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Cat Forum / General Topics / April 2004Little Gifts! Little Help Needed!
Hello, Just wondered if anyone could share some advice on how to stop our two cats bringing home little "gifts" for us during the night. Both cats (1 male, 1 female) are just under 2 years old. They have never brought anything back before, but since our first baby was born and became the centre of attention 14 weeks ago, we have had 4 mice, one bird and two frogs. And, because they have a cat-flap door, we find the presents - normally dead but sometimes alive - in the living room when we get up in the morning. The bird was the worst - feathers everywhere! With the baby about to start crawling, we want to nip this in the bud to avoid infections etc - we are trying to lavish attention on the cats again, so they don't feel so left out, but this morning (2am!) - a whole lot of noise, and another frog. Still alive, and quickly back in the neighbours pond. And me disinfecting the carpet whilst half asleep, not that enjoyable really! We don't want to lock them in the kitchen at night (where their door is), or lock them outside, but we might have to... Thanks, David. ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat newsgroups!! There is no stopping the sacrificial gifting. As long as they are allowed outdoors, they are going to attempt to bring you "gifts". A funny story; I don't allow my cats outdoors at all, but I have a huge enclosed patio that they think is "outdoors. Yesterday I awoke from a nap, to find a dismembered bird in bed with me, and all my cats snoozing soundly. This is the second time in two years that this has happened. The largest gap in the wire meshed-in patio, is a 1 inch gap betwwen the base and the frame of the wire. We are clueless as to HOW these birds how squeezed in to meet their doom. In any event, I truly can't stop my cats from doing this, IF a bird makes it's way into our patio, but you can probably curtail their activity, by either keeping them indoors at night, OR making them some sort of secure enclosure on your house, so that they can not obtain their prey. http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worldenclosures.htm > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat > newsgroups!! I have a 3 legged cat who cant stretch to birds but often digs up worms and offers them instead! > There is no stopping the sacrificial gifting. As long as they are allowed > outdoors, they are going to attempt to bring you "gifts". [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat > > newsgroups!! > I have a 3 legged cat who cant stretch to birds but often digs up worms and > offers them instead! What a lovely gift to step on when you wake up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Blech! kili *squick* :P  SignaturePeace, Pen -- Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats! http://www.pawbreakers.com >I have a 3 legged cat who cant stretch to birds but often digs up worms and > offers them instead! [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] >> > ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat >> > newsgroups!! >Both cats (1 male, 1 female) are just under 2 years old. They have never >brought anything back before, but since our first baby was born and became >the centre of attention 14 weeks ago, we have had 4 mice, one bird and two >frogs. You probably can't. My cat would do that, if I got upset he would get indignant. Look at it that the cat is showing you his appreciation by giving you the fruit of his hunting. Bear in mind cats are natural born hunters. >ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat >newsgroups!! Please excuse my posting my answer to only one newsgroup. I only post to one group at a time, i have yet to find a stituation that warrants crossposting not to mention it is a violation of some ISP regulations. From my ISP: Crossposting: Posting the same article to more than three newsgroups is prohibited. The article posted must be on-topic for each group it is posted to. I keep my posts to one newsgroup. | >ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat | >newsgroups!! [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] | is posted to. | I keep my posts to one newsgroup. I know this statement too, but don't really understand why it should be an offence. I mean as long as you are on topic you can get more good answers from more newsgroups because more people read your post; and of course it's much easier to post than multi posting. (And how about multi posting?) I'm very interested in your answers. Carola > | > | Please excuse my posting my answer to only one newsgroup. I only post > | to one group at a time, i have yet to find a stituation that warrants > | crossposting not to mention it is a violation of some ISP regulations. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Carola I usually start a new thread only in a single newsgroup. However, I occasionally crosspost if it is something that I think warrants posting in more than one NG. I do think crossposting (when warranted) is *much* better than multi posting. It is much easier when I try to follow a particular thread to know that all answers will appear in every NG where the original message appears. Otherwise, it becomes tedious to try to check several NGs. One problem that sometimes occurs is that some of the newsgroups may not be accessibe to me -- so my newsreader eliminates them from the groups that receive my replies. I do think crossposting should be done selectively. However, the OP in this instance only posted to three NGs, and I don't think that was excessive. Moreover, we are now posting under Amy's message (where she deleted some NGs) -- which means the thread has been broken for some readers. Amy quoted from her ISP. The policy she quoted does permit posting to three NGs if the message is on-topic for each newsgroup. MaryL >I usually start a new thread only in a single newsgroup. However, I >occasionally crosspost if it is something that I think warrants posting in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >accessibe to me -- so my newsreader eliminates them from the groups that >receive my replies. One thing to bear in mind not every server carries every group. Often if you post to more than one group you'll get groups that your server doesn't carry and the result is the message gets posted to no groups. If a message is posted to more than one group it is a sure indicator that it is either spam or a troll. > If a message is posted to more than one group it is a sure indicator > that it is either spam or a troll. Not true! I try to use crossposting selectively, but I do sometimes post to more than one group when I think it is appropriate. Likewise, you will find crossposting from others in the various cats groups. Most of them are "regulars" and definitely not trolls. (It is true, of course, that trolls really abuse this practice. You can often recognize them by crossposting to an excessive number of groups, but the OP of this message only posted to three groups.) MaryL >Not true! I try to use crossposting selectively, but I do sometimes post to >more than one group when I think it is appropriate. And 99.9999% of the time when Forte Agent alerts me that something was posted to more than one group it is 1. spam or 2. a troll.. It is extremely rare that it is a legit post on topic. >> If a message is posted to more than one group it is a sure indicator >> that it is either spam or a troll. No, trolls will crosspost between antagonistic groups to stir up a fight. >Not true! I try to use crossposting selectively, but I do sometimes post to >more than one group when I think it is appropriate. Likewise, you will find [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >MaryL Crossposting is the proper way to post the same message to more than one group. It should be done only when the article is absolutely on-topic for each group and, if possible, the followups set to one group only. A crossposted message is only carried once on the server, so a post crossposted to three groups uses about a third of the space required by the same message posted separately to three groups ( multiposted). In addition, many readers will hide that message in the other groups you read. While space for a text post is not really a big factor, seeing that same post multiple times is extremely annoying for people who follow many groups on the same topic. Multiposting fractures the discussion. Never, ever multipost. ( There are some exceptions, mainly dealing with the formation of new groups, I won't go into here.) -- BarB This is a good discussion for news:news.newusers.questions >No, trolls will crosspost between antagonistic groups to stir up a >fight. I don't even look to see what groups it is posted to. 99 out of a 100 times the message is trash be it spam or a troll. I'll repeat. I've never found a good reason to cross post. Never ever ever. >>No, trolls will crosspost between antagonistic groups to stir up a >>fight. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >I'll repeat. I've never found a good reason to cross post. Never ever >ever. There is seldom a reason to crosspost, but crossposting is preferable to multiposting. BarB >One thing to bear in mind not every server carries every group. Often >if you post to more than one group you'll get groups that your server >doesn't carry and the result is the message gets posted to no groups. So long as one of the groups is on your server your server will carry the message. miaow >So long as one of the groups is on your server your server will carry the >message. And i've gotten some nasty error messages that xxxx group was not carried on this server. After I got thnat message a while back I now only post to the current group i'm in at the time. I won't post to any group i'm not familiar with. >>One thing to bear in mind not every server carries every group. Often >>if you post to more than one group you'll get groups that your server >>doesn't carry and the result is the message gets posted to no groups. >> >So long as one of the groups is on your server your server will carry the >message. There are a few providers who will not allow a crosspost to be made to a group which is not on their server. ( I believe Airnews is one.) It's always a good idea to look at the headers to see where your reply will be posted, and change the newsgroup line if you do not agree with the crossposts. It's also polite to note if you do so. If the original poster failed to set a followup, it's not a bad idea to crosspost a reply to all the groups in the newsgroup line, but set the followups to one group only. Add a line, "Followups set to group X." It's seldom necessary to send the same article to more than one group, but, if you must, please crosspost the article rather than posting the same message multiple times. BarB >>So long as one of the groups is on your server your server will carry the >>message. >> >There are a few providers who will not allow a crosspost to be made to a >group which is not on their server. ( I believe Airnews is one.) You wish me to take them out? ;) [snip] >It's seldom necessary to send the same article to more than one group, >but, if you must, please crosspost the article rather than posting the >same message multiple times. Sumkatz is innocent! miaow >So long as one of the groups is on your server your server will carry the >message. Not always. I've had messages bomb and the server returns an error message. >I know this statement too, but don't really understand why it should be an >offence. One word: spam.. I'll reiterate: i've never found it necessary to crosspost to more than one group. Never. >I mean as long as you are on topic you can get more good answers from more >newsgroups because more people read your post; and of course it's much >easier to post than multi posting. (And how about multi posting?) >I'm very interested in your answers. And if you're like me I subscribe to more than one cat group and it ticks me off when I see a message on more than one cat group. Forte agent gives me the option of posting to only one group or all the groups. I post the answer to one group only. BTW, spammers will forge your name on spam and ISPs do remove accounts for spam in your name even though you weren't the one to post it. Spammers often post their spam to 1,000s of newsgroups. So if I go to a message and Forte tells me it was crossposted to more than one group that tells me there is a 99% chance it is spam. >> Both cats (1 male, 1 female) are just under 2 years old. They have never >> brought anything back before, but since our first baby was born and [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > is posted to. > I keep my posts to one newsgroup. What's up with all these self-appointed, fuckwit netKKKops? > >> Both cats (1 male, 1 female) are just under 2 years old. They have never > >> brought anything back before, but since our first baby was born and [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > What's up with all these self-appointed, fuckwit netKKKops? Say what you will about them, but people who play by the rules strictly, laboriously, and with no imagination whatsoever are the glue that holds the Internet together - it's the same with any unregulated medium. - Sir Bob. Dear David, Are you aware you are crossposting your replyes? The Star Trek people aren't interested in this, they just want to discuss captain Kirk and his crue. Be alerted and stay alert. Xomicron is a crossposting troll, do not reply to his messages, he is not really interested in any discussion, just in disturbing things. <snipped, irrelevant> Bolle Zijde This message was intentionally crossposted. > Dear David, > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > This message was intentionally crossposted. Would you like some cheese with that whine? Get lost. You get lost, dickhead. Bolle Zijde > You get lost, dickhead. On a scale of one to ten - f.ck off. Just do not crosspost, ok? > Just do not crosspost, ok? Quitcherbitchin. > > Just do not crosspost, ok? > > Quitcherbitchin. You wasted bandwidth for that bullshit? SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSLAP! >>> Just do not crosspost, ok? >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSLAP! This coming from someone who uses both hands to wipe his a.s. >Just do not crosspost, ok? Newsgroup line set back to alt.cats,alt.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.misc Followups set to alt.cats. This is an example of a crosspost by a troll. The newsgroup line was set to alt.cats,alt.spacebastards,alt.startrek.vs.starwars,alt.world, alt.troll,alt.games.grand-theft-auto,rec.games.frp.dnd,alt.usenet.kooks, and alt.troll. When one encounters this kind of crossposting, set the newsgroup line back to the original groups. This was originally crossposted to alt.cats,alt.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.misc. Crossposting is the correct way to get a message to more than one group, provided all the groups are on topic. When a user multiposts the same message to more than one cat group, the discussion is fragmented over a number of groups. In addition users who read more than one feline group are VERY annoyed to see the same post occurring over and over in the groups they read. A crossposted article occurs only one time on the server. Newsreaders can be set to show a crossposted message only once in the first group you read. It helps if the original poster sets followups to only one group. BarB BolleZijde <bolle.zijde@someplace.net> massively cross-posted: > Just do not crosspost, ok? See, this is irony. SignatureBradd W. Szonye http://www.szonye.com/bradd >What's up with all these self-appointed, fuckwit netKKKops? Can we amend Godwin's law to include KKK references and attempts to use the race card? Signature====================================================================== ISLAM: Winning the hearts and minds of the world, one bomb at a time. >> What's up with all these self-appointed, fuckwit netKKKops? > > Can we amend Godwin's law to include KKK references and attempts to use > the race card? Godwin's Law is for pussies. > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Thanks, > David. Although it's unpleasant for you, these really are "gifts" from your cats. I don't know of any to prevent it unless your cats become indoor-only cats (which would be my preference). My cat, Holly, brings me a gift every evening. Since she is indoor-only, she brings me a little red leather mouse -- the same mouse for several months now (and so worn that it is hardly red any more). MaryL > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > We don't want to lock them in the kitchen at night (where their door is), Why not? >or lock them outside, but we might have to... I can't imagine how anyone could consider locking cats outside overnight as being an option. If you want to nip this thing in the bud - I suggest you either lock them in the kitchen with access to their door at night, or lock them inside overnight. Your cats are displaying a behavior that's considered inappropriate, so it's up to you do correct this, something I'm sure you'll do when your child exhibits the same. I don't have a catdoor, my cat is "in and out." She has a curfew of 10pm. Though she knows the rules and abides by them, there are moments of protest, but - such is life. Cats are like kids, and rule are rules. Good luck with finding the solution to your problem! :c) Judy & Matilda > > Hello, > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Judy & Matilda No, this is not "inappropriate" behavior -- it is something that we "hoomins" may not like, but it is perfectly normal behavior for a cat. In fact, from the cat's perspective, this may be seen as a compliment when the cat brings gifts. Certainly, it is not something to correct because the cat will have no way to understand what he or she is being punished or "corrected" for. In my opinion, this is something that simply has to be accepted if a person is going to have an indoor/outdoor cat. MaryL > No, this is not "inappropriate" behavior -- it is something that we > "hoomins" may not like, but it is perfectly normal behavior for a cat. In [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > "corrected" for. In my opinion, this is something that simply has to be > accepted if a person is going to have an indoor/outdoor cat. I was just given a cat care book last weekend and it said that if you did try to scold them, they would think their gift was inadequate and would therefore try to find you a better gift. Quoth MaryL: > No, this is not "inappropriate" behavior -- it is something that we > "hoomins" may not like, but it is perfectly normal behavior for a cat. In [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > "corrected" for. In my opinion, this is something that simply has to be > accepted if a person is going to have an indoor/outdoor cat. Not necessarily - my cats are in/out, and they never bring gifts home for me. Occasionally Calli will bring a mouse home to eat herself, and when I point out to her that she shouldn't have brought it in she runs back outside to finish. I don't think it's a compliment; I think it's a matter of training - as in, the cat is trying to train you to hunt, in the absence of suitable evidence that you're capable of doing it yourself (or maybe because the cat notes that you have "kittens" and need to know how to provide for them?) I don't know how to persuade a cat otherwise, except to note that my three seem to think that I'm quite capable of catching my own (and once Blackie and I caught one in co-operation). But a thought - do you feed them the odd scrap from your plate at mealtimes? If so, they may be trying to return the favour... May not be that, but cats are quite intelligent enough to figure these things out. SignatureGwenhwyfaer (emails need [Private] in header) some girls wander by themselves > Quoth MaryL: > > But a thought - do you feed them the odd scrap from your plate at mealtimes? > If so, they may be trying to return the favour... May not be that, but cats > are quite intelligent enough to figure these things out. No, I never feed table scraps. In fact, Holly shows absolutely no interest in any food except her own. On the other hand, Holly is an indoor-only cat, and the "gift" she brings me is always the same little red mouse. I will hear a moaning sound from her, and she arrives with the mouse at about 9:30 or 10:00 each evening. (The original message that described live gifts was from another person.) MaryL | No, I never feed table scraps. In fact, Holly shows absolutely no interest | in any food except her own. On the other hand, Holly is an indoor-only cat, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] | | MaryL I think that's lovely! Does she just bring it or are you meant to play with her? Carola > | No, I never feed table scraps. In fact, Holly shows absolutely no > interest [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Carola She just brings it to me and places it at my feet. Then she will usually get up on the arm of the chair or beside the computer keyboard or wherever else I am, and I am expected to drop everything and give her some "undivided attention" (which I gladly do). I think it's lovely, too. MaryL > I don't think it's a compliment; I think it's a matter of training - as in, > the cat is trying to train you to hunt, in the absence of suitable evidence > that you're capable of doing it yourself (or maybe because the cat notes > that you have "kittens" and need to know how to provide for them?) It's pretty much accepted universally by animal behaviorists that the behavior is instinctual. It has nothing to do with a cat's "thinking" you can't hunt. | With the baby about to start crawling, we want to nip this in the bud to | avoid infections etc - we are trying to lavish attention on the cats again, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] | Thanks, | David. Please don't lock them outside. How about the kitchen plus another room? The kitchen with food and water supply plus access to the outside would be a fair compromise I think. I need to go to the bathroom in the night but don't like to turn the light on in order to remain half asleep. Do you know the feeling when stepping barefoot on one of the gifts?? The present cats are good though, but the last one was a terrible hunter. Carola (snip) > Please don't lock them outside. How about the kitchen plus another room? > The kitchen with food and water supply plus access to the outside would be a [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Carola Yep, I know the feeling of waking up in the middle of the night and stepping on a gift. My cats always chase down geckos, but they never eat the head. It's not a fun thing to feel squish in your toes. ICK! kili Be thankful that they are usually dead and small. I spent a day and a half trying to catch a chipmunk, and it was enclosed in the bathroom! Every time I would get it out from behind the sink, and into the shower stall, I would open the door, out it would run, and behind the sink again. Finally, I stood on a step stool, threw a paper sack into the shower, took a broom and hustled him into the sack, closed the sack with the broom, opened the door, got the critter and took him outside. I was exhausted and the chipmunk was too. > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > ps. Please excuse the cross-posting, there are just too many great cat > newsgroups!! >Be thankful that they are usually dead and small. I spent a day and a >half trying to catch a chipmunk, and it was enclosed in the bathroom! [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >the broom, opened the door, got the critter and took him outside. I was > exhausted and the chipmunk was too. My guest chipmunk escaped behind a tall bookcase (I thought), loaded with books and sundry junk. I spent a couple hours searching, moving and swearing. Finally I gave up and waited for the stink. It never came, and I never saw that poor crippled chipmunk again for 3 weeks. Then one night there was a commotion in the kitchen as I sat watching TV and the old cat finally got the poor thing. This clawless old cat finally learned how to catch full grown gray squirrels last summer. He's been trying the 10 years I've had him without success. One arrived dead in the living room but the second was very much alive. Old cat couldn't hold him up any longer (quite a load to carry by the neck with squirrel feet barely touching the ground). I yanked open front door and called him, and he dropped squirrel just before he got to the door. Cat and squirrel went shooting out the door and squirrel found a crack in house foundation to escape with his life. I wait for this summer's hunting season to start with some dread. Earl >Be thankful that they are usually dead and small. I spent a day and a >half trying to catch a chipmunk, and it was enclosed in the bathroom! Your kitty was teaching you to hunt. When they are kittens, their mom brings live prey back to them. Sounds like you learned well! I bet she was very proud. Sherry > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Thanks, > David. Bringing in the food means the cat is looking after you, or most likely after a baby. It is a compliment being so loved by a cat that it's mothering you and the baby. Maybe this behaviour is not up to human scratch, but since cats are our family too, we need to understand them, and often put up with some of their quirks, like they do with many of our quirks. Try and feed the cats just before they go out. Put the loud bells on their collars so they scare off the birds. Perhaps lock the cats in during the night, and only let them out in the day. Tigger brought me some live worms a few times then stopped. No idea why one way and the other. But hopefully this mothering fase will pass. Perhaps once baby becomes a wee bigger,and cats stop feeling that they "have to" look after it :) Gee idiot, thats just addons for the casserole. >> Hello, >> [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > > Gee We have always let our cats in and out during the day and kept them in at night. They do bring us presents, but at least you won't find one in the morning. |
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