Deal4Fuji

I'm guilty of paying too much attention to commercials, but I used to work in marketing and have appreciation for good ad campaigns. Have you guys seen the latest mayhem spot from Allstate ?

rustystrings61 

I have fallen into my wife's practice of adding new names to cats until they go years without hearing their original names. Thus Hannibal became the General, which morphed into Generalissimo, which inevitably became Hannibalissimo; Baby became Ruby, which became Rubini, which became Bean, which became Beanie Weenie, which became the Ween. We are going through that process now with Harry. He was once tiny, hence "Winky." Which became Winkus, which was transformed into a very Toshiro Mifune inflected "Win-Ku." But then his nature and personality entered the picture and he became Savage Harry, or simply Savage, alternating with the Masked Tuxedo Bandit. My sister-in-law has gone for rhyming, though, and addresses him as "Harold Fitzgerald." I ponder whether he should become the Ninth Earl of Kildare when she does that.

Slightspeed

Were having a new driveway and patio poured with fresh concrete today. They need access thru the garage, so I moved the bikes inside for safekeeping. I gave Tigger the job of guard cat. He'd rather be outside snooping. As it is, the nextdoor neighbor's long hair Siamese trotted thru the wet concrete, leaving a trail. I tried to call them, but nobody home, so the cat will have to get rid of her concrete boots on her own, somehow. She ran so fast, I don't think most of it stuck. Cats!

Tigger, guarding the herd.

CliffordK

As pointed out by @Jeff Wills and @TriBiker19, she's a "tortoiseshell cat", similar to Calicos. And, a rambunctious little female.

Now named Latte for her little milk spot on her left cheek.

I don't think I could get rid of her. I threw her out for a bit this morning. She sat on the windowsill and whined.

Plus, I have a mouse problem, so I'm hoping she'll figure out the mouse thing pretty soon, not just attacking my fingers and zippers, and anything she can find that wiggles.

Time to start getting her accustomed to cat carriers, then another week or so and off to the vet.

rootboy 

On names. I am convinced that a given name is just that. It's mostly for you, not your cat. They couldn't care less,
even though they do come to recognize what you repeatedly call them.
I call Minky by her name. But I call her all kinds of things too. It's taken me 10 years but she finally started talking back to me.
She was a trauma case maybe, and a slow study.
I talk to her all the time. Doesn't matter what. They're cats, and don't understand us. But what they do understand is sound and stimulus. And they'll eventually respond. Ever heard a cat use its voice to communicate with another cat?
I haven't.

CliffordK

10 years?

The way I found Latte was she started yowling outside of my back window on the back porch.

Then when I'd call "Kitty Kitty", she'd yowl back.

But, was so shy, she wouldn't let herself be seen or photographed.

A little dish of milk outside, then when I got some catfood, and it was all over.

She still is tremendously vocal.

And, if she is off doing something, I call her name, or "Kitty Kitty", and she pops her head up, and often replies with a quick yowl. And, usually comes running.

She was coming pretty well by the second day.

Now she is getting a bit more adventurous, but still comes.

Perhaps not holding long conversations, but when her mouth engulfs a finger or thumb, I tell her "That's my finger" or "That's my thumb", and she hesitates for a moment, before chomping on something else.

'02 nrs

pure breed mouser.

rootboy 

Yeah. This is one very reserved and aloof cat. Or was.
She was actually returned to the shelter by someone who adopted her., as being "too sketchy".
What B.S.! I said. I'll take her. She was totally mute for ten years. Must have suffered some as a kit.



This gregarious beast, however, has about ten different vocalizations, and uses them constantly. Adopted as a homeless child
in Beijing. We talk all day long. ;>

thinktubes 

Damien knew his name.

He'd pretend he didn't, but the tip of his tail would flick when called.

rootboy 

On "talking" with cats. I like it. My wife is frequently amazed that the two cats "talk" with me, and not her very often. It only makes sense, I tell her. I talk to them a lot. They respond in kind. But I'm under no delusions that I am communicating with my cats, except in a very primal way.
I abhor anthropomorphizing when it comes to cats. I prefer them just the way they are. In fact, I like them more than most people, with at least one major exception.
Cats respond to aural stimulation. I "talk" to them in the only method I have. But I'm sure just making any sort of sounds to them would encourage them to respond. Even gibberish. What fascinates me is that they save their voices for us. They don't "talk" amongst themselves.

CliffordK

I know other animals are quite vocal, both with humans, and between each other. Horses, for example, greet each other when they get separated form the herd, and return to the herd. Cows will bellow to calves (and farmers) when they're unhappy.

I'm just returning to the cat world after quite some time.

My kitten is very vocal. I'd have never found her if she hadn't called out to me. Thus, it became part of her survival.

I have to wonder if vocalizations are part of the kitten/mother relationship. And, perhaps when the cat bonds to a human, that relationship is extended, essentially forever.

My kitten is also very responsive to both me, as well as my voice. Again, potentially part of a maternal relationship.

billnuke1 

No pictures...just got back from a 10 day Penn. vacation...Max has attached himself to me and there is room for pictures! No sleep last night! He will sleep most of the day now!

rootboy 

I think you're right, CK. Of course, kittens mew when they're hungry and prodding mother for milk.
And your young kitten was probably exhibiting the same behavior.
I probably should have clarified that adult cats don't communicate with other adults my vocalizing.
But then there are probably exceptions. Lions purr and srarffle to each other.

RichSPK

One of my cats, Wendy, was a feral cat I took in around 12 years ago. Another cat is Victoria, who was born in my bedroom closet to another feral cat I'd taken in at the same time. Victoria has bonded hard to Wendy; she follows her around and cuddles with her whenever she can. When I'm with Victoria and Wendy enters the room, Victoria coos and runs over to Wendy. So I guess they vocalize with each other to some extent.

Wendy and Victoria. Victoria is the black-and-white cat.

RichSPK

That reminds me: Kathryn had a very specific meow she used to call her kittens to her, and they'd come running! She stopped using that meow after they grew up.

Kathryn:

They're mobile! by Richard Klein, on Flickr

TriBiker19 

Many moons ago, I had a cat named "Bit"--for the computer bit, not for the action. Well...I landed in emergency surgery after he--you guessed it--bit me. He was kind of an ass. But he loved my roommate. So he stayed with the roommate when we moved out. And now we have Puppy. She's seriously a dog in a cat suit.

My group about 8 years ago. Only two of them are still with us (the two on the right), the rest passed on from various illnesses.



Puppy.

PilotFishBob 

Neat coloration, she almost looks like she's wearing a Batman mask.

CliffordK

I keep telling my kitten not to byte the finger or the thumb or the hand hand that feeds her!!!

It is almost funny... She'll have a finger in her mouth, and and when I tell her "That's my finger", she stops and looks up at me.

She got spooked, and I got scratched on the nose a few days ago, but so far none of the bytes seem to be more than playful. Not too much with the rear feet kicking either.

TriBiker19 

I foster kittens and have for the past 16 years. After 309 kittens, the best advice I can give you is to squeal "ow" when she bites or scratches, like a sibling would when she gets too rough. Most will stop. Or, if that doesn't work, get up and walk away. Learning that being too rough ends playtime is quite effective. For the kicking, there are toys that look like a long roll and swapping those in for your hand/arm will teach her what's acceptable.

I have bitten more kittens in the ear or paw than I care to count for biting me and refusing to behave. You bite me, I bite you back.

Also, a notable product... the ssscat--a motion detector can of air you can put on your counters or anyplace you don't want the cat to be--is really effective. (My children also learned that they should stay off the counters and out of the kitchen. oops.)

rootboy 

Always liked that pose. All cats seem to do that, eh? Are they blocking out light? Feel more secure with the muzzle or nose covered while sleeping?
Turbo is a beauty.

rootboy 

More interesting cat behavior. I seem to remember reading that that rear feet kicking thing is a remnant of their evolutionary heritage.
Something about ripping the stomach of their prey open while holding onto neck or head to immobilize. Maybe.
My cat does it when I've rubbed her belly for just a tad too long.

Sir_Name 

A classic pose. I'd assume that's them being comfortable enough to shut out the light, maybe guard the muzzle, and get some deep zzz's while the gettin's good -- but who knows what they're thinking.
She gives a subtle 'blink' to your compliment.

RichSPK

Keeping the nose warm?

rootboy 

Well, how things can change, so rapidly. Seems I just posted a picture of the dear creature a week ago.
We brought her here to live with us, from China, nearly eleven years ago to the day, October 10th.
This fine feline and I really bonded.
Last night we learned that Mei Mei has lymphoma.

Slightspeed

Mei Mei is a beautiful cat. Sorry to hear of the diagnosis.
We adopted a little black kitten, "Buddy", 5 years ago. At his first check-up, we got a leukimia diagnosis, which broke our heart, as well as giardia. Turns out the leukemia was a false positive, and the giardia was treatable. He's going strong, 5 years on, and is a great buddy for our Tigger. All I can say, is that it's sad to hear of your cat's issues. Be sure to get it re-tested, and we send wishes for the best.

Our "Buddy".

Tigger

Two buddies.