Cat Chat Feline Forum

I think you'd know if the whiskers were causing Ria any trouble. Years ago our family cat appeared one day with a bunch of short whiskers on one side (we assumed they had got caught in something!) and he kept walking into things! (Fortunately they grew back relatively quickly.)

Hi Helen, good to see you too! How are your gang? I often think of your lovely Daz, in particular that brilliant picture of him with the mouse and 'side salad'! Despite being given 3 to 6 months last November, Pip is still with us and still full of cattitude. Hops is still mischief, and has just celebrated his sixth gotcha day.

Awwww congrats to Hops on his sixth gotcha day, and I'm so pleased to hear that Pip is still going strong. I hope she still gets her breakfast in bed? Since we moved here I've been feeding my gang in the dining room as the kitchen here is tiny - I always think of you and Pip's breakfast as I lay their bowls out on a tray to take them through! All good here, thanks! xx

What gorgeous pics and videos! I love the flash of Rocky's angry eyes. Norwegian Forest cats are stunning. Am I right in thinking that Maine Coons sort of descended from them?
My beloved Blake used to drink out of the toilet bowl. I discovered this when I spotted muddy paw prints on the 'slope' . He also liked rain water, and so does Rufus, even if it's quite stagnant.
As for slightly odd cat characteristics, Rufus Tuftypaws has little tufts sticking from between his toes and quite long ones between his pads on his front paws but his back paws are quite spectacular - not just tufts, but fur actually curling over his pads. Maybe this is common with long-haired cats but I've never seen it before. I love to look at them. 'Look but don't touch,' he says, 'or I'll swipe.' 'Alright sir, sorry sir'.

Hi Catslave
Norwegian Forest Cats do not figure in the Maine Coon creation myths! Both breeds probably evolved separately - they look similar because they had similar evolutionary pressures (cold winters and snow) working on the same basic domestic mog.
Tufty paws are characteristic of Maine Coons - they keep their paws warm in the snow. Don't think other long haired cats have them very often. Here is a picture of Badger I have posted before, but it is the best I have showing his tufty paws! Athos is one magnificent cat. Looks like Norwegian Forest Cats have also evolved similar soppy temperaments to Maine Coons!

I don't know what Badger thought about being photographed while engaged in such personal hygiene!

Ria has the beginnings of tufts of hair between her toes. The only other longhaired cat I've had was Ria's immediate predecessor, Bridie, who was a rescue cat of unknown parentage. She had tufty feet as well:

Aww, great pics ... are Rufuses, Norwegian Forest cats and Maine Coons descended from hobbits?

Think they are a bit big to be hobbits! Mind you, Tilly is adept at hiding. Sometimes I think she must have a magic ring like Bilbo and Frodo!

Looking at Hops the other evening I realised his whiskers do curve in a downward direction, although not as much as Ria's! I will try to get a picture where they are visible.

Helen, yes, Pip does still eat on the bed, I suspect much to my neighbour's horror – he came up to look out onto the flat roof of his apartment downstairs, which you can see from the bedroom window, and I forgot I'd left madam's breakfast tray down... We are moving next month, to a house with a little garden, so we plan to cat proof so Hops can go outdoors. (Pip too, if she is still with us when it is warm enough that she might want to!)

You must be looking forward to introducing the ginger ninja to the great outdoors, and wouldn't it be lovely if Pip did get to enjoy it too! I hope the move goes well.