Pets

[Maria]

I found several pictures of people's pets on the internet.

Although I would never have a rat as a pet, here are several of pet rats cuddling a teddy bear. Notice the fingernails on the second one. They resemble human fingernails.

[Maria]

Orthocats on guard duty.

[Maria]

Animals apparently have pets too.

[StephenS]

At my house it is one long legged Jack Russell terrier and one grey Tabby cat. The former is a terror to the dreaded Grey Squirrels who invade the garden looking for the abundant Hazel nuts. He's not one for sharing the Hazel nuts.

The cat saved on old lady's life when she wondered off the drive into the shrubs and fell flat on her face one freezing winters afternoon. When someone returned home the cat kept running in and out from the shrubs clearly agitated. And that led to the discovery of one extremely cold old lady, only an hour or so from death according to the paramedics. According to her the cat had been keeping her legs warm the whole time.

Rats can be very sweet and inquisitive pets but wouldn't last two minutes here. If the cat didn't get them the dog would.

[Maria]

At my house it is one long legged Jack Russell terrier and one grey Tabby cat. The former is a terror to the dreaded Grey Squirrels who invade the garden looking for the abundant Hazel nuts. He's not one for sharing the Hazel nuts.

The cat saved on old lady's life when she wondered off the drive into the shrubs and fell flat on her face one freezing winters afternoon. When someone returned home the cat kept running in and out from the shrubs clearly agitated. And that led to the discovery of one extremely cold old lady, only an hour or so from death according to the paramedics. According to her the cat had been keeping her legs warm the whole time.

Rats can be very sweet and inquisitive pets but wouldn't last two minutes here. If the cat didn't get them the dog would.

Yes, the Jack Russell would most likely get the rats before the cat had a chance. Those dogs are quite good in catching and dispatching gophers too, aren't they?

[StephenS]

While the Grey Squirrel came over and largely displaced the native, and more attractive, Red Squirrel the Gopher is not a UK phenomena. Mink are.

What all rodents appear to have, in my mind, are exquisitely designed feet and appear well adapted for their roles in nature. That sometimes puts them in conflict with the biggest pest of all time, us.

Jack Russells are inveterate hunters, fast with a killing jaw snap and neck breaking shake. Lovable, yes. But not to be allowed near babies, please. Babies make noises far too similar to their 'prey' and this has resulted in tragedy. Being in a room at the time is not enough, Jack's are very fast, their reactions and killing behaviours quicker than our ability to intervene quickly enough.

The little fella here, all 15 pounds of him, is great with 2 year olds and above and our neighbour's cat. Cat and dog cuddle and play happily together - being similar in age probably helps. As a doorbell he can't be surpassed and his bark is deep enough to put off wrong uns. When you're unwell he makes a wonderful 'hot water bottle'.

Favourite toy is a football sized tennis ball, which he chases nose and ball in constant contact at high speed around the garden. Never seems to get worn out. Great fun.

[Maria]

If you are on facebook, this video is funny.
It shows a dog stealing the cat blanket to cover himself when he is cold.