Conference misery::feline_v1

We live on the top of a rise overlooking a wooded stream and a small
marsh. This means we have lots of birds. I encourage them by feeding
them regularly at the feeder outside the kitchen window; we still
haven't quite gotten used to seeing everything from goldfinches and
chickadees to cardinals and grosbeaks eating peacefully some eight
inches away!

The cats haven't gotten used to it, either. They crouch below the
window ledge, sometimes chattering to themselves; they know they
can't get through the window, but every now and then the temptation
is too much, and they'll hurl themselves against the screen. The
birds fly away, the cats go into a shoulder-washing, I-meant-
to-do-that routine, and that's that until the next time.

Except on one occasion.

Chiun, who looks like a long-haired Siamese and sometimes talks like
one, was sitting in the window gazing out upon "his" domain. A
chickadee fluttered into the feeder and began picking through the
seeds, looking for a choice sunflower seed; he ignored the cat
completely.

Chiun was outraged. He sat bolt upright - the bird didn't move. Then
he batted at the screen with one mink-brown paw. This got the chickadee's
attention all right; it flew up to the screen and perched there, and
began to peck at Chiun's paw through the wire!

Chiun batted at the bird, looking as surprised as a cat can look;
the chickadee pecked back, as self-righteous as anyone defending
hearth and home can be. Finally, the cat gave up in disgust; if
that silly bird wouldn't play by the rules, Chiun wouldn't either.

I don't know what sparked the behavior; it hasn't happened since.
Maybe the bird was in a bad mood that day?

-b

   If have a pair of cardinals nesting in my back yard.  The female has
on more than one occasion attack my cats in the windows.  I'm afraid it
hurts her more than them and I've had to go out and guard her from dogs 
and other cats while she lay senseless on the ground.

tlh

On one occasion, my cat Zeus (who always acts annoyed about life in
general) allowed me to overwhelm him with lots of love.  As I talked
softly to him, I concentrated on becoming one with him.  You ought to
try this, it's great!  Gradually, his tongue began to droop completely
out of his mouth, drooling all over himself, while his eyelids limply
hung, half-way closed.  Euphoria!  I wonder if anyone would notice
if I relaxed like that at work! Ha!

I had an interesting experience with my cat Whiskers. We had just moved 
from an apartment into our first house and (as related in the "introduce
your kities
(try again!)
your kitties" note), WHiskers was experiencing the great outdoors for the
first time (and loving it!).

One day I saw a *large* German Shepherd dog in our back yard. He was staring
at something and looking uncomfortable. I went to the backdoor and saw that
Whiskers was standing about five feet from this dog, his back up. After about
ten seconds of staring at each other, Whiskers took a run at the pooch and
off the dog went, tail between his legs.

Whiskers just watched him go and then sat there surveying his realm. I haven't
seen that dog since!

-- Bill

	Suprisingly enough, most dogs (especially the bigger ones) are afraid
of cats! If the cat doesn't run away from the dog (which triggers the dog's 
chase instinct), but rather stands it's ground; the dog gets confused (thats
not what I expected to happen - the dog thinks) and is easily cowed. I've 
seenthis happen many times.

	/s/	Bob

    Our two male cats keep all the neighborhood dogs out of our yard.  We were
amazed the first time we saw one of them chasing the German shepherd that
lives next door at full speed back towards its own yard!
    On the other hand, one of these fearless defenders came running
panic-stricken to the door to be let in one day.  There were two pheasants
walking calmly through the yard.  I just don't understad how his mind works
at all.

	ch

    Snoopy does a good job of hunting field mice, but we have never seen him
catch a bird -- except once.  A few weeks ago he was sitting in the sunny
spot on the back steps, outside the sliding glass door.  A bird flew -CRASH-
into the door and fell to the ground, stunned.  Snoopy lets no opportunity
pass him by, so he ate the bird.  Some technique, huh?

							ch

Einstein has been with me only since late January.  He hasn't done anything
out of the ordinary.  He is a stockpiler and somewhere under a bed is a stack
of underwear, sweaters, a watch and a stopwatch.  I periodically raid the pile
and make him start from scratch.  Einstein is convinced that if God meant us
to put things on tables, tables would come with velcro.  His favorite trick
is to stand on tables, desks or countertops and systematically knock things
onto the floor.  Last week he broke a bottle of deoderant (lucky it was
that kind they proclaim you can skip a day).  At nine months of age, he
has just discovered he can hunt.  He hunts June bugs.  He tries to sneak
them into the house.  The only thing I claim total fear of is bugs and
spiders indoors (outdoors, I am invading THEIR environment and they are
okay).  He's only gotten one inside once, but it was disgusting.  He
brings them up to the screen and crunches them at the window.  It's gross.

Tigger is an opportunity Grabber.  At any one time, two or three families
think they own her.  When I was living in my townhouse, she had a spot
under the sewing machine next door.  By day she was "Sam" and by night
she was Tigger.  She also is very social.  She always hangs around other
cats.  She is very selective, however, about letting friends into her
house.  In the townhouse, she befriended a big beautiful black cat.  He
was very timid around people.  Tigger would let this cat and no other
come in.  Each night, the black cat would come in, eat some food, lie
around with Tigger and leave.  I always left the door ajar.  If I made a
move to touch him, he would leave, but if I left him alone, he made himself
at home.  He was a neat cat.

One morning, Raederle was happily playing with a large rubber band,
batting it around the kitchen.  Suddenly, disaster!  She flipped it
into her water dish.

She looked at the dish ... tentatively dipped her paw into it ...
no, that wasn't the solution.

So, resignedly, she started drinking up the water in the dish.  After
a minute or two, she stopped, re-checked the water level, and started
drinking again.

Alas, at that point I stepped in and retrieved the rubber band for her.
I would have liked to see if she would have finished the job herself,
but I didn't really want her to get bloated.

	-Neil

We used to have this really neat cat who lasted about 15 years named
Figaro. He was a gray tiger tom cat, and must have been at least 16 lbs.
He was strange in that we had to talk him in to eating!  Get that, a cat
that didn't want to eat!  We'd have to coax him and pretend it was new food
and everything.

My other strange cat was Feldman (named after Marty for his large eyes).  He
would eat anything anytime.  One day I accidentally dropped a can of tuna on
his head while he was eating.  He didn't even notice.  Due to my clumsyness,
I picked it up and dropped it again - on his head ( the poor thing!).  This
cat was so out of it, he just kept eating.  Needless to say, he ran away a
few years ago.  I guess I bummed him out.

My current cat, Kittyface, carries my scarf all around the house, but the
funny thing is, it's really long and when he walks, he walks on it and trips
all over the place.  It's the funniest thing.......  I think I should have
named him Linus (security blanket - he can't be without it!).

Nichole

	Sometimes I'll be walking by, minding my own business, and a small
rubber ball (or softball or tennis ball) will be rolling in front of me.
I look over at Pooky and of course Pooky's ignoring me, feigning disinter-
est; but she's told me in her own way that she wants to play ball.
	She also climbs door frames and hides things under the carpet.  Her
latest stunt is to climb into a round laundry basket and spin around in it
on its side!
		<_Jym_>

   Oh lord!  The cats found my basket of yarn while I was at work friday.
I came home to find all my rooms connected by 4 different colors of yarn.
They completely unrooled 4 balls of yarn!  IT took about 30-45 mins to roll it
all back up again.  (the cats loved it.  They thought it was a game.  Anytime
I got one of the balls done and put away, they would go get it again and start
all over again.)

tlh

     It is sweltering and I have the top off my Jeep.  Cats seem to come
from miles around to sleep in it.  Last night, I was visiting a friend for
dinner.  I went to leave and found a siamese cat asleep on the back deck
carpeting.  A discussion ensued and I pursuaded the cat that it would be 
nicer to go home than to go for a ride with me.

I thought I was slightly crazy about cats (probably because my parents
kept telling me so when I finally confessed how many I had at my high
point), but reading this file has convinced me otherwise!  But I haven't
read any notes yet about the "truly committed" cat lovers--those who go
over board when it comes to cats.  Let me speak of a few:  as mentioned
elsewhere, I came by my population due to working at a animal shelter--
I mean, how long can you face the same sweet face in the cage without
wanting to set it free?--but I can't compete with two other volunteers at
the shelter:  they both averaged 30 at a time.  Of course these visitors
mascaraded as "foster cats"--that's how we euphemistically referred to 
the overflow from the shelter--but you and I both know how THAT ends up!
Eleanor used to stop on her way into work if she saw any kind of box by
the highway, just on the off chance that some jerk had chosen to dispose
of an unwanted litter of kittens in this way--and more often than I care
to tell you, she was right!  (oh, I could tell you horror stories. . .
but let's keep it light!).  And then there is Shirley, who got tired of
hearing disputes between her collection, so she persuaded her brother (a
carpenter) to build a "cat house" in the back yard, so she could "split"
her family.  Would you believe, she carpeted, furnished and AIR CONDITIONED
this new residence?!?  ( I am NOT kidding!).  And she would sit out there
with them every evening, equally split, I suppose, between the "big house"
cats and the "out house/cat house cats"!

--cathy

Well, I could have put this into the "Vets" note, or the one on Chiun's
other medical problems, or I could have started a new note entirely, but
here goes: Chiun had another fight with a car.

Now, I would have thought that the last time would have put him off cars
for the rest of time, but he must have forgotten. (*I* couldn't forget a
broken jaw, two broken teeth and a steel plate in my spine, could you?)

Oh, he survived. Don't ask me how, but he survived. Broke his jaw again,
and this time he may have lost one eye, but he's still with us (knock on
wood). I went through the usual self-accusations (maybe the "Indoor/Outdoor"
note??), but at least he's mobile and seems happy to be home.

Abigail sat in the front window and watched the whole thing. I suspect
her of calling to Chiun to distract him at the critical moment. Poor
little Abigail! For three days she thought she'd finally gotten rid of
him, and was ecstatic to be Only Cat - and then he came home, to a lion's
share of attention, and Abigail is in a snit.

The lady who hit him stopped right away and came and found me; thank
goodness for samaritans. Chiun has a backwards kind of luck - doesn't
keep him out of trouble entirely, but it gets him help when he needs it.

-b

    (Hmmm - two years since the last activity in this topic. Things
    that don't fit on the "<n> most recent" directory listing don't
    get much attention, do they?)
    
    Chiun, the hero of the previous reply, is, as of this writing, as
    hale and hearty as is possible for a ten-year-old bionic cat - but
    this note isn't about him, but about his jealous co-cat, Abigail.
    
    Abigail is a long-haired black-and-white stump-tailed Manx (well,
    she *looks* like a Manx, anyway). She is usually allowed to stalk
    the yard during daylight hours, but is always kept in at night.
    However, as is the way with cats, she decided not to turn up a couple
    of nights ago.
    
    After it began to get dark I made more and more frequent trips to the
    back porch to call "Kitty, kitty, kitty," but she didn't show. Finally,
    after an hour or more, I went to the door and saw her on the lawn about
    twenty feet from the house. I could see from the gleam of white fur
    that she was lying on her back, waving her paws in the air, a trick she
    often pulls when she wants to convince us how cute she is. Anyway, with
    a surge of relief, I opened the door and stepped onto the porch, and
    started to call her - and to my immense shock, "Abigail" bounced away
    across the lawn, WITHOUT TURNING OVER. 
    
    Yep, it was a skunk. Its white stripe looked just like Abigail's
    white belly fur; and there I was, within fifteen feet of it. If the
    critter had been within arm's reach I probably would have picked
    it up before I'd known...
    
    So I staggered inside, giggling uncontrollably, to tell my husband
    what had happened. Then I went back to see what had become of the
    visitor, and there was Abigail, ready to come in - she'd been watching
    the whole thing!

    -b

    Once, when I was 10 or 11, I watched with amazement one Sunday
    evening as my mother drove off to church with our cat perched on
    top of the car.  I can still see the old red '57 Plymouth receding
    into the distance with Patty looking rather out of place on the
    roof.  I jumped on my bicycle and pedalled the mile or so to our
    church.  There I found our car, and looking inside, saw that Patty
    was safely locked inside.  I found my mother in the Common Room
    and said something like, "I see you found Patty."  "What?!", she
    replied.  I proceeded to explain to her what had happened.  
    Apparently, when my mother opened the car door to get out, Patty
    had slipped into the car without my mother noticing, no doubt trying
    to avoid any further embarrassment.

        					- Vick

    Perhaps not as spectacular a feat as Ack's, but equally appreciated,
    is the service our cat Burt provides.  Last weekend my wife had
    to get up very early to meet some friends, only to find a spider
    the size of a Buick in the bathtub.  She pleaded with me to squish
    it, but it was 6:00am on a Saturday. I grumbled, rolled over, and
    went back to sleep.
    
    Next thing I heard was my wife saying "Get it Burt! Eat it! Eat
    it!", followed by her running into the bedroom and exclaiming 
    "Ooooo yuck!  He's eating it!". 
    
    Needless to say, when I had refused my spider squishing services,
    my wife ran and got Burt, and put him on the task.  Burt got lots
    of extra lovin' from both of us that morning.  
    
    He also takes care of all those flies that keep buzzing against the 
    windows in the summertime.
    
      

    Brat, my 4 year old kitty-child, is a never ending source of amusement.
    I still get the giggles, though, when I recall one particular episode.
    It was early morning, and I had just emptied a box of Kleenex. 
    I had opened a new box, and instead of throwing out the empty box,
    I left it on the kitchen counter.  While eating breakfast, I heard
    this commotion behind me.  My nosey cat had stuck his head in the
    dispenser opening of the box, and he couldn't get it out again.
    There was this tissue box waving in the air as if it had a life
    of its own.  I laughed so hard tears were streaming down my face.
    The cat did finally extricate himself, and the look he gave me,
    as he turned tail and stalked off caused me to start laughing all
    over again.
    

    
    
        Well my cat Residual is quite the terror. One moment he will
    put six inch scratches down my legs and arms and the next moment
    he will love you to death.
    
        The past snow storm we had was a great experience for Residual.
    At first he was dieing to get out... when we let him out he was
    suddenly up to his stomach in snow. After a while he started to
    toss up snow with his front paws then chase it, he'ld do this for
    hours and great distances all over the yard. He also likes to
    chase leaves, he hops around like a rabbit!
    
        Another thing he likes to do is, whenever someone is using
    the bathroom he will jump up on the sink and rub his face all over
    the faucet then he'll lay down in the sink until your done and leave.
    
        He also loves to sleep on the pillow inside the bass drum of
    my drum set.
    
     PC

    
    Late one night, I came home from a date and went upstairs to bed.
    I turned on the light as I walked into the bedroom and noticed a
    cat sitting on the dresser.  Now, normally, I would greet it because
    I have two cats and you never know where they are going to turn
    up.  But I don't have any Siamese cats;  I had never met this cat.
    I greeted it anyway and escorted it to the door.
    
    In the middle of the night, one of my cats joined me in bed.  I
    gave it a little pat in greeting and turned over.  Soon, the second
    one joined us and then a third.  Suddenly, I remembered I have two
    cats.  I felt around in the dark-there were definitely three cats
    on the bed.  I turned on the light and there was the Siamese cat,
    curled up like he belonged.  Once again I escorted him to the door.
    
    The next morning, I opened the bathroom door after my shower and
    there was the Siamese cat, waiting for me to finish in the bathroom.
    I invited him to leave, which he did.  I have never seen him since.
    

    I'm surprised that there isn't more activity in this file.  "Kids"
    do the goofiest stuff.
    
    Corkie likes to lay on the edge of the bathtub while I'm soaking
    in my bath.  At my house this is no big deal because the tub ledge
    is 4 or 5 inches wide.  Plenty of room for a stretched out kitty.
    
    Last year Corkie and I went to visit a friend that lives in an older
    home.  In her bathroom was this old fashioned, claw footed bathtub;
    very large and quite deep.  Corkie had spent most of the time scared
    of the strange surroundings in my room by my stuff.  She finally
    decided to venture out into the bathroom, saw me in the tub, and
    took a leap at it *OH NO*, no ledge on this tub, and proceeded to
    slide directly into the water.  I was laughing so hard I couldn't
    get the strength up to get up and do an immediate water rescue.
    My long-haired cat can swim!! I was amazed!  I didn't let her suffer
    long, just a few seconds, but it was so funny.  I toweled her off
    and she just looked around like "I meant that".  
                                                     
    I guess she learned a lesson.  I take my bath alone now.
    
    Pat
    

    Once when we had friends over and were telling them what perfect
    little angels our cats are, one of my cats came running down the
    hall at the speed of sound and leaped into my guest's lap.
    
    Once he had stopped in her lap we all realized that he was soaking
    wet!!!  We dried her off and then dried him off and just figured
    that he had been playing in his water dish. (he was just a kitten).
    
    After our friends had gone home we discovered that Emerson had
    fallen in the toilet!!!  The bathroom was a disaster with water
    all over the place and little bits of cat fur in the toilet.
    
    Later that night we "caught" him up on the toilet seat trying to
    reach into the water to catch his reflection.

I've had a few toilet disasters with the cats I've owned.  It seems all of the 
cats I've had in my new house dislike drinking water from a bowl.  At first I 
thought it was the tap water, but they disliked bottled water, too.  They all 
love puddle water but not as much as their fave, toilet water.  One night, I 
was rudely awakened by a loud slam, followed by mewing and knocking.  I 
dragged myself out of bed to the bathroom, where Dobie had fallen into the 
bowl, and brought the lid down after him (the slam).  He was in the process of 
repeatedly trying to stick his nose out thru the gap, giving up, letting the 
seat drop back again.  Quite a hilarious time, although Dobie didn't think so.

						     
							- JP

    
    
    The pool in my back yard has a fence around it, so I sometimes bring
    a cat out to play with when I go out for a sun bath.  One time I
    had Toastie out with me.  It was her first time outside.  She became
    very excited to find that there are flying bugs out there, and she
    was having the time of her life running and jumping after them.
    Then all of a sudden the bug flew over the pool.  Without even a
    hesitation she jumped in the pool, swam around the pool without
    even taking her eye off the flying bug.  After she lost interest
    in the bug, she climbed out all by herself.  I was nearly rolling
    on the ground with laughter, and figured she would watch where she
    was going in the future.  Well it seems that this kitty has her
    priorities, and catching bugs is more important than staying dry,
    because she did the same thing two more times that day.  Now I bring
    her out to the pool when I have company.  My guests go nuts watching
    the cat, and the cat goes nuts watching the bugs!
                                                                  

    re .24, .25
    
    I have worked hard to train the frequent male visitors to my house
    (as well as my husband) to shut the lid when they are through in
    the bathroom - NEbula likes to drink from the toilet, too, though
    she has never managed (YET!) to fall in!
    
    I don't know if either of my critters can swim (probably, I suppose,
    if they had to) since they both hate water, especially if their
    feet get wet.

    Re cats-in-toilets: I admit that this is one of the things I worry
    about if we're going to be away for a few days - you know, like some
    people worry about leaving the iron on? We *never* leave the lid up,
    but I have nightmares of one of the cats getting caught anyway. (sigh)
    I suppose there are worse things to worry about. 
    
    (On a lighter note, I have seen a "self-closing" toilet lid for
    sale in those gadget catalogs. As Dave Barry says, I'm not making
    this up.)
    
    Re .26: I'm still giggling - I'd love to see your Aquati-cat in
    action!
    
    -b

    I have a friend here in Northboro who comes from Haiti.  In his
    country the cat is a delicacy.  In fact, some of his friends came
    to this country a few years ago and bought some cat food, thinking
    this was cat meat.  So friends, beware of any Haitians hanging
    around your cats because they could wind up in a stew!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This is not a flame or anything like that -
    
    re .29 on those Haitians - your comments could be misconstrued very
    easily as the mouthings of a 'not very nice' type.  Cultures are
    wildly different and new arrivals take a while to acclaimate.  Ever
    run across some of the stories of situations encountered by the
    Southeast Asians when they first started arriving ?
    
    Next time you bite into that steak (assuming you're omnivorous),
    consider the warning in light of those who adhere to a faith which
    believes in re-incarnation (the Hindu faith ??).
    
    Yes, yes I know; but I thought it should be said, anyway. 
    
    Dwight

    I have a Seal Point Himalayan named "Ralph" (His real name is Raphael)
    who loves to go outside.  As a matter of fact he is out in the woods
    night and day in the Summer.  Across the street lives a Liver Colored
    Laborator Retriever who Ralph taunts from time to time.  Occasionally
    they get nose to nose and the Lab just whines and wags his tail
    because he knows he is not supposed to attack Ralph.  Ralph just
    stands there and gloats and sort of fluffs himself up to look big
    and scary to the dog.  Ralph is a good hunter.  He basically catches
    small animals, such as baby mice, baby snakes, baby moles, baby
    chipmunks, anything small and brings them home up to my front doorstep
    and then cries so we will go out and see what he has brought for
    us.  Such fun.

    Kimi is an extremely bossy cat. Anyone who is familiar with Abyssinians
    will know just how much of an understatement that is. However, he
    has been outdoing himself lately.
    
    First it was the neighbour's spaniel puppy (about seven months old,
    and twice the size of Kimi). We were talking over the fence, and
    the puppy was jumping aroubd excitedly, as puppies do. It seems
    this was irritating Kimi, and he suddenly walked through the fence,
    marched up to the dog, and cuffed the puppy twice! The puppy was
    shocked, and ran away! Fortunately the neighbour thought it was
    funny (Kimi didn't scratch the pup, by the way, just cuffed her).
    
    Then on the weekend, another dog wandered into our back yard (a
    full-grown dog this time). Kimi rushed down and chased it off the
    premises! That cat aims to rule not only our house, but the whole
    neighbourhood!

    Sounds perfectly normal for abys.
    

    ...no he is no Rembrandt.
    
    Once while repainting my kitchen, I took my eyes of the mischevious
    Garfield for 10 seconds.  I knew his last position was perched on
    a shelf about 7 feet off the floor and 10 feet away from the ladder
    I was using.  I figured things were safe, after all I was just going
    to get a drink of water.
    
    Well, I just turned, heard this whooosh and splash!!  I was almost
    afraid to see what the mess looked like.  I turned, looked and laughed
    myself silly.
    
    Perched atop the ladder was Garfield, his eyes asking what was so 
    funny.  There he was in all his splendor, four paws and belly sitting 
    in the paint rolling pan, covered in beige paint.  (He is greyish in 
    color, normally!) 
    
    Luckily, I was using latex paint.  Into the bath tub with warm water
    and back to normal.
    
    Did this stop his curiousity about painting?  Not quite!
    
    

    I can just picture little Garfield!!  When I was painting the ceiling
    over the stairs to the basement (great fun, balancing a ladder on
    the steps.  Ugh.), Nebula kept climing up the ladder to see what
    her pet human was doing, but she never managed to sit in the roller
    pan - mostly because I never took my eyes off of her for long! 
    You would think that a cat would dislike the smell of paint (I'm
    not crazy about it either), but it didn't seem to bother either
    one of them at all, and the unusual activity fascinated Neb.

    Louise, my roommate's cat, once pulled a premeditated practical
    joke on old Brownie, the resident dowager empress.
    
    We had stacked square floor cushions on edge in the dining room
    to get them out of the way.  Louise, in the dining room, saw Brownie
    trundling along towards her, so she jumped on top of the cushions.
    When Brownie came by, Louise pushed the endmost cushion over on
    top of her, and then sat there and watched Brownie looking around
    in amazement (the nearest humans were watching agape in the living
    room!).
    
    I got even with her - at our next party, I cut an X into the middle
    of a scalloped-edge paper plate and popped it over Louise's head.
    With her fluffy white-with-orange, brown, and black-spotted fur,
    she looked just like a little harlequin running around!  Brownie
    and I found that most amusing.

    Must say with reference to the 'baby mouse catching' the best hunter
    I've ever known has got to have been Toshiba, affectionately known
    as "Tosh".  One evening whilst my other half (human one that is)
    was sitting watching TV there was a banging at the kitchen door
    - there's a catflap in it by the way.  Being the slack sort he didn't
    bother to do anything, being quite sure no burglar would make quite
    so much noise. That is he didn't do anything until Tosh enters the
    room with A SEAGULL almost twice as big as she was.  
    
    The banging was her trying to get it through the cat flap, the wings
    wouldn't quite fit!
    
    Now for an achievement like that I reacon she deserved some credit
    but himself not to pleased at having an old John Wayne film disturbed
    by a half-dead-but-still-flapping-seagull being presented to him
    wasn't quite so appreciative.
    
    Being such an obliging cat, when he just stared, pointed at the
    door and said "Out." Dearest little Tosh just turned around with
    the seagull calmly walked away and spent the next half hour trying
    just as noisily to get the thing back through the catflap.
    
    I reacon she deserves some kind of award  .......or have any other
    cats out there managed to catch something more on the ostrich size
    yet?
    
    

    When Aslan [of beloved memory] was a mere three-pound kitten, He
    took on a raven [whose body alone was a bit larger than the whole
    of Aslan].  It reduced no less than 50 people at a 4th of July Picnic
    to laughing maniacs -- several were literally on the ground and
    barely holding their water.  [which noise rather made it worse]
    
    Picture if you will a glorious black bird with a majestic wing-span
    taking off with a squirming ball of creamy pink & grey clinging
    to his undercarriage [sort of like the Roc & Aladdin on a smaller
    scale] wreaking havoc with his aerodynamics and causing them to
    plummet to the grass.
    
    This process was repeated five times to the sound of raucous cawing
    from the raven, kitten growling from Aslan, and riotous cackling
    laughter from the gallery.  On the fifth plunge to the ground, Aslan
    was finally jarred loose and the raven flew away.
    
    Aslan gathered up his iridescent black feathers and proceeded to
    stalk off in a huff to 'bury' his trophies of battle under the couch.

Tosh and Aslan both sound like great hunters....the image I get of a small
cat trying to jam a seagull through the cat door is enough to keep me
snickering all day!

				D

    AH,
    These remind me of Yo Yo the bird cat. I was living in Texas
    and those horrible big black Grackles were making a mess of
    my back yard. So I got the trusty BB gun and proceeded to make
    some feathers fly.(Before you chastise me I hope you know what
    a Grackle is-a very unpleasant bird in more ways than one-also
    a huge flock can do a lot-plus I was only shooting to scare.)
    
    I wounded one (everyone gets lucky) and YoYo ran to get it and
    proceeded to do cats things. After that if I picked up the gun
    he chirped and ran along side me like a bird dog.
    
    His biggest catch;however, I really had to shoot. It was a 
    large rat-about 5 pounds worth who outweighed him by three.
    

    Our cat Christmas - acquired at Christmas time 2 years ago at
    the age of three months - joined our family when we had a serious
    rat problem in our hen house. Soon after we got him he dragged in
    a rat that was as big or bigger than he was. I had to dispatch the
    rat (yucch). Christmas went on to signficantly reduce the rat problem
    over the next few months. (We finally got rid of them by getting
    rid of the chickens.)
    
    Bonnie
    
    Also in the Readers Digest some months back there is an hysterical
    story about a cat that pounced on a duck which then proceeded to
    try and fly away with the cat on his back.

    
    
    My cat Butterscotch seems to be quite a gymnist. We have chairs that
    have rungs on the lower half and you will always find her going around
    and around on them as she chases her tail. We have a coffee table and
    used to have a deck with rungs. You can guess what purpose they
    served!
    
    Another thing that I have noticed about her and my other cat(Wally)
    is that they are always staking out parts of the house. Wally will
    sit on an ottoman or a couch in the family room and stare out of
    the room. (It's practically all glass.) Butterscotch will sit on
    top of a couch in the living room and stare out of a window that
    the couch comes level with. They "own" those rooms. Wally also "owns"
    the downstairs(along with Butterscotch),my bedroom, and the kitchen.
    Butterscotch owns the living room and my parents bedroom.
    
    Butterscotch may "own" those but Wally takes it that he is always
    allowed to go anywhere he wants to. On the other hand if you catch
    Butterscotch on Wally's property-thens there's trouble! You can
    tell who rules our house!!!!!
    
    
                                -Sarah B.(Chuck Beckett's daughter)

    I had a cat named Kisses and she was the sweetest thing you would
    ever want to meet.  One day while I was taking a bath she came to
    watch and fell in, to my surprise she liked it.  After that Every
    time I took a bath she would jump in the tub with.  She also liked
    to sleep in the arm of your coat.
    
    linda
    

    I have a couple of stories about my two "kids", Kali and Mikki.
    We got Kali Dec 87 and Mikki Mar 88.  Before we got Mikki, Kali
    had an incident with the stove.  We were in the living room watching
    TV when we heard this noise in the kitchen.  My husband just sat
    there but I had to go and investigate what Kali was getting into.
    I could not find her, so I called her name and from beneath the
    stove I heard a meow.  Here she must have been up on the stove and
    fell behind it and then tried to get out by going under it.  So
    my husband had to lift the stove just a little (gas) to rescue her.
    Thank heavens for curiosity on my part.
    
    The next story is from after Mikki was a member of the family. 
    Both Kali and Mikki like to sit on the window sill in the bedroom.
    I was in the living room watching TV (again).  I heard Mikki make
    this real strange noise so of course I had to go see why.  I walk
    into the bedroom and Kali is on the window stuck between the window
    and screen, the window fell down while she was sitting there.  Luckily
    I was home, and Mikki let me know her buddy was in trouble.
    
    The last of my stories is about Mikki.  She never meows, she squeaks
    but never a meow.  Well one day I decided to take her for a ride
    so I could run to the store for something quick.  And while in the
    car she meowed, but it wasn't a normal cat meow.  It was a real
    deep meow.  I just started laughing.  So when I got home I told
    my husband and of course he wanted to hear it so we loaded Mikki
    back in the car and road around laughing our butts off at Mikki
    meowing.
    
    BK
    

    
    Things have been quiet again, but I just have to add my favorite
    kitty story.
    
    Several years ago, my housemates and I got Alia (nicknamed Pukus - 
    don't ask).  She was only about six weeks old at the time, and was 
    eating some canned food as if she hadn't been fed in days (she had
    been fed that morning).  All of a sudden she started to choke.  She 
    was making horrible faces, but emitting no sound - which meant that 
    her breathing passage was completely blocked.  I watched for just a 
    sec to see if she would be able to clear it herself.  She couldn't, 
    but she was continuing to eat her food anyway - dumb kitten!!!  
    
    I did the first thing I could think of, which was to put my hands
    around her stomach, lift her hind legs up, and give her a Kitty
    Heymlich Manouver by gently squeezing my hands together.  Well,
    it worked - all the food came right out, and went back into her
    bowl (good thing she was over it - no, that isn't where she got
    her nickname)!

    What did the stupid kitten do then?  She didn't miss a beat.  She
    went right back to eating her food, including what had been stuck
    in her throat.
    
    That's the only time I've actually used something I was taught in a
    CPR class (fortunately).  Glad I knew it!!!

I had a cat named Mr. Bojangles who brought me home a squirrel.  I was 
amazed at the size of this squirrel (who was dead) and couldn't 
believe my cat actually caught him.  I figured Mr. Bojangles found him 
in the road (probably hit by a car) and brought him home.  

Well, the next day he brought home ANOTHER one!!!  Unbelievable, I 
thought - considering Mr. Bojangles had only 3 legs (he lost one in a 
car accident).

Boy, was I proud of him!!

/Karen

    We have a two year old silver Tabby called Doodle--or Purrdy--or
    Mao--depending on who is talking to her. My 9 year old daughter
    usually feeds her in the morning and then lets her upstairs,where
    she finds a good spot for a rest.
    The usual routine is---cat walks into my bedroom,purring loudly.
    I put my hand down,quick stroke,off goes cat.
    However,two days ago,loud ripping noises come from under the bed,
    followed by even louder purrs.
    On looking under the bed,cat had torn the underbed lining out,and
    had made a superb hammock for herself,in which she was swinging
    back and forth,totally content! 
    

    
    
    I've had cats who do that!!
    
    F.

    
    T.K. does that cause he knows it makes me mad.  I have boxes under
    the bed, trying to block off the hole, but sometimes, in the middle
    of the night, I hear a creature crawling around in my box spring!!
    
    Scary!
    
    Karen

    re: .47 (?) Where did the name "Mao" come from?  I know our
    Mao is short for Xiao-Mao which means kitten in chinese.
    (xiao=little mao=cat) so I was wondering if someone in your
    house knows chinese.
      also, "Doodle" is Dundee's nick name!
      Such a coincidence!  
       Nancy DC
    

    
    
    Well this I thought was kind of cute..
    
    Last night I made my monthly run to Breeders Pride..  I picked up
    a small fake mouse you know, your typical little thing with red
    plastic nose and fur on it..  Well baby loved it, of course, but
    what surprised me a little was mumma was really playing with it..
    Being three or so years old in approximate guessing age she doesn't
    ususally go nuts with the toys and such..  Well, a few hours later
    I hear someone growling..  Jumping up from my seat all worried,
    all right, whats going on here??  Well baby was nowhere to be found
    and mumma is sitting there with the mouse headfirst in her mouth,
    growling...  she thought it was real!  I took it away from here
    but it was found again and an hour later or so the same thing happens..
    she growled at baby this time and ran away from me with the thing
    hanging out of her mouth!  I found her as a stray.. and as soon
    as good weather comes up I think its time for her to go out and
    catch some *real* mices!!
    
    Well.. maybe you had to be there..
    
    F.

    My cats always do that with those fake fur mice.  I don't know what
    it is about them, but they seem to go a little crazy!!!
    
    cin
    

    
    
    I've never seen such a response!!  The way she had it in her mouth..
    and the way she had like a jaw trap on it..  there was no confusing
    she thought it was real!!
    
    I wonder what kind of fur they use.. sometimes it seems real..
    
    F.

    Mine actually eat the tails!!!!!
    
    I've even seen the cats attack each other to try to steal the mouse
    away!!!
    
    I think they use rabbit fur, but I'm not sure.  Sure is funny to
    watch em though, eh!
    
    cin
    

    Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, mine only act that way with the
    "shorthaired" mice, not the "longhaired" ones!  And they seem to
    growl more with the grey ones than the white ones.
    
    I really think they think they are real!!!
    

    
    
    Thats what I bought!!
    
    A shorthaired, gray one..
    
    F.

    Ours do the same thing--but it doesn't even have to be as nice as a toy
    mouse.  Ours growl over socks (dirty, no less) and the tease toys and
    then run and hide them.  If they happen to pass anyone on their way to
    stashing the loot, they growl menacingly to warn off any thoughts the
    other cats might have in stealing the "goods".  We've lost more good
    socks that way.
    
    Jill

    Well, Stripees likes money!!!  Change, bills, whatever!!!  We realized
    we had a problem when we caught him running from the bedroom with
    a $5 in his mouth!!!  He just loves money of any kind.  Were trying
    to train him to "work the coats" when we have company!! ;-)
    
    Now, if we could only find his stash!!!
    
    

Gee, maybe Stripe and Pookie McCurdy should get together.  If Stripe likes money,
then Pookie will LOVE him!!

Holly

    Gee, mine (especially Tenka) love the white ones - really eat them
    tails!!!!!! and GROWL!  Heaven help anyone or another feline relative
    that tries to get too close!  
    
    E.T.

    re: .50 , I call her Mao because I spent some years in Malaysia
    and picked up enough language to find that mao=cat,also when
    you say mao,it is quite close to the sound she makes just before
    she starts saying hello!

    . 59..
    this could be true, I told Pookie about this, and she said tell
    aunt cin, that if Stripees  needs an investment counselor, she
    is available... :*))
    regards
    kate.
    

    Mine love those little fur mice too.  I don't know what it is,
    they aren't catnip scented or anything, but Dream will toss it
    up in the air, bat it around and "talk" to it.  
    
    Best investment I ever made!
    
    Mary-Michael

    re: .61  Well it makes sense that languages from the same region
    would share some words.  Mao=cat in chinese too and interestingly
    Mao makes that sound when she talks.  I think she's got a siamese
    relative somewhere.
      Nancy DC

    I found a comment in a note further back interesting.  It was talking
    about the mother cat playing with a toy, expressing surprise because
    she was about 3 years old.                 
                                               
    I too had this conception that once they are out of the kitten stage
    cats don't play as much.  Please note "as much", I'm not saying
    they don't play at all.                    
                                               
    I had a week off a while ago and found the time to play more with
    Isis.  The more we played, the more she demanded.  To my surprise
    I found myself with a kitten again.  Do you think that because we
    expect them to play less as they grow up we make less and less time
    and that therefore we and they get out of the habit?

    
    
    
    
    I don't want anyone to get the wrong ideas here!  I try my hardest
    to give both of my cats equal and lots of attention..  I realize
    also that unknowingly I may give baby (five months) more attention
    than mumma because of her size, so I really try to watch it..
    
    I found mumma as a stray (pregnant too) and I guessed her age as
    about nine months or so.. Later, after her nuetering, the vet told
    me she was much older than that.. so I'm guessing at three years..
    but I really have no idea at all..
    
    I have always tried to play with both cats.. but mumma is the type
    that with watch a toy ball roll past her, over her, 90 miles an
    hour across the room, and she would just sit there and watch.. I've
    always tried to get her to play though..
    
    Ever since that toy mouse, she has become more active.  My guess
    now is that since it took me months and months for me to be allowed
    to pick her up and even longer for her to let me get bodily close
    to her that she's finally becoming comfortable and letting her natural
    felineness loose.  My guess is she had a rotten home before I took
    her in..  if you go to pat her, she looks surprised like "who me?"
    but loves in nonetheless..  she would never come to you for attention..
    she's not used to it!!
    
    Sorry to babble, I just wanted to clear myself.. I didn't want you
    people to think that I'm a one-sided cat mother!!
    
    F.

    Re -1
    
    No, perish the thought, I didn't mean to say that you didn't play
    with either of your cats.  NO personal criticism was intended.
    
    If anything I was criticising myself because I suddenly realised
    that if I'd played more with Isis she would never have stopped playing.

    
    
    
    No offense taken!
    
    F.

    You should have seen the change in Isis when we got her a kitten.
    "For me mom!  Aw, you shouldn't have!".  Now she plays and plays
    and plays with Dundee!
      And Dundee will play with anyone!
      Nancy

    
    
    Maybe thats it..
    
    Now that kitten is getting older, she regularly "attacks" mumma.
    Most of the time mumma ignores her or moves to a different spot,
    but eventually she is forced to give in and play fight..
    
    she's getting into the swing of things again...
    
    F.

    Brandy, a one year old calico, loves her gray mouse and "rope".
    However, I think the rope is her favorite toy.  When I come home
    from work or school I generally head upstairs to watch TV or log
    in on the system to catch up on notes.  Within a few minutes Brandy
    is upstairs with me.  She generaly arrives with one of her many
    toys.  If it's the mouse it means we're going to play fetch.  I
    throw the mouse, she runs and gets it, smacks it around a bit just
    to be on the safe side then picks it up and brings it back to me.
     This may go on for 20-30 minutes.  I I'm logged in on the system
    that's just to bad.  Brandy will politely deposit the mouse on the
    the keyboard so that I can easily reach it.
    
    The mouse, however, takes second place to the rope.  THe rope is
    a 4-5 foot piece of yarn.  Many times my wife and I will be downstairs
    watching TV when Brandy walks in and meows to let me know she wants
    to play.  I'll tell her to go get the rope and she'll wander through
    out the house until she finds it.  Depending on how well she hid
    it last time she played, this may buy me several minutes of rest,
    but Brandy never fails to locate her favorite toy.  SHe carries
    it into the room by holding one end in her mouth and letting the
    other drag between her legs and promptly deposits said piece of
    yarn in my hand or at my feet.  Can I ignore her now?  No way! 
    If you don't start playing right away Brandy starts with the
    disappointed meows that gradually get louder and louder.
    
    Play, generally means me sitting in the middle of the floor with
    my legs crossed and dragging the yarn around around my body.  Brandy
    will chase the thing around around 8 or 10 times. Then sit and rest
    for a minute then start again.  SHe's crazy about this!  No matter
    what you're doing, if you stand in one place for a few minutes BRandy
    thinks you must not have anything better to do so she finds the
    rope and expects you to play.  SHe's brought the darn thing to me
    while I'm standing at the oven cooking, shaving in the morning,
    and even while I'm trying to get to sleep.  Suddenly I hears this
    loud meow thats has to mean "watch out!" and Brandy flies over my
    head dragging the rope across my face.  I guess you have to be there
    but it does kind of get your attention.
    
    The other night I made Brandy's evening complete.  I tied the tail of
    the toy mouse to the end of the rope and dragged this around for
    a bit.  Talk about one happy cat!  Now she brings both toys to me
    one after the other.  I guess she wants me to tie them together
    all the time.  
    
    I think she's the smartest cat I've ever had.  IF I speak to her
    she meows right back.  If I change my tone of voice she does the
    same.  I sure would like to know what goes on behind those green
    almond eyes.  
    
    What a great companion & friend.  How can anyone not like a cat?
    
    Sorry for rambling on for so long....
    
    Cody

    Mine like the fuzzy, short haired gray mice, too. Especially Eirene.

    Eirene will dump one in the middle of the living room and then walk
    past it about a half dozen times, making a point of letting the mouse
    know that she is ignoring it. Then she sits down and pretends to
    scratch her ear. Then she moves someplace out of the mouse's sight,
    like behind the leg of a table or chair. She crouches, moving only the
    tip of her tail. Gradually the movement goes all the way down the tail,
    until the tail and rear-end are swaying back and forth. Finally, she
    pounces on the unsuspecting mouse. She grabs it in her paws, flings it
    up in the air, and then wacks it against the wall. Then she picks it up
    in her mouth, shakes it and begins giving it the trashing it deserves,
    until it seeks refuge under the couch or some other unmoveable object.

    Deb

    
    
    My mouse disapeared for a few days..  Then one morning I found it
    "placed" on top of my stomach all neatly groomed and washed, but
    also missing tail and one ear...  I think it was a gift!
    Mumma won't play with it so much anymore..  I'll have to get her
    a new one..
    
    It seems as though she's pretty satisfied she "killed" the last
    one!
    
    F.

I've been a little mad at Nami lately.

Last week she made me late for work by dissappearing.  I noticed she 
wasn't around as I was about to leave.  I spent 20 minutes looking for
her and I only have a one bedroom apartment.  I had drawers pulled out 
everywhere and even looked in the refrigerater and dishwasher.  
Of course during the whole 20 minutes of looking and calling her she
didn't make a noise (she's usually a very verbal cat and talks to me 
constantly).  I was really starting to worry when I opened a drawer and 
there she was looking at me as if to say "it's about time!".
The funny part is that I swear I didn't open a single drawer in that
dresser that morning.  She must have teleported there.  She does 
teleport from one side of the apartment to the other regularly.  She must 
have just missed and ended up in the drawer. ;^)

I unfortunately have to work second shift this week(1:00pm to midnight).
This morning while I was trying to sleep later than usual, Nami wouldn't
hear of it.  She kept making noise and doing things she knows are wrong
then looking at me to see if it woke me up.  After about an hour of
"NO"s and squirt bottle spraying Nami ended up in the bathroom jail so I
could get some sleep.  I guess I could have gotten up and fed her, but then
she'd expect to be able to wake me up for food anytime.  I want to be
able to sleep in!!  Anyway, I am very tired right now and am very glad
that the time is approaching midnight.  Almost time to go home. 
If Nami does the same thing tomorrow morning, it's in the bathroom after
one "NO"!

Becky

P.S.  Of course, I still love the little brat.
      Maybe I'll get her a bird feeder to keep her busy in the mornings.

    Becky,
    
    When I know that I am going to want to be sleeping late in the morning
    (as in Saturday/Sunday) I put extra food out the night before (as
    in Friday/Saturday night).  That way it takes my guys longer to
    run out of food.  Of course this method is not possible if you don't
    free feed.
    
    	-Nancy

    re:75
    
    I do that also - load up on Friday night before I go to bed so there
    will be lots when the hairbags wake up whenever Saturday morning.
    
    On the evening of May 5th (Friday) I am going to disconnect every
    telephone in my house (4), disconnect my doorbells, close my
    bedroom door and SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP.  It's the first weekend with
    NO CAT SHOW since I can't remember when.  Doing 26 shows in a 
    season is a bit much!  I think I'll sleep the WHOLE WEEKEND !
    
    E.T._a_very_tired_exhibitor_and_a_Very_Proud_mom !
    
    p.s. Katenka can sleep in with me - she deserves it more than I
         do because she allowed me to drag her to all those shows.
    

    E.T. I know the feeling.  But, May 6th and 7th is the start of the
    new show season!  You don't want to get a late start on that, do
    you?
    
    Jo

    We ain't got no shows around here for a while!
    
    	:*(   
    
    What is the best antidote for "show withdrawal".  Quick!

    The best antidote for cat show withdrawal is to hop a plane for
    California where the CFA show season starts up again immediately
    and doesn't stop all summer long!!!
    
    Jo

    re: 79
    
    groaaaaaaaaaaaan.  I just got off the plane Sunday night from
                       Columbus Ohio.  I'm pooped - besides, I
                       don't have anything to show right now.
                       Guess I'll just have to wait until
    	               September.  
    
    Gee, maybe I will have some time & money to put a deck on the back
    of the house, insulate the garage ceiling, add a vanity & toilet
    to the bathtub in the master bath, and put a wall up between the
    2 rooms, finish finishing the walls in the cattery and put in
    some heat in the cattery and the 2nd bath, planting about 100
    trees around the place, hanging rollup blinds to keep the sun
    out this summer, having the drive way paved, etc., etc., etc,.
    
    E.T.

    Re: home improvements...
    
    Ours have been on hold since I got into breeding and showing.
    I have been trying to get wallpaper hung in the dinning room and
    paint on the walls in the bedroom for a year and a half.
    
    Funny how we get all the kitty home improvements done first.
    Kalliste's room is a palace compared to mine!  And his room is painted
    too!
    
    Jo

    Hmm.  "since you got into breeding & showing" hmm.
    
    Well, if I dunt get the driveway done, I'll be up to my
    knees in mud again next spring.  We gotta do what we
    gotta do!
    
    show, show, show

    OKAY JO...YOU'RE ON!
    
    Send the tickets for me and as many Russian Blues as you would
    like to see...AND WE'LL BE THERE!
    
    What a nice idea!!!  
    
    	:-)   :-)   :-)

    
    >Funny how we get all the kitty home improvements done first.

    Well, I decided to remove the carpet and put down a hardwood floor for
    myself. It turns out that the cats like it almost as much as their
    Deluxe Kitty Playground II. Right after I did the initial polish, Pip
    would zoom through the dining room, land on a small braided rug and
    glide into the living room. Then she'd go to the side of the room,
    run onto the rug and glide back into the dining room. This went on all
    evening (I thought she was in an infinite loop). Panther, Eirene and
    Spiro have similarly decided that the hardwood floor is a big toy.

    Deb

    We have been considering giving the cats a hardwood floor too. 
    Glad to see that it ranks high with your cats...I would hate to
    go to all that work and then have them be disastified with the results!
    
    :^):^)
    
    Penny, a _ticket_ for you and for *all* your Russians (take two, there
    small) _is_in_the_mail_!
                     
    
    Do you guys really get the whole summer off from shows?  The idea
    is incomprehensible to me.  I spend three out of four weekends showing
    in L.A. from April thru August, with the fourth weekend showing
    in the bay area.  You can literally find a show every weekend in
    the west.
    
    I am starting to think that showing cats is addictive.  If I know
    that there is a show within driving distance, you would have to
    chain me down to keep me home.

    Yes, this season , the whole summer.  Usually there is a show in
    May (Albany, NY), June (Burmese Boosters/Persian National),
    July 4th, and usually August is quiet.  Things are going to
    be quiet from 4-30 until mid-Sept.   just think of all that
    sleeping time on Saturdays and Sundays!!!!             
    
    E.T.

    Well, even tho CFF's last show 'til Sept. is this weekend, there
    are some CFA shows...but not many.  Even if I'm willing to drive
    (and I'll drive through the night if need be!).
    
    Summer shows in Connecticut and NY/NJ got cancelled, I found out
    recently.  That leaves a May show in Mass. and a late August show
    in N.H. and *maybe* one in NY.
    
    Any west coasters going to the Las Vegas show during Labor Day
    weekend?  I'm going (yeah...long drive, huh?  ;-) because it is
    a "Russian Blue Reunion" show...you'll see more Russians than
    you ever thought even existed!
    
    Jo, I phoned home and the kitties are getting their bags packed,
    and they have decided to invite a few (dozen) friends along.
    Why don't you just send a chartered plane for us?  Then we could
    have a cabin-full of cats!
    
    	:-)  Pennie

    Well, if you all send a plane, then I'll hop on - don't know
    with what, cuz I dun't have anything to show - but, I'll
    go for the ride and enjoy the weather & sun!!
    
    E.T._who_needs_a_vacation !!

    Chartered plane is in the mail...
    
    Jo

    Okay, guys, lets get serious about this.  Here are my travel plans
    for the next six months or so:
    
    June 3-4 Boise, ID for the Northwest Regional Awards Banquet and
    Show (this is a definite maybe)
    
    June 16-18 Milwaukee, WI for the CFA Annual Awards and Meeting.
    This year will go done in history as the first year that a Birman
    will get a National Award.  I can't miss that for the world, especially
    since she is related to my cats!
    
    July 29-30 Seattle, WA (this is another maybe)
    
    August 24-29 Medina, OH for the Sacred Cat of Burma annual show.
    Wouldn't miss this one for all the tea in China, so to speak.
    
    October (dates not known) Portland, OR for the CFA Regional Qualifying
    Show.  And if we qualify again this year...
    
    November 18-19 St. Louis, MO for the CFA/Purina Invitational Show.
    
    Labor Day weekend is my fifth wedding anniversary and what better
    gift could I receive than an airline ticket to Las Vegas for a show!
    
    Jo

    So when you coming out this way Jo????  
    
    Nancy who_is_dieing_to_meet_you DC

    I would love to come out there for a show, but it would have to
    be show that had wonderful judges, it would have to be CFA, and
    I would have to be able to get cheap airfare and hotel.
    
    I have a new Birman... sealpoint female, Pleasantview's Limoges
    of Mysinhs, a half sister to Kalliste.  She is dynamite at only
    4 months old, and if she continues to develop the way she looks
    like she will...I plan to show her all over the place!  So....
    
    Jo

    Have you ever done the CFA SeaCoast show in Manchester, NH, in August?
    
    I'm sure if you are in the area, one of us could put you up
    so you won't need a hotel.
    
    E.T.

    E.T. - do you know the dates?  I am committed (to a house for the
    mentally insane, no not really) to going to Medina for the annual
    Birman show on the 26-27 of August.  Moge will be an adult on the
    1st of August and then it is "show like crazy" after that.  I don't
    have my almanac, so judges names and dates would be appreciated.
    
    Boy, that would be really fun!  I have always felt kinda isolated
    living out here on the opposite coast from all you Feliners.
    
    Jo

    Jo, if you ever make it out this way for a show ...you've got a
    place to stay and transportation in the New England area!
    That would be great!!!!!

    re: 94
    
    Gee, I had my Cats Mag in yesterday - it's home on the bar
    right now - if you have it in the office, check the Show
    & Go - August 20something - 8 rings - Manchester, New Hampshire.
    It's usually around the 3rd week in August - I'll check.
    I hope it doesn't conflict with the Medina show - 
    I'll bring it in tomorrow and post the judges names and
    the entry clerk -  they usually use Lee Imes for their entry clerk.
    The show hall is about 20 minutes from
    my house in Candia.  Gee, mabe by the end of August I could
    scrounge up something to show??  Right now , I dunt have a
    thing to show (you know, like " I don't have a thing to wear"
    with a closet full of clothes (and 16 cats !!).
    
    Hey Cin, you gonna do the SeaCoast CFA show?     
    
    E.T.

    Yeah, I'll probably do Seacoast, unless Stripees has Granded by
    then....of course, then I could always show someone else!!
    
    The show is probably the 19th and 20th, that's the 3rd weekend in
    August.
    
    Jo, if you want to come out, your more than welcome to stay at my
    house too.  
    
    cin...
    

    Thanks guys, that would be alot of fun, and save money too.
    
    I will talk to hubby about it, he still owes me a birthday present,
    and I told him I wanted an out of town show with Limoges as my gift.
    Boy, August would be fun, two weekends in L.A., one in Ohio, and
    one in New Hampshire!
    
    I am hoping to Grand Limoges without too much trouble, and I would
    like to travel and show her a bunch.
    
    I check with Hubby, you guys post the judges, and we will see what
    happens.  
    
    Jo

    Whoa Jo Ann!  Let's not book the whole month of August.  I seem
    to remember a certain day in August that I would love to see you
    on.  While its not on a weekend, you know how the family get-togethers
    alway end up on one.  Don't want my day to end up like Ken's with
    you away at a show. ;^)
                       
    Jan

    Jan
    
    But I just *knew* you would understand!  I mean, I missed my high
    school reunion, my husband's birthday (by the way, he will be with
    me), and sister Jaci's college graduation for cat shows...why don't
    you just come with me and then we could celebrate "on the show trail".
    
    I told you folks that showing cats was addictive!
    
    Jo

    Here come the JUDGE(s) !!  for SeaCoast
    
    Location:  J.F.K. Coliseum, Manchester, NH
    
    Allbreed - Haussman, Jensen, Jones, Dodds, Hall, Kaplan
    
    LH-SH - DeMercurio-Watson, Petersen
    
    Entry Clerk:  Lee Imes
                  P.O. Box 17361
                  Rochester, NY 14617
    Phone:  716-436-8141
    
    No entry prices given in the magazine.
    
    E.T.

    Haussman, Jones, DeMercurio, and Peterson are all good for me!
    
    Is the Jensen Clark or Lois?  I am not too familiar with Hall or
    Kaplan as they don't judge out here much.
    
    I talked to Ken about it and he said "too bad you don't have more
    vacation time, you could fly out for the NH show, then stay all
    week, then fly from there to Medina!"  I was shocked!  I expected
    him to say, No Way!!  So, there is still a maybe there.
    
    Thanks for the list of judges and the entry clerk, I will keep checking
    on the possibility.
    

    The Clark is Lois Clark.
    
    Sounds like a sound idea to go from here to there instead of
    back and forth and back and forth!
    
    Let us know!
    
    E.T.

    Boy, Ken must be a sweetie!!!
    
    This is getting really exciting!!!!!
    
    cin...whose thinking about Medina, and will definitely be at Seacoast
    if Jo is coming!!!
    

    Cin, I met up with Ray Fusci this weekend at the Pasadena show!
    Pasadena, CA that is.  He was out here on vacation and mentioned
    that he used to be, and may still be a member of Seacoast.  If
    I go and you go and E.T. and Holly, and Ray and his wife, and Nancy
    DC (I am dying to see her fold!) goes, we could have some kind of
    reunion.
    
    Ken is a sweetie...has to be to put up with me.  He usually comes
    to all of the shows too (since we got Kalliste he too has been bitten
    by the cat show bug).
    
    This weekend Ken bought raffle tickets at the show and ended up
    winning the prize.  It was a $100 money tree, it had one dollar
    bills tied to all the branches.  As he took off the money, I would
    stack it neatly.  (I am planning on trying to convince him to "donate"
    it to me for the Seacoast show...)
    
    Also in our favor, Limoges did very well this weekend.  The show
    was an 8 ring Allbreed show, and she managed to make 3 finals as
    a four month old kitten.  When they are hot, you gotta run with
    'em, right Cin?
    
    Jo

    That's Right, Jo....Run, Run, Run....all the way to NH!!!!!
    
    That's a great start for a 4 month old.  Don't you hate having to
    compete with all those persians???  It seems like they have such
    an advantage, with all that frosting and all.  When I showed persians,
    it was so easy to hide alot of the cats faults under the coat, but
    with exotics and birmans there's not alot of frosting so the cake
    has to be great!!!
    
    Good going!!!
    
    Now, as far as Seacoast, I bet we could also get alot of these folks
    to visit even if they don't have cats to show, or maybe they would
    enter their HHP's for the fun of it!!!  That's why people show HHP's,
    right Elaine!! ;-)  
    
    So is Medina the week before or the week after Seacoast??  I'm getting
    confused!!
    
    cin...
    

    Okay, I've figured it out....Medina is the weekend after Seacoast,
    so you could come out for Seacoast and stay for the week.  
    
    So, how does this sound for a plan...Jo, you come out for the week,
    and then Friday morning You, Me and Pennie can hop in Pennie's Volvo
    and drive out to Medina.  You could save the airfare to Medina!!!
    
    What do you think Pennie???  
    
    cin...who hasn't discussed this with hubby yet, but...
    

    I'll be heading for Medina Friday morning. I've already gotten
    permission from my boss to have Friday and Monday off! Maybe we
    can combine efforts ...or have a caravaan!  Come on Nancy (J.),
    you've gotta' go too!
    
    I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Linda
    

    Boy, this is really starting to sound like fun!!!
    
    cin...who's gotta start working on hubby now!
    

    re: 106
    
    Sorry folks - I heard yesterday that SeaCoast was NOT having
    Household Pets at their show this year.
    
    

    Gee, that sounds like discrimination!!!
    
    

    I also heard that there is going to be a CFF show in August in
    Columbus, Ohio - don't know the date, but I think the flyer is out.
    
    
    E.T.

    re: .111
    Yeah, I have been hearing the same from friends in the mid-west.
    It's too bad - most East Coast shows limit HHP entries to 10 or
    15 at most.  Guess in CA they have large HHP classes.
    
    

    That is too bad about Seacoast not allowing HHP's this year.  Any
    reasons given?  Too small show hall, etc.?  Our regional director
    holds shows in San Francisco every couple of months, and he doesn't
    allow HHP's because the showhall ony holds about 150 cats.  Maybe
    they want to make this a campaign show, and use the extra slots
    for purebreds...I sure don't like it when clubs do this type of
    thing.  I started out by showing my household pets while I waited
    for Joui to arrive.  I loved it, and often will enter one of them
    for the fun of it.  Ken took Tilly, his HHP, to a show in January
    and she made all but one final.  Since the club had ring trophies,
    Tilly came home with some really great loot!
    
    I like this come_out_a_week_early_and_drive_to_Medina idea!  I did
    that last year, only I went to Virginia then instead.  The drive
    from VA to Medina was about 7 hours (and on the Pennsylvania turnpike,
    ugh!).  How long a drive is it from NH to Medina?  Medina is about
    30 minutes away from Cleveland, if that helps.  Also, I have to
    be in Medina by Thursday to help set up (Club membership and all)
    so I would have to either drive their on Wednesday or early Thursday
    morning.  I can guarantee a good time to anyone who wants to volunteer
    to help set up.  Especially anyone who has the slightest interest
    in Birmans.  We usually spend thursday night "room hopping", checking
    out each others cats, and newcomers can learn alot from seeing that
    many Birmans in one place.
    
    I will work on Ken.  He will be jealous though, he was planning
    on going to Medina too.  Maybe he can meet us there....
    
    Jo

    The show hall is a large hockey arena - I'm not a member of that
    club any more so I don't know the reason for not having HHPs.  

    Would someone please send me details on the show in NH.  I think
    that's the Seacoast show.  If I have enough time to plan I'll plan
    on spending the night there rather than commuting.
      Thanks
       Nancy DC
    

    Hello,
    
    Sorry to interupt the show plans, but could you tell me if the toy
    mouse that you all talked about earlier on is available in the UK.
    It sounds great fun for the cats.  If not, could someone send me
    one.  I could recipricate and send something from the UK.
    
    Thanks for your help.
    
    
    Elly  (Bear_and_Dropje's_Mum)
    
    @BST 7768-5393
    

    Hi Elly,
    
    The best catnip mice in the U.S. are made by Dr. Daniels.  I don't
    think they're available in the U.K., but I'll bring a few over on my
    next trip (week of 19 June).  I'll pop them in the post to you.
    
    Mary

    Re: 117
    
    Pet stores in the U.S. usually are a good source of toys.  Also
    U.S. supermarkets usually have a pet section where toys are
    stocked.  They don't have this in the U.K.?
    

    Re: 118
    
    Hello Mary,
    
    Thanks very much for the offer, I will look forward to receiving
    the MICE.  Please call me when you get over.  
    
    Have a good trip.
    
    
    
    Re:  119
    
    Hello Karen,
    
    Yes we do have sections in supermakets and pet shops, but I
    find that the ones that we have (mouses I mean!) tend to get
    left alone by the cats and not played with.
    
    
    Elly  (It's too darn hot here)
    
    

    My guys (ooops, and gal...sorry, Julie...) won't touch the supermarket
    mice/toys.  They want the real thing...
    
    Hopefully, no one in HM Customs will hassle me about the mice.  I
    wonder what they smell like to those drug-sniffing dogs......
    
    Mary

    MY CAT KABOODLE IS ACTING VERY STRANGE LATELY.  HE'S BEEN CLIMBING
    UP A TREE IN OUR YARD, CLIMBING TO THE VERY END OF THE BRANCH SO
    IT SAGS CLOSE TO THE GROUND SITS ON TOP OF THE BIRD FEEDER WAITING
    FOR SOME FRIENDLY MEATY TWEETIES TO ARIVE.  AS IF THEY'RE NOT GOING
    TO SEE HIM.  WHAT A "BIRDBRAIN"!!!!
    

    RE: .122
    
    at least he's doing something creative.....
    
    Nippa just sits underneath and waits.....real smart, eh?
    
    Ther is a little bird who comes to the window feeder, and 
    ignores nippa even when she charges the window, I guess the
    little thing is used to her ;^)

    
    my first siamese, cissy, came from a previous home with a large animal
    population.  they finally decided she had to be placed in a new home
    because she could not be broken of the habit of sleeping on top on the
    bird cage.  she never made any threatening movez on the birdz, i was
    told, just sprawled out on top of cage.  the birdz inside worried
    themselvez into such a state that they began molting continuously. so
    poor cissy had to go before the birdz lost all their featherz.
    
    the happy ending is that, for the first time in my life, i discovered
    what it was like to have  a pet in the house.  and i have been a
    rabid cat fancier ever since...
    
    di                       
    

    
    I was sitting in the back room the other day reading the newspaper.
    Quinn was outside surveying his territory and keeping an eye on the 
    neighborhood birds.
    
    He decided he wanted to come inside. He walked over to the sliding
    door, stretched out and up as if eaching for something and pawed
    at the window as if to say, "here I am, I want in".

    Khalife my nephew cat from next door goes "sprung" on the
    screen door when he wants me to open it (I can hear this
    right thru the closed wooden door.)  If I am a bit late
    he will climb the screen and look in the window in the door.
    

    
    My sister had a cat that would climb the screen on my parent's bedroom
    window when she wanted to come in. My father, in an effort to dissuade
    Kizmitten, kept a squirt bottle filled with water next to the bed.
    After getting squirted a few times, Kizzy knew that when he reached
    for that bottle it was time to move the target. But her purpose was
    already accomplished. 
    
    "Hey, you're awake. Let me in!"

    re: .125  Both Isis and Bob stretch up and bat the cellar doorknob
    when they want me to let them downstairs.  Isis was the first to
    do it and Bob picked it up from her.  Of course, they are the only
    cats big enough to reach the doorknob.
    

    
    During the winter we keep several bird feeders well stocked for our
    feathered friends. Squirrels patrol the ground looking for dropped
    seeds. Part of Quinn's daily routine is to sit in the window and
    longingly peer out at all those potential meals. 
    
    Last Sunday I was watching the 3 Stooges on channel 38 when I heard
    a scratching noise coming from the den. Quinn was lounging in his
    cardboard box under the T.V. He took off like a shot into the den.
    Curious, I got up and investigated. A squirrel was clinging to the 
    bottom of the window with just his head visible. Quinn stretched up
    and looked out. I don't think he expected what he saw. He ducked
    down at the same time the squirrel vacated the area at a high rate
    of speed. He hesitantly looked again only to discover the squirrel
    was gone. Then, figured he was there anyway so he might as well sit
    in the window smacking his lips.