We've had a very exciting holiday week, which included a visit from one of Mama's first best friends, Adrianna. Adrianna has been living and going to school in Ireland for the last four years or so, and we figured that while she was here, we'd ask her about the state of the felines in her current homeland. We're always curious to find out how cats live in other places, and we're sure all our friends will be, too.

Adrianna: Before we start, I want to say a very warm hello to Siouxsie and Sinéad. They've been so sweet to me and made me feel at home, and they've been very good hostesses while I've been here.

Siouxsie: Thank you, Adrianna. It's our pleasure. How are cats treated by people in Ireland?

Adrianna: Well, probably we should start out with how cats are thought about, which will explain how cats are treated. In Irish mythology, there aren't a lot of cats, but those that are depicted tend to be menacing. They're not friendly, sweet little things; they're wild, with big fangs...sort of like dragons.

Sinéad: Oh my!

Adrianna: Ireland is a very agriculturally oriented place, in spite of its recent economic development in the technical world. Cats are still thought of more as farm animals or working animals, appreciated more for their mousing abilities than as pets.

Siouxsie: I like mousies!

Adrianna: Well, if you were in Ireland, you'd probably have a lot of mousies to chase.

Sinéad: I've got another question. In America, people have superstitions about cats, especially black cats. If a black cat crosses your path, it's supposed to be unlucky, for example. Are there beliefs like that in Ireland?

Adrianna: Em, I haven't heard too much, but that's not to say it isn't there. Most people in Ireland, when they see a cat, it's ignored and allowed to go on its way. But you do have people who will bend over and say hello to cats and maybe give them a little bite to eat.

Siouxsie: Oooh...

Adrianna: But if you were to live there, you'd probably live outside most of the time. Most cats in Ireland are outdoor cats or are outside a lot more than they're inside. And in Ireland, I've never met a kitty that doesn't have its claws!

Sinéad: Oh, that's good. We get really mad when we hear about people who have their cats declawed. After all, it's not just an extra-close nail trimming--it's the amputation of the entire first joint of all the cat's front toes!

Adrianna: Yes. Most vets in Ireland don't like doing that surgery. And since most cats are outdoor kitties, it doesn't make any sense to declaw them.

Siouxsie: That's good. We like our claws. You can see I'm licking my claws quite busily right now because I think they're wonderful.

Adrianna: They are quite beautiful and shiny. You take very good care of yourself. Which is another thing: your Irish country cousins aren't as pretty or shiny as yourselves because they're outdoors most of the time. They're not house kitties. When people see my cats, which are indoor-outdoor kitties, they're always amazed at how soft and well-petted they are. Most country cats are full of dirt and all matted up and whatnot...

Sinéad: Ooh, dirty...do they get fleas, too? Are there fleas in Ireland?

Adrianna: Yes. There are definitely fleas. But, there are no mosquitoes and no big black flies, so there are no crunchy things to catch. But there are lots of other things to catch. My kitties bring me mice and birds.

Siouxsie: Mama says she doesn't like it when we catch birds, and we really haven't. Although Sinéad's caught bats a couple of times...

Adrianna: Oh, my goodness. No, no, you wouldn't catch any bats. There are bats in Ireland, but not that many. Unfortunately, though, I do have some bad news. People in Ireland generally don't think very highly of cats. Ireland is more of a dog country, and this is perhaps a flaw in the Irish character....

Sinéad: We like dogs.

Adrianna: If you were born in Ireland, the chances that you would find a family to take you into their house are quite small. You'd have been left with your mama, but your mama would have been very resourceful and caught lots of mice and goodies for you to eat.

Siouxsie: Does that mean there are a lot of feral cats in Ireland?

Adrianna: There are, there are. Dogs are also left to wander around as well. I always think of them as "free agents." They come home at night, they have their dinner, and then they go out again. You'll almost never see a dog on a leash.

Sinéad: Hmm, I don't know if I like that. Well...what about animal rights? Here in America, there are a lot of people interested in animal rights, and they work hard to make sure that animals don't get abused or used for scientific research or killed for their fur. Are there people like that in Ireland?

Adrianna: There isn't as much activism, but there are good laws. If the Garda (police) or the cat protection societies find out that animals are being abused, they'll go and investigate. And I've heard of one case in which a person who abused and neglected their cats got sent to jail.

Siouxsie: Oh wow, that's good. We like that!

Adrianna: And the abuser's name gets put in the paper and it's very shameful.

Sinéad: As well it should be!

Adrianna: One problem we have is that a lot of landlords don't want to rent to people with cats. Because of the state of the average Irish farm cat, a lot of landlords think cats are dirty and carry disease...

Siouxsie: NO! We don't carry any diseases. Dogs are the dirty ones...

Adrianna: What I told my landlord is that cats are cleaner than humans. Of course, I may have had more trouble because I'm living in student housing. I had to ring 150 different landlords before I found one who would take cats! If your mama were to rent a house of her own, she would have a much easier time.

Sinéad: Are there animal shelters in Ireland?

Adrianna: I live near Dublin, and there's a private cat charity two towns away. In Dublin, there's also Cats' Aid. There's also the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Siouxsie: Oh yes, we have the SPCA in America, too. So, you said that most cats are outdoor cats. Where do they mostly live? Are there more of them in the country or in the city?

Adrianna: You won't see too many cats in city center Dublin, but you will see cats in suburbs and definitely out in the countryside. In the countryside especially, they live outside year-round, even in the winter.

Sinéad: Oh, my. It's so cold in the winter, though.

Adrianna: It's not as cold there as it is here in Maine. It only gets to freezing once or twice a year, and it doesn't get much above 80 degrees in the summer. So it's a very mild climate.

Siouxsie: That sounds nice. I think we'd like to live there someday. Mama, can we move to Ireland?

Adrianna: Well, it would be very difficult to bring cats, but you can do it. What you have to do is go to the vet, and the vet has to sign a certificate saying that you don't have any diseases, especially rabies, because Ireland does not have rabies. And once you have that certificate, you have to go on an airplane. Your mama has to make special arrangements with the airline, and they put you in a special compartment that has heat and fresh air and all that. They take very good care of you. They're very careful with animals.

Sinéad: Can Mama come down and visit us?

Adrianna: Not on the airplane. And once you get to the other side, there are special handlers that take you to a quarantine cattery, where you'd have to stay for six months.

Sinéad: (crying) A cattery...how awful....

Adrianna: I know. But I've investigated the catteries, because when I moved to Ireland from America, I wanted to take my cats with me. At the catteries, you get a nice big room all to yourself, with lots of toys and good food. And people come in and spend time with you. Your mama could come and visit you, too. Or, the other thing you can do is that your mama can build a special enclosure in your back garden (back yard), and after an inspector looks at it and makes sure you can't escape into the neighborhood, you can move back home with her. You'd have to stay indoors and in that enclosure for six months.

Siouxsie: That wouldn't be too bad. We're indoor cats anyway, and at least we could go out get some fresh air.

Adrianna: So, you can bring a cat to Ireland, but it takes a lot of work and it's expensive. But if your mama had the resources and wanted to move to Ireland, I'm sure she's got all the love she needs to do what she needs to do to get you there with her. I know people who have gone through this process, and they're glad they did it.

JaneA: If you want to find out more about bringing pets to Ireland from other countries, you can check out the Irish government website for more specific information.

Adrianna: The veterinary care in Ireland is excellent and it's very affordable. The veterinarians there are very friendly and they really know how to talk to cats. I'm really impressed with them.

Sinéad: Wow. So, Mama, when are we moving to Ireland?

JaneA: Well, girls, I'd have to get a job in Ireland first, so we could afford to stay there, and there are quite a few hurdles to jump in order to do that. It's this human obsession with rules and stuff....

Adrianna: Now, if your mama got you into Ireland, and you lived there for a while, you could get kitty passports that would get you into any country in the European Union.

Siouxsie: Wow, that sounds wonderful. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Ireland?

Adrianna: Just that people's attitudes toward cats are different from here.

Sinéad: That's interesting. I know Mama's been to England, and she tells us that people are crazy about their cats over there...

Adrianna: England and Ireland are very different places. They may be next to each other, but they're not the same country. A lot of people think they'd be similar in attitudes and beliefs, but they're very different culturally and politically. Ireland even has its own native language.

Siouxsie: Hmmm.

Adrianna: Another thing is that a lot of people in Ireland don't get their cats spayed or neutered.

Sinéad: Well, no wonder the Irish don't like cats! They don't get them fixed and so there are too many of them. Obviously we need to go over there and educate people about how to take good care of their kitties.

Adrianna: Irish people are very kind and friendly, but it's just something they don't think about because of the tradition of cats being farm workers.

Siouxsie: That's a noble tradition. But we're also teachers. Therapists. Warm spots. And all kinds of things!

Adrianna: I certainly don't want to leave you with the impression that Ireland is a bad place to be a cat. One of my cats got out of the house and went roaming, and someone found him three blocks away. She rang me up--my phone number was on his collar--and asked if everything was okay. She told me where he was, and I went and got him. So there are lots of people who care about cats, too.

Sinéad: That's good. Adrianna, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us.

Adrianna: It's been very nice talking with you, Siouxsie and Sinéad. Slán!

Siouxsie: If any other people from different countries want to talk to us about how cats live in their home, we'd be glad to interview you, too. Just e-mail us and let us know

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.