Trying to identify an animal? (eat, trees, summer)

[slyfox2]

Being stalked by a wild lion?

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Yeah, I had a fairly large Siamese that disappeared. We were mystified, at first, I was completely ignorant about Fishers. Then the dog brought back the skull. I got quite the education figuring out what it was.

I still miss that damn cat, he was my most favorite cat ever, well, him AND his sister. He and his sister were very tightly bonded, she became noticeably despondent, then grew sickly and died. We went to great lengths to [try to] keep her alive but it was no use. Nobody can tell me that animals can't 'feel'- as far as I'm concerned, she just didn't have the will to live without her brother. Yeah, I miss her just as much.

I am so sorry for your loss. They sure do take your heart and run with it.
I have no doubt they grieve. I have seen this before if we lose one of our dogs.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by maineborzoi

I am so sorry for your loss. They sure do take your heart and run with it.
I have no doubt they grieve. I have seen this before if we lose one of our dogs.

Thanks. They were rescues. They had belonged to an elderly couple who had died. The son and his wife took them in but they were not equipped to deal with Siamese, and eventually they brought them to the shelter. They had been adopted out of the shelter four times, and brought back each time, because Siamese tend to be a little different from other cats.

Mrs. Z dragged me to the shelter to look for a dog for one of her friends and as son as I walked into the room with the animals, the female started yowling at me. Of course, I *had* to go over and look at her. After I talked at her for a bit, she started poking at her brother, who was laying in the far corner of the cage, as if to say "Come on, get up! Somebody who likes us is here! Don't be such a slug, get up and act cute!" After scratching them through the bars for a bit, I reluctantly joined Mrs. Z, who was off looking at dogs.

We didn't see any suitable candidates so we started to leave. When I got to the door leading back to the offices, both of the cats started yowling, they were making a helluva racket. I went back over to them and Mrs. Z followed. They were pushing and pulling at the bars of the cage, "Please, please, take us away from here!" I looked at Mrs. Z, and she looked at me, she knew what I was thinking and said "Well...I suppose we could..."

I asked her if she was sure that she was ready to deal with cats like this and she asked "What do you mean?" I had Siamese cats growing up, and I explained to her that they were a unique sort of breed, when they wanted something they would let you know and they could be very insistent about it, the yowling that they had been doing was not unusual. She said she could handle it (I wasn't completely convinced), and it was clear that I was attracted to them and them to me.

So, we went to talk to the woman in charge of the shelter. We told her we wanted to take the Siamese, she gave us the stink-eye and asked "Are you *SURE*?" She seemed very 'cold' about it, almost mean, and I was confused at her attitude. I asked her what the problem was. She said "I need to KNOW that you won't bring them back. If I let you take them, you CANNOT bring them back."

Further questioning revealed the story about the elderly former owners and the four (five, if you count the son) failed adoption attempts. I assured her that I was quite familiar with the peculiarities of Siamese (you should hear a female in heat!) and that I knew full well what I was getting into by taking them. She seemed somewhat relieved, but still doubtful.

Not having expected to be leaving with cats, we didn't have carriers with us to transport them, so we said we would come back the following day to pick them up. The woman offered to loan us two carriers if we were willing to take them immediately. Even so, before we signed the papers, the woman again insisted "Please, tell me you won't bring them back. I won't be able to stand having them come back again. I need to know that you won't bring them back." I assured her that I knew what I was doing and that I would absolutely not be bringing them back.

So, off we went with two full-grown Siamese cats. We already had two other cats and I was fairly sure that it would be a mistake to just let these two out with the others so when we got home I took them into the bathroom, where I sat with them for several hours. We set them up with a litterbox and kept them isolated for two or three days so that each pair could adjust to the presence of the others without any actual contact. I spent hours every day, sitting in that little room, talking to them, scratching them, and holding them.

My strategy was successful. When we finally let the two pairs have contact they integrated with very little trouble.

A few days later, we went back to the shelter to return the carriers that they had loaned us. I have an odd sense of humor, the same woman was there and I told Mrs. Z to turn the carrier she had around so that the door was facing backward, and I did the same. Then we went in, each holding a carrier so that it wasn't possible to see if it was occupied. When the woman saw us, and the carriers, she looked horrified. "Oh no! You can't be bringing them back! Please tell me you aren't bringing them back!" Maybe it was a little mean, but it was funny. I started laughing, we turned the carriers around so that she could see that they were empty and I assured her that the cats had found a permanent home. She looked soooooo relieved, and grateful.

Best damn cats I ever had, they would walk with me like dogs do, followed me everywhere. They were almost always together, walking side-by-side, moving in unison. They weren't 'my cats', I was their person. They owned *me*, and they knew it. They became 'outdoor cats', there was no keeping them in. The male even learned how to operate the doorknob, hanging from it, paws wrapped around it, swinging his body back and forth until it unlatched. If the deadbolt was locked and the door wouldn't open he would howl until somebody opened the door for him.

Every now and then, they visit me in a dream. I know it's just my brain playing tricks, an 'instant replay' of sorts, but, for a little while, they're back with me again.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Thanks. They were rescues. T.......

Wonderful story. We've had many cats over the years, and several of them have been part siamese. Oh the howling in heat. We got that one fixed. She was impossible.

[ClownShoes]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

When nervous, a porcupine doubles his size. They waddle as they walk. A fisher moves like a cat. When a porcupine's quills are erect the back end is white or light grey.

Definitely a waddle, nothing like cat movements.
I'll lean towards a porcupine, thanks everyone. .

[Maineguy04654]

Shoot it and post a picture.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

Shoot it and post a picture.

*busts out laughing * ...
Now now.. one should properly identify their target prior ...

[ClownShoes]

Saw him again, this time the camera was working, confirmed porcupine. I don't know a thing about them or their quills, so I kept my distance. The bum turned towards me and I ran like a little girl..


The Mrs laughed at me..

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by ClownShoes

Saw him again, this time the camera was working, confirmed porcupine. I don't know a thing about them or their quills, so I kept my distance. The bum turned towards me and I ran like a little girl..


The Mrs laughed at me..

you would think something so slow,, would be smart enough to not go on the roads,,,,but I see roadkill porcupines a lot....makes a hell of a mess...

and skunks are getting smeared all over the place too....

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

you would think something so slow,, would be smart enough to not go on the roads,,,,but I see roadkill porcupines a lot....makes a hell of a mess...

and skunks are getting smeared all over the place too....

And in TExas, you see their cousins the armadillos everywhere as road kill. Its funny, although not for the armadillos, of course.