Cat tales & talk; rabbit/hare lore & bunny food

Routine errands or appointments can sometimes turn out to be much more “value added” than expected.  That recently happened to me -- twice in one day!

Jersey

First came a vet appointment for Jersey – still a challenge because he’s unwilling to be lifted up and put into his carrier for the drive.  He no doubt remembered his first such trip after joining the family, when he literally fought tooth and nail against being picked up.  (Remember, he had been an outdoor cat, unused to such things.)

After that traumatic time for both of us, I welcomed a vet staffer’s help getting Jersey to his second appointment.  He was sweetly making her acquaintance till she moved to pick him up, precipitating a repeat acrobatic performance: he bounded past her, then flew around the room and raced under a chair. Luckily, the door was closed, he was finally nabbed and “carrier’d,” and off we went.

The surprises started soon after all that when an office staffer told me about the two crated young cats napping near her desk.  They had been “raised by her dog,” she said, literally meaning that in the absence of a mama cat, they had been nursed by her dog, and thrived.  The same dog has also been a many-times mom of puppies.

What a happy story, shades of some I’ve seen in the Dodo (thedodo.com), when animals matter-of-factly pitch in across species to help other animals.  

Ren

At that, another staffer chimed in with a scary tale about a client’s kitten who was exploring the house and came upon a dishwasher with the door opened down – and relieved himself there.  That’s an unenviable cleaning job, even for a washing device. 

During a library visit later that day, I heard about another library patron who has started early to find a new, loving home for her cat before she moves next year where she can’t take him.  In good health and up to date on shots, 4-year-old “Ren” (short for “Renard,” French for “fox” because as a ginger kitten, he looked like a fox cub), the indoor-only cat has not at this point interacted with any other cats or dogs. 

I’ll try for more Ren photos and parent-contact info in case any readers want to see and know more about him.  

So, unusual feline info of all sorts in one day: more than I’d bargained for.   

Speaking of cats – and to them

High-pitched sing-song tones are in for talking to our cats.  The Dodo reported recently on a study indicating that “baby-talk” is a winning way to talk to our babies, who then somehow know we’re talking to them and pay more attention than usual to us.

Flattering to cat parents, researchers noted the cats usually ignore baby-talk, even with their names included, from strangers.  Cats’ own people gain more confidence that their felines know and prefer them over just any baby-talker.      https://tinyurl.com/4n5ctrvr

Bunnies, hares & house rabbit food  

In my recent post about house rabbits, a first-time subject for me, I included as much info as possible – but there were still some research left-overs.  One incidental discovery was the difference between wild rabbits (think: cottontails) and hares.

Hares are usually larger than rabbits, with longer ears and legs.  (If you’re already picturing Bugs Bunny, you’re right: BB is in fact a hare.)  Hares run faster than rabbits, they’re born with fur, their eyes are open and they come into the world ready to hop.  

They prefer eating twigs and plant shoots -- harder substances than wild rabbits’ soft, salady food and they’re generally solitary.  Hares live above ground, whereas most wild rabbits in the US live in dens burrowed by other animals.

https://modernfarmer.com/2017/03/five-differences-rabbits-hares/

I had also found useful tips on food for house rabbits in this Dodo article -- and I now know the bunny pictured is a lop-eared rabbit.     https://tinyurl.com/2rwkfdzr 

                                                                                  Dodo image

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