The Fora: A Higher Education Community

Quote from: FishProf on September 26, 2023, 04:02:08 AM

Quote from: OneMoreYear on September 25, 2023, 05:58:59 PMThat sounds like so much fun! How did it go?

Elektra gave a perfect demonstration of scaredy-cat and the boys were great intrepid explorers until Thor curled up in the lap of my most difficult student and went to sleep.

so, win-win!

Sounds like that was a fun day! How cute!

Last year all four cats just hid in a cabinet (which I blocked off this year) or under a chest freezer (no longer in lab).

Major improvement this time around.

Quote from: FishProf on September 25, 2023, 06:45:51 AMThor, Loki, and Elektra are coming to school today for some animal behavior obsrvations.

Fingers, toes, and toe-beans crossed

Awww!  I wish I had an academic reason to bring my cats (and that the cats wouldn't just be freaked out of their minds the entire time).

Yin (of my Yin/Yang teenage boys) has now started going for the knobs to try to open cabinets.  Breaking out the child kitten-proofing latches again. 

Ricochet the squirrely tortie has decided to partially domesticate herself. She has now decided that sitting on the couch next to a human is a good thing. When I work from home on my laptop on the couch, she hangs out much of the day next to me allowing petting/scritches. She'll even do this when there is a 2nd human in the room (my SO). Previously, it appeared she was afraid of being outnumbered, as she'd only hang out in high spaces or across the room if we were both in the living room. It took 7 years, but this is considerable progress.  She had been cuddling in short bursts, but even that was inconsistent.

One of my childhood cats did not hang out near people until the last couple years of her life. Sometimes you play the long game.

Quote from: OneMoreYear on September 27, 2023, 12:26:00 PMRicochet the squirrely tortie has decided to partially domesticate herself. She has now decided that sitting on the couch next to a human is a good thing. When I work from home on my laptop on the couch, she hangs out much of the day next to me allowing petting/scritches. She'll even do this when there is a 2nd human in the room (my SO). Previously, it appeared she was afraid of being outnumbered, as she'd only hang out in high spaces or across the room if we were both in the living room. It took 7 years, but this is considerable progress.  She had been cuddling in short bursts, but even that was inconsistent.

One of my childhood cats did not hang out near people until the last couple years of her life. Sometimes you play the long game.

How cute-- Cats work in mysterious ways!

Little Calico just in the last few weeks has decided that she is a bed sleeping cat. Before, both cats would come up for pets in the morning but neither would sleep on the bed at night. Then Little Calico discovered she could get pets while I was reading in bed a night too (shocking discovery!). And I guess once you're all cozy on the bed, why get off to go sleep elsewhere?

Quote from: Puget on September 27, 2023, 03:13:07 PM

Quote from: OneMoreYear on September 27, 2023, 12:26:00 PMRicochet the squirrely tortie has decided to partially domesticate herself. She has now decided that sitting on the couch next to a human is a good thing. When I work from home on my laptop on the couch, she hangs out much of the day next to me allowing petting/scritches. She'll even do this when there is a 2nd human in the room (my SO). Previously, it appeared she was afraid of being outnumbered, as she'd only hang out in high spaces or across the room if we were both in the living room. It took 7 years, but this is considerable progress.  She had been cuddling in short bursts, but even that was inconsistent.

One of my childhood cats did not hang out near people until the last couple years of her life. Sometimes you play the long game.

How cute-- Cats work in mysterious ways!

Little Calico just in the last few weeks has decided that she is a bed sleeping cat. Before, both cats would come up for pets in the morning but neither would sleep on the bed at night. Then Little Calico discovered she could get pets while I was reading in bed a night too (shocking discovery!). And I guess once you're all cozy on the bed, why get off to go sleep elsewhere?

Aww, and good job to Richochet and Little Calico.

Quote from: the_geneticist on September 26, 2023, 10:29:10 AM

Quote from: FishProf on September 25, 2023, 06:45:51 AMThor, Loki, and Elektra are coming to school today for some animal behavior obsrvations.

Fingers, toes, and toe-beans crossed

Awww!  I wish I had an academic reason to bring my cats (and that the cats wouldn't just be freaked out of their minds the entire time).

I second this!

We are now a three cat household. The Universe threw another cat our way and I encountered it outside the other day. He's still a kitten- about 2.5 to 3 months old and skinny as hell. He's in quarantine at the moment (clean bill of health in terms of FIV and Feleuk). This little man has also been dewormed and received flea meds (he was covered in them). I'm anxiously awaiting the time when this Venn diagram of housecats intersects!

Quote from: evil_physics_witchcraft on October 07, 2023, 08:09:00 AMWe are now a three cat household. The Universe threw another cat our way and I encountered it outside the other day. He's still a kitten- about 2.5 to 3 months old and skinny as hell. He's in quarantine at the moment (clean bill of health in terms of FIV and Feleuk). This little man has also been dewormed and received flea meds (he was covered in them). I'm anxiously awaiting the time when this Venn diagram of housecats intersects!

The cat distribution system at work! Welcome to your new little one, I'm sure he's very happy to be fed and free of fleas. Hopefully he will be accepted by your current household overlords.

Congrats EPW on your adoption by a new kitty!

Any kitty updates?

Littlest evil cat will soon be coming out of quarantine. This should be exciting!

Thor was my alarm clock this morning, but in a totally sweet way.  He got on the bed, let out the quietest little mew, and when I responded, erupted in full blown purrs, head butts, and rubbing.   

As if he didn't want to wake me, but wanted to know if I was awake...

Quote from: FishProf on October 18, 2023, 11:10:24 AMThor was my alarm clock this morning, but in a totally sweet way.  He got on the bed, let out the quietest little mew, and when I responded, erupted in full blown purrs, head butts, and rubbing.   

As if he didn't want to wake me, but wanted to know if I was awake...

That's cute! I have one of those sunrise simulator alarm clocks, and both cats know that once it starts to glow they can generally solicit half-asleep pets if they snuggle to me on the bed. This however makes it harder for me to actually get out of bed.

Our middle evil cat knows how to unzip the doors to the cat forts. We just saw him do it. I've never had a cat do this. Sure I had one who could open doors, but not use a zipper.