Is it common for some oldtime Catters to wander into threads, leave a barbed (mean spirited) and sometimes personally directed comment then wander off again?

Sometimes it's just hard to tell the diff in tone between a jest and a barb. On the other hand, there is also an annual winter madness (see old threads on Silly Season). IMO and YMMV.

Best advice I can offer is to PM a MudBud whenever you are not sure how to take something. Pick a few you trust and who you think you "read" accurately, and get a coupla viewpoints via PM as needed, then go with your own best thinking.

And be trustworthy yourself. Decline fights, shit-stirring, mudslinging, and gossip. Hard to do! :~) When tempted, try to do those in PMs too, not out ion the threads. But in winter madness it can be hard to realize that's what we're doing.

Finally, the FAQ is always useful to read and a $5 whine fee is always welcome (see Auction).

~Susan