h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, in my house - CATS RULE!

I quite love this as I am constantly being told (especially on some hootoo threads) that I come across 'all superior'. Like say what? One only has to see how much my cats have me totally under their little paws to know that I KNOW MY PLACE in this world. And that is to be a cat servant.

My goodness, I love those pointy-eared beasts!

az

az has vulcans at home

Vulcans??? Eeek. Never thought of that possibility. Could be true.

But I mean honestly, they are so lovely yet challenging. And I do love a challenge. The idea of a pointy-eared whiskered-faced little beings putting me TOTALLY IN MY PLACE is so refreshing, somehow.

I means I can never get too big for my boots.

az

My two cats aren't lap cats. This is not to say that they won't keep company by perching nearby or enjoy a game of kitty-baseball (in which the rattle mouse is pitched up to their perches at the top of their 'tree' and they bat it away) or fetch. You just won't find either one on you, is all.

After having them for three years, and them never been out of the company of me or the roomie, we both went to his cousin's for 2 days for Thanksgiving.

Upon getting home, Oghma plops himself neatly in my lap and has a kip. Just the once. Ganesh I found sleeping on my chest the next morining (he's small, so I didn't notice while asleep). Not done it again in the days since, either cat.

Ok, they're up to something new!

I've had these two cats, Rocket and Missy, for 3 years and 1 1/2 years, respectively. All along, except for the adult male nursing the now adult female, they've been fairly normal, textbook cats. Then, last week...

I admit it, I'm lazy; also indecisive. I have been putting off what to do about my hair for a lonngggg time now, so much so that currently it reaches more than halfway down my back. Most of the time, I twist it up into a clip, but also wear it loose, around the house.

Last week, I noticed an itchy spot on the back of my shoulder blade. I discovered that I had a scratch there! No clue as to how it happened.

Well, I was only half asleep a few nights later when I felt a sneaky little paw drawing across my shoulder under the edge of the blanket ... tugging at my hair! I carefully turned over, and saw two cats looking as guilty as possible for such self absorbed little critters, with strands of my hair still sticking out of my girl's mouth!

Missy chews hair. My hair, not her hair, not Rocket's hair. And not while I'm awake, either. She never did this when she was a kitten and it makes me wonder how long this has been going on, and why I sleep like one dead, apparently.

Clearly, if you want a life full of interesting puzzles, own (or be owned by) a cat....

SC

I adopted Lua (crankiest cat on four paws) when she was 2 and she has *always* had a passion for chewing on my hair. She sleeps right next to, practically on top of, my head at night and once I fall asleep she goes for the hair. I don't actually like her doing this as I'm not particularly fond of having cat gob all over my hair (ick) but there's nothing I can do when I'm asleep. Also, I do wonder how unhealthy it is for Lua to be ingesting the residue of hairspray and gel. Mind you, she is now 13 1/2 so it can't be harming her that much.

az

Everyone who likes cats should go to A1897365 to the Feline Mercenary Army!! Especially you, Az, since you're already a member who's never there

My cat had some sorta of injection (something beginning with V) when he went to the vets to make him nice. Now he's constantly in on my lap. He even went on Mum's lap the other day, and I'm the only one in the house he usually likes. Mind you, when I sat down he moved over to me

Cat

Anyone who wants to understand cats could do worse than consult Terry Pratchett's "The Unadulterated Cat". Now there's a man who understands cats - as far as cats can be understood, at least.

Really? I've just bought my first ever Terry Pratchett book, which turns out to be his most recent, and I am told by a fan that I might miss a lot of the nuances regarding some of the regular characters. But so far I am totally loving the book - Night Watch. Thing is, in Spain there isn't a huge selection of books to be found in English, so I take them as I find them.

Oh, there is no problem with understanding cats at all! Once you accept that they are in fact the centre of the universe.

Cranky ole Lua constantly sits next to me on a stool (that I pull up especially for her) so she can be next to me whilte I hootoo. I keep telling myself this has nothing to do with having the portable radiator also next to me . . . surely it's being next to ME and not a radiator that is important! Right?

az

stern look at azahar

why do you see the glass half empty, while it is also half full?
may be Lua likes your company and the heater is added bonus!

hi pheloxi,

To be honest, poor old Lua *is* a totally cranky bitch cat from hell, but she is also my Lua. Bless her furry little heart.

I was just kidding about the radiator. Even in summer, when it is soooooooooo hot here that doing anything even remotely strenuous (like breathing) makes one burst into sweat, the old girl is constantly by my side these days. It wasn't always this way, but now that she's getting older she *always* has to be next to me. Though she is still very cranky.

Thing is, she almost hates being petted and you have to do it 'just right' in order for her to accept your attempts at affection. I think it's just a big front myself. She is so desperate for constant affection but does not want to let on that she is needy. So I have to pretend that I am cuddling her and kissing her on the head 'against her wishes'. Even though she adores kisses on the head. Oh, it's just so funny.



az
so happily owned by three weirdo cats . . .

az...you are good r

Hi Az

You Lua sounds like an older, crankier version of my Missy. She just wants you to think it's the radiator...she really just wants to be next to you!

The thing is, Missy doesn't like being picked up or petted, either. I, on the other hand, have seen what it puts a cat through to be injured or sick and trying to squirm away or hide when a trip the the vet is necessary, so I pick her up briefly and gently once or twice a day, so she won't panic TOO much, if the time comes.

I wonder if she messes with my hair while I'm sleeping, because she's afraid she'll be involuntarily petted while I'm awake, and she's just too curious to leave it alone?

Lately, I wake up with a little lump under the covers on the other side of the bed which turns into a furry stripy blur when I peek...apparently, cold is worse than fear!

SC self-confessed r

Missy does sound a bit like Lua. Except Lua has *always* been cranky! I remember the first day I got her home after adopting her. She was two years old. Nobody else wanted her. I soon found out why! I mean, honestly. So cranky. Totally unaffectionate. Didn't liked being touched.

But she could sure kill cockroaches!

At the time I was living in a ground floor flat in Salamanca with a patio. And during the night these massive cockroaches the size of toasters used to come out of the sewer drain - just like in a horror film. So I would stick Lua out in the patio for the night (it was summer and she liked the fresh air) and in the morning I would sweep up the bodies. She was also very good at catching flies in mid-air but she is getting a bit too old to do that anymore. And happily I no longer have a cockroach problem.

So anyhow. Lua has come in handy at times.

But I really don't understand the hair thing. Really it grosses me out because I don't want cat spit all over my hair. Which leads me to another question . . .

You've all probably noticed that your cat's breath is quite stinky and, well, rather ick. Right? And all day long cats are licking themselves. In effect, covering themselves with cat gob. And so. . . why don't they smell horrible? I don't know anyone who washes their cats. I have never washed mine (well, except for the first time I brought Azar in from the street, but really I just sponged him down to get most of the dirt and dust off him). So why are they never dirty and stinky? Okay, I do brush the cats, but I mean, it's almost magical. They always smell very clean and fresh even though . . . well, they really can't be, can they? If they are covered in cat spit?

Another of life's many mysteries.

Must sleep now . . .

azzzzzzzzzzz

It is quite amazing how clean cats smell isn't it! I love to bury my face in their fur and sniff!! Warm fur is lovely. And my two don't seem to object (too much) when I have my fix!

I love it when they have been out and they come back with various smells attached (nice ones of course). We have a pine tree near us and they sometimes go and rub themselves against that - they come back all piney! And sometimes if there's a bonfire nearby they will come back with a residual smell of that in their coats. But mostly it's when they've been out in the cold and their fur smells "outdoor fresh" - just like laundry on a washing line. I love that - and their ears are always so cold!

But you are right Az - they never smell of cat breath!

My cats affect sensitive noses, and won't use the scented litters because of it. Mind you, this sensitivity doesn't stop them from scarfing tidbits of garlic chicken, and Wok Master is very generous with their fresh garlic.

Perhaps if you changed your shampoo to something more strongly perfumed, your hair might get left alone. Or, if the kitties think they are grooming you perhaps they are trying to clean off the scent of your shampoo so you *don't* smell like it. I know that mine will cooperate/compete-groom each other to get (the smell of) their flea-drops off of each other.

We have a very funny Christmas album with cats "singing" Christmas songs. It uses real meows coordinated on a keyboard so the meows match pitch with the notes of othe songs. When we first got it, we wondered if the cats we had at the time would be freaked out by it, but they didn't pay it any attention.

The other night my husband put it on, and Mars _ our new 3 1/2 month old kitten _ nearly went nuts trying to find the other cats. He walked around and around the stereo speaker, first trying to
peer through the grill cloth and find the cats inside, then walking around behind it to look for them there. We finally turned it off to give him a rest.

sound like cat in the window trying to catch the snow

Yesterday we had cats trying to run away from the sun and into the air-con breeze. It was 38degrees outside |-) HOT!!!! And then I went kayaking!! And by then it was like 39, but after a while it started cooling down. We didn't wanna get in the boats, just hang around in the water