Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Living with Leopards...

(Edited to add: This post was written a day or so ago, and was written with long time readers in mind, who know a lot of my history with Magic, and Bengal Rescue. Tonight's post will clarify a few things hopefully, and settle some mis-information, and perhaps foster some good disscussion..Thank you, please read more tonight...Love and Kitties, Lorraine)





Magic, as most of you know is my F1 Bengal. Most of you also know that the term F1 means he is half Asian Leopard, and half Egyptian Mau (A domestic cat) This first picture, above, is one I found of a full Asian Leopard. Not my Magic. It has a lovely border around it, to distinguish it from the Magic pictures. Of which there are a lot tonight.



I could watch Magic for hours. Seeing as how it took months for him to come out of his cave, I have a lot of catching up to do. Venus and Mim are cats who have a whole lot of Leopard characteristics. Magic is a Leopard who has some cat traits. He was bounced around from home to home, going from person to person who wanted a "Cute little Kitty with Spots." He is not, a tame Kitty. I have never touched him. In time, perhaps, but surely no one else ever will.



Early Generation Bengals are a lot more like Leopards in appearance, tho the later ones all have some of these traits, none of them have as much as Magic does. Longer neck, shorter legs, smaller ears, rounder face, larger body. Very vocal too, when they feel they have something to say. Magic has taken to Mewing me every time I come home. (Venus and Mim, I must admit, are not silent Kitties either)



Magic plays. The Featherstick was invented for these cats. They love water too. Magic's water dish is a large dishpan, and we are going to upgrade that. He loves to climb. He is going to get some steps, with leaves and such, so he can climb to the top of the shelves, where he will have a second Cave. I hope to get him a Branch he can sit on. He has his own room. He will never be at a point where he can be in the entire house, with the other, later generation Bengals. He is not a Pet. But he is my friend.



Later Generation Bengals F4 and higher, make great pets. Hours of entertainment. I've never been with cats I like better. Kind of expensive, unless, ah-hem, you adopt one out of rescue. There are lots in rescue. For lots of reasons.



I have learned a LOT living with this Leopard. It took months before I knew his name. Months before he came out, and longer before he would trust me. Some anyway. He came into rescue because no one else would take him. The shelter wouldn't touch him. There was no home for him. When I brought him home, he was silent the entire four hour drive. Cats, as you know, will yowl for someone to come and help. Magic was silent, he knew there was no help, and any sound he made, would invite nothing but trouble.



Things are a little different now for Magic.

And for me.

Love and Leopards,
Lorraine

275 Comments:

1 – 200 of 275 Newer› Newest»
At 19:54 Blogger Lexocat said...

He's so gorgeous!

At 19:54 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Check me out. I am FIRST.

I think.

Let's see.

At 19:54 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Darn.

At 19:56 Blogger Lexocat said...

Sorry, Emily. And I didn't even realize I was first (so observant am I!)

At 19:56 Blogger EmilyLady said...

All the Bengals are so beautiful.

At 19:57 Blogger EmilyLady said...

You are forgiven, Lex.

At 19:59 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Hmm. http://Sasthamcotta.wordpress.com lists horse riding as the third most dangerous sport in the world, followed by base jumping and lawn bowls.

Golf comes in at number four.

Is this site for real?

At 20:12 Blogger dabbler said...

You and Magic are taming each other....

“To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…”

'The Little Prince' Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

At 20:15 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Can a F1 ever be a pet Lorraine, or is there too much of the wild cat in them?

Magic is so beautiful, it must be hard not to touch him, his beautiful coat just cries out for stroking.

At 20:25 Blogger Dan Guy said...

Beautiful, beautiful cat -er- leopard -er- cat-leopard-thing.

At 20:32 Blogger Adri said...

Oh Q, he's amazing, and so are you for your patience and love with him.

Sally-- with care and careful raising and the right home from the start, many F1s make excellent companion animals who enjoy playing, snuggling, and napping with their people. I'm still not sure I'd call them pets. These are not domestic animals. :)

At 20:38 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Okay, next question Adri...how different in behavior/temperament are wild cats v feral cats? Just wondering, because I've 'domesticated' a feral cat, and know they are always not quite tame.

At 20:46 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Dabbler, that was lovely!

Sally, what Adri said. If they have the right care from birth, bottle fed hopefully, and bonded early, they can be wonderful companions.

I think, and Adri might be able to help, or Janet, that a feral can CAN be domesticated.Might take time, but they can be. I have one I am working on outside. They are afraid, but they know you will help them.

The Leopards don't know that. I think.

At 20:48 Blogger Siri said...

Magic makes me smile.

Lorraine makes me smile.

I'm glad Magic has a name.

Fiends make me smile.

I think I'll smile a while.

At 20:49 Blogger AletaMay said...

Amazingly beautiful animal, photos and words.

At 20:55 Blogger Adri said...

I think the differentiator is 'domestic' versus 'tame.' Wild animals can be tamed, but it takes generations living with people to be domesticated.

But they can certainly be tamed! I know I've linked this before, but it shows a great bond between an F1 and her family. Bengal Hair Dresser Ambrosia is very shy with outsiders, but very loving with her own family.

And, yes, Rocky pictured at the end there is my Rocky, before he came to live with me. :)

At 21:07 Blogger Phiala said...

Too tired for insight, but what a gorgeous cat.

At 21:17 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Adri is right, that's it exactly.

I love that vid! Rocky is so cool, makes me wonder how far Magic can come, eh?

I think Siri is happy tonight!

At 21:35 Blogger Jess said...

What a fine leopard boy! It's good to see him looking contented and curious. Love that money shot. He is clearly master of all he surveys.

Adri - aww! :) Leopard spit = luurve.

At 21:40 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Wow, he is just stunning!!!

At 21:48 Blogger gaypet said...

What a beautiful post. Pictures and writing both. It is magic for us to see the journey! Really. Thank you for showing us what patience and care can do. For all concerned.

Most feral cats can be tamed and certainly if you get them early and bottle feed they are fine pets. Even some as adults will tame up just fine. Some I have had never really tame and will always hiss-and-piss as we say. Of course some of those that I have had were from many many generations of cats with almost no human contact. Those are "domestic" cats but they have evolved to survive in the wild.

At 22:05 Blogger DataGoddess said...

Wow, what wonderful pics and a great story!!

dabbler, you found the reference I've been trying to remember. I've had the whole "taming each other" thought for a long time about Magic and the lovely Q.

Adri, what a lovely video :-)

I have a friend who takes in feral kittens and "sweetens" them. I've met several graduates of Miss Kimberly's Kitten Finishing School, and they are the snuggliest cats I've ever met.

At 22:09 Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a beautiful cat! And a beautiful post, too.

At 22:16 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Hello, ohbutmeow, (nice name!) and welcome!

There is something wonderful about gaining the love of an animal who has no one, no matter what sort they are.

It means something. It makes a difference.

Venus was completely un-socialzed when I got her as a Kitten, lived in a cage, terrified of humans. She tried so hard to hide, and could only get her head behind a beam....Bad breeder. Took a while for her to warm to me, and even now, she won't stay if other people, excpet for one or two, are around.

At 22:32 Blogger Ticia said...

A regal leopard,
fit for our queen.

What beautiful pictures. He has come such a long way. You have also come a long way. What a journey.

Dabbler, that was beautiful.

Okay, I'm fading fast. I'll say goodnight to you all. Sleep well!

At 23:24 Blogger Kitty Cat said...

you come a long way baby, you n' magic.

and all sentient beings crave companionship, no matter what they seem to act like.

Batman & Kylie come bounding down the stairs every time I come home.

my tattoo hurts.

At 23:45 Blogger vampi said...

oh my, beautiful pictures. it warms my heart to hear how you and magic have bonded.

i'm somewhat sad that magic will never be able to have the run of the house. i guess that goes with having the wild cat



i just bought a new book and it has a chapter called "the fabulous lorraine" i can't wait to read it :)

i also picked up a collection of hp lovecraft...i've never read any, i'm very ashamed.

At 00:11 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Nighty night all!! I'm wii-yoga'd out :)

At 00:15 Blogger spacedlaw said...

He is such a beauty. It must be hard for you not to be able to reach and pet him. But its so nice that he got used to you to the point that you can get there int he same room with him (and him not hiding) and take pictures with a flash.
I think you must be magic too, my fabulous friend.

At 00:17 Blogger spacedlaw said...

w00t! A St Ex quote!
:)

At 02:05 Anonymous kali_licious said...

He's come so far from that poor scared boy on that first day. I love that he mews for you, Q. And he's beautiful.

Adri that video was adorable! My kitty Primus used to regularly groom my hair like that. So cute!

Kitty: Owie! New tattoo ouchie is always bad. Maybe some aloe with lidocaine (the after sun stuff) would help? You will share once it heals a bit yes? (I have major tat' envy as I only have one, and want many more;)

At 02:42 Blogger Marjorie said...

What gorgeous pictures! And writing. Thinking back to when Magic first arrived it's amazing to see how far he has come (and he is so handsome, too!)

Dabbler - thanks for the quote 'little Prince' is one of my favourite books and I had that idea nudging at the back of my mind when I read Q's post, and now you've saved me fretting over it all day until I could get home to look it up!

Q, what you said about Venus reminded me of Tybalt when he first came to me - he is n'r a Bengal (although I wouldn't be surprised to find he has a soupcon of siamese somewhere in his murky past - he has a very loud voice). Although I got him as a kitten, supposedly straight from his mum, with hindsight I suspect he had had one home and been returned, before he came to me. When he furst came he was very nervy, scared of being touched, and spent most of his time hiding.

Now he is incredibly affectionate and cuddly, but still quite wary of people who aren't me - although he has extended 'me' to include my parents - maybe they smell 'right'?

At 03:34 Blogger Marjorie said...

Hey Quiche,

Just got a mail back from Water Street Inn - I mentioned I was booking/knew of the Inn because of you (& Paul) - just got a mail back saying "we love Paul and Lorraine...they are our biggest draw."

I thought you'd like to know :-)

At 03:51 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Meeew

Said

Magic

The leopard

Love me, I’m special

Cried he, his big eyes wide open

(I swear he’s been looking at Cute Overload again)

I love that leopard. His nose. His spots. His paws. Love that leopard. Yeah.

At 05:59 Blogger Phiala said...

I've been fussing over a complicated paperwork thingie for the past couple months. Something I'd never done before, that involved collecting materials throughout the year then submitting them. I did the collecting and stashed them all together, but could NOT get myself to do the paperwork part. But the deadline approaches, and it would be rather expensive to not do, so after much more fussing and agonizing over it, I finished this thingie this morning.

It took ten minutes. If measured with a slow clock.

At 06:11 Blogger Dan Guy said...

Negative, I am a meat popsicle.

At 06:20 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Yepee! Afternoon meeting canceled!
Yeah! TEA!

At 07:10 Blogger dabbler said...

Glad you all liked the Little Prince quote...

Anybody see the rather odd musical movie production of Little Prince with Bob Fosse as the snake and Gene Wilder as the fox? Overall, not a great movie, but there's a shot of Gene Wilder in a field looking after the Little Prince when he leaves that struck me clear to the heart.

That picture in my head has been nagging me every time Lorraine posts about Magic. Thanks to Google, I was able to find the quote. Yes, I have the book (probably in French and in English) but finding it? Not so easy.

At 07:11 Blogger dabbler said...

Dan,

hope you stay cool...

At 09:34 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Morning all!

Magic was his own delightful self again. I have taken to having First Tea in there with him while he eats and then we have a play. I have so many plans for his room.

I had the great thought too that WoodsmanHans can screen the back porch too. It's not large, more of a covered entry, but big enough for him, and he could have his tree, and he could go out there thru his window.

I have found a screen place that makes 800 pound test screen, and there will be a lock, so he will be safe.

It might work.

Vampi, I can't for the life of me read Lovecraft. Boss says it is because I was never a 13 year old boy. I think if you miss the window, mostly, it won't work.

Nathilie, lovely little poem-ette!

At 09:36 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

I can't wait to see this new Kitty Tattoo! And can't help but being curious as to WEAR this tatto might BE...It isn't her first, is all I will say.

Mistress, good on you. Weird how the things we REALLY dont' want to do, when done, take not so much time.

At 09:37 Blogger spacedlaw said...

I was never a 13 years old boy either (I think) but I like his stories nevertheless (even if they do creep the hell out of me, in particular the ones involving dolphins).
I like his cat stories.

At 09:41 Blogger Ani said...

you're a beautiful pair, Quiche.

At 10:01 Blogger Jane said...

Loved the photos and writing about Magic. Got a little teary...

Our cats (well, cat, now) thought the screened porch we had built was only for them. Sitting *almost* outside, sniffing the breezes, catching the odd skink who squeezes in - heaven.

I hope Magic gets a screen.

I read HP Lovecraft when I was young, too, that may be the correct time.

Nathilie, I think barbed wire is scary.

At 10:08 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Barbed wires are not scary. That is what human beings do with them that can be scary.

At 10:11 Blogger Jane said...

I see your point. That is true of so many things.

It always has looked so spikey and dangerous to me. My grandparents were all farmers and there was a certain amount of barbed wire in my childhood - seems like I was always getting caught on it somehow.

At 10:22 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

If you have a DR Field and Brush Mower, do not run it over old barbed wire. You will not like how you spend the rest of the afternoon.

Just saying.

I think Magic will get his screen. Has to be high test tho. I can't leave windows open while I am gone. Mim takes the screens OFF and goes walkabout.

At 10:23 Blogger vampi said...

see i did the reading thing all wrong. when i was 13 i was reading nancy drew first editions my grandmother bought me and the spy novels my dad was reading by robert ludlum, clive clussler and tom clancy. sometime in highschool some one recommended doulas adams, and i read long dark tea time first the graduated to hitchhikers. then my love for mysteries and romace faded and now i read mostly sci-fi and fantasy. (and the occasional ludlum or clancy)

i missed out on so much. now i go back and read some classics i should have read in school, but i was always in flunkie english, because i hated writing. i'm by no means a flunkie, i just hate dissecting a story to bits, and was a bit to vocal and stubborn about it.

ooo.. i'm going back now to read the things i should have read then.

wow i'm wordy, sorry :)

At 10:28 Blogger hi!monkey said...

a friend sent me your link thinking it was an april fools joke.(that's the danger of posting anything on 1 april, i guess.) i am so happy i went back and actually read your post. i look forward to learning more about these fascinating bengals. (personally have a parlor panter - aka a bombay cat, which are not exactly exotic, but she does wear pink fingernail covers and wear pearls - a stunning display against her black coat.)

At 10:29 Blogger Jess said...

800 is a lot of test pounds. That's, like, approaching Dragonball Z levels.

Oog. Didn't sleep last night. Someone prod me.

At 10:32 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Vampi, we LIKE wordy, you know! I hated school too and the endless talk about every little thing, it was like I get it, can we move on, and a week later...

Hi Hilmonkey, and welcome! I hadn't thought about it being April Fools, and yup, Leopards. Yr Kitty sounds wonderful, I love the look of the Bombay. Venus wore pick nails when she was young, but putting them on was too traumatic, so Ilived with her kitten climbing up my and jumping on my back until she got bigger.

Now I live with her adult thinking my arm is prey.

I am off to work, chatter me nice things to read today, my dears.

At 10:39 Blogger vampi said...

ooh i forgot to ask, are any of the fiends walking in the EIF revlon walk.run for women? it's to raise money for women's charities. I am walking. i have the link on my facebook, soi won't bother people here, but if fiends are walking, i wanted to meet up :) it is may 9th by USC downtown.

At 10:49 Blogger Marjorie said...

vampi, I think it may be to your advantage not to have read stuff in school - I know it's taken me YEARS to get to like certain authors after having to read them in school - Dickens and Jane Austen, for two - so you may have done yourself a favour by being vocal and stubborn. We didn't read Lovecraft in school, tho'. Might have been more interesting if we had done. NOoo. We had Oliver Twist - reading the Whole Damn Thing in class - i.e. taking it in turns to read out loud v-e-r-y-s-l-o-w-l-y-a-n-d-w-i-t-h-n-o-e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n. I still don't like Oliver Twist.

Screen/Porch for Magic sounds great - I always feel a little sorry for indoor cats, although of course I can understand why Magic and the others have to stay indoors, but beng able to have a safe place where they can feel the sun and the breeze and all the exciting smells must be the next next thing to real outdoors, and much safer!

At 11:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Marjorie, same here on the Dickons, Great Expectations it was. The Tedium!!!!

I think it will be good. They can't go out. Not safe at all. Venus and Mim get leash walks tho which they LOVE. And they are getting a screen porch and swimming pool too!

Not the SAME porch, I have two, due to the fact that the one would not wrap around to the other with out great difficulty.

At 11:17 Blogger hope said...

My heart breaks a little when I think of Magic not being able to be a domestic kitty; he's so BEAUTIFUL and seems like he's trying to trust.

I had an abused cat who had the pain response whenever she was touched, and in her whole life only sat on me twice. She had a lot of ramps and top-of-the-bookshelf aeries, so she could observe us, though. She would talk to everybody (cats, dogs, humans) and touch her nose to my outstretched hand most days.

You're doing wonderful things with Magic!

I am looking for a house to buy, and on reading your entry went off into a fantasy about rescuing a Bengal and giving him/her a wildcat room...

At 11:19 Blogger mistressmousey said...

Gorgeous doesn't begin to describe Magic. Wow - those F1s really do look more leopard than housecat, don't they?

At 11:22 Blogger Marjorie said...

I was just imagining if you didn't have Hans, having to call someone who didn't know you "yes, I'd like to make arangements to screen and furnish a porch and install a swimming pool for my leopard-cats..."

I'm off home now. Have a good day.

At 11:23 Blogger Marjorie said...

Oh - forgot to say before - Emily (opr any other fined interested in the rollawy bed) - contact me via facebook, or DM on Twiter, or Aleta and Quiche both have my e-mail...

At 11:28 Blogger Dan Guy said...

I hate online fights. *sigh* They always put me in such a down mood.

At 11:34 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Hi Hope! He does touch my finger, and he is WAY better off than he ever has been. He finally feels safe, and knows love.

AND, most Bengals in need of a Foster home are not Early Generation Wild Things that will never be domestic. Most are sweet loving fun cats who just need to find the right home. Perhaps the owner could not keep them for whatever reason, not generally the cats fault. You COULD foster.

I have two Fosters right now, in addition to Venus, Mim and Magic.

The person who gets King Lear is going to know the sort of joy that doesn't come often. They will be getting a post soon.

At 11:37 Blogger Jess said...

Has anyone heard Mitch Benn's reading of A christmas Carol? It will restore your love of Dickens if a poor English teacher ruined him for you. There's nothing quite like having a book read to you by someone who loves it. :)

(And if you really want tedium, you read Hard Times. Aaargh.)

Lovecraft I can't help with. I've only ever read his unfinished short story "The Book", and I'm still not quite sure what I make of it.

At 11:37 Blogger Ani said...

wow, Vampi--I think we had the same reading pattern--wacky!

At 11:38 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

F1's ARE more Leopard than cat, oh yes..

That would be funny, wouldn't it Marjorie, hee-hee...The pool is going to be a kiddy pool, not like a spa or anything..

Oh, Danguy, doesn't sound like fun. Can you regale us with this tale? Can we go get 'em????

At 11:40 Blogger Jess said...

I hear you, Dan. Back away slowly. Breathe. Watch this video of a kitten. Everything is better with kittens.

At 11:41 Blogger Dan Guy said...

Heh. It's a private forum, and even if it wasn't I wouldn't want to unleash the full fiend fury forces upon them.

Some people would just rather be sure than be right.

At 12:03 Anonymous Marla said...

I don't know leopards, but I do know cats - and that little face is a happy, trusting cat face.

You done good.

At 12:16 Blogger Na said...

*prods Jess*

*waves at everyone*

Happy to see happier Leopard.

Cats. I have snuck off to warmer climes for a week, and am getting a cat fix with my folks' two critters. And yesterday the monsters and I got to 'pet' sharks and rays. Critters as balm for the soul.

Dan, I seem to know a lot of people who'd rather be 'right' than be sure. Ucky either way.

At 12:19 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello to you too, FabulousLorrain!

>There is something wonderful about gaining the love of an animal who has no one, no matter what sort they are.

It means something. It makes a difference.

So true - my cats, Hissy and Fitz, were semi-feral when I adopted them. They grew up in a vacant lot in Brooklyn where kids threw rocks at them. Their mother was hit and killed by a car during their rescue when these same kids were throwing rocks. She got scared and ran into the street and was hit before anyone could catch her.


>Venus was completely un-socialzed when I got her as a Kitten, lived in a cage, terrified of humans. She tried so hard to hide, and could only get her head behind a beam....Bad breeder. Took a while for her to warm to me, and even now, she won't stay if other people, excpet for one or two, are around.

How awful! Poor sweetie cat! Why do people do this to their animals?

It took five years for Hissy and Fitz to warm up to me. Hissy swallowed a needle and almost died, and once they saw I was a good cat parent who would save their lives, they started crawling all over me and they haven't stopped. They're still afraid of other people, though.

Sorry to rabbit on so long. Nice to meet you, and everyone here!

~Karla (aka ohbutmeow, Karla Cat)

At 12:21 Blogger Na said...

Ha ha. Nancy Drew. I discovered those books in a corner of the school library, in fifth grade. They had dark blue cloth covers. Plowed through them all, and begged my mom to buy me the ones the library didn't have. I cringe reading them now, but - grateful that it led me to a lifetime of reading all sorts of stuff.

As I recommended to Vampi, though, read Lovecraft in daylight. Just sayin'. Stuff sticks in my craw even then. *shivers* Poe creeps me out more as I get older, for some reason, Lovecraft a little less. Curiouser and curiouser.

At 12:21 Blogger Dan Guy said...

I suspect we're suffering from a difference in definitions, Na.

What's wrong with being right and unsure? It is good to be correct, and also good to be open to the possibility that you are incorrect, yes?

At 12:24 Blogger Na said...

Grateful so many people DO love critters in this world. Good on you, Karla, and fiends everywhere who have taken 'em in and loved them.

Goin' now. Mornin'-evening, all!

At 12:26 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Karla, ramble away! We love such stories here at this blog. It's all about everyone, and stories like that where someone did something that DID make a difference to an animal, well, we are all about that.

You belong here.

I went to Lear and Mabs room a couple days ago and found an entire PACKAGE of needles all over the floor!!!!

I did not know I OWNED an entire package of needles.

At 12:28 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Right and not sure..Good.

Wrong and sure...Bad.

Right?

At 12:30 Blogger Na said...

Oh, Dan - I see. I got garbled, sorry. I read 'sure' as 'correct'.

I agree. Better to be right and unsure, than sure but incorrect and shouting down others. I was thinking of people who care more about thinking and proving themselves to be 'right', than they care about solving a problem or being correct.

Um. If that makes sense. I'm unsure.

At 12:33 Blogger Na said...

Right!

Gar. So frazzled. Is why I've been reading more and posting less.

At 12:35 Blogger Dan Guy said...

Correct, Quiche!

I hate when people try to shut down all discussion by saying, "It's not like either side is going to convince the other." It makes me what to shout, "W! T! F!"

I am completely open to be wrong. If I am wrong than I REALLY want to know it. If I'm debating with you it's because I want to find out if there are things I haven't considered, if you can convince me otherwise.

When someone says, "we're never going to be able to change each other's minds", I take that as an admission that they are debating in bad faith, that they are closed-minded and unwilling to listen to reason, eschewing rationality.

At 12:43 Blogger Phiala said...

I agree with you in general, Dan, but there are certain highly polarized topics where I know I'm right (weight of evidence, scientific theory, yadda yadda), but also know that there is no possible way I'm going to convince many of those on the other side. For those cases it isn't worth the time and severe aggravation, and I'm perfectly willing to say that I'm not going to convince the other person and drop it.

Unless of course they are honestly interested in the discussion, not in being right.

Which I think is where you originally started. I just wanted to add that not all battles are worth fighting.

At 12:54 Blogger Dan Guy said...

Oh yeah, totally; some people are lost causes. I don't like being assumed to be among them.

At 13:02 Blogger Phiala said...

But I'm forced to assume that those people I think are lost causes feel the same way about me.

After all, there's no chance that I will be convinced to change my mind on many of these topics, so they are correct in that.

I do like to think that's different, though...

At 13:19 Blogger Jess said...

You're both right, really. It's rarely worth it to try to force a closed mind open. On the other hand, that doesn't justify wielding one's own unwavering certainty (or the idea of "agreeing to disagree", for that matter) like a bludgeon just to shut everyone up and-- supposedly-- "win" the argument.

Debate and argument aren't about who wins-- thye're about considering different points of view. So few people get that. Where were you guys when I was teaching intro comp and rhetoric, anyway?

At 13:27 Blogger ariandalen said...

::sigh::
::soft smile::
Magic!



Does anything else really need to be said?

At 13:28 Blogger Phiala said...

I taught college biology for a while, an obvious place where some of these highly polarized topics come up. My stated policy: "I don't care what you believe; I care that you understand the science. You don't have to agree, but you need to know what the science says."

It worked pretty well, but of course that kind of thing is much easier from a position of authority (grading their exams!).

That's probably what I was doing when you were teaching rhetoric, Jess.

At 13:30 Blogger ariandalen said...

::sniff::

::Sniff, sniff::

Hi, Karla, hi!monkey and Hope! Lots of nice white, buckled jackets to go around. :)

I smell your spicy brains.


MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 13:38 Blogger Hellie said...

I tried some Lovecraft a little while ago, read a few stories and enjoyed them but too freaky to read too much in 1 go! Just finished indulging in re-reading the Northern Lights :o)

Have missed much over past week or so, but now crawled out of virus induced stupor - good to see you are better too Lorraine, and gorgeous pics of Magic - can't wait to see pictures of when he gets his pool! I'm definately inspired to rescue a bengal one day from hearing about your feline family (when I have enough space and time, and think I need a bit more practice with regular moggies first!)

At 13:38 Blogger vampi said...

I still think of great expectations as the long stupid stoy wiht no plot. it was just stuff happeneing, but no real driving plot. oh and i pissed of my teacher becaus ei read it the first week. she dind't want us to read ahead. what an idiot, not happy i was reading, angry becaus ei was reading. luckily i had already determined her as having an inferior intellect, as did my parents.

To this day fitzgerald, steinbeck and hemmingway mke me shudder in revulsion. i had an extremly bad american lit teacher. i caught on real fast she was teaching word for word from the clifnotes. then i just stopped bothering to read because whatever i thought was wong if it wasn't the clifnotes explaination. i was a bit too smart for my own good.


Dan i love debate, even if i think i'm right, i like to push and push and hate when people back down, i want to learn new things and new ways of thinking, and why i don't want to be wrong, i want to hear the other side so i can have more balance to my opinion and find my own middle ground. i'm more middle on most things than polarized, so i like hearing rebuttals to my arguements.

At 13:42 Blogger spacedlaw said...

I KNEW I should not have written those zombie poems this week: I've got a message that Dead Kurt Cobain was following me on Twitter!

wanted to say: My battery charger is not working so I will probably not be around for much longer tonight.

At 13:54 Blogger Hellie said...

hee hee maybe dead kurt will write music to go with your poems?

I've been attempting to read Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, but keep thinking 'ahh stop talking about blowing up the bridge - just fetch the dynamite and get on with it!!!'. Do love Grapes of Wrath though. Bad teachers can really ruin something though, Wuthering Heights was one of my favourite books until we were taught at at school. Took me 10 years to face reading it again.

At 13:56 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

We'll miss you Nathilie...Say hi to Kurt...

At 14:13 Blogger Stacy Hurt said...

Once again, your storytelling skills are shining! He's an amazing creature & so obviously perfect for your growing menagerie. Also appropriate you had a magical post on April Fool's day! But really, all your posts seem to be filled with Magic.

Glad to see so many pictures of him. He's just amazing.

At 14:59 Anonymous Anonymous said...

He really is stunning.

At 18:30 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

"Ever the best of friends, Pip!"

I'm running late so in a nutshell -- I'm sorry, I do love Great Expectations. And Lovecraft, and didn't read him until I was a 30-something year old woman, so maybe Fablo's nice boss isn't 100% correct on that thirteen year old boy thing. :-) Do not enjoy tons of Hemingway or Steinbeck, or even Fitzgerald. Just parts of them.

Missed the whole close-minded thing, will have to read carefully later. This week has been a series of cluster bombs and I'm tired and hungry and have to go tutor grumpy recalcitrant athletes, grrrrr. I have too much to do!! I hate being so poor...

At 18:36 Blogger Beez said...

Darn it 'Lo.

You just turned my heart into a mush puddle.

*sighs, goes to grab a mop*

At 18:42 Blogger Beez said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

At 18:57 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

Oh, and Fablo, I actually cried last night at the line that Magic knew no help would come. Seriously affected my cramped up little heart.

And I just did something I've never done before -- I turned the car around in the middle of the street and did not go to tutoring. I realized that if I did, something terrible would probably happen regarding my brain, like it snapping into a thousand pieces and me screaming like a banshee or something similar. I have work to do for my day job, and I feel not so wonderful. So I am home. I abandoned the ball players to the other tutors. I would feel guiltier if I didn't get stood up myself by those boys at least once every 4 or 5 sessions. Sigh. What am I doing and where am I??

At 19:03 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Grace, I am really glad you put yourself first for once. ((((G))))

At 19:06 Blogger Adri said...

Sigh. What am I doing and where am I??

This is how I feel, too

At 19:06 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Sorry about the mush guys. Sometimes I get mush in my heart, thinking of Magic, and I have to share it. He was the alonest being I have ever seem in person.

Watching his eyes go from afraid and actively hostile, to full of wonder, and hearing his voice mewing like a kitten, which is kind of what he is, is such a wonderful feeling.

Grace, sometimes you gotta go back home. No bad thing. I'm home and completely unashamedly watching not only the last episode of ER, but the pre-show as well.

Yup. Haven't seen it in yonks, but I am here for the end.

I don't think will do another ER Blog, and the Magic pics are too cool for only one day, but I may be chimming in about it...

And other things, she says hastily, having driven off the non TV half of the Fiends...

At 19:35 Blogger Beez said...

*hugs* Grace

Good, you needed to do this.

At 19:40 Blogger DataGoddess said...

{{{Grace}}}

I totally understand, and sometimes you do have to stop and say that it's time to take care of you. After all, in an emergency you're supposed to put your oxygen mask on first, before you can assist others.

Self-care is not selfish, it's essential.

And I have no clue where I'm headed. I know where I am, and why I need to be here for a few more years (at least until Dan graduates) but beyond that I'm clueless. It's time for a change, but who knows what form that change will take.

(gee, change was the subject of my last blog post, can you tell? :-D

Y'all have fun watching ER. I've never seen an episode, don't plan on starting now.

~Toni

At 19:52 Blogger bengalgirl said...

Tough night, I'm in tears remembering the many episodes over the years of ER that touched me. I feel somewhat empty that is is almost over - how weird is that over a TV show. Believe it or not I watch few shows but this one has been a constant over the years.

At 20:02 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

It has Janet, I know what you man. I haven't watched as much in the last few years, but I remember the pilot, what 14 years ago????

It was a really col show, broke a lot of ground and did so many things that had never been done. No one at the studio exec leval ever thought it woul work, because it was so different....

But it did.

I wish Michael Crichton was still here...

At 20:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

See? Opening shots. I mean, who ever did four walled sets with stedi-cam from room to room. More theater than tv acting, had to be. All one shot. One person messes up, the whole thing has to be done again.

I love the way things work, how they are done, with great filming.

At 20:30 Blogger Fluffy said...

Magic does have the perfect name. He's even prettier than the leopard in the fancy frame, I think. His markings are more cloudy/less spotty than the other one.

Books. Hmmm. I never got into Nancy Drew even though the books were right underneath the 31 Oz books in the series section of the Larkspur Public Library. I read all 31 when I was 9 & 10 and then felt bereft. I didn't like to re-read when I was a kid. I do now.

What books do you all read when you're stressed? I go for P.G. Wodehouse, then Terry Pratchett or Miss Read. And some of my favorite kids' books, like The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes.

I like debating open-minded (or at least thoughtful) people. Otherwise it upsets my stomach. Then I have to go read about Bertie Wooster pronging a moody forkful of his eggs and b.

At 20:42 Blogger Phiala said...

*yawn* Long but productive day... I vanquished the dreaded paperwork AND finished the World's Most Boring Project. And just got home, at 9:30pm, and have been awake since 5ish and out of the house since 7;30am.

So... *yawn*

Kitten-snuggles, puppy-snuggles, a bit of Tully.... no snuggles from Nick, as he's sick again and I'd like to not catch it. Some sociable computer time and bed. I'd like to do some writing, but don't really have the brain, and can't stay up late enough to get really into it anyway. But this weekend, there WILL be fiction. And finishing my taxes.

At 20:44 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Magic IS his name, took forever to know it, but there it was...I put up a valence thing with vines in his room tonight, slowly, we will give him a jungle..

I can't argue with people, or debate or whatever you want to call it. Mostly I am a well, there you fo, that is an opinion you yourself have thought of sort of girl.

Never read Nancy Drew. Trixie Beldon here.Kids books are the BEST when stressed. Or not stressed. Either works..

At 20:46 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

So what you are saying Mistress, is "Cat, Dog, Beer, Laptop"??? Tully tho is no bad "beer"

I am SO doing taxes next week if it kills me.

Might.

At 20:48 Blogger Phiala said...

Yes, exactly: dog, cat, Tully, laptop. :)

At 20:50 Blogger Adri said...

When I'm stressed, I read Bridget Jones's Diary, or Discworld, or fluffy fanfiction (because I don't pay for romance books, and lots of times the forumlas make my eyes roll /right out of my head/, fanfiction is free and has a lot of different formulas/patterns)

I did love Nancy Drew (and Trixie Beldon!) as a kid in lower elementary. Also, the Babysitter's Club

At 20:51 Blogger Fluffy said...

Cat, cat, laptop, cookie.

At 21:01 Blogger Dragonsally said...

dog,laptop,tea.

These days when I'm stressed or tired, nothing beats Pterry.

At 21:01 Blogger Fluffy said...

Oh, and I LOVED the kitten video. Need to bookmark it. Whenever I see something like that I want to see grown-up pics of the kitty, too.

Sort of like the huge shiny Black Binky in my lap now. She's tired because she got attacked by an evil plastic bag this afternoon. Revelle was chasing her and trying to undo it while Bink was scrambling up the printer, down the desk, around chairs, from room to room. R. almost got it loose when it suddenly crinkled in a menacing way, and there went Bink back across the house. Poor huge baby. Her sister, Peaches, went around with a fluffed tail for 20 minutes afterward, trying to figure out what the heck happened.

At 21:03 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Sometimes I read, I mean the Bodice Ripper sort, ie BAD, but only one author, and I skip over the icky bits. She would actually be a good writer other than that.

What do I have?

Cat, tea, Lemon Bar, E-ar....

(I slay myself)

At 21:03 Blogger Ticia said...

Hello again! I broke my brain last night. I ordered airline tickets for June and Balticon and our family cruise which is between the two. Yikes! Overload.

I came here to write a comment and was such a gibbering idiot, I left without saying anything.

Do you realize there are no "red-eye" flights any more? At least coast to coast... On the four airlines I was surfing between anyway. I am arriving in MSP at like 2:00 am on Saturday morning. Who wants to meet me? (just kidding) I'll crash at a cheapie hotel and rent a car when the sun comes up.

At 21:05 Blogger Fluffy said...

Ticia, I bet some of us will be up then! Now the trick is to make sure we have a sober one with a car. Jess will be in the hot tub.

At 21:06 Blogger Ticia said...

Oh and cupcake, iPhone, cat, and puppy.

At 21:08 Blogger hope said...

My Calgon-take-me-away books are Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ series, anything by Lorraine's Boss and Diana Wynne-Jones, anything by Barbara Hambly or Charles de Lint. Hmm, I seem to have authors rather than books in my de-stress reportoire. :)
I went to Petfinder to look at rescued Bengals in my area, which was bad. Petfinder is CRACK. I searched for special needs cats and found a blind one, two very old ones, and two HUGE kitty girls who are a bonded pair.
Now I'm off to write 'I will not be a crazy cat lady' on the blackboard a hundred times.

At 21:09 Blogger Ticia said...

Fluffy- That's so sweet. But I won't do that to anyone. I'll zip down as soon as I can see to drive. :-D

At 21:10 Blogger Jane said...

Discworld for stress - I've had several 3am re readings - usually turn to the witches.

At 21:14 Blogger Fluffy said...

I had 51st b-day last Friday and wore my "I Still Aten't Dead" pin.

Anyone going to NADWCON to see Sir Terry? It's in beautiful Phoenix (Tempe, really) on Labor Day Weekend!! Arizona in 115 degree heat! The Fluffy Clan will be there. And I might dress up as Mrs. Palm. Or a 51-year-old Nanny Ogg if I can find the right kind of red boots...

At 21:18 Blogger merryhousekeeper said...

You have the "Magic" touch Fablo, He is beautiful, I know you will be friends for a very long time, you can see it in his face, a sort of contentment, I think he knows he is home. and what wonderous things you are going to do for him! (among all you have done already) Cat woman you:)

At 21:20 Blogger Adri said...

A friend of mine and I are planning to do NADWCON! We will dress up as guards or possibly assassins. Or possibly alternate days.

Hmm, if I had a leather corset (she hints, broadly), I could do a vampire costume, too.

The Guards books are my favorite, I think, though the witches are quite lovely. The only ones I really don't care for are Rincewind's stories.

At 21:21 Blogger Phiala said...

The Tully is gone (no NOT the bottle!) so I would head off to bed, but the dog and cat components of the evening look remarkably comfortable. Lap-cat, foot-dog. And dog is large, so that includes toes to mid-calf.

At 21:22 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Thanks Merry!

ACK! Adri. Corset. Right. Send me an e-mail with your address AGAIN and I will send you the thing!!!!!!! Promise!!!

At 21:25 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

Thank you, all, and hugs back.

Done with the needed work for work, now to think of bed (okay, so a little email with a friend about Brazilian waxes, ouch!! but mostly work).

I read Jane Austen when stressed. I so love her and her smart, calm women. Love deeply. Nothing else works for me anymore, it seems, when I need comfort and solace. Trixie Belden! I thought she and Honey and Di were so old and grown up when I read about them, but seriously -- she was like, 13 at the start, I think. And only aged about a year or so.

Still not sure where I am and what I'm doing, but I still have to get up early tomorrow. 'Night, lovelies!

At 21:58 Blogger Jess said...

Yes, Fluffy. I'll be pretty pruney by then, I imagine.

I'm Googling cliched metaphors to mix because I started thinking of a poem in the shower. Why do these things always have to come to me when I'm tired?

You'd be surprised how many cliches there are. I want to know if there was ever a time before cliches, when you couldn't but stand there and gibber for all the dazzling wit and originality coming out of people's pie-holes.

At 22:04 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Or in the shower, eh, Jess?

I remember reading Trixi and being about 8, and thinking it was the COOLEST that she had a friend who had horses. And thinking it would be forever till I was 13.

They were written in like the late 40's weren't they? I remember asking my Mom what a Girdle was.

Er was most satisfying. They went back to the very early days, and made the pilot again, while bringign back all the old cast. It worked, everything that was really cool about it was there again. Glad I saw it.

At 22:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Or in the shower, eh, Jess?

I remember reading Trixi and being about 8, and thinking it was the COOLEST that she had a friend who had horses. And thinking it would be forever till I was 13.

They were written in like the late 40's weren't they? I remember asking my Mom what a Girdle was.

Er was most satisfying. They went back to the very early days, and made the pilot again, while bringign back all the old cast. It worked, everything that was really cool about it was there again. Glad I saw it.

At 22:18 Blogger Fluffy said...

I think they had cliches since the dawn of time. Haha. Dawn of time!

Some poor mate looked at the other and thought, "Not bison, spear, bear paw again. I will scream, I swear."

At 22:19 Blogger Fluffy said...

Nighty-night. Hope everyone sleeps well.

At 22:23 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

All cliches have flown my little head..May be asleep soon too.

At 22:44 Blogger Na said...

Oh yes, Trixie Belden! Read a lot of those, too; wished I had red hair and green eyes after a while.

Reading. Doesn't bring me comfort these days, because I need and am waiting on a new glasses prescription. Heh heh. I will soon be the answer to life, the universe and everything. Guess the new reading Rx goes with the territory.

At 23:34 Blogger vampi said...

so fiends, learn me about kindles are they worth it? i'm such a book whole i kind of like the turning the page bit.

i'm pondering getting one for my birthday.

At 23:45 Blogger Chantrelle said...

i love my kindle. it has its issues but overall i adore it. i have the 1st gen, i think they fixed some of the annoying things. it's a godsend for travel!!

At 23:54 Blogger Adri said...

oh vampi, let me tell you about my kindle. (everyone who's already read my gushing, my apologies, and feel free to tune out :) )

actually, I just wrote, like, two pages about my love for kindle. Let me put it on my LJ and link for y'all who are interested.

Why Adri Loves Her Kindle

At 23:57 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Popping in between thunderstorms to say gidday to all.

We are having some real weather in Melbourne today - just love being safe inside when thunderstorms are raging. Lightning. Thunder go BOOM. heavy rain. Smells so nice.

At 00:23 Blogger spacedlaw said...

When stressed I am more likely to write, paint and cook than read as reading would only result in staring at the pages blankly.

At 01:24 Blogger Ticia said...

It's so funny. Before I started reading this blog, I felt alone in the midnight world when my family was asleep. Now I'm surrounded by others, around the world who are going about their lives while my world sleeps on. I love it.

Unfortunately, I have to get up in 6 hours to go to work. So, I must leave this peaceful place and go to sleep.

I hope all of you that are sleeping now have dreams that empower you, inspire you, and refresh your soul.

I hope those of you who are awake find something in your day to make you smile, make you happy, or make you laugh out loud.

I'm off to dreamland. Sweet dreams and sweet days.

At 01:27 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Sweet dreams Ticia

At 01:54 Anonymous Claire said...

He is very lucky to have found someone to love and understand him so completely.

Blessed Be.

At 02:05 Blogger spacedlaw said...

This is for all of you experiencing problems at work.

At 02:44 Blogger The Amazing Ernie J. said...

Do you let them outside? it seems like those sort of cats would prefer to be indoor-outdoor so they could hunt and stuff.

At 06:43 Blogger Marjorie said...

Good Morning all.

{{{Grace}}} I hope you are feeling a little better - spmetimes you need to look after yourself - andyou can't give of your best when you are not well.

'Comfort' books - definately re-reads. If I'm very tired tend to re-read Georgette Heyer, because they don't require any mental effort and you *know* it's going to turn out all right in the end. Also a set of books by Monica Edwards - I don't know if any of you know them? They were written and set in the post war period and there are 2 series, one set on the Sussex coast and the other on a farm inland (Surrey, or might be sussex again) they start with the protagonsts being about 11 and go up to their being around 16 - they are about ponies and farming and sailing ratehr than ballet but have (to me anyway0 a similr 'feel' to the Lorna Hill books.

If I'm stressed rather than tired I wil also tend to re-read but it will be PTerry, or Boss, or DWJ, or Austen - something which is familiar anf therefore helps de-steress, but has sufficient meatyness to it that I have something to enfage my thoughts and not dwell so muchon what is stressing me. Golden Age detective novels, too - modern ones less so, as they are so often full of graphic vioelce and sex (or violence and sex) and that's not very relaxing for me ;-)

At 08:30 Blogger Marjorie said...

Just saw this BBC article about 3D - references oraline & MvA..

At 08:57 Blogger Dee said...

There is a love only cat lovers know how to give. Its a special respectful bond, cheering for independence. This post reminded me why I am a cat lover, not that I have forgotten, but mostly a different kind of reminder. Thanks!

At 09:03 Blogger Ani said...

Comfort reads--YA lit like Madeline L'Engle, yes. Pterry & the Boss, Dianna Wynne Jones, yes. Lots of re-reads at those points. Anyone else consider depression reads different from comfort reads? In which case...CJ Cherryh?

Wish I could get online in the evening & join the conversation rather than tagging on in the morning!

At 09:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Up. Found Adri's Corset. So she can be a Vampire. And walk somewhere.

The ways of the world are mysterious to me.

Tea now.

At 09:16 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks, Lorraine, and Na, and anyone else I missed who said hi. Good to be here. I'm going to visit a friend's farm this weekend, so I'm sure I'll have plenty of cat rescue stories when I come back.

Definitely watch out for needles. Did the pack come from a hotel sewing kit? I seem to end up with a lot of those...I think needles are more of a problem when they're attached to something - Hissy was going after the bright red thread, poor kitty. ~Karla

At 09:17 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cats suck.

At 09:18 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Hi Claire, Ernie and Dyanette, and welcome! Thank you!

Ernie, it is hard, they most likely would like to go out, Venus and Mim do on leashes, the problem is a couple things. I live in town, On a Street with cars and such, and lots of houses, and several other cats who run around, not safe.

Also, Bengals are not cheap. Venus was $600 and Mim $900. (This was before I learned about all the Bengals in Rescue looking for homes) And they are really beautiful.

Another problem is outside of being in their territory (My House) and with only me, they are really timid cats, they would run and hide, it's too scary for them.

Magic would be terrified.It would be a seriously horrid experience , he could not survive either, as some IDIOT de-clawed ALL FOUR of his claws.

I am hoping the new screened porches can provide them with safe outdoor time.

At 09:20 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

And it is WINTER here nine months out of the year.

THANK GOODNESS that is over! yes, no more snow! It could not possibly snow any more this year! Noooo....It is April and Spring!!!!!!!!

(Foreshadowing, yes. Sadly.)

At 09:29 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Oooh a troll...
(well known fact that: trolls hate cats. Cats pee on trolls)

At 09:37 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Nathilie, that is WoodsmanHas' Troll. I have nothing to do with it. I do not fear the Bridge, I can Trip-trap with the best of them....

At 09:44 Blogger spacedlaw said...

As long as it is not a beaver produced bridge...

At 10:33 Blogger vampi said...

so i;ve read a story and a half of lovecraft. damn he is wordy. it is weird because my complaint is he talks too much about the environment, but so does boss and that's what i like about boss. i think boss uses more accessible word, it feels like lovecraft was sitting with a thesaurus, always choosing the more obscure word for things.


is there some story i should read first i had started at the beginning of the book, but then jumped to the call of cthulu, isn't this "the" story? if i'm going to give up i figure i should read the one story that most defines him.

i like reading for my imagination, i enjoy worlds i can let my mind explore, which is shy i like adams, pterry and boss . tolkein and herbet were bording on the tedius wiht the mad eup words that were hard to read, but still had that element of a world i wanted to experience. so far i just feel tedium, like i'm treading through a dank muddy lake in the frosty foggy doom.

At 10:35 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

The Beavers are currently in competition with Hans in the Bridge Building Area. We are thinking Reality SHow...

At 10:37 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Hi Vampi, can't help you with Lovecraft, but we could talk some Trixi Belden?

Actually, we can't, I am off for work...At which point my dear FIENDS, you will probably come out again, hmm???

Have a fine day and chatter me nicely. New post tonight with all sorts of things planned.

At 10:42 Blogger vampi said...

i shall have to seek out this trixie. it sounds like fun.

maybe lovecraft would have been more effective when i still had the creep fear form horror movies. now i just find them hilarious because i can't turn off the part of my brain wondering how the FX people did that.

i'm just a killjoy.

At 10:46 Blogger ces said...

Leopards & Bengals are wild animals. They belong in the wild - living free - not cooped up in someone's home.

At 10:51 Anonymous D.J. said...

How lucky they are to have you, and vice versa.

I am a volunteer adoption counselor at a no kill shelter in my town. At CAT (www.catadoptionteam.org) we have to be very careful adopting out these beasties. Lots of people want them but don't realize they have special needs. Our Bengal experts advise on special diets, etc., which helps.

We got a lovely, intact 4 year male in a while back. He was living rough in a feral colony when they rescued him. He had a chip, and we tracked the address and discovered that he belonged to a breeder who literally threw him away. We had him fixed (the cat, not the breeder) and he has a great home now with a Mom who understands him.

I'm enjoying the blog. Thanks.

If you ever need me to put you in tough with one of our Bengal or wild breed experts, please let me know, but it seems from over here that you are doing a wonderful job :-)

Best wishes,

Dj
on Twitter - ItBodes

At 10:57 Blogger Na said...

Trolls to the left of me,
Beavers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with Fiends...


One trilogy I read semiannually, and for moments of comfort, too, that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys strong female sword fighter characters, The Dead of Paksennarion, by Elizabeth Moon. :D

Am staying with my parents. They watch a LOT of tv. ER was watched by all last night. Thought that was well done, especially the very last, Dr. Carter beckoning to Dr. Green.

At 10:59 Blogger dabbler said...

Hmmm. Thinking that Boss linking to your post about Magic had mixed results, Fablo.

A gentle suggestion to new readers, look in the archives for the posts related to Bengals and rescue, and then judge.

Sitting in my one story kitchen, listening to the thunder and rain beating on the roof. very cozy.
Probably time to go make sure the sump pump is working, though.

morning/evening all!

At 11:03 Blogger dabbler said...

Na, had to laugh at your typo. It could well be the Dead of Paksennarion...couldn't it!

And I can't read Lovecraft, cause the creepy awfulness of all the characters is too much. Nobody to like at all.

At 11:06 Blogger Na said...

D.J., or others in the know, can breeders be somehow forbidden to continue??? That's horrid. Cheers for finding the bengal a home! And such wonderful work, no-kill places.

In Arizona I knew of a local non-profit group that live-trapped, neutered and re-released feral cats. They coordinated with various vets to perform the neutering for free.

Hurray! hurrah! huzzah!

At 11:10 Blogger Na said...

Dabbler! GOL. And I spelled her name wrong, too. Argh. FWIW - should read The Deed of Paksenarrion.

At 11:15 Blogger Marjorie said...

DJ - hello! I hope that that breeder could be prosecuted for crueltyor neglect - maybe forbidden from keeping cats ;-)

Earlier comments - yes , comfort reads and depression reads are different - PTerry, Janet Evanovich or MAryJanice Davidson are all good for mild depression in-need-of-cheering up reading although if really unhappy I go back to childhood favourites.

dashing off to go home and make makes for visitors.

I won't be around overthe weekend but on Monday the man from the ISP is coming and I should have super duper new wireless at home and will be able to chatter away to my heart's cpntent!

have a great weekend, eveyone.

At 11:29 Blogger Ticia said...

We do that around my work Na... Well, we used to. There was a wild colony of ferals here 15 years ago. Now that they've all been caught and released, we only have one left. (15 years in the wilds of a city is a long time) My boss also does the same thing in SF. And, my work wife raises feral kittens for the SPCA. (I get to play with and feed them at lunch) No Bengals though...

At 11:41 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Hello DJ and Ces, and welcome!

DJ well done and rightly so. You ought to have fixed the breeder too. Sadly, that happens a lot, or more than it ought to with the early Generation Males, especially, F1. They are sterile and "no good" for breeding purposes. And they do not make good pets. They should very much only be with people who know what they are doing, and can provide for them properly. I believe if you breed one, YOU need to be responsible for it.

Ces, I agree in part, the Leopards are wild and ought to be so. There is enough foundation stock that, my belief is, we do not need to breed more early gen cats.

However, you are mistaken about Bengals, F4 and higher. They are NOT wild animals, and should not be outdoors or in the wild. They are domestic cats. Which any serious cat lover cat care for easily.

Before getting a Bengal KNOW what you are getting. A very active intelligent cat. Not a sleepy lap cat. DJ very right they need the right home, we at GLBR take a lot from shelters, and place them with the right homes, and keep track of each one. Forever. And take them back if they are not in the right home.

EG cats need a LOT more care. They should only be placed with people who know what they are doing and have the support of experts.

There is no excuse for irresponsible breeding of ANY breed.

An irresponsible breeder got rid of Magic to someone who didnt know what they had. Happens more than it ever should. And he got passed on until we got him.

He can't live in the wild. He has no claws, and has never lived in the wild. The best I can do for him, is care for him, provide him with the best environment possible. There are sanctuaries, but he would have to live in a cage rather smaller than his room and porch, with less one on one person time.

The mission of GLBR and all Bengal rescue groups is to find these cats, and find them the right homes, and educate people as to exactly what they are.

There are a lot of myths out there, like "Bengals are wild animals" that need to be dispelled, and the mis-information corrected.

At 11:42 Blogger spacedlaw said...

I would suggest Lovecraft's cat stories, like the ones listed here but in particular THE CATS OF ULTHAR and THE DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH

At 11:46 Blogger Ticia said...

Lorraine, I just thought of you and birdchick because one of my customers (who also has bees) retrieves swarms(rogue bee balls). He went to retrieve one yesterday. The branch was too big for him to cut, so he had to vacuum them up.

Vacuum bees??? The insanity.

At 11:47 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

And DJ, I am ALWAYS up for talking with Bengal Experts or Wild Animal experts, to be sure, feel free to drop me an e-mail at fabulouslorraine@gmail.com

Also RE: Declawing. Neither myself or GLBR would EVER de-claw a cat.

And RE: Feral catch and release, Hurrah does not cover it.

At 11:48 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Ticia, I love that "Rouge Bee Balls" well, that's what they are, hee-hee.. We are on swarm patrol, but I am not sure vacuum is something I would have thought of...

At 11:52 Blogger ariandalen said...

Oo, oo, oo! New Fiends!

Hi, Claire, Dyannette, Ernie J, Ces and DJ! Jackets can be found in various corners. :)

::sniff::
::sniff, sniff::
::sniff, sniff, SSSSSSNNNNNIIIIIIFFFFFFFFF::

Aaaahahhhhhhhhh, SPICY!!!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 11:53 Blogger redcountess said...

I'm glad you and Magic have each other now. And he has such beautiful markings. Thanks for sharing (and to Neil for linking to this).

At 12:03 Blogger ariandalen said...

Hi, Redcountess! Jackets are readily available, just look around for one. ;)

::sniff::
More spicy brains!

hee
hee hee hee
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 12:04 Blogger ariandalen said...

We don't need no steenkin' Lovecraft!

We have me!


BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 12:09 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Redcountess, thank you, and welcome!

I think tonights post is going to clarify a few things for new readers...

At 12:10 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Ariandalen just LOVE when Neil links to this blog...

At 12:14 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Just added a little "Edited to add" on my post...

At 12:15 Blogger bengalgirl said...

I'd like to address the Asian Leopard Cat and Bengal as wild animals. While an Asian Leopard Cat in the wild is a wild animal there have been instances that ALC's have allowed themselves to be somewhat domesticated in the areas they are indigenous. Plus ALC's raised in captivity, socialized, with continual socialization can be pets. The problem is normally that they need things our normal pets do not need such as an inside/outside enclosure, climbing structures, enrichment, specialized food, etc. While I would personally never have an ALC and would discourage others from doing so there are areas in the US that they are legal. The early generation bengals F1-F3 can be very wonderful pets as long as preperations have been made for their living conditions, food, etc. If the breeders producing them make sure they are well socialized as kittens, continue socialization until they go to an APPROPRIATE home both the cat and owner can be happy. Bengals on the other hand, once they are F4 and beyond are domestic cats that can have some watered down characteristics of the ALC. But they are no more active than say an abyssinian, no more talkative than a siamese. They are not wild - unless of course they are not socialized but then a Persian that isn't socialized is wild. Magic at one time was a social kitten, playful, sweet, able to be petted and picked up. However, a poor choice of an owner on the breeder's part led him to a household where they did not prepare for him. Those owners resold him to another family again with no preparation and he regressed further. The last home he had ended up taking him to a shelter not because he was mean, he got along with their other cats, but because of his litterbox habits. Luckily for Magic the shelter he went to had volunteers familiar with the breed and immediately contacted us. Again lucky for Magic, Lorraine opened her home and heart to him as at the time we were full (even Lorraine) plus not every foster home is capable and willing to house an F1, especially with litterbox problems. So Magic is home, the home is appropriate and steps have been taken from the beginning by rescue and Lorraine to give him a chance at a life not in a cage or at a santuary but as a loved pet.

At 12:16 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Someone *declawed* an F1 Bengal!!!

Color me agast.

Lovely cat, I hope I get to meet him one of these years. Until then the pictures are great to look at.

For a while there was a show on Animal Planet called 'Growing Up...' that covered the early life of various critters raised by humans. One show covered Clouded Leopards, at they were the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. Magic definitely reminds me of them.

Monday night I noticed a poster in the background of a Buck Godot page and was inspired. The result uses Neil's picture of Cabal:
http://homepage.mac.com/vnend/fun_w_sticks.jpg

Later.

At 12:18 Blogger Rose said...

Magic was silent, he knew there was no help, and any sound he made, would invite nothing but trouble.

Oh, that's heartbreaking. I'm glad he found his way to you; you sound like exactly what he needs.

At 12:20 Blogger spacedlaw said...

That's a great poster!

At 12:26 Blogger vampi said...

I love fun with sticks day. hooray :)

I'll have to see if any of hte cat stories are in ym anthology or click hte link and dl some.

At 12:28 Blogger redcountess said...

Lorraine, thanks for your welcome. I should add that I'm a member of a great LJ comm called Cats With Claws with members of Bengal Rescue on it, so am familiar with their work, and a regular poster there owns a Bengal, not sure if she's a rescue though. I didn't know about the generations thing until your post though!

At 12:31 Blogger ariandalen said...

Speaking of Lovecraft, I haven't read much of his work at all. DH read some when he was in his teens, or early college, and doesn't recommend him.

My mother bought me a couple of Nancy Drew books when I was around 10(?). She loved reading the Nancy Drew and Bobsey Twins books. I read one and was thoroughly bored. What I read growing up was mythology, the Black Stallion books, the Narnia books, biographies and any fiction not taking place in the present. Then I discovered Andre Norton's Moon of Three Rings. I've read most of her books, including almost all of the Witch World books.

I don't think I've ever re-read a book. I have too many books laying around that I haven't read yet to spend time re-reading books. There are times when I want to read some Tanith Lee, or Andre Norton, or Charles de Lint, but not re-reading a specific book.

At 12:31 Blogger vampi said...

oh, i forgot i wanted to comment on the trolls.
There ar epeolpe who should never own an animal due to due to common sense. Saying that all pets should be outlawed is a ridiculous idea.

PETA sounds like a good idea on the surface, but when you really look at what they do and advocate, it's not just not eating meat and wearign furs, it is the elimination of domesticated animals, genocide by spay and neuter.

Think about the words you repeat out and around and don't just folow bilndly with out applying your grey and spicy matter to the topic at hand.

if you bothered to read the blog, you would see that Quiche is utterly devoted to her bengal friends, they are not pets, but valued members of her family.

putting away the soap box to actually be productive at work now.

At 12:33 Blogger spacedlaw said...

All the more the reason to read THE CATS OF ULTHAR, Vampi...

At 12:44 Blogger Adri said...

Well said, Q and Janet!

re: the Cats with Claws LJ community, there are a few bengally regulars. I've posted cats there for rehoming through rescue (successfully!), and am a regular poster (Rocky & Zanzibar). Not a super regular poster, though :)

At 12:57 Blogger ariandalen said...

::dancing around::

Hi, Vnend and Rose! I love new Fiends!

::SSSSSSNNNNNIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFF::

Oh, yeah! Definitely SPICY!


MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

At 13:54 Anonymous Lysandwr said...

Lorraine;

Magic Fidelus....

For through his good fortune in coming to you, he now has the attribute of Faith.

Faith that when you leave (his room, the house) you come back. Hard to acquire, this one, and terribly important!

Faith that pain doesn't wait around every corner.

Faith that he is safe...can explore, even...is sheltered and fed...and even FEATHERSTICKED!

That is an idea of organized religion I can definitely get behind--restoring faith to felines. Glorious <3


Now, DJ;
I'm with Lorraine on this one--time for some catch, fix, and release moves on that breeder. And I'm not so sure about the release part.

Many parts of the country do have regulations against animal abandonment and perhaps he can still at least be fined.

Although vastly insufficient punishment, it might deter him somewhat from such behavior in the future.

Ariandalen--I love that you are so busy with this influx of new Fiendish activity, yet are TOTALLY staying on top of it! Well done :)

Final note: (sorry to ramble all at once, my computer time has been severely curtailed recently so I've got to say everything when I can :))
Trixie is/was waaaay cooler than Nancy any and every day of the week.

At 14:08 Blogger vampi said...

how am i completly ignorant of this trixsie who is so beloved? wow, i feel like i have misse dout, just the excuse i need to go back to that awesome book store.

At 14:13 Blogger Ayanna said...

Hey, Lorraine. Your Magic is beautiful. You can tell he loves you, and you love him. I have been wanting to be a kitty mama again, but our landlord wants our kittehs to be declawed, which is something I can't do. So I am at an impasse.

On the subject of Lovecraft, he was a favorite in my group of friends in college. Both of my young sons have stuffed Elder Gods that they play with now.

Dan, *hugs* -- the Internet breeds weirdness.

I have never been much for Dickens. However, Miss Havisham, as portrayed by Jasper Fforde, is awesome.

At 14:29 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Ayanna - maybe you can find a declawed rescued kitty?

one more hour of school then ben's on spring break...give me strength ;-)

At 14:37 Blogger ariandalen said...

Hi, Ayanna! Pick up a jacket! :)
Chantrelle has a really good idea about talking to cat rescue groups for a declawed cat. I couldn't do it to any cat of mine, either, but I could certainly give a declawed kitty a home.

::Sniff::

Yup. Warm and Spicy!


Heh heh heh heh heh

At 14:52 Blogger redcountess said...

Chantrelle, Ayanna, Yup, from what I understand from the comm, quite a lot of de-clawed kitties end up in shelters anyway.

At 15:05 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Appears to me there are three de-clawed Bengals at GLBR in need of homes...Just saying...

http://search.petfinder.com/shelterSearch/shelterSearch.cgi?shelterid=IL221

At 15:06 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Poor kitties.
I am so glad that declawing is ilegal in Europe.

At 15:35 Blogger Jess said...

Shall I risk the ticky box?
What does this button do?
Will it fill my mail all up with spam,
and the spleen of trolls astew?
O dare I make my mark therein,
and throw caution out the door?
What will happen when my box fills up?
Will I tick again, for more?

/poemtry

At 15:41 Blogger redcountess said...

Jess, yes, that's been my experience this evening :)

At 15:50 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

Oh my. The blog exploded. And Fablo, I am GOL at your retyping of "rogue bee balls" into "rouge bee balls" because all I can see now are big red balls of BEES!! :-)

Seriously, one of the best short stories I've ever read is "The Bees" by Dan Chaon, but it is a scary story. With bees.

I reread tons, because I am at heart extremely lazy. And I like my comfort. Oddly enough, it is "American Gods" of the Great Neil Gaiman Library that I re-read the most -- not exactly his most comforting of books, so, no, I don't know why I read it so often when I'm in need of comfort. Hmmm, my brain strikes me as being very odd.

Can't wait to read your stuff later, Q. I need your warm, sensible, funny, kind voice in my head and soon...

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