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Why cats attack
Pioneer Press ^ | 4-16-05 | DR. MARTY BECKER

Posted on 04/16/2005 9:31:21 AM PDT by Rakkasan1

One minute you are enjoying a tender moment petting your purring cat and then, suddenly, your lovey-dovey kitty whirls around and attacks you.

Cat lovers pull away wondering, "What just happened?"

"Most of these problems can be linked to people who acquire kittens too young in the belief that they'll develop a closer bond with the cat," explains Carolyn Osier, a breeder of cats for more than 30 years and an all-breed judge for the Cat Fancier's Association.

Having watched almost 300 litters of kittens develop, Osier notes that, just like children, certain feline social skills develop at different times. A kitten acquired at six weeks of age may be fully capable of eating from a dish and using a litter box but still needs to master social skills such as learning how to fight and play together. Kittens learn their more serious fighting and predatory skills by engaging in what look like serious tussles but actually are play battles that don't involve the use of teeth or claws. If a kitten chomps or claws too hard, the game is over, and he learns he has to control himself with family.

Given the importance of these skills for the cat's survival, missing these lessons sets the stage for problems later.

(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: attack; cats; funwithcats; killer; kittiesarepeopletoo; kitty; kittyfun; troll; viking
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this means home schooled kitties are more likely to attack?/sarcasm

(if you don't want to register-try bugmenot.)


1 posted on 04/16/2005 9:31:22 AM PDT by Rakkasan1
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To: Rakkasan1

Oh. I thought cats attacked when they spotted a troll!


2 posted on 04/16/2005 9:33:31 AM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
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To: Rakkasan1

I think there's a guy in Michigan that'll take care of those troublesome cats.


3 posted on 04/16/2005 9:35:40 AM PDT by manic4organic (We won. Get over it.)
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To: Rakkasan1

The author hasn't known enough cats.

Mrs. Lurkin's cat is as devoted as a puppy. In fact he rolls over on her command and follows her around the house.


4 posted on 04/16/2005 9:35:46 AM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: Rakkasan1; MeekOneGOP; Lady Jag
Kitty Ping...not a zot


5 posted on 04/16/2005 9:38:52 AM PDT by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: Rakkasan1; Incorrigible; manic4organic; BenLurkin
"Why cats attack "

It's because we CAN. Youse got a problem wid dat?


6 posted on 04/16/2005 9:40:43 AM PDT by Enterprise (Abortion and "euthanasia" - the twin destroyers of the Democrat Party.)
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To: Rakkasan1
I wanted to read the rest of the article.

I have never been seriously attacked by a cat unless it is wild. The ones I have gotten too early beccome too dependant.
7 posted on 04/16/2005 9:41:39 AM PDT by Delphinium
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To: Rakkasan1
Image hosted by Photobucket.com
8 posted on 04/16/2005 9:42:02 AM PDT by repinwi
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To: Rakkasan1

I thought it was because their brains are about the size of a peanut. I love my big guy, but I don't think there are a lot of deep psychological processes going on inside...


9 posted on 04/16/2005 9:42:21 AM PDT by A. Goodwin
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To: repinwi

LOL!


10 posted on 04/16/2005 9:43:00 AM PDT by Enterprise (Abortion and "euthanasia" - the twin destroyers of the Democrat Party.)
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To: Enterprise
Image hosted by Photobucket.com
11 posted on 04/16/2005 9:43:57 AM PDT by repinwi
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To: Rakkasan1
Taking the kittens away too early can also have unexpected consequences. We gave our cat's kittens away before she had time to teach them to hunt. It was only after I had demonstrated that I could catch a live mouse she brought in the house for me, that she stopped bringing them in the house. All the times I caught then when she wasn't looking didn't count. She actually had to watch me do it, before she considered me trained.
12 posted on 04/16/2005 9:44:09 AM PDT by SubMareener (Become a monthly donor! Free FreeRepublic.com from Quarterly FReepathons!)
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To: Rakkasan1
Thank you for posting this. Last week we had to put down our beloved 18-year-old cat, who was my buddy and whose loss left me crying (me, a big 55-year-old guy) for four days. I miss her terribly.

Anyway, we got her when she was a year old, and I knew her so well that I could playfully promote her little attacks and have it be all fun and games.

At some point, we will be getting a new cat (as soon as my wife feels she is ready to love a cat again), and I appreciate the insight in this article, since I have had no experience with kittens at all.

In the meantime, we are celebrating the arrival (and first successful feeding) of our yearling Ball python, who arrived via Fed Ex this past Wednesday and who seems to be adjusting well to his new environment.

Thanks, by the way to all my fellow snake loving Freepers who gave me such good advice about what kind of snake to get.


13 posted on 04/16/2005 9:44:39 AM PDT by Maceman (Too nuanced for a bumper sticker)
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To: Maceman

You python will love your new cat.

{^_^}


14 posted on 04/16/2005 9:52:10 AM PDT by D-fendr
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To: Maceman

I sometimes incite my kitties to violence with trolls and
belly tickles. good luck on finding a new kitty.


15 posted on 04/16/2005 9:53:26 AM PDT by Rakkasan1 (The MRS wanted to go to an expensive place to eat so I took her to the gas station.)
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To: Rakkasan1
My family used to have this little white cat, deaf as a post, and dumber than a box of rocks. But she was a really sweet cat.

Being deaf, she couldn't tell how loud she was "meowing." Sometimes she'd just "mouth" the meow, and no sound would come out. Other times, you'd be able to hear her outside the apartment, down the hall! She had a habit of sitting and just staring at the wall... Nothing there, just looking at the wall.

Getting back to the title of this thread, sometimes she'd walk up to you, sit down at your feet and "meow." Of course, being an adorble white, long hair domestic, you'd look down at her and say, "What do you want, Sara." All of a sudden, a confused look would come over her face, and it was like she forgot why she was there.... So she'd just start sharpening her nails in your shin!

Mark

16 posted on 04/16/2005 9:53:59 AM PDT by MarkL (I've got a fever, and the only prescription is MORE COWBELL!!!)
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To: darkwing104

bttt


17 posted on 04/16/2005 9:57:50 AM PDT by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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To: Rakkasan1

18 posted on 04/16/2005 10:02:51 AM PDT by martin_fierro (Been there, done that, got the refrigerator magnet)
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To: Rakkasan1
EVIL CAT DRUM ROLL!(Flash)


19 posted on 04/16/2005 10:12:03 AM PDT by Dallas59 (" I have a great team that is going to beat George W. Bush" John Kerry -2004)
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To: Rakkasan1; Slings and Arrows; Glenn; quantim; republicangel; Bahbah; Beaker; BADROTOFINGER; ...
They are adorable, furry demons. Next question?
---
Kitty Ping List alert!

[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]

20 posted on 04/16/2005 10:13:11 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows ("The Internet, where men are men, women are men, and little girls are FBI agents..." --Unknown)
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