Comments on: Cat Herder http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:39:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: SarahP http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-51 SarahP Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:52:55 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-51 Oh my. Di, I hadn't seen that ad before and it made me weep--yes WEEP--with laughter. Oh my. Di, I hadn’t seen that ad before and it made me weep–yes WEEP–with laughter.

]]> By: DiFrancis http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-50 DiFrancis Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:36:12 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-50 And of course your post requires the old ad about cat herding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SmgLtg1Izw I love that ad. Di And of course your post requires the old ad about cat herding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SmgLtg1Izw

I love that ad.

Di

]]> By: Marie Brennan http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-48 Marie Brennan Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:55:08 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-48 <i>They seem to be not tame.</i> They're probably tame, but what they <i>aren't</i> is domesticated. I forget the actual term the professor used, when I was assistant-teaching a class on animal domestication, but "domestic" cats are physiologically and behaviorally all but identical to their closest wild relatives -- there's nothing even vaguely approaching the difference between wolves and domesticated dogs. We didn't change them, the way we've changed other animals. There just came a point in time when we formed a mutually beneficial relationship with them. They seem to be not tame.

They’re probably tame, but what they aren’t is domesticated. I forget the actual term the professor used, when I was assistant-teaching a class on animal domestication, but “domestic” cats are physiologically and behaviorally all but identical to their closest wild relatives — there’s nothing even vaguely approaching the difference between wolves and domesticated dogs. We didn’t change them, the way we’ve changed other animals. There just came a point in time when we formed a mutually beneficial relationship with them.

]]> By: SarahP http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-46 SarahP Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:54:36 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-46 I know why cats purr. To tell you that you have propitiated them, and for the time being they will refrain from ripping your throat out. The Stupid One just spent 10 minutes kneading my tummy, which I take to mean it's time to start doing sit ups every day. Steph, that's a fun video--thanks! I know why cats purr. To tell you that you have propitiated them, and for the time being they will refrain from ripping your throat out.

The Stupid One just spent 10 minutes kneading my tummy, which I take to mean it’s time to start doing sit ups every day.

Steph, that’s a fun video–thanks!

]]> By: Steph Burgis http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-45 Steph Burgis Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:14:03 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-45 Funnily enough, I used to be a cat person and became a dog person as I got older... In case you haven't seen this yet, you'd probably get even more of a kick out of this YouTube video than I did: <a href="http://nancylebov.livejournal.com/155551.html" rel="nofollow">the most tolerant cat EVER</a>! (There's no way any of my family's cats would have let a turtle get away with this...) Funnily enough, I used to be a cat person and became a dog person as I got older…

In case you haven’t seen this yet, you’d probably get even more of a kick out of this YouTube video than I did: the most tolerant cat EVER! (There’s no way any of my family’s cats would have let a turtle get away with this…)

]]> By: Jeremiah Tolbert http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-43 Jeremiah Tolbert Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:44:19 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/08/10/cat-herder/#comment-43 Nobody actually knows why cats purr. There are theories, but it's basically a mystery. Nobody actually knows why cats purr. There are theories, but it’s basically a mystery.

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