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| Cookie |
There’s
so much to say about the words used in the animal world. Some are hideously boring clichés, as in our “furry (or “feathery”) friends” — there must be another way to refer to cats, dogs and birds.
any kind. This word’s mindless overuse is enough to sour a reader or listener. What
happened to spirited, darling, cuddlesome, feisty or even moody or shy? Yet most are simply “sweet.”
salespeople and others?)
and scapegoat. The first refers to a
violinist who can sound as if s/he is scraping the instrument’s strings. (Violin strings were traditionally made of “catgut” — actually the gut or
intestines of sheep or goats, not cats.)
“sound-like” word, has a distinctly different meaning of its own. This unlucky
animal, or person, is
blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for
reasons of expediency. Biblically, the
sins of the people were loaded on a goat, who was then sent into the
wilderness. (Presto! no more sins — at
least for now.)
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| APLNJ pic |
Onto euphemisms, like “hog
producer,” a business-like term that really means a farmer who raises pigs, or
hogs, to be killed so they can be eaten.
Then there’s the sign at a nearby farm for “pork,” instead of dead pig.
season, and the world can seem full of cats — moms and babies, and many, many
more of the same. Active, playful and
lovable, in need of help, protecting their young, whatever they’re up to: cats
can scratch people, and some scratches are serious. Just in time, here are five tips for dealing
with cat scratches from online Catster
magazine.
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| Catster pic |
Honey was the
surprise for me — I wouldn’t have thought of it for cat scratches (and in fact
a couple comments here dispute that idea), even though I’ve seen it used in
hospitals for wounds. Baking soda sounds
like a good bet for relieving scratch itch, in paste form, I assume. (Of course, depending on seriousness of the
scratch and what you know about the cat, a round of antibiotics might be your
best bet.)
your scratches and carry on!
& birds can mix
nesting materials to area birds, according to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic in North Grafton, Mass.
Human hair, pet fur, bits of string or yarn and small strips of cloth can be
offered to birds to line their nests.
So if you brush
your cat(s) anyway, think of the fluff as “for the birds.” And, btw, for squirrels too. How’d you like to hang out in a drafty nest
high up in a tree during a gusty spring rain storm? Soft car fur could make the difference.
happen to cats outside (including of course community cats and kittens who have
never — yet! — been indoors). They can
be stung or bitten by wasps, bees, spiders and snakes.
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| Black widow spider |
This Catster article by a
veterinarian spells out how to help an afflicted cat if bites or stings
happen. And it makes the basic point
that indoor-only cats will be much safer from all these hazards.
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