|
One of our neighbour's two cats left home and didn't return. However, it's still in the neighbourhood and looks healthy and well fed. I assume it's been adopted by someone else. How often does this sort of thing happen? The cat was fully grown when it left home.
|
Pretty often I reckon.
A couple of years ago we 'adopted' a wild cat here that gradually became tame and lived in the garden, which I encouraged because every little helps in the 100 years war against those blinking moles. But he was always a long-haired scruff and didn't have social graces much. He vanished a few months ago, then a few weeks ago he turned up, very friendly, looking well fed, very groomed and with a shiny coat. When I picked him up I said 'there's something different here' and, sure enough, when I examined him he had been what they used to call 'altered'. We haven't seen him since and I'm quite surprised since the rural French don't really do pets as we know them.
Like the one you mention, Mr Snail, I fear he had no scruples about taking advantage of a more up-market lifestyle somewhere.
Who was it who said 'if Pavlov had tried to train a cat we'd never have heard of him'?
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Sun 29 Jul 12 at 10:09
|
|
Had mine for 12 years he wouldn't leave had to re home him in the end.
|
We've got someone else's cat (definitely not wild) coming in our pussy's cat flap and polishing off his food. His owners are probably worried why he isn't eating so much these days...
Going to look at installing a magnetic cat flap.
|
|
Wouldn't bother - they don't work. Occasionally get other cats coming in. Usually ends up in fight. Don't leave cat food available and if you can throw a bucket of water over the offending cat as it departs.
|
...if you can throw a bucket of water over the offending cat as it departs...
My brother did it the other way around and dunked the visiting cat in a bucket of water he had waiting for the purpose.
I believe it worked, and the sodden cat certainly went out of his catflap faster than it came in.
|
We hear him come in but he scarpers as soon as he hears us moving towards the kitchen. Been trying to catch him in a pincer movement - I have the bucket ready - so I'll go out of the lounge doors and take up position before SWMBO goes to the kitchen. So far unsuccessful but it's only a matter of time...
My cat is a really bad eater, he licks the jelly stuff off the outside of the food first, then wanders off. he rarely finishes it, and we chuck away more than half of what we put down - except since this greedy cat has been visiting!!.
We've tried all different kinds, but we chuck away lots of food. He does like dry biscuits though, but won't touch a bowl of water - and one year the vet said he was severely de-hydrated. He soldiers on fine though, I sometimes wonder if he gets food elsewhere...
|
|
Next door's cat is a good runner. He can cover the 25m dash consistently 0.1 seconds faster than our dog...They practice that one most days.
|
"My cat is a really bad eater, he licks the jelly stuff off the outside of the food first, then wanders off. he rarely finishes it, and we chuck away more than half of what we put down - except since this greedy cat has been visiting!!.
We've tried all different kinds, but we chuck away lots of food."
I know the feeling !!!
|
|
I understand that some probably rather tubby cats have two homes, one by day and one by night and get fed in both!
|
|
Our second cat wonders off for a few days when she feels like it.One off the neighbours told me he often gives her a feed.Other neighbour has small children she plays with the children and sleeps on their settee.She is fast asleep now next to me on the chair back from her adventures.>;)
|
|
So thats why my BMI is 31! - I must have been a Cat in a Previous life, come to think of it, that would probably explain a lot of my youthhood as well!
|
>> "My cat is a really bad eater, he licks the jelly stuff off the outside
>> of the food first, then wanders off. he rarely finishes it, and we chuck away
>> more than half of what we put down - .....
It's a pity nobody makes meat flavoured jelly cubes.
|
|
Or Mouse flavoured cat food!
|
>> My cat is a really bad eater, he licks the jelly stuff off the outside
>> of the food first, then wanders off. he rarely finishes it, and we chuck away
>> more than half of what we put down ...............
Our cat does that.
|
|
I give our Lab's tinned Pilchards (in Brine) once a week mixed with their dry stuff and also left over veg and gravy (Erin always 'does' them some) most days too. Should work for Cats, shouldn't it?
|
>> I give our Lab's tinned Pilchards (in Brine) once a week
Not brine please, Pilchards in olive oil - much better for them,
|
I have a strong impression that cats don't much like eating mice, just torturing them very slowly to death to keep their reflexes up to the mark. When the mice stop playing and lie doggo, the cats tend to leave them as presents for their owners, slaves or funny hairless huge obedient kittens.
When they eat them they often puke them up almost immediately in the middle of the kitchen floor or on a priceless Bokhara prayer mat if you've got one. But it's all right: the slaves will take away the fur and guts.
|
+1
Except it's lizards here. Before our present tamed stray (a she) came along they were my only pets.
Not long ago she was bitten harmlessly by a grass snake. Next time she won't be so darned lucky.
We have a very realistic relationship.
|
>> When they eat them they often puke them up almost immediately in the middle of
>> the kitchen floor or on a priceless Bokhara prayer mat if you've got one. But
>> it's all right: the slaves will take away the fur and guts.
>>
Quick, quick, the cat's being sick!
Where ? where? Under the chair.
Hasten, hasten, bring a basin!
Oh - too late - she's sicked it up!
|
|
Brine all very well drained Senor. Not seen large tins with oil!
|
Our cat has never drank much but does like cat food in gravy. She licks the gravy off and we often have to throw away food. But she does like to try to drink the milk from my wife's cereal bowl.... so she gets some of the milk from that (goats milk).
Smokie does your cat flap not lock. Ours has 4 locking positions so you can lock it totally, unlock for in/out or lock for in and not out, or out and not in.... would be easy to trap the other cat.
If your cat wears a collar then a magnetic lockable flap might be okay - ours does not have a collar. I could invest in one that reads the chip in her but they're a bit expensive and I think these chips can move over time.
|
|
And the collar can strangle an adventurous Pussy.
|
The cat has a collar, with a bell to warn unsuspecting prey of his approach so they can make a quick getaway.
Something about the setup doesn't work, we're forever finding small bits of insides on the carpet. He's pretty surgical about which bits of a mouse aren't nice.
I guess I should look at the flap to see if I can lock him in - but he's always enjoyed freedom to come and go as he pleases, and wander wherever he wants indoors at night too. (The slating and feasting usually takes place on the hall carpet). The other cat annoys us, but at least eh food isn't going to waste...
|
>>we're forever finding small bits of insides on the carpet
Don't eat the green, wobbly bits.
Terry Pratchett, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, referring to rats.
|
>> My cat is a really bad eater, he licks the jelly stuff off the outside of the food first, then wanders off. he rarely finishes it, and we chuck away more than half of what we put down
We chuck any uneaten and stale cat food across the garden for the birds to eat. Thing is, half the time the cat ends up eating it after we've thrown it out of her dish but won't touch it if left in her dish.
|
>>and we chuck away more than half of what we put down - except since this greedy cat has been visiting!!.
<<
Surely better for any cat to eat it than throw it away?
Pat
|
|
Cats don't need to eat every day. Their natural eating pattern is to kill their prey, gorge on it and sleep it off. Think lions on the Serengeti. They can easily go a day or two without food and if your cat is not eating just don't feed it. As long as it has access to water it will be perfectly OK
|
>> One of our neighbour's two cats left home and didn't return. However, it's still in
>> the neighbourhood and looks healthy and well fed. I assume it's been adopted by someone
>> else. How often does this sort of thing happen? The cat was fully grown when
>> it left home.
>>
Was it Schrödinger's cat?
|
|
We have 2 cats, male and female siblings, both neutered. The female goes off for days at a time, returning hungry and often without her flea collar. The male seems to like our company; he will be curled up inside the house if we are, or cavort around outside if anyone is gardening or faffing with the cars. They are both fussy eaters, scoffing one brand of cat food one day and ignoring the same meal on others. They appear to hunt together, the female 'driving' the prey to a position where the male can pounce. Several pigeons have met their end in this way. Some of their prey is dragged through the cat flap and their victory is announced with loud miaows until one of us humans acknowledges them and takes or flings their catch outside. If a human walks to the shop, the male will often accompany the shopper to a point and then wait for their return. Normal? I don't think cats do 'normal' behaviour.
|
|
True about cat's normal behaviour they don't. Our deceased ginger Tom cat used to deposit a rat on the doorstep after being in cattery for two weeks.We used to come back from holiday I picked him up from the cattery and after a nightime hunting that was Tom's present.
|
>> Was it Schrödinger's cat?
I don't think so. I googled for Schrödinger's cat, but it was too much for me to understand this early in the morning. tinyurl.com/6y6vp9p
|
Cat behaviour - Mike Hannon
