I have decided that I hate Daylight Saving Time because it wreaks havoc with my schedule for our cats. I have not been able to determine whether they are responding to the shifts in light or darkness, or to the later wake-up calls of the morning programs on NPR. Either way, they know that something is amiss, even though I have made sure that the 6:30 a.m. feeding campaign matches the corresponding 5:30 a.m. time slot of only a week ago. Disruption does not become the cat!
I remember after we first adopted Lucius that I asked Dr. O. whether cats could tell time. I was intrigued because Lucius would walk into the den of our house every Sunday at the exact stroke of 7:00 a.m., eager to join us in listening to a radio program of sacred choral music. I always intended to write to Richard Gladwell, the host of With Heart and Voice, and let him know that among his fans was a very devoted orange tabby cat who had not missed a beat, literally. I missed this opportunity when I learned that Mr. Gladwell died last year. But Lucius still arrives faithfully on time, relishing the repeat performances.
And although I do not travel much for business, Lucius seems to know the difference between a two-day overnight stay and a longer one. He can handle my being away for two days, but he has difficulty adjusting to my absence for a longer duration. How he measures time is a mystery to me. How he punishes me upon my return is painfully clear. I always have to save time for cleaning up the evidence of his anger.
Of course, a Cat Lady needs to operate on a 24/7 basis, and we all know that there is never a good time to be away from one’s beloved cats!
Query of the Day: How often do your cats give you the time of day?
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Our cats can tell time almost perfectly. My partner says that he knows when I'm about to come home from work because the cats start stirring and head to the door to wait for my arrival (like most dogs). They don't seem to have any trouble at all adjusting to the time change in spring because they follow our routine so well, but in the fall they drive us crazy because they want to be fed NOW. They hate getting that extra hour back because it means they have to wait for supper! I only feed them in the evening because the last thing I want to do first thing in the morning is feed a persistent cat--especially when I want to sleep in!
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