Bugs, The Cat With Radar Ears

Many years ago I lived in a big house with several other people and a few
cats. One of the cats was named Bugs and he was this really nice-looking
soft gray color all over. Very fine fur, but thick, looked like plush. I
suppose he may have been a Russian Blue. Bugs and I had one thing in
common, we both loved tunafish. Whenever I'd open up another can of tuna,
Bugs would be right there within seconds, grinning up at me. Naturally I
always left some in the can and put it on the floor for him. He would
nuzzle that can all around the kitchen floor, getting every last morsel of
tuna.

Then I started working the afternoon shift and began keeping very late
hours, staying up until 4 AM or so. Bugs was always sleeping on the
couch in the living room way in the other end of the house. I began to make
a game out of sneaking upstairs (I lived in a finished room in the
basement) and opening a can of tuna as quietly as possible. The only noise
at all would be that tiny little "pwsssh" sound a can of tuna makes when
the can opener first penetrates it. Bugs *always* showed up seconds later.
Uncanny. I would go into the living room first and check on him and he'd be
truly sound asleep, not dozing at all.

I would even rattle things and bump things to see if it'd wake him up.
Nope. Not a twitch. Then I'd go way down the hall into the kitchen and make
that tiny "pwsssh" sound with the tuna can and *instantly* I would hear the
ka-thoomp of Bugs's paws hitting the floor and seconds later there he'd be,
waiting for his beloved tuna scraps. I even tried opening the can while
still in the basement, leaving the doors open. Same result: ka-thoomp and
seconds later there he is. I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.


"D. R. Crawford" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I lived in a big house with several other people and a few
cats. One of the cats was named Bugs and he was this really nice-looking
soft gray color all over. Very fine fur, but thick, looked like plush. I
suppose he may have been a Russian Blue. Bugs and I had one thing in
common, we both loved tunafish. Whenever I'd open up another can of tuna,
Bugs would be right there within seconds, grinning up at me. Naturally I
always left some in the can and put it on the floor for him. He would
nuzzle that can all around the kitchen floor, getting every last morsel of
tuna.

Then I started working the afternoon shift and began keeping very late
hours, staying up until 4 AM or so. Bugs was always sleeping on the
couch in the living room way in the other end of the house. I began to
make
a game out of sneaking upstairs (I lived in a finished room in the
basement) and opening a can of tuna as quietly as possible. The only noise
at all would be that tiny little "pwsssh" sound a can of tuna makes when
the can opener first penetrates it. Bugs *always* showed up seconds later.
Uncanny. I would go into the living room first and check on him and he'd
be
truly sound asleep, not dozing at all.

I would even rattle things and bump things to see if it'd wake him up.
Nope. Not a twitch. Then I'd go way down the hall into the kitchen and
make
that tiny "pwsssh" sound with the tuna can and *instantly* I would hear
the
ka-thoomp of Bugs's paws hitting the floor and seconds later there he'd
be,
waiting for his beloved tuna scraps. I even tried opening the can while
still in the basement, leaving the doors open. Same result: ka-thoomp and
seconds later there he is. I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.


"D. R. Crawford" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I lived in a big house with several other people and a few
cats. One of the cats was named Bugs and he was this really nice-looking
soft gray color all over. Very fine fur, but thick, looked like plush. I
suppose he may have been a Russian Blue. Bugs and I had one thing in
common, we both loved tunafish. Whenever I'd open up another can of tuna,
Bugs would be right there within seconds, grinning up at me. Naturally I
always left some in the can and put it on the floor for him. He would
nuzzle that can all around the kitchen floor, getting every last morsel of
tuna.

Then I started working the afternoon shift and began keeping very late
hours, staying up until 4 AM or so. Bugs was always sleeping on the
couch in the living room way in the other end of the house. I began to
make
a game out of sneaking upstairs (I lived in a finished room in the
basement) and opening a can of tuna as quietly as possible. The only noise
at all would be that tiny little "pwsssh" sound a can of tuna makes when
the can opener first penetrates it. Bugs *always* showed up seconds later.
Uncanny. I would go into the living room first and check on him and he'd
be
truly sound asleep, not dozing at all.

I would even rattle things and bump things to see if it'd wake him up.
Nope. Not a twitch. Then I'd go way down the hall into the kitchen and
make
that tiny "pwsssh" sound with the tuna can and *instantly* I would hear
the
ka-thoomp of Bugs's paws hitting the floor and seconds later there he'd
be,
waiting for his beloved tuna scraps. I even tried opening the can while
still in the basement, leaving the doors open. Same result: ka-thoomp and
seconds later there he is. I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:34:52 -0600, Karen wrote:

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.


"D. R. Crawford" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I lived in a big house with several other people and a few
cats. One of the cats was named Bugs and he was this really nice-looking
soft gray color all over. Very fine fur, but thick, looked like plush. I
suppose he may have been a Russian Blue. Bugs and I had one thing in
common, we both loved tunafish. Whenever I'd open up another can of tuna,
Bugs would be right there within seconds, grinning up at me. Naturally I
always left some in the can and put it on the floor for him. He would
nuzzle that can all around the kitchen floor, getting every last morsel of
tuna.

Then I started working the afternoon shift and began keeping very late
hours, staying up until 4 AM or so. Bugs was always sleeping on the
couch in the living room way in the other end of the house. I began to
make
a game out of sneaking upstairs (I lived in a finished room in the
basement) and opening a can of tuna as quietly as possible. The only noise
at all would be that tiny little "pwsssh" sound a can of tuna makes when
the can opener first penetrates it. Bugs *always* showed up seconds later.
Uncanny. I would go into the living room first and check on him and he'd
be
truly sound asleep, not dozing at all.

I would even rattle things and bump things to see if it'd wake him up.
Nope. Not a twitch. Then I'd go way down the hall into the kitchen and
make
that tiny "pwsssh" sound with the tuna can and *instantly* I would hear
the
ka-thoomp of Bugs's paws hitting the floor and seconds later there he'd
be,
waiting for his beloved tuna scraps. I even tried opening the can while
still in the basement, leaving the doors open. Same result: ka-thoomp and
seconds later there he is. I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.




They also have a terrific sense of smell~ MLB

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:34:52 -0600, Karen wrote:

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.


"D. R. Crawford" wrote in message
...
Many years ago I lived in a big house with several other people and a few
cats. One of the cats was named Bugs and he was this really nice-looking
soft gray color all over. Very fine fur, but thick, looked like plush. I
suppose he may have been a Russian Blue. Bugs and I had one thing in
common, we both loved tunafish. Whenever I'd open up another can of tuna,
Bugs would be right there within seconds, grinning up at me. Naturally I
always left some in the can and put it on the floor for him. He would
nuzzle that can all around the kitchen floor, getting every last morsel of
tuna.

Then I started working the afternoon shift and began keeping very late
hours, staying up until 4 AM or so. Bugs was always sleeping on the
couch in the living room way in the other end of the house. I began to
make
a game out of sneaking upstairs (I lived in a finished room in the
basement) and opening a can of tuna as quietly as possible. The only noise
at all would be that tiny little "pwsssh" sound a can of tuna makes when
the can opener first penetrates it. Bugs *always* showed up seconds later.
Uncanny. I would go into the living room first and check on him and he'd
be
truly sound asleep, not dozing at all.

I would even rattle things and bump things to see if it'd wake him up.
Nope. Not a twitch. Then I'd go way down the hall into the kitchen and
make
that tiny "pwsssh" sound with the tuna can and *instantly* I would hear
the
ka-thoomp of Bugs's paws hitting the floor and seconds later there he'd
be,
waiting for his beloved tuna scraps. I even tried opening the can while
still in the basement, leaving the doors open. Same result: ka-thoomp and
seconds later there he is. I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.




They also have a terrific sense of smell~ MLB

mlbriggs wrote:

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:34:52 -0600, Karen wrote:

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.

They also have a terrific sense of smell~ MLB

Ahh, so you mean that Karen's dad cut the cheese.

mlbriggs wrote:

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:34:52 -0600, Karen wrote:

Yup. My dad could bite into a piece of soft cheddar *sans* teeth, and cats
would pour in from around the house. Radar ears is right.

They also have a terrific sense of smell~ MLB

Ahh, so you mean that Karen's dad cut the cheese.

D. R. Crawford wrote:
snip Bugs story
I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

I've made a similar experiment. One time I was cleaning the flat, making
a lot of noise, slamming doors etc. The cats slept soundly through it
all. Then I tip-toed as quietly as I could to the cupboard with their
food and silently and carefully opened the door. Immediately, the cats
were right there.


--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

D. R. Crawford wrote:
snip Bugs story
I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

I've made a similar experiment. One time I was cleaning the flat, making
a lot of noise, slamming doors etc. The cats slept soundly through it
all. Then I tip-toed as quietly as I could to the cupboard with their
food and silently and carefully opened the door. Immediately, the cats
were right there.


--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

"Marina" wrote in message
...
D. R. Crawford wrote:
snip Bugs story
I have always understood that cats have far
better hearing than we do but after Bugs I know just how *much* better.

I've made a similar experiment. One time I was cleaning the flat, making
a lot of noise, slamming doors etc. The cats slept soundly through it
all. Then I tip-toed as quietly as I could to the cupboard with their
food and silently and carefully opened the door. Immediately, the cats
were right there.

Isn't it just amazing though? I actually did more elaborate experiments
with Bugs than I wrote about, and every single time there was that
ka-thoomp and then he'd be right there. I've talked to vets about it and
they've basically said that a cat's senses are so much better than ours
that we simply cannot imagine what it's like.