Cat Lovers Thread
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shanlung
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Thank you.
I think I loved Katie more than Dommie even if Katie stupid
(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. )
and Katie tried to kill me.
You might have missed what I wrote in earlier post
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.
The report on the day I lost Katie.
Holland/Denmark //No cage for Riamfada // Katie
. Holland/Denmark More photos in flickr folder 'Amsterdam/Copenhagen ' http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157624614718688/ We landed in Amsterdam on 8th July. This is one of my favourite city. After we checked in, we hurried out to enjoy all that we can. Everywhere were decorated with…
shanlung.livejournal.com
Partial extract of the lost of Katie report made on Aug 2nd 2010
And I been back to that area about 5 or more times to look for Katie, partially covered in earlier report made in this forum.
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Katie
We had to start the process with the cats who were to go to my wife driving instructor Omer staying at village Harban.
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/103233.html
He lived in a small place and not practical to keep the kitties at home. After all, being used to living the way they did, with doing the toilet and playing outside, I felt that should remain that way especially as Omer never kept cats before.
We had to get the cats used to Omer's place.
So on the 26 July, all of us went over there with the cats in 2 cat carrier.
The cats were released in Omer little compound, surrounded with a wall of 1.7 meters or 5 feet high. The cats came out, and after prowling about a bit, jumped on the walls. Dommie stayed around with me and Joy. Katie went a bit further. I went out in search of Katie and she was down the lane. She wandered off into the next house compound. I let that be and went back to Omer and Dommie still there. Dommie went into Omer house and was idolised by Omer's wife and extended family.
I then went with Riamfada to look for Katie to call her back.
You have seen how Katie joined us for almost daily neigbourhood walks and picnics with little problems.
On that day, I called and called for her.
I spend about 2 hours searching and calling Katie but she did not appear. Dommie remained nicely at Omer, periodically going to the compound to eat and drink from the familiar bowls, jumping up the walls, going up to the roof and getting back to us.
It was getting dark and Dommie was placed back in the carrier and we went home without Katie.
I was not too worried yet. I knew I be back the next day to look for Katie.
Summer is hot here. It was late afternoon when it was cooler that my wife, Riam and me went back to Harban to call for Katie.
We walked all over the village Harban calling and calling Katie. The villagers were nice. One of them smiled when I told him I was looking for Katie, turned around and pointed to a litter of kittens and told me to have one or even two of them. I smiled back and told him it was Katie that I wanted.
It was dark and I called off the search.
If Katie was lost, I rather Katie was lost with me around to look for her.
The next day, we were back in village Harban again with photos of Katie. We walked and called , walked and called. Folks that spoke to us yesterday saw photos of Katie and told us she was not seen.
Village Harban stood alone in midst of wild desert land and Katie might have wandered off to the next hamlet far away or the vast army camp nearby.
I was sorry it ended this way. My search for Katie also let Omer and the villagers there see how it was like. And perhaps help in their appreciation of Dommie in future.
On the 31st July Sat, we all went to Omer house again with Dommie. The first time, Dommie stayed around. This time, Dommie jumped over the back wall into the neighbour's compound. I was worried and went to get him. Dom then jumped over another wall into the lane and played hide and seek with me. Half hour later, Dommie came back and into the house.
I let it be and went to walk with Riam in yet another attempt to look for Katie. The entire village knew of us now either by sight or hearing my voice ' Katie Katie Katie, come come come'. They seen her photos, and sadly shook their heads.
After dinner with Omer, the four of us went back home.
You all know I love Katie and wanted a good life for her. She was always a bit aloof , even with me. I feel sad. But not a deep sorrow. It was Dommie that truly came into our hearts.
I knew we would part, but not part this way.
You also know that I have written now and then that Katie is flakey and a bit wild.
I hope she would find a home and be loved and looked after by a good family.
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jamahir
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shanlung
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Pussies galore! Cats pose for 'naked' calendar
www.dailymail.co.uk
'Naked' cat calendar highlights impact of non-biodegradable litter
The hairless sphynxes and bambinos - so-called 'naked cats' - were snapped by Natusan, a British firm which manufactures eco-friendly, biodegradable litter.
shanlung
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From
Extracted
Shan Lung
I was reading this piece today
Cats May Recognize Their Own Names—But It Doesn’t Mean They Care
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/.../cats-may-recognize.../
And thinking to myself that “WOW Wee!” , without scientist writing long convulated papers peppered with multi syllibic terms, we still be living in ignorance. That our birdies and beasties do not know their names.
And they declared cats know their names.
Even if Mikeol Delgado dismissed that all as antropomorphism.
“Of course, this study doesn’t prove your cat actually understands the concept of a name, says Mikel Delgado, who studies animal behavior at the University of California, Davis. “It doesn’t mean that the cats understand that the word is a label for them — just that it is a sound that may predict food or cuddles or attention or something else,” Delgado, who was not involved in the study, told Gizmodo’s George Dvorsky. “That is associative learning and of course all animals are capable of that.”
Perhaps those must distanced themselves so totally from what they studying to avoid being accused of being anthropomorphic and hold in disdain by their peers so they can elevated themselves higher on the pedestal that they make themselves and put themselves on.
That never never ever birdies and beasties equal to humans or be tarred and feathered by the scientific world and will bury heretics in many multi syllibic words and make those kind of people hide their face in shame.
And one must never attribute feelings to birdies and/or beasties. One must never even have them at all. Which reminded me of this Pink Floyd number of this person showing feelings and that will not do!
Pink Floyd- The Trial
But as you all know, I am shameless.
Just as those researchers that found Caledonian crows understand mirrors even if they do not know themselves in mirrors be writting papers 6 years earlier if they came across my writings on Yingshiong who knew mirrors.
Those wondering if cats know their name might have understood better if they read of me and Dommie and Katie. But since I wrote in simple English, I am only a peasant to them even if I am a self declared Professor Emeratus of Univcersity of Hard Knocks.
I found out that bit where I was writing how my kitties responded to their names.
But since I wrote on many things at same time, and I think what I wrote might amuse most of you, I could not really just extract that little bit. I extracted more than just the little bit where Dommie and/or Katie responded to my calling them by name.
Even the part that I did not extract might still interest you
Last Footfall in Nepal// Sharon & kitty advice // Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
https://shanlung.livejournal.com/113583.html
I did not extract that “ Last Footfall in Nepal” But those interested in travels might like to read that in my Livejournal. That spoke of an article in NY Times. That The road up the Kali Gandaki to Muktinath was completed. And 4WD can get one to Muktinath.
Which prompted me in 2014 to go that way. And I nearly dying at Thorongla Pass when that blizzard hit 60++ killing them all. Luckily my genuflections to Goddess Procrastinatia saved me as I was delayed by a couple of days.
I found I wrote of that disaster at Thorongla Pass I escaped in FB years ago. here and here and here But back to calling cats and their names.
Extracted from Last Footfall in Nepal// Sharon & kitty advice // Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
https://shanlung.livejournal.com/113583.html
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Sharon & kitty advice
Sharon wrote to me last week with her letter below. She agreed to my posting of her letter and my reply in blog that perhaps it might be of interest to others too.
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--- On Mon, 3/15/10, Sharon xxx<sharonxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Sharon xxx <sharonxxx@gmail.com>
Subject: RE: Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants
To: "'shan lung'" <shanlung9@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010, 4:35 AM
Dear Shanlung,
I enjoy your posts about Riamfada, as well as all your trips with her.
I have three well-trained animals, all clicker trained: a Border Collie (age 7), an African Grey (age 2) and my first-ever kitten (6 months). We live in the city center of Istanbul, population 16 million.
I am so impressed at Dommie and Katie being able to go for neighborhood walks with no leash at all… and stay near your car when you stop for flights with Riamfada. I have a question about your walks with your cats.
We found our kitten, Casper, in the street at 4 weeks of age. From 7 weeks old to his current age of 6 months, I’ve taken him around the block on leash every day. Casper walked perfectly as a young kitten (see this video: x). He now seems to be afraid to go outdoors—despite daily walks--and now needs to be “dragged” in VERY slow motion for the entire outgoing walk. As we turn the halfway point, he breaks into a run and pulls me all the way back home.
I want Casper to willingly follow me (on leash) as your cats do off-leash. Did you train them to walk with you around the neighborhood? At what age did you begin walking them? At what age did you adopt them, and did they grow up indoors or outdoors? Are they now indoor-only (except walks), or indoor/outdoor cats?
I forget: did Dommie ever wander away for more than an hour or so when you park away from home? (It seems Katie would never do that!) We tent camp with our dog and harnessed parrot. We plan to bring the kitten this year, but don’t know enough about cats to know if he would stay near our tent. We’d be at a forested mountain campground, and there are only 2-3 tent campers there at any given time. Do you think a cat would normally stay close to home/tent/family? Or in the forest, would most cats take off and never come back? We don’t want to take any risks…
Thanks for any kitty advice,
Sharon xxx
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The key of my relationship with the kitties and birdies was written in
Riamfada and kitties
shanlung.livejournal.com
That will always remain true.
I cannot say that I deliberately planned and trained my kitties such that they came with us. So how much of what I have done can be applicable to you is very much an unknown. Much of it is down to relationships, and we might have been lucky in that Dommie and Katie seemed to listen to us.
I was living alone in a penthouse apartment on top of a 6 floor apartment block on 3 months lease and waiting for my wife to join me and for her to chose herself a more permanent accommodation.
Those 2 came to me as little kitties just past weaning in July 2008. I needed something warm to greet me when I got back from work. I saw an advert looking for home for kitties in a supermarket notice board.
My wife joined me in Aug 2008. My wife taken over their feeding by then and the role of cleaning their litter box fell to me.
Photos of those kitties then in early portion of folder here
They were kept strictly in the apartment at the beginning. Later on, I relented and let them go to the patio.
Being a ‘penthouse apartment’ and with 6 other ‘penthouse apartments’ on top of an apartment block, the kitties soon found the walls separating our patio to be laughably low to jump up onto.
msct 283
Originally uploaded by shimmertje.
Dommie on my shoulder before he traitorously transferred his allegiance to my wife
They then wandered into other apartments sharing the roof. I knocked on the doors of those other apartments , introduced myself, warned them of my kitties and got their good hearted agreements not to throw those creatures to the ground below even if they deserved it.
We also noticed the kitties responded to my calls even if they did not respond to my wife calls. At my calls of ‘Dommie, Dommie, Dommie’ Dommie would pop his head up and ran on top of the apartment parapet walls to me. It was the same for Katie. Only when I called ‘ Dommie, Katie, Dommie Katie’ that both would come at the same time. Why they responded to me and not to my wife who fed them I really do not know. And you all know I cursed them too from time to time. It might be those curses that endeared myself to them.
We moved in Oct 2008 to our villa. I created a sand pit for them in the garden and freed myself of ever having to clean their litter after that. And Riamfada came into our lives and those neighbour walks started with Riamfada. That was to ‘fly the flag’ in the neighbourhood with Riamfada in case she flew away, the neighbourhood would know Riam is mine and for Riamfada to recognise landmarks to fly back by.
Dommie just joined us in those neighbourhood walks. That was not deliberately planned by us. I was surprised Dommie came along. When I found in general that he responded to my calls during those walks, I let it be. Katie, was the more timid one. Katie later also joined us for the neighbourhood walks.
Taking Dommie & Katie out for walks
shanlung.livejournal.com
I was very worried at the beginning. But when they seemed to listen to me generally we continued that way.
I found out very early I need to know when to call them. If they found a new tree and wanted to race up that tree, or a wall to jump onto, or to dig a hole in the sand to poo into, it would be useless and futile to call them then. I called them only when I felt they needed a bit of ‘tugging’ to come our way during those early neighbourhood walks.
I think they looked on us as their comfort zone, and in new areas, needed to be near us to feel comfortable.
So when they responded and move towards us, I normally would not wait there. If we did, they might come and stop 10 meters away from us. We had to continue to move, and in doing so, they moved and followed us. Until they found another distraction.
Walks with the kitties involved in a lot of stopping and callings. Taking kitties out for walks should never be done if you are short of time.
I varied the routes in those neighbourhood walks. There were enough videos of their coming to my calls. Even so, those neighbourhood walks had fall back options in that we all were near enough to home to get them back even if they had not followed us.
I then thought of going further places. I made a variation of Tinkerbell harness for both Dommie and Katie and got them used to wearing that (without leash) with the intention of using leash in far away places.
Wadi Al Maih// Modify Riamfada Mash//kitty harness and preparing to take them out too
shanlung.livejournal.com
Details of harness in
Ivan the cat
I was worried about spooking by Dommie and used the harness and leash on him that first time to Wadi Fanja. The harness was too loose and he removed that. That was unplanned. But he stayed near us, and came to me when called. That gave me the confidence not to attempt to harness him as he followed us.
Wadi Fanja with Dommie
shanlung.livejournal.com
I was delightfully surprised that Dommie came into the waters of Wadi Fanja when I called him
Taking Katie out without harness was tried with her, who also responded to my voice.
An important part was that our SUV and base camp was accepted by the kitties. I believed that was their zone of comfort. Even if Katie refused to join us all, she remained in basecamp until we got back.
I then stopped all usage of harness and leash on the cats. Dragging and forcing them was no fun for them and for us and I felt would never work in the long run.
The photos of Dommie in the sea was the end result of at least a dozen trips to the beach.
The first few times, he stayed near the car. We stayed near him, just outside his zone of comfort to entice him to try just that little bit more, and did not move further. Then he came from the car to the sand dunes. Again, we did the same , moved just outside his comfort zone to entice him just that little bit further. Near him to give him comfort but far enough to urge him to us. Then slowly we were into the grass zone on top of the dunes. For a few times after that, he refused to leave the grass growing on top of the dune. I and my wife and Riamfada sat on the beach just 4 feet from him then and urged him to join us, he did so only after a few times.
Then I persuaded him to join us in the tide pools. And you saw those photos.
above photos details in
shanlung.livejournal.com
shanlung.livejournal.com
Katie refused even to get to the grass verge and remained near the SUV. I could do only one at a time. I have to live with that. They have different personalities altogether even if they were brother and sister.
So far, Dommie who love to explore never roamed further than 30 minutes before he reappeared.
They would come when it was time to go. Sometimes they were playful and we had to scoop them up into our arms to get them into the car.
I find that my kitties do not trust other people. I cannot blame them as kids (and some adults too) tried to stone them. So I had to chose places with few or no people at all to take my kitties to.
For that reason, I would not take kitties with us to stay overnight in places with other people.
I like to camp. At home, the kitties liked to sleep with us.
But my wife is adamant against camping. So I never tried that with kitties to be able to report back for sure. I am not too sure even if I trusted the kitties that I would allow them to sleep in tent with us and Riamfada.
If my wife liked camping, I would have tested the kitties out with tents before taking them out overnight.
I would also pitch tent on day outings first to see if kitties would accept the tent as basecamp in addition to the SUV as base camp. I rather have problems in day time and handle that first than have that happening in the night time.
You must also be aware of other potential dangers. What if other people bring their dogs with them?
I extract this interesting episode from http://shanlung.livejournal.com/93415.html
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There was this long break, from Monday 29 Dec 08 to Friday 2 Jan 09.
Since Dommie tended to be very well behaved during neighbourhood walks (other than causing us embarrassment) my wife thought of taking him to the beach the next morning on 29 Dec.
I told her the chances that Dommie might spook and run never to be seen again. She thought long about that. And with the abrupt roundabout turn that we all known from wives, said perhaps the harness and leash be used on Dommie.
I happily obliged especially as Dommie did not like that harness. It felt good to irritate him especially as he turned traitor on me transferring his affection all to my wife. It would make you sick to see the saccharine look on his face everytime he gazed on my wife. Instead of sleeping with me as before, he would sleep on top of my wife.
With him harnessed up, the three of us got into the car and took him on his first car ride. Soon he got over his fear and was on my wife's lap looking out of the window as we drove along.
We thought of the beach near that Wave development. When we reached there, an army jeep drove up to us and told us to move on. There was this GCC summit of all the Sheiks, Emirs and Kings of the Gulf countries going on in Muscat. I guess after the attack on Bombay, the security took no chances on armed insurgents attacking from the sea, perhaps helped by a man, his wife and a cat on a leash.
We were not going to argue with machine guns and moved on to another part of the beach.
Dommie was a bit awed by the occasion. He tried to hide under the car, but was persuaded to slowly join us on the beach. Every time a wave crashed, he spooked and tried to climb up my leg to hide in my baggy shorts.
I found out as a pioneer of taking a cat on a leash to the beach that it was a very bad idea to wear baggy shorts.
Soon he accepted the waves and stopped trying to climb up my bare legs.
Then some others joined us on that patch of beach, with their dog.
That prompted Dommie to climb up my leg to hide in my shorts. It was not very comfortable to me even if Dommie felt reassured and my wife felt it to be funny.
I suggested to my wife next time we took Dommie to the beach, she should wear a skirt while I wore jeans.
My wife with her familiar
I grumbled to karenfernvale in reply to her in my following blog
If my much abbreviated report gave you the idea that the kitties were obediant to me, then I blame myself. None of them would move out of my favourite chair when I want to sit down. I had to toss them off or kick them away. And when I told Katie, even begged Katie , to give me a massage, she never did so when asked. She would only do it when she felt like it.
Almost as bad as a wife.
When those waves crashed, Dommie went up hiding his head in my shorts with his claws digging in my thigh. He ignored my command to get down and tried to get higher. I had to disregard the pain to prise his claws to get him down in fear that he might actually get higher . That was in time to the next wave crashing when he went up the other leg. Blood and marrow oozed down my thighs. I thought that was bad until that dog came on the scene with the other lot of humans. Such a huge beach and they had to pick the same spot as us.
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A couple weeks ago, I and my wife was having dinner with Mr William (Bill) White, an Alaskan with his Malaysian wife. We all met each other about 4 months or so ago as his wife was one of those that go to the coffee mornings organised by my wife. We all happened to choose that same restaurant that evening. I was talking about taking Dommie to the sea. Bill gave me a surprise when he said he knew that as he saw me with Dommie on the beach.
That startled me. As I have said, I had to avoid people when I brought the kitties out and I did not recall having met Bill. I was thinking very hard and he said that was about a year ago. Then he said he came with his dog. I smiled and laughed and laughed. It was such a coincidence and I finally met the guy who brought his dog that day. I told him I had not time then to look at his face as I had to focus on Dommie and too busy extracting his claws from my thigh as he tried to hide my my baggy shorts. We all had a very good laugh that evening.
So Sharon, do not wear skirts when taking kitty out. Best be prepared and wear jeans and get your SO to wear baggy shorts.
Sharon, I know I have not answered you fully. I do not think I can ever do that as I do not know enough of you or your cat or your other creatures. Even if I do, I still do not think I could ever answer you.
I hope you find something useful in what I had written and I wish you much happiness with your beasties and birdies in Turkey.
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Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
Many more photos in flickr folder 'Buwah 19th March 2010 '
It was getting warmer. I planned to go to Jebel Akhdar on the 18 March.
I had a second sharp reply in ‘Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants’
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/112576.html
that I first wanted to ignore. That was on issue I wrote on in 2005 in livejournal and I written on for years before that.
I decided I had to reply. That took over an hour and you might want to read that. Not that I written anything new or you had not known of me.
With so little time left to smell roses and to do more pleasurable things, I had to waste my time and energy on those issues again, time and energy I rather spend on other things. That burned into my day and that planned trip up the mountain. It would take a five hour round trip up that mountain. I had to abort that trip.
The next day on Friday, it was cooler. We decided to drive to Buwah for a day there with the kitties. That was likely be the last time we all would go to Buwah. It would not be possible to go to there or to the wadis in the heat of the summer.
We picked up a takeaway lunch on the way there. We then drove on to our usual spot. I noticed the track continued on the last few times we were there. We also walked up the low hills there as you have seen in our first time there and noticed other valleys. I decided to drive on that day curious as to where that track would lead to.
We found lots of bee hives there to take advantage of the wild flowers in those valleys.
We then turned back to our usual spot.
Base camp was set up. Seeing the rubbish left behind by other &%^$%^*&%$ people who would go to such beautiful place and threw their plastic bottles and stuff was depressing. My wife decided to clean up as I did that the last time.
wife escorted by Dommie and Katie picking rubbish.
I preferred to relax. I finished that Diana book finally and onto a new book. That book told me many of the dams in Oman such as that Al Felaj dam were 'Recharge dams'. Those dams were not meant to hold water as the evaporation rate was so high here. The dams hold back the water from a downpour and allow the water to recharge the ground water table where the water can be later withdrawn from wells.
When not out walking with me or my wife, Katie prefered to stay in the car, or under the car, or on top of the car. Or on the tree nearby
Dommie preferred to sleep.
I removed the leash and did a few free flights with Riamfada.
I then harnessed her again. I wanted to relax and read, look and enjoy that place, and just chill out. With Riam safely in her harness and leash, I could enjoy myself even more than if I had to stay focused on her.
She did what she would have done whether her leash was on or not. She was contented to stay on her perch. Now and then , she would fly to me sitting on my chair.
We stayed there until it was time to go.
Many more photos in flickr folder 'Buwah 19th March 2010 '
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Extracted
Shan Lung
I was reading this piece today
Cats May Recognize Their Own Names—But It Doesn’t Mean They Care
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/.../cats-may-recognize.../
And thinking to myself that “WOW Wee!” , without scientist writing long convulated papers peppered with multi syllibic terms, we still be living in ignorance. That our birdies and beasties do not know their names.
And they declared cats know their names.
Even if Mikeol Delgado dismissed that all as antropomorphism.
“Of course, this study doesn’t prove your cat actually understands the concept of a name, says Mikel Delgado, who studies animal behavior at the University of California, Davis. “It doesn’t mean that the cats understand that the word is a label for them — just that it is a sound that may predict food or cuddles or attention or something else,” Delgado, who was not involved in the study, told Gizmodo’s George Dvorsky. “That is associative learning and of course all animals are capable of that.”
Perhaps those must distanced themselves so totally from what they studying to avoid being accused of being anthropomorphic and hold in disdain by their peers so they can elevated themselves higher on the pedestal that they make themselves and put themselves on.
That never never ever birdies and beasties equal to humans or be tarred and feathered by the scientific world and will bury heretics in many multi syllibic words and make those kind of people hide their face in shame.
And one must never attribute feelings to birdies and/or beasties. One must never even have them at all. Which reminded me of this Pink Floyd number of this person showing feelings and that will not do!
Pink Floyd- The Trial
Just as those researchers that found Caledonian crows understand mirrors even if they do not know themselves in mirrors be writting papers 6 years earlier if they came across my writings on Yingshiong who knew mirrors.
Those wondering if cats know their name might have understood better if they read of me and Dommie and Katie. But since I wrote in simple English, I am only a peasant to them even if I am a self declared Professor Emeratus of Univcersity of Hard Knocks.
I found out that bit where I was writing how my kitties responded to their names.
But since I wrote on many things at same time, and I think what I wrote might amuse most of you, I could not really just extract that little bit. I extracted more than just the little bit where Dommie and/or Katie responded to my calling them by name.
Even the part that I did not extract might still interest you
Last Footfall in Nepal// Sharon & kitty advice // Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
https://shanlung.livejournal.com/113583.html
I did not extract that “ Last Footfall in Nepal” But those interested in travels might like to read that in my Livejournal. That spoke of an article in NY Times. That The road up the Kali Gandaki to Muktinath was completed. And 4WD can get one to Muktinath.
Which prompted me in 2014 to go that way. And I nearly dying at Thorongla Pass when that blizzard hit 60++ killing them all. Luckily my genuflections to Goddess Procrastinatia saved me as I was delayed by a couple of days.
I found I wrote of that disaster at Thorongla Pass I escaped in FB years ago. here and here and here But back to calling cats and their names.
Extracted from Last Footfall in Nepal// Sharon & kitty advice // Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
https://shanlung.livejournal.com/113583.html
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Sharon & kitty advice
Sharon wrote to me last week with her letter below. She agreed to my posting of her letter and my reply in blog that perhaps it might be of interest to others too.
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--- On Mon, 3/15/10, Sharon xxx<sharonxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Sharon xxx <sharonxxx@gmail.com>
Subject: RE: Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants
To: "'shan lung'" <shanlung9@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010, 4:35 AM
Dear Shanlung,
I enjoy your posts about Riamfada, as well as all your trips with her.
I have three well-trained animals, all clicker trained: a Border Collie (age 7), an African Grey (age 2) and my first-ever kitten (6 months). We live in the city center of Istanbul, population 16 million.
I am so impressed at Dommie and Katie being able to go for neighborhood walks with no leash at all… and stay near your car when you stop for flights with Riamfada. I have a question about your walks with your cats.
We found our kitten, Casper, in the street at 4 weeks of age. From 7 weeks old to his current age of 6 months, I’ve taken him around the block on leash every day. Casper walked perfectly as a young kitten (see this video: x). He now seems to be afraid to go outdoors—despite daily walks--and now needs to be “dragged” in VERY slow motion for the entire outgoing walk. As we turn the halfway point, he breaks into a run and pulls me all the way back home.
I want Casper to willingly follow me (on leash) as your cats do off-leash. Did you train them to walk with you around the neighborhood? At what age did you begin walking them? At what age did you adopt them, and did they grow up indoors or outdoors? Are they now indoor-only (except walks), or indoor/outdoor cats?
I forget: did Dommie ever wander away for more than an hour or so when you park away from home? (It seems Katie would never do that!) We tent camp with our dog and harnessed parrot. We plan to bring the kitten this year, but don’t know enough about cats to know if he would stay near our tent. We’d be at a forested mountain campground, and there are only 2-3 tent campers there at any given time. Do you think a cat would normally stay close to home/tent/family? Or in the forest, would most cats take off and never come back? We don’t want to take any risks…
Thanks for any kitty advice,
Sharon xxx
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The key of my relationship with the kitties and birdies was written in
Riamfada and kitties
Riamfada and kitties
This is an entry made into a bird forum http://www.theperch.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=17495&page=9 made yesterday that might be interesting to others here as well (editted on 4 Jul 09 to add that this writeup started in 3rd June 09 in…
shanlung.livejournal.com
I cannot say that I deliberately planned and trained my kitties such that they came with us. So how much of what I have done can be applicable to you is very much an unknown. Much of it is down to relationships, and we might have been lucky in that Dommie and Katie seemed to listen to us.
I was living alone in a penthouse apartment on top of a 6 floor apartment block on 3 months lease and waiting for my wife to join me and for her to chose herself a more permanent accommodation.
Those 2 came to me as little kitties just past weaning in July 2008. I needed something warm to greet me when I got back from work. I saw an advert looking for home for kitties in a supermarket notice board.
My wife joined me in Aug 2008. My wife taken over their feeding by then and the role of cleaning their litter box fell to me.
Photos of those kitties then in early portion of folder here
They were kept strictly in the apartment at the beginning. Later on, I relented and let them go to the patio.
Being a ‘penthouse apartment’ and with 6 other ‘penthouse apartments’ on top of an apartment block, the kitties soon found the walls separating our patio to be laughably low to jump up onto.
msct 283
Originally uploaded by shimmertje.
Dommie on my shoulder before he traitorously transferred his allegiance to my wife
They then wandered into other apartments sharing the roof. I knocked on the doors of those other apartments , introduced myself, warned them of my kitties and got their good hearted agreements not to throw those creatures to the ground below even if they deserved it.
We also noticed the kitties responded to my calls even if they did not respond to my wife calls. At my calls of ‘Dommie, Dommie, Dommie’ Dommie would pop his head up and ran on top of the apartment parapet walls to me. It was the same for Katie. Only when I called ‘ Dommie, Katie, Dommie Katie’ that both would come at the same time. Why they responded to me and not to my wife who fed them I really do not know. And you all know I cursed them too from time to time. It might be those curses that endeared myself to them.
We moved in Oct 2008 to our villa. I created a sand pit for them in the garden and freed myself of ever having to clean their litter after that. And Riamfada came into our lives and those neighbour walks started with Riamfada. That was to ‘fly the flag’ in the neighbourhood with Riamfada in case she flew away, the neighbourhood would know Riam is mine and for Riamfada to recognise landmarks to fly back by.
Dommie just joined us in those neighbourhood walks. That was not deliberately planned by us. I was surprised Dommie came along. When I found in general that he responded to my calls during those walks, I let it be. Katie, was the more timid one. Katie later also joined us for the neighbourhood walks.
Taking Dommie & Katie out for walks
Taking Dommie & Katie out for walks // Riamfada accepted the new cat carrier//Riam male or female
. The last weekend saw the start of the horrendous air assault by Israel on Gaza and the deaths of innocents caught up in this tragedy. Israel said they had no choice in this matter with the excuse that they must stop the rockets fired on them by Hamas. The reponse of Israel was totally out of…
shanlung.livejournal.com
I found out very early I need to know when to call them. If they found a new tree and wanted to race up that tree, or a wall to jump onto, or to dig a hole in the sand to poo into, it would be useless and futile to call them then. I called them only when I felt they needed a bit of ‘tugging’ to come our way during those early neighbourhood walks.
I think they looked on us as their comfort zone, and in new areas, needed to be near us to feel comfortable.
So when they responded and move towards us, I normally would not wait there. If we did, they might come and stop 10 meters away from us. We had to continue to move, and in doing so, they moved and followed us. Until they found another distraction.
Walks with the kitties involved in a lot of stopping and callings. Taking kitties out for walks should never be done if you are short of time.
I varied the routes in those neighbourhood walks. There were enough videos of their coming to my calls. Even so, those neighbourhood walks had fall back options in that we all were near enough to home to get them back even if they had not followed us.
I then thought of going further places. I made a variation of Tinkerbell harness for both Dommie and Katie and got them used to wearing that (without leash) with the intention of using leash in far away places.
Wadi Al Maih// Modify Riamfada Mash//kitty harness and preparing to take them out too
Wadi Al Maih// Modify Riamfada Mash//kitty harness and preparing to take them out too
Photoset for Wadi Al Maih here http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157613312305688/detail/ Thursday 29 Jan 2009 evening, after I finished that chess tournament, we took Riamfada with us to Al Seeb for dinner with us that you can see in the first few photos of the photoset. Even though…
shanlung.livejournal.com
Ivan the cat
Wadi Fanja with Dommie
Oman weekend 12-13Feb09 Wadi Fanja with Dommie and Siefa Ah Sheik
. Roberta, You will like this entry regarding the harness on cat even if it did not work as planned. Osama, :-) It is always nice to see my good Jordanian Bedouin friend keeping in touch. I hope that day will come when we get to meet again, perhaps in Jordan that you told me so many beautiful…
shanlung.livejournal.com
Taking Katie out without harness was tried with her, who also responded to my voice.
An important part was that our SUV and base camp was accepted by the kitties. I believed that was their zone of comfort. Even if Katie refused to join us all, she remained in basecamp until we got back.
I then stopped all usage of harness and leash on the cats. Dragging and forcing them was no fun for them and for us and I felt would never work in the long run.
The photos of Dommie in the sea was the end result of at least a dozen trips to the beach.
The first few times, he stayed near the car. We stayed near him, just outside his zone of comfort to entice him to try just that little bit more, and did not move further. Then he came from the car to the sand dunes. Again, we did the same , moved just outside his comfort zone to entice him just that little bit further. Near him to give him comfort but far enough to urge him to us. Then slowly we were into the grass zone on top of the dunes. For a few times after that, he refused to leave the grass growing on top of the dune. I and my wife and Riamfada sat on the beach just 4 feet from him then and urged him to join us, he did so only after a few times.
Then I persuaded him to join us in the tide pools. And you saw those photos.
above photos details in
Ramadan & Kitties on beach// Chess -1st Saturday IM Tournament // Tinkerbell Harness for Piper
. Many many more photos in flickr folder "Getting Dommie into the sea " http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlung/sets/72157622291136657/ Ramadan & Kitties on beach// Chess -1st Saturday IM Tournament // Tinkerbell Harness for Piper The last weekend also saw us lazing at home again partly because of…
shanlung.livejournal.com
Last time to beach for Dommie // Cats at home //3 days 2 nights at Turtle Beach Resort
. Last time to beach for Dommie Even as I was writing that last report, we were still going down to the beach with Dommie. Ramadan officially ended in Oman on 20 Sep 2009, Sunday with the sighting of the moon. That was the last evening that we had the beach almost all to ourselves and could take…
shanlung.livejournal.com
So far, Dommie who love to explore never roamed further than 30 minutes before he reappeared.
They would come when it was time to go. Sometimes they were playful and we had to scoop them up into our arms to get them into the car.
I find that my kitties do not trust other people. I cannot blame them as kids (and some adults too) tried to stone them. So I had to chose places with few or no people at all to take my kitties to.
For that reason, I would not take kitties with us to stay overnight in places with other people.
I like to camp. At home, the kitties liked to sleep with us.
But my wife is adamant against camping. So I never tried that with kitties to be able to report back for sure. I am not too sure even if I trusted the kitties that I would allow them to sleep in tent with us and Riamfada.
If my wife liked camping, I would have tested the kitties out with tents before taking them out overnight.
I would also pitch tent on day outings first to see if kitties would accept the tent as basecamp in addition to the SUV as base camp. I rather have problems in day time and handle that first than have that happening in the night time.
You must also be aware of other potential dangers. What if other people bring their dogs with them?
I extract this interesting episode from http://shanlung.livejournal.com/93415.html
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There was this long break, from Monday 29 Dec 08 to Friday 2 Jan 09.
Since Dommie tended to be very well behaved during neighbourhood walks (other than causing us embarrassment) my wife thought of taking him to the beach the next morning on 29 Dec.
I told her the chances that Dommie might spook and run never to be seen again. She thought long about that. And with the abrupt roundabout turn that we all known from wives, said perhaps the harness and leash be used on Dommie.
I happily obliged especially as Dommie did not like that harness. It felt good to irritate him especially as he turned traitor on me transferring his affection all to my wife. It would make you sick to see the saccharine look on his face everytime he gazed on my wife. Instead of sleeping with me as before, he would sleep on top of my wife.
With him harnessed up, the three of us got into the car and took him on his first car ride. Soon he got over his fear and was on my wife's lap looking out of the window as we drove along.
We thought of the beach near that Wave development. When we reached there, an army jeep drove up to us and told us to move on. There was this GCC summit of all the Sheiks, Emirs and Kings of the Gulf countries going on in Muscat. I guess after the attack on Bombay, the security took no chances on armed insurgents attacking from the sea, perhaps helped by a man, his wife and a cat on a leash.
We were not going to argue with machine guns and moved on to another part of the beach.
Dommie was a bit awed by the occasion. He tried to hide under the car, but was persuaded to slowly join us on the beach. Every time a wave crashed, he spooked and tried to climb up my leg to hide in my baggy shorts.
I found out as a pioneer of taking a cat on a leash to the beach that it was a very bad idea to wear baggy shorts.
Soon he accepted the waves and stopped trying to climb up my bare legs.
Then some others joined us on that patch of beach, with their dog.
That prompted Dommie to climb up my leg to hide in my shorts. It was not very comfortable to me even if Dommie felt reassured and my wife felt it to be funny.
I suggested to my wife next time we took Dommie to the beach, she should wear a skirt while I wore jeans.
My wife with her familiar
I grumbled to karenfernvale in reply to her in my following blog
If my much abbreviated report gave you the idea that the kitties were obediant to me, then I blame myself. None of them would move out of my favourite chair when I want to sit down. I had to toss them off or kick them away. And when I told Katie, even begged Katie , to give me a massage, she never did so when asked. She would only do it when she felt like it.
Almost as bad as a wife.
When those waves crashed, Dommie went up hiding his head in my shorts with his claws digging in my thigh. He ignored my command to get down and tried to get higher. I had to disregard the pain to prise his claws to get him down in fear that he might actually get higher . That was in time to the next wave crashing when he went up the other leg. Blood and marrow oozed down my thighs. I thought that was bad until that dog came on the scene with the other lot of humans. Such a huge beach and they had to pick the same spot as us.
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A couple weeks ago, I and my wife was having dinner with Mr William (Bill) White, an Alaskan with his Malaysian wife. We all met each other about 4 months or so ago as his wife was one of those that go to the coffee mornings organised by my wife. We all happened to choose that same restaurant that evening. I was talking about taking Dommie to the sea. Bill gave me a surprise when he said he knew that as he saw me with Dommie on the beach.
That startled me. As I have said, I had to avoid people when I brought the kitties out and I did not recall having met Bill. I was thinking very hard and he said that was about a year ago. Then he said he came with his dog. I smiled and laughed and laughed. It was such a coincidence and I finally met the guy who brought his dog that day. I told him I had not time then to look at his face as I had to focus on Dommie and too busy extracting his claws from my thigh as he tried to hide my my baggy shorts. We all had a very good laugh that evening.
So Sharon, do not wear skirts when taking kitty out. Best be prepared and wear jeans and get your SO to wear baggy shorts.
Sharon, I know I have not answered you fully. I do not think I can ever do that as I do not know enough of you or your cat or your other creatures. Even if I do, I still do not think I could ever answer you.
I hope you find something useful in what I had written and I wish you much happiness with your beasties and birdies in Turkey.
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Riamfada over weekend 18-19 March
Many more photos in flickr folder 'Buwah 19th March 2010 '
It was getting warmer. I planned to go to Jebel Akhdar on the 18 March.
I had a second sharp reply in ‘Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants’
http://shanlung.livejournal.com/112576.html
that I first wanted to ignore. That was on issue I wrote on in 2005 in livejournal and I written on for years before that.
I decided I had to reply. That took over an hour and you might want to read that. Not that I written anything new or you had not known of me.
With so little time left to smell roses and to do more pleasurable things, I had to waste my time and energy on those issues again, time and energy I rather spend on other things. That burned into my day and that planned trip up the mountain. It would take a five hour round trip up that mountain. I had to abort that trip.
The next day on Friday, it was cooler. We decided to drive to Buwah for a day there with the kitties. That was likely be the last time we all would go to Buwah. It would not be possible to go to there or to the wadis in the heat of the summer.
We picked up a takeaway lunch on the way there. We then drove on to our usual spot. I noticed the track continued on the last few times we were there. We also walked up the low hills there as you have seen in our first time there and noticed other valleys. I decided to drive on that day curious as to where that track would lead to.
We found lots of bee hives there to take advantage of the wild flowers in those valleys.
We then turned back to our usual spot.
Base camp was set up. Seeing the rubbish left behind by other &%^$%^*&%$ people who would go to such beautiful place and threw their plastic bottles and stuff was depressing. My wife decided to clean up as I did that the last time.
wife escorted by Dommie and Katie picking rubbish.
I preferred to relax. I finished that Diana book finally and onto a new book. That book told me many of the dams in Oman such as that Al Felaj dam were 'Recharge dams'. Those dams were not meant to hold water as the evaporation rate was so high here. The dams hold back the water from a downpour and allow the water to recharge the ground water table where the water can be later withdrawn from wells.
When not out walking with me or my wife, Katie prefered to stay in the car, or under the car, or on top of the car. Or on the tree nearby
Dommie preferred to sleep.
I removed the leash and did a few free flights with Riamfada.
I then harnessed her again. I wanted to relax and read, look and enjoy that place, and just chill out. With Riam safely in her harness and leash, I could enjoy myself even more than if I had to stay focused on her.
She did what she would have done whether her leash was on or not. She was contented to stay on her perch. Now and then , she would fly to me sitting on my chair.
We stayed there until it was time to go.
Many more photos in flickr folder 'Buwah 19th March 2010 '
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jamahir
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@uzbi aka viper, how's Piccachu ? Please post pictures.
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jamahir
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Watch two Russian women introducing a caracal called Katar to a serval called Meow and a regular female cat. I like the talk of the women. Russians seem to have an affection for cats. This page on englishrussia.com has pictures of a Russian couple keeping a regular cat and also a fishing cat.
@Indos @DalalErMaNodi
@Indos @DalalErMaNodi
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jamahir
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First and third vids, why were the cats enclosed in such small rooms and in the third in cages too ? That white cat in the thumbnail looked so sad and was desperate for affection.
Cats like sunlight regularly so they should have been at least put up in shelters on the terrace. But pretty girl in the third vid.Second vid
and IIRC you have posted vids of Alshad before.
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First and third vids, why were the cats enclosed in such small rooms and in the third in cages too ? That white cat in the thumbnail looked so sad and was desperate for affection.
Second vid
It is because the cat is expensive and first video shows Linx which is big cat and in the wild that cat can killed even a deer.
Yup, personally I also dont like to put a cat into a cage, this is why I prefer to have domestic cat and let him/her to go roaming and come back to my place every time the cat find it necessary.
Just watch on TV there is tiger catched in Sumatra island by local people, luckily the tiger is fine and will be given to the authority
jamahir
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Just watched the beginning of a Spanish language YT vid of cats confronting snakes. Some filthy dog was just filming while the snake was attacking a cat in a store room and the cat was screaming and jumping and trying to hit the snake and kill it and once the snake tied itself around the cat. Stopped watching. My head is pulsing. Such filthy dogs recording for some YT fun upload while cats are being tormented, must be hunted down where ever they are in the world and be duly punished ( the punishment to be decided on the spot and the world watching ). I have seen enough cats being killed by four-legged dogs in my neighborhood, including the cats in my house. It should be the duty of the actually believing Muslim to deal out punishment to cat killer two-legged dogs ( unlike those like @Kaleem.61 - look at this pathetic post of his. Looking at his depressing photo I get the sense that the women in his family should be liberated from his anti-human ideas. Edit : For Pakistani members : This fellow is supporting groups like the TLP. Maybe he supports TTP too ).
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@Indos @DalalErMaNodi @Bilal9 @Sainthood 101 @fitpOsitive @Mentee
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fitpOsitive
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Once a cat killed my bird. I search for that cat. So once I saw her sitting in grass. I throw a heavy block on her head and killed her. From that day I became a cat hater.
I was 11 or 12 by then. So, yeah....
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