How many Mudcats have cats!?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 12:07 PM

Oh well done Raggytash! That'll stop the Thing getting into your house.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:44 AM

An electronic cat flap in on order and our female is being chipped today!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:35 AM

We have a nasty piece of work like that Raggytash in our neighbourhood. We invested in a small water pistol (my neighbour went one better and borrowed her grandson's huge water gun squoosher thing. It's awesome!) Like you, we were all worried about injuries, scratches and rips by this monster. He keeps away now most of the time. If I see him I just give a very loud hiss and he runs.

The other alternative, if you're not at home during the day, is to get one of those electronic cat flaps. It works from the chip under your cat's skin (the vet will do this) and only opens for your animal and no other.
I also 'had a word' with the Monster's owner, but she'd already had the thing neutered, and to be fair, she could hardly tell the cat not to annoy ours!
I can't understand why people don't have their moggies neutered. Entire cats are nothing but trouble. Everyone knows that.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 09:19 AM

I have an on-going problem with a visiting tom-cat. My female is at present at the vets having minor surgery to damage caused by this pest. My male cat has been to the vets twice in the last six months with similar problems.

This of course costs money, about £300 to date.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can deter this nuisance without doing him permanent damage.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 07:42 AM

Just like there are Labrador water loving dogs , some cats love it.
Water was anathema to my Siamese cats. Even a water squirt bottle would send them running. Maybe cats with this water repelling fur is the key.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: JHW
Date: 23 Feb 18 - 06:52 AM

I'm amazed at the cats and taps tales. Perhaps just because it was the bath my cat could hover, all four or more legs outstretched, impossible to dunk.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Feb 18 - 05:02 PM

Another domesticated housecat
with kitchen-faucet privileges.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Feb 18 - 09:26 AM

I tried Senofou's habit of letting cats drink from the faucet.
IT WORKS. Not only that but Linius has a great time doing it.
I am surprised that his fur is completely impervious to moderate streams of water.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 31 Jan 18 - 10:09 AM

My husband treats our two like royalty, and gets the very best china out to offer delicacies on the kitchen floor. If the little toerags don't eat his offerings, the birds in the garden get second pickings (still on our best plates!)
Our cats also try to hook food from our mouths as we convey it on a fork or spoon. Blooming annoying. But neither of us has the heart to push them away.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Jan 18 - 09:29 AM

Our cats also adore the tap, so much that we got them an electric water dish with a fountain in it. That doesn't stop them hanging around on the kitchen counter meowing at the top of their lungs for the tap to be turned on, which Himself obligingly does every morning when he makes coffee. He is also the main perpetrator with respect to flinging bits of chicken, steak and sausage onto the kitchen floor, which is why Watson greets every supper with loud yowls and long reaches of his paddy paw. He hates it when we have omelette, or salad.

A most importunate beast, our Watson.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Jan 18 - 08:51 PM

Having just one cat is kinda cruel to the cat, unless it thinks its human.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 30 Jan 18 - 04:12 AM

In the early mornings, when I go into the kitchen to make my cup of tea, the cats like to drink from the running tap, so I obligingly turn it on a little. But poor old SmokeyPokey doesn't see so well now, and this morning he put his whole head under the flow of water by mistake. He turned to me and scowled, as if to say, "You stupid woman! Look what you made me do!"
I hurriedly fetched a hand towel and dried his little head for him.
I could see Murphy sniggering out of the corner of my eye.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Jan 18 - 07:16 PM

Cue the music by Vince Guaraldi !

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 29 Jan 18 - 12:52 PM

Our other 2 are called Linus and Lucy.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jan 18 - 11:44 AM

What was really funny about that cat's mugging of drunk men was the drunks' responses. At first they were sentimental, stroking the little fellow and cooing "Aw, the wee thing!" Then when their fish was pinched they changed to shouting the worst swearwords you could imagine as the ginger cat fled away down a nearby alley. That cat (who became my 'Ginger') was a real professional!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Jan 18 - 11:24 AM

How well I recall Senoufou/Eliza's reminiscence post
about adopting a stray ginger tomcat
while living alone in Glasgow.

This is the cat who had his own little scam
stealing fish suppers from drunken pub patrons.
That post was hilarious!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jan 18 - 01:50 AM

Seven cats! How lovely! We had five for many years, and we all got on well together.
There has never ever been a period in my life when I was catless. As a tiny child I had Binky, and even as a student in various bedsits, I took in all sorts of strays.

With regard to a man resembling David Attenborough and Brian Cox rolled into one however...er....um...

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Leadbelly
Date: 26 Jan 18 - 06:07 PM

Principally, a life without cats is possible but useless...Manfred, owner of 7 tom-cats...

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Jan 18 - 11:52 AM

Aw that's so sweet! We sit up in bed for ages in the mornings drinking tea and eating Rich Tea biscuits, having a natter while the two cats on the duvet start at our feet then work their way up on their bellies like commandos until their little poky noses are right under our chins. I'm always just a wee bit jealous that my husband is the main attraction, not me. But he goes off to work at noon, so they want to get the most of him while they can.
I couldn't imagine having a husband or partner who hated cats. Even if he looked like Brian Cox and David Attenborough rolled into one, he wouldn't last one minute with me!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Jan 18 - 09:16 AM

When I walk into the sitting room, I often see Himself ensconced in the armchair by the fireplace with his feet up on a hassock and at least one if not both cats draped across his lap. Usually, Watson (top cat on the ranch) is either curled into the crook of his elbow or lolling crossways with paws and chin resting on Himself's forearm (always the right forearm), effectively preventing any action more complex than dabbing at the screen of the iPad.

This scene never fails to make me smile.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 23 Jan 18 - 02:24 PM

A hierarchy exists in our household.

Socks (the cat)
.....
Order varies as to who's in the middle
.....
Me.


Dogs have owners - cats have slaves!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Jan 18 - 11:56 AM

I ditched more than one wannabe-boyfriend because of antipathy to the resident cat. "Cats belong in the barn," said one, as he roughly brushed poor little Cecil off the sofa. "Was it something I said?" he later emailed, rather pathetically. Um, yeah.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Jan 18 - 01:06 PM

You're quite right kendall. A man who is kind and gentle to animals will be exactly the same to his wife/partner.

I die laughing listening to my husband talking to our cats in his funny African/French accent. He also throws in Malinke words. I'm sure SmokeyPokey and Murphy understand him. He comes out with:-

"Deetoo Meurfee (Little Murphy) ouant nyum-nyums? Ouant Beescuieeets?"
"Poo-sseees, mummy end daddy goin out. See you later! Mi fe (love you)"
"Weee get CHICKEN for you! Bye bye!" and occasionally "O deea, 'oo 'as dun zees wee-wee on zee floor eh?" They both adore him.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jan 18 - 12:44 PM

Sam likes to snooze on my lap or on my bed. very affectionate and loveable.

It is my firm belief that men who hate cats do so because you can not
dominate a cat. I've told a few young women, if you meet a man you like, find out what he thinks about cats, how he treats his mother and waitresses. that is how he will treat you in time.

Sam is well mannered, except that he likes to comb my beard with his paws . he also likes to go down cellar, find a puddle, walk in it, then touch my lips with wet paws. His only bad habit.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Jan 18 - 05:09 PM

Looked back upstream, in this thread,
for Mooh's account of his entire family
insisting that they adopt Beatrice from the OSPCA.

Beatrice sounds like one of a kind.
As for George,
big deal - wear boots or something!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Jan 18 - 05:03 PM

As long as the cat has a conscience we're good.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Mooh
Date: 21 Jan 18 - 04:39 PM

Several years ago the aforementioned Beatrice died an early death. She had been briefly ill and the vet confirmed tumours and likely cancer. Before we knew it she was gone. She was the sweetest of cats and the bride was crushed. Even the dogs seemed to mourn the loss.

Then came George, feisty and abrasive one moment, cute and cuddly the next. He hunts, and prowls around the house and seems happiest when he's left to his own devices. A couple of my musician friends are deathly afraid of him as he likes to bite toes.

One cat at a time.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Jan 18 - 01:55 PM

That's darling, Eliza!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jan 18 - 04:55 PM

Kind of you to ask keberoxu. The two of them have been settled by the log fire for the last few weeks, as my poor sis has had what people here are calling 'The Lurgy' (coughing, weakness, temperature, a bit like the 'flu)
The little madam always bags the best seat in the house (comfiest armchair nearest the fire) Sister has said on the phone that she's so glad of Mela's company, and she's more than repaid any kindnesses she's been given.
They've had howling winds, freezing temperatures and snow up there in Scotland, so it's best they keep that log fire a-burning and hunker down until Spring arrives!
My two kept sneaking behind the TV in the corner, and I've realised the attraction is it's right under the radiator. So I dug out an old cat bed, put a nice thick blanket on it, and placed it there. Their little faces were a picture! They're fast asleep in it at the moment, with big smiles, as it's boiling hot under that rad.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Jan 18 - 04:32 PM

Senoufou,
how goes it with your sister and her Mela?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jul 17 - 07:26 PM

Cat Lovers May Be Out Of Their Minds

In Egypt's ancient Library
a scribe late at night described
"a mouse saw a cat but didn't hide
It hugged the cat, it was scary

The cat ate the entire mouse
What spell did the cat cast so well?"
It was the mouse brain truth to tell
Toxoplasmosis is in your house

The parasite controls the mice
for cats to eat them, to live on
toxo grows in cats then is gone
Toxo controls brains, its not nice

Cats don't have owners, they have staff.
Cat lovers may have toxo brains
and do not bother to complain
It could be you so do not laugh

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Jul 17 - 05:23 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 May 17 - 12:58 PM

This made me smile.

It's a review from the Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue of their
Cordless Ultrasonic Rodent Repeller. Posted two years ago.

"On the first night in use, the thing must have driven the mouse out of the woodwork.
This pleased my cat,
who was able to bring it to me in bed
by way of a thank-you for the present I had provided him."

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Apr 17 - 11:42 AM

I will be looking for a cat soon. I like Maine Coon cats that are about as big as a bobcat. Siamese are more conversational. Tortoise cat are pretty, black cats are sleek we will let the cat have the final say so.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Apr 17 - 04:02 AM

You're absolutely right Donuel.
Our cats see us as rather endearing 'staff'.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Apr 17 - 09:14 PM

7 Mudcatters have cats the other 204 mudcat Cats have mudcatters.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Apr 17 - 05:13 PM

Ah, keberoxu, she's settled in beautifully.

Apparently she's a great mouser, and my sis comes downstairs in the morning to find a head and a tail of a mouse on the kitchen floor several times a week. (Mela eats the middle) She's pleased, as she wanted to control the mouse population in the garden a bit.

Mela sleeps on the top of the duvet on my sister's bed, and occasionally licks the tip of her nose during the night, just to reassure her that her feline friend loves her. Her tongue's a bit rough, but my sis doesn't mind.
She's eating well, and her coat now shines. It's lovely for them both to have company and love isn't it?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Apr 17 - 04:28 PM

Eliza/Senoufou,
how is your sister getting on with Mela?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Mar 17 - 06:16 PM

keep those cats and kittens coming

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Mar 17 - 09:38 AM

Amergin? The insane cat that adopted you?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 09 Mar 17 - 03:40 PM

Four years ago I took a "farm" cat from a friend, she was a very beautiful long haired Tabby. She has never been inside a house when I took her home.

She is absolutely gorgeous, very, very affectionate and took to living in a house straight away.

I was a little remiss in not taking her to a vet to have her neutered and the consequence of that was she had three kittens.

One in particular was very unhappy at being handled and I couldn't trust someone else to care for him, so he became another member of our family.

He is extremely timid, even with my wife and I, but this morning he was sitting on my bedroom windowsill growling at the refuge wagon as it reversed down the lane.

I love him to bits and with me he can be, when he wants, very affectionate.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Mar 17 - 01:36 PM

Bonnie Shaljean, you out there? Maybe you don't visit the BS section. That is quite the anecdote from Anne Lister on this thread.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Mar 17 - 02:19 PM

Any more Mudcatters who have been the object of adoption by a passing cat?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Mar 17 - 06:04 PM

Cats amongst the pigeons.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 07 Mar 17 - 11:39 AM

I'm not sure about British Shorthair cats, as I only had a couple, and never more than one at a time. But my Siamese over the years did in fact hunt and explore outside in a group, like a pack. And they always sleep together, cuddled up and wrapped around each other. They also 'talk' and have quite a wide vocabulary, once you learn the language. I think they see me as a sort of servant-being, tolerated with a certain fondness and manipulated shamelessly to fetch this and that.
When poor little Minty was ill, he was often sick in the kitchen, and the two others screeched for the Nurse (me) to come. They knew it was my job to clear it up and sort things out.
I always laugh when SmokeyPokey says "Laptop!" so clearly. He obviously wants to send an e mail to his girlfriend (or order more roast chicken from Tesco).

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Mar 17 - 11:09 AM

My opinion is that cats, being less social in nature than dogs (no pack behavior, solitary hunting), are all about territory; and they think of their humans as part of their territory, I suppose the part that keeps them fed. What is your opinion?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Mar 17 - 04:54 PM

Our older cat, Lily, adopted us. She came and stayed in our shed and would not go away!

DtG

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Mar 17 - 03:24 PM

A "velcro" cat, Eliza! And a heat-seeking missile as well.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 06 Mar 17 - 02:39 PM

Next week I will be back in Ireland, I expect, and hope, to see the cat that "adopted" me last time we were there.

I did ensure before we started feeding her that other people were looking after her. She is a little sweety, very affectionate, but normally only stays for an hour or so before she goes elsewhere for more fuss, food and attention.

I know I shouldn't get attached but she's Josie to me.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 06 Mar 17 - 02:25 PM

Lots of cats have adopted me keberoxu over the years. I think a stray cat will see a house where other cats live and try to get a piece of the action so to speak. (One shouldn't really entice or encourage a random cat to have a snack or a kip unless it's obviously hungry and a true stray. It could be someone's much-loved pet on the scrounge.)

A little tabby I called Solo appeared one winter in the snow. His coat was shabby and he was very thin. He kept lifting his freezing feet up one after the other from the icy ground. I let him in (much to my four other cats' horror!) and he plastered himself against the radiator after having gobbled up a huge plate of casseroled rabbit. I got the flea treatment onto him while he slept, and hid a worm tablet in some more food. He stayed with me for two years before he became very ill with liver problems, and I had to have him put to sleep. He truly adored me and used to make himself into a fur collar by wrapping himself around my neck while I did my housework! My next-door neighbour didn't like the name I'd chosen, and maintained he was an 'Oscar'!