You may have noticed that I'm not taking TMF walking anymore. TMF, like most toms that have been, err, "tutored", is usually a placid and friendly guy. The problem is that apparently he was, err, "tutored", too late -- the scent of an intact male drives him literally frantic with the most ear-shattering howls and yowls that you'll ever hear. That "lucky bamboo" plant in that brown flower pot is *decidedly* lucky that it hasn't ended up scattered all over the floor, because when an intact tom comes into my yard and TMF catches the scent, he goes nuts. Thus why the window blinds are up when the window is open... a few nights ago I had the window just *cracked* a little to let a little air circulation happen, and TMF tried to use the window blinds as a ladder, practically strangling himself in his eagerness to drive away the intruder tom.
So anyhow, he's been spending a lot of time looking out the window lately, just in case I guess... Mencken, on the other hand, looks bored by the whole thing, though when TMF starts yowling he comes running to see WTF is happening.
-- Badtux the Cat-owned Penguin
Bummer.
ReplyDeleteMy (indoor-only) feline boys were neutered early, and they react to visiting Toms with lots of friendly through-screen sniffing. Which is just as well, since my neighbor takes in stray cats but refuses to neuter the males. I have the only dog-free yard in the neighborhood, so these feline guys hang out in my yard a lot.
When Husband and I can get away for a few days of vacation, we go to the Eastern Sierra. We take the boys with us, though they don't relish the 5 1/2 hour drive, especially in a diesel pickup. But things get interesting when we get there. There are deer; Rocky is convinced they're going to get him, and hides under the bed when he smells deer. There are quail and rabbits; Paddy patrols the windows ready to do a windowsill stalk of the prey. I've tried taking them out leash-walking up there, and it's just too stimulating; they freak out. Indoor cats forever.