IIPTF PET FESTIVAL PUNE Vol 12 Issue No 10 October 2019 | Page 22

Feline Behaviour
routine intact is really important.
The other thing is making sure that
cats own things that are only for cats,
and dogs own things that are only for
dogs. Allowing cats to just walk up to
a dog’s food dish while they’re eating
is not a smart move. Allowing dogs to
walk up to a litter box and snacking
on what’s inside, again is not a smart
move because it violates their place
in the home. Just respect everyone,
whether they have two legs or four,
and you should have a good family
system.
Y
ou also have a line of catplay
games and toys called Jackson
Galaxy Collection on Petmate.
Please suggest some interesting toys
for cats that cat parents in India can
purchase to keep their cats engaged
and occupied.
I recommend daily vigorous play with
your cat and I can’t stress enough
that it should be every single day. The
Jackson Galaxy Air Prey Wand is a
great toy that can be used to mimic
both land and air hunting, which will
give your cat confi dence. However, as
long as you’re engaging and playing
with your cat, any toy will suffi ce.
W
hat are your views on the
practice of de-clawing of
cats?
22
If you’ve known me for any length
of time, you know how I feel about
declawing. It’s barbaric, it is outmoded
and it is animal abuse, plain and
simple. If you need to amputate the
digits of your cat in order to save
your furniture, please don’t have a
cat. There’s no point. As I’ve detailed
many times over the years, I have
a solution for anything your cats’
claws can do, so remember they’re
family, not furniture. They deserve the
dignity of their digits, and paws need
claws! We’re catching up fi nally in the
states. New York just became the fi rst
state to ban declawing and there are a
number of other states who are falling
in line. Over 25 countries across the
globe have banned declawing, so that
should tell you everything you need to
know. I hope anyone reading this will
simply say no to declawing.
W
hat prompted you to start
the charity ‘Jackson Galaxy
Project’? What are your
current and upcoming initiatives and
programs for animals?
What prompted me to start the project
was all of my years in animal welfare.
I began my career in animal shelters
and I will live in animal shelters until
those shelters are no longer needed.
The project is here to help speed
that process along with life-saving
programs and partnerships, including
Creature Companion | October 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 10 • Noida
Cat Pawsitive, which focuses on
giving shelters and rescue workers
the tools to train cats in their care
in order to help them fi nd their mojo
and get adopted, Safe Haven, which
retrofi ts domestic violence shelters
so victims can bring their pets
when leaving an abusive home, and
Operation Homeward Bound, which
is a transport program that fl ies
cats and dogs to shelters around the
country that have more room to fi nd
them new homes.
F
inally, many Indians believe in
superstitions attached to cats
such as a black cat crossing
your path brings misfortune; killing
a cat is considered a heinous sin
according to the Hindu religion and
the person doing so has to donate
a gold statue of a cat along with a
special religious ceremony on the
banks of the Holy Ganga to appease
the gods; and the birth of kittens in
one’s house is a good omen for the
head of the family. What is your take
on these superstitions?
Cats have been the victim of
superstitions for most of the time that
they have been with humans. Mainly
the reason for that is because we don’t
understand cats. Because their way
of communicating and acting is so
different from the human experience,
we tend to project our worst fears
on them. This is why they were
burned at the stake with witches,
this is why they were killed during
the black plague when they actually
could’ve saved thousands of lives
had they been allowed to live. Cats
have always had to endure an up and
down relationship with humans and
human mythology and I hope we are
passed that now and I hope the age of
superstition is soon behind us, at least
in the negative light.