The Cute Animal Pics/Videos Thread

[Carol the Dabbler]

You can't really hug a cat. They don't like it, they're delicate underneath all that fur. A dog, even a small dog, is usually more robust.

You have obviously never met Walter -- or Cecil or Camilla or Claudius or David or Penelope. Some cats don't even like to be picked up, even by people they know and like. But others are extremely cuddly when they're in the mood.

 

[besleybean]

Yep, that's cats for you...

[by the sea]

 

Personally, I'm fiercely drawn to dogs and have been lucky enough to share my world with three wonderful canine companions.  Since Hamish went over the Rainbow Bridge almost two years ago, there's been a huge empty space.  My current situation doesn't permit another dog .. but a cat might be possible, since I understand they are pretty self sufficient.  I'm torn, though, between my wish for animal friendship and my natural inclination towards doggy society.  So, basically, I'm doing nothing !

 

Debbie

 

Oh dear, poor you . Our Basic died last October, and we were painfully reminded of Heinz Rühmann's quote, "You can live without a dog, too, but it just isn't worth it," every day, when the house was unbearably empty. :( Had a sad, lousy Christmas, and then finally caved in, and well, here's Lilly:

 

lilly.jpg

 

Cats are adorable and everything (although our neighbour's cat is definitely trying to prove otherwise right now, since he's pissed that his noon nap space has been ursurped by a dog again :lol:) but to most dog people, they just aren't, well, dogs.

 

 

 

Congratulations, Martina, on the new addition to your family.  Rottweilers and Pit Bulls are outlawed in parts of Canada because of their stupid and otherwise useless owners, but I've said it before and will say it again :  I've never met a dog I didn't like .. including Rottweilers and Pit Bulls.  And I am a dog person.  I have a very elderly person at home .. not overcome by dementia or unable to do things for herself but with fairly serious mobility issues.  There are just the two of us and I work all day while she is home alone.  She really misses the dog but at this point couldn't even let one out to water a bush.  I get both barrels every night when I get home because she's lonely in the house by herself.  But .. if something happens to her, if she needs hospitalization or outside care, I don't have any one to look after the dog.  A cat would obviously be a better option .. company for my senior and able to be on its own if the house is empty .. but, damn it ! .. I'd rather have a dog !   

 

Debbie

[Caya]

I can understand that - here's keeping my fingers crossed that, somehow, circumstances will find you in a being-able-to-get-a-doggie-position soon ... does Canada have something like the Powerball? ;)
 
And yeah, Rotties are big goofballs but unfortunately their equally big chomping power tends to attract some people who shouldn't be let near any dog (I haven't known a lot of pit bulls but those I met were really sweet and loved belly rubs, too). The nice lady who brought Lilly to us said that she suspected that this mindset was why she was abandoned - when she turned out to be petite (for a somewhat-Rottie, anyway) and cuddly instead of big and fierce, the poor girl (she's still fairly young, estimated to be a year or two at most) had to go.
 


eta: That isn't her, just a cute example of a vicious purebreed Rottie .

[by the sea]

Aha .. sweet furry person.  Look at those eyes !    Yes, we have many versions of the lottery .. I know somebody who actually won $3,000,000.00 !  I dabble but so far no success .. apart from the occasional free ticket.  I'll keep trying, though, with visions of happy dogs running in my (new) big backyard to spur me on. !! :D 

 

Debbie

[besleybean]

Gorgeous dog.

[Arcadia]

 

You can't really hug a cat. They don't like it, they're delicate underneath all that fur. A dog, even a small dog, is usually more robust.

You have obviously never met Walter -- or Cecil or Camilla or Claudius or David or Penelope. Some cats don't even like to be picked up, even by people they know and like. But others are extremely cuddly when they're in the mood.

 

 

It's always amazing to me how such small animals can have such an infinite variety of personalities. My beloved Hugo (a female, long story) luvvvvved to be picked up, she begged for it constantly, and if you were on the move, would follow you around the house and/or yard until you stopped and picked her up. Or sat, so she could hop on you. It's a good thing she napped a lot or I would never have gotten anything done.

 

And in my experience it's usually the females who are more lovey-dovey, and the boys more rambunctious. Except when they aren't. They're all so different!

[melys94]

http://youtu.be/2_ZWfeDbcGQ Look at this too cute video of my dog

[besleybean]

Aw.

[Caya]

Adorable . Welcome to the forum, melys94!

[by the sea]

That is absolutely fabulous, melys94.  Thank you for posting it.  

 

Debbie

[Caya]

But admittedly, most dogs have a hard time matching cats' natural grace and poise.

 

 

[Arcadia]

Or their acting ability.

 

  

[Carol the Dabbler]

I've never met a dog I didn't like .. including Rottweilers and Pit Bulls.  And I am a dog person.  I have a very elderly person at home .. not overcome by dementia or unable to do things for herself but with fairly serious mobility issues.  There are just the two of us and I work all day while she is home alone.  She really misses the dog but at this point couldn't even let one out to water a bush.  I get both barrels every night when I get home because she's lonely in the house by herself.  But .. if something happens to her, if she needs hospitalization or outside care, I don't have any one to look after the dog.  A cat would obviously be a better option .. company for my senior and able to be on its own if the house is empty .. but, damn it ! .. I'd rather have a dog !   

This may be a bit avant garde, Debbie, but have you considered a smallish dog that's litter trained? While shopping for cat litter recently, I noticed that "dog litter" is also available -- and while I can't imagine what the difference might be, it does indicate that such products are being used, presumably by dogs, somewhere.  (And I've never met a cat I didn't like -- which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for humans!)

 

It's always amazing to me how such small animals can have such an infinite variety of personalities.

Whales probably say the same thing about us!

 

Not quite on the same subject, but some years back Alex found a baby finch that had fallen out of its (inaccessible) nest.  It was nearly feathered out, so I mothered it the best I could till it could actually fly, and for a while after that I would still bring it inside twice a day for feeding.  One evening I was next door (maybe 300 feet / 100 meters from our yard) talking to the neighbor lady, and saw Junior fly straight toward me and hover where I could pluck the little darling out of the air.  (No idea what the neighbor thought of that!)  But my point is that the little "bird brain" was able to distinguish me from the other humans in the neighborhood, even though I wasn't in the usual place -- whereas I wouldn't have had a clue how to tell Junior from the other young finches in the area, other than by that behavior.  I think it's safe to say that birds are seriously underrated.

 

But admittedly, most dogs have a hard time matching cats' natural grace and poise.

 

My brother recently told me that his wife's late Miniature Schnauzer once exhibited that very same grace and poise.  :P

[Caya]

Saw an adorable pic of two savage pit bulls today:

 

[Arcadia]

Oooh, scary!

[besleybean]

Well as the dog whisperer says...it's not the dogs, but the owners!

[Ruthyone]

Really cute cows..... 

[besleybean]

Sweet.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Actually, I think that's a baby bison (alias American buffalo) with its mama.

 

[besleybean]

I think so too, but I didn't want to split hairs..tee hee.

[Caya]

 

eta: This is from a big cat rescue center.

[besleybean]

Aw.

[Arcadia]

But those are little cats! :D

[T.o.b.y]

I am definitely a dog person... but a cat person saved my day, so: