Your pets- whatchugot?
Posted by Rose Red
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Re: Your pets- whatchugot? October 08, 2008 |
I have 27 cats total, 21 outsiders and 6 insiders. There are countless raccoon, o'possum, deer, and birds of all types that hang around and get fed (or eat whatever they want) as well. I try to make my property as animal friendly as possible. I have thought about adopting some dogs, but if I didn't keep them in pens or chained up then if they strayed off of my land they would likely get shot by one of these hillbillies. I don't like to chain or fence dogs up and there is no way these insider cats (especially the older two) would put up with any dog instrusions or otherwise I'd get a few insider dogs.
As for cats doing tricks, I have had MANY who did. It's really all up to the individual cat if he wants to grace you with doing a trick. Some absolutely will NOT even try, but others seem to enjoy it. I try to watch for things that they like to do naturally and then turn it into a "trick". I had a cat once (Snuggles) who could sit upon command, much like a dog, and stand on her back legs and beg as well with the front paws going like dog's do. Snuggles would also "speak" upon command and I have only had one other who would speak, so it's not an easy one to teach, UNLESS they WANT to do it. I have a cat named Sabrina who can turn off a light on command, although she won't do it as much now that she's a senior citizen, but she can still do it. She is fascinated with light so she knows all kinds of flashlight games/tricks. She drives me crazy when the power goes out though.
I have had several cats who would fetch and return on command which is an easy trick to teach a cat, you just have to toss something that they like already such as bottle caps, crunched up paper, etc...then work your way up to a ball. You have to get their full attention first and make a big deal out of it when they bring it back for a replay. My husband taught one of our cats to do the "bang you are dead" trick and she will just PLOP on her side and lay there like she has been shot, like a dog. Cats, again IF they want to, can be taught at very young ages to give massages as well, which is easy since they like to make biscuits anyway. I have had several who would give WONDERFUL soft paw neck massages for 15 and 20 minutes at a time. That is basically a matter of getting them to do it once and then figuring out one simple word or phrase that they seem to like that will trigger them to do it again when asked.
They also understand various words and respond according to how they have been trained. I can say the word "TREAT" in any tone, at any time of day, yelled or at a near whisper, in any room of the house and every one of those cats will emerge from wherever they are and line up at my feet. They don't always get treats either, but of course they always get extra pets and praise. I trained them to do this because I have a fear of fire in this old two story wood framed house and that they might hide under a bed or something and perish in the fire. So, I guess that "treat" is a kitty fire drill of sorts.
As for cats doing tricks, I have had MANY who did. It's really all up to the individual cat if he wants to grace you with doing a trick. Some absolutely will NOT even try, but others seem to enjoy it. I try to watch for things that they like to do naturally and then turn it into a "trick". I had a cat once (Snuggles) who could sit upon command, much like a dog, and stand on her back legs and beg as well with the front paws going like dog's do. Snuggles would also "speak" upon command and I have only had one other who would speak, so it's not an easy one to teach, UNLESS they WANT to do it. I have a cat named Sabrina who can turn off a light on command, although she won't do it as much now that she's a senior citizen, but she can still do it. She is fascinated with light so she knows all kinds of flashlight games/tricks. She drives me crazy when the power goes out though.
I have had several cats who would fetch and return on command which is an easy trick to teach a cat, you just have to toss something that they like already such as bottle caps, crunched up paper, etc...then work your way up to a ball. You have to get their full attention first and make a big deal out of it when they bring it back for a replay. My husband taught one of our cats to do the "bang you are dead" trick and she will just PLOP on her side and lay there like she has been shot, like a dog. Cats, again IF they want to, can be taught at very young ages to give massages as well, which is easy since they like to make biscuits anyway. I have had several who would give WONDERFUL soft paw neck massages for 15 and 20 minutes at a time. That is basically a matter of getting them to do it once and then figuring out one simple word or phrase that they seem to like that will trigger them to do it again when asked.
They also understand various words and respond according to how they have been trained. I can say the word "TREAT" in any tone, at any time of day, yelled or at a near whisper, in any room of the house and every one of those cats will emerge from wherever they are and line up at my feet. They don't always get treats either, but of course they always get extra pets and praise. I trained them to do this because I have a fear of fire in this old two story wood framed house and that they might hide under a bed or something and perish in the fire. So, I guess that "treat" is a kitty fire drill of sorts.
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Re: Your pets- whatchugot? October 12, 2008 |
Awww, everyone has such cute kids 
I have some pics of mine too:
Kippy:
Caspurr:
Rolly:
And just for fun...a LOLcat I made of my sibling kitties:
I have some pics of mine too:
Kippy:
Caspurr:
Rolly:
And just for fun...a LOLcat I made of my sibling kitties:
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