ginger cat

[DirtyCoconuts]

does she let you pet near her tail?

if they allow that, not all cats do, it makes for a world of fun...most cats cannot resist raising their rumps and tails if you run you hands down their back to the base of their tails....if you gently pat on their back right there they might try to continue to raise their rumps beyond the lengths of their legs and then they fall onto you or your lap.....also, when they rub against you they are often marking and you can see a flicking of their tail...you can see this flicking done a lot in other "signals" to either claim space or ask for some room

[SouthPark]

DC ----- she does! This cat has no problem at all with her tail being touched. She doesn't think anything of it at all. She definitely does the stand-up on hind legs thing when she gets patted or massaged on the region of her back close to the base of the tail. And when we don't touch there, she sits back down again ...... and she'll stand back up again when put the hand in that region again ...... sort of like a yoyo effect haha.

[SouthPark]

DC ----- I just took these pics this evening. I don't know generally how cats respond to touching or stroking or gently grabbing their tails.

I found that my cat doesn't react when I touch her tail hahaha. She doesn't think much of it ----- or otherwise just likes people running their hands through the tail.

I recall the first summer time of the first year she took up permanent residence at my place. During that summer, she lost almost all her hair from her tail. And I thought it was probably just natural for that type of cat. Her tail had the appearance of a rat's tail!

She then grew the hair back again eventually as the temperatures cooled.

So, on the following summer, I waited to see if she would lose most of the hair from her tail again ---- to give the rat tail look. What surprised me was - she didn't lose the hair!!!!!

So now ------ I'm thinking --- may have been the effect of mites or something!!! She didn't lose hair on the rest of her body though. So not 100% sure what it might have been due to. Otherwise, it could possibly have been vitamin or element deficiency - as she used to be super skinny and bony too.

[SouthPark]

In that first summer, only the tail was affected. But there-after - once she grew the hair back again ----- haven't seen that same effect again.

[Dollythehun]

We pay the groomer to give Dolly a "lion cut" every summer.

[DirtyCoconuts]

was then when you began giving her care?

I suspect mites or even fleas (that caused her to chew or rub the hair out)

still quite a lucky cat to have found you

[SouthPark]

DC ...... good (actually great) call on the possibility of the cat chewing on the tail due to mite or flea activity. I reckon that is probably it!!

Thanks DC!

Some luck was definitely involved here - probably for both of us haha (the cat and myself) ----- as initially, all I was hoping for was being able to just pat it and be neighbourhood friends --- that's when it was first noticed doing the rounds (sometimes) in the yard. Seeing this cat wasn't frequent --- it was only sometimes she would appear, but no chance of touching/patting her, even though 'nearly' got there -- but always last moment would retreat. Definitely stranger danger hahaha.

This was 2 and half years or so ago maybe. But around 2 years ago, one afternoon, she just so-happened to be in an area where she normally wouldn't be - at the side of our house. And I just so-happened to have purchased fish and chips. Fried fish and chips for lunch. We call it 'battered fish', which is probably what you call it too. I can't remember why I was outside in that particular area that day - maybe just to grab some laundry hanging outside or something.

Went inside to grab a bit of that fish (after removing the outer fried batter). The fish was cool enough to eat. Surprisingly, the cat was still there when I came back out again, as I expected there was a good chance she would have taken off already. At that time, I didn't know that she was a 'she' or or a 'he' heheh.

I recall throwing the piece of fish out towards the cat, and then see what would happen. Surprisingly - she ran straight up to the fish and the fish was gone real quick hahaha.

That was about it. I just went inside again, and totally forgot about it all. But that very night, as I was walking past the area (while indoors), I noticed the cat still there in that particular area outside, but much closer to the house --- in fact right near the house - otherwise I wouldn't have been able to have seen her. No artificial lights were on outside, but illumination from indoor lights allowed me to see that she was still hanging around out there! I was surprised about that. I didn't expect it at all.

She never left after that time hahaha. That's the real story of this ginger cat. It started with that piece of battered fish hahaha.

[CatalinaC]

Great story SP, and Gingy looks like a lovely friend. You've been chosen .
We, unfortunately, can't get a pet for now but we're already debating if we'll adopt a cat or a dog....or both...

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by CatalinaC

Great story SP, and Gingy looks like a lovely friend. You've been chosen .
We, unfortunately, can't get a pet for now but we're already debating if we'll adopt a cat or a dog....or both...

BOTH, just not on the same day

[CatalinaC]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

BOTH, just not on the same day

I was actually thinking is better to get them on the same day, so none of them gets to be the "owner" of the house)