tranceking26
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Cats
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tranceking26
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tranceking26
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I heard a cat picking up lunch last night. I suspect it was a bobcat, because house cats do not make noises like that. There was snarling and growling and some whimpering noises from the prey. The episode went on for quite some time – either the hunter was not highly skilled at finishing the job or else the other creature was putting up a really good struggle.
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We always have ferals in the neighborhood. Now we have one runty little black cat who seems to have taken up residence under the house. While we are not crazy about his choosing accommodations there because he wants to attack the birds and squirrels (as far as we can tell he’s never caught anything), the annoying part is that he seems to have made friends with one of our cats, Oreo. Oreo will sit at the back door when it’s open (most of the time) and act like royalty receiving supplicants. The little black runt comes up on the deck and mopes about, while Oreo explains how much better he has it as a house cat. Meanwhile, “Runty” runs from us and spends his time spraying the deck.
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I've long been struck by the phenomenal punctuality, and time keeping ability of cats, and their extraordinary sense of spatial awareness.
When I was in Afghanistan, one of my colleagues - a Superintendent in the RCMP (Major/Lt-Colonel equivalent) - adopted, or bonded with, (or was adopted by, or chosen by) one of the semi-feral cats that roamed the compound (and were spoiled, and fussed over by many of us; they were very good at identifying which laps would readily accommodate, play host to, and welcome them).
Anyway, I recall - with awed amazement - how that cat would make its way to the door of the office of the Canadian RCMP Superintendent, on the dot, at exactly 16.50 each and every day, and would wait, sitting patiently outside the door of his office, until my colleague finished his day's work, (at 17.00) whereupon it would then proceed to accompany him to his room, and sprawl and stretch out blissfully and happily on his bed.
When I was in Afghanistan, one of my colleagues - a Superintendent in the RCMP (Major/Lt-Colonel equivalent) - adopted, or bonded with, (or was adopted by, or chosen by) one of the semi-feral cats that roamed the compound (and were spoiled, and fussed over by many of us; they were very good at identifying which laps would readily accommodate, play host to, and welcome them).
Anyway, I recall - with awed amazement - how that cat would make its way to the door of the office of the Canadian RCMP Superintendent, on the dot, at exactly 16.50 each and every day, and would wait, sitting patiently outside the door of his office, until my colleague finished his day's work, (at 17.00) whereupon it would then proceed to accompany him to his room, and sprawl and stretch out blissfully and happily on his bed.
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tranceking26
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Scepticalscribe
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Yes, it is.
That chap (dude, guy) - the Canadian Superintendent in the RCMP, he was a very good guy, who commanded the RCMP contingent. He also fed that cat, and indeed bought - and also acquired - special food for it, persuading (bribing? begging? entreating?) the Defac to supply him with fresh milk, - a rarity in Afghanistan - and food.
However, I vividly recall the daily punctual arrival of that cat outside that office, where it would sit, quietly - not getting in anyone's way - and patiently, until 17.00.
Colleagues would remark on it, and know that the arrival of the cat outside that office marked the end of the working day.
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tranceking26
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That's cute. My grandparents and other RAF members used to look after stray animals when stationed in Asian countries, sometimes quite literally saving their lives from the people in charge, who would have shot them.
Scepticalscribe
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Yes, that was weird, and I remember being astonished by this.
Locals (in both Afghanistan and in Georgia, where I also spent two years with an EU mission), far preferred to shoot, or otherwise kill, cats and dogs, rather than care for them, and - as part of the caring - neuter them.
And, in Georgia, I knew the BBC correspondent, and also knew his wife, who worked for The Daily Telegraph - a lovely couple, we used to have dinner together, regularly; they had cats - adored animals, not even rescue cats, but strays who adopted them, wonderfully cared for, - and they told me of a row they had with a Georgian vet.
They had wanted to neuter their two cats - but the Georgian vet they had approached (in Tbilisi, the capital) had baulked at this, claiming that it was "unnatural". They were absolutely flabbergasted - "he's an educated man!" they exploded when relating this tale to me (with the implication, that, as such, he should have known better), and were even more stupefied when the vet explained to them that they could drown (or otherwise kill) whatever kittens were born because the cat hadn't been neutered.
That a vet would recommend killing kittens over neutering an adult cat left them stunned, speechless with shock, and absolutely stupefied.
Mind you, in Georgia, another colleague of mine, a German police officer, who had adopted a local (stray) dog - or had been adopted by a local (stray) dog (an extraordinarily affectionate, and intelligent animal he intended to bring home with him, and had had vaccinated - again, an animal who somehow knew the exact day whenever he was due to return from a month's home leave, and would be patiently awaiting his return outside the house he had rented) informed me that the dog was shot dead by Georgians for barking outside the house where - by then, vaccinated, and wearing a collar - he had been living with his adopted German owner prior to a planned repatriation to Germany.
In Kabul, (and later, in Mogadishu), we by-passed local vets entirely, and instead, approached western vets (on the military base) who would do the needful on their day off (usually Friday, in Muslim countries).
However, in Kabul, it is only fair to add that some of our local staff pointed out to me (when we discussed this subject matter) that 40 years of war - with your own people sometimes starving, destitute, desensitised, traumatised - does not engender an environment conducive to an awareness of the care needs of your fellow human beings, let alone the unfortunate animals that may depend on them.
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tranceking26
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A vet would be like that?! Crazy. Thankfully I've never met anybody with that mindset. And to drown kittens is awful.
tranceking26
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SuperMatt
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See, you know what happened. Frankie got pissed off at that other cat for trying to look like him, so he waited till he saw a car coming, then pushed that cat into the road. But he miscalculated, tripped, and got his claw stuck in the door strip of the passing car and had to hang on for 300km till they finally stopped. It was a long walk home.
tranceking26
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Someone should start a "7-Eleven Lizards" variant. Or perhaps (stray) dogs.. that's far more common TBH.
Pumbaa
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Been there, done that. Can recommend.
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There's a cat house near me. They have literally dozens of cats just roaming around. They're all adoptable and you can go there just to visit them. Would definitely recommend.
