KORAT CATS

Left. Grand Champion & Premier Nikelsilva Argentia :Right her son Charlwin Zebedee.

The Korat is truly an ancient breed and is recorded in the Bangkok National Museum in the Thai book of the cats covering the period of history from 1350-1767, this contains drawings and descriptions of Thai cats and shows that there has been little if any change in them to this day.

The ancient Thai name for the Korat is Doklao which is the small silvery cat with eyes too big for its face and a nature that is too loving to resist. The Korat is special cat with its heart shaped face and wonderful lustrous eyes of an intense green colour, the neat compact, firm and elegant body, together with its loving, playful and loyal nature go to make this cat from Thailand the only one for those who know the breed.

The modern Thai name for the Korat is Si-Sawat meaning greyish blue. The name Korat was given by King Rama of Siam ( 1868 - 1910) who is thought to have asked where the cat came from and been told from the Korat province in northern Thailand. This is a land of huge granite outcrops and it is said that the Korats colour helped it to blend in with the rock, and thus give it camouflage enabling it to remain undetected.

There are many myths and charming stories about Korats. Some, one hopes, are true. All enhance the mystique of the beautiful and independent cats. The Korat is the good luck cat of Thailand still associated with ceremonies to bring vital rain to the rice crop. The cat is paraded round villages in the North East of the country and sprinkled with water to ensure the paddies are well filled, the Korat is also the colour of storm clouds, hence its association with rain. Korats were also used as watchdogs because they give warning of intruders by growling at the sound of unfamiliar footsteps.

A Korat was a traditional gift at a Thai wedding, because of the good luck they would bring to the newly married couple. At this time Korats were never for sale, they were only ever presented as gifts. They are still rare, even in their native country, and remain the most highly prized cats of the Thai people.

HISTORY

The first Korats imported to the West where brought into the U S A in 1959, having been given by a breeder in Bangkok. They were owned by Jean Johnson of the Cedar Glen line, and thus began the history of the Korat in the West. The cats were named Nara and Darra. At this point it is worth noting how things were done in Thailand. The Thai's allowed Siamese, Copper and Korats to interbreed. They named the offspring according to colour, so it would be perfectly possible to have Siamese, Copper and Korats all in one litter.

Nara and Darra were also mated to Thai imported Siamese in the USA, but kittens other than blue were not registered or describe as Korat, to preserve the image of the Korat as being purely blue. Any one individual may be blue in appearance, but may carry the genes to produce Siamese or Lilac. However, it can be many generations before these genes reappear. So it has been with the Korat .

In the USA in 1965 the Korat Cat Fanciers Association was formed by a group of owners and breeders with the object of the development and protection of the Korat cat and to produce a standard of points by which the cat could be judged at shows. The Korat was first accepted for championship status in the USA in 1966.

The first Korats to be imported into the UK arrived in quarantine in March 1972. Their names were Brandywood Saeng Duan, Samelko Sahm and Saang Jahn's Tee Rahk. Saeng Duan gave birth to five kittens on Easter Sunday 1972. The other two were both male kittens. By 1974 there were more than 20 Korats in the UK. However it took another 10 years before the breed gained championship status from the G C C F (Governing council of the cat fancy).

Today the Korat is to be seen on most show benches around the UK. The Korat Cat Association represents Breeders and owners in this country who can all testify to the joys of being owned by their Korat!

THE KORAT OF TODAY

The Korat is a slow maturing, medium-sized cat with smooth curves and a heart shaped face, and large luminous green eyes. The body is semi-cobby, muscular and firm, with a blue coat well tipped with silver. The Korat can be a very vocal cat, but this does not usually indicate aggression, quite often only a need for some food or other attention. The Korat of today is just like its ancestors in ancient Thailand, in fact the breed is one of the least altered by modern breeding. In temperament the cat is very 'person oriented' which means they like to be involved in their owners activities. A typical Korat will be seen with its nose in the hole you are digging or helping you to make the beds, dust the furniture (what a helper!). Many like to travel in cars and some will insist on going everywhere with their owners!

Korats love to talk, they have a wide range of sounds and will always let you know what they are thinking when you come home. Many owners will say, ' you don't know what you've been missing until you have been owned by a Korat'. Generally speaking the breed is of a gentle disposition, enjoys company, and is intelligent and crafty. Some play games like retrieve, they are very affectionate and will fit into most households without any problems. For much of the above information I must give credit for collating to the late Ianthe Cormack.

THE VARIANTS

Just as British cats were originally described according to their colours, so it was in Thailand. The name Korat is only ever given to the blue cat, and this tradition has continued in the West . However, once it became clear that recessive, genes had been inherited from their native country, we had to accept that Korats could produce both Siamese bluepoint and lilac kittens, although both colours are rare.

Britain is the only country at present, that acknowledges these variants. They have been given the provisional names of Thai bluepoint and Thai lilac. This is done for registration purposes only, as these cat cannot be shown. Any future recognition depends upon their popularity with breeders and new owners. Because of what we know of the breeds origins and background it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be any other colours. A strict registration policy prevents the progeny of any outcross being registered as a Korat. In looks the Korat remains exactly as it was described six hundred years ago.

It is truly an ancient natural breed.

We saw our first Korat and the Three Counties cat show in Southampton in 1986, this was Champion Rataecora Moonspun Cobweb, a beautiful girl owned by Cathy Nichols who went on to become UK Grand Champion a few years later, we were immediately captivated by this cat and asked Cathy there and then if we could have a girl from Moona's first litter, this was agreed, but she did not go to stud for 18 months due to a very heavy show schedule. The first litter arrived on April the 23rd (St Georges day) 1988 and all were safely delivered, Due to the distance between us we only saw photographs of the kittens until Muriel and our daughter Jane went to Hull to collect her in September, she has quietly ruled this feline household ever since.

Her first show was the National Cat Club Show at Olympia in December of that year when as a kitten she walked off with a host of prizes, she did not do very well as a young cat due to lack of interest in food, and only gained 1 CC before her first litter. This was her turning point as food suddenly became of primary importance and her condition rapidly improved, her first litter was born in December 1989 and consisted of three boys, Charlwin Beau Brummel, owned by Jen Lacey has gained Grand Champion, Charlwin Barnaby owned by Marlene Keith gained UK Grand Premier and Charlwin Boeotia owned by Elaine Vincent of Ratchasima Cattery in New South Wales, Australia, gained Double Silver Grand Champion and was the Northern Territory 'Cat of the Year' for 1991.

We were breeding under the prefix of 'Charlwin' from 1989 up to 1996 when we decided to have our girls neutered and keep them as pets, this was due to the fact that in this part of the country there are so many farm kittens needing homes that people are not prepared to pay the price for a pedigree Korat.

Our current feline household consists of 4 Korats, Tia, Polly, Hebe and Zebedee, plus Oliver who is a Siamese Chocolate Tabbypoint. We still go to the occasional show, those that are within a reasonable traveling distance that is, Bristol being the furthest away. Tia (Nikelsilva Argentia) has gained 3 PCs in her last three shows, the last being the Kernow Cat club show in Paignton on April 1st 2000, now that she has reached Premier status on top of her Grand Champion we feel that at 12 years of age its time she retired from the show bench.

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CAT SPEAK

The truth about Judges

Noted Judge........................................He put up our cat

Respected Judge..................................He put up our cat twice

Esteemed Judge ..................................He puts up anything that crawls

Specialist Judge....................................Puts up anything that looks like his own breeding

Shown sparingly...................................Only when we got it into the carrier

Show prospect.....................................Has 4 legs,2 eyes, 2 ears, and a tail

Finished in 5 shows...............................And 89 others where he failed even to get a ribbon

He has good points...............................Carrot shaped head

Won against heavy competion...............The others were disgustingly overweight

Quiet gentle nature................................After 4 valiums

Personality plus.....................................Wakes up if catnip is placed under his nose

Large boned.........................................Clydesdale like

Good bite.............................................Missed the judge but got the steward

Lovely head..........................................2 eyes, 2 ears, a mouth and a nose

Gorgeous hard coat...............................If the hair spray lasts until the class finishes

At 'stud' to approved queens..................Those who's owners cheques have 'cleared'

Bred from famous champions..................Ch Whatsit appears in the 6th generation

Terrific breeding queen............................Her conformation is the pits but she has big litters

Great stud cat..........................................Will mount anything that will mist a mirror

Loves children..........................................For breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wins best in show.....................................His second under the same judge, our uncle.

 

CAT RULES

INERTIA.----A cat at rest will tend to remain at rest, unless acted upon by soms outside force- such as the opening of cat food or the scurrying of a nearby mouse.

MAGNETISM----All all dark clothing will attract cat hair in direct proportion to the darkness of the fabric and the lightness of the hair.

PILL REJECTION----Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape velocity.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS----A cat is made up of Matter, Anti-Matter and it doesn't Matter

OBEDIENCE----A cats resistance is in direct proportion to a humans desire for it to do something

SLEEPING----All cats must sleep with people whenever possible, in a position as uncomfortable for the person involved as is possible for the cat.

BAG/BOX OCCUPANCY----All bags and boxes in a given room must contain a cat within the earliest possible second.

EMBARRASSMENT----A cats irritation rises in direct proportion to her embarrassment times the amount of human laughter.

RUG CONFIGURATION----No rug may remain in its natural flat state for very long.

INVISIBILITY----Cats think that if they can't see you, then you can't see them.

FURNITURE.----A cats desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to its cost.

HEARING----Selective, although a cat can hear a can of tuna being opened a mile away, she can't hear a simple command three feet away.

FIRST LAW OF ENERGY CONSERVATION----Cats know that energy cannot be created or destroyed, will, therefore, use as little as possible.

PRIME LAW----When in doubt, wash.

 

HOUSEHOLD RULES

CHAIRS and RUGS: If you have to be sick or remove a hair ball, get into a chair quickly. If you can't manage that in time, go to an oriental rug. If no oriental rug is available, a shag pile carpet will do.

DOORS: Do not allow closed doors in any rooms. To get doors opened, stand on your hind legs and hammer the door with your forepaws. Once the door is open, it is not necessary to use it. If you ordered an outside door opened for you, stand halfway in the doorway pondering universal questions for a while. Doing this is particularly important during very cold weather especially rain, snow and the mosquito season .

GUESTS: Quickly determine which guest hates cats the most and sit on that lap. If you can manage to have Friskies " Fish- n -Glop" on your breath, so much the better. For sitting on laps or rubbing against trouser legs, select fabric colours which contrasts the most with your own fur. For example, white furred cats go to black wool clothing. For guests who claim to love cats, be aloof. Disdainfully apply claws to stockings, or use a quick nip on the ankle for emphasis. When walking among dishes on the dining table, be prepared to look surprised and hurt when you are scolded. The goal is to imply that you are always allowed on the table when there are no guests present. Always accompany guests to the bathroom. its not necessary to DO anything, just sit there and stare.

WORK: If one of your humans is sewing or writing and your other human is idle, stay with the busy one. This is called helping, often mislabeled as hampering, following are rules for this kind of help.

1: When supervising cooking, sit just behind the left heel of the cook. You can't be seen in this position and thereby stand a better chance of being stepped on, then picked up and consoled.

2: For book readers, get in close under the chin, between the eyes and the book. You can of course go all out and lie down full length on the book.

3: For knitting projects curl quietly into the lap of the knitter and pretend to doze. Occasionally reach out and slap the knitting needles sharply. This can cost a dropped stitch or split yarn. The latter may try to distract you with a scrap of yarn, but do not fall for this tactic. Remember that your aim is to help your human.

TODAY: It is important to get enough sleep in the daytime, so you are fresh for playing catch the mounds or King of the hill on the bed between two and four in the morning.

NOTE: Begin training your humans early in your relationship with them. You will then have a smooth running household.

CAT-HAIKU

You never feed me. Perhaps I'll sleep on your face. That will shore show you.

You must scratch me there! Yes, above my tail! Behold, elevator bum.

I need a new toy. tail of black dog keeps good time. Pounce! Good dog! Good dog!

The rule for today. Touch my tail, I shred your hand. New rule tomorrow.

Grace personified . I leap into the window. I meant to do that.

Blur of motion, then - silence, me, a paper bag. What is so funny?

The mighty Hunter. Returns with gifts of plump birds! Your foot just squashed one.

My small cardboard box. You cannot see me if I can just hide my head.

Small brave carnivores. Kill pine cones and mosquitoes. Fear vacuum cleaner.

I want to be close to you Can I get my head inside your armpit?

Wanna go outside. Now! Now! Help! I got outside! Let me back inside !

Oh no! Big One has been trapped by newspaper! Cat to the rescue!

Humans are so strange. Mine lies still in bed, then screams. My claws are not that sharp.

STRAY CATS

Stray cats will not be fed.

Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food.

Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food moistened with a little milk.

Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food moistened with warm milk, yummy treats and left over fish scraps.

Stray cats will not be encouraged to make this house their permanent residence.

Stray cats will not be petted, played with, or picked up and cuddled unnecessarily.

Stray cats that are petted, played with, picked up and cuddled will absolutely not be given a name.

Stray cats with or without a name will not be allowed in the house at any time.

Stray cats will not be allowed inside the house except at certain times.

Stray cats will not be allowed inside the house except on days ending in "y".

Stray cats allowed inside the house will not be permitted to jump up on or sharpen their claws on the furniture.

Stray cats will not be permitted to jump on or sharpen claws on the really good furniture.

Stray cats will be allowed on all furniture but must sharpen claws on the new sisal rope cat scratching post with three perches.

PILLS

1. Sit on sofa. Pick up cat and cradle it in the cook of your elbow as though you were going to give a bottle to a baby. Talk softly to it.

2. With the right hand, stroke the cats throat until it opens its mouth (be patient). Drop pill into mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.

3. Pick the pill up off the floor and go get the cat. Sit on floor in kitchen, wrap arm around cat as before, drop pill in mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.

4. scoot across floor to pick up pill, and go find the cat. Bring it back into the kitchen. Hold cat as before, but hold down its front paws with forearm. Drop pill into mouth.

5. Pry claws from back legs out of your arm. Go get the cat, pick up half - dissolved pill from floor and drop it into garbage can.

6. Get new pill from bottle. Go into bathroom and get fluffy towel. Stay in the bathroom with the cat, and close the door.

. Sit on bathroom floor, wrap towel around kitty, leaving only the head exposed. Cradle kitty in the crook of your arm, and pick up pill off of counter.

8. Retrieve cat from top of shower door (you didn't know that cats can jump 5' straight up in the air, did you?), and wrap towel around it a little tighter, making sure its paws can't come out this time. With fingers at either side of it jaw, pry it open and pop pill into mouth. Quickly close now (his, not yours).

9. Sit on floor with cat in your lap, stroking it under the chin and talking gently to it for at least half an hour, while the pill dissolves.

10. Unwrap towel, open bathroom door. Wash scratches in warm soapy water, comb your hair, and go find something to occupy your time for eight hours, then repeat

GAMES

Catch mouse: Humans would have you believe that those lumps under the covers are their feet and hands. They are lying. They are actually bed mice; rumored to be the most delicious of all the mice in the world, though no cat has ever been able to catch. Rumour has it that only the most ferocious attack can stun long enough to get them. Be vigilant at all times!

Taking of the hill: This game must be played with at least one other cat. The more, the merrier! One or both of the sleeping humans is The Hill which must be defended at all costs from the other cats. This game allows for the development of unusual tactics as one must take the unstable playing theatre into account. Warning: playing games to excess will result in expulsion from the bed ,and possibly from the bedroom, should the humans grow restless, immediately begin purring and cuddle up to them. This should buy you some time until they fall asleep again if one happens to be on a human when this occurs, this cat wins the round of King of the Hill.

Tag (also known by humans as' charge of the light brigade'): obviously this game also requires two or more cats and may include a dog as well. One cat is' it'. The others chase him until they catch him. Then follows the' scrum', after which the cat who caught the other becomes'it'and is chased around. Warning: the greatest potential for loss of dignity comes from maneuvers such as the non- carpeted floor skid. Whenever such a situation occurs, all feline participants must immediately wash themselves. Dogs are generally too stupid to do this and may continue to play. In this case, the dog automatically becomes'it'and should be subjected to the pileup.

Tube mouse : this is a game played in the bathroom, next to the big white drinking bowl is roll of soft white paper which is artfully attached to the wall so that it can spin. Inside this role is the tube mouse. When you grab the paper, the tube mouse will spin frantically as it tries to escape from you. When the mouse is exposed, it dies of fright and stops spinning. Put two of the game is to make the angry human believe that the other cat did it. This is related to another fine game,'snowstorm'in which you try to make it look like a blizzard has occurred in the room. Warning: this often results in the coming of the vacuum monster.

Fetch : A dignified cat may fetch an object for its human, but if the human persists in continually throwing something away, assume that the human truly does not want it and leave it. A small minority of cats will fetch favorite toys like pipe cleaners, twist ties, or other small plastic things. They claim it great exercise and doesn't deprive them of too much dignity.

Nibble soccer: any number of cats can play. The game begins when the referees go to bed. The player runs to the bowl where the dry cat food is an executes a' place - kick'. The player does this by using a paw to pick a nibble from the bowl. Using the nose and tongue ('heading") is allowed, but this is considered bad form. Often the bowl must be tipped, rocked or rattled. Once the nibble is out of the bowl, it is' in play', the player then bats it around the room as quickly as possible. If the nibble is still on the playing field after 30 seconds, the player is awarded a point. She is then allowed to eat the nibble, after which she returns to the bowl to put the next one into play. No points are awarded for nibbles that are kicked out of the playing area (under the stove, behind the refrigerator, etc). For equipment, any dry nibble will work, although science diet round nibbles roll particularly well. The referees control the pace of the game by picking up (usually after the first few points have been scored) and imposing obstacles between the player and the nibbles. An advanced player is measured by the degree of ingenuity displayed in overcoming the obstacles between herself and the bowl and resuming the game. The game ends when all the nibbles are eaten or are out of the playing field or when a referee puts the player into the penalty box.

Cat aerodynamics Step 1: Warm up by tearing through the hallways and over furniture at high speeds. Be sure to drag your claws and make zzzzzrt noises on the rugs. Important style points are gained during this step. Two extra points if you get a yell from a judge.

Step 2: find objects that are noisy and activate them. Wind chimes and blinds that rattle when disturbed and loose objects that go thud when they hit the carpet are best. Technical points awarded in this step. The more complex the device the better, 5 points for knocking over the phone so it goes beep! beep! beep!

Step 3: Make the loudest noise possible. Glassware and remote controls are useful here. It might be beneficial to slightly open the judges door before this step. Final creativity points are awarded now.

Step 4: Look innocently at the dog when the judge's storm into room and turn on the lights. Pretending to be asleep is good form. 5 bonus points if another pet gets blamed and 7 points for style if the judges stub, trip for completely fall over the objects knocked over.

Skiing: this game is played when your human has the newspaper lying on the floor for reading. Run down a hallway towards the newspapers at full speed, leap onto the paper and see how far you can slide. This game is even more fun if your human is unaware that you are going to play. It can be followed by a good round of 'catch mouse' (newspaper variant).

Magic curtain: The curtain is magically transformed into a curtain monster, which must be killed immediately!, grab it kick it with your hind feet, wheel around on your back like mad and tear as much as you can ! The curtain monster and the Martians that live behind \par are tough opponents, but with persistence you will be victorious.

Tunnel: Convince your human to move the sofa out a little bit from the wall, just enough so that you can move between it and the wall also demand that your human throw a toy you. Instead of chasing it through the open room, run behind the couch, tunnel along, and miraculously emerge from the other end and grab the toy. Your human will be deeply impressed by your sophisticated move and will readily throw the toy again and again.

Snooze: A good game to play with the other cats in the house is to see how many different places you canceling in one day. You mark your sleeping spot with an appropriate deposit of hair, which is a necessary part of any cat - owned household. It is important to play this game at least weekly, since the humans are always removing the markers. Bonus points go to the unusual spots like the top of the fridge, TV, for PC and double points for the vacuum monster slumbering in the cupboard.

Cupboards: as you will have noticed in your exploration of your household, the floor - level kitchen cupboards may be connected. The object of the game is to dart inside when a human opens a cupboard door and immediately make your way to the farthest reaches. Often you can open the doors yourself and don't even need the human there. This skill is especially useful if there are some tasty treats been stored that you like. If the human gives up easily, you now have a nice safe dark place to curl up, snooze and deposit hair. If the humans keep the rubbish bin under the sink, you may also have a free meal or two. More fun can be had by putting your paw under the door and meowing to let the human think you want to come out, but when the door is opened, run to another before you get grabbed.

Telephone dialing : many of the newer things humans call telephones (with which they spend far too much time talking to other humans while not attending to their masters) have lots of little buttons which you can use. The little ones without numbers are often 'speed dial' buttons, which means that if you can turn the telephone on (look for a' speaker phone button') you can make phone calls to! If you can call long distance, so much the better!

Bat the blinds: this is a fun game that can be used as an alarm clock for dormant humans or as a signal that a cat wants to go outside. All that is required are vertical blinds in the bedroom. It is best played when there is more than one cat in a household. When the humans are asleep, one of the cats should go over to the blinds and attack them with the purpose are making as much noise as possible. Run and hide under the bed when a human get up and blearily opens a door to go outside, while the other cats play dead on the bed. Different cats can do this at different times, with the objective of seeing how many can attack the blinds until all are thrown out by the enraged humans.

Kill the tablecloth: for whatever reasons, sometimes humans will put a large piece of (usually white) cloth on their dining table. If you are a dark haired cat, this means you are obliged to try to deposit as much of your hair on it as possible. If you are present while they are putting the tablecloth on, you also have an opportunity to leap up and snag an edge with your paw as the humans are trying to adjust it so you can pull it to the floor. Once the humans have set for the things on the table, do this again. You will get lots of toys, as well as plenty of nesting material, but it's impossible to do this silently and you will get forcibly ejected and barred from the dining room. The more cats there are, the more variety of colour you can add to the table! If the table cloth reaches nearly to the floor, you have an instant fort. Lurk underneath it until a human passes by, then leap out and grab an ankle! Run back under the table where they can't get you. But be prepared to be flushed out.

Bat the toe: this game involves some risk of exposure, but is worth it because it annoys the humans greatly. If the human leaves the bathroom door open and if the human is taking a shower rather than a bath, lurk beside the shower or bath and wait until he or she is finished, steps out and reaches blindly (due to water in the eyes and - or a lack of glasses) for a towel. As soon as a foot comes within reach, bat at the big toe with a paw and run out of the room. If you can escape without being slashed or spotted while lurking, you win. It is not wise to try to play this too frequently, as the humans will quickly catch on and will gleefully try to soak you with water and force you to retreat with loss of dignity.

Bedding mice: these mice appear during the humans weekly ritual known as' making the bed'. This is the perfect time to hunt for bedding mice, which appear in many shapes and sizes just as the fresh bedding lands on the bed. The human will usually shake the sheet, it is imperative to attack by jumping straight up and landing on the sheet as it floats downwards. This action ensures that the sheet will land over the bedding mice, which can be seen as lumps for occasional small hillock on the bed. These small mice can be pummeled into oblivion by the use of the rapier swipe or the 1 - 2 hind kick, employing one or both back legs. If you're not quick, the human slave may find you've flattened too many bedding mice and make the bed with you in it. This can be difficult to get out of, especially if the human uses hospital corners on the sheets an tucks in everything up to the pillows. You may instead be escorted to the door and locked out of the room for your efforts, in which case other, more devious (and hazardous), methods will be needed to go after the bedding mice when the human is making the bed after getting up in the morning also in any case, the pursuit of bedding mice is technically an essential part of being a cat.

Wrestle mania: this is a great game for at least two cats who are both bored and full of excess energy. It is best by a surprise attack from either a high object (table, chair, and scratching post) or from behind. Any form of kick, nip, swat, slam, throw, or other maneuver is permissible. If more than 2 cats share the same house, they may join in at any time. The goal of the game is not just to burn off the excess energy, but to make as much of a mess as possible over as large an area as possible, so every effort to knock things over, scatter and shred papers and leave hair everywhere. Growling and hissing are optional, but not recommended because humans might think the fighting is dangerous and break it up early. wrestle mania comes to an end when the participants are exhausted (uncommon), or are bombarded by things thrown by the humans after the line between entertainment and destruction is crossed. Warning: if the match occurs at night, a human may charge into the battle zone swearing and throwing things. In these latter cases, the prudent cat will run for cover until the rage passes.

Phantom cat behind the door, curtain, etc.: in this game, the cat on one side of the door or curtain pretends to have never seen the other before. The objective is to drag the other cat to your side of the door through a 1/2" tall opening under the door or curtain. Meanwhile, the other cat will see the disembodied paws as swift - moving mice and leap to the attack, getting his paws under the door where the reverse happens. This can be great fun, especially when it dark and it is the humans bedroom door. But of course it will be a short lived game .

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR CAT?

1. Your cat waits and meows at the door when you arrive. Is it saying:

a) Welcome home

b) The phone rang twice while you were out

c) Feed me.

2. Now your cat meows at the door when you go out. Is it saying?

a) Please don't leave me here all alone

b) Good buy.

c) But what if I get hungry while your out?

3. Your cat digs its claws into your leg. Is this

a) An unsuppressed primal instinct

b) A sign of affection

c) A demand to be fed now

 

4. Your cat scratches at the door after being fed: is it saying?

a) Let me out - I need to use the garden

b) I want to go out and play

c) I wonder what they've got to eat next door?

 

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