After gently persuading my 'The Him' to get out of his sleeping place and open a freeway for me, I decided to walk round the fields by the village. Someimes there are many rustling things to play with giving me a choice of gifts to take home......if they deserve it.
Close by there is a large patch the longlegs call the park where the green is kept short for them to sit on. The warm thing of light was rising well and I decided to bathe in the warmth for a minute. I was just settling down and thinking of dozing when I was horribly disturbed by a bark. The village dogs know better than to disturb me and we have a good truce in place, but this was not a bark I knew. I looked up, and flying towards me was a stranger, not large, but barking in a way that says " cat, fair game.2
Now, given a moment to ready myself I could have dealt with this situation but I could see the dog was full of joy at the chase and moving fast.
I moved faster ! So fast in fact that I was up a nearby tree before even I knew it. I hissed down at him and said " Not very quick are we Dog?"
The dog went berserk. Suddenly there was a shout of " BRUCE!!!!!!!!" And the dog froze.
A longlegs I didn't know came running up and attatching a lead to Bruce's collar called "SIT" and then added " You bad boy, you know better than this don't you? That poor cat."
Bruce couldn't have looked more subdued if he tried and I sauntered down off the tree and entwined myself round the paws of the longlegs. That earned me a stroke from the him and a soft growl from Bruce that was pulled up short by a yank on the lead.
It was time to head home.With a final rub against the longlegs and a satisfied glance at Bruce I walked away very slowly to show him who owned this place.
Once back through my freeway I found a place on my 'The Her's" sleeping place and promptly went to sleep.
There were some questions again which I have left to Millie to answer for you. This will now be her job.
Q. Dear Oscar or Millie,
I am a young Superior living with young longlegs. When I want something I tell them but all they do is make their funny hiccuping sound and try to mimic my words. They do not give me what I want. They are kind but obviously don't understand me. How can I show them what I want and get them to obey? Love Marmalade.
A. Dear Marmalade,
Generally speaking a miaow, a turn and walk towards what it is you want should be enough, however if your longlegs are really hard to train then a quick swipe, a miaow and speedy exit towards whatever it is you want may be needed. Scratch at their sitting places and run, but miaow at the same time. These longlegs can take a while to train so keep going and they will get the message at some stage, a friend of mine had to include a quick nip here and there.
Good luck, stay patient and use all weapons to your advantage, do not forget to reward them when they get the message, they learn quicker that way,
millie
Q. Millie,
My longlegs has had a Superior before me. He rescued me from a sad place after my last longlegs went on a long last journey and I am grateful. But, when he strokes me he is rough and rubs my fur the wrong way, and tries to rub my tummy. I have never allowed this. How can I stop him and make him be more gentle?
Tiger.
A, Dear Tiger,
Hmm this is a delicate matter, when he goes to stroke you you have to cry and run, jump away every time he goes to stroke you, speed is of the essence. You can rub his legs to show you love him but when he goes to stroke you cry and move away. as I say it is all in the timing here. Rub him often so he knows you love him but only allow him the merest or almost stroke and move. If he goes to the tummy roll quickly and threaten with the claws or teeth. I would be reluctant to use teeth or claws here but the timing of moving away should get the message across. You could growl or hiss if you need to to tell him, longlegs seem to understand these noises very well as a rule. I hope you get your longlegs trained very quickly, we cannot allow them to take liberties with our good natures.
Millie
Q. Dear Millie,
you seem to be nice but why are you answering letters for Oscar? When Superiors and Longlegs, and even a dog ( ugh) write to him why is he not answering them himself? Are you related to him? Is there a chance for others to answer too as I am an expert hunter of flying and rustling things and could help new Superiors a lot? Are you an expert in everything?
Toughie of Holywell.
A. Dear Toughie, thank you for the 'Nice' bit. As for answering for Oscar, he is a very busy superior and he knows that I am friendly and look after other superiors a lot as it is my vocation. Yes we are related I am his niece. As far as answering too, I am sorry toughie but it needs an experienced paw and a rather delicate thinking pattern, we have to treat longlegs nicely sometimes and other times with caution, they are kind but a little um well just not as clever as we are, wrong treatment could lead them to send us away for good. yes I think I have everything covered but you never know......I will keep you in mind
Millie
Close by there is a large patch the longlegs call the park where the green is kept short for them to sit on. The warm thing of light was rising well and I decided to bathe in the warmth for a minute. I was just settling down and thinking of dozing when I was horribly disturbed by a bark. The village dogs know better than to disturb me and we have a good truce in place, but this was not a bark I knew. I looked up, and flying towards me was a stranger, not large, but barking in a way that says " cat, fair game.2
Now, given a moment to ready myself I could have dealt with this situation but I could see the dog was full of joy at the chase and moving fast.
I moved faster ! So fast in fact that I was up a nearby tree before even I knew it. I hissed down at him and said " Not very quick are we Dog?"
The dog went berserk. Suddenly there was a shout of " BRUCE!!!!!!!!" And the dog froze.
A longlegs I didn't know came running up and attatching a lead to Bruce's collar called "SIT" and then added " You bad boy, you know better than this don't you? That poor cat."
Bruce couldn't have looked more subdued if he tried and I sauntered down off the tree and entwined myself round the paws of the longlegs. That earned me a stroke from the him and a soft growl from Bruce that was pulled up short by a yank on the lead.
It was time to head home.With a final rub against the longlegs and a satisfied glance at Bruce I walked away very slowly to show him who owned this place.
Once back through my freeway I found a place on my 'The Her's" sleeping place and promptly went to sleep.
There were some questions again which I have left to Millie to answer for you. This will now be her job.
Q. Dear Oscar or Millie,
I am a young Superior living with young longlegs. When I want something I tell them but all they do is make their funny hiccuping sound and try to mimic my words. They do not give me what I want. They are kind but obviously don't understand me. How can I show them what I want and get them to obey? Love Marmalade.
A. Dear Marmalade,
Generally speaking a miaow, a turn and walk towards what it is you want should be enough, however if your longlegs are really hard to train then a quick swipe, a miaow and speedy exit towards whatever it is you want may be needed. Scratch at their sitting places and run, but miaow at the same time. These longlegs can take a while to train so keep going and they will get the message at some stage, a friend of mine had to include a quick nip here and there.
Good luck, stay patient and use all weapons to your advantage, do not forget to reward them when they get the message, they learn quicker that way,
millie
Q. Millie,
My longlegs has had a Superior before me. He rescued me from a sad place after my last longlegs went on a long last journey and I am grateful. But, when he strokes me he is rough and rubs my fur the wrong way, and tries to rub my tummy. I have never allowed this. How can I stop him and make him be more gentle?
Tiger.
A, Dear Tiger,
Hmm this is a delicate matter, when he goes to stroke you you have to cry and run, jump away every time he goes to stroke you, speed is of the essence. You can rub his legs to show you love him but when he goes to stroke you cry and move away. as I say it is all in the timing here. Rub him often so he knows you love him but only allow him the merest or almost stroke and move. If he goes to the tummy roll quickly and threaten with the claws or teeth. I would be reluctant to use teeth or claws here but the timing of moving away should get the message across. You could growl or hiss if you need to to tell him, longlegs seem to understand these noises very well as a rule. I hope you get your longlegs trained very quickly, we cannot allow them to take liberties with our good natures.
Millie
Q. Dear Millie,
you seem to be nice but why are you answering letters for Oscar? When Superiors and Longlegs, and even a dog ( ugh) write to him why is he not answering them himself? Are you related to him? Is there a chance for others to answer too as I am an expert hunter of flying and rustling things and could help new Superiors a lot? Are you an expert in everything?
Toughie of Holywell.
A. Dear Toughie, thank you for the 'Nice' bit. As for answering for Oscar, he is a very busy superior and he knows that I am friendly and look after other superiors a lot as it is my vocation. Yes we are related I am his niece. As far as answering too, I am sorry toughie but it needs an experienced paw and a rather delicate thinking pattern, we have to treat longlegs nicely sometimes and other times with caution, they are kind but a little um well just not as clever as we are, wrong treatment could lead them to send us away for good. yes I think I have everything covered but you never know......I will keep you in mind
Millie