August 12, 2001:

Dear diary....I bow my head in shame for not writing in this column for SO LOOONG!
Time just seems to fly, and there's not enough time for everything, so somethings get neglected without it being intentional.

Just to give a regional update...
There have been several weeks this Summer that have been very uncomfortable. Hot, humid and unrelenting - it's been hard to get anything done...without being dripping wet with sweat! And our Birmans seem to have been effected by the weather as well. Even our stud didn't have much of an energy level to be too interested in a girl in full-blown heat, and that from a stud who thinks that foreplay is "one...two...mount!!" (sorry for the explicit "language" ;-))
He did manage to mate Julia (expecting the "results" in September 2001), but he was too tired to assume the "natural" position, and didn't even bite her neck - just SAT on the floor, while trying to mate her! What strange things we are witnesses to as breeders!

When I think about how much time is used in just sitting and observing our cats, I have started to understand the importance of observation when learning behavorial patterns.
I've found that there is much more to be learned about behavior just by observing over a longer period of time, rather than reading books on the subject. Really, if we would just take the time to observe our pets and how they interact, we can learn first hand what others spend years researching before publishing their finds.
Just think for a moment about nature programs. What are they for the most part based on?...observation! We watch specialists go out into the wilderness (or other places in nature) to find different types of animals. And what do they do then?! THEY OBSERVE!!
So, really, if we take the time, we can do exactly the same thing with the felines we share our homes with. Even though they are domesticated, they are still full of behavorial patterns and instincts that can give us valuable information to be used in every day life.

The next valuable step can be comparing with the experience of others. If this step is taken, it should be done delicately, depending on the subject at hand. Some people are more open to talking about things than others, and we need to respect other's space if they make it clear that they are not interested in sharing. Personally, I think this is a little (LOT) sad, as they shut themselves off to valuable knowledge, but this is everyone's choice, to be made individually.
If we find others interested in "comparing notes", we can learn more about a larger number of individuals, and we can see if our observational conclusions stand true for other felines in other households. This is really interesting, and very valuable.

I guess what it comes down to is that we can all be "explorers of nature" within our own homes. What an exciting and inspiring thought!?!

Bye for now....hope to be back in not so distant future (!!)