Scientists believe cats 'sort of domesticated themselves'

SignOnSanDiego.com ^ | June 29, 2007 | THE WASHINGTON POST

[Fawn]

Not intestested in what anyone else says about it.....I just know that it’s senseless and cruel to breed while thousands are purposely killed every day in this country costing taxpers millions!!

[Caramelgal]

Your cat decided to live with you, not the other way around.

One October evening over 15 years ago, a stray female tabby-tortie showed up at my sliding glass door at the back of the house. She kept pawing at the door like she wanted in. I had never seen her before.

She showed up night after night, always around the same time.

At first I tried to ignore her, then I even tried to chase her away, but she kept showing up night after night.

I had a Siberian Husky at the time and one evening while the dog was sitting on the porch waiting to be let in, I saw this scrawny little cat affectionately rubbing up against the dog and licking her – like “see, I even like dogs – please let me in”

I finally relented. “Zelda” immediately made herself right at home. She was so calm and so affectionate, it was like she knew she belonged and I and the dog knew it too.

Three weeks later she gave birth in my bedroom closet to three beautiful kittens.

I only found a home for one of the kittens so 15 years later I have three cats. Sadly my dog passed on at age 14, a year after Zelda showed up.

I really believe that out of all the houses in the neighborhood, this cat purposely choose mine. She somehow knew I would be good to her and her babies.

And she’s been very good to me as have her two offspring, each have very different personalities but each are very affectionate and strangely empathetic to my needs and emotions.

She’s elderly now and in the early stages of Kidney failure and I can’t imagine life without her love, her cuddling and kisses.

I’ve always said that dogs, because they are pack orientated; love you because they have to, it’s in their nature, they need the approval of the alpha. Cats on the other hand are solitary creatures by nature, so if they love you, it’s only because they choose to.

[Albion Wilde]

A burglar has entered your home. Your dog goes wild!!!!Disturbed by the dog’s barking, your cat takes a deep breath and goes back to sleep.

My cat comes to get me if I am in the family room when the stove timer goes off.

[Hardastarboard]

I like the comment I heard the other day - Dogs have masters. Cats have staff.

[Albion Wilde]

He also brings home live prey to teach us how to hunt.

Yes, there's nothing like opening one's eyes from a nap on the white living room wall-to-wall to the sight of a dead mouse with one or more bleeding stumps and my cat on the other side of it, looking expectantly at me for praise.

[Fresh Wind]

That’s just their way of telling you to get food for them.

[Old Professer]

They’re freeloaders, plain and simple.

[nmh]

“We have what we believe to be a Bengal mix and she loves to play with balls—the toy kind. I think she would be capable of playing fetch if she weren’t so ornery. And we also have an orange tabby. We got both cats last year when they were kittens and found in back yards. I’ve just fallen in love with this Bengal (well, and the tabby too). We got ours for free and we took her to give her a home, but now I want another one. I’ve been looking them up on the internet and they cost hundreds of dollars. Yikes!”

I got the orange tabby, Thomas from a “foster mom”. We had to be interviewed and it was agreeable and we adopted him. His mom got scared away and left the kittens. Thomas was one of them. He’s a sweetheart - real marsh mellow personality but he will stand his ground.

Debbie, our Bengal is too much! I’ve had to train her NOT to climb the walls and NOT jump in the shower with me. I’ll fill the bath tub and she’ll swim around in there and play with toys. She loves water! She also sounds different - she chrips. She’s VERY active. When it comes to food SHE is the aggressive one.

Another way to tell a Bengal is the body type - they are significantly longer. They’re very soft - pelted and come in various shades. They should have “black boots” and a black and cream tail. Of course they should have spots and some have “glitter”. Debbie doesn’t have “glitter” but she is beautiful - she’s a “blondish” coloring. Light coloring with dark spots and mint green eyes that are more oval. The eyes are another give away. They’re different in shape.

Next year I hope to get a male Bengal with “glitter”. I don’t like having them all the same age. As they get older ... like people they start declining ... I went through that before and it was hard to deal with ... one lived to be 20 years old and the other two died within months of each other at 18 years old.

I’d highly recommend Bengals - they’re smart, fun and beautiful. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to a “wild cat”. Selectively mated domestics and Asian leopard is what makes them more unusual.

[nmh]

Too cute for words!

Great!!!

:)

[Albion Wilde]

the cat will sneak out an opening in the house with the video cam and go to an outside window,film the whole thing,sell it to CNN and retire.

A few years ago I read a news item about a cat in England who was stealing stuff from other people's houses via the cat doors. He brought home all kinds of stuff, including IIRC an umbrella and a golf club.

[expatguy]

I have never trusted cats. Never.

[advertising guy]

I have 4 cats right now and a damn doggie door and just rescued a pidgeon flying in my house . I shoulda let the cats eat the pidgeon then eat the cats........lol

[lepton]

I just know that it’s senseless and cruel to breed while thousands are purposely killed every day

They aren't breeding cats for *those* qualities.

And uh...animals die. Billions and billions daily. The best way to control them?" Allow people to hunt them and eat them. Spaying and Neutering on a large scale is absurdly wasteful economically, and not eating them is wasteful biologically.

[Roses0508]

I have a big garden, so I went to the human society and got a cat as IPM. I took home the cat that reached through the cage and snagged me with his paw. Naturally, he’d never been outside a day in his life, but he caught on in a big hurry. He is an excellent hunter now. He brings me a rodent, I open a can of wet food to reward him (and dispose of the rodent). The first few catches, I had a hard time getting the rodent away from him.

He comes when he is called (the dog should do so well), plays fetch, dances on command, stands (back legs) on command and is my constant companion and best buddy.

Right now he is thoroughly out of sorts with me - my granddaughter is visiting and he is outraged to discover that I can love someone else.

[unspun]

The most relevant question:

How much did this cost taxpayers?

[gcruse]

What’s with the propensity for publishing peoples’ age when it has nothing to do with the story?

[Fawn]

Neutering on a large scale is absurdly wasteful economically,

You're kidding right? It's the best thing to do. Economically and morally. Same goes for liberals. :)

[Dr.Deth]

PETA approved pet:

[ellery]

:( Awww, I hope your kitty comes back.

[ravingnutter]

Did you make any changes in your household that may have upset the cat? I have a 7 year old cat that was tame (at least to us and the dogs, she hated strangers) until we built the new house 2 years ago and had the old mobile home hauled away. She hated the new house, and howled when I tried to orientate her to it (for weeks), so I finally told hubby it was her choice to be an outside cat and I wasn't going to continue to make her miserable by forcing her to come inside. She still came around to eat, but wouldn't even let us pet her any more. It really broke my heart that this happened, we were so close before that.

We are worried about her right now, as neither one of us has seen her in 2 weeks. We call her and she won't come, but her food gets eaten and it is in a spot where other animals can't get to it, so we just have to hope for the best. Although, she does live up to her name of Xena Warrior Princess B**ch, I've seen her beat up some pretty big dogs and so far she has managed to survive not getting caught by a coyote, so she may still be out in the woods somewhere and just ignoring our calls.