Comments on: Wet cats

By: waltj

waltj — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:03:01 +0000

Lethargic, the cat in the blue basin is a Scottish Fold. Their forward-folded ears are the source of the breed’s name. And this one is as calm, placid, and relaxed as can be. No hostility or angst here.

By: waltj

waltj — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 01:16:56 +0000

Though submission may be at the heart of a one owner breed’s affection, that is less explanatory of a friendly breed, such as Golden Retriever, who offer affection to everyone.

Ok,GB, here’s my take on this. I think there’s a certain predisposition by breed in both cats and dogs to be friendly (or not), and after that, individual animals can vary widely. The Golden Retriever, and I have a close friend who has owned a succession of them, so I’m familiar with their amiable nature, is a breed that does offer affection to anyone. But the one my friend has now only obeys his owner. Basically, this dog doesn’t get out of my face until my friend tells him to, no matter how much I may push the pooch away and try to convey to him that I don’t want to be licked to death just then. His previous dogs were less effusive.

But a similar trait also exists in cats. One of my previous Maine Coon cats, another outgoing breed, “loved” people. All people, including children. No skittishness, no running and hiding, no hissing, no scratching. He’d just come up to anyone who visited the house, rub against them, purr, head-bump, want to get in their lap, etc. If the affection was returned, he was a happy kitty (it’s easy to tell if you’ve lived around cats your whole life, as I have). If not, he’d just wander off for a while and maybe try again later. But my other cats were more reserved. So, I think affection begins with a certain predisposition by breed, then boils down to the individual animal’s genetic makeup, environment, and life experiences. Sort of like people in that regard.

By: Oldflyer

Oldflyer — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 05:42:38 +0000

“I’ll admit that I never owned a cat”. Geoffery

But, he believes that he knows all about them?

No, you don’t. Not until you have shared a home with one or more. Until then you know the conventional prejudices.

I will confess GB. I was strictly a dog person. Never owned a cat, and didn’t care to. Shortly after we lost our beloved Beagle I was thrown in with a friend’s Siamese for a period of time. I was so impressed by this beauty that we bought our own Siamese kitten ($10/1961); the only cat we ever bought. She was the first of a parade. Every other one came from a troubled situation, but everyone was a welcome addition, and a loved companion in its own way.

But, it is in a sense a nonsense discussion. Some people love cats, others never will.

Healthier than trying to discuss politics or economic disasters I suppose.

By: parker

parker — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:43:00 +0000

Our 2 cats, both female, are the best of companions. They sleep tangled up together, groom one another, and although they occasionally get into a spat, they quickly make up with an intense mutual grooming session. A cat alone is not a fulfilled cat. Cats are the most content with at least one other cat companion.

By: rickl

rickl — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:09:43 +0000

Yeah, it’s not hard to see how desperate, frightened, superstitious people came to regard cats as evil and demonic.

By: Molly NH

Molly NH — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:00:32 +0000

yikes, Rickl that s kind of scary !!!
Very well “painted” though
Back in the pre anti biotic age my mom was stricken with Scarlet Fever & running a high temp, my grandmother sat by her bedside sure she would die because there was a dog howling all that night….

By: Molly NH

Molly NH — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:54:29 +0000

opps mis spelled, long fur

By: rickl

rickl — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:44:26 +0000

Molly NH:

A few years ago, I had a vivid (but imaginary) vision of a scene from the Middle Ages:

A peasant family was gathered in their miserable hut, in the dead of winter, with a snowstorm roaring outside. A fire burned brightly in the fireplace; the only source of heat and light.

A child lay dying from a common communicable disease. The grieving family could only watch and wait.

A cat watched the scene with the usual impassive expression on its face. Its eyes glowed red in the reflection from the fire. Its pointed ears must have resembled horns.

By: Molly NH

Molly NH — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:22:57 +0000

To each his own with regard to pets, our cats have been known to plop on the oversized hassock & “watch” the westminster dog show, I think they were rooting for the Chow, must be the long fir.
Something for cats lovers & cat indifferents to think about though, back in history many elderly women, crones or at worst considered witches lived on the margins of society keeping a low profile lest she be considered the source of the crop failure, the wife’s miscarriage, the well going dry. Perhaps she lived on meager largesse from some neighbors or the church. Often the only companion these marginal women had was a cat, the only source of someone to talk to,
some creature to pet & be purred at & bumped into.
Plus kitty could find her own grub, still I bet she stayed with the old crone for a snuggle & helped to make final years a bit more pleasant.

By: Geoffrey Britain

Geoffrey Britain — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:03:17 +0000

“What could be better than watching a baseball game with the kitties on either side of me?”

A loving member of the opposite sex who enjoys the game too? My second choice would be a good dog…but never a cat. Perhaps its just personal preference after all but if not, well ‘the pursuit of happiness’ is an individual pursuit 🙂

“Dogs have owners; cats have staff.” rickl

Well put.