Herd your cats here

[apl68]

My brother's cats and chickens seem to have developed a wary tolerance for each other.  The chickens keep an eye on the cats and shadow them around when they go nearby.  The cats keep an eye on the chickens, in case one of them suddenly launches into the whole squawking, wing-flapping, intimidating display thing.  To humans it looks funny, but to an animal a cat's size a chicken in full alarm display mode must look like some kind of monster.

[OneMoreYear]

Izzy the "now that she's two is no longer a kitten" has decided she LOVES the furminator brush. As long as she is unaware that a human is holding said brush.  Humans are scary, horrible creatures that might squish or eat her.  She permits petting when it's either full dark or the human is sitting in an armchair and mostly out of sight.

I think my Ricochet kitty and Izzy-no-longer-a-kitten might be related.  We spent a long time trying to convince Ricochet that "the humans don't want to eat you."  Now that she has lived with us for 6 years, she is definitely making progress, though she still approaches all human interaction with her claws at the ready, just in case. Even if she is purring, the claws are out. I hope that Izzy-no-longer-a-kitten will be a quicker study.  Congrats on her furminator progress!

[Puget]

My brother's cats and chickens seem to have developed a wary tolerance for each other.  The chickens keep an eye on the cats and shadow them around when they go nearby.  The cats keep an eye on the chickens, in case one of them suddenly launches into the whole squawking, wing-flapping, intimidating display thing.  To humans it looks funny, but to an animal a cat's size a chicken in full alarm display mode must look like some kind of monster.

Growing up, we had an indoor/outdoor cat and chickens we sometimes let out in the yard to forage. Cat would stalk the chickens but as soon as one clucked or moved toward her would zoom up the nearest tree or deck post. Clearly to a cat chickens are a very confusing combination of potential prey and predator.

[mamselle]

Yes, for the cat:

    "...they're birds...so they ought to be scared of me! But they're not scared! And those wings!!! Aaaaaaahhhhh!"

The kitties I was sitting for two weeks ago were only just getting over their Covid-induced "not ALL Humans will eat you" mantra: one allowed scritches--on occasion--the other was still on full-run-up-the-steps-and-under-the-bed mode.

Just in case I'd become a felineovore.

M.

[Volhiker78]

Is it hard for old man kitty to get in the boxes?  Maybe one with a low clearance would be appreciated?
You didn't happen to move the litter box or change litter brands or anything else?  Pooping outside the box usually means kitty is feeling unhappy (medically or other reasons).

We're wondering if it's his arthritis. Most of the boxes are converted Rubbermaid HUGE storage containers (he's a Looooooooong cat) and have a low clearance, but maybe it needs to be lower. Haven't changed brands. He only did it once this past week, so I think we'll continue to monitor him (no other symptoms) and then maybe do his annual checkup early at the vet.

Edit: He may also be expressing his disdain for younger evil_cat, since it was on her toy. She drives him nuts and needs a wrestling partner (used to be our dog, but she passed a year and a half ago).

That last explanation seems very likely.  We have the same toy.  Only my younger cat plays with it.  The other day she was casually sitting and playing with it to make the ball go  as fast as it can while giving the older cat the evil eye.  Clearly taunting,  "I'm as cool as a cucumber even when you are around - what?,  you say the noise is annoying?,   well I cam it get even louder."

[apl68]

Most mornings my dad drives into town to check the post office box and run any other necessary errands.  He always takes their dog with him.  That daily ride is a real highlight for him.  Recently the cat seems to have noticed that pattern.  Mom says that he sits up where he can see out the window and waits until Dad and the dog come back.  He also is now in the habit of jumping into Dad's lap each morning after he has taken the dog out for his usual early morning tour of the property.

It looks remarkably like the cat is jealous of the dog's attention.  For an aloof feline, he is developing an almost canine sense of routine and desire for attention.

[Puget]

A cat (from a glimpse, I think an indoor/outdoor cat, as it looked to well nourished to be a stray or ferrel) has been visiting our yard after dark in the evenings. If I haven't shut the catio door yet, Panther Boy sits out there and does the most atrocious "I want a piece of you!" yowling until it leaves. He is not normally a very brave cat, so I think having the catio mesh in between them is the cat equivalent of someone threatening to pick a bar fight knowing their friends will hold them back so they won't actually have to follow through. Afterward he always struts around the house with his tail bushed up like he's just successfully defended his property. Little Calico sensibly wants no part in any of this.

Most mornings my dad drives into town to check the post office box and run any other necessary errands.  He always takes their dog with him.  That daily ride is a real highlight for him.  Recently the cat seems to have noticed that pattern.  Mom says that he sits up where he can see out the window and waits until Dad and the dog come back.  He also is now in the habit of jumping into Dad's lap each morning after he has taken the dog out for his usual early morning tour of the property.

It looks remarkably like the cat is jealous of the dog's attention.  For an aloof feline, he is developing an almost canine sense of routine and desire for attention.

Oh, cats definitely get jealous! If I'm petting Panther Boy and he starts purring, Little Calico will come running from wherever in the house she is meowing indignantly at me until I pay attention to her. Never mind that she could have requested pets before and didn't-- he's not allowed to get attention without her.

[nebo113]

Has anyone ever given canned pumpkin to a feline, to add fiber?

[ohnoes]

Has anyone ever given canned pumpkin to a feline, to add fiber?

Yep.  My feline overlords have gotten it for ages.  I'll put a teaspoon in a small dish and we all pretend it's a treat.  We're offering it AM and PM, and more often than not, they eat it all.

[clean]

You may remember that I was oppressed by a kitty (monster, warden, burden) at the start of July.  It has survived.  I was told it was a girl by the people that should know.  They named her Molly.  Molly has moved on to yet another couple of kitty helpers.  The new helpers report that Molly is now Wally!  Wally also has a new best buddy.  They are also caring for a kitty probably 2 weeks older.  They play together and keep each other company as they explore the world that they currently lord over.
Im told that they will be with this couple until they are old enough for shots and to get their vet visit to 'fix' what I m sure they do not recognize is broken!

The new servants have forwarded a short video of Wally trying to play with a feather on a cat tree.  The buddy then tries to see what all of the excitement is.  But they are still cute.  My Bride gets excited, but when I suggest that her parents would be better at adopting both kitties, she sort of gets it.
But this house aint big enough for my allergies and 2 kitties!  It is barely big enough for the pair of us (and as we have both been home for COVID, maybe not really!)

But I am glad to report that it seems that The Monster/Warden/Burden Molly/Wally is alive, well, and on the road to being a fabulous Kitty Overlord!

[Puget]

Congratulations Clean, well done saving Wally's life!

[Larimar]

Congratulations Clean, well done saving Wally's life!

+1

[glendower]

+2! This is good news and I'm glad you let us know.

[Larimar]

The Larimar cats are not having a good week. We're getting our master bathroom remodeled, and the cats have had to be locked away, in the home office by day, in the bedroom by night. We're giving them maximum possible time with their humans during the disruption, but, predictably, they are NOT HAPPY about the sudden loud noises, the paint smells, and being cooped up. OrangeGuy has had the roughest time. He'll stand by the closed door and yowl (he can be pretty darn loud!), and sometimes he'll even claw the door frame. All four kitties are hunkered down and clingy. Sorry, fuzzies, but it's not safe for you to be running around with all the construction equipment and materials lying about, and with the front door continually opening.

[mamselle]

Even more reason to send them to the department meeting....(interthreaduality...)

;--}

M.