Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/08/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]lord, i remember that one now! thanks! ric On Aug 18, 2010, at 7:36 PM, Richard Taylor wrote: > Ah, Kliban - and the folk singing cat sitting on a tall stool with his > guitar: > > "Love them little mousies, > Mousies that I love to eat, > bite their little heads off, > nibble on their tiny feet... > > Why do I remember this stuff???? > > Regards, > > Dick > > > > On Aug 18, 2010, at 6:19 PM, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote: > >> Mark writes: >> >> "The best purveyor of cat humor was B Kiilban who died in 1990. >> >> I had his cat calendar. >> >> Which looks like Jim's cat." >> >> http://www.tcj.com/blog/unwitting-empire-b-klibans-cat/ >> >> >> -------------------- >> >> >> If we are still discussing cats, I have a cat story. >> >> >> As some of you may know, I am an avid boater and spend much of my >> recreational time on the water. Some time ago I was asked about what >> makes a >> better boat pet, a cat or a dog. I posted my answer on a boating site. >> Immediately after the short passage appeared I was contacted by a >> publisher >> asking if I would expand my comments into a comic illustrated book. This >> was >> during the height of the funny cat book craze. Does anyone remember "100 >> Uses for a Dead Cat." He asked me for proposed book titles. The best I >> could >> come up with was "Raising Cats for Fur and Food." That seemed to dampen >> his >> interest. Too bad I couldn't get B. Kilban to do the drawings. We might >> have >> had a best seller. >> >> >> Here is my answer about boat cats and dogs, posted on a boating web site: >> >> >> - - - - >> >> >> Many of us have boat dogs but since most boats have limited living space, >> >> a cat might make a more reasonable boat pet. Cats are generally quiet, >> self >> >> tending, chase away rats and roosting gulls, and, if you are lucky, are >> warm >> and >> >> cosy. We have had dogs and cats aboard. While I admit that dogs are >> admirable >> >> creatures and certainly more intelligent than cats, they can't be trained >> to >> use >> >> a litter box. Better for a house and yard than a boat. >> >> >> We have fond memories of our Norwegian Fishing Cat. It loved to swim and >> was >> >> hard to keep out of the water. These cats were bred in Norway and Iceland >> and >> >> were trained to help fishermen capture the "one that got away." When a >> fish >> >> slipped off the hook, the cat would leap off the boat and with its webbed >> feet, >> >> "pounce" on the escaped cod or mackerel and bring it back. As a reward, >> the >> >> cat would get to eat an occasional fish. >> >> >> Olaf, our Norwegian Fishing Cat, spent his younger years aboard a cod >> fishing >> >> smack, diving in to retrieve the one that "almost" got away. In a typical >> day he >> >> would catch a dozen or more fish, bringing them back to the boat. He more >> >> than earned his keep. But the cold water takes its toll. >> >> >> Olaf was retired after ten years of honorable service. Cat fishing is a >> >> young feline's game. My wife's uncle sent Olaf to us to live out his >> remaining >> >> years. He had developed arthritis and was retired to the balmy climes of >> >> upstate New York. Most of the fish he ate came out of cans. Olaf spent his >> summers >> >> paddling around our pond with an occasional jump into the Hudson River >> from >> our >> >> boat. Every few days we would throw him a couple of herring so he would >> feel >> >> at home. >> >> >> Olaf passed away quietly in has sleep, aged 21, after consuming 3 cans of >> >> brisling sardines. He had a smile on his whiskers and his breath smelled >> like a >> >> cannery. I can picture him today in Feline Valhalla attended by 70 nubile >> >> female kitties gorging on smoked salmon with a cream cheese chaser. It >> would >> be >> >> hard to find a more suitable boat pet. >> >> >> ----------------------- >> >> >> For those that doubt the story of the Norwegian Fishing Cat, here is a >> >> passage from the Encyclopedia of Cats. Lumpkin, Susan and Seidensticker, >> John. 1991. >> >> Great Cats Majestic Creatures of the Wild. Rodale Press, Pa. Pgs 40, 172, >> and >> >> 173. >> >> >> >> THE FISHING CAT: A MOST UNUSUAL FELINE >> >> >> APPEARANCE / SIZE: >> >> This cat has a deep-chested body and comparatively short legs. >> >> The front toes are partially webbed and the claws protrude slightly, even >> >> when fully retracted. Small rounded ears are set well back on the large, >> broad >> >> head. The fur is short and course with gray or olive-brown background, >> covered >> >> with small black spots. A male weighs 24 to 27 pounds, while the females >> are >> >> smaller and weigh 13 to 16 pounds. The tail is unusually thick and >> muscular >> near >> >> the base, and is less then one-third of the animal's head and body length. >> >> >> HABITAT / DISTRIBUTION: >> >> This cat is usually associated with areas of thick cover near water, in >> >> marshes, mangroves, and densely vegetated areas along rivers and streams. >> It >> has a >> >> discontinuous distribution in Asia. It is found in Southwest India, Sri >> Lanka, >> >> countries of the southern Himalayas, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, >> >> China, and the islands of Sumatra and Java. Despite this broad range, the >> real >> >> distribution of this animal is quite limited as the species is strongly >> tied >> to >> >> areas of suitable wetland habitat. >> >> >> DIET: >> >> In the wild these cars crouch on rocks and sand banks using >> >> a paw to scoop out fish. They have also been observed seizing fish with >> their >> >> mouths. Sometimes they dive deeply for prey. Their powerful >> >> build and strong swimming ability enable it to take a wide range of prey. >> They >> >> are said to be able to kill calves, dogs, birds, small mammals, snakes, >> >> snails, and of course fish. >> >> >> The Fishing Cat belongs to the Panthera lineage within the Feline Felidae >> >> family. It is classified under the scientific name Felis Viverrina. >> >> >> http://www.arkive.org/fishing-cat/prionailurus-viverrinus/image-G17843.html >> >> >> -------------------------- >> >> >> Here is a quote from the Norsk Skovkattering, Danmark, a Danish cat >> fanciers >> >> magazine. >> >> >> "There are many similarities between the Forest Cat and the Norwegian >> lynx. >> >> The most apparent of these is that they are both big, long-legged cats >> with >> >> large ruffs, and tufts at the tips of their ears. Moreover they both like >> water, >> >> and the stories of swimming Forest cats who catch their own fish in lakes >> and >> >> rivers are innumerable. Locals often refer to them as "Water Cats" or >> "Fishing >> >> Cats." The Forest cat evidently utilizes the same methods as the Norwegian >> >> lynx when it goes fishing." >> >> >> --------------------------- >> >> >> So there are two theories about the origin of the Norwegian Fishing Cat. >> The >> >> first is that some cat loving Norwegian sailors brought a few breeding >> pairs >> >> of the fishing cats home from trips to Asia during the 1800s. Over the >> years >> >> the cats acclimated themselves to Norwegian weather but retained their >> fishing >> >> instincts. Although Norway is quite far north, the West coast is washed by >> the >> >> Gulf Stream and the winter weather is surprisingly mild. This is >> especially >> >> true of the Lofoten Islands, the prime fishing area. The second theory is >> that >> >> the Fishing Cat is simply a variation of the Norwegian Forest Cat or >> Norwegian >> >> Lynx who adapted to a more marine environment. Or perhaps they are both >> the >> >> same species. I'm sure DNA testing could tell. >> >> >> Larry Z >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information