Weird Pet Habits/Traits

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Much to my dismay, I have discovered that one of the old lady's cats, Jasper, not only likes to have the base of his tail scratched (as many cats do), but he rather enjoys being spanked there. The other two cats, Elsie and Blair, absolutely loathe being touched there.

I'm not talking gentle pats here...I mean that cat actually loves it when I lace into him as if he'd stolen something. Like my debit card and PIN number, or my car.

It's gotten to the point where I can't sit down in my favorite chair at night without this masochist sidling up next to me, meowing, begging me to beat the shit out of him.

I thought it was just him, until I googled "spanking cats," and discovered a plethora of YouTube videos, each featuring weird-ass cats into BDSM.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsNvrAHuLYw&feature=related[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62GCc_aUv10&feature=related[/youtube]

On a side note, Harley, our 180 lb. St. Bernard, eschews chew toys in favor of playing with catnip.  

Anyone else's pets seem to be completely deranged?

[Thor]

I've read someplace that most pets take on the traits of their owners.....  just sayin'.........

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

I've read someplace that most pets take on the traits of their owners.....  just sayin'.........

My GOD, you're an asshole!!!!!!!!

But that was a good one, man. Seriously.   

[Eupher]

Phoebe, our Congo African grey parrot, isn't necessarily deranged, although she's funny as hell to listen to.

I walk through the door after work, and Phoebe announces:

"Daddy's home! Wanna go outside?"

Some other stuff she says, quite a bit of it in context:

"Phoebe's a pill."

"Where's the KITTY CAT?!?" Then she meows like a cat. She'll do this substituting "puppy dog" or "rooster" for "KITTY CAT" and make the associated animal sound.

"GIMME A KISS!    <makes kissy sounds>  "Thank You."

"Whaddya doin'?"

"C'mere Sweetie!"

She issues commands:

"Get 'er, Belle!" (said when the two dogs are playing in the house).

"GIMME APPLE COOKIE" (apple cookies are cut-up pieces of apple that the dogs love - Phoebe too)

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Phoebe, our Congo African grey parrot, isn't necessarily deranged, although she's funny as hell to listen to.

Euph, those birds are serious money though, aren't they???

I've always wanted one, but with the cats, I'm not allowed.

[Chris_]

"Where's the KITTY CAT?!?" Then she meows like a cat. She'll do this substituting "puppy dog" or "rooster" for "KITTY CAT" and make the associated animal sound.

That's awesome.

[Eupher]

Euph, those birds are serious money though, aren't they???

I've always wanted one, but with the cats, I'm not allowed.

We paid $750 for Papagena, our Solomon Islands eclectus. We traded in my cockatiel Corky for our first grey and got a discount on her - I think $500. She died in a freak accident in 2007 and I think we paid about $900 for Phoebe.

You'll spend that and more for purebred dogs.

Probably the most expensive parrot you can get on the market is the largest macaw - the hyacinth. You'll plunk down about $10K per copy. Cage will cost you extra, and those ain't cheap either - about $1,200 for a good one.

[IassaFTots]

Euph, that IS cool.  

Thor, OMG, I LOL'd!

HNC, sorry I LOL'd at Thor.  

My dog, Angus, is a Blue Heeler.  So, he is a herding dog.  He has gotten his routine hardwired in his head.  Lord help us if we do not go to bed when he determines it is time.  He will stare, nudge, pace, and bark until we give up.  It is always time at 10.  Same routine in the am as well.  He doesn't understand weekends at all.  

That is the most annoying thing he does.  The craziest would be that he eats his own hair.  Off the floor.  And bathes himself as a cat would.  His BFF, Mikey the cat   taught him that trick.  You would think after 2 years of not seeing Mikey he would be over it.  Not so much.  I have to give him hairball medicine every now and then.

[whiffleball]

Our Pit/Lab/Springer mixed up pup will kick out with his back legs.  Like a horse or mule he kicks out if someone or one of the other dogs gets too close to his rearend.  We've had plenty of dogs, but this is the first kicker.

[Mike220]

Mason likes having his belly rubbed. I've never seen a cat that liked that. Of course, sometimes he'll want to play, so he'll grab you with both paws and give a gentle (or sometimes not so gentle) reminder that he has teeth... Never drawn blood though. Then you better throw his catnip filled toy.

[Gratiot]

Probably the most expensive parrot you can get on the market is the largest macaw - the hyacinth. You'll plunk down about $10K per copy. Cage will cost you extra, and those ain't cheap either - about $1,200 for a good one.

There's a parrot store, breeder, training, boarding place near me that has Hyacinth Macaws... They're beautiful, huge, and cost more coins than Charlie Sheens date tonight!

My Senegal will chirp, laugh, and play with me but the bugger will only speak with my nieces and 2 year old.  It's cute though as because of it he mimics little kids voices.

[Eupher]

There's a parrot store, breeder, training, boarding place near me that has Hyacinth Macaws... They're beautiful, huge, and cost more coins than Charlie Sheens date tonight!

My Senegal will chirp, laugh, and play with me but the bugger will only speak with my nieces and 2 year old.  It's cute though as because of it he mimics little kids voices.

Some of the smaller parrots are just as entertaining, if not more so, than the larger ones. Before I croak, I'm gonna get a blue and gold macaw. Love that species. We fostered one for awhile and those guys are clownish, but gentle. They can give healthy screams, though, and that can be a problem if your next door neighbor is 30 feet away.

[mamacags]

When we pat our dog's rump she goes into a trance like state turning her head from side to side and licking her mouth.  It is really creepy.  My cat pretends to kneed my blanket at bed time but we all know he is really humping it.  It is gross and gets him kicked out of my room.

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

.  My cat pretends to kneed my blanket at bed time but we all know he is really humping it.  It is gross and gets him kicked out of my room.

I'm sooooo glad you brought that up, mamacags....

Jasper also masturbates on teddy bears.

I think there's something seriously wrong with this cat.

[Eupher]

When we pat our dog's rump she goes into a trance like state turning her head from side to side and licking her mouth.  It is really creepy.  My cat pretends to kneed my blanket at bed time but we all know he is really humping it.  It is gross and gets him kicked out of my room.

Jeez, that reminds me. Belle, our golden retriever, is almost 3 years old. We had her spayed at about 6 months old. If I get on the floor and romp around with her and our mutt, Belle likes to get around behind me and hump me. Needless to say, that lasts about 3 nanoseconds.

[IassaFTots]

When we pat our dog's rump she goes into a trance like state turning her head from side to side and licking her mouth.  It is really creepy.  My cat pretends to kneed my blanket at bed time but we all know he is really humping it.  It is gross and gets him kicked out of my room.

Same thing with my dog, Mama.  I have convinced myself that it is simply due to the fact that he can't scratch there. 

[Mike220]

Some of the smaller parrots are just as entertaining, if not more so, than the larger ones. Before I croak, I'm gonna get a blue and gold macaw. Love that species. We fostered one for awhile and those guys are clownish, but gentle. They can give healthy screams, though, and that can be a problem if your next door neighbor is 30 feet away.

I really want to get a bird, though I'll probably have to wait for my cat to pass.

When I was growing up, my dad had a few birds. A vicious little Patagonian conure named Aries, an umbrella cockatoo named Winston and another that I can't remember the species (it was 15 years ago...) I really liked Winston, and that would probably be the breed I got. I'd sit in the back yard reading and he'd perch on my shoulder and fall asleep. He was pretty quiet too, unlike the others.

[Eupher]

I really want to get a bird, though I'll probably have to wait for my cat to pass.

When I was growing up, my dad had a few birds. A vicious little Patagonian conure named Aries, an umbrella cockatoo named Winston and another that I can't remember the species (it was 15 years ago...) I really liked Winston, and that would probably be the breed I got. I'd sit in the back yard reading and he'd perch on my shoulder and fall asleep. He was pretty quiet too, unlike the others.

Wow, we fostered an umbrella cockatoo named Dante. That bird did some serious damage to the woman that eventually adopted him, to the point that she lost some use of her elbow for several months - he bit her so hard he ripped a tendon loose.

Dante was insane. Cockatoos are largely insane. After having been around a couple of them and having seen how self-destructive they can be, I have serious doubts as to whether they're actually suitable for humans in captivity. Oh, sure, I know of several people who have had cockatoos and have been perfectly okay with them, but far, far too many wind up as described.

Cockatoos are the cutest, most cuddly birds when they're young - under a year. But without firm guidance and good socialization AWAY from humans, they become incredibly demanding to the point that when they're denied, they often start with the objectionable behavior. And it's especially sad to see them actually chew holes in their chests because they're so wigged out.

[Mike220]

Wow, we fostered an umbrella cockatoo named Dante. That bird did some serious damage to the woman that eventually adopted him, to the point that she lost some use of her elbow for several months - he bit her so hard he ripped a tendon loose.

Dante was insane. Cockatoos are largely insane. After having been around a couple of them and having seen how self-destructive they can be, I have serious doubts as to whether they're actually suitable for humans in captivity. Oh, sure, I know of several people who have had cockatoos and have been perfectly okay with them, but far, far too many wind up as described.

Cockatoos are the cutest, most cuddly birds when they're young - under a year. But without firm guidance and good socialization AWAY from humans, they become incredibly demanding to the point that when they're denied, they often start with the objectionable behavior. And it's especially sad to see them actually chew holes in their chests because they're so wigged out.

Wow, that's crazy. Maybe I should rethink that then. I've never seen or heard anything like that. That's is sad.

[Eupher]

Wow, that's crazy. Maybe I should rethink that then. I've never seen or heard anything like that. That's is sad.

Cockatoos - especially the larger ones like umbrellas, Moluccan, and greater sulfur-cresteds - can be a whole lot of trouble. You may want to read up on it a bit before deciding.

I think proper socialization is the key, but many folks don't have a clue about that and wind up creating a bird that is accustomed to having its every need instantly attended to - and when the human goes off to work, or does the laundry, or goes out to eat, that bird often is traumatized and starts with a whole lot of trouble.

Here's a link to a photo that is quite ugly.

http://www.myoops.org/twocw/tufts/courses/5/content/D222324/C11852.jpg

[Mike220]

Cockatoos - especially the larger ones like umbrellas, Moluccan, and greater sulfur-cresteds - can be a whole lot of trouble. You may want to read up on it a bit before deciding.

I think proper socialization is the key, but many folks don't have a clue about that and wind up creating a bird that is accustomed to having its every need instantly attended to - and when the human goes off to work, or does the laundry, or goes out to eat, that bird often is traumatized and starts with a whole lot of trouble.

Here's a link to a photo that is quite ugly.

http://www.myoops.org/twocw/tufts/courses/5/content/D222324/C11852.jpg

Yeesh. That's disturbing. Maybe something smaller would be better anyways. I do have some time though at least to study and make a decision. Mason is 8, and Maine Coons can live to be about 15-20.

[Alpha Mare]

All of my critters have quirks. We have a running debate on whether they came here that way or I caused it. Currently we have 7 dogs, 20 horses and 2 birds.

Cartman (Maltese) likes to eat disposable razors. Kaiser (GSD) thinks the Maltese are powdered donuts. Yummy!  Kazoo (Maltese) does the Lassie "Come quick!" thing-"Hurry, we're out of water!"
If she knows you, Fret (GSD) leads your car up the driveway-slow down!- and shows you where to park. She won't let the Maltese go down to the gate or in the pastures.
Fender (Australian Shepherd) alerts you if any horse is foaling or not where it's supposed to be.

The 1300lb Friesian wants to sit in your lap.  Lips is named that because she'll take your hat, run off and drop it, then while you're going after it, she'll go get the coffee/gloves/tools you left behind.

Ike, the Quaker- likes to squawk loudly when I'm on the phone. I threaten to sell him on CL and he'll say"I'm a good boy."  He also says "I'm a pretty boy"  "What you doing?"  "Let me out!"  "Stupid dog" "Wanna play?"
"Step away from the cage"  "Psst, come 'ere."  "Shut the door" and "Durka durka."

The grey likes to mess with the dogs. He calls 'em by name, so they run back and forth looking for who's calling. When they sit by his cage, he makes bomb sound effects. (He watches the Military Channel) Greys can imitate the human voice perfectly.   

[Eupher]

All of my critters have quirks. We have a running debate on whether they came here that way or I caused it. Currently we have 7 dogs, 20 horses and 2 birds.

Cartman (Maltese) likes to eat disposable razors. Kaiser (GSD) thinks the Maltese are powdered donuts. Yummy!  Kazoo (Maltese) does the Lassie "Come quick!" thing-"Hurry, we're out of water!"
If she knows you, Fret (GSD) leads your car up the driveway-slow down!- and shows you where to park. She won't let the Maltese go down to the gate or in the pastures.
Fender (Australian Shepherd) alerts you if any horse is foaling or not where it's supposed to be.

The 1300lb Friesian wants to sit in your lap.  Lips is named that because she'll take your hat, run off and drop it, then while you're going after it, she'll go get the coffee/gloves/tools you left behind.

Ike, the Quaker- likes to squawk loudly when I'm on the phone. I threaten to sell him on CL and he'll say"I'm a good boy."  He also says "I'm a pretty boy"  "What you doing?"  "Let me out!"  "Stupid dog" "Wanna play?"
"Step away from the cage"  "Psst, come 'ere."  "Shut the door" and "Durka durka."

The grey likes to mess with the dogs. He calls 'em by name, so they run back and forth looking for who's calling. When they sit by his cage, he makes bomb sound effects. (He watches the Military Channel) Greys can imitate the human voice perfectly.   

Good Lord, I knew you had horses, but I didn't know you had THAT many. WOW. I ain't gonna ask what the farrier and vet bills run to, not to mention feed. Seven dogs? Wow again.

Any idea what "durka durka" means in gray-speak? I think Phoebe says something like that too. It's funny how she'll have a long conversation with herself in babble only she understands, which is interspersed with completely logical words and phrases which have no meaning in context. 

[Alpha Mare]

Greys mumble to themselves when they're practicing. Mine hides his face when he does it.

I used to breed Saddlebreds for show, and do an occasional rescue. Then I made the mistake of being on tv for saving some minis- now everybody brings the worst here. We even found newborn kittens in the mailbox.    There are days I walk around mumbling "I hate people."

Too weak to stand-4/30

Sores from lying so long

9/27

I keep saying I'm going to retire, but I can't say no to a suffering animal. And I'm so danged picky about who adopts them, hubby says it's easier to adopt a human.

[mamacags]

That makes me want to kill people.