Cats That Are Unlike Cats: Minnie’s Story

Hi, I'm Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.

My personal experiences with cats, besides working with them professionally, have been quite limited until a little less than 2 years ago, when I got my first kitten, Miki. And he has been a dream come true. I’ve wanted to have a kitten for quite some time, and one that gets along with dogs, and Miki ticked all the boxes. He is very affectionate and gentle, and unlike other cats in many ways. At least, unlike the many prejudiced opinions I previously had about cats, like being withdrawn, quick to scratch, and hard to get along with. I was so very wrong, and now having two kittens has made me see that even more clearly. Minnie in particular is a type of cat that continues to surprise me on a daily basis.

Nothing Scares Her

Minnie is around 6 months old, and she is genuinely fearless and very easily adaptable. She’s the type of cat I can literally drive to my friends’ place to socialize, and she will happily explore their house and engage in play with their kids, whom she never met before, within 15 minutes of arriving, as if this is something she does every single day. She ventures outside and leads the other kitten, Nara, who is much more cautious and easily startled. Recently, I took Minnie on a trip to town, which is a 2.5-hour drive one way, as she went in for spaying, and we stayed there for a few days. She didn’t enjoy being confined in her carrier but was much more relaxed than Miki or Nara ever were. She meowed at times and sought my presence, even holding her paw out for me to hold, without using her claws. And when we arrived, she was exploring the house instantly, jumping up on windows and playing on the sofa. As if she’s already been there many times.

She Loves All Things Dog

Minnie, as well as my other two cats, gets along very well with the dogs. This is something I initially worried about, wondering whether they will have a friendly relationship. And it’s more than that. She loves the dogs, and really sees them as playmates, with them being very gentle and considerate of the cats’ sizes. She doesn’t even mind their barking. Sometimes observing Minnie’s behavior, even looking at Miki. who’s been living with dogs since he came to me as a little kitten, they definitely seem to have taken on some of the dog’s traits. One of them is joining me for walks, which Miki loves to do, and another is begging for food, which only Minnie does. As soon as I open the fridge, she’s there to see if there is anything for her. If chicken is involved, it’s hard to keep her off my lap and the kitchen table. Even when I feed the dogs, she is there and will try to take a bite of one of their treats.

Instead of using her bed to sleep in, she also loves to randomly stroll into the dog crate and make herself at home. Even the bars at the top of the crate will do, especially if there is a food bowl there that can serve as a nice resting spot.

Minnie as A Temporary Vet Clinic Cat

I took Minnie to the vet clinic I work at last week, and she spent the night there with me while I did the night shift. She was a bit unsure and withdrawn for around 30 minutes, which is not surprising given the other animals around, strange scents, dogs barking, and people talking. After around 30 minutes, she was already winning hearts, asking for cuddles, and her all-time favorite, trying to sit on everyone’s shoulders, and holding on as they walked around. Eventually, she was in the duty vet’s office, which has a glass window so we can see the patients at all times, and she would stand on the desk or keyboard, looking curiously at everything going on around her. She was unfazed by dogs passing by, phones ringing, and people chatting, and as soon as we had a little break, she was in everyone’s lap and playing. What did melt my heart was her looking for me for reassurance, and coming back to my lap when she needed a little bit of a break. She would indeed make a perfect clinic cat and even tolerated wearing a little pink bodysuit to keep her wound covered. As a clinic cat, she would be great at helping vet staff de-stress during a busy shift, not even realizing the powerful effects a cat’s purr can have.

A Cuddle Bug

Another thing I love about Minnie (though in reality, there is nothing I don’t love about her) is her being so cuddly and affectionate. I didn’t think cats could be any more affectionate than Miki, who loved to sleep in my lap as a kitten and on my legs overnight. And then Minnie came along. Purring, kneading, placing her little paws gently on my neck and face, jumping up on my shoulders and sitting there as I walk around, following me around like a puppy and playing as I clean the litter boxes, watching me take a shower, which is a little awkward, from the corner of the bathtub, and more. Her cuddling on my chest and snoozing on my lap are some of the most recharging and relaxing moments in my day.

Still being fairly new at owning cats, I find them more and more loving every single day, and I don’t know how I lived all these years without a cat. They really find a place in your heart that you didn’t even know you had in you. And the biggest challenge going forward will be to keep the cat count at three.