Cat Lovers Thread

[shanlung]

I also thought it to be normal to call to your cats to come and see them coming.
So I never bothered to take videos of Ivan Dommie and Katie and other kitties coming to me when I called them.
Until I was told otherwise.

Sieben was a Abyssinian. Given to me and my wife when we returned to Singapore from Oman.
Dommie and Katie left in Oman.
I spend 3 months to transistion Dommie to his new keeper.

This on Sieben and videos of him coming to me on recalls within split second of my calling him

https://www.facebook.com/shanlung/posts/10152866329868421

Kind of summarised in Facebook.

But I will extract in full from those 2 Livejournal entries for you all to see in context


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Extracted from my livejournal
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/138460.html

Fostering trust between Sieben and Jackie


WARNING WARINING!!!

DO NOT ON THE BASIS OF YOUR SEEING WHAT I HAVE DONE THAT YOU GO AND DO THE SAME WITH YOUR KITTY AND BIRDIE YOURSELF. ENJOY WHAT I WRITE AND DO NOT TRY TO IMITATE WHAT I HAVE DONE. IT IS LIKELY I LEFT OUT DETAILS, ESPECIALLY STUFF I TOOK FOR GRANTED, AND WHICH MAY BE CRITICAL.

YOU SEEN ME DOING FREE FLIGHTS. YOU ALSO SEEN MY WARNINGS TO YOU ALL NEVER TO DO FREE FLIGHTS.


WARNING WARNING !!!


More photos in Flickr folder _Jackie 02 - Entente Cordiale with Sieben
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157629433193745/



I really felt so much like a fool in taking so long to this course of action with Sieben.

And in a way, I felt bad that I might have been the cause of Sieben being a gwaigwai shishi sort of kitty.

( Cantonese language refresher: Gwai is cantonese for ghost. Gwaigwai meant ghostly. Shi is mouse, shishi is mousey way. gwaigwai shishi is derogratory cantonese for moving in figurtive sneaky way).

I could not see how Sieben would not be moving in a gwaigwai shishi way with me earlier when I was perpertually trying to catch him to lock him up or to get him out of the flight zone of the birdie. Half of Sieben was wanting to come to me, and half of Sieben tried to avoid me.

So in the days since I found my new way, Sieben got on to an entirely new relationship with me. Very little of gwaigwai shishi remained on Sieben. I could almost say Sieben moved so elegantly now, with lazy look at me and what I was doing.

You knew that the interations with Jackie was about 6-7 sessions a day. Which meant Sieben was called to me about that number of times.

I felt far far better knowing exactly where Sieben was instead of not knowing where he was and with my eyes frantically darting left and right and missing sight of Sieben until he suddenly popped out.

Sieben would appear within the second of my calling for him.
Each time and about every time. The one time he took a second, I felt he must be doing his toiletry behind the kitchen and yet he ran and jumped out.

Talk is cheap, and therefore a video taken of Sieben coming to me when called.
Almost to split second, and almost as if he was waiting for my call.

So who ever said a kitty will never be trained to come when called?

So every day since I started on what I hope to be a road towards understanding between Sieben and Jackie, the 3 of us have been working on this. Ivan made occasional cameo appearances. But Ivan seemed to have accepted Jackie earlier and never showed the hunter mode to Jackie. I have seen Ivan in hunter mode before during the times when he was a frequent bearer of unwanted gifts to me, about twice a month, and with sparrows and pigeons taken down with a 2 meter leap straight up.

Do note that Sieben was always on one side of my body and Jackie on the other side.


More photos in Flickr folder _Jackie 02 - Entente Cordiale with Sieben
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157629433193745/








Do note that either my elbow or arm was almost always in the way of Sieben. If you ever go to a modern zoo where the lions and tigers are kept in almost natural surroundings and not in the cage, you might wonder why they never leapt out of their area to where humans watched them. You might notice innocent rock, or tree trunk in their area. That rock or trunk have been placed such that they could never build up the speed for that leap into your lap while you watched them.

In the same way, my elbow, or arm, or finger was always in Sieben's way.

I called Jackie to my arm, and brought him close to Sieben. Sieben, being an active Abby, raised his leg like he was going to strike. I knew Sieben would strike, but as long as Jackie was not harmed, it was ok with me.

See Sieben raised paw as if to stike.


I called Jackie back. And brought Jackie close to Sieben.

And true to Sieben's nature, Sieben flashed out his paw and claws in a strike at Jackie. Which did not get Jackie , but got me in collateral strike. I bear the brunt. First time Sieben drew my blood even if it was a little scratch.

I shouted a stern NO to Sieben. Sieben cowed as if in embarrasement.

I repeated taking Jackie near to Sieben. I was bad. I was literally provoking Sieben into a strike. Which he did in a halfhearted way. I was mentally prepared and shouted a NO at Sieben. Sieben looked at me, stopped his strike in mid strike, and settled by my side.

That was repeated through the day and next day and today. Without Sieben raising a paw. Unlike the beginning on that first day. When Sieben tried to strike or moved past my arm towards Jackie.

Sieben got the message, I think. I could bring Jackie very close to Sieben.
But not that close as to allow Jackie to peck at Sieben. That will be tickling the tail of a dragon. And we do not want that at all.

Do I trust Sieben entirely with Jackie now?

I do not!

Trust must be verified. How I am to verify that I do not have a clue now.

And besides, I never relied on trust alone. There is such a thing as misplaced trust.

But I think I feel safer that Sieben is no longer showing aggression towards Jackie. Or even showing a playing mode towards Jackie. Or raising his paw in preparation of a strike.

I can only think it augurs well.


More photos in Flickr folder _Jackie 02 - Entente Cordiale with Sieben
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157629433193745/

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Last few photos of Jackie/Sieben and End of this chapter //

Last few photos of Jackie/Sieben and End of this chapter //Future fight with Nic

. WARNING WARINING!!! DO NOT ON THE BASIS OF YOUR SEEING WHAT I HAVE DONE THAT YOU GO AND DO THE SAME WITH YOUR KITTY AND BIRDIE YOURSELF. ENJOY WHAT I WRITE AND DO NOT TRY TO IMITATE WHAT I HAVE DONE. IT IS LIKELY I LEFT OUT DETAILS, ESPECIALLY STUFF I TOOK FOR GRANTED, AND WHICH MAY BE CRITICAL.…

shanlung.livejournal.com

WARNING WARINING!!!

DO NOT ON THE BASIS OF YOUR SEEING WHAT I HAVE DONE THAT YOU GO AND DO THE SAME WITH YOUR KITTY AND BIRDIE YOURSELF. ENJOY WHAT I WRITE AND DO NOT TRY TO IMITATE WHAT I HAVE DONE. IT IS LIKELY I LEFT OUT DETAILS, ESPECIALLY STUFF I TOOK FOR GRANTED, AND WHICH MAY BE CRITICAL.

YOU SEEN ME DOING FREE FLIGHTS. YOU ALSO SEEN MY WARNINGS TO YOU ALL NEVER TO DO FREE FLIGHTS.


WARNING WARNING !!!


More photos in Flickr folder _Jackie 02 - Entente Cordiale with Sieben
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157629433193745/

( Cantonese language refresher: Gwai is cantonese for ghost. Gwaigwai meant ghostly. Shi is mouse, shishi is mousey way. gwaigwai shishi is derogratory cantonese for moving in figurtive sneaky way).

For some months I had been thinking of getting holy water. It would not matter to me if the holy water was blessed personally by the Catholic Pope, or the handful of existing Taoist Pope or the Dalai Lama to exorcise the gwaigwai from Sieben.

I really had not thought it was me that caused it, and it was me that lifted it, and Sieben became such a sweet cat after that. No need for any holy water at all.

This morning I saw Sieben lying down by the computer room and far from the living room. I positioned my wife with my camera, and I went to the sofa to call Sieben.

You can see for yourself how Sieben responded to my cue to come, running and pounding and leaping all the way to me. Took him longer than the split second, but do forgive Sieben as he was a lot further away.

It was a few days after I started on this. I had to make sure my elbow and arm kept on Sieben's chest. Sieben still tried to get at Jackie. It would have taken much longer than a few days. Sieben tried to get around my arm. How much of it was hunting and how much of playing kind of irrelevant to me as both can be dangerous.

Of course, Jackie remained safe.

And enjoy those photos.

Those will be the last few photos you will see of Jackie and Sieben.

This chapter is coming to an end.

















You knew my life consisted of chapters and chapters and the only constant in my life are changes.

You also knew I prepared for all that by only having local birds that I might then be able to release back to the wild where they came from should I be unable to find others to care for them cage free.

You all recalled I was truly captivated by the Yellow Streaked Lory after I first saw that in Chiayi and how much I yearned to have one.

Photos of that alone will not do the YSL justice. You need to see the YSL moving and the golden spears on the nape moving to see true beauty in motion.

There is a very highly regarded breeder and aviculturist Mr R G in Singapore. I have very high regard for him ever since meeting him about 6-7 years ago. I was nicely surprised to know he regarded me very well too.

He bred BP2s and Hyacinths and other birds very successfuly. He knew of my love for the YSL and his offer of YSL to me meant more than BP2 or Hyacinth. That was a moment of truth. I agonised and agonised, but recognised I was not permanent in Singapore. I knew I would lose my heart to the YSL and even more at the inevitable farewell.

With pain, I could not accept the YSL. Neither did I accept offers of other hookbills to me in Singapore.

I received an offer that I decided to accept.

I will be flying off to Dhaka, Bangladesh as advisor to a railway construction project there on Monday 5th March.

What you all will get from me there I have no idea. Just as I had no idea what life would be like when I first went to Taiwan, or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or the Sultanate of Oman.

Who might be my companions will be left to fate.

My wife will be looking after Jackie. Which was why I changed the diet to 30JM & 40 FP. That was to make up for the 10 grams of treats that my wife would be unlikely to give over the day as she works. I changed the diet again to 25JM & 45 JP. I found 30JM & 40 FP kept increasing the early morning first weight from 175 to 177 to 180s. 25JM & 45 FP stabilised at early morning first weight of about 173-174.

If I find I be staying on long in Bangladesh, and my wife cannot cope with Jackie, Cyrus aided by Chiu San, will come and get Jackie. I will leave it to those 2 to decide who will keep Jackie or to let Jackie go.

It is kind of sad even though I expected it even before getting of Jackie. I loved his independence and his cheekiness and his atitude.

The kitties would get their mash lovingly done by me to Sunday evening. After that, they will be feed kipples loaded with ethoxiquin and BHA/BHT and all other ickky additives.

My wife refused to contemplate the weighing and the mixing of all the stuff that went into the kitty mash. She had a point when she said pouring kipples out took seconds as against the 10 minutes I took in weighing, mixing and preparing the mash for the kitties each evening.

More photos in Flickr folder _Jackie 02 - Entente Cordiale with Sieben
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157629433193745/

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[shanlung]

Plagiarised from
https://shanlung.livejournal.com/112576.html
Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants

Partial extract only

That weighed and weighed on my mind.

That desert flight weekend was a long weekend extending to 27 Feb 2010 Saturday because of Prophet Mohammed (Blessed be his name) birthday.

On that Saturday, I decided to go to Wadi Harban with the kitties telling my wife that I thought of taking them there the last and first time we were there.


more photos in flickr folder "Wadi Halban with Kattie and Dommie"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623527800680/

That was certainly true.

But now in retrospect, I think what underlay those wonderful logical rationalization was the emotional fear of going to Buwah. I had thought Buwah was such a safe place to free fly, to all the worse scenarios in my mind then. That exuberance flight of Riamfada at the desert blew those scenarios apart.

Wadi Harban was a place that Riamfada would remain leashed up and that was why I chose that place to go to that day. The fear was too raw in me just the next day.

At Wadi Harban, we all enjoyed ourselves again. The unusual rains this year allowed lush growth of the grass and wild flowers there. Dommie was ever the explorer. Katie was fearful and remained inside the car, under the car, top of the car but mostly under the driver seat in the car.

The bee keepers came over this time to admire Riamfada and her recalls to me. They made us felt very welcome there with offers of water and honey that we declined with counter offers of our picnic goodies.

more photos in flickr folder "Wadi Halban with Kattie and Dommie"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623527800680/

That day passed well in between lunches, reading, flying Riamfada, trying to persuade Katie to be out of the car, snacks and cursing Dommie.

Dommie wanderings became more exuberant than before. I was dragged out of my book by my wife squealing away. I looked a while before I could make out Dommie was not only across the dry wadi, Dommie was making his way up the side of a high hill the sun was setting behind.

Dommie taken with 25x zoom on side of hill

That was a beautiful sight as Dommie stood in the skyline blazed by the sun behind him. My wife tried to shoot that shot. I told her if she accepted my offer to buy her a proper monster SLR camera (that of course she was expected to carry), she would have gotten a photo the entire world would crawl at her feet for. Instead of thanking me for that repeated offer, she directed verbal kicks to me.

She stopped verbally kicking me only because Dommie disappeared over the other side of the hill to wail away at me to get him back.

I firmly refused to walk that 200++ meters over the wadi, climb that humongous 45 degree slope to look for a Dommie that traitorously transferred allegiance to my wife and with saccharine eyes only for her. Cursing Dommie loudly was all I was prepared to do.

I even laughed and reminded my wife we planned to leave 20 minutes later from that place.

I wickedly added with or without Dommie and glad Katie was such a coward to remain within the car.

Dommie was a bad penny before it became reincarnated as Dommie. Just as I finished packing up base camp, Dommie appeared on the other side of that hill true to the nature of his former life as a bad penny. He came down the slope, ran across that wadi and my wife was happily reunited with her familiar again and we all went back home.

more photos in flickr folder "Wadi Halban with Kattie and Dommie"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623527800680/


On the 4th Mar 2010 Thursday, I decided to return to Buwah. Katie had not liked Wadi Harban and she seemed to explore happily at Buwah even if not to the extent of Dommie.


more photos in flickr folder "Buwah with Kattie and Dommie 4 March 2010 "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623580263992/


Strangely though, Katie refused to leave the car as before.

Despite one week of brooding, I could not think of a solution to Riamfada’s potential exuberance flight. The leash remained on Riamfada that day at Buwah. Not as if having that leash on hindered her flights to me in any way. The only impact was on Riamfada that there would be no soaring exuberant flights for her that would cause me premature aging.

That day was spent in the way it should be. Very uneventful to the point it could be considered boring for all of us.

Picking up rubbish & plastic bottles left by other #@$#%^&&(*^$# picnickers

We packed up and drove back.

A glimmer of a partial solution came during that drive back.

I could not pray to be given precognitive powers. And if I have precognitive powers, I would not have wasted it on Riamfada.

I would be a billionaire 100 times over playing the stock market, racing horses and futures market. I would then wired Riamfada up with miniature sensors and GPS widgets with no regards to costs to know exactly where she is at any time. And engaged a backup army of humans on scrambler bikes to keep eyeball lookouts to get her back.

I have little concern for spook flights for reasons I touched on earlier.

Parroty joke flights done to me had been local and had to be accepted as parroty joke to be lived with and within walking distances.

That eventuality that I had to prepare for is that Riamfada during an exuberance flight got blown or chased until she could not come back and too far for me to get to her.

Falcon transponders I had enquired in Dubai who wanted to charge me 3 times the price I saw on Internet.

But what if Riamfada could tell those who found her my telephone? Or my telephone number be on her that I then could be contacted.

What if something could be clipped to her with my telephone?

What about those tiny aluminium thingie with paper scrolled inside designed for cat or dog collars that I seen in pet shops in Qurum? That I could tie with Dyneema to her harness?

That same evening saw me in petshop there. They have no tiny aluminum cylinder thingie. Perhaps I seen that in petshop in some other countries that got mentally displaced to here in Muscat, Oman.

But they have tiny plastic cylinder thingie for cats or dogs. I rather have the aluminium as I feared Riamfada would just chew the plastic apart. I bought 2 of those at about 2 US$ each. They snapped open to reveal a scroll of paper for name address and telephone number inside.




The next morning was Friday. But that day would be devoted to checking this possible solution.
I called Mr Jabri who enjoyed that desert report and was frightened by that only a bit less than me and much more frightened than any of you for reason obvious to all of you.

He agreed his name and phone be written in that paper together with my wife telephone number. That was in case if Riam was rescued by someone who might not be able to speak English, he would be called.

I was prepared for any ransom or reward money to get Riamfada back.

I fixed two harness with that tiny cylinder thingie. Riamfada was harnessed up for that acid test. If those cylinder bothered her. She could chew that within a second.

She was curious, and gave that a cursory chew and never bothered again with that cylinder.

That Friday was spend in neighbourhood walks , and flights inside the house with just the harness on. She never bothered with the cylinder.

That was tested all through the week in our daily neighbourhood walks and recall flights done. That tiny cylinder thingie never bothers Riam at all when she was flying or not flying and ignored by her all the time.








Nothing is fool proof. But the chances of Riamfada being found and reunited with me is now immensely better with those telephone numbers attached to her harness via that cylinder.

Any freeflights will be done with Riam in her harness which now weigh 4 grams with that cylinder thingy. The harness is less than 1 % of her body weight. That 1 % is less than your running shoes /shirt/shorts that you wear when you go for a run. Or do you need to be naked and running without shoes before you feel you are truly running? If you feel that way, and if you are a sweet young thing and live near me, do me a favour and come over and run in circles around me.

Riamfada in harness is likely to be less exuberant. Which is fine by me.

I said before the body leash of the harness is reduced to barely an inch. The only way the harness could be snagged on tree would be on a tiny thorn or twig. Riamfada enjoyed almonds and brazil nuts in their shells. Riamfada chewed a basket to pieces and in the process of chewing the hostess trolley in her room to pieces. She chewed the 2 inch diameter perch in her room.

I cannot imagine Riam would not chew any twig if she is ever snagged by a twig. Maybe if her harness caught in barb wire fence might be a problem. I promise all that I will never fly Riam anywhere near barb wire fence or outside a prison wall.

I hope I am right and covered all the angles that I need to cover.

In last report, I mentioned I wanted to see the stars out in the desert except that time, the moon was full.

This is two weeks later, with no moon.

And I paid for Al Areesh camp yesterday for this weekend.

And we will see the stars over the Rub Al kayim on Thursday night.

(I tried to get this out before the weekend, but failed. That revisit to the desert camp will be in next report)










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Important old letters on harness
Harness for flighted parrots – To Nick and folks
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/8284.html

August, 2005.
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/2005/08/

‘ cargo cult'
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/100244.html

'Ramadan & Kitties on beach// Chess -1st Saturday IM Tournament // Tinkerbell Harness for Piper '
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/104066.html






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FREE FLIGHT IS LIFE AND DEATH PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF UNLESS YOU DO KNOW.
NEVER EVER FREE FLY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AS THIS CAN LEAD TO LOSS AND DEATH OF YOUR BIRD.


If what I wrote help you and you like to help, give a thought
for the wildlife sharing our planet.
Do write that cheque to Gerald Durrell wildlife trust

I am a life member of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Do join us to do
whatever we can for the wildlife that shared our planet.


http://www.durrellwildlife.org/
or to any wildlife conservation body of your choice


DEDICATION
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For those that through no fault of their own, or otherwise, and had to part painfully and unwillingly from their beastie or birdies, whether in the past, or the present, or in the future, I dedicate the saga of Riamfada that I had wrote , and continue to write to that final handover , to you all.

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(edited on 4th November 2011 to include below)

To Shanlung - How to do Free Flight Outside
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/129976.html

 

[shanlung]

 

[shanlung]

// Raining curses on Katie at Falaj Dam //

plagiarised from https://shanlung.livejournal.com/110199.html


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Raining curses on Katie at Al Felaij Dam


more photos in flickr folder "Al Felaij with Kattie "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623272324204/


Friday 22 January 2010


Tinkerbell Mash Batch 7 were finally all packed into baggies and stuffed into the freezer.

Not much of the morning was left. So we could not drive too far away.
The last time we had been to Al Felaij dam was in summer when Katie either threw tantrum or had a heat stroke. While the weather was warming up, it was still very nice and cool in the morning at 18 C.

I wanted a change from Buwah. I thought Al Felaij dam was near enough to go to and IT had not the brutal heat of summer when we were last there.

Dommie was not around the house. My calls for Dommie did not make him appear. Thoughts of walking about the neighbourhood calling for Dommie crossed my mind. But I felt that to be too stressful and humiliating. Curses on Dommie did not make him appear either. Katie was around, so she joined us on this trip.

The last time we were at Al Felaij, the bottom of the reservoir looked like the desert it was created from. That made me wonder why a dam was even there in the first place.


As we drove near the dam, I was amazed to see the water overflow covered much of the area outside the dam and over the road as well. Many cars were parked there with families out on picnic. That was a big surprise as the last rains were when we went on that Umq outing a couple weeks back or more. I had not expected to see any water at all.




We drove on to our usual picnic spot under a couple of big trees. And found a different sight from what we saw in summer. There was water in the dam. The water covered a vast area, with flocks of birds wheeling about over the water and feeding at the edge. I quickly parked the SUV under the tree and walked with my wife to the water edge with Riam on my shoulder. Katie had gotten out of the car but refused to join us. Katie was meowing to us to get back to her all the time. If Dommie was there, he would have been with us at the water edge. And with Dommie there, Katie would have been likely to be with us too.




There were tadpoles and frogs and insects at the water edge. The birds were jacarana type of long stilt legged birds.




Katie was a lot happier when we all got back. She was calling and calling. I felt she was calling for her brother Dommie. This was the first time Katie came out without her brother. I then set up base camp. The car rear doors with the rear door always remained opened. The better for the car sound system to reach us. Katie was making her way jumping up and down and inside the car, above the car, underneath the car meowing and calling for the first 30 minutes. Once a while Katie was on the tree that we were under. She was not high up the tree, maybe 3 meters or so, and we thought that was cute and let it be. She came down and back into the car in a few minutes by herself anyway.



more photos in flickr folder "Al Felaij with Kattie "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623272324204/

Dyneema loop with silicon cement for perch tie



cable duct stuck with silicon cement holding Dyneema loop for perch tie

I removed Riamfada’s leash. She knew she was free. But she never showed desire to fly away. She flew from perch , to my knee, or to my shoulder or back of chair. But sight of medium size raptors soaring above us made me decide against flying her yet. She was content just to remain there with us on her perch, or on my jeans, or on the back of my camp chair.

I wanted to chill out and read. My wife was doing her own thing. Since I did not care to focus on Riamfada, I clipped the leash line back on her again. She had not spooked ever before in these kind of outings. She knew clearly if leash is clipped on or not. I think the clipping of the leash was more to reassure myself.
Later on, the raptor departed. I thought of removing her leash to do free flights. Then I looked at the vast expanse of water and thought what if she did a parroty joke on me and flew over the water. In addition to Riam spook and scoot, I was also wary of Riamfada’s parroty joke.

Just a few days ago, during one of our regular neighbourhood walks, she did that to me. My wife was down the road 3 villas away from me and I gave recall. Riamfada took off and flew to me steadily. I was using my thumb on the reel spindle reeling in the line as fast as I could. But even so, I never could reel in the line as quickly as she flew. I should have guessed it from the way she flew to me in a straight line. She normally would bank and curved about in a very un-nerving way as she flew to me. She flew to me and flared her wings and tail as if to touch down and land on my shoulder as usual. She had some free line as I could not reel in fast enough. Then just as her claws landed on me, she used her legs to push off again to continue flying down the road with that free line. She did that to me at home a few times. She had no harness or line in the villa of course. She would fly to me as if to land, then ‘bounced’ off my shoulder to continue on elsewhere before turning around and landing back on me. In the home and safe closed environment, that was amusing after the first initial shock.

Out on the neighbourhood walk and even with her leash on, I had to be concerned even if I knew that was not a spook and scoot. I turned my body 180 degree to continue to watch her fly on down the road. I did not reel in the line anymore as that would literally jerked her to a halt. I kept my thumb on the reel spindle to add controlled frictional resistance as when the line came to an end and she had to draw more line, she would be slowed down. Just when she slowed almost to a halt, I released my thumb to let the reel spin freely. I called out to her to ‘come come come’. That slow down of line caught her attention, and my cues to her registered , and she turned in mid air and flew back to me. I think she was going to end her joke anyway. Still, I was glad her leash was on that time, and I used that to end her ‘parroty joke’ safely.

Free flights , or any kind of flights done outside, are not to be done if you have weak hearts.

I do have a system to contain the ‘free line’ when the reeling in of line could not be as fast as her flights to me. If you look at the perch normally used by my wife, you will see a rope loop at one end, useful to loop onto the wrist. You will see also a carabiner on that loop, useful to carabiner onto belt or backpack.




The carabiner had an even more important function. When I felt very fine control on free line was necessary to ensure no overflights passed me, or when ‘teaching’ Riamfada in understanding flights under branches and trees, I would tell my wife to carabiner the leash line. The carabiner then acted as a pulley on the leash, controlled indirectly by my wife holding the perch, and controlled directly by me via my control on the reel. In the cued flights of Riamfada to me, she had to drag out more line from my reel and which passes through that carabiner. I would use my thumb on reel spindle to control or even stop line release instead of trying to reel in line as fast as I could. I last used this function way back in April 09 when I was teaching Riamfada to fly under branches and trees in the back lane.
I should have used this at the flight at Al Awabi fort when she overflew me and went past and up to the ramparts of the fort. But hindsight is useless. With hindsight, I should have bought gold when it was 35US$ an ounce or bought some shares from Bill Gates when he was trying to flog them off in 1981/82.

I still do use that carabiner from time to time to simulate strong head winds for Riamfada during neighbourhood walks. She had to fly from my wife to me pulling the line via that carabiner and controlled by my thumb friction on reel spindle as if she had to fly in strong or very strong head winds depending on the pressure I exerted with my thumb on the reel spindle. When she got near me, she had to beat her wings and forced her way to my shoulder, inches by inches, as I controlled the line release with my thumb. I think she knew, and enjoyed those challenges I set out for her.


So at Falaj dam for her flights, I left her leash on instead. With that expanse of water, I did not wish for a parroty joke from Riam. I had waddled like a penguin after that episode at Seifa Al Sheikh. Read below if you do not know how to waddle like a penquin


Jebel Akhbar with Kat //Seifa Al Sheik - the Great Escape and recovery
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/103005.html

Replies & thoughts of Seifa Great Escape // Cyrus Oriole // An iftar meal
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/103233.html


I recalled the remarks of Moccasinlanding that she had to swim like a penguin to rescue her Nanday conure who did an unplanned flight despite being clipped. I hate to swim like a penquin as well if Riam decided to fly over the water.

Katie did not even joined us for those flights the way you saw her at Buwah. Katie stayed at base camp waiting for us to get back.



more photos in flickr folder "Al Felaij with Kattie "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623272324204/

I went back to base camp to chill out and read my Clive Cussler. With Katie wandering among our legs, or jumping up or down the car. Her meows became less and less as she realized Dommie was just not there. Riam remained happily on the back of my chair getting a headrub or seed now and then. Time passed that afternoon in a very dreamy way with me lost in an imaginary world with imaginary heros and imaginary villains.

We planned to leave at about 4pm as we were going to see Jabri family later at 5 pm.
At 330pm, my wife got me rudely yanked back into the present world from the book I was reading saying ‘Katie is gone’.

She gave me a shock.

I thought to myself that just could not be as Katie had stayed so near us all the time we were there. We looked in the car and under the car and all around us and could not see her. Even if Katie had tried to kill me and stupid to boot, she was still my stupid Katie.

I called her and heard very faint meows in reply. I could not make out from which direction she was calling from. I rushed to the front of the car to switch off Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ and called again for Katie. My wife was already walking away to look and call for her. I rushed to join her again to sounds of very faint meows. As we got further away from base camp, Katie’s faint calls became more faint and faded away.

I was getting worried. I recalled the last time when Katie threw tantrum, she ended up 400 meters away. I had to get her back. I split with my wife to cover more areas with her going along the water edge while I went up on the dam to see if I could spot Katie on the other side.

After 15 minutes of calling, and listening, I was despondent and sick in my heart. The vast area was daunting prospect to look for a little kittie.

Not withstanding I normally cursed Katie as often as I called her, I had not the heart to curse her this time. I was feeling devastated by the loss of Katie and laying out plans in my head how to get her back.

I saw my wife walking back to base camp. I thought I better go back to get my mobile and give a call to Jabris that we would not meet later that afternoon. Then my wife was signaling to me to hurry back.

I got back to see my wife pointing up the tree. I could not see why at first. Then I saw Katie, so high up the tree I could barely see her.

She was directly above the brown camp chair back on a thin branch

more photos in flickr folder "Al Felaij with Kattie "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623272324204/

That was why her meow was so faint. And why I could not make out which direction she was calling from. She was calling from way up above me and directly above me.

All of a sudden , I rediscovered my ability to curse Katie once again. My wife was an idiot in panicking and rushing off to look for Katie. I was a bigger idiot in following my wife rushing off to hunt for Katie.

Raining curses on Katie was a lot wiser, soothing and less damaging to me than scolding my wife, and less painful than kicking myself.

While packing up base camp at the same time. I then called Katie to come down. She looked down on us for a little while. And then she made her way down slowly along the branch . That branch was very thin, which was why Katie could not have rushed down to join us when we rushed away. And why her calls became more and more faint as we moved further and further away. Once she was on thicker branch, she leaped and bounded on the thicker branch and down the tree trunk. And then on the ground, she jumped immediately through the open door into the car. Katie was so sweet that my curses changed immediately to praises.

We then drove off. We stopped for a while outside the dam to admire the flowing waters and the people picnicking there and kids swimming in the stream. Did a few recalls to entertain them and then headed home.

more photos in flickr folder "Al Felaij with Kattie "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157623272324204/


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[dreamer11]

India HAS MORE variety of WILD CAT SPECIES than all continents (except Asia).

 

[Maarkhoor]

India HAS MORE variety of WILD CAT SPECIES than all continents (except Asia).

View attachment 697185

View attachment 697186

India has more variety of Dogs than cats....period....

 

[Maarkhoor]

You missed real SAFFRON Tiger Yogi Adityanath (UP CM), he will be our next PM, he show no-mercy.

Good for you people.....Best of luck...

 

[Kamikaze Pilot]

- PRTP GWD

 

[Indos]

India HAS MORE variety of WILD CAT SPECIES than all continents (except Asia).

View attachment 697185

View attachment 697186

Is the lion in India still live in wild life ?? I think it is weird due to the fact that in Pakistan and Afghanistan there is no lion but in India they are present.

 

[waz]

The thread is about cats. Now that filthy sanghi has gone, do return to the topic.

By the way guys I've always been interested in keeping exotic cat species, sadly here in the UK you need a licence and large holding areas.

I'd love to have a Serval:

Closest we can get are Savannah cats which are several generations away from the original like an F2;

 

[Sharma Ji]

Is the lion in India still live in wild life ?? I think it is weird due to the fact that in Pakistan and Afghanistan there is no lion but in India they are present.

Yes, in Gujarat. Gir national park.

There's a lot of illegal Lion shows etc too, kind of sad but many are still in the wild.. wild coastal lions of Gujarat.

 

[Sharma Ji]

here's some of our cats from many years ago:

this tiny fvcker was quite a handful

chilling with mama

these white buttons are not milk ?

no, no kitty treats here either

found the kitchen, let's steal hoomans foodings.. oops, got caught (yes, that's a 40 year old small oven, still works like a charm)

aah, hooman slaves serves us milk and food finally, family dinner time !

 

[shanlung]

https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/khew94

 

[shanlung]

Rags to riches for cat rescued by waste worker

A waste disposal worker rescues a cat from imminent death while sorting through rubbish at a plant in Russia.

www.bbc.com

 

[shanlung]

How Dommie was given away. Very slowly.
It would not be possible for me to give him away just like that. Transitions got to be made to new carer

One such transition episode

more on mind & tofu // Dommie at Omer//kitties// Riamfada and 3 turns on dime

more on mind & tofu // Dommie at Omer//kitties// Riamfada and 3 turns on dime

. 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 I have started a few threads recently in some forums. Some new letters into those thread from me. 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 Mentality of parrot I forgot all about…

shanlung.livejournal.com

Partial plagiarisation


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More photos in flickr folder 'Close to the final chapter '
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157624610483891/

Dommie at Omer

I related how I searched for Katie 5 times in 5 days in
Pakistan & Russia//Village Harban & Omer // Shower for Riamfada &back to room
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/118082.html

Sharon wrote to me that perhaps Katie might be making her way back home to me.
I hope with my soul that is not the case. She would have to cross 20 km of desert. Then there is this freeway of 6 lanes bothways of cars at 120 kph and 4 lanes of service roads that will be the death of her.

I rather hoped that Katie found a home in the intervening villages.

We brought Dommie yet again to Omer on 7th Aug.



He was let out. Dom stayed around for a short while. Soon he was on top of the wall and disappeared over the other side. My wife went inside Omer's house with all of them. I was queasy on Dommie and I stayed outside with Riamfada to try to keep an eye on him. Dommie went exploring. I called him to see Dom slinking off near a bunch of palm trees.

After 45 minutes in the heat, and losing sight of Dommie, I gave up and went back into the cool of the house and a welcomed cold drink.

I had fears of Dom getting lost and joining his sister. The last time Dom was here, he dissappeared. My wife called him and he returned.

Another 45 minutes passed by without Dommie. I thought of asking my wife to call for Dom as Dom is closer to her.

Just then, I saw his shadow in the bottom crack under the front door, and heard him meowing away in case none knew he was outside. I was so relieved. That was even better than calling for Dommie because what if we were not around to call for him.

Dommie showed he knew the area, went on a walkabout, recognised where Omer stayed, came back and called us all on his own.

He came in to be loved by all.





This was so important to me.

I love that Dommie. And I want Dommie to be part of Omer family and to live there happily.

We all went back home soon after.

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kitties


My wife went out with bags of rubbish. She said she was going to the municipal bin a bit down the road to throw.

She came back with a tiny orange ball with 4 legs. My wife said that came running to her at the bin area.

I thought that was karma.

We lost Katie or I would not have allowed that.

That kittie looked on the verge of death. The intervention of my wife gave her life.
I do not want to give her a name. So we called her Noname.

In a few days, Noname got her strength back.
Still, I should have put my foot down. But I thought a life saved to atone for Katie.






Noname even joined us on the neighbourhood walks.



Then my wife went to throw rubbish again.

That was how Unnamed came.
I knew I should have thrown a tantrum on Noname, but felt what was done was done.

And my wife went to throw rubbish yet again.

And Nameless came. My wife promised me no more kitties. There were three that she saw. That the first kittie , Noname came when she called and the other two ran away.
Then a few days later, Unnamed came when she called. The third time, she saw Nameless who could barely move.



They all live outside the villa in our car porch.

Only Dommie was very unhappy. Spitting and hissing whenever any of those orange balls of fuzz came within a foot of him.

Guys, do be careful if your wife said she is going to throw rubbish in municipal bin outside. Never mind about what the cat bring back. What the wife can bring back is your bigger worry.

More photos in flickr folder 'Close to the final chapter '
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157624610483891/

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Village Harban & Omer


More photos in flickr folder 'Dommie and Kattie and Halban'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157624526472767/


This is the village Harban where Omer stay in. A 78 kilometer round trip from where we stay.











You look in the 3rd photo above. Katie might be anywhere in the top half, and beyond.

Or in the photo below where my hand point towards.

I walked all over the village calling and calling for Katie 3 times.



In last report, I said we brought Dommie to Omer for the second time and had dinner there. These photos and videos were taken then. Prior to going to Omer, I had to search for Katie yet another time, the 4th time.

Looking back at the car and village Harban





Below is a 360 video scan of that area



We came here an hour before the scheduled meeting with Omer, to look and call for my Katie.

flychomperfly commented in my earlier report and I reproduced below

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You are always making significant contributions to our knowledge, and this is no exception. There is a contrast in your story that hit me hard.

People will watch parrots flying off when escaping from cages, so they say it's because they're wild--not domesticated. And yet, it would seem normal for a caged animal to fly away. So, it is their "wildness" that causes a parrot to fly away?

You have lived with your animals and have felt a wildness in Katie, while a closeness with Riamfada and Dommie. You set Riamfada loose with no harness and told her to fly and enjoy herself. Yes, she flew a bit far and gave you a pit in your stomach, but she followed you and returned. You set the kitties loose and told them to enjoy themselves, and Katie didn't come back--certainly not soon. Was she spooked? Maybe.

But it seems that people want to believe it is lack of domestication every time they see a bird fly off, while it is 'just the way of cats' that they wander off. And we don't think of cats as being spooked like we do birds. It is a double-standard that has clouded our ability to see beyond stereotypes of animals--instead of trying to understand the individual creature and that creature's personality.

People keep reminding me that parrots are just wild creatures, while cats are highly domesticated. However, there are so many examples like yours, which seem to be contradictory.

I keep trying to understand how domestication plays into our relationship with our parrots. Parrots can be just as bonded or just as wild as any cat, so i don't think we yet have a clear understanding of domestication.

flychomperfly
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I do not know what else to add to what he said.

In my earlier reports I had mentioned now and again that Katie was flakey, Katie ' 2 sandwich short of picnic', uncertainty on Katie, Dommie the steadier of the 2.

I was not being rude about Katie but as objective as I could on her characteristcs. But with the many trips we made out together, those trips went well as you have read.

Why she ran off, and not come at my call on that first day. I suspected that she went way beyond voice contact and could not hear me. She might have been in the wilderness when I thought she was in the village which I walked all over calling her.

I really do not know. I rather just have Katie back with us until time to go.
But if Katie is lost, I rather it be this way where I bear the burden of the guilt and not poor Omer.

We then drove to Omer's place.




Dommie was let out of his carrier into Omer little couryard. Dommie wandered about and jumped onto the wall.








After that bit of hide & seek with Dommie as in the last report, I went off with Riam to look and call for Katie in the village in the forlorn hope to get her again. I had little hope. But I think all in the village knew of us. Perhaps some time in the future, should Katie turned up, she would be known by all and brought to Omer.

The search for Katie might have a useful by product even if Katie is not found. The villagers there know of Dommie. Hopefully the knowledge of Dommie is loved might protect Dommie in the future in that village.

Dommie wandered in and out of the house and over the wall and back again as should be the case and what I wanted.

Dommie in visiting area between Omer and his wife & nephew


Dommie with Mrs Omer & cousin and my wife



Omer with his younger brother



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