^^^^^^ Hence the reason we Lo longer put up a Christmas tree. Two kittens loved to clime it and a third loved to chew the low hanging wires apart.

Every cat is different. We adopted an all black cat three years ago that was abused by his previous owners. He's very afraid of humans. He is okay with our other cats and dogs but no one in the family has been able to pet him in three years.
He's well fed and seems healthy. He has only recently started staying in the same room with us humans. So maybe in another three years we can finally pet him. We're patient.

Here he is next to Tiger (my daughter grabbed Tiger in the middle of a snow storm two years ago and Tiger has adopted us). We're up to two dogs, 2 rabbits and eleven cats. Fish and parakeet too. Amazingly enough the cats and rabbits get along so we don't have to cage the rabbits. The parakeet flies around in my son's room and goes back to his cage to do his business. He knows when there is a knock on the door to go back to his cage because a cat might be coming in.

This is the only remaining photo of my cat many years ago, Max or aka the Skunk affectionately named because of his fat fluffy tail. He was quite the contortionist as you can see by the photo. He was one great cat and never forgotten

Wow. 11 cats. And people think we are crazy with 5.

Our latest one is Jessie. She is a 4yo that we picked up from the local pet store APL display. Don't know her history but she was rejected at her first foster home. My guess is she was a stray early on.

She will not let you approach and pet her. She always runs. However, she will come to us, jump on our laps, allow us to pet her for a few minutes then off she goes. She is more my cat so she lets me rub her belly and can become a rag doll at times. Still can't walk up on her though.

She has gotten a little better through the years but it's taking longer than I would have thought.

I took in two "feral" kittens. They were born outside, and I got them to try to socialize them, but they ended up with me.

A tom had attacked them and killed one, injured Binky, and Rusty escaped unscathed.

Binky was skittish after that. He never forgot the attack. He would run from me also.

He lived to 15, and by the last few years, he would come up on my lap and want attention. Wanted to lay with me.

It took 7 years to gain his trust so that I could pet him on my lap. SEVEN YEARS. He never got over the fear of the attack as a kitten.

Sometimes, you take what you can get, and have to be content with providing food, shelter, and affection on THEIR terms.

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta: She is more my cat so she lets me rub her belly and can become a rag doll at times.

You're a lucky one. With the Fuzz, though him being most exclusively my cat by default, I can get away with a little side rub on his belly as he's stretching out but, any direct rub on his belly is a risky venture at best and I'd be best served being ready for a fast and immediate withdrawal if I value my flesh. I think he's just ticklish or overly sensitive in that areas. He is otherwise a very affectionate cat on his terms

quote:

Originally posted by just1tym:

quote:

Originally posted by ugeesta: She is more my cat so she lets me rub her belly and can become a rag doll at times.

You're a lucky one. With the Fuzz, though him being most exclusively my cat by default, I can get away with a little side rub on his belly as he's stretching out but, any direct rub on his belly is a risky venture at best and I'd be best served being ready for a fast and immediate withdrawal if I value my flesh. I think he's just ticklish or overly sensitive in that areas. He is otherwise a very affectionate cat on his terms

Gray loves his belly rubbed. Black is hit or miss. He thinks it means play time most times and will paw at my hands and bring them in for a chomp. Somehow he never claws me in this process but still has a tight hold. Also when he chomps it never hurts.

no, this! is nuts!
http://wqad.com/2016/04/20/doz...ed-from-orion-homes/

Great home video Jesse! I'll not likely see the Fuzz allowing a good belly rub like that, though he does have his affectionate side. Most daily he spends at least 2hrs in my lap purring and allowing a good petting, after which he'll do one of these high back arch stretches and walk up my chest and give me a soft head bonk before stepping off onto the bed. In retrospect, I think my wife is to blame cat rumbling with him. She'll pin him on his back and hold both his front paws and chompers while vigorously rubbing his belly with her other hand, and Fuzz only left to his rear legs for defense. He only tolerates a minute of it before he escapes her evil clutches. Out of frustration he get's even with me for allowing her to demoralize him by latching on to my hand if I try and rub his belly. I'm probably partially to blame also by trying to pull my hand away from him after he seizes it and I get clawed by his grasp, a natural reaction on both our parts, no harm, no foul.

He is after all an "only cat" a incredibly spoiled by competing affections from my wife and I and knows it!

We have two cats, Mr. Kitty is the elder at 15 or so years. He's part Siamese. A couple weeks ago I took a picture of him standing with the kids' toy dinosaurs when he happened to yawn. I thought the timing was pretty good.

Catasaurus Max.

quote:

Originally posted by Tonyny:

non cat story

wife gave me a ferret when we got married,

then, she attempted to rescue a hamster from someone she knew that did not want it,

we had the hamster in a small cage, and thought it was high up enough in the room we had some stuff stored in (placed on top of a pile of boxes temporarily),,,

we were in the basement watching TV one night and heard a bump or 3 that sounded like something getting knocked over (ferret had free run of the house)

he had managed to climb up and knock the cage over, and when it hit the ground, it sprung open,

when I got to the room, my ferret had the hamster in his mouth and was heading off for lunch,,,,

he lived, and was gone to another home the next day

Those "long cats" (as my granddaughter refers to them) will weasel a meal in a New York minute.

quote:

Originally posted by Ripley:

After all, it takes a lot of energy to take on a Christmas Tree one-on-one by yourself

Had to give Black a bath last night. Not sure what he did, but he smelled like poop (actual poop, not figuratively). He was a very good boy. Not a single scratch, no fighting just let me bath him no problem. Was a good boy for towel drying, then still a good kitty for blow drying and brushing.

Nothing like spending your anniversary evening bathing stinky cat ass.