a crime to call 911 ifin you’s don’t have an emergency. Mommy told him of course she had a cat but she didn’t see how Shad coulda called 911 cuz she hadn’t been trained fur anythin’ like dat. At da time mommy didn’t know anythin ’bout Service animals other than seein’ eye dogs herself. Hers doctors hadn’t been very specific ’bout what kinda help she was gunna get fwom a Service dog when they had suggested it. Da nice police officer came in and checked everyfin’ ovrw and then he left only to be called back out a few days later.
So dis time he asked mommy ifin they could try to recreate what happened. Cuz da 911 call had a kitty vewy frantically and loudly meowin’ into da fone and then da meowin’ wuld get faint and could barely be heard in da background. And then very loud again and then very faint. So mommy agreed to try to recreate it and da officer left after callin’ dispatch and tellin’ ’em what they were gunna do and settin’ up a small camera. (mommy had no digital camera or video camera at da time) A little later da plan was set into motion. And mommy watched thru squinted eyes as Shad ran to da fone and pawed at it til she’s hit da speaker fone and got a dial tone. Then she would paw da numbers on da fone til a voice answered and said, “911 what is your emergency??” Shad would begin to meow and meow and then run to mommy meowin’ da whole time. Hers would paw mommy’s face and then run back to da fone and meow into da speaker and then run back to mommy again. She’s did dis 4 times and then laid down beside mommy and waited.
Mommy never knew how Shad had figgered out what to do or even why, but dat was da beginin’ of mommy’s trainin’ and unnerstandin’ dat we kitties could be trained to do things other than not scratch da furniture. Shad went on to twain herself to do many more things fur mommy befur she went to heaven. And mommy has picked up where they left off and trained da kitties dat followed her includin’ sis Lexi and me. Mommy has always made certain she has a fone system in da house with a speaker fone and an answerin’ machine dat everypawdy in da room can hear. We cats awe naturally drawn to voices we recognize and it makes trainin’ much easier ifin your kitty be interested in da thing you want them to do.
Disclaimer: Kitties who train as service animals are not purrfurmin’ tricks. Our trainin’ stories awe not meant to be a compurrhensive trainin’ manual but rather excerpts fwom hours and months of trainin’ fur yous readin’ enjoyment. Ifin yous have specific questions regardin’ trainin’ yous can email us via our contact page and mommy will be happy to try to assist you. Purrlease stay tuned fur Service Animal trainin’ wiff Lexi and me.
Meowllo everypawdy, da weekend’s here. WooHoo Well yesfurday fur National answer yous cat’s question day we let you choose da questions. And we got sum good ones dat’s fur sure. See, we ask mommy questions all da time and she answers ‘em wight then and there. And usually ifin hers can’t answer ‘em hers will find da answer. Whether dat means duin’ wesearch or askin’ sumpawdy els, so weez didn’t weally hav anyfin’ to ask hers. And we usually do da same fing wiff all of you. Ifin weez wunnewin’ sumfin’ ‘bout ya’, weez just ask. Yous always answer, so Fank you fur dat. Now me will get on to da question and answer portion of this posty.
Da first question by ow pawsum furiends da Trout Town Tabbies wuz: Why dusn’t mommy grow us more gwass in da house?
Mommys answer: I ought to. the girls love their grass, but we just don’t have the room to put a football field of grass in the house, and I get tired of stepping in and cleaning up the grass puke. MOL A little grass goes a long way.
I’z lubz da grazz too. Fankz awnty Jennifer.
Ow nex questionwuz fwum meez fellow Cat Scout and furiend Shoko fwum da Canadian Cats. She wanted to know where me sleeps.
Meez gunna answer this one. Me sleeps wight beside mommy. We hav a twin size hospital bed and mommy sleeps as faw over to one side as hers can to make room fur me to curl up at hers waist. Sis Lexi sleeps between mommy legs and rests hers head on mommys thigh.
Ow nex question got asked by a kupple of ow wunnewful furiends. Timmy fwum da Tomcat Commentary and Annabelle fwum Manx Mnews wanted to know what toy wuz boff Lexi and meez favowit.
Sissy and me talked this one over a while and came to a consensus. Ow favowit toy wuz da Cat’s Meow. we actually played wiff it so much we ran da motor out and it dusn’t work anymore. So, now ow favowit toys awe those wiff da nip in ‘em. You know da nana, da made wiff luv toys weez won and ow ball and twack toys.
Ow furiends da Florida Furkids wanted to know what ow favowit pizza is.
OMC It’s Pepperoni!!! Weez luv, luv, luv da pepperoni pizza. Dat weminds me of a question me has, when can we hav anudder pizza mommy? Oh, mommy sez soon.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Anyways on to ow nex question which comes fwum ow adventurwous furiends da Purrfect Kitties. They wanna know ifin weez ever seen a weal live mousey.
Well… me hasn’t ever seen a weal live mousey but mommy sez she finks me wuld be a weal hunter and killer. Sis Lexi on da udder hand…she has seen a weal mousey and she joined mommy up in da chair while hers bwofur Lucky chased it down and made short work of it. C’mon now, weez posh pampurred inside Service kitties. MOL
Come here mousy meez gunna get you.
Ow dear furiend Tribble hoo got a new bwofur last year has da nex question. And she wants to know why weez hav no bwofur and do we want one. MOL Even tho’ this be a fun question it has a very serious answer, so meez gunna let mommy take this one.
Dear sweet Tribble after losing Devon to cancer and then Lucky and Ransom who both had UTI’s that essentially robbed them of their lives and me of them, I just couldn’t go through that again. Although females can get UTI’s it is more of a risk for males. So after Ransom died I prayed and asked God too send me a sweet little girl to love. And He did. He sent Dezi to me, and she is perfect in every way. I love all the boys that are in our lives including your sweet brother, but my heart couldn’t take another loss like that. So that’s why the girls don’t have a physical brother. You and your mommy are family to us, your not just online friends. That means your family is our family, including Indy.
Da nex question is by one of ow pawsum Facebook awnties. She’s been wiff us since almost da beginnin’. And she wanted to know when mommy had hers accident and ifin meez still fwaid of da loud noises.
Mommy had hers accident November 21, 1994. And yes, there awe sum loud noises dat still scare me. And meez purrawlly gunna fweak out again this year when spwing finally awwives and da lawn crew shows up fur da first time in mumffs. MOL
We saved this question fur last, cuz it might take a little time to answer. Ow furiends Pipo and Minko fwum We bees Siamese want to know how we learned to be Service Cats.
Dat’s a loaded question and wuld take a lot more time than we hav in this posty. We posted back on April 19, 2014 ‘bout Shad, Mommy’s Original Service Cat who twained herselff. And after she died and mommy wealized dat kitties kuld be twained to do such fings mommy stawted twainin’ hers very nex kitty, Devon. And while volunteerin’ wiff a wescue gwoup mommy adopted Lucky and then Lexi and twained them also. Devon helped wiff their twainin’ as well. We posted a little ‘bout Lexi’s twainin’ back on April 21, 2014 in Lexi Becomes a Service Cat. And finally me joined mommy and Lexi and they hav boff had a hand in twainin’ me.
As we hav had quite a foo new furiends join us in wecent mumffs we will be tellin’ more stories ‘bout ow twainin’ in da future. Although ow posts awe in no way meant to be a twainin’ manual as we don’t cover minute by minute. It wuld be way too boring. Twainin’ isn’t always fun or funny. We twy to post the joyous and funny times, and even lots of da oopsies. Just know dat there’s a lot of time put into twainin’. We wusn’t born Service cats, but any cat can be twained to become one. And we also posted the diffewence between a Service cat and Therapy cat on April 18, 2014. They awe not the same thing or interchangeable terms. Lexi and me awe twained Service Animals. Me has also been fwu da certification purrawcess to be a Therapy cat cuz mommy likes to giv back to da community when she can and weez not hav munny to giv but we do hav time.
Well, dat wraps up da questions and answers fwum National answer yous cats question day. We hope you learned a little more ‘bout us. As always ifin yous hav a question fur us anytime, just ask. Weez not mind answerin’ anyfin’ so long as it’s wespectful and nice. Yous know weez a rated G bloggy dat wuld be safe fur da peeps gwandchildwen to wead. so just member to keep it clean. There wuz anudder question dat rian asked. Hims didn’t actually ask us, but we wanted to share it. Hims not been feelin’ so good of late and wanted to know why hims sisfurs wus always hovewin’. Hims dad did a gweat job of answerin’ him and we just wanted to say dat we kitties be very empafetic. And when we luv, we luv deep. And we just want ow furmily to be okay. They hover Brian cuz they luv you, as do we. Yous in ow purrayers as is yous furmily.
And speakin’ of purrayers, weez askin’ you to keep sis Lexi in all yous purrayers. She will hav da bloggy nex time to tell yous ‘bout da rest of hers and mommys day togedder and giv yous an update on hers pill takin’ and eatin’. So be sure to come check it out. And check out da pawsum Purrs and Purrayers Badge ow sweet furiends fwum da Kitty Cat Chronicles made fur us. Yous can display on yous bloggies ifin yous wuld like. Fank yous so much sweet furiends, we luv it. They used lots of happy colors cuz they sed we wuz always happy. Isn’t dat da sweetest fing?
Service Cats U.S. 