How to Host a Summer Cat Social
How to Host a Summer Cat Social
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Think your cat is bored over the summer, going from meal to nap to snack and back? Dogs go to doggie day care, but cats stick close to home, where their only company may be you. Perk up Kitty's summer days by hosting a cat social. If she's an only cat, she may appreciate the chance for a little interaction. If yours is a multi-cat household, you may fear that a cat social would resemble that kitty litter commercial where one cat invites the entire neighborhood to visit while his people are out to dinner. But there'll be no sofa-shredding, lampshade-wearing cats to worry about if you've got the right social sensibilities.
Tell your cat-owning friends about the idea, but limit the number of guest kitties. Between two and five, plus your own, is plenty to keep track of. Remind cat owners that their pets must be up-to-date on vaccinations and flea treatments to mingle with the other cats. Send out invitations/reminders from your cat, the official host.
Designate a room, or a secured (meaning escape-proof) porch or patio, for your summer social. Remove fragile objects and keep furniture to a minimum for a bright, airy feel.
Holding your cat social during the mid-to-late afternoon gives guests a cooling respite during the day's worst heat. Cats tend to nap after breakfast, and again after dinner, so a mid-afternoon social should catch them at their mellow best. Because cats can get cranky or over-stimulated when there's too much of a good thing, keep the event relatively short. Just over two hours should keep everyone purring.
For light entertainment, put a cat-themed movie in the DVD player. "Garfield: The Movie," "The Aristocats," "That Darn Cat" or "Milo and Otis" are just a few cat-friendly choices. An endless-loop DVD featuring birds, fish and other cat-enticing critters is another option. For music, the score from "Cats" is an obvious choice.
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