🚀 go-pugleaf

Robert H Ruskin wrote:
> 
> Bonnie is a Bombay, which is a black cat like no other black cat you have
> ever seen -- sometimes referred to as a mini-black panther, just think of
> polished black onyx and you will have an idea of what a Bombay looks
> like. I will take her out on a leash -- but she seldom walks, so I
> have taught her shoulder riding, and forearm riding. I have almost got 85%
> of her trust in *any* situation [thus the reason for forearm riding where I
> can secure her if she frightens]. She knows that as long as I am with her
> she is SAFE, and will never be hurt [it has taken a long time to get to
> this point]. Gypsy, my last cat trusted me totally from day 1. She too
> would not walk, but it was with her that I taught /learned shoulder riding.
> 
> This is the first cat I have ever had that travels well!!!! I have taken
> her on a BUS to the vet [in carrier] and instead of screaming her head
> off, [as I feared would happen the first time I had to do this -- put
> Gypsy in a car, and you would think that she was about to be murdered]
> she instead tucks her paws underself and allows herself to be admired,
> the more people, the more she shows off. She always prefers women to men
> [this may have something to do with the fact that she may have had more
> exposure to women than men since the cattery she came from was owned by
> a woman, and her primary care provider at the cattery was a woman], in any
> given room where there are people, she will avoid the men, but will visit
> the women -- so long as I am nearby: Wind around my legs, visit a woman,
> allow petting; come back, wind around my legs, visit a woman, allow the
> woman to pet her; come back, wind around my legs...... back and forth,
> back and forth. It is a funny thing to watch. The guy gets miffed because
> no matter what he does Bonnie pays him no mind... but with his girlfriend...
> Bonnie is rolling over on her side, asking to be petted, rubbing all over
> her.
> 
> ... Yes CATS can serve as excellent ice breakers.
> 
> CATS RULE; DOGS DROOL!!!!!
> 
> Bob
> 
> --

I have a tabby, mostly white with tabby-striped islands on his back, 
ring-tail.  Green eyes.  At night, if you happen to get up for a 
bathroom run, sometimes he's sitting on the banister in the dark and all 
you can see is this round head on what looks like a long neck and these 
glowing eyes -- the first couple times I thought I had been invaded by 
ETs.  He's a great cat, affectionate and responsive and trainable.  He 
does tricks (shake paws (a lefty), sits, gives me kisses, finds his 
mouse, lies down) and after the Loma Prieta earthquake we did a few 
months of leash training but we haven't gone outside yet -- I don't want 
his pink feet to get all dirty.  But he'll walk around the house and 
down to visit the neighbors on a leash with no problem.  But it did take 
a lot of patience.  But then, he loves me and loves to please me.  As 
far as meeting folks with an animal, hell, I love all animals and say 
"hi" to any I see down the street as I walk, and forget there's usually 
a person attached to the other end of the leash, I'm just concentrating 
on looking at the animal.  And the human never says anything anyway, 
even when they hear me praising the [dog, usually], they don't even say 
thank you or anything.  The only times anyone said anything to me were: 
 once a guy's doberman pinscher ran out of the open garage as I was 
passing and I immediately went down on my knees and hugged it, and the 
guy ran out and yelled at me that I could have gotten biten (the dog 
liked being hugged).  The other time the guy was working on his garage 
and his dog was just lying there sooooo pretty, and a I had to stop and 
admire, and I don't normally pet dogs unless I have the owners 
permission so I asked and the guy said that he was just there to fix the 
garage door and decided to bring his dog along.  So, moral of the story 
is, displaying your pet is not enough, there has to be that verbal 
connection or nothing will happen.  In your times of being alone, or 
being lonely, think and practice things you could easily say to a 
completely stranger who you think might be interesting to know -- 
openers if you will.  And since, if they are admiring your beast, you 
probably have an animal lover so talking about animals would be 
appropriate.  Things like keeping a dog in an apartment in the city, or 
"do you have a dog?" and if the answer is no you could offer to share 
yours if she ever gets the urge for some good dog love, etc.