Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for April 14, 2024

This is the gospel according to the Book of Cat. My Sara is a master of the turning into liquid. But when she wants to, she comes for snuggles. One arm making contact, or laying her head in the palm of my hand. Gracie will tolerate being held for short periods of time.

Elvis! I was getting worries about the Woman’s little Dadcat but there he is! In a carrier. Looking dignified… Snerk!

Picking a cat up by the scruff of the neck will cause the cat to become docile. It’s the same way that a mother cat picks up her babies, and instinct tells the cat to be still.

Now that Elvis has finally been spotted, where’s Goldie?

Sunday Funday

I think if I were a cat, I’d prefer to have all four paws on the ground, too. I’d have stubby legs, a stout body and short-ish neck, and a round face. My ears would be slightly big for my head, my tail slightly long for my body. I’d be pretty clumsy for a cat, too, definitely not the best at jumping or landing, but I’d be pretty good at swiping food off countertops. I never could decide what color my coat would be, but I think mostly black, or tuxedo.

My cat Skippy uses the method in panel 3 and then gives me looks that kill when I put him down, none of this applies during a visit to the vet.

“UPPIES!” Look at that little kitten tail go!

Another method involves wriggling and twisting through more dimensions than Euclidean geometry allows.

Our cats prefer the “lower your center of gravity so you instantly feel 20 pounds heavier to make the humans regret trying to pick you up” method.

We pick them up only when necessary. Leading them someplace works better. Of course, they like leading us.

Currently, the cats solicit petting by jumping on the piano and staring at the nearest tree-leg.

Bone Collapsed Iggy looks mildly unesttling. nice work.

One of my current girls likes being picked up and the other doesn’t

This surprises me about Iggy.

Well some cats is no like to be pet also. They sees your hand and they will digs the claws into it and bites it.

David says this one was written just for me. Trouble loathes being scooped up, and I fail to recognise his personal space. (sigh) Sorry Troubler! I will try to do better and heed Pucky’s advice and “respect your NO’s”.

Franny loves being petted; picked up – not so much. Joe Grey, OTOH, wouldn’t mind being toted around all day long.

Of all his methods, Iggy’s protest flop is the cutest to me. Plus toe beans!

When Thing 2 sent Loaner Cat to live with us, she made a point of telling me that Loaner Cat absolutely did NOT like to be picked up or carried about. Don’t bother, she doesn’t like it at all, she won’t let you, she hates it, she’ll fight you on it…Maybe it was just that she didn’t like Thing 2 carrying her around because I carry her all over the house and she just purrrrrs away. I found out because she was sitting on my lap and I went to get up and got her ‘stink eye’ so I picked her up and took her with me and that was that. Now, she’ll follow me, murping after me to get me to carry her. Go figure.

My Olivia turns to stone when picked up. Every muscle in her body turns rigid, even if it’s only to pick her up to move her from one couch cushion to the other.

Zelda tolerates being picked up and loved on, but I let her go once she gets squirmy. She hasn’t yet figured out that Snuggles Are Good, so it’s the best I can get. But she never protests getting attention! She has to be the chillest kitty ever, even by house panther standards. ❤

I had two semi feral cats outside and I had to pick them up to put in carrier for vet trips. I used very heavy duty leather gloves. Strangely, they behaved very well for the vet staff. They used towels.

The third way explains how cats manage to fit within impossible spaces.

A Golden Oldie: The Cowsills’ We Can Fly

See how there is a new perspective

(Seen from above)

See how we view the floor down below

And now we know it’s so much fun! Whoa ho!

…….

Isn’t it groovy in a cat pouch

(Who says groovy today?)

Maybe some cats don’t like to fly high!

And that’s alright a lap is fine!

…….

It is so funny, nap in a beam so sunny!

When we’re together we can fly!

We can fly!

…….

Oh, we can fly!

…….

Dear Woman, we would like to nap now!

Carried around, or here on the ground

Running around can be so much fun!

Hey cats on the ground, doing our thing, see what we’ve found

When we’re all together, there is no storm that we can’t weather!

When you are with us we can fly! Hey!

Let’s get on the couch and fly!

My Mom’s cat is very sweet, and loves to be petted…but- DO NOT EVEN TRY TO PICK HER UP OR THE,’ I WILL CUT YOU!’ BLADES WILL COME OUT!!

I enjoy the focus on Iggy. Also, it looks like Ora Zella is wagging her tail, which is kind of odd.

Hi! I FRIGGIN LOVE BCN!!! I’M SO FAR BEHIND WITH WHAT I’VE READ!!! Stay awesome!

For the first year, Holmes did not want to be cuddled or picked up at all. He allowed petting, but only when he wanted it. Now, he craws into your arms like a baby and purrs. I agree with Georgia and Pucky Bear. Respect what the cat wants and they might surprise you.

F.Y.I., Hamilton A. Cat has been and always was a snuggle bunny.

So true.

Meanwhile, Back on the Nile

Queen Catshepsut the Golden: I would like to thank all my staff for making the first annual Literary Festival a success!

Queen Mags: And I would like to propose we set aside one week each year to host a Literary Festival at the oPyramid!

All: Hear! Hear!

Elvis-Anum: Your Majesties, may I suggest we organize a planning committee with representatives from all around the Nile.

Queen Cat: A most excellent suggestion! It was unfortunate that Queen Lisa and King Montgomery were unable to attend, but the Lawn Potato and Basketball tournament was this very week.

Puckmosis: I will contact Wicket to make sure there are no schedule conflicts next year.

Thomios: And I will contact Patrice Possum and Uncle Floof’s Culinary school for food suggestions.

Queen Mags: I’m sure Beatrixia and Beaver Lee Cleary will come up some excellent ideas as well.

Violet-Ifa: So will the Royal Procurers. But we won’t tell them until we’re good and ready!

Re: Liquid Cats – Google “PBS Ig Nobel Prize Are Cats Liquid” for an interesting article. (From 2017; I’m late to the party, but when cats turn into liquid, it’s all good.)

None of my four enjoy being picked up, but they will jump up and cuddle with me and get lots of pettings.

This is absolutely true, and excellent advice for all cat owners. It’s important to keep in mind that not all cats are “cuddlers,” but that doesn’t mean there isn’t other ways to get affection out of them that they do prefer. You just sometimes have to let the cat convey what that method is for you.

My girl greets me at the door when I come home, and isn’t completely satisfied with my re-entry until I scoop her up and rub her belly.

While it’s good to respect their wishes, it’s also a safety issue to have a cat that can’t be picked up and held. Ours don’t all love it equally but have learned to tolerate being held without struggling when necessary. As when the door ripped off the house during a derecho, once. Being able to scoop up the cats (two at that time) and shut them in the bathroom meant that when it was over we still had cats.

Kind of a crossover here with FurBabies.

Today, Floof turned into water to fit into a fishbowl.

Oh they have more persuasive ways than that.

Cats excel at stealth and shape changing. Some do have a problem with their tails when hiding.

In England, you “fuss” a cat rather than “pet” it. (“Pet” is used as a noun for the animal.) Fussing cats is something they enjoy.

Cats come in a large variety of liking or disliking certain forms of attention. Back when I was still in the service, I had one cat that was highly unusual. His name was Nermal and he was highly attached to me. It didn’t matter when I got home, whether it was just a day or longer (I had a cat sitter). If any of you remember the Flintstones cartoon series, you remember Fred being greated by Dino which knocked him off his feet. Nermal would do a Dino when I would come in the door. Now 15 pounds is not that heavy until it’s propelled by a speed of unknown quantities. After the first time, I was always braced for it. Never had a cat before or after Nermal that was like that. He was most unusual. He liked water too. I had to keep him out of the bathroom or he would join me when bathing. Yes, all cats are characters when it comes to moods and-or affections and being love bugs, but I have to say Nermal was the most unusual.

My Little Luna, (she just turned 15) HATES to be picked up. She doesn’t turn to liquid. She turns stiff as a board and screeches but loves to lay in your lap and cuddle. She calms down once her little feet touch the ground or my lap. That’s her in my profile pic.

OT

I too have missed Elvis— though I think the presence of ferrets was the last straw. Elvis retreated to his study to organize his suspender collection and update the rules for the great chain of being, cat version.

Our Poppy does the exact same as Iggy in panel 3 when we try to kiss her nose. It’s her “no kisses!” two-pawed protest.

Another rule in my house: When I do pick up either cat I set them down on the floor softly. Gracie is a real angel about this. But Sara will often mule kick me on her way down. LOL Her vengeance for daring to pick her up in the first place.

Apparently Iggy doesn’t use the twisting and spinning method. Or the whirling blades of death.

There is a family on YouTube who have three cats. While mum was pregnant she wondered how she was going to carry a cat and baby at the same time. She settled on a baby sling. Two of the cats did not like it at all. The third at first could not stand it, but when he got in, he could not be budged to get out. And so she carried the cat in the sling and the baby in her arms. And the cats have become the best older siblings for baby.

Yep. Diesel is happy to be picked up because it means he’s with me and I’m paying attention to him. Raven hates to be picked up, and it’s something we’ve been working on for years. I respect that he doesn’t like it, but if an emergency happens, I need to be able to move him. Currently, he’ll tolerate it grudgingly as long as I put him down when he indicates he wants to get down.

I’m working on “picking up” with visitor cats Joe Grey and Dulcie, by lifting them gently and moving them about a foot across the ground, then putting them down immediately. Dulcie is doing well with it. Joe wiggles immediately but doesn’t bite or scratch. Neither of them runs away once I put them down again, and usually come back immediately for petting. Vital socialization skills!

R.I.P. Trina Robbins.

UPPIES!!!!! Oop is a lot like Iggy. We’re working on it. Diesel,,,,,,he’s just a year old baby that hasn’t yet figured out it’s good to be on the lap. Yet.

One thing I forgot to mention about the Eclipse. Jules arrived the night before as we were enjoying a nice evening on the porch. He sure was excited buzzing around and bumping into things. Guess he wanted to see the Eclipse too.

MrrrCavity will tolerate being picked up, but doesn’t like it. He does seem to understand that we will only do it of necessity. He will occasionally sit next to my wife with his chest and paws on her lap, but he’s not really a lap cat. What he wants is for me to get down on the floor with him for pettin’s, head and tummy rubbies.

Did anyone else first think Ora Zella was saying PUPPIES‽

Sometimes my cat loves being picked up and petted, other times, nope. Got better things to do. It’s all on her terms.

Trust Ora Zella to make her wishes clear in this situation. UPPIES! and that little bottle-brush flickering tail … my goodness, what could she possibly want?

Sara has yet another trick. I reach my hand out to pet her and she will pull back, sniff my hand to see it’s worthy of her, only then can petting commence. Sometimes it’s as if she’s never seen a human hand before. What’s this? Hmmmm. Ok, you may pet me now.

I never picked up my cats unless necessary. Then I would softly say “pick up” and put my hands gently in position on the cat for a few seconds and say “pick up” again so the cat would know it was coming, then quickly get the cat up and against my body for support. It worked and no one objected.

As a very small woman, I — way more often than you would imagine — had guys unexpectedly pick me up off the ground and then often make it worse by swinging me around. I cannot tell you how very much I hated that; it was so disrespectful. I figured I owed my cats the same courtesy that I longed for.

Just a few pounds.

The orange plush does not like being picked up! But she associates being held with getting medicine, poor baby!

Not to mention the violent wiggleworm strategy.

" Uppies" so cute!

I can relate with my dogs! My previous dog LOVED being picked up and held, as well as lap-sitting. This one however does NOT. The first time I picked him up like I had the former one, he SCREAMED. It was blood-curdling. I quickly realized he had PTSD from people not respecting his personal space (and Dog knows what else), as well as a sore behind from being constipated – so scooping his rear, as I had my previous one, did NOT work. And, he’d sometimes thrash unexpectedly while being held, resulting in his being dropped, which wasn’t good. He also screamed when startled, especially when touched unexpectedly. Now I make sure to approach him gently and slowly. He still doesn’t like being held much, but loves sleeping on my bed (and other benefits that come with being picked up), so he tolerates it much better. I just wish I could get him to stop thrashing when I’m putting him down!

Oh, and my last dog LOVED his Snuggli! This one tolerates it occasionally. Glad to see I’m not the only one who carries pets in baby carriers! Though, I imagine Georgia’s was actually purchased for a real baby. I got mine at a rummage sale (which I didn’t know was aimed at children’s things). If it hadn’t been almost over, I might not have bought it, thinking to leave it for someone who wanted it for a baby. Glad I didn’t. I imagine it was because that style was kind of complicated to use – straps everywhere.

Even kittens from the same littler are like that. Sometimes some of them run to be picked up, while siblings are like NOT ON YOUR LIFE, LADY. HIE THEE AWAY FROM MY CAT TREE.I have to just work with them and let them come to me so they’ll be sociable for adoption.

OT

My boy Kuzco will make a “squenk” noise when he is picked up in a way he dislikes, although he loves to be held. He is so cubby he has to have regular tushy trims for sanitary reasons, so it probably is uncomfortable to be scooped up suddenly.

My tuxedo cat loves “turning into liquid” and “protest flop”, but “not putting your legs down” is another.

Ot back:

Ozzy is a don’t pick me upper, but whenever the wife sits down he’s on the back of the sofa scrubbing his head against hers.

I had a cat who would “Become Stiff as a Board.” Or, is that Liquid?

I don’t mind my stand-offish cats. I can only carry one at a time.