My cat hates it when I leave

Cats are not stupid creatures, they have personalities and feelings just like the rest of us. This is evidenced none more clearly than when I travel.

I'd like to introduce you to my cat, Ginny. Ginny is a Siamese, with a little manx and angora thrown in. Ginny "helps me feed the fish." I found that when I fed my fish, Ginny would always sit at my feet and wait for me to give them their dinner. It soon became apparent that she was waiting for me to drop little tidbits on the floor for her when I fed the fish. Fish food is made of, wow!, ground up fish parts. So it made a tasty treat for my little furry friend.

This evolved into a ritual where Ginny would lead me to the aquarium and wait patiently for me to "accidentally" drop a little for her. Since Ginny isn't allowed in the back part of our house, where the bedrooms are located, she loves to sneak in there whenever the door is left open.

I found that if I took the cannister of fish pellets and shook it, calling to her that we need to "feed the fish", she would come running out from whatever bed she had hidden under.

So, about the travel part. Ginny never did like it when I travel. When we'd come home from a trip, she would shun me for days afterwards to show her displeasure. I remember the day she went out on the porch when we drove up, and when I came outside to talk to her she ran up a tree. She spent the better part of a day there, and when I tried to approach her she ran into the woods to continue sulking.

So I figured out a way to stop that behavior. I began by explaining to her a few days in advance that I was planning on going on a trip. When I'd begin packing, and bringing suitcases out to put in the truck, I'd again let her know I was going on a trip. I loved on her a lot, telling her I'd be back and not to worry.

This tactic worked, but she'd still be a bit standoffish for a few days when I came home. The next thing I did was to promise her a gift whenever I came home from a trip. I'd explain that I was going on a trip, and that I would return and not to worry. Then I'd tell her I'd bring her a present when I returned.

A gift for a cat can be elaborate, or very simple. I've brought Ginny little balls with bells in them, rabbit-fur mice with catnip inside, and toys with balls to play with and scratchy things to sharpen her claws on. I've also brought her feathers, paper sacks, and tanned rabbit furs.

But I think Ginny's favorite gift of all time that I have brought to her is a wing. We visited the Canton Texas Flea Market once and came upon a shop that sold hunting and fishing paraphernalia of all types. They had a box of preserved pheasant wings that caught my eye. I thought of Ginny and snapped one up for her.

When we returned from that trip, the first thing I did was bring her new toy to her. It has been an endless source of enjoyment and given me many laughs since that day. She plays with it by attacking it, rolling over on her back and fighting with it. I can throw it for her and she runs ruriously to "catch" it. Then she veers off and walks away as if she never saw it.

And the bottom line of all this silliness? Ginny is much more relaxed when we begin preparing for a trip, and when we return she's very happy to see us. Instead of running off and sulking, she comes to me and purrs. She will rub on me, sit in my lap and basically let me know she loves me intensely.

So next time you think a cat is just an animal, take this to heart and you'll have a much better relationship with your furry friend.