Chitchat thread #24

[burnie]

I set my self a target weight area of 100-105 kg(I am a 6'3" ex rugby player) which is what I was as a fit and healthy 50 year old and I have been in that area for almost a year now. Exercise, next to no alcohol or chocolate, smaller meals and less snacking in between. A bit brutal to start, but you educate your hunger and I've lost 4 inches round my waist.

[Snoop Puss]

Snoop/Nicos - do your cats ever nip you with their teeth? I'm still trying to work out whether Lord Ginger is being playful. Last night he walked along the sofa to my head and after running his head on my hair, he gave my ear a nip - not a bite.

Frankie is definitely a nipper. He does it mostly in play, but sometimes in frustration. It took us quite a while to work out that when he launched himself at our legs on walks with the dog, he meant his ambushes to be in play even though they really hurt . He's a lot better in that respect now that we have Missie. Missie bites if she feels thwarted, say we pick her up when she doesn't want to be picked up.

The other thing about having two cats together is that they teach each other what the boundaries are. How hard they can bite or fight before they get a severe reaction from the other.

Cats respond to a firm voice and do learn what 'no' means and will eventually stop doing whatever it was that elicited a 'no'. We're having a dreadful time with Missie at the moment, as she walks on the table and work surfaces. I'm guessing this was tolerated where she was before as a kitten, but it's not something we accept. She's very food driven, almost as bad as a dog. We can't leave any food out, as she'll be there. Trying to get into the butter dish, even chewing on bread dough if I walk away while making dough. This I'm sure is food anxiety from when she was a kitten, competing for food. Though that's not relevant in your case.

Cats aren't easy to train but they do eventually learn. If Lord Ginger hurts you (love the name), he needs to be told. But I would say that walking along and rubbing his head on your hair is a gesture of affection. And the nip perhaps was an expression of nervousness on his part about how you might respond. Perhaps he's been hurt in another household, which is why he bit you way back when and has taken a long time to come around.

Nicos, was Hibou ever a biter/nipper?

[Nicos]

Hibou has never been a nipper nope.
We’ve tried to show affection towards her since we got her at 9 months old by loads of slow blinks and she responded really well.
I’m guessing Lord Ginger is almost flirting a potential friendship with you…a nice little nibble to show he likes you…but on his terms?
Loving and adorable Hibou is, she can’t stand being held and wont sit on our knees but she’ll blink at us endlessly and flop over stretched out on her back belly up .

If she has too much catnip she can get a bit rough forgetting to retract her claws so we remind her by instantly doing a high pitched yelp so she know she’s hurt us. Doesn’t happen very much at all, but she knows what that means now so stops.

We did have a cat years ago who would jump on the bed in the morning and nibble my chin with his tiny front teeth to wake me up.
(Hibou just walks on the pillow and yanks on our hair) Just his way of saying it was time to feed him. Very sweet as he wouldn’t do that to anyone else.

I think Lord Ginger is starting to appreciate you and trying to trust you. But it does have to be on his terms. Try the slow eye blinking thing. Have a goooogle if you’re not quite sure what it involves( tipping up of the chin etc at the same time)
I actually think this cold spell must have helped speed up the bond he’s starting to have with you!…well done with your calm but steady progress