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Viewpoint

The Cat’s Meow: Alternative B

By Brenda Kirk and Casanova

Prologue: Expanding Our Clowder

Brenda here: I shared with my cat the article “Teacher Well-
Being and Wellness: Can Your Canine Help?” written by Christina
R. Edmonds-Behrend and Anne Papalia, published in the 2023
DKG Collegial Exchange, Volume 89-4. He (my cat) immediately
dictated a rebuttal that I am dutifully submitting below.
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Casanova’s rebuttal: I read the article on teacher well-being and
wellness related to canine ownership. While I wholeheartedly
agree with the authors, if you would like to avoid the drool and
poop bags, I propose an alternative: my species, the feline.
First, let me introduce myself. My name is Casanova, Cassie
for short, although sometimes I am called “Dennis the Menace”
or “Holy Terror.” My concierge Brenda (she responds to my every
need) often tells me she’s going to trade me in for a dog, but I
believe she says it in jest.
I counter-propose a Top 10 list of ways educators can model
self-care and well-being through engagement with their own cats. Authors Brenda Kirk and Casanova

Top 10 List
10. Look at your cat. I love being looked at, especially when I’m told I’m as cute as a bug’s ear,
followed by “I don’t really know what a bug’s ear looks like.”
9. Listen to your cat. I have an extensive vocabulary, but mainly focus on communicating when I am
hungry or want the door opened so I can go outside or come back in. Brenda is a good listener, but at
times I have followed my requests with a scratch on her leg if needed.
8. Talk or write about your cat. The cat videos posted on social media are favorites of Brenda.
Personally, they don’t appeal to me as I am not in them.
7. Photograph or draw your cat. I enjoy having my photo taken—me lounging on my fleecy blanket
or peeking through patio foliage. I adore the lost cat poster a granddaughter made of me when she
thought I had escaped. (I was hiding in the bedsprings. I’m not a fan of kids.)
6. Care for your cat. Of course! Feed me, always keep fresh water available, and clean my litterbox. I
draw the line at wearing matching outfits with my concierge. She bought a special brush for grooming
me, which is okay for a short brushing session. A harness and leash let me explore outside our patio for
short walks.
5. Recognize my terrific sense of humor. I like to swat at Brenda when she passes by. I especially
like the hand-under-the-bedspread game when making the bed. When I get the zoomies, she chases
me around the house, making scary noises with a plastic bag. When I run through the cat door into the
garage to get away from her, Brenda hides behind the corner and jumps out at me when I return, and we
start the game all over again. I used to play this game with our Border Collie, swatting at her feathery
legs until she chased me into the garage, getting upset when she couldn’t follow.
4. Train your cat. Yes, we can be trained. Brenda has found a squirt bottle filled with water to be a
highly effective training tool. I have learned to stay off the table and counters and, when we travel, to
stay on my throne on the passenger seat.

Collegial Exchange · 23