Wildlife, living next to nature

[xoxoxoBruce]

You've raised generations of cats and never had a kitten cut you up? Bullshit, your memory is shot. Sounds like you raised generations of inbred retards, real cats don't do that.

It's not a matter of socialization, reread what I wrote. They're not attacking, it's the way they play. Unfortunately we don't have fur to absorb most of those sharp little claws and teeth. They scream at each other when play gets too rough, and will stop if you scream too, but by the time they realize playtime is over the damage is done.

They can do a lot of damage in milliseconds. Sundae knows, so does Fargon, and Gravdigr.

Some dogs can purr.

[orthodoc]

Pugs are pugly.

And sorry Bruce, but you don't know what you're talking about! My cats were not inbred; I deliberately crossed lines that weren't accepted by the powers that be. I took traditionals, who had major dollops of American Shorthair genes, and crossed them with moderns. I had intermediates that I bred back to traditionals, and intermediates that I bred back to moderns. I kept the best of all of the litters and worked toward an intermediate Siamese cat that wasn't 90 % American Shorthair and wasn't susceptible to the ills of the moderns. I bred shorthair traditional Balinese as well as longhairs. I mixed up the gene pools as much as possible.

It IS a matter of socialization. My kittens climbed the bookcases, and they loved to climb the 7' tall queening enclosure ... but they never, ever launched themselves onto me and left me bleeding after they'd had their fun. They followed me around the house, climbed all over me, and learned to obey quite a few commands. Just like intelligent puppies. Would you think it normal for puppies to attack you and rip your arm or leg to shreds? Not likely. Good kittens don't do that either.

Why are we arguing about this ... ?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, breeders always claim their widdle kitahs would never do anything bad, then release their hellspawn on unsuspecting children of the world. But anyone who's lived with kittens/cats, no matter how much they love them, ain't buying your bullshit because it has has more holes than a screen door.



...or nylon stocking in kitten territory.

[orthodoc]

Ah, but I am not the average breeder of widdle kittahs. I gave it up after a few years. I bred the best cats I've ever known, but I couldn't stand the breeder
'culture' and I didn't like selling the babies to strangers.

My contract stipulates that I'll take back any kitteh that people don't like/find inconvenient/any other reason. I've stayed in touch with my owners and they know it's true. I consider any creature that I've caused to be born to be my responsibility for life.

I call YOU on bullshit, Bruce. You haven't ever encountered a socialized cat. They are the best, the most loyal, the most intelligent animals around. I hear that rats are very intelligent, too ... but I prefer cats. Dogs are nice, and I've loved many of them. No dissing of dogs here.

[xoxoxoBruce]

See there, you claim "not the average breeder"... just like every other breeder. Breeders have no credibility.

You can make all the claims you want about your special kitties, anyone with a history of cats will simply laugh in your general direction.

Why the fuck do we need cat breeders, they seem to do quite well on their own. Matter of fact, they'd overrun the whole damn town if we let them.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

That's big plus for Aylesbury. Most large cities here have peregrines nesting on tall buildings. Like Aylesbury, pigeons supply unlimited food.

I understand that a pigeon met its doom at the talons of a Peregrine on the ground in the town centre last year but most are taken in flight.

I've never knowingly seen the Aylesbury Peregrines although I've had the occasional sighting here five miles south of the town of what I assume to be other than the birds in question.
You know when something fast and deadly is about as even the corpulent Wood Pigeons are startled enough to get themselves airborne pronto.

Of possible interest is the work of the wildlife hospital at Haddenham.
It's known by the rather twee name of 'Tiggywinkles' but is formally known as the Wildlife Hospital Trust. A TV series was made about the hospital a few years ago and I think that it was also shown on PBS.

Anyway, here's the video. It won't win an Oscar but it is a gentle amble describing their work and worth a few minutes of your time.... I hope!



The Red Kites shown at about the 3.00 mark are wonderful creatures. Only a few native birds remained in the UK in mid-Wales until about twenty years ago when a reintroduction program was started.
Chicks were brought in from Scandinavia and Spain over a number of years in an attempt to increase numbers. When the birds were released into the wild those from Scandinavia tended to go home but those from Spain had a touch of mañana and mostly stayed put. Their numbers have gone from strength to strength and we even had one land in the front garden the summer before last.

Unfortunately, I once found a Red Kite that had collided with a power cable and severed its wing. The staff at Tiggywinkles expected it to survive as the wing was lost at the very point where amputations are normally made and it hadn't lost much blood. They have a large aviary for Kites that cannot be released and it was expected to have a future there. Sadly, it succumbed about ten days after I took it in.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

You know when something fast and deadly is about as even the corpulent Wood Pigeons are startled enough to get themselves airborne pronto.

Ha ha, I think if I knew this sumbitch was coming at me at... ahem, 389 km/h (242 mph on this side of the pond), I might be able to fly.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Ha ha, I think if I knew this sumbitch was coming at me at... ahem, 389 km/h (242 mph on this side of the pond), I might be able to fly.

A bit like hanging... it concentrates the mind wonderfully!

(With apologies to Dr Samuel Johnson)

ETA: Keep going with the Imperial units, Bruce. I haven't been metricated yet.

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You can make all the claims you want about your special kitties, anyone with a history of cats will simply laugh in your general direction.

I get it, I get it: you hate cats. No animal is going to be calm and loving around someone who hates it. I'm sure you and the cats are happiest staying well away from each other. It's win/win.

[xoxoxoBruce]

No, you don't get it at all. I don't hate cats, I've had dozens of them, spent dozens if not hundreds of hours watching TV with one in my lap, and know goddamn well what a normal... and a few abnormal... cats act like. I kid Sundae that dogs are better, and do prefer them, but those Frankenstein cats you describe don't exist in anybody's world but yours.
So I in your general direction.

[Gravdigr]

I don't think Ortho has ever played with a cat. Or a kitten. Or she's confused as to what, exactly, a cat/kitten is.

[Gravdigr]

This is the animal we're talking about:



At the end of each of those four legs is a chainsaw, and just below the nose is a wood chipper.

This animal will happily claw out your liver and smother you with it.

Vicious, vicious little beastie.

[Carruthers]

It can be said without contradiction that, in this thread at least, the cat has been set among the pigeons.


I'll see myself out...

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Ha ha, I think if I knew this sumbitch was coming at me at... ahem, 389 km/h (242 mph on this side of the pond), I might be able to fly.

I'd damn sure be trying! Or I might make like a mole - dive! dive! dive!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Simon knows...