What affects us affects cats
This is the classic pre-fight standoff – making yourself look bigger – defensive mode. We know kittens do this quite a lot and Gabriel is no different. What is, perhaps, a bit different is that he is doing it with his own shadow. He does it a lot in the morning on the bed. …
This is a slightly modified photograph of Gabriel messing around next to me while I was working in bed. I say “modified” because it is a colour photograph which I’ve turned into a black-and-white one or one which is very nearly black-and-white. Gabriel has recently learned to come into the bedroom and play …
Another photo of my semi-feral rescue cat who I am fostering. He is snoozing and becoming domesticated. I have cared for him for about 6 days. He hid under the sideboard for about 3 days when I first got him (except for eating food at night). He has come on well. A major advantage …
Here is a straightforward video (made on an iPhone 4s) showing Gabriel on my lap and letting me stroke him. He purrs. He is still nervous of being touched. He’ll forget I can be trusted and flinch sometimes if my hand is even slowly brought towards him to stroke him but, that said, this …
Gabriel, my semi-feral foster cat is coming along well, meaning his socialisation is progressing. Although I do work at it. I give him masses of play (about 3 hours daily), the best cat food, plus tons of company from me. This evening he came on my lap to play at first and then rest. …
Intro: Ginny S asked this question in a comment. She starts by describing socialisation. Cats need to be socialised to integrate with people and other animals. If this is missed at the best period of 3-9 weeks of age a cat may not necessarily get over its innate instinct to fear us and avoid …
This is a “cat thought” for Sunday 22nd June. It is a great day weather wise and I am in the garden. It sounds odd but the truth is that the domestic cat is ill suited to domestication unless he/she undergoes surgery. In other words the domestic cat, as born, requires modification. That is …
The recent extensively reported incident, which was captured on video, of the tabby cat, Tara, who with great courage and passion saved a toddler, Jeremy, from a savage attack by a dog should not distract attention from some critical self-analysis. For me, the cat’s behaviour was that of a mother protecting her vulnerable kitten …
