tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817452185173695206.post6048144514909077040..comments2024-03-23T07:45:48.802-10:00Comments on Snow Crash: Cats: Unifiers Of The WorldRichard Shermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01888881107773218874noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817452185173695206.post-40191167686661942362016-07-24T08:50:26.656-10:002016-07-24T08:50:26.656-10:00I have approach/avoidance problems toward both typ...I have approach/avoidance problems toward both types of animals. I have never owned a pet. I enjoy babysitting my friend's cat, Princess. Princess is very aloof most of the time, but I feel there is some sort of connection between us. The last time I watched Princess, I told her owner that she had been a "brat." A few days later, her owner came over with a selection of cookies from the local bakery and a card with an apology. I, of course, accepted the apology and look forward to my next opportunity to babysit.Coleen Hannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06054705102024616391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817452185173695206.post-30047325784895269242016-07-18T10:53:38.718-10:002016-07-18T10:53:38.718-10:00Great comments! I had forgotten that the poop wal...Great comments! I had forgotten that the poop walk is one of the prices we pay for dogs' obedience and companionship. Of course, cats are likely to drop their loads in sandboxes, flower beds, and vegetable gardens, which has its own costs, like toxoplasmosis. But at least they do it all on their own......Richard Shermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01888881107773218874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817452185173695206.post-3645658171294422112016-07-16T06:39:01.075-10:002016-07-16T06:39:01.075-10:00I live in a small neighborhood of 'patio' ...I live in a small neighborhood of 'patio' homes where access to a community trail passes by my home. First of all I want you to know I do have a mutt whose name is "R-Mutt Mali" and I do take care of her as she takes care of me. She is fead, groomed, walked by me on a regular basis. There is a steady parade of folks, including me, with their mutts heading for the trail at all hours of the day. The mutts lead their humans toward a 50 gallon mutt-waste can. The mutts drop a load along the way, usually in my yard, and the humans pick these loads up (most of them do!) and drop the deposits in the waste can. Next to the waste can is a 'small plastic bag' dispenser provided by the city of Ft. Collins, Colorado. Most everyone takes a few plastic bags in preparation for picking up the next load. While I am not sure who is well trained, or doing the training, mutts and their human's seem well trained in this shitty activity. By city ordinance all mutts should be tethered on a leash. I'm sure there is an economy of scale going on here: mutt food, grooming, leashes, waste bags, taxes, dog licenses, etc. <br /><br />I have rarely seen any domestic cats in this picture of suburban tranquility. I am having great difficulty even remembering finding any exposed cat waste. When I had little children and a sandbox back in Oxford, Ohio, once in a while a cat turd appeared buried in the sand, but even that was quite rare. But, many of my fine feathered friends were know to have found their demise in some cat predator's stomach. Research on birds and their cat predators suggests birds are losing the battle. While the birds are not officially domesticated, bird feeders do seem to be a way of baiting them to sites increasingly visited by the cat predators. <br /><br />It's quite rare to see a human leading a cat (or vise-a-versa) on a leash. Whereas its quite rare to see a mutt rooming un-leashed except in certain rural environments. I'm not quite sure where these thoughts are going regarding domestic pets, but perhaps dogs and cats are like comparing apples and oranges? Nevertheless, some folks might actually think they are gaining some kind of social status by having certain breads of dogs and cats. So, if there is social status associated with your pet, you just might have to display it by parading them through the neighborhood? People begin to know their neighbors by the dog bread. Not sure where we go from here, but cats don't seem to bring up the same thoughts. Have a good weekend, walk your mutt, and cheers from the foothills of the Rockies.The other Shermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03117672994785443010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817452185173695206.post-66678197536785962992016-07-15T13:05:41.349-10:002016-07-15T13:05:41.349-10:00I like cats, but I have a general allergy reaction...I like cats, but I have a general allergy reaction to them and even higher reaction to Siamese, so I lean towards dogs that usually don't incite my respiratory system to riot. Currently we have a day-time dog that comes about 7:30 in the morning and goes away between 3 to 6 PM a good schedule for all. The cat in our life slinks about outside, seldom seen by anyone and never approaches our house (he also belongs to my neighbors, my daughter & family). I am happy w/ the arrangement tho I may be developing an allergy to the dog... Could it be selective psychosomatic reaction developing? Dennis L. Nord, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02069155738465945716noreply@blogger.com