My little buddy and the plan that backfired(Longish)

"Cowa Bungie" wrote in message
om...
What a nice little story. You know, it reminds me of something I
think otherwise well-meaning "cat people" would do well to consider.

I hated--and I mean HATED--cats until two years ago. I hated that
they made me sneeze (which now to me seems a matter of pheremones that
neutering can eradicate). I hated that they shed fur. I hated that
they jumped up on countertops, tables, etc. I just hated them and any
pet that wasn't avian.

But a great deal of that hatred was *reinforced,* not changed, by
those Yuk-Yuk dog/cat comparisons that pass for jokes and make trinket
and poster manufacturers rich. Yesterday, for example, I saw this on
someone's bumper: "Dogs Come When You Call, Cats Have Answering
Machines." The cheesy effort to give cats an image of being aloof,
stuck-up and basically cold can do a great deal of harm to their
welfare at large; because before I became the owner of my aged former
stray, I relied on that negative PR to reinforce my stereotypes.

I'm so glad you gave your little buddy a chance. How 'bout for a year
everyone names their new kittens Buddy, Rover, King, etc. to show that
cats ARE just as demonstrative, in their special natures, as dogs?

Our cat is named Dufus because when a kitten he was such a big, well, Dufus.
He is a Maine Coon, male, and I have read that the female of this breed has
most of the dignity and the male is a big goof. Certainly describes our cat.
Cat's have a certain independecy and aloofness that a dog doesn't have and I
think that this is why some people don't like cats. They show their love in
a little different way. As our cat most always comes out from under the bed
when I get home, it's not the tail wagging, jumping around enthusiam that a
dog shows, but kinda sitting in the bedroom doorway, sleepy eyed, and like,
uh, what? Oh you are home look. Then he will start following me around and
if I sit down will beg for attention. I think one reason I never really
wanted a cat is because the ones I have been around are always into stuff,
on counters, tables, whatever. There are very few things in our house the
cat jumps onto, never bothers anything, if it's not his food, he is not
interested. So for various reasons this cat seems very suited to me.You just
have to take a cat on it's terms. These are my opinions and I speak from
very little experience with cats.
--
Paul O.

"Cowa Bungie" wrote in message
om...
What a nice little story. You know, it reminds me of something I
think otherwise well-meaning "cat people" would do well to consider.

I hated--and I mean HATED--cats until two years ago. I hated that
they made me sneeze (which now to me seems a matter of pheremones that
neutering can eradicate). I hated that they shed fur. I hated that
they jumped up on countertops, tables, etc. I just hated them and any
pet that wasn't avian.

But a great deal of that hatred was *reinforced,* not changed, by
those Yuk-Yuk dog/cat comparisons that pass for jokes and make trinket
and poster manufacturers rich. Yesterday, for example, I saw this on
someone's bumper: "Dogs Come When You Call, Cats Have Answering
Machines." The cheesy effort to give cats an image of being aloof,
stuck-up and basically cold can do a great deal of harm to their
welfare at large; because before I became the owner of my aged former
stray, I relied on that negative PR to reinforce my stereotypes.

I'm so glad you gave your little buddy a chance. How 'bout for a year
everyone names their new kittens Buddy, Rover, King, etc. to show that
cats ARE just as demonstrative, in their special natures, as dogs?

How about I can tell you still hate cats, you **** head. I love dogs and
cats.

"Cowa Bungie" wrote in message
om...
What a nice little story. You know, it reminds me of something I
think otherwise well-meaning "cat people" would do well to consider.

I hated--and I mean HATED--cats until two years ago. I hated that
they made me sneeze (which now to me seems a matter of pheremones that
neutering can eradicate). I hated that they shed fur. I hated that
they jumped up on countertops, tables, etc. I just hated them and any
pet that wasn't avian.

But a great deal of that hatred was *reinforced,* not changed, by
those Yuk-Yuk dog/cat comparisons that pass for jokes and make trinket
and poster manufacturers rich. Yesterday, for example, I saw this on
someone's bumper: "Dogs Come When You Call, Cats Have Answering
Machines." The cheesy effort to give cats an image of being aloof,
stuck-up and basically cold can do a great deal of harm to their
welfare at large; because before I became the owner of my aged former
stray, I relied on that negative PR to reinforce my stereotypes.

I'm so glad you gave your little buddy a chance. How 'bout for a year
everyone names their new kittens Buddy, Rover, King, etc. to show that
cats ARE just as demonstrative, in their special natures, as dogs?

How about I can tell you still hate cats, you **** head. I love dogs and
cats.

"Paul O." wrote

Cat's have a certain independecy and aloofness that a dog doesn't have

... and that insecure people just can't tolerate. It's like SHOW ME YOUR
LOVE, DAMN IT! :')


and I think that this is why some people don't like cats. They show their
love in a little different way.

Yes, they do. Usually in more subtle ways. I was going to say that one nice
thing is that cats don't slobber all over you, but then I remembered that
some cats do drool when happy.

Your baby sounds darling.

"Paul O." wrote

Cat's have a certain independecy and aloofness that a dog doesn't have

... and that insecure people just can't tolerate. It's like SHOW ME YOUR
LOVE, DAMN IT! :')


and I think that this is why some people don't like cats. They show their
love in a little different way.

Yes, they do. Usually in more subtle ways. I was going to say that one nice
thing is that cats don't slobber all over you, but then I remembered that
some cats do drool when happy.

Your baby sounds darling.

But a great deal of that hatred was *reinforced,* not changed, by
those Yuk-Yuk dog/cat comparisons that pass for jokes and make trinket
and poster manufacturers rich. Yesterday, for example, I saw this on
someone's bumper: "Dogs Come When You Call, Cats Have Answering
Machines." The cheesy effort to give cats an image of being aloof,
stuck-up and basically cold can do a great deal of harm to their
welfare at large; because before I became the owner of my aged former
stray, I relied on that negative PR to reinforce my stereotypes.

When we got married, my DH had this redneck "cats don't belong in the house"
mentality. Thirty years later, he's sleeping with a cat curled up between his
feet and wakes up with a back ache because he won't move for fear of disturbing
the cat. He loves those cats as much as I do.

Sherry

But a great deal of that hatred was *reinforced,* not changed, by
those Yuk-Yuk dog/cat comparisons that pass for jokes and make trinket
and poster manufacturers rich. Yesterday, for example, I saw this on
someone's bumper: "Dogs Come When You Call, Cats Have Answering
Machines." The cheesy effort to give cats an image of being aloof,
stuck-up and basically cold can do a great deal of harm to their
welfare at large; because before I became the owner of my aged former
stray, I relied on that negative PR to reinforce my stereotypes.

When we got married, my DH had this redneck "cats don't belong in the house"
mentality. Thirty years later, he's sleeping with a cat curled up between his
feet and wakes up with a back ache because he won't move for fear of disturbing
the cat. He loves those cats as much as I do.

Sherry

In article ,
Laura R. wrote:

circa 3 Jul 2004 03:54:04 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Cowa
Bungie ) said,
I'm so glad you gave your little buddy a chance. How 'bout for a year
everyone names their new kittens Buddy, Rover, King, etc. to show that
cats ARE just as demonstrative, in their special natures, as dogs?

If I were to name my cats according to their natures, they'd be
Drooly Purring Noodle, Foot-Licking Dust Bunny, Kinda-Dumb-but-
Snuggly Blobba the Hut, Extra Furry Wet Nose Peeper and Mysterious
Asian Tank.

Think that'll help cats' images? ;-)

Hmmm. Mine would be Darling Face-Licker Smart Ass Bitch, Fluffy Flamer
Fuzz-Brains Bedtime Monitor, and Mr. Rub My Forehead Please Oh You
Scared Me with the Celedon Eyes.

Priscilla

In article ,
Laura R. wrote:

circa 3 Jul 2004 03:54:04 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Cowa
Bungie ) said,
I'm so glad you gave your little buddy a chance. How 'bout for a year
everyone names their new kittens Buddy, Rover, King, etc. to show that
cats ARE just as demonstrative, in their special natures, as dogs?

If I were to name my cats according to their natures, they'd be
Drooly Purring Noodle, Foot-Licking Dust Bunny, Kinda-Dumb-but-
Snuggly Blobba the Hut, Extra Furry Wet Nose Peeper and Mysterious
Asian Tank.

Think that'll help cats' images? ;-)

Hmmm. Mine would be Darling Face-Licker Smart Ass Bitch, Fluffy Flamer
Fuzz-Brains Bedtime Monitor, and Mr. Rub My Forehead Please Oh You
Scared Me with the Celedon Eyes.

Priscilla

itty (Sherry ) wrote in message

When we got married, my DH had this redneck "cats don't belong in the house"
mentality. Thirty years later, he's sleeping with a cat curled up between his
feet and wakes up with a back ache because he won't move for fear of disturbing
the cat. He loves those cats as much as I do.

Tell me about it! That "cats don't belong in the house" was *exactly*
my POV until I was left for a month in the dead of winter with "that
cat" to "feed and water." Another person in the house literally
didn't care if it lived or died, and I'd go down the cellar, where
baby stayed, and dish out the food and water and then run like the
plague.

Then I started putting out old goose-down coats for her, since she
refused to stay upstairs. Then the original owner came back but left
for another trip, and one spring day, when I was painting the dining
room, missy came up from the cellar and started licking my toes. I
sobbed my heart out--let me tell you, if you want to know the meaning
of the word "repentance," it's from a *former* cat hater!

Well, I just interrupted writing this post to serve her her milk on
the lawn, so she doesn't have to budge from the rays of the setting
sun. She's in her sunset years but still thinks of herself as queen
of the night, a real mountain lion. And I of course do not wish to
upset her self image...