Tales of the Cat...or (I blame you SWedd)

[BRNC]

The naming thread sorta took a turn as some of us started sharing a bit about how dangerous these "fuzzballs" can be...I had to share this story...

My oldest daughter (14 at the time) had a "pet show and tell" at school...she took her cat (inappropriately named "Yoda"..."Raji the baby Elephant" is much more appropriate)...he's a large solid gray with a nasty temper...

All these kids show up with pets...my daughter had Yoda's leash on...of course...but this "curious" Golden Retriever could not help himself...came over for a sniff....

Yoda (literally) got on his back and proceeds to claw his way up the under-belly of this poor dog...

My daughter (horrified) has to jump in and pull her cat from under this poor guys belly...long story short...

My wife gets a call to pick up my daughter...and her "uh" pet...my wife gets to school and my daughter looks like she had to run through a mile-deep brier patch!

Never under-estimate a "fuzzball"...

[Muttley]

After watching that video SWedd posted, I think one should never leash a cat. Just let it run away. It's safer to just hope it comes back to you someday.

Also, BRNC, explain this large black cat you saw near your house. I'm intrigued.

[BRNC]

After watching that video SWedd posted, I think one should never leash a cat. Just let it run away. It's safer to just hope it comes back to you someday.

Also, BRNC, explain this large black cat you saw near your house. I'm intrigued.

Muttley...I have a large black rescue (we call "baby panther...my wife named him "Guy Noir")...but I think you're referring to the actual "panther" we saw about six years ago...it was a real-live-full-sized-panther...shocked me and my wife...

...and as I told you (brought it here since really getting OT in the name thread) I've seen 2 Bobcats in the last 3-4 years...it was two different ones 'cause markings were different...

You talk to the Rangers up here and most will say "no Bobcats or Panthers for years"...absolutely BS because I've seen them...my academic back-ground is an environmental biologist...and I also came from a "hunting family"...I know a Bobcat and Panther when I see them...

Every once in awhile one of the "older" Rangers admit they are still around...just hard to find...but they've always been hard to find....

Both the Bobcats and the Panther I saw was full body and within 30 feet front of my car...so I saw what I saw...they were light tan (all three) normal coloration....the one "sighting" I had 9-10 years ago I don't count...It was night, middle-winter...driving home with my wife...we only saw the "rear haunch and tail"...big enough to be a Panther and the tail was correct...but much darker brown and I did not see it full body so I've never been sure what it was...and I'd have to go back and check my books to see if their furs gets darker in the winter...I've just never been sure on that one...

[BRNC]

After watching that video SWedd posted, I think one should never leash a cat. Just let it run away. It's safer to just hope it comes back to you someday.

muttley...the leash thing was this...school so all the animals had to be on a leash...the girl with the Golden Retriever (not thinking) took his leash off...he wondered over to "smell" my daughters cat and that's when the "fireworks" happened...

When we take the cats to the vet we have to have them "leashed"...but we always take them in a travel crate (with leash so when they come out they have it on)...and I will say...none of my four cats likes to be leashed...and yes...that video (still need to put a warning label on it SWedd) shows how much they (a cat) can go off...even on a leash...still ROFLMAO about that video...although I do feel the guys pain...

[Muttley]

I have no doubt you saw a panther. I don't mean to come off as though I'm doubting you. I just find this very interesting. I also was in error to assume the panther was black, instead of a tan-colored one, but that was the "large black cat" I was referring to. It shouldn't surprise anyone else that they're still around but hard to find, since their natural instinct would be to stay out of sight of humans. Too bad that in order to get a picture you'd have to have a camera set-up outside year-round. That would be sweet though.

[SWedd523]

you should catch and domesticate the pather. how AWESOME would that be?!

[Muttley]

you should catch and domesticate the pather. how AWESOME would that be?!

Part of me thinks: That'd be horrible to domesticate an animal that has no business being domesticated.

Another, more fun part of me thinks: F' yeah, that'd be sweet! Imagine taking your panther for a walk. You'd be the baddest Mofo on the block!

[BRNC]

you should catch and domesticate the pather. how AWESOME would that be?!

SWedd...if you'd seen the size of this guy..."catch" would not come to mind...I was very happy to stay in my car....