By Sonja Fischer
It's been said in Finnish folklore that the cat (kissa) was created in a sauna by an elf (tonttu). This is why cats enjoy sleeping in a warm sunny place. Of course, this is a myth. However, in Finland cats are very popular pets and it's estimated that there are at least 600,000 domesticated cats in Finland. They have always been valued as pest controllers on a farm. But they can be indoor companions. There are restrictions in Finland stating that cats aren't allowed to roam freely in urban areas, so some owners walk their cats on leashes and otherwise keep them indoors.
When I was three, we lived on a farm in Wisconsin. We had barn cats but also a small dog named Skippy. He was a beige cocker spaniel and full of the dickens. Well, one day he bit me. As the story goes, my parents immediately called the doctor. I was fine and lucky to only have a slight injury. However, Skippy was given away to another farm family and I never saw him again. Thinking back, it was probably because we moved to California.
In California, I was allowed to have a cat. Her name was Calico. It was her breed also. Dad didn't allow cats in the house, but mother would let me bring Calico in the house when dad was working swing shift. The rule was, I had to put Calico back outside before bedtime and before my father came home.
Back in those days, there wasn't as much known about neutering or spaying for domestic animals as there is today. If you had a female cat and it lived outside, eventually you would have kittens, too. Sometimes more than one litter. Calico had kittens and I was allowed to keep them. There were three of them. I called one Calico, Jr. — she looked like her mother. The other was Tommy Toe; he was an orange tabby. Lastly, Blacky Toe was of course, black with orange specks. They were lots of fun and I loved them all.
Our next-door neighbor, Mrs. Makinen always had cats. She fed them in the backyard and used old empty milk cartons to feed them. She'd cut the carton in half horizontally and make feeding dishes. Sometimes, she fed them left over puuroa (oatmeal) with milk. I liked watching her as they gathered around her ankles while she poured the contents from the pan into the carton. There was lots of mewing and ankle rubbing going on.
When I left home and moved to Berkeley, I had a cat named Nugget. I couldn't take Nugget with me, so when I'd come home on weekends, I would spend time with him. After a few months, I came home to find Nugget had passed away. Mother said he died of a broken heart. She said he missed me. I don't know if that was the reason but I still remember how sad I was after he was gone. I've had many pets in my life, both cats and dogs and still enjoy their companionship.
Right now, I have a little rescue dog who just celebrated his 18th birthday. He's never bit me and is my best pal.
There's a word they use in Finland, "Kissanpäivät." It's a common expression that means "cat days." It's also translated as lazy summer days where you feel very comfortable, relaxed and free of stress. Try to remember when those cold gray winter days come to dream of a warm sauna with a kissa curled up in the corner and maybe even make yourself a bowl of puuroa!