A canine winter solstice…
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46 Comments
That’s tremendously impressive and dexterous jaw work by your critter, First Dog. Obviously you enrolled him in an Advanced Snapping course in his formative years.
Blowflies in winter, it’s nothing short of a scandal.
Well done FD. After enduring the last 24 hrs of totally facile media frenzy about some chap named Kevin, the tale of you gallant hound’s adventures has quite lifted my spirits.
My cat had a big day too. Meowed over her 95% full food bowl to ensure it was completely full before touching a mouthful. Moved into a cupboard onto the floor of which the sun was shining through a high window. About an hour later the sun had moved and she had to move along to the doorway to regain it.
There is something deeply disturbing about a “crunchy” Blowfly…something insidious and not spoken about often…
And then when you patted him on the head he licked your cheek? It’s instinctive for a dog and his master to share the spoils. Not even blowflies can break this beautiful bond.
Don’t tell me you fell for the old ‘missed the bastard thing but have to look like I got it so I’ll make out I’m eating’.
Thanks for a break from ‘you know what’.
The whole idea leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth
I can report the same thing here. All the more disturbing because it’s one blowfly.
Lone mosquito here.
It’s days like these-referring to the you know what on the political scene-which make me so happy that Walnut adopted me.
True, she is very dictatorial, but as I run with the scallops, the prawns, and sundry assorted delicacies-meanwhile chewing a piece of stale health-food store bread-I am reminded of feline honesty.
None of this business about being for sale, such as we see with our politicians. Cats are never for sale, in the abstract. They accept, or not, as the whim takes them, our presents as their due. And if we are very lucky we will be allowed to stroke them.
What sagacious creatures.
I find watching dogs snap at flies and other winged insects wholly amusing, so this little vignette has indeed distracted me with a glazed smile for a Friday afternoon. And we had a blowie in our house a few weeks back. In winter! It’s just not cricket …
caninus blowflii - A sub-species of Dog of the Canine Family inexplicably attracted to the mid-range buzz of the rare Winter solstice common Blowfly (Winterratus Blowii). Habits include sudden raising of ears and snapping to rapt attention in sitting position, concentrated stare and frenetic jaw snapping until successful. Most commonly found in the cooler southern regions of Australia although occasional sightings have been reported further westwards in warmer seasons. Famous Examples: FD
FirstDoggie have you seen Simon’s Cat, in Fly Guy? Cat’s have flycatching responsibilities too!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1qHVVbYG8Y
SHANE: Thanks for that link. V funny.
Shane: Ditto
Yes ta Shane too ditto. The other Simon’s ones are good too.
@Shane: double ditto!
)
@Buzz: You said, double d?
@Innocent Until: it’s kind of like ‘deja vu all over gain’ (n’est pas?)
@Buzz: Tout à fait.
@wagwak - You think there is something ‘deeply disturbing about a “crunchy” Blowfly’- have you ever heard a cat eat a mouse (I mean all of it? under the kitchen table? while you’re sitting there)? Yuck. This same cat by the way used to be a great blowfly wrangler (way more adept than the cartoon cat) until he got too old for such minor amusements.
@Venise - I have so often agreed with your comments (I think nearly all of them in fact that I’ve read) and what you say about cats is right on. A small problem I have my other cat (‘brick on legs’ the vet calls him) is he is so willing to gracefully accept gifts of steak morateur with great enjoyment … and then throw up all over the couch. But you have to love ‘em (you’ve got to, you’re theirs).
Shane - Many thanks for Simon’s cat. Laugh ? I nearly chat.
Innocent and Buzz - are we dealing with schizophrenia here ?
Since we are apparently living in cat central at the Dog’s and since I (hopefully) emjoy a reputation as having an entrenched antipathy towards cats, perhaps our felinophiles might offer some sage advice.
George, First Mate’s cat is 8 and strangely, as a desexed male, he’s started spraying in the f*cking house. My first reaction was to see whether I can punt him over the back fence, but FM argued for restraint. A helpful chap at work said that one can have G’s squirt-o-stench glands removed so he does the tail wag of shame, but the books in the bookcase and the curtains remain intact.
Does this little bit of cat modification work or should I lace up the old footy boots ?
Simon’s cat Fly episode is funny, but the Snow episode is totally pantswetting.
Over the years a couple of my cats (male and female) were prone to spraying despite having been desexed. Mercifully, they restricted activity to the garden.
However, I believe there is an Old Wives’ Tale antidote for indoors: put a little cloudy ammonia on a cotton ball and place it in the area where the cat is likely to spray. Cats don’t like the ammonia smell. Good luck.
Incidentally, for our records, what’s the name of First Mate’s cat?
@Mike - ‘A helpful chap at work said that one can have G’s squirt-o-stench glands removed’ …. I think he’s referring to de-sexing the cat, which you probably have done already, but you could ask a vet. (And then tell me, but I have been reading up on it recently and never come across an extra op.)
Desexed or not, cats sometimes get the urge to spray and mark their territory with urine (even females if the internet advice is to be believed) and I guess you don’t want to stop a cat peeing … not healthy eh. In my family it is the elderly fat Burmese who has taken to this cute little habit. Presumably (internet advice again) feeling ‘threatened’ and ‘stressed’. Well, he’s getting on and that’s stressful for all of us isn’t it.
If they’re desexed it doesn’t have that really pungent ‘tom cat’ stench but it’s still pretty stressful for the owner. I’ve read that a product call ‘Feliway’ that mimics natural cat feel-good hormones will unstress the cat, leading to less spraying, leading to a less-stressed owner. I’ve ordered some but it hasn’t arrived yet so I don’t know if it’s going to work.
PS don’t lace up the footy boots - anything that stresses the cat more (including me shouting ‘NO - DON’T DO IT’) is apparently counterproductive. According to the advice I’ve read etc. Personally I yell at mine when I see him at it. Fortunately he only has a few favourite spots near front and back door (see, it clearly is territorial behaviour and if you had a rogue ginger cat prowling the neighbourhood and peering in the windows perhaps you’d do it too, though I’ve managed to desist so far).
Mike J: It seems obvious to me that George is well aware of your antipathy to cats and is attempting to modify your behaviour by the negative reinforcement method.
You must submit and learn to love.
PS Zut alors, I don’t think ammonia would work, as it smells like pee, someone else’s pee (pee is largely ammonia, part of the protein ->nitrogen cycle), and the cat would only want to cover it with his own.
Mike,
Sorry, I didn’t spot that the critter is called George. I would try the ammonia but if that doesn’t work do the same trick with lemon essence, $1 per bottle in the spice section at the supermarket. Cats have a strong sense of smell and lemon may overwhelm George.
@MJ: No, mate.
I hope you take George for a check-up in case it’s really a urinary tract problem.
But he’s probably just reacting to some threatening change in his environment, such as a new cat. Or a demotion by someone (who shall remain nameless) with an entrenched antipathy towards cats. So if there’s no medical problem I recommend making it clear that he is top cat. Total run of the house, allowed in or out on request, finest food, warmest spot on the bed, most comfy couch. As nature intended.
P.S. I think Zut is having a lend of you. Cat usually ‘go’ in the same place and ammonia leaves the same smell as cat urine.
P.P.S. I adore FD’s blowfly cartoon. [Don’t want him to develop the same problem.]
‘Total run of the house, allowed in or out on request, finest food, warmest spot on the bed, most comfy couch. As nature intended.’
My spraying top cat already has all these luxuries … even his own hot water bottle (I kid you not) !!
What else can I do but use Mike’s footy boots on the strange ginger cat (who I’m convinced is not actually the problem, also it’s against my religion)?
@ Innocent Until
Well, I did preface the advice by saying it was an Old Wives’ Tale and some of those old biddies may have had a vindictive streak, who knows? But it’s definitely a better option than the surgery.
Hands off George’s glands.
We have a meme!
Twitter now #handsoffgeorgesglands
@Moira: [Shhhh. Think of George.] My list included only the barest of bare essentials. As you are well aware, you also need to add some luxuries. Ask yourself if there is any more you could be doing. For example, do you get up every few hours to refill the hot water bottle? Please report back with any extra luxuries you had to add so that Mike knows what to do.
@Zut: Perhaps they have a bizarre sense of humour. Or a righteous sense of karma.
Isn’t the Dogonaut Lounge a comforting refuge from the hell of elections? Here we can escape the political rat race, kick back and discuss the finer points of blowfly capture/cuisine and pissing felines. These are recurring cultural and sociological issues not being addressed elsewhere.
The cartoon caused me to remember an old joke (apropos of nothing)… A man goes into a sandwich shop and says: “I want a crocodile sandwich - and make it snappy!”
I think this should become an Olympic Dog Sport - The best in: seriousness + snapping ability + loud crunching noises (plus size of blow fly) = THE WINNER!!
My dog could beat your dog, First Dog …
People with animals are like parents - someone tells a funny story and they go “yeah funny that cause my Tabitha did something really amusing/smart/disgusting the other day I just have to tell you about…”. See what I mean?
Might First Dog be permitted to bite a pollie, one a day, perhaps…please….
ROSY: I pitch in with the cost of the tetanus shots.
ANDREW: That’s almost as bad as the man who walks into a shoe shop and tells the salesman “I want to buy a pair of crocodile shoes.” And the salesman replies. “And what sized feet does your crocodile have?”
I did say almost.
MOIRA: I’ve only just got to see your posts.
Walnut-she’s learning to speak English-heard me laughing about ‘Brick on legs’ and she is not amused. She is not easily amused by Vets!
Indeed we are their property. One of the great mysteries of my life with cats, is the way they hold all their pee and pooh all day if necessary. Then they wait for the moment you clean out their tray, and have put fresh litter in it. that is when they deposit the lot.
Her Maj has two gardens in which to lie in the shade of a bush and doze. Yet she spends her whole life trying to rush out the front door where there is a busy street.
Why???
Venise, do you know how snails fight to the death ?
They just slug it out.
Mike,
A turtle was mugged by a gang of snails. When the police arrived they asked the turtle what happened. Shaking, he confessed, “Sorry officer, I can’t remember, it all happened so fast.”
A crocodile says to the bar tender of the Last Chance Pub at Dry Creek, “Hey, Blue can you chalk me some tick on the board?”
The bartender says, “Well, Shorty, just this once. What’s happened mate?”
“Those last tourists were ok, Blue,” says the croc, “but all they had in their pockets this time were luggage check out tickets. It’s just not worth hangin’ around waitin’ at the airport anymore.”