The "Some Neat Cat Facts" Story

It was an ordinary day. One of our cats is lounging on the picnic table on the deck in the sun while the other is napping in his swivel chair by the TV. Creamsicle, the cat on the table, is our outdoor cat who will come in to visit, but not for long. He was dropped off in our neighborhood and kind of adopted us as his owners. Otis, the cat on the swivel chair, will be 19 years old soon and spends most of his day sleeping or begging for treats. The two cats have met each other with mixed emotions. Otis knows that he is the master of our house and even though he will touch noses with Creamsicle, he really doesn't want anything to do with him. I read that the nose-to-nose greeting is unusual, but it is done to gain information about the other cat; where he has been and what he has been doing.  I'm sure Creamsicle didn't get much from Otis's nose. But, there is one thing that they both do equally well, and that is PURR. While reading I found out that purring usually indicates contentment, however deep purring can also indicate pain. Cats start to purr at one week old and purr in a monotone when young. Kind of like how some people sing. When they age they can purr in two to three resonant notes. Kind of like harmony. Scientists still don't know exactly how the purring sound is made, although some believe that it originates in the cardiovascular system rather than the throat. A few other facts about cats are they can die, as dogs can, from eating chocolate; cats blink and narrow their eyes when they accidentally make eye contact; a cat's pulse is between 160-240 beats per minute; cats cannot understand punishment as humans do; giving a cat a raw strip of meat everyday to chew on will keep his gums and teeth in good condition. Hey, works for me also. And the final fact that we see more and more in Otis as he reaches really old age is that he likes to nap more often, and when really relaxed, can enter a deeper sleep. When he does that he actually produces the same brain wave patterns that we do when we dream. I do notice his paws will move and his ears and tail will twitch when he is in a deep sleep. For years I was the old man of the house, but Otis has surpassed me and I now look up to him to show me the proper ways to nap and sleep. I think I'm getting it right. At least my wife tells me I am. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Creamsicle on top, Otis on bottom