I’ve been thinking about change a lot recently. Actually, I will say, I’ve been thinking about change for about eight years. The only difference recently is, now I have been taking what I’ve been telling others to heart. I’m listening to my own lessons.
The most recent change that has left me shattered, is of course, the brief but amazing stay of Millie. She swept in and out again in only ten days, but the changes she brought with her affected every being in the household. Puss, the old arthritic codger that he is, ventured into the house only twice when his usual habit of; sunbath in the morning sun, the sleep on Mum’s bed from lunchtime to dinner time, harass Mum for food the second she gets home from work, pop outside for a constitutional, sleep until Mum goes to bed, then sleep curled next to Mum until it’s time for breakfast, was broken by the big black boofa took over the garden and house. He’s slowly coming around to being back in the house, although he still gives me the evil eye.
Oren has been more lastingly affected by, what is now being referred to as, the dogdog incident. Oren has always been verging on feral, but now she’s full time outside. I miss her. She came in this morning and I gave her a hugs, she left shortly afterward leaving behind a thin layer of white hair on my clothes...somethings don’t change.
There are also two other additions to the house. Jack and Danni are two 11 month old cats that I rescued about a week before Millie. They are beginning to settle, but Puss and Oren are still hissing. If only I could reason with them, ‘who would you prefer? Big boofa or two pussy cats, just like you?’
So how does this link to change management.
Watching the animals I have noticed a few of things.
Cats accept change like a 45 year old with 20 years tenure. They really don’t like it. They will resist with all their being and will even go elsewhere if someone will have them (I’m sure Oren now has a secret feeder). You can’t reason with them, and no matter what you say they have to come to the party at their own pace, you give them all the information they require; in the case of cats, food, cuddles and reassuring voices, humans get training, written and spoken word and reassuring voices. Yes, It’s amazing how a reassuring voice works, but only if you believe yourself and aren’t condescending. It took Puss three months to accept Oren into the house three years ago. Cats don’t trust you, you have to earn their trust and if you break it, it can take months if not years for you to get it back. One mistake and you’re being judged by that for ever more.
Dog accept change like a graduate in a new job out to impress. Excitement is over flowing, they are happy you picked them. They will do almost anything to please you, including checking in with you to make sure you’re still about and haven’t gone anywhere. Loyal to a fault, a dog will accept any change you throw at them, even if it’s to their detriment.
I don’t see these as lack or abundance of intelligence, I see this a establishment of routine.
I can pretty much tell the time of day by where Puss is in the garden or house. In the morning her slowly moves with the sun, always staying just ahead of the shadows. Shadows bring cool air. In the afternoon when the sun is high in the sky, he’ll move inside to the stone floor of the dining room, before moving to my bed. In the late afternoon he’ll be back outside and waiting by the gate when I pull after a day at work. The weekdays and exactly the same. Visitors are considered an inconvenience because they may, and usually do sit where the cat wants to sit at that time of day. New toys, will sit ignored while the cat susses out its intentions, then, only if deemed to worthy and interesting will it get some action.
Dogs will have a routine, but are quite happy to break it for a walk, a ride in the car or visit from a new friend. New things are fun. New toys are to be embraced and enjoyed.
When you disturb that routine, it upsets the balance. Puss will wander around looking at spots. You can almost see the thinking process, ‘is this the right time for this spot?’ if it not, he moves o to the next until he’s found what he looking for.
This same goes for an employee that has a routine. Do you do similar things when you get to the office (in whatever form that is), or even as a housewife/mother. You do things in a certain order. You make a cuppa, you boot the PC, you turn of the voicemail, you say ‘good morning to the person sat next you. Have you ever greeted someone who on annual leave that day? I have.
Ever quit smoking? While your body craves the nicotine, your hands and mind crave the movements. That hand to mouth action is just as hard a habit to break at the chemical intake. It’s essentially a change.
Things happen in our lives that involve change, that we don’t think of as ‘change’. Growing up, illness, family instability, a new person in the office, someone leaving the office. We often write these off as ‘just the way life is’, but they all require a period of adjustment. Sometimes we get warning, sometime we don’t.
With animals, they never get the warnings. It just happens to them. You can tell them for weeks before it happens, ‘I’m going to save a couple of poor kitties from death row, just like you were when we found each other.’ They don’t listen. Well, actually they do listen, their ears twitch and go back, they tilt their head, but they don’t understand you. It not until the change is upon them that they suddenly realise, ‘we don’t have a choice, but we’re going to fight it anyway’.
Then comes the passive aggressive behaviour; staying out, mewing in a ridiculous pitiful tone but not taking any notice of your reassurances, hissing at the newcomer. This is the same in cats as it is in human resistance.
I watched it, I’ve seen it. Through observation I have developed this theory and I’m sticking by it. The dogs calm down eventually, some quicker than others, but the cats, well you have to work very hard to win them over and it’s never as simple as giving them treats.
