Scientists believe cats 'sort of domesticated themselves'

SignOnSanDiego.com ^ | June 29, 2007 | THE WASHINGTON POST

[Publius6961]

BUMP!

[pbmaltzman]

Thank you, but I forgot to mention, I don’t own anything that can’t go 2 weeks without water.

Ahhh... that changes everything; also makes sense to me. I learned the hard way, back in high school, that birds must be attended to every day WRT food and water (I inadvertently, stupidly starved one of them).

Cats, OTOH, make sure that you don't forget to feed them. One of the things I like about them. ;)

[Biggirl]

Now I know why food is viewed by cats as “love”, because it goes back to the days of the ancient near east when they worked the fields.

[Albion Wilde]

Oh...You mean everytime the FEED ME timer goes off.

No, she won't eat human food, so she doesn't care what I'm cooking when my stove timer goes off. Not that she doesn't yell for me to feel her her own food -- she even sighs really loud when I don't move fast enough. But when my oven timer goes off and I'm out of the room, she really does come and alert me.

[LibKill]

Dogs have masters.

Cats are masters.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

A 24 pound cat? Wow ! Any pics?

[LibKill]

BTW. If the common housecat was as big as the common dog, we would be extinct.

The only thing that keeps the little furballs in line is that we are bigger than they are.

[Darksheare]

Lemme see if any of my image stuff still exists.

[Albion Wilde]

I have 4 cats right now and a damn doggie door and just rescued a pidgeon flying in my house . I shoulda let the cats eat the pidgeon then eat the cats........lol

I sympathize! I had a terrified sparrow in the house who got in by the cat door. It flew around in a panic, dropping poop bombs all over and narrowly escaping death-by-ceiling-fan. I tried fanning it with a broom in the direction of the open door, but no dice. Finally it landed in the foliage of an indoor plant and cowered there, allowing me to pick up the entire potted plant and put it outdoors. All this transpired too high up for the cat to reach.

[Albion Wilde]

The best way to control them?" Allow people to hunt them and eat them. Spaying and Neutering on a large scale is absurdly wasteful economically, and not eating them is wasteful biologically.

I hope you're not suggesting eating domestic cats.

[Albion Wilde]

NiMH dropped off a LIVE rabbit in the kitchen. He then sat and excitedly yipped at us as we chased the rabbitoid miscreant around the kitchen....

LOL!! Been there — with a snake! Eeeewww!

[Darksheare]

The rabbit was quite interesting, as it hopped and jumped all over the kitchen before dad grabbed it and evicted it.
After it was evicted, it acted angry for that fact.

[lepton]

I hope you're not suggesting eating domestic cats.

Well no, not really. As I noted in another post, I don't have any good recipes.

[FatherofFive]

The Dog’s Diary

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Dinner! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

The Cat’s Diary

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am. Bastards! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...

[Albion Wilde]

The rabbit was quite interesting, as it hopped and jumped all over the kitchen before dad grabbed it and evicted it. After it was evicted, it acted angry for that fact.

LOL! I see that you are good at "reading" creature expressions. It amazes me when people are dumb to their subtle but visible ways. Twice I have rescued yellowjacket bees from drowning, and even they gave a little see-saw with their wings before flying off.

[Albion Wilde]

...I don't have any good recipes.

ROFLOL! Try inquiring at a wok restaurant.

[rahbert]

“and we found him at our synagogue “

The cat was in shul?

[rxgalfl]

He is SO cute :) He looks he is about to cry...little stinker!

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Awwww. Don’t imagine life without her. Enjoy every day and keep loving on one another.

I say that to myself, as well.

I found a one year old cat in a pet store back in 1997. She stood out from every other animal because she had already outgrown her “kitten stage.” But she was the most relaxed cat; beautiful, beautiful eyes. And she was sweet and ever so tolerant - especially with my toddler.

The store owner said the couple who owned her brought her in because they couldn’t bear the pound. They were moving cross country and they couldn’t take her for some reason.

“Emma” (believed to have been “Mama”) is the only reason why I could probably become a cloning proponent. She is friendly with everyone who comes to our home. She has this unique ability to fall asleep completely on her back in the middle of a busy room with a vaccuum going, kids running around her, etc. She is trusting, she’s playful, and she’s part of the family. She’s our baby, and we try not to think about her age.

She’s sitting in my lap as I close this. I need to see if I can upload a picture and share her with you.

Much lasting health to your kitty,
getme...

[Caramelgal]

“Emma” … has this unique ability to fall asleep completely on her back in the middle of a busy room with a vaccuum going, kids running around her, etc. She is trusting,..

How sweet. Your baby Emma is so special, so keep enjoying her everyday. My Zelda is like that too. The very first night she spent in my house, she laid down in the middle of the kitchen floor while I was busy making dinner, I had to literally step over her repeatedly while she soundly slept in the midst of all the activity.

However, in those first few weeks with me, in the middle of every night’s sleep, she’d climb up on me and lick my nose until I woke up. I’d open my eyes, and say “Hello Zelda, what do you want?” She’d look me straight in the eyes, start purring, lick me again, nuzzle my cheek then go right back to sleep. It was sort of like she was checking on me, making sure everything was still OK.

All three cats have such very different personalities.

Zelda is very much the wise Queen. She is definitely in charge and cool headed and keeps the other two in line. She’s very affectionate, but usually not overly intrusive. She respects my space and she doesn’t like to compete for my affection with the others, so she will usually wait until we can have quite time alone together. She’s friendly with everyone, but she especially seems to like men, perhaps because she lived with me and my dad in his final years and he spoiled her rotten and they were very close. After he died, for weeks she would endlessly pace around the house in the middle of the night, calling for him.

Willie is the clown. He is precocious, he is silly and like most Oranges and polydactyls , he is way scary smart. He likes to play fetch and he likes to get into trouble and when company comes, he likes to be the “life of the party” and the center of attention. And when Willie wants my attention, he will stop at nothing to distract me until he gets his way and I stop what I’m doing. Many FR sessions have been put on hold because Willie will knock the mouse out of my hand and or lay on my keyboard or knock papers off my desk until I pay attention to him.

In Winter, Willie paws at the sheets until I pull them up so he can get under the covers to get warm. But when I’m sick or just feeling down, Willie is the one who always seems to know and makes sure I get his special attention and affection, and some extra cuddling. He is very empathetic.

While my niece and her toddler son lived with me for a time, Willie was often found in Alan’s crib, snuggling up close. He likes kids too. Willie is a people “person”.

Poor little Nonie is the shy one. She doesn’t like people she doesn’t know and she doesn’t like when I have company – she hides until they are gone. She gets bullied by the other two cats but she knows if she comes to me, I’ll make her feel safe. Nonie is a bit neurotic and needy and OCD, but she’s so sweet. She likes to do Yoga with me in the morning, laying on her back and doing stretches along with me. She also likes watching TV, especially NASCAR and hockey, she likes to chase the cars or the puck and runs around to the back of the TV to find out where they went and is always so surprised that she can’t catch them.

I don’t understand people who don’t like cats. I like dogs too and I’ve know some very special dogs, but I suspect that people who don’t like cats are people who just aren’t “special” enough to deserve a cat’s love and I feel sorry for them.

Willie the Wonder Cat (who likes having his picture taken and hamming it up) says Hi!