Question Of The Day, Sunday, September 2, 2018

[micknsnicks2mom]

My cats were born feral and Buddy and Muffy had a pretty strong hunter's instinct. One time Muffy brought home a Blue Jay that was almost as big as she was. My cats were good at bringing home rodents and birds.

your Buddy and Muffy had strong hunter's instinct!!! really awesome!!

oh my! that's very impressive, your Muffy catching a huge Blue Jay!!

 

[1 bruce 1]

your Buddy and Muffy had strong hunter's instinct!!! really awesome!!

oh my! that's very impressive, your Muffy catching a huge Blue Jay!!

I agree! I couldn't catch a Blue Jay if my life depended on it. Those birds are mean!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I learned this guy was a good hunter when we decided to play thing on a string, and he leaped up (AT me), latched onto my shirt, ignored my bellows of pain and protest and waited til I dropped wand from my hand, and took off with it.
He's really the only cat we have with a weight problem. He's fed 100% raw, so I don't know why. He's not obese, but overweight and is, structurally, a BIG cat.
He's also a hog and has been known to steal food from slow eaters so he's now separate from the others at meal times. We'll see if this helps!

he sounds like a smart boy!

i had never experienced a cat leaping and latching onto me, until last week. our DeeDee really wanted my attention (i was sitting down for a few minutes, between various chores), so decided to leap onto and climb up my back...... the t-shirt i was wearing was thick enough that she didn't catch any skin, luckily. i was shocked!

 

[1 bruce 1]

he sounds like a smart boy!

i had never experienced a cat leaping and latching onto me, until last week. our DeeDee really wanted my attention (i was sitting down for a few minutes, between various chores), so decided to leap onto and climb up my back...... the t-shirt i was wearing was thick enough that she didn't catch any skin, luckily. i was shocked!

She didn't want your attention....she was demanding it!!!!!!
IDK why but a few weeks ago Baby Girl (the most ornery of the group) decided climbing my back and attacking the back of my neck was a necessary thing to do and did it every night for about a week.
Sometimes they want what they want, they want it now, and nothing will stand in their way.
Earlier I went into town for some feed and got back, unloaded, then spent a good 10 minutes on the couch with one of my favorite dogs and a cat of ours pretty much butted in, stuck his rear end in my face and stayed there. Dog jumped down like "uh, ew", I said to the cat, "bro, that's weird" and walked away.
10 minutes later I passed by him and he was still in that butt-lifting position.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
If Scottiecat, Bob, Peanut, Puff, Lance, Oz, White Tip, Mirò, Black Friday and Clawed-Ya were all in the same room, and seventy-six mice marched through playing Seventy-Six Trombones on seventy-six mouse-sized instruments, they'd leave unscathed, but let Moo Shu see anything - a gnat, a Human, a 230 pound English Mastiff, and Allosaurus - in her house? "Must. Kill. That."

A few years back, an unfortunate Cicada Killer managed somehow to find its way into the house. No matter the fact that insect guides claim that they're, "2 inches in length," this is an outright lie. They're four inches easy - and six inches when you finally get up the nerve to grab a jar and get close enough to catch them:

Too late. In a single leap, the Snowshoe launched herself at the ten inch long wasp, snapping it neatly in half with one swipe of her paw.

So, to recap: no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no and RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I thankfully haven't had any critters in my apartment, but Remy does hunt bugs. Maisie could be a hunter since she likes to watch birds, but I'm not certain. Remy I'm sure is a vicious hunter just based on the fact that he likes to destroy things.

 

[raysmyheart]

Speedy likes to hunt little, felt cat toys and she can go crazy going after moths.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Bodhi loves birds. I have a feeder outside one of the living room windows. Sometimes they will sit on this stone ledge that's set into the outside of the window opening. If he hears them he creeps up and throws himself at the screen. Thank God it's a pet proof screen.

He's obsessed with rabbits and squirrels.

He's snuck outside a few times when I've been bringing in grocery bags. Once he almost caught a squirrel. He ended up with a paw full of it's fur before it took off up a tree. Another time he got out and as I was walking to pick him up and bring him back a rabbit that was hiding under a hosta plant took off. I wasn't too worried at first because I thought a wild rabbit is gonna be able to outrun a house cat, but I was wrong. He kept up with it even when it dodged back and forth at full speed. He caught it and let it go a few times and finally drove it back to where I was standing. I could tell the rabbit was tired and Bodhi looked like he was going to bite the rabbits neck so I praised him and said I'm sorry but we're gonna have to let this guy go. Eventually he wandered off while I held Bodhi back so he wouldn't try and follow. The rabbit was ok. Just lost a bit off fur but no wounds.

your Bodhi definitely has hunter instincts, and is very interested in birds, rabbits, and squirrels!!! awesome!!

oh my! that's some serious hunting skills your boy has, to be able to keep up with that rabbit!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Oh, the stories I have. Snake is our best hunter, she's taken down prairie dogs before.

Recently though, Suki caught a squirrel to share with the other cats. They ate the body and left the tail and the head... what a pleasant surprise, eh?

When the cats were younger and still kittens, they practiced on frogs and tiny voles/mice.

your cats are good and practiced hunters!!! excellent!!

wow! your Snake has even taken down prairie dogs!! that's impressive!

and so very nice of Suki to share the squirrel she caught with your other cats!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

My three all like to hunt insects and spiders. Hotaru is probably the best hunter because she is very athletic, despite her big belly.
Olivie also likes to "hunt" cookies...she has a bit of a sweet tooth.

your three cats enjoy hunting insects and spiders, with Hotaru being the best hunter!!! really very nice!!

awwww, your Olivie likes to 'hunt' cookies!!

 

[aliceneko]

Fudge is the main hunter. We thought that Toffee would be the main hunter at first as he loved pretending to hunt his toy mice, though he doesn't like the real thing and when Fudge caught his first bird a few weeks ago, Toffee suddenly became very scared. Fudge is a lot bolder and more adventurous than Toffee, and is often the first to explore the garden when they go outside. Both cats enjoy catching insects and spiders though (I think Toffee doesn't like animals like mice and birds who can retaliate and fight back as when the poor bird Fudge caught was trying to break free, he backed away and ran back inside due to fear) and go absolutely mad when they see flies.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Nightfury is the real hunter in our group. He is the one who seems the least interested in mock hunting or posturing but he is the most successful. When both Link and Rocket we're kittens he would constantly bring in grasshoppers, lizards and mice for them to practice with. He'd get their attention and release then sit back and watch. Even now he continues this behavior in the evening once Link and Rocket are in for the night. Just this week he brought in a huge moth for them.

Rocket is the one with the longest attention span for stalking/waiting and most aggressive. She also likes to show off, which has led to many a lizards escaping when she shows me her catch. Rocket once was going after a lizard and it latched onto her nose. Funniest thing to see her shake it off and paw at her nose after (she was fine, just startled). She's also camped out in front of a dresser where a mouse was hiding for at least 12 hours. She was watching it when I ate dinner, still watching it when I woke up and left for work. The mouse was dead at the back door when I got home with her giving me the "my toy broke" look.

Link is an absolute clutz and horrible hunter. He can't be stealthy. Too loud, too clumsy and too short of an attention span. He occasionally gets lucky and manages but I tend to think it's more something running out in front of him. Although did catch a hawk once, he camped out the bird bath for days before catching it. My Dad saw him carrying the hawk back to our house and said his name. Link dropped the hawk and looked sheepish, the hawk postured and jumped around until Link smacked it and it flew off dazed. So maybe he is a better hunter then I know.

And my rainbow cat desensitized me to the mice and critters. Heused to think it was a great game to bring me large rats and crows gooey (he had no teeth) at midnight. Half the time I stepped on them and half the time they were alive enough to require chasing around my room to get out of the house. Always really big critters too, never small insects or grasshoppers. I've always figured he really meant them for me and was trying to feed me so he gave me the bigger "food".

your Nightfury, Link, and Rocket all have the hunting instinct, with different approaches!!! excellent!!

oh my! your Link caught a hawk!! and Rocket sounds like an 'intrepid hunter'!

so very nice of Nightfury to bring Link and Rocket interesting insects and small critters to 'play' with!

and your Rainbow cat brought you some large critters...as gifts! very sweet!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Both Diamond and Seal have spent time living outside, having to fend for themselves. When I had a mouse in the kitchen, it was Seal who took care of it. There was a little growl behind me so I muted the TV and looked and there was Seal with a little mouse - quite dead - in his jaws. It was his gift to me. I took the mouse and put it outside.

I suspect that Diamond could have taken care of that mouse, but Seal spent longer on his own and seems to have more wildness and hunting instinct. And Diamond has his own agenda, and might be too preoccupied to bother with a mouse.

Leonid has never lived or even been loose outside. He is fascinated by insects, and he will try to catch them, but I have not seen him dispatch one. I think a mouse would interest him, but he wouldn't know what to do with it.

I had a relative who did something rather cruel, though it had a happy ending, for the rats anyway. He thought his girlfriend's cats should keep rodents in check. He decided to teach them how. He went to the local med school and bought a couple of lab rats. Big rats. He let them loose in his girlfriend's kitchen. Her cats were terrified by the rats. And the rats scurried under the appliances, never to be seen again.

The girlfriend was not happy. She now had a couple of big rats in the neighborhood who had escaped from her home and must know how to get back in. The cats had a brief scare, but got over it. And my relative's name was mud. He was held up to great ridicule, most deservedly. And, of course, he went on to become an emergency room physician. I heard that his experiences there made him a much more sympathetic person.

your Seal sounds like a very experienced hunter, Diamond has hunting instinct but also has his own agenda, while Leonid has hunting instinct but is limited on his knowledge of what to do once he's caught something!!! really awesome!!

our girls, DeeDee and Punky have strong hunting instincts, while Dude has hunting instincts but has limited knowledge of how to use them, what to do. Dude has learned from watching the girls. he taught both girls so much as they grew up with him. things like enjoying sitting in the window sills, smelling the fresh air and watching things/critters outside -- which they were afraid of, the sounds outside. so i love seeing him learn from his girls too!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

We have had many cats over the years but I think Neely was probably the best hunter. We are certain she had free run of the outdoors before we adopted her and kept her inside. But first thing in the morning she would run to look out the patio door and survey any living thing that crossed the patio. The closest she got to hunting in our house was insects. She was one smart cookie!

your Neely was probably the best hunter, of the many cats you've had over the years!!! very nice!!

your girl enjoyed watching various bugs, birds, and critters that crossed your patio! and she hunted insects in your home.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Noodles very much as a hunter instinct. Our first home was a single-wide trailer. One day I saw a fly come in the front door and Noodles had it as soon as it hit the opposite wall. It wasn't in the house for 4 seconds. It never knew what hit it!

Mooch's instinct is to get pets and a lap to warm.

your Noodles has a very good hunter instinct, while Mooch prefers to get pets and a lap to warm!!! awesome!!

that's very impressive, your Noodles catching the fly so quickly!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Circe -- no, she prefers to have her food dish filled and to be carried to it. (OK, ok, I maybe spoil her a little bit). She's my oldest cat at about 10.5 years (she's been my cat for 4 of those, so I don't know if she's never been much for hunting).

Autumn -- not really. We call her the "Gumby Cat" (Cats reference) because she generally sits on the corner of my desk, on another shelf in my room, or she's at the food dish or the litterbox. She's only 7 (and again, 4 years as my cat), but she's just not much for activity.

Domino -- another non-hunter. He's 6.5 (got him a little over 4 years ago).

TV -- yep, she's a hunter. She catches and kills flies if they're in the kitchen. She's believed to be a littermate of Domino (and Autumn is believed to be their mother).

Cosette -- another hunter. If we let her, she would go outside, but we don't let her roam free out there. Too many people that confuse 2 for 4 for the 25mph speed limit. But she catches insects. She is also a rather unique cat in that she will play fetch with her favorite ball. She's a little over 3, so she's a young one, and she's the one that we say "was raised by dogs" (in addition to playing fetch, she turns three times before laying down and has been known to chase her tail, and goes for walks on a leash).

Mabel -- the recently adopted baby (about 4.5 months old). She likes the "thing on a string" toy, but not so much other toys like the burlap and catnip "mice" or the balls that Cosy likes. But I'm not sure if that will translate to hunting.

it seems you have a mix of hunters and non-hunters, as well as your Mabel being a kitten so time will tell if she has hunter instinct!!! most excellent!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Yes most of our cats like to. Mostly pigeons they catch, but sometimes they don't eat it.
Cant catch a 'Bat' though ... You'd think with 5 cats in a living room one will catch a 'Bat'.

most of your cats are hunters, and catch mostly pigeons...but aren't able to catch a bat!!! very nice!!

they sound like good hunters, to be able to catch birds!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

She didn't want your attention....she was demanding it!!!!!!
IDK why but a few weeks ago Baby Girl (the most ornery of the group) decided climbing my back and attacking the back of my neck was a necessary thing to do and did it every night for about a week.
Sometimes they want what they want, they want it now, and nothing will stand in their way.
Earlier I went into town for some feed and got back, unloaded, then spent a good 10 minutes on the couch with one of my favorite dogs and a cat of ours pretty much butted in, stuck his rear end in my face and stayed there. Dog jumped down like "uh, ew", I said to the cat, "bro, that's weird" and walked away.
10 minutes later I passed by him and he was still in that butt-lifting position.

that's very true!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

.
If Scottiecat, Bob, Peanut, Puff, Lance, Oz, White Tip, Mirò, Black Friday and Clawed-Ya were all in the same room, and seventy-six mice marched through playing Seventy-Six Trombones on seventy-six mouse-sized instruments, they'd leave unscathed, but let Moo Shu see anything - a gnat, a Human, a 230 pound English Mastiff, and Allosaurus - in her house? "Must. Kill. That."

A few years back, an unfortunate Cicada Killer managed somehow to find its way into the house. No matter the fact that insect guides claim that they're, "2 inches in length," this is an outright lie. They're four inches easy - and six inches when you finally get up the nerve to grab a jar and get close enough to catch them:

View attachment 251112

Too late. In a single leap, the Snowshoe launched herself at the ten inch long wasp, snapping it neatly in half with one swipe of her paw.

So, to recap: no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no and RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
.

of your cats, it's your Moo Shu that has the hunter instinct, and very strong hunter instinct!!! excellent!!

wow!! a ten inch long Cicada Killer...and your Moo Shu swiftly and efficiently 'dispatched' it! DeeDee and Punky are very impressed!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I thankfully haven't had any critters in my apartment, but Remy does hunt bugs. Maisie could be a hunter since she likes to watch birds, but I'm not certain. Remy I'm sure is a vicious hunter just based on the fact that he likes to destroy things.

your Remy is quite the hunter, while Maisie might be because she likes to watch birds!!! really awesome!!