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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / January 2006Boyfriend Update (long)
I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at about 9.30 and was still fast asleep in the same place when I got up this morning. He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting normally. When I got home from work tonight he was waiting at the front door for me with all his white parts sparkling clean. He can go in and out at will via the back entrance to the house 24/7, but he does so like to "meet & greet" me after I've been out, even on a weekend when I've just been shopping or for a walk. I had a good look around this morning where the fight seemed to have taken place in case I could find tufts of fur to give me a clue who the culprit might have been, but I couldn't find anything at all. I've been wondering if the old intact tom I mentioned before paid a visit. He is so much like Boyfie, they are almost clones. The first time I saw him walking down the garden away from me, I thought it *was* Boyfie for a moment, but he walked in a totally different way and when he turned for a second to look at me, his head was absolutely huge. I saw him again about three weeks ago as I drew up into my drive in the car. He was meatloafing in the adjoining next-door drive. It was getting dusk and I really thought it was Boyfie waiting for me because as he glanced towards me I saw that he had the exact same nosie-mark! He ran off across the road when I got out of the car in that arched-back, tail dangling way that old cats have. Do you understand what I mean by this? Boyfie was snoozing on the spare bed at the time ;-) After reflection, I don't think it was The Enemy. Well, sure he did bully Boyfriend for a while, even going so far as to come into the house after him, but Kitty chased him up the kitchen wall in the middle of the night, yes, really! and he has somehow lost his appetite for entering our house now, I can't think why. They seem to have come to a mutually acceptable agreement now: you keep out of my territory, and I'll keep out of yours. I shall, of course, still watch Boyfie carefully in case he starts to limp or show any other signs of injury. I now think the blood was not his after all and the shock he seemed to be in afterwards was due to the violence of the encounter because he is such a gentle soul. Thanks so much for the purrs everyone. Boyfie sez fangu too. He's out on rat patrol at the moment after polishing his supper dish. He's beginning to get a bit "fluffy." I'll have to watch this. Tweed > I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an > eye on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > > Tweed So, maybe Boyfie met his father? I'm so glad he's OK. :-)  SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) A House is not a home, without a cat. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >. He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting >> normally. When I got home from work tonight he was waiting at the >> front door for me with all his white parts sparkling clean. >> case I could find tufts of fur to give me a clue who the culprit >> might have been, but I couldn't find anything at all. >> Thanks so much for the purrs everyone. Boyfie sez fangu too. He's >> out on rat patrol at the moment after polishing his supper dish. >> He's beginning to get a bit "fluffy." I'll have to watch this. >> >> Tweed Been away so don't know if anyone suggested this, (I'm so glad he's okay now and doing well) but do you think the blood on him could have been because he caught (maybe ate) a rat or one of those vole things (I have no idea what a vole is but it sure sounds ratlike from Waffly's descriptions) that night, and was just upset/worn out maybe because the rodent was large and fought back? I've been hoping perhaps it wasn't *cat* blood after all. What do you think? >>. He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting >>> normally. When I got home from work tonight he was waiting at the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > from Waffly's descriptions) that night, and was just upset/worn out > maybe because the rodent was large and fought back? No, not a chance. The voles we have here are small, not much bigger than mice really and Boyfie presented me with one on Sunday, exactly where I stand to put the kettle on when I get up. I didn't notice it. Squash, crunch.. It was not a rat either, as he only catches smallish ones and studiously ignores the grandfathers with the bigbrownteef. Very sensible. This was a serious, screaming, roll around "I will kill you" fight that lasted long enough to get me hurtling out of the house because of the noise and it didn't stop even then. > I've been hoping perhaps it wasn't *cat* blood after all. > What do you think? I think it was a cat that he'd not seen before that was too near the entrance to his onetruehome and threw insults. He is not a cat that fights normally, he is very chilled, and gentle with most cats who pass through his garden on their way to somewhere else. Maybe something awful had been said about Kitty ;-) Tweed >>>. He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting >>>> normally. When I got home from work tonight he was waiting at the [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > >Tweed He is a verry purrrfect gentlecat. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War >> I've been hoping perhaps it wasn't *cat* blood after all. >> What do you think? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >most cats who pass through his garden on their way to somewhere else. >Maybe something awful had been said about Kitty ;-) I imagine it could be some intact tom who is wandering outside his normal territory as kitten season approaches. Within the past couple weeks I've had a couple tom cats showing up on my patio and getting in howling matches with a couple of the cats who regularly come here for a visit and snack. These visiting toms seem in good health and they aren't interested in the food I put out. I've never seen them more than sniff at the food. SignatureSteve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot with loving memories of Rocky (RB) stouchst@JUNKsirinet.net [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html >>> I've been hoping perhaps it wasn't *cat* blood after all. >>> What do you think? [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > good health and they aren't interested in the food I put out. I've > never seen them more than sniff at the food. You could well be right, Steve, although most people around here seem to have their cats speutered. It seems likely that it was the old tom that looks like Boyfie coming far too close for comfort, poor old chap. I hope he's not too hurt. I'm not likely to find out either, I've only ever seen him twice. Tweed > So, maybe Boyfie met his father? I think he possibly did but it was obviously not a success :-( Boyfriend is at his peak now. He's between 3 and 4 years old, is in magnificent condition having filled out with good food and exercise and growing in confidence all the time with being sure of his onetruehome and a warm bed. An elderly tom wouldn't really stand a chance against him if Boyfie was challenged right near his back door. If I ever get a chance to get near enough to this old daddy cat to catch him, I'll have him snipped and re-release him. It's not very likely though to be honest, he runs off when he sees me. > I'm so glad he's OK. :-) He still seems absolutely fine, thanks. Tweed > > So, maybe Boyfie met his father? > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tweed Glad to hear he's OK. SignatureSam, closely supervised by Mistletoe > Thanks so much for the purrs everyone. Boyfie sez fangu too. He's out on > rat patrol at the moment after polishing his supper dish. He's beginning to > get a bit "fluffy." I'll have to watch this. > > Tweed I'm so glad that he's all right! I've been thinking about him since I heard about the fight. You go, Boyfie! That's quite a heroic kitty you've got there, defending his home and hoomin from whatever intruder that was. Dan so happy to hear BoyFriend is fine and no worse for the wear. Thanks for the update. Lily & her mama SignatureIrulan from the stars we come to the stars we return from now until the end of time > > I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye on [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > Tweed > I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye on > him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at about > 9.30 and was still fast asleep in the same place when I got up this morning. > He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting normally. <snip> What a relief! Purrs and best wishes, Polonca and Soncek I'm glad Boyfie seems to be ok. Purrs for his contiued health. Suz&Spicey > I'm glad Boyfie seems to be ok. Purrs for his contiued health. > Suz&Spicey Thanks, Suz. He doesn't seem injured and is behaving quite normally now, like it never happened. Thanks for your purrs. Tweed > I've been wondering if the old intact tom I mentioned before paid a visit. > He is so much like Boyfie, they are almost clones. The first time I saw him > walking down the garden away from me, I thought it *was* Boyfie for a > moment > I saw him again about three weeks ago as I drew up into my drive in the car. > He was meatloafing in the adjoining next-door drive. It was getting dusk > and I really thought it was Boyfie waiting for me because as he glanced > towards me I saw that he had the exact same nosie-mark! Could he be Boyfie's dad? I'm glad that Boyfie's doing better today! Joyce > > I've been wondering if the old intact tom I mentioned before paid a > > visit. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Could he be Boyfie's dad? I think he is probably is, but it completely scotches my theory that Boyfie came here accidentally in a vehicle or something. Here is the scenario. A teenage cat is sleeping in your conservatory and disappears out of the open window every time you open the back door, but comes back every night and gets thinner and thinner daily, so you start to give him food. It has to be outside though, as he is too shy to eat inside the conservatory in case..<what?> anyway, he's too shy. You notice he has a collar on, and not just an ordinary collar, a *really* posh expensive one, so that tells you that he is owned and probably well loved and you worry that his owners might be frantic about him. So you advertise him on the radio on "Petfinder" and in the newspaper, with a postcard in shops, and on lamp posts in the neighbourhood. Nothing, no response. If that cat *is* Boyfie's father, and it seems likely, as they share an unusual tabby pattern, that must mean that Boyfie was born nearby and left his home voluntarily. Unless some cruel people moved away and left him! I can't imagine that though, surely no-one would abandon such a wonderful cat, such a sweet gentle soul. I'll never know. He won't tell me ;-) Tweed > I'm glad that Boyfie's doing better today! > > Joyce >> > I've been wondering if the old intact tom I mentioned before paid a >> > visit. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >> >> Joyce Perhaps his "owner" died and the people who took charge scared him away. Years ago a woman and her mother lived on a very large property near a nursery. They had over 20 cats who roamed at will. The mother died. The daughter sold the property -- moved away and left all the cats. I suppose she thought that the nursery land would be large enough to provide rodents and other food for the cats. It created a big problem for many years. I am glad Boyfriend is doing well. MLB Glad to hear this!! > I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye on > him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at about > 9.30 and was still fast asleep in the same place when I got up this morning. > He seems absolutely fine, eating, drinking and acting normally. So glad that he seems to have escaped scot-free from whatever altercation he was in. Give him a scritch from me (if he'll have it) for being such a brave defender of his home. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki >> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye >> on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > he was in. Give him a scritch from me (if he'll have it) for being such a > brave defender of his home. Providing that I approach him quietly and carefully he will take scritches and even tummy rubs, so I gave him a scritch from his Auntie Marina tonight and told him she said he was a very brave boy. He said he wasn't brave at all because he is really afraid of the giant rats we have here.. Tweed >>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye >>> on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >Tweed That's just smart of him. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War >>>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye >>>> on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > That's just smart of him. He might not have to worry much longer. I've been in touch tonight with someone who will come and deal with these grandfather rats for us. No poison involved. I will get a phone call tomorrow to arrange it all and hopefully we will be rid of them after that. Old rats get very crafty. They will neither take poison bait or go into traps and are too big for most cats to take. In one way I admire them for being so clever so I don't like to have them killed. On the other hand they chew through the floors and doors of my chicken huts, eat maybe 30% of the chicken food and poo and pee in the drinkers. I also know I am at risk from Weil's disease which might destroy my kidneys, from their urine. So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this weekend, eh? It's not easy for me. I don't want to be the cause of any animal to die, but unfortunately this is necessary. I feel bad about planning it, though. Tweed > So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this weekend, > eh? > It's not easy for me. I don't want to be the cause of any animal to die, > but unfortunately this is necessary. I feel bad about planning it, though./// We used to use terriers to rat the barns on my uncles farm. My own Jack Russell terrorist, Petra (RB), was a superb ratter. Watching an experienced JRT ratter at work is something else. The rats won't know anything - unlike poison, it WILL be instantaneous. Rats are a health risk. Helen M > > So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this weekend, > > eh? [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Helen M My mom had one that walked in one day and jumped on a rat, shook it, it was dead in about 2 seconds or less. It's better than poison by miles. >> > So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this > weekend, [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > was > dead in about 2 seconds or less. It's better than poison by miles. I know. Update tomorrow after the terriers have been. Tweed >> So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this >> weekend, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Helen M Oh, I know. I am trying to kill them in the kindest way :-( These terriers are Patterdales and I have no doubt that the rats will go to RB instantaneously, but even so..it's me that decided it. I know it's ridiculous for me to feel like this, they are just rats and it's true, they do carry carry disease and are vermin. I just don't like to kill things, anything, if I can help it. Sometimes I have to, and you know what, it really hurts my spirit. Rats are very clever. You can catch one in a break back trap the first time, but after that the others will cover the trap with earth to set it off. If you put a poison block inside their burrow some will eat it and die but those who didn't will block the entrance to that hole and never be fooled by poison again. That's the situation I'm in. Too many huge clever rats. Tweed >>> So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this >>> weekend, [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Tweed Last year, I had a rat in the garden, it chewed through the floor of the summer house to get to the birds food. I watched it a few times but couldn't bring myself to hurt it. I wasn't sorry though, a few weeks later, to find it had been killed by one of the cats. I thought at first it was Baggy, it might have been, but it's possible it was the visitor. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) A House is not a home, without a cat. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >>>> So lets hope this man will come with his terriers and ferrets this >>>> weekend, [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > it had been killed by one of the cats. I thought at first it was Baggy, it > might have been, but it's possible it was the visitor. What has to be done, has to be done. I can't continue to feed huge rats any more, they are causing a lot of damage to my sheds and are a threat to the chickens and myself so.. Mick came this morning,early, as promised. He brought two Patterdale terriers, but said he would leave the male in his car for the moment as he thought his bitch would be better around chickens. I thought at first she was going to be useless, all she wanted to do at first was scratch at the chicken huts to try and get in to them. I wondered if I'd made a mistake inviting them to come. However..once we started smoking into the holes (a hedgecutter engine with a pipe on) and under the huts, she killed three as they bolted. Two were absolutely enormous and the other was definitely too big for the cats to tackle. Unfortunately some got away into neighbouring gardens when we had a *multiple bolt* around 6. We have filled all the holes and runs in and Mick is coming back in two weeks if there is a sign of digging or opening their holes again. It might be enough already to make the survivors not come back. I have put the rat bodies on top of the compost heap. I am fairly sure that a b&^%$ fox will come and eat them overnight. Tweed > It's not easy for me. I don't want to be the cause of any animal to die, > but unfortunately this is necessary. I feel bad about planning it, though. > > Tweed Well, I understand that. I hate to be the cause of killing any living creature. But that's one you really just can't co-habit with. We had a packrat in the garage last winter that was so big he had carried tools and all kinds of stuff, even a yam, back to his nest under the workbench. I didn't even know it was there, until Happy nabbed it one day. Sherry On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:55:04 -0800, sriddles wrote: >> It's not easy for me. I don't want to be the cause of any animal to die, >> but unfortunately this is necessary. I feel bad about planning it, though. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Sherry Perhaps you could have trained him to help around the house. MLB >>>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye >>>> on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > That's just smart of him. I not daft. Dese old rats are huge and dey can ete thru concrete blocks, yes, it's true. It happened here. Yoo should see dere grate big brown chisel teef it no surprise dey ete concrete and I decide to wash myself wen I see dem. Kitty does too. Anyway, meowmie decide it time to get a man in to get rid and she fown one, watch this space. He alreddy been in tuch and say der cats hav to be kept in wen e come. Guess dis meens we can't help dis time. He say he bring d*g fings. Boyfie >>>>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an eye >>>>> on him. This was probably unnecessary as he settled down to sleep at [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Boyfie Gee whiz: We are really anxious to hear about the rat catcher and his methods. Purrs that all kitties keep a distance from the activities. MLB >>>>>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an >>>>>> eye [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > methods. Purrs that all kitties keep a distance from the activities. > MLB "Ratman" whose name, btw, is Mick, came this evening (sans d-things) to suss out the place. We did a tour of the yard and I showed him where signs of fresh earth diggings were under the poultry huts, where the earth was flattened as rats like to move from one place to another in as safe as way as possible - this is called a rat run - and where they seemed to have made themselves a comfortable home in my compost heap too. Mick decided he will not bring his ferrets after all to drive out the rats towards his dogs, in case the ferrets pop in inside my chicken huts and kill my chickens, which they would do. He coming at 9 a.m. tomorrow with his terriers. All chickens, geese and cats must be shut in safely away from the d#gs as they get very excited on a rat hunt. I asked him if his terriers were Jack Russells and he said no, they were these: http://www.patterdaleterrier.co.uk/ and he says he will use smoke down the burrows instead of ferrets to get the rats out. Patterdale terriers are very "hard" they get in killing mode and watch out everything, so for only the second time ever there will be a litterbox in my house tonight. The first time was when I needed to be sure to catch Boyfie early morning for his snip. I *do* have to get rid of these rats, but part of me is so stupid and soft that I don't want to do it. I have to remind myself that they pee as they walk, their urine can carry Weil's disease which I can catch and it could destroy my kidney function, they are chewing through the floors and doors of my (expensive) chicken huts and they are eating almost as much chicken food as my chickens. I guess that's probably enough for me to decide they have to go, and a quick neck snap by a terrier must be preferable to a slow death by poison. Can you tell I wish I didn't have to do it even so? Tweed I need my head examining for guilt.. Tweed, you do what you have to do. Hope you get rid of all the rats so you can raise your chickens in peace. Lily & her mama SignatureIrulan from the stars we come to the stars we return from now until the end of time > >>>>>>> I stayed up until 3.30 a.m. with the lad last night just to keep an [quoted text clipped - 76 lines] > Tweed > I need my head examining for guilt.. "Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote in >> >> Gee whiz: We are really anxious to hear about the rat catcher and his >> methods. Purrs that all kitties keep a distance from the activities. [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > slow death by poison. > Can you tell I wish I didn't have to do it even so? And I thought you were a bit tougher than I am on this sort of thing. I'd love to borrow those terriers for an afternoon. I too hate to use poison, and Charlie won't allow it. But rats have eaten the hoses out of my washing machine four times in the last four months. They do seem to have stopped. I'm pretty sure the neighbors pest control service is putting out poison. And cleaning out the stuff stored in the rafters in our garage helped too. But the lot across the street is vacant and fill dirt has been dumped there many times in the past year. I'm sure the rats love it. We've gone thirty years without a problem. I think they moved into the garage when we went on the cruise in August. And they are miserable to get rid of once they settle in. Jo > "Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote in >> >>> Gee whiz: We are really anxious to hear about the rat catcher and his [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > And I thought you were a bit tougher than I am on this sort of thing. No, I'm not, at all. I must have been a Buddhist in a previous life. I hate even to kill insects accidentally. But some things need to be done, and this is one of them. I'd > love to borrow those terriers for an afternoon. I too hate to use poison, > and Charlie won't allow it. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > garage when we went on the cruise in August. And they are miserable to > get rid of once they settle in. I've struggled with them for ages. Poultry keepers often have a problem with rats because of the availability of food. I really can't tolerate them any more doing the damage they are, so lets hope Mick and his terriers will put a swift end to them. Poison is too risky for my cats. It's not that they will get hold of it, I am too careful for that, but they might eat a dying rat. I'm afraid it has to be done in the morning. :-( Well, it's all starting very well I must say. The back door is permanently shut until noon tomorrow, both cats are in. I have sacrificed a turkey tin for a litter box and it is filled with nice soft earth away from everything in the kitchen. However, Kitty has just piddled on the wood I have in this room ready to put on my woodburner <sigh> It's my fault. I wouldn't let her out.. Tweed >> That's just smart of him. > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >Boyfie You're a smart boy, Boyfie. You stay safe and healthy so you and your Mommy can take care of each other for a long time. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War |
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