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Thread: Fisters Journey - More news from the frontline

  1. #1
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    Jan 2003
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    Fisters' Journey - More news from the frontline

    Fisters' Journey - More news from the front line

    Fister’s campaign for virtual domination of our flat has entered a new phase now, and he’s upping the ante. In fact he’s becoming a real little tyrant! This is happening on several different fronts. At the moment it’s beginning to look like a multi-pronged attack with four main areas of contention:

    1. Vocal harassment.
    2. Increasingly aggressive bed manners.
    3. The desire to play or be entertained.
    4. Instant entertainment in the bathroom.


    Most of these advances have happened since his horrific experience with the final operation that has (hopefully) solved his bladder problem completely. He was forced to accept close contact and the ministrations and help from other human beings than Randi and I. Before that, though loving and peaceful with us, nobody else ever got near him. As soon as the front door opened he would be under the bed in an instant. Now, when we get visits from guests, he will yawn lazily and disdainfully let them touch and stroke him. He can even get annoyed by their presence and provocatively hop onto his windowsill and try and stare them down! What a cheek coming into HIS flat and making all that noise and commotion!
    Here are some areas where he has definitely made what I’m sure he would call “Real Progress”:

    1. Vocal Harassment


    Howling at the moon?

    For the first few years with us he was very timid, and rarely miawed at or for us, unless, as we found out later, he had serious problems with his bladder. Apparently wild cats originally didn’t miaw much, possibly due to the risk of being heard by potential foes. But they have a whole vocabulary of chirps and purrs and grunts as we all know. Miawing is supposedly reserved for talking to humans, and a thing they learn in their contact with us. This fits very well with Fisters development, since it is only after several years and many long conversations with him that he has learned that he can also ANSWER BACK! This has been a bit of a revelation for him, and during the last few months he has been refining his vocabulary considerably. I just wish that I could understand catspeak, he seems to have lots and lots to say, and nowadays he definitely asks what he thinks are pertinent questions and answers back when we talk to him.

    2. The bed


    This is MY bed!

    The bed is, of course, already absolutely and completely his property territory-wise, but there are still some small subtle(!) developments. His loving head bump, always a favourite way of waking me or getting my attention, has begun to develop into what normally would be seen as an aggressive attack. Now it’s not so much a head bump, more like a galloping head-but. He’s just never understood our human frailties, and is capable of fairly serious damage without intent. Nowadays, if I’m not up when he thinks I should be, he will start way over on the other side of the bed and makes a run at me, lowering his head just before he reaches me, and giving me a real whack in the face. It’s just like a bull going for the Toreador in a Spanish bull fighting arena. His head is as hard as a lump of concrete, and one day I’m sure he’ll give me a black eye. If I wake in time and realise his intent, I have to duck my head real quick. But what can you say, he means well after all. He’s only trying to show his affection for me!
    If I have to go out during the night, he will surreptitiously move over and sit or lie precisely on my bit of the bed. He still doesn’t quite understand our lack of night vision, and when I get back in the dark and sit on him he gets quite miffed, complains loudly, wakes Randi and tries to push me out again!

    3. Playtime


    Let's go for it!

    Fister used to play a bit with his mum and sister in the yard when he was little, but at first he never dared do it with us here in the flat. Life had always been a very serious business for him, and although he liked his bit of string and his ball of wool, it was seldom that he played with them. Nowadays he is constantly calling after us if he’s bored and wants to play. The problem is though, he thinks it more fun to watch us perform than actually participate himself. After a while, groping under the bed once again for the ball he can’t be bothered to fetch, or pulling bits of string around the flat and making a fool of myself, I can loose patience. But he wants more! We humans have performing animals in the circus, Fister has found out that he has his own private ones here at home!

    4. The bathroom


    I'm sure there's something down there!

    It was ages before Fister dared enter the bathroom, but it has since become an all-time favourite. The drain fascinates him, and he spends hours in there keeping guard. A great favourite with him is to chase water thrown from a cup across the floor. Also drinking from a running tap over the floor is a great time-passer. Now he will miaw every time he feels like a bit of entertainment or is a bit thirsty, but if we rush out to satisfy his needs, he will often just get up and go, wandering off after other entertainment and leaving us crouched on the bathroom floor looking rather silly.

    Isn’t it FUN having a cat to serve!

    john
    Last edited by jonza; 06-27-2003 at 01:30 PM.

    "Peace cannot be achieved through violence,
    it can only be attained through understanding."
    Albert Einstein

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    What cute pictures. I love the bed one.
    Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats already living outdoors in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, then evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians. Kittens and tame cats are adopted into good homes. Healthy adult cats too wild to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of volunteers

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    What a wonderful story! And just imagine what life is like for those of us with more than one of the furry little darlings....

    I absolutely love the playtime picture. Such a precious face!!!

  4. #4
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    Oh, what a great adventure you've treated us to!! Great story, great pics, GREAT CAT!!

    Star,Tigg'r , Mollie and the10 Gallon Gang!

    And my Rainbow Bridge Furangels...Jingles, Cody, Fritz, Chessa, Satin, Buddy, Lizzie, Oliver, Squeaker, Moonbeam, Rosie, Ruby~

  5. #5
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    Another adorable stories, completely with pics of cute Fister!

    Please sign my guestbook if you have the time

  6. #6
    The problem is though, he thinks it more fun to watch us perform than actually participate himself. After a while, groping under the bed once again for the ball he can’t be bothered to fetch, or pulling bits of string around the flat and making a fool of myself, I can loose patience. But he wants more! We humans have performing animals in the circus, Fister has found out that he has his own private ones here at home!
    Oh Fister!!! You and Edwina must be siblings under the skin! This is a perfect description of Life with Edwina!

    And I love this photo ---- he looks like a kitten!


  7. #7
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    Fister, you are having a great time! Rocky and Taz would like to visit with you to learn more about this domination routine. Clearly, you have great wisdom to share!

  8. #8
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    Fister, it's so wonderful to see you finally embracing civilian life, and gaining total and complete control over John and Randi. We know you had that control before, but now you're learning to enjoy yourself with it, and sometimes just controlling for the sake of controlling, just to watch the humans perform for you. You are such a smart kitty, and so handsome. I love all the pictures of you, and wonder what you were saying when you were howling at the moon. You do look like a kitten when you're playing, and you look like the royal king you are all tucked in bed.

    Now what we need to know is, do you succumb to hugs, skritchies and smoochies, and more importantly - pets? I sure hope so, because if I ever make it to your house, I'm going to hug, smooch, skritch and pet you 'til you can't stand it anymore. Then all you need to do is show your knives and I'll stop in a flash.
    Tubby
    Spring 1986 - Dec. 11, 2004
    RIP Big Boy
    -----------
    Peanut
    Fall 1988 - Jan. 24, 2007
    RIP Snotty Girl
    -----------
    Robin
    Fall 1997 - Oct. 6, 2012
    RIP Sweet Monkeyhead Girl

  9. #9
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    Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary


    Oh Fister!!! You and Edwina must be siblings under the skin! This is a perfect description of Life with Edwina!



    And Tigris is their long lost brother!

    It's so comforting to see others did not succeed too in the education of their (fur)kids

  10. Fister! I do believe you have been.......propositioned!

    I am shocked, yes shocked at Maya!!!!!! Those sweet, innocent ones are always surprising!!!

  11. #11
    Fister is a real character. I like the photo of him with the big eyes - he looks a lot like my Louis in that one.

  12. #12
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    John, another wonderful story with great pictures. Fister sure has you and Randi wrapped around his paws.

  13. #13

    Re: Fisters Journey - More news from the frontline

    Originally posted by jonza

    I'm sure there's something down there!
    The drain fascinates him, and he spends hours in there keeping guard.
    Oh my gosh, this picture made me laugh - for about a year, our cat did the same thing with the floor drain in our basement, where the condensation from the furnace drips out. He, too, would spend literally HOURS crouched near and staring at that drain. It's amazing what fascinates them, isn't it? Ours is a real loudmouth too, and actually greets me when I get home by coming out of his hiding place and "talking" to me non-stop.

    Good old Fister - I know you wouldn't have him any other way!
    The legend says that Mohammed adored cats. When one of them was sleeping on his sleeve and he had to go out, Mohammed supposedly cut off the sleeve so as not to disturb his pet.

    A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast - Proverbs 12:10

    How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein

    What greater gift than the love of a cat? ~ Charles Dickens

    There is, incidently, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person. - Dan Greenberg

    If purring could be encapsulated, it'd be the most powerful anti-depressant on the market. ~Alexis F. Hope

  14. #14
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    Re: Fisters Journey - More news from the frontline

    Originally posted by jonza
    Nowadays, if I’m not up when he thinks I should be, he will start way over on the other side of the bed and makes a run at me, lowering his head just before he reaches me, and giving me a real whack in the face. It’s just like a bull going for the Toreador in a Spanish bull fighting arena. His head is as hard as a lump of concrete, and one day I’m sure he’ll give me a black eye. If I wake in time and realise his intent, I have to duck my head real quick. But what can you say, he means well after all. He’s only trying to show his affection for me!
    I imagined John with a black and blue, being asked by coleagues and friends - What happened? - answering - My cat is very playfull.

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    Fister thanks you for all your kind comments and praise, but he would like it to be made quite clear that he is neither ferocious nor aggressive. This wicked, unfounded cock-and-bull story has only arisen due to his occasional need to put human beings in their place.

    Maya, of course, is always welcome to share his throne, and he tells her not to take any notice of these prudish humans who get envious of others who are less endowed with charm and felinity than he and his Pet Talk friends.

    He also says that he easily succumbs to hugs, skritchies and smoochies, so T & P’s mom is welcome to come and pay homage anytime (and he promise not to scratch unless absolutely neccessary).

    Rocky and Taz sound like an interesting pair, he’s sure they can work something out together, he’s thinking of preparing a tutorial on precisely that subject. It will probably be called “Tyranny in Three Easy Lessons” or something like that.

    … and Sara, Edwina and Fister sound like a dangerously efficient combination, I think we’d better think it over before we allow those two to get together. I’d hate to think what they could get up to, the mind boggles!

    An interesting thing concerning his miawing is that he actually had learnt it before, after the visit to the “incompetent fool” vet a couple of years ago. He had been shacked up with about 20 other cats who were EXTREMELY noisy. He’d had a rough time there, and when he came back he simply shouted at us constantly. But after a couple of days he apparently forgot about it again and reverted to his normal placid behaviour.

    john

    "Peace cannot be achieved through violence,
    it can only be attained through understanding."
    Albert Einstein

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