Tag: Dogs

Queen of the house

May 5, 2026

Roger Miller wrote and recorded a song entitled “The King of the Road” in 1965. Jody Miller responded with “The Queen of the House” later that year. Miller’s King was what we called a hobo, and now is referred to as a transient or homeless. Jody’s character was a mother who cared for her husband and children and enjoyed the process.

At our house, we also have a queen who is named Essa, the cat. She has lived here for over a year and was royalty when we brought her home from the Humane Society. We called her a princess. Now she has claimed us, the house, and the dog, and acts like she owns the place and we are her servants.

When she first arrived, she was very timid, slunk around the house, and was afraid of Biscuit, the dog. She kept her belly close to the ground and was frightened at any sound. Now, she only runs when the Ring chime sounds and retreats to our bedroom, where she has her hidden holes.

Life is easy for her now since she seems to have been a stray from birth and does not like any humans other than my wife and I. We hope that she will eventually decide that our children and grandchildren are safe as well. It took months for her to accept us, and she saw us every day.

For those of you who have never had a cat, I need to tell you something that we have known for years. Dogs have owners, cats have staff, and Essa considers us her people. We feed her, play with her, and clean her litter box. When she hears us getting treats for Biscuit, she lets us know she wants hers as well.

In the mornings, it is play time and breakfast time, whether we are ready to get up or not. She always goes somewhere for her morning and afternoon naps and doesn’t care if we don’t know where she is. Bedtime is another activity time, and we must play the games that she wants.

She attacks the dog each time he comes in from outside, and sometimes, to get her away from the door to go out, he must chase her to another room. She does not care because she views it as play.

Pets are often called fur babies, and this is evident in the fact that they act like children. They want your attention even when you are busy and are jealous of everyone else in the house. Welcome to parenthood.

They make me think of Cindy and I as a couple. We are who we are, but sometimes it feels like I am a dog and she is a cat. She is the queen of the house, and I am here for her when she wants to play or just lie down and take a nap. Are you there for your spouse despite your differences?

©Copyright 2026 by Charles Kensinger

Animalities

March 24, 2025

You’ve never heard of this word? What about doganality or catanality? The dictionary definition is “quality or nature associated with animals.” My explanation is much simpler.

People have personalities. Animals have animalities. Dogs have doganalities and cats have catanalities. For people, the word explains how they act and their characteristics. We often refer to our pets as having personalities.

We want them to be like us. We try to attribute our feelings and emotions to them. Think about what it would be like if we did the same thing in reverse. Cats are said to be stuck on themselves and self-focused. Do you know any people who act like cats? I can think of a few.

Would you describe anyone as being as faithful as a dog? We talk about those who are as clever as foxes or wise as owls. Why not loyalty like a canine. Is every dog as faithful as any others? No, some are trained to be mean or angry on command. This type of education can backfire on the owner or trainer.

Have you ever heard of catting around? Both men and women can have this attribute. Are you doggedly determined to accomplish your goals? Men can be described as the same.

I have read a lot of books over the years about how to communicate in a marriage relationship. “Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus.” “The Five Love Languages.” “I’m O.K. You’re O.K.” These are just a few. These deal with reasons why men and women have difficulty in communicating.

I am in full agreement with these authors. However, I believe that we also need to point out that some people have their own personalities. These peculiarities can make it hard for their spouses to communicate with them.

Even our pets can be different. My cat loves to fight when she plays. Other cats we had were laid back. She is inquisitive and adventurous. We have a dog that can be described as a scaredy dog. He is a good watchdog that is very protective.

Just like cats, some people want to do what they want to do. Some might call this selfishness. Have you heard the saying, “It is like herding cats.” Cats and some people will do their own thing and not ask your permission.

One of the dogs’ dominant traits is their faithfulness. Many believe that this is a God-given trait. We have had several pets over the years, not just dogs and cats but also guinea pigs, gerbils, and many other species. There is something about these two types that is unique. We have had dogs and cats at the same time. They got along fine. Sometimes, it just took time for them to learn how to deal with each other.

The main secret is that they learned to respect and appreciate each other. That is what it takes to be a real family: growing to know who you are as a person and who the other person is. This is called intimacy—not sexual intimacy. It is spiritual.

Conversation and communication are essential to this kind of relationship. Remember that even the most different individuals can become friends and much more. It is work, but it is worth it.

©Copyright 2025 by Charles Kensinger

Creators

January 18, 2024

There is a term that is used today for those of us who are creative. We are often called makers. I understand that. We use words, materials, ideas, and objects to “make” something. We are not creating something from nothing as Jehovah did when He brought the universes into being. I am still a creator when I use my thoughts to form words and ideas.

There are those of us who have not experimented with this ability to take what we possess and make it something new and unusual. I like doing things that are un-e-kew. You normally think of it as unique. I pronounce it my own way, un-e-kew. I also create words and phrases that you have not heard before. Often, I find out that I did not create them.

I wanted a way to designate political party members as being overboard in the way they embraced their political party affiliation. I refer to them as Republicrats and Demicans. It does not matter what group you stand for, if you believe that you are always correct and anyone who agrees with you is also infallible then you fit the meaning of these words.

A Young Republican once was explaining to me why a democratic congressman should be forced to step down while a Republican who was accused of the same things could wait until he was actually convicted of these offenses. He was one of the first Republicrats I knew. Many have crawled out of the woodwork since then.

I have also used the terms doginality, catanality, and animality for years. When I refer to what others call their pet’s personalities, I use these terms. We treat our pets like people, but they are not human. Thank God. They are better than us. Many of these traits cross the lines. Others are similar to the way we humans act.

 

Cats are distant, aloof, and opinionated. We all know that dogs have owners and cats have staff. Some of these canines and felines are loving, hateful, and contrary. We have had many animals in our family. They all have certain characteristics that we find challenging and endearing. That makes life fun.

In the sixth grade Mr. McNeil asked us to memorize this poem.

We know some monkeys or apes can be mean but they would never make a movie called “Planet of the Humans.”

I am sure I have used other words and phrases in my writing that I have created or borrowed. You may wonder what I mean when you catch me in this. If so, just make a comment and I will try to explain myself.

©Copyright 2024 by Charles Kensinger