the Battle of the Armpit

The furries involved in this are pictured on my webpage. Splodge:
about 6, scruffy little Persian tomcat who goes in for sudden and
intense bursts of affection where he has absolutely GOT to have a
cuddle RIGHT NOW. Ishtar: 15-year-old tabby who spends most of
day on our bed and most of the night on the pillow (with Muriel
at the other end and us in the middle). She's showing her age;
doesn't go out much, has lost a lot of teeth and doesn't have the
muscular strength she used to. But she's more or less number 2
cat in the pecking order; Muriel (a year or so older and much
fitter) is Managing Director. (Or Her Furriness the Great Khan,
or something along those lines).

One of Splodge's favourite places is squeezed up tight against
my right side with his chin on my armpit and both front paws
hanging on to my shirt. This afternoon he was doing that and
purring away furiously when I suddenly heard an extraordinary
wail and felt a small furquake. Turned out that Ishtar had
decided to boss Splodge around and shove herself into his spot.
He retaliated by biting her on the back of the neck and pinning
her down in a wrestling hold. No skin broken but she walked away
with her neck covered in drool. Splodge has never been involved
in a fight with any of our other cats before.

Since there were lots of other places on the bed where Ishtar could
have settled herself, it seems like she was just being, um, catty.
But she *is* an old lady and it's hard not to sympathize a bit.

Five minutes later Splodge was back in my armpit purring and Ishtar
was at the foot of the bed sound asleep.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
The furries involved in this are pictured on my webpage. Splodge:
about 6, scruffy little Persian tomcat who goes in for sudden and
intense bursts of affection where he has absolutely GOT to have a
cuddle RIGHT NOW. Ishtar: 15-year-old tabby who spends most of
day on our bed and most of the night on the pillow (with Muriel
at the other end and us in the middle). She's showing her age;
doesn't go out much, has lost a lot of teeth and doesn't have the
muscular strength she used to. But she's more or less number 2
cat in the pecking order; Muriel (a year or so older and much
fitter) is Managing Director. (Or Her Furriness the Great Khan,
or something along those lines).

One of Splodge's favourite places is squeezed up tight against
my right side with his chin on my armpit and both front paws
hanging on to my shirt. This afternoon he was doing that and
purring away furiously when I suddenly heard an extraordinary
wail and felt a small furquake. Turned out that Ishtar had
decided to boss Splodge around and shove herself into his spot.
He retaliated by biting her on the back of the neck and pinning
her down in a wrestling hold. No skin broken but she walked away
with her neck covered in drool. Splodge has never been involved
in a fight with any of our other cats before.

Since there were lots of other places on the bed where Ishtar could
have settled herself, it seems like she was just being, um, catty.
But she *is* an old lady and it's hard not to sympathize a bit.

Five minutes later Splodge was back in my armpit purring and Ishtar
was at the foot of the bed sound asleep.


Are you going to get your tom cat neutered anytime soon? You let him out,
don't you, please do the right thing. You have kittens from him in your
house?
Tweed

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
The furries involved in this are pictured on my webpage. Splodge:
about 6, scruffy little Persian tomcat who goes in for sudden and
intense bursts of affection where he has absolutely GOT to have a
cuddle RIGHT NOW. Ishtar: 15-year-old tabby who spends most of
day on our bed and most of the night on the pillow (with Muriel
at the other end and us in the middle). She's showing her age;
doesn't go out much, has lost a lot of teeth and doesn't have the
muscular strength she used to. But she's more or less number 2
cat in the pecking order; Muriel (a year or so older and much
fitter) is Managing Director. (Or Her Furriness the Great Khan,
or something along those lines).

One of Splodge's favourite places is squeezed up tight against
my right side with his chin on my armpit and both front paws
hanging on to my shirt. This afternoon he was doing that and
purring away furiously when I suddenly heard an extraordinary
wail and felt a small furquake. Turned out that Ishtar had
decided to boss Splodge around and shove herself into his spot.
He retaliated by biting her on the back of the neck and pinning
her down in a wrestling hold. No skin broken but she walked away
with her neck covered in drool. Splodge has never been involved
in a fight with any of our other cats before.

Since there were lots of other places on the bed where Ishtar could
have settled herself, it seems like she was just being, um, catty.
But she *is* an old lady and it's hard not to sympathize a bit.

Five minutes later Splodge was back in my armpit purring and Ishtar
was at the foot of the bed sound asleep.


Are you going to get your tom cat neutered anytime soon? You let him out,
don't you, please do the right thing. You have kittens from him in your
house?
Tweed

Oh, everyone is too nervous to reply. I am not. Jack has an entire tom
that he lets out to impregnate any female in the neighbourhood. He is very
resistant to get him neutered.
I don't understand what the problem is, Boyfie's whatnots came off quite
quickly once he got tamer.. I took responsibility for every whippet that
was bred here or from my stud dog and would have it back if the home didn't
work out. Unless people who have intact toms that are allowed out can do
the same they should have them neutered - or if they insist on having them
remaining intact, keep them in.

Tweed

I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.
You'd decided to go on a personal crusade for reasons I can't
begin to comprehend and don't want to.

Now go away. I've killfiled you.

Fluvoxamine is good for obsessive disorders.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.
You'd decided to go on a personal crusade for reasons I can't
begin to comprehend and don't want to.

Now go away. I've killfiled you.

Fluvoxamine is good for obsessive disorders.


Oh dear, so there's a bloke who won't neuter his tomcat that he lets out all
the time and doesn't like talking about why. There is no personal crusade,
as such. I would just like an explanation as to why it's okay for him to do
this and for no-one else here who would be jumped on and what the difficulty
is for him to get his tom neutered like most responsible owners do. And why
only myself on this group has challenged him about it? Get that cat to the
vet, Jack.
It's okay that he has killfiled me. It's because he doesn't like what I am
saying. He needs to get his tom neutered because he lets him out and he
doesn't like me keep saying so. I will continue to say that until he gets
him done. (if he lets me out of the killfile that is!)

Tweed

On Mon, 28 May 2007 17:21:56 -0400, Christina Websell wrote:


"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.
You'd decided to go on a personal crusade for reasons I can't
begin to comprehend and don't want to.

Now go away. I've killfiled you.

Fluvoxamine is good for obsessive disorders.


Oh dear, so there's a bloke who won't neuter his tomcat that he lets out all
the time and doesn't like talking about why. There is no personal crusade,
as such. I would just like an explanation as to why it's okay for him to do
this and for no-one else here who would be jumped on and what the difficulty
is for him to get his tom neutered like most responsible owners do. And why
only myself on this group has challenged him about it? Get that cat to the
vet, Jack.
It's okay that he has killfiled me. It's because he doesn't like what I am
saying. He needs to get his tom neutered because he lets him out and he
doesn't like me keep saying so. I will continue to say that until he gets
him done. (if he lets me out of the killfile that is!)

Tweed

You can't make some people change though, (unfortunately in some cases;
fortunately in other cases) and most likely no amount of harping -- or
preaching, begging, advocating or blathering or however it's perceived --
will work.

Maybe most of the others here believe, as you do, that a responsible pet
owner will have his pets neutered if they venture outside in an effort to cut
down on the pet population. I would do the same. Ketzl is neutered and he's
an indoor-only.

Take a deep breath, write him off, and focus on keeping the mousies out.

By the way, on that topic, I had a mouse infestation several years ago when I
lived in a first-floor apartment outside Boston. I had one of those
hav-a-hart traps, similar to what you describe, and I used to take the mice
across the street to the field there. Someone pointed out that they probably
came right back, and I think on a couple of occasions they actually beat me
back to my apartment!

--
Joey DoWop Dee
Remember: It is To Laugh

"Ketzl's Dad" wrote in message
. net...
On Mon, 28 May 2007 17:21:56 -0400, Christina Websell wrote:


"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.
You'd decided to go on a personal crusade for reasons I can't
begin to comprehend and don't want to.

Now go away. I've killfiled you.

Fluvoxamine is good for obsessive disorders.


Oh dear, so there's a bloke who won't neuter his tomcat that he lets out
all
the time and doesn't like talking about why. There is no personal
crusade,
as such. I would just like an explanation as to why it's okay for him to
do
this and for no-one else here who would be jumped on and what the
difficulty
is for him to get his tom neutered like most responsible owners do. And
why
only myself on this group has challenged him about it? Get that cat to
the
vet, Jack.
It's okay that he has killfiled me. It's because he doesn't like what I
am
saying. He needs to get his tom neutered because he lets him out and he
doesn't like me keep saying so. I will continue to say that until he
gets
him done. (if he lets me out of the killfile that is!)

Tweed

You can't make some people change though, (unfortunately in some cases;
fortunately in other cases) and most likely no amount of harping -- or
preaching, begging, advocating or blathering or however it's perceived --
will work.

Maybe most of the others here believe, as you do, that a responsible pet
owner will have his pets neutered if they venture outside in an effort to
cut
down on the pet population. I would do the same. Ketzl is neutered and
he's
an indoor-only.

Take a deep breath, write him off, and focus on keeping the mousies out.

By the way, on that topic, I had a mouse infestation several years ago
when I
lived in a first-floor apartment outside Boston. I had one of those
hav-a-hart traps, similar to what you describe, and I used to take the
mice
across the street to the field there. Someone pointed out that they
probably
came right back, and I think on a couple of occasions they actually beat
me
back to my apartment!


Ok, so that has calmed me down a bit. Thanks for the nice post.
I will not change my mind, though. In my opinion it is fine to have an
intact tom if you want one. But you must keep it in. If you choose not
to - snip, snip. We have enough unwanted kittens as it is. And that is my
whole point.
Tweed

Christina Websell wrote:
"Ketzl's Dad" wrote in message
. net...
On Mon, 28 May 2007 17:21:56 -0400, Christina Websell wrote:


"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in
message ...
I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.

Oh dear, so there's a bloke who won't neuter his tomcat that he
lets out all
the time and doesn't like talking about why.

Tweed

You can't make some people change though, (unfortunately in some
cases; fortunately in other cases) and most likely no amount of
harping -- or preaching, begging, advocating or blathering or
however it's perceived -- will work.

Maybe most of the others here believe, as you do, that a responsible
pet owner will have his pets neutered if they venture outside in an
effort to cut
down on the pet population. I would do the same. Ketzl is neutered
and he's
an indoor-only.

Take a deep breath, write him off, and focus on keeping the mousies
out.


Ok, so that has calmed me down a bit. Thanks for the nice post.
I will not change my mind, though. In my opinion it is fine to have
an intact tom if you want one. But you must keep it in. If you
choose not to - snip, snip. We have enough unwanted kittens as it
is. And that is my whole point.
Tweed

FWIW, I k/f'd Jack a long time ago. IMHO there is no rhyme, reason or logic
to keeping an outdoor tomcat intact unless he's breeding the animal *on
purpose* or willing to accept all the resultant kittens as members of his
household.

Jill

FWIW, I k/f'd Jack a long time ago.

She did? Why? (I can't recall us ever disagreeing about anything).


IMHO there is no rhyme, reason or logic to keeping an outdoor tomcat
intact unless he's breeding the animal *on purpose* or willing to
accept all the resultant kittens as members of his household.

No there isn't. Did I ever say different?

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"Ketzl's Dad" wrote in message
. net...
On Mon, 28 May 2007 17:21:56 -0400, Christina Websell wrote:


"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in
message ...
I don't understand what the problem is,

No you don't, and you're not going to. Your original messages
on this subject were so monstrously offensive, condescending,
and out of line for the normal way discussions go in this group
that I decided I was never going to even try to explain it to
you - you were clearly beyond reasonable argument and no matter
*what* I posted, you would go ON and ON and ON about it forever.

Oh dear, so there's a bloke who won't neuter his tomcat that he
lets out all
the time and doesn't like talking about why.

Tweed

You can't make some people change though, (unfortunately in some
cases; fortunately in other cases) and most likely no amount of
harping -- or preaching, begging, advocating or blathering or
however it's perceived -- will work.

Maybe most of the others here believe, as you do, that a responsible
pet owner will have his pets neutered if they venture outside in an
effort to cut
down on the pet population. I would do the same. Ketzl is neutered
and he's
an indoor-only.

Take a deep breath, write him off, and focus on keeping the mousies
out.


Ok, so that has calmed me down a bit. Thanks for the nice post.
I will not change my mind, though. In my opinion it is fine to have
an intact tom if you want one. But you must keep it in. If you
choose not to - snip, snip. We have enough unwanted kittens as it
is. And that is my whole point.
Tweed

FWIW, I k/f'd Jack a long time ago. IMHO there is no rhyme, reason or
logic
to keeping an outdoor tomcat intact unless he's breeding the animal *on
purpose* or willing to accept all the resultant kittens as members of his
household.

Exactly, Jill. Thanks for your support, I thought I was all alone on this.
I stand by everything I have said to Jack about his outdoor tom and if he
doesn't like it, so be it. I should worry about being killfiled by him.
Not! Like I said, he doesn't like what I have to say about it, and
killfiling me is the easy way out.

Tweed


Tweed