Cat owners turn out for rabies clinic

What better place could there be, then, to ask the felines’ owners to design the cat park of their pets’ dreams?

By: Linda J. Field
   It was the cats’ turn at the local rabies clinic held in Lawrence last week.
   Dogs definitely made up the minority, and most behaved accordingly. The felines came in carriers, boxes, wrapped in blankets, on leashes, in buckets and all were decidedly unhappy about being dragged away from the television to wait in line for their turn to get a shot.
   What better place could there be, then, to ask the felines’ owners to design the cat park of their pets’ dreams? A multitude of ideas came pouring out to put before the parks department should they ever decide it was time for a park for these other important, though often silent, residents. After all, dogs have their own park. You never know.
"Tulip would like birds that can’t fly," said Megan Camisa of her 5-year-old calico cat. "That’s her favorite thing, to sit at the window and watch them. She doesn’t really play with toys, just with my two dogs. Oh, yes, and some squirrels."
   One answer came up repeatedly, and would be a very inexpensive thing to provide for users — bugs.
   "Tigger and Pooh would like bugs to play with," said Britney Carey, a seventh-grader at Lawrence Middle School, who was with her mom, Nikol, about their 3-year-old cats. "Plus high things to climb on and hang off of. They like to climb up on doors and go onto the top of the refrigerator. They’d like to have something like a fountain. They like running water. The fat one would like a cozy place to eat and sleep."
   Eleven-year-old Casey the cat also would be easy to please.
   "Casey would like plastic bags," said Shauna Simmons, a senior at Lawrence High School. "She likes to eat them. We’ll have to recycle her when she passes away. Also she likes furniture for scratching posts. It would have to be a couch or a chair — plus dog food. Yes, she eats dog food."
   With many cats being kept indoors as pampered pets, this created a different problem for some respondents to the poll. Matt Miller, when faced with the prospect of a cat park for an indoor cat, didn’t miss a beat. Just make it an indoor park.
   "There’d have to be a litter box," said Matt, a seventh-grader at Lawrence Middle School. He was at the clinic with Bob, his 7-year-old tuxedo cat. "The park would have to be indoors, since Bob doesn’t go out. Maybe one of those sticks with the mouse on the end that you drag for them to chase.
   "Also a scratching post, kind of make it like a giant Romp-Around for cats. They’d need lots of catnip toys. Also food, maybe some choices, like Friskies. Plus some mice in the park for them to chase."
   Almost every cat in existence likes to be up higher than its human caregivers to prove their superiority by physical position. Whereas the dog park is cleared of all shrubbery to provide open space for them to cavort about, the cat park might appear differently.
   "K.C. likes to climb, so a tree to climb on," said Valerie Mahan about her 10-year-old tiger cat. "She doesn’t play with toys much. K.C. just runs for exercise. So maybe it should include a track to run on, for cats to go racing up and down. She also likes to eat and sleep, so a perch she can climb up on and sit."
   "Lots of cat toys, especially those things with a toy at the end that you can drag and the cat chases it," said 3-year-old Morgan Wewer, prompted by her mom, Rebecca, about what her young cat, Kitty, would like. "And lots of windows so she can look out. Plus a fish pond to watch the fish, and a bird house so the cats can watch them."
   The less grounds to keep up the better, at least for 5-year-old Tuscany, a calico owned by Dawn and Jason Pidcock.
   "Tuscany thinks she’s a rabbit, and hops through the high grass, or goes roaming around in it. So does Little Man, our 4-year-old black cat," said Jason. "Plenty of bugs for them to chase. They both enjoy looking out our picture window. Plus lots of catnip mice would make them happy. Oh, yes, and make sure the cat food is there."
   "Lots of carpet," said Patty and John Ford, while waiting with their very bored-looking gray Persian, Mr. Tibbs. "Something high to be away from everyone. Maybe a window. Plus lots of quiet. Somebody to cater to all his needs. Mr. Tibbs is the utmost snob."
   Zack Lubow, a fifth-grader at Lawrence Intermediate School, may become the designer of cat parks in the future. He definitely had his three cats smiling at the prospects presented before them.
   "Mice, in a closed arena, so the cats could chase them," said Zack, accompanied by his cats, Payday, Skittles and Rocket, each about 1½ years old. "Rocket is obsessed with eating mice. There would be a sign at the park that says ‘No Dogs Allowed!’ A sushi bar, with plenty of sushi and shrimp, but without toothpicks in it. There would be pounce on demand, of course."
   Although a cat park is probably the last thing the township has in mind for its citizens, furry or otherwise, designing one made the wait for the inevitable a little less stressful for the humans involved. Most cats took the shot in stride, and faced their fate without the barking and growling one hears from the canine population.