Orange Tabby...He Stays and His Name is Finn (Update with Videos Dec 31)

[speckledhen]

I really enjoyed reading The Adventures of Finn! What a remarkable cat! My brother always seems to attract orange tabbies--he calls them marmalade cats. For some reason black cats seem to adopt me.

During the last winter storm a young black male took up residence in my garage where the chicken coop is to keep the chickens safe from raccoons until I finish predator profiting the backyard. He never bothered the chickens and one early, bitterly cold morning I found him curled up with them for warmth (they're silkies so they look warm and soft). Since then we've brought home 7 chicks and he pretty much ignores them. My indoor cats had caught a possum back in the days I let them outside (before the horrible raccoon started his reign of terror) but they are getting old and I didn't want them taking on a raccoon. I trust all the cats with our chickens...it's the dogs that have me worried. I got the dogs to deal with the raccoon. We'll see how this goes.

Meantime, I had to share my favorite cat video. Henri is nothing like my cats, who are all talkative, friendly, purr machines, excellent mousers (and possum catchers), and come when they are called. But I couldn't help laughing at the really bad French (it's made by an American) and the whole film noir approach. My cats are like Finn in that they run up to me if I hold up a camera which makes them really hard to film--to watch this cat practically act this part cracks me up:

OMGosh, that's hysterical! Thanks for the laugh today.

Finn keeps me laughing every day. His favorite thing is to meow at every window and door until one of them opens up. He understands the open window vs the closed window and begs plaintively at my office window next to where I'm working on the computer when Daddy doesn't hear his cries. He loves to follow me, then run around behind something and jump out at me as if I didn't know he was already there. And then, he'll throw himself on the ground in front of me and flip upside down, causing me to screech to a halt. If I don't bend over and scratch his belly, he gets up, follows and does it again. It's been interesting learning to live with a cat in residence. I don't remember all this stuff from the cats we has as children.

 

[carikermoon]

I don't remember all this stuff from the cats we has as children.

It's like having chickens. My memories of chickens were that they were hateful, mean biddies that pecked me bloody when I had to collect eggs in 100 degree heat in an oven...I mean a coop. Now that I have chickens (thanks to my oldest who begged for 8 years before I relented) I am amazed at how funny, charming, and delightful they are. They each have very distinct personalities from the bossy, know-it-all hen (who we thought was going to be a rooster with that attitude...hence the hen named "King") to the softly chirping hen that tells me all about her day (then again, I purposely bought several different breeds so that I could tell them apart...I hated those memories of chickens that were identical). Even before I discovered mealworms treats there has always been one hen that followed me around every time I'm outside...and now some of the chicks are following her example. And three of the chicks seem to prefer napping in my lap! Definitely unlike any chicken I remember from my childhood.

 

[N F C]

I really enjoyed reading The Adventures of Finn! What a remarkable cat! My brother always seems to attract orange tabbies--he calls them marmalade cats. For some reason black cats seem to adopt me.

During the last winter storm a young black male took up residence in my garage where the chicken coop is to keep the chickens safe from raccoons until I finish predator profiting the backyard. He never bothered the chickens and one early, bitterly cold morning I found him curled up with them for warmth (they're silkies so they look warm and soft). Since then we've brought home 7 chicks and he pretty much ignores them. My indoor cats had caught a possum back in the days I let them outside (before the horrible raccoon started his reign of terror) but they are getting old and I didn't want them taking on a raccoon. I trust all the cats with our chickens...it's the dogs that have me worried. I got the dogs to deal with the raccoon. We'll see how this goes.

Meantime, I had to share my favorite cat video. Henri is nothing like my cats, who are all talkative, friendly, purr machines, excellent mousers (and possum catchers), and come when they are called. But I couldn't help laughing at the really bad French (it's made by an American) and the whole film noir approach. My cats are like Finn in that they run up to me if I hold up a camera which makes them really hard to film--to watch this cat practically act this part cracks me up:

Wow, that video is hilarious! "I am surrounded by morons"

Thanks for sharing the link.

 

[carikermoon]

He loves to follow me, then run around behind something and jump out at me as if I didn't know he was already there. And then, he'll throw himself on the ground in front of me and flip upside down, causing me to screech to a halt. If I don't bend over and scratch his belly, he gets up, follows and does it again.

By the way, some would call this a serious case of CADD (cat attention deficiency disorder). One of my roomies claimed that the cat I had in college suffered from this. Every time I sat down to study, he would slowly sneak closer to me, start stealing my pencils, eventually laying on my books and papers with his belly exposed for loving. If I got up and moved away, he would do it all over again in the new location. And again. And again...

 

[N F C]

 

[carikermoon]

Wow, that video is hilarious! "I am surrounded by morons"

Thanks for sharing the link.

The guy who made it quit his day job and just does these videos now. You can buy a poster with Henri and the words, "I'm surrounded by morons." It was tempting to buy one and hang it at the job I had until last year (before layoffs). IMHO, any company that is undergoing layoffs is likely being mismanaged by morons.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: I might have to put a poster of it on my wall...if I worked anywhere except at home, LOL.

 

[N F C]

The guy who made it quit his day job and just does these videos now. You can buy a poster with Henri and the words, "I'm surrounded by morons." It was tempting to buy one and hang it at the job I had until last year (before layoffs). IMHO, any company that is undergoing layoffs is likely being mismanaged by morons.

I'll agree with you on that evaluation.

I'm going to be watching more of Henri's videos, see what other pearls of wisdom he shares, lol.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

The "Simon's Cat" videos are also fun. Next time I'm near a computer I'll post y'all a link. I'm not smart enough to figure out how to do that from my phone.

 

[N F C]

The "Simon's Cat" videos are also fun. Next time I'm near a computer I'll post y'all a link. I'm not smart enough to figure out how to do that from my phone.

Sounds like fun, thanks!