On Cats

[alastairq]

I have to share my home with a male, and a female, not-my-cat. {As mentioned before]

Also I get regular sleep-overs from another of next-door's female ex-ferals..Something to do with next door having to lock their cat flap to prevent a newly arrived, very undersized rescue kitten from escaping until she is physically big enough to be ''seen-to''..

Now, this female [tortoiseshell & white...mostly white underneath] has a very appealing personality, will tolerate being picked up [my two won't] and is noted for grabbing anyone's lap, especially if it's raining outside.

She has a very appealing facial expression....

 

 

The female not-my-cat seems to have taken a leaf out of 'Shelly's' book for getting one's own way.  [Known as ''Lu-lu'' next door...there are name changes once the hedge line is crossed]

 

Hence, now, if she finds I'm sitting in her favorite office chair in front of my computer, she sits very close in front of me at the desk, leans against me and chucks her head under my chin, and stays there, purring.

Most Would consider this to be an overt sign of affection on her part.

I, on the other hand, know that, as soon as I get up to put kettle on, she's grabbed the  office chair toot sweet...meaning I have to resort to a harder,lower, chair alongside her.... a point she seems intent on being oblivious to, my new discomfort.

The tom not-my-cat [so I tell my landlord!"], on the other hand..when he finds me sitting in my favoured chair, [AKA, HIS favoured cushion]...simply lays on the floor giving the impression of incredible discomfort, looking at me accusingly as being the cause of his discomfort...and when I get up to put kettle on, I have to find a new seat immediately on return.

Two very different approaches to getting their own way, politely.

Edited February 18, 2023 by alastairq

[Halvarras]

Our family was adopted by a stray tortoiseshell in 2007, and we had the pleasure of her company for over 6 years. We called her Penny as she turned up like a lost one. The vet estimated her age on arrival at about 7-8, and said, "watch out,  tortoiseshells have fiery temperaments". Penny must have had a flawed personality then, as she was an absolute delight who never caused us any bother around the house, although that fabled fiery side flared up every time we had to put her in a carry box. She and I seemed to have a particular connection - if I sat down to watch evening TV she would jump up onto my lap and sit there staring at me until I took notice (it was hard not to!) and then she'd stretch out up one side of my chest so her head was beside mine and I'd then be watching TV gently stroking the purring cat......she only did this with me which amused the rest of the family! At the time we had two sons with cars parked on the front driveway so my car was relegated to a spot around the corner alongside the garden wall (we had an end-of-terrace). Penny was often waiting for me to come home from work, perched on the wall - once I'd parked up she'd jump onto the car roof, bonnet and ground then she'd walk beside me around to the front door - the folks across the road must have thought it was rather cute!

She passed away with health issues in late 2013 and although we were happy to have given her a home we didn't get a replacement, partly because we thought Penny was irreplaceable. Fast forward to early 2020, we move to a new home 200 miles away and the neighbours have a tortoiseshell cat who's so similar to Penny in looks and temperament it's uncanny! If she hears our front door opening she comes round to say hello, and thinks nothing of doing so if the front door is left open for any reason. The neighbours the other side have four cats and 3 years on I may finally be on the verge of making friends with one of them who grudgingly lets me stroke his head if he's lying down and can't be bothered to stand up and walk away, and now actually makes eye contact instead of staring at my shoes! We'd be very tempted to get another cat but the tortoiseshell's home has other cats on and off (they've had some problems there, last year a young male cat passed away suddenly and right now another new one's gone missing....) so introducing another cat into the scene could stir up a turf war, as there are other cats in the vicinity. Which reminds me, one late evening last summer there was a very noisy feline bust-up outside and I peered out of the kitchen window to see bunches of cat fur blowing around on the driveway like tumbleweed......thought I'd best stay indoors and out of the way 😬!!

[Il Grifone]

 

Currently I'm in Air the UK and my Daughter rang this morning from Italy. Apparently Freya, our latest rescue kitten, has been out on the town celebrating her first season, but shot inside as soon as the door was opened. Dylan and Whiskers (both rescues too) are showing great interest, despite both having been attended to (as above)....

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Il Grifone

[Il Grifone]

I promised/threatened to post pictures of our menagerie. The dogs, Lewis and Arran, are in the thread 'On Dogs', so I'll post the cats here.

 

To start, this is Maurice big boss cat.

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Il Grifone

[Harlequin]

My lovely cat Carrie died this morning. She was nearly 18 and she had suffered from several health problems in recent months, which finally got the better of her.

 

This photo was taken 10 years ago when she was in her prime.

 

R.I.P. my beautiful golden teddy bear.

[Halvarras]

Update on neighbour's missing cat - she vanished on the 14th and to their relief reappeared at 6.00am on the 18th, so she was already back home when I put my post up! It was only her second time outdoors but her homing beacon seems to work.......eventually!

[Johann Marsbar]

On 18/02/2023 at 12:16, Hobby said:

 

I had one like that........

 

 

 

[Classsix T]

7 hours ago, Harlequin said:

My lovely cat Carrie died this morning. She was nearly 18 and she had suffered from several health problems in recent months, which finally got the better of her.

 

This photo was taken 10 years ago when she was in her prime.

 

R.I.P. my beautiful golden teddy bear.

My sympathies friend, what a gorgeous looking cat. Lovely Lynx ear Tufts. Any Abbysinian in her?

 

C6T.

[Harlequin]

2 hours ago, Classsix T said:

My sympathies friend, what a gorgeous looking cat. Lovely Lynx ear Tufts. Any Abbysinian in her?

 

C6T.

Thanks! She was pedigree Abyssinian: black tips on her ears and her tail, her pads were black and black ticking on all her guard hairs. Apart from her white bib, everything else sandy blonde. She was my little passive-aggressive lioness and I was lucky to have her.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Harlequin

[Michael Hodgson]

10 hours ago, Harlequin said:

My lovely cat Carrie died this morning. She was nearly 18 and she had suffered from several health problems in recent months, which finally got the better of her.

 

This photo was taken 10 years ago when she was in her prime.

 

R.I.P. my beautiful golden teddy bear.

Very sad, but 18's not  a bad innings for a cat.  At least it looks like she lived in an area where you can allow her out.  I'm too close to a busy A road that we daren't let ours out and then we have a panic if they escape.

[Neal Ball]

19 hours ago, Harlequin said:

My lovely cat Carrie died this morning. She was nearly 18 and she had suffered from several health problems in recent months, which finally got the better of her.

 

This photo was taken 10 years ago when she was in her prime.

 

R.I.P. my beautiful golden teddy bear.

Sorry for the loss Phil. Lovely looking cat.

[Il Grifone]

This is Toby (tabby) with his mum Stella (tortoiseshell) as a kitten.

 

 

Stella has since moved next door, though she still reappears from time to time, but Toby is still here along with his dad Maurice. He insists that our bed is also his bed. Lewis sleeps on the floor (on his bed of course) next to us and considers it is his duty to jump up to awaken us in the morning. Tummy and ear tickles are expected!

Edited February 21, 2023 by Il Grifone

[Nick C]

13 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

Lewis sleeps on the floor (on his bed of course) next to us ...

of course? Ours will happily sleep everywhere EXCEPT the cat beds!

[Michael Hodgson]

26 minutes ago, Nick C said:

of course? Ours will happily sleep everywhere EXCEPT the cat beds!

Ours prefers the dog beds.

[Gopher]

1 hour ago, Nick C said:

of course? Ours will happily sleep everywhere EXCEPT the cat beds!

Yes and ours will eat anything apart from the cat food

[franciswilliamwebb]

Just now, Gopher said:

Yes and ours will eat anything apart from the cat food

 

Especially not the cat food they were ravenous for last week and you've since stockpiled thinking you could win this game🙄

[steve1]

steve 

[Mark Saunders]

5 minutes ago, steve1 said:

steve 

 

Just wait for the Lab' test!

 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, steve1 said:

steve 

Explains the noises I heard when I had one on my kidney last night.

[J. S. Bach]

2 hours ago, Mark Saunders said:

Just wait for the Lab' test!

I was thinking of the lab report.

[TT-Pete]

21 hours ago, Gopher said:

Yes and ours will eat anything apart from the cat food

 

...but only if dragged out of the bowl and consumed from the floor next to it

[Il Grifone]

On 22/02/2023 at 10:18, Michael Hodgson said:

Ours prefers the dog beds.

 

Poor Arran was really upset the other day. He went to his bed and found Whiskers parked exactly in the centre of it (as cats do!). He looked at me with a "Daddy! Help!" expression. I shifted Whiskers (protesting of Course!) and Arran reclaimed his bed. Bless him! He went to the far end and curled up leaving a space for Whiskers, who, offended, refused it.

They have been found sharing the bed in the past. It's a large bed, but Arran is quite capable of spreading himself all over it.

 

(Arran really belongs on the dog thread, but Whiskers is a cat so it's here.)

[Edwin_m]

Another dog/cat crossover bed thread.

 

Many years ago we had a dog and a cat, each having a box that they generally used.  My mother tripped over the dog once too often, shouted at him to get into his box, and in some flusterment he jumped into the cat box.  Which was occupied.  

[steve1]

Took Toffy to the vet today as she is off her food. Unfortunately the vet found a lump in Toffy’s stomach. 

 

She did eat a bit when I got her home (I’d bought some fancy stuff earlier) but the future is not looking good.

 

steve

[doilum]

In the small hours of Monday Teaser brought in mouse,.her first for several weeks. One of those tiny spherical ones with a long tail and explosive speed. It got the better of me and shot under the desk. Since then Teaser has been gaurding several of the larger items of furniture. Whilst washing up this morning she raced past me with something in her mouth. The tail was the give away. I followed her out but she wasn't going to share and went straight up to the top garden. Ten minutes later she was back on the overgrown lawn playing. A few minutes ago she was back in the house plying release and recover with same mouse. Mouse got a lucky break and is under the desk. I guess it will be hungry so I shall bait the release box with some salad or maybe cornflakes and strawberry and see if it comes out.