Tojo, you brat!
I was really sick yesterday and was therefore laying on the couch most of the day. Tojo was snuggled nicely at my feet most of the time, but as soon as I got up to do something I realized his agenda.
He just wanted to steal my spot! Here's another photo of Tojo snuggling one of the cats, Ridley. Ridley and Tojo were grooming each other and I tried to get a video of it but as soon as I got the camera out, they just stared at me. Plus, Isaac kept poking his head in front of the camera as he is prone to do!
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-laughs- Hidden agenda Tojo! Aww...but he has such a sweet face, how can you be mad?
I do adore the "after grooming" shot, very cute.
So cute.
I've been home sick too, and Moto is a HUGE spot stealer.
those are great pics - Tojo is really cute. I'm not a big fan of cats - but seeing a Shiba w/ a cat makes me like them a lot more.
Hope you are feeling better.
I have had cats before - I liked them, and tried hard to have a good relationship with them... but cats are just ungrateful and rude - IMO.
I have a long story about a cat, Tabasco, that can back up my sentiments... but I think it might bore you guys. Lets just say, Tabasco proved to me that cats care about nothing more than being fed and/or themselves.
I'm curious to know this cat story you have. I promise I won't be bored! I'd have to say I definitely like dogs more than cats, but I'd never want to be without a cat. I love snuggling up with a cat. My cats also come when called and snuggle on command, so I think I am lucky in that regard!
Plus, Tojo really likes to play with the cats. Rakka does, too, but more in the sense that she considers them prey, whereas Tojo plays with them the way he would another dog. He even lets them "win" sometimes. The funniest thing was when Hester had Tojo pinned on his back and was "killing" him (biting his neck). I wish I had gotten a picture!
I have a bunch of cats too. Not all cats are created equal that is for sure. My cats are very much dog like and not much cat like. They also come when called and are super friendly to everyone - including strangers. Basically, they are like small, fuzzy dogs. Kuma likes the cats, but knows which cats he can play with and which he better leave a good distance!
Funny, my cats love to hide under a bed with a long comforter or behind a chair with a coat hangining on it and come out full force spitting and hissing when Kuma walks by and then they quickly retreat back to "their" hiding space. It seems that the long draping material makes them feel brave to stalk him. Otherwise, they all get along quite chummy.
And if I bring out lunch meat from the frig, I end up having 4 cats and 1 dog sitting nicely around me begging! It is funny how they ALL Pavlov to the sound of a plastic lunch meat bag! And I can feed them each a small piece one at a time and they share nicely.
Here's another photo of good cat/dog relations.
ok... my cat story....
First off, I grew up w/ a Persian kitty named Christy - she was really cool and mellow. My family, including me, loved her very much - she died of old age.
Anyway, I lived in a condo for a long time in ATL. My next door neighbor was an animal lover like us, he had a cat named Abu - Abu (or "Bu" for short) was not a very friendly cat - she was cool... but she was not overly friendly.
So one day a small, very pretty, cat showed up at his door step - he started feeding her - Abu was not ok with that, so being a lover of all living things I told him I would feed her in front of my door. For a while we fed her every morning and night out side our door, provided her with water and in the winter she stayed in the condo at night. She would wake me up every morning at 6am to go outside (like she had to leave for work or something). We named this cat Tabasco - I would have kept her inside all the time but she was very much a wild cat and didn't like being inside.
Then we got Maui, she and Maui became good friends. Then we added Kaia - the three of them got along great. Tabasco would even follow us around when we walked the dogs - it was cute. It always reminded me of a Chinese saying "Lead a cat with food, you are an owner. Lead a cat without food and you are a master."
I really felt like she had adopted us as her people (and dogs). She hated other dogs but was very gentle and playful with the Shibas - she would even attack other dogs if they came near Maui and Kaia.
Then we added Ahi to the pack - Tabasco took a bit longer to warm up to Ahi, but they ended up being OK friends too.
So, that is the background of the story... Key points: She acted like she loved us, and we cared for her - a cat that just showed up out of the blue.
One day on my way to work I saw Tabasco limping - she had been hurt, bad. So I took her to the vet; she had a cat bite on her leg that had been infected, so infected that the bone in her leg was actually deteriorating. It cost $1500 to get her leg drained and bandaged. (remember, she really was not my cat - she jut adopted us) After the surgery she had to be kept in my condo for 4 weeks - during that time she bite me twice, bite Maui once and scratched Kaia. She also destroyed a wall of the condo and all the drapes. I let her out after 3 weeks, I couldn't risk her hurting one of the dogs or Jen (or me) anymore. She was an ungrateful little shit. Oh - she also crapped ALL OVER the condo!
After that I continued to feed and water her for a few years outside - but never inside.
Over time I started to notice she was being brushed and cared for by someone else - but was still eating the food we where giving her. So I snooped around the condo complex and saw that someone else was also feeding her!
When I discovered this I talked it over with my neighbor and Jen and we decided to stop feeding her and see if she got thinner. When we stopped feeding her she went away, and never came around anymore. She became rude to the dogs and would run from us...
Then, while walking the dogs, I saw her following another couple - like she did us. It was the people that had been feeding her.
So... the point to my story is... she was an ungrateful whore. She only tolerated us because we where feeding her.
----
Now I know this is all very obvious stuff, because, after all, she was a wild cat. I'm not claiming to expect any cat to truly show gratitude for helping her, and certainly understand the mechanics of the relationship. BUT I am certain that if she was a dog she would have stuck by our side and showed gratitude for helping.
I don't like cats because they are emotionless takers that don't really love - and I would prefer to at least get some love from an animal I live with and care for.
Tabasco made me feel like a fool... I know enough of you have rescued dogs to know that they appreciate you after you rescue them. They know you helped them - cats don't.
Pics of Tabasco (the heartless beast):
Well if it makes you feel any better, my cat Ariadne has been loving to my chinchilla forever, sleeps on my pillow, and cries when I am not home.
My cat Agnes (God rest her soul) went blind from a thyroid condition. My other cat argyle would actually guide her around the house chirping if she got too close to furniture or any other obstacles. We had to get him kittens when she died because he was so heartbroken that he stopped eating.
Sounds like Tabasco was feral, and probably resented you keeping him inside. As you know, you had no way to communicate that it was for his own good. So he probably adopted a family who didn't "trap" him in his mind.
Cats are just survivors. They never fully domesticate like dogs do. Leave a pet cat in the wild they will adapt almost instantly.
Dogs...well we've all read Jack London books when we were kids right? I takes much longer.
Brad you realize you are trying to apply human emotions and traits to a cat, right?
As Jessica said, cats are survivors. If you feed them and take care of them, they will show you affection. They are not dogs, they aren't willing to lick a hand after it hits them (not that I hit my dog, but I'm trying to point out how loyal they are).
What happened after the surgery sounds rough, but really, it was a feral cat who was stuck inside and was not able to go about it's normal routine. A lot of animals and people would not act themselves after a major surgery, especially if they are unable to understand why everything has changed. Tabasco did not understand why the things that were happening, were happening, so it acted out.
I'm not saying you have to like cats, I'm saying that your logic for disliking cats if flawed. They don't know how to be greatful, it's not within their cognitive realm. There is no association (to the cat) between you fixing the cats leg, and why it should continue to love you when you are keeping it from doing what it wants (going outside and roaming). Of course if you stop feeding it, it's going to find another way to survive.
Yes, I am aware a cat doesn't possess human logic - that was the reason for this line in my post:
"Now I know this is all very obvious stuff, because, after all, she was a wild cat. I'm not claiming to expect any cat to truly show gratitude for helping her, and certainly understand the mechanics of the relationship. BUT I am certain that if she was a dog she would have stuck by our side and showed gratitude for helping. "
In order to portray the emotions felt by me during the time period of this story, I may have written the story with an anthropomorphic tone - but I assure you my logic for not liking cats is not anthropomorphic.
My point was not that I expect a cat to behave like a human or a dog - and I am totally aware that a cat, and a dog (or any other non-human animal) doesn't poses the cognitive ability to apply human like emotions and logic to situations.
My point was (as Heidi wrote) that I don't really like the cold, non-loving personality a cat posses - I prefer a dog's personality that, while not on the level of a human, does at least show some signs of appreciation.
Tabasco was a survival, and I knew that from the start - I also knew enough to know the cat wouldn't show the same type of emotions a dog (or human) does when they are helped.
And to the survivalism point - I was feeding the cat, and she was eating both my food, and the other couples food - so, survivalism or not, she didn't NEED to find other food to eat.
My logic may be flawed from a cats perspective - but I don't think my logic is flawed from a human and cat interaction perspective... and really your point about cats being survivors falls directly in line with my logic for not liking cats:
I don't like cats because they show no emotional connection to their owner other than to beg for food.
They learn that if they do certain things while living w/ humans they receive food and shelter - so they continue to do those things until the human breaks the deal (stop feeding them) - if that happens, then they go away.
I would prefer to spend my time with an animal that is not just around me because I give it food and shelter - rather its around me because it feels a "family bond" (like a pack) and I am a member of that family unit.
I wish I could send you Calliope and Ariadne for a week. They could restore anyones faith in the feline kind. I am not proud of this, but a couple years ago (before we had the pooches and only had cats), Jay and I both had the stomach flu at the same time. We could barely lift our heads to hurl. In our sickly state we actually forgot to feed the kitties. We forgot, because they wouldn't leave our sides.
My cat Jasmine, was my moms before she died. As my moms cancer progressed Jasmine refused to leave her side if my mom was awake. Sometimes the pain would be so bad that my mom wouldn't sleep for a a couple days. Jasmine would not leave her side. As soon as she would eventually fall asleep Jasmine would go downstairs, eat something use the litter box, and then go right by my moms side again. When my mom eventually died, she wouldn't go near me for months. My voice is IDENTICAL to my moms. We are convinced that it freaked her out to hear my moms voice coming from someone that neither smelled nor looked like my mom.
A lot of cats act like the snooty cool kids in school. They are definitely not dogs that is for sure. But take comfort in knowing that there really are some special ones out there.
I hope that you get the pleasure one day of having one of those really special ones come into your life.
Jay HATED cats until our little army formed. Of course as with most things in our marriage, resistance was futile. He was a meat eater when we first started dating too.
That's really sad about your mom - I'm sorry.
Just so I am clear with all of you - so you don't think I'm a total cat hater - I would love to be proved wrong. (by a cat)
Tho there is that asmatic allergy issue I have w/ them too.
Disclaimer: Last line may offend those who have no sense of humor!
I was waiting for you to bring up your deadly allergies brad!
I understand the feelings about cats on both sides. I love my kitty and have had her through everything in the last 8 years. We rescued her (her name was Rachel when we found her). She shows so much love and affection, she give love bites and has been there when sick sad and so on. She listens, comes when called and is a pain in the ass! I dont doubt though that her wild nature would take over and she would take off in an instant of she were given the opportunity. She was rescued with her kittens and was a street cat. She has slowly adapted but I do believe that we are, in her mind, keeping her caged in, even though she doesnt know that we are doing what is best for her. I have had cats all my life but have realized I am a dog person after getting Niko. We are devoted to kitty for life but I dont know if I will get another cat once she leaves our home and lives.
BTW I have never shown pics of my prissy kitty.
Chad loving his kitty and kitty not loving it.
New haircut....gotta love some shaved pu$$y.
Now I want to share pictures of my feline posse too!!!
That is Jasmine, she was my Mom's guardian, she also has a fan group on myspace.
This is Argyle, the seeing eye cat.
Calliope. she is Moto's accomplice. She actually climbs up and gets him treats that he can't reach. They groom eachother. TROUBLE I tell ya TROUBLE!
Ariadne. We call her the littlest angel. I have never known a sweeter animal ever.
Agnes. God rest her soul. She was our little lady who went blind. My world crumbled when she died. She was the only feral cat I have ever known who never wanted to go outside again once we let her in. She has been gone for two years, and I miss her still.
Alright, I'm done.
Well, since we're sharing, I'd better post a picture of Hester so she doesn't feel left out. Ridley's the attention-seeker, so we always end up with more pictures of him. He loves to get in front of the camera!
Does she scooter w/ Rakka? lol
She is cute.
If I could figure out how to attach a pic I would be able to share Zen and our kitten Storm LOL!
Ah! spoke too soon.. figured it out. They adore each other, and me. It's a beautiful thing. I was lucky enough, because I've had many cats over the years, to once again fine one more with the personality of a dog, rather than the cool aloofness of most cats! Storm greets me at the door, comes when called, and sleeps with us
*puts pictures up so she's not left out :P* My babies, Sassy, Dahmer and Kayden.
OMG Brad, you really started something! I can't post pictures of my cats but, I can honestly tell you that they have brought so much joy into our lives. Tenji still misses Turk and longs for the day when Sassy will finally acknowledge his presence. I can totally relate to Jessica's comments regarding the devotion of her cats when she and Jay were sick. My cats would give up eating altogether to lie by my side when I was sick. There is no question that my cats love me.
We have great cats too! I already posted about them up above, so I won't brag again.
But here are my kitties! The grey one with the white mustache and white paws truly loves me and I love him. He is my all time favorite cat - such a cool personality!
Alright, I couldn't see this happening over on my couch without posting a picture!