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Aesop Rock's Five Tips for Responsible Cat Ownership

Earlier this year, hip hop artist Aesop Rock decided to promote his new album, Skelethon, by letting the cats in his life co-star in a series of promotional videos for the project. That album was recently described by one of Aesop's peers as "the only rap album I've been listening to recently," which is fine and justified praise indeed. But Hive couldn't stop thinking about the cats so we decided to skip the music chit-chat and ask Aesop to share his knowledge about cat ownership with us. He obliged, and dropped the sort of pertinent information that anyone browsing Petfinder.com should be all up on.

1. Keep your cat toys simple

I would say the best toy for any cat is always some sort of dangling item on a string or fishing-rod-type structure. They prove irresistible every time -- and a sassy paw-swipe never gets old.

2. Monitor the litter box

Well, [a litter box] is where they shit and piss, so it's gonna smell like shit and piss. That said, with some regular changing of the litter there shouldn't be too much of an odor problem. If there is, I would perhaps have a vet recommend some dietary guidance.

3. Never feed your cat "people food"

I am somewhat against this. I believe giving pets "people food," while tempting, is generally frowned upon. As a pet owner you want to prioritize your animal's health over the entertainment value in watching your little guy bat around a small piece of chicken. I say stick to the treats designed for the species.

4. Be wary about giving your cat a bath

I had a vet once tell me that while cats primarily clean themselves, you can bathe them once a year if you want. When Beans [Aesop's old cat] was young I remember being in the shower and asking my then girlfriend to hand me him. He didn't seem very into it and I think it was then I realized that a cat doesn't really ever need a bath, unless he specifically got into something he can not clean off himself like oil. At that point you may want to ask for a vet's assistance. While a wet cat is funny to look at, it's fairly apparent that most of them dislike being covered in water.

5. Do not attempt to make your cat listen to hip-hop music

[Cats] seem to pretty much not give a fuck about music, which is all the more reason to love them.

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