By Joe Leicht
The debate over the best non-human housemate-dog or cat-seems never ending.
Truth be told, the canines have probably had the better of the public-relations battle. Where in feline lore is there a counterpart to Old Yeller, Clifford, Buck, Krypto, Snoopy, or Scooby-Doo?
But that doesn't mean a thing to the Woehlke family of Columbia and the other cat lovers and their swishy-tailed companions who came to the Humane Society of Monroe County's first-ever Feline Frenzy at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Columbia's fellowship hall Feb. 24.Mona, a 3-year-old domestic short hair, is the "lazy cat" of the Woehlke household in Columbia.
"So lazy she lies down to eat," Jennifer Woehlke said of her daughter Madison's cat.
Then again, Madison's sister Faith's 3-year-old Maine coon cat Lilo claims she is "queen of the house."
"Forget water bowls," Lilo, as translated by Jennifer, said. "Those are for the dogs. I sit patiently on the sink and wait for the trickling of the faucet. There is no ignoring me. I will get what I want."
Still, the judges were most impressed with Buggatti, a 6-month-old Siamese/ragdoll mix who is the third cat in the Woehlke clan.
Buggatti, adopted by the HSMC, "likes to get into as much trouble as possible," including dives into the washer from which he emerges sopping wet.
Buggatti gained first place in the Feline Frenzy cat show.
The kitties were "judged" by short narratives written by their owners describing them, their backgrounds and their antics.
Breezy, owned by Haley Jackson, is loathe to put her face into her water dish to drink, preferring to dip her paws into the dish. Breezy was the 2nd place cat in the show.
Janice Matthews' 4-year-old cat Gabby, as her name suggests, "likes to talk a lot." Her downside? Gabby also "loves to bite."
Ike is Erin Pozniak's first cat ever and is "no ordinary cat. He will let you hold him all day long" and "does not mind water at all. He will jump in a sink or bathtub when you are using it."
Red wandered into Celeste Knierim's backyard when she was living is South St. Louis and she cemented their friendship by feeding him.
"It took me six months to just touch him on the back and then he would run from me," Knierim said. Red, apparently abused by a previous owner, walks with a limp.
The free meals, a cat door Knierim installed in her basement and the open invitation of affection eventually won the former Tails Magazine Pet of the Month over.
"Now Red is a house cat and follows me everywhere and sits on my right side when I am on the couch," Knierim said. "When I have my laptop, he will reach up and put his paw on the mouse."
Marjorie Sue Phillips, a HSMC volunteer, owns a Schnauzer but helps care for three rescued cats.
"I kept getting asked by the cat lovers 'when are you going to have something for cats?'" Phillips said, referring to the HSMC's annual Me & My Mutt Dog Walk in Columbia and Jingle Bell Dog Walk in Waterloo.
"Cat owners know cats are independent, so training a cat is different than a dog," she said. "Dogs seek attention. Cats decide when they want it. Both cat and dog owners are usually caring, sensitive people and will treat their animals as a member of the family.
"The advantage to cats is that they are more self-entertaining and self-sufficient."
