Cat Cleans FOX! SoooCute!!!

Suddenly, without warning, Richard Evans exclaimed (4/7/2009 6:08 PM):
LauraM wrote:

On Apr 7, 1:46 pm, Richard Evans wrote:
"cybercat" wrote:

"LauraM" wrote in message
...
On Apr 7, 8:48 am, Richard Evans wrote:
Geni wrote:
Hi, I found this clip of a cat licking and grooming a fox, nature at
her best, one of the cutist things ever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvzg0NplkLE
The fox didn't seem to think so. Note how he bolted the instant the
cat let go.
I think the fox liked it very much, actually. He laid there all that
time until the cat decided he was done grooming the fox. Then the fox
got up.
After licking his chops and looking very satisfied, I might add.
I guess our perceptions differ. I currently have six cats and have
provided foster care for hundreds more and I've observed two
variations on grooming behavior. One is social: one grooms the other
and the other holds still for it. The other seems more an act of
dominance: One holds the other down and grooms him whether he likes it
or not. The fox seemed to me to be in the latter situation. Note the
chokehold the cat has on him. I didn't see the fox so much licking his
chops as shaking his head and muttering "YUCK! Cat slobber!

Any cat behaviorists here with an authoritative answer?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
But didn't you see that the fox sat there for over a minute getting
groomed?

I just watched it again.

I saw the fox *held* there for over a minute.

At some point it ends. I did notice that once the cat
stopped grooming the fox, there was a noise that startled both the cat
and the fox. That was the cue for the fox to leave.

I saw the noise distract the cat, giving the fox a chance to escape,
which he did with great enthusiasm, leaving not only the cat's
clutches, but the immediate area as well.

Like I said, it's a perceptual difference.


That's what I saw as well. The dominant cat holding the fox down. He
sure left in a hurry once the opportunity presented!

That said, my cat will sit on my lap right up until I stop grooming,
then she leaves. I'm not holding her down, just sometimes she's not
interested in lap-time unless continuous grooming is included

jmc

On Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:09:09 -0400, Richard Evans
wrote:

"Cheryl" wrote:


Any cat behaviorists here with an authoritative answer?

Not a behaviorist but I agree with you. That kind of frenzied grooming by
the cat is the cat establishing dominance, and that kind of grooming often
leads to wrestling. Note how the cat ends up grooming it's own paw. I
think the fox was lucky it wasn't hurt. It looked like a baby.

By the size of the ears, I think it was a fennec fox (native to North
Africa). They are pretty small even full grown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennec_Fox



And maybe not a true fox. Looks like an interesting animal to have as
a pet but I don't think I'd like it burrowing into the furniture.