Posted on 08/04/2006 1:58:31 PM PDT by libstripper
Before Mother, I was never much drawn to cats. They seemed slithery and remote. I have a farm, and cats didn't appear to be useful.
I am partial to working dogs—especially border collies and Labradors—that can herd sheep, fetch sticks, hike with me, cuddle on the sofa, and swim in nearby streams. I didn't really get having an animal you couldn't herd sheep or take a walk with.
Then the rats came. They invaded my farm last summer, especially the big barns. They were fat—at first, I mistook one for a rabbit—arrogant, and fearless. The farmers told me there was nothing much to be done: Rats, naturally drawn to farms, were smart, hardy, and tough to get rid of, especially with other animals around.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Here is the snopes article on that pic.....
http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/bigcat2.asp
24 lbs, named Riley
He must be a "gentleman" farmer if he didn't already know about cats.
The only thing any cat has ever said to me is "feed me
My Mom in MA has a Burmese and she swears it calls her "Ma."
It sits on her window sill, looks at her accusingly and asks her why she ever left Florida. Then it moves to the top of the fridge and waits, like a vulture over carrion, for her to open the door.
Some cats produce less dander than others. Dander is what triggers the allergic reaction. If their owners keep them extremely clean, that also helps.
'Mother' got my attention as well. weird. Norman?? Is that you Norman??
I love my girls. And when they were outdoor kitties, I never had to worry about an excess of birds, mice, moles, frogs or lizards. :) My girls were good at catching stuff. Now they're fat indoor kitties and they wish they could still hunt. :(
Siamese are special, for sure. I have one and a Himalayan/Siamese cross, and they're both rather doglike - they greet me when I walk in the door and all that. The full Siamese even plays fetch. He can also open doors and drawers, jump from floor height to high shelves, and likes to experiment with rearranging my books, among other sometimes endearing / sometimes irritating traits. *sigh*
The downside is that I have two cats and a fairly large dog who all want to be with me at all times. Makes moving from room to room quite a production...especially as both cats are chatterers, though one is worse than the other.
Maine Coons are referred to as the "Gently Giants". I have had cats all my life and I am the proud owner of one. She is the sweetest cat I have ever had. My husband (a converted cat "liker") claims he has never seen an animal that loves its owner so much. She follows me everywhere. Runs to the bedroom when she sees me going to bed for the night. She is 20 pounds of enjoyment.
Rose was not hospitable. The minute Mother returned from the vet and entered the pasture, the dog roared down the pasture hill to drive off this mangy intruder.It was one of Rose's rare mistakes. Mother was not like the other animals Rose had encountered and dominated. The cat sat perfectly still until the charging border collie was about 4 inches away, and then she calmly turned and raked the dog's nose with one sharp swipe of her paw. Rose is not one to make the same mistake twice. From that point on, even when Mother was right in front of her, Rose pretended not to notice her.
That's a cat that's been around dogs before and knows how to handle them.
She does wake me up in the night sometimes, though.
"Another Public Skool success story."
Also think that cats were considered evil during those times.
These two Siamese both love to talk. IF you talk to them they respond, the one a Chocolate Point with that distinct yeowl unique to Siamese which sounds like a baby crying, and the other a Snowshoe Siamese with just a cute little meow. The latter one seems to notice the voice inflection in a question. So if you ask him a question he'll invariably answer. They're just too cute for words. It's more than just "feed me." They honestly seem to want to relate to you somehow. I think that's what won me over with them. They're not stand-offish like some cats, but very friendly and affectionate like dogs.
I never thought of that.
ping for later snopes check
That's cute. Siamese really are persistent in demanding attention, especially the Snowshoe I have who will lie in the hallway meowing until someone comes out of a room to give him his due attention. But he is also wicked smart. The other like the one in the Slate story is a purrer. He loves to jump on the bed in the middle of the night and purr so loud I'm afraid it will wake up the neighbors! He loves people so much and just purrs constantly from any physical of vocal interaction with him.
Fortunately mine aren't quite as smart as knowing how to open drawers yet, though any unsecured door they'll bull right through.
Are your cats the thinner show types or the appleheads with the rounder bodies and heads? Mine are the latter.
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