In article , Charlie wrote:

On Thu, 3 Apr 2008 23:02:24 +1100, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

Charlie wrote in message
On Thu, 3 Apr 2008 15:09:50 +1100, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

All of my cats have been able to
catch fully grown rats and nearly all of them have come home with adult
rabbits although some have only caught half grown rabbits (at least that I
have witnessed). If a normal adult cat can't catch a fully grown rat or
rabbit, then it must be a very pampered domestic cat that has never been
allowed to play with more than a stuffed toy. I currently have a very
small
spayed female cat (18 years old and now blind, but otherwise healthy and
still using the outdoors in addition to the house) and she has caught
fully
grown rabbits, many kitten rabbits as well as many adult rats.


I think it is pretty cool when the cat brings home food for his people.
If we aren't around to accept his gift, he will leave it at the door
for us to find and/or carry it in when we let him in.

It is interesting the way they do that. I wonder why they do it. Do they
think we are their litter or too incompetent to feed ourselves?????

In our last place (a historic Rectory with too many holes to the outside) we
once had a rat in the kitchen. We locked the cat in there and next morning
she was sitting as neat as a pin with the dead rat curled around her front
feet. I swear she was smiling and simpering when we went in there the next
morning.

Until Stan came to us, I wasn't aware of the extent of cat vocalization
either. He uses different language for different situations.
DIfferent pitches and intonations. Sometimes he "chirps" in one way
when he has found us outside, a different way when he is bringing us a
gift....I don't know.....I didn't realize the variety and subtlety to
cat communication, both in posture and vocally.

Just goes to show folks that very valuable garden tools are not always
made of wood and steel.

True, but I do wish the dogs wouldn't throw themselves upside down in front
of me for a belly rub when I'm trying to weed - slothful wretches.

Heh heh.....ain't that the truth. The daft critters can set you on yer
arse too when they love you in the garden, all squatted down and all.
;-)


Aside: Since we last spoke, last fall sometime, we have added a third
ankle-biter to the grand-kids. Little girl, now in her sixth month.
It's getting busy for us old folks here! :-)

Congrats Grandpa! Grandchildren are such a delight (and soooo much better
than ones own children).

Amen. I can honestly say I haven't lost my cool with them ever.
And...I have found that my respect for and relationship with my boys,
which has always been pretty good, has improved since they were born.

I guess we were perhaps too caught up in the busyness of life when our
own were little. It is simply wonderous to see them learn and grow and
I am so blessed to be able to be part of this learning. And so often
plumb worn out!


Hope you're feeling well and life is good for you.

Yes thank you, just getting old creaky but I have to live till I'm 150 to
finish everything I want to do yet. Winter is now beginning and I suspect
that it will be a long one as it's early. May the summer be a good one for
your Northern hemisphere bods.


I hope your winter isn't as long and dreary as ours was this year
(smack in the middle of the US, NW Missouri). Snow cover from mid-Nov
until mid-March. Major icestorm that took out our power for 4 days,
others for up to a week Spring is not developing well. It is
unseasonably wet and cold, nothing is greening yet and daytime temps
struggle to rise out of the 40sF. They say it is to improve a bit next
week, tempwise. Several areas of the central US are in major flood
situation and it looks to get worse.

Ah well, winter is the time for books and dreams and extra time with
the younguns, depending upon one's situation.

You know, this converse with others in opposite seasons is a bit of a
headtrip for me. Things that are just the way they for me, are
entirely different for others. Like, how the hell can you have
christmas, advent, kwanzaa, hanukkah, whatever one wants to call the
season (being careful not to offend anyone ;-) ) in the friggin'
summertime? ;-)

Care
Charlie

Aw, come on Charlie. Does Santa's little helpers in bikinis help? Hmmm?
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/