CATS on RFF

Shecat of my girlfriend - persian chinchilla

Mamiya 7 with 80 mm lens + Metz 54mz4 in mode 'A'
 
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RubenBlaedel said:
I believed this forum was packed with cat-owners - are cats just something you have on the avatars? I would love to hear some cat stories
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I was raised with cats, and I've been a guardian to cats, usually more than one, almost all of my adult life. (I've never "owned" a cat. If there's any question of ownership, the cat owns YOU!) :)

In most cases, cats seem to grudgingly tolerate that human practice known as photography, so I'll usually let them have their way and not force it on them.

My first memory of cats and cameras was one who would totally freak out, run and try to dive under anywhere, when one of my dad's old lightbulb size flashbulbs went off.

However, I do have one cat, mixed Siamese and plain old ybbat (raised in captivity from feral parents) who is quite the extrovert and loves to pose, see below.

My other cat, Siamese but the Vet says definitely not pure, is totally scared of cameras. Not the flash, not the click or clatter, but the camera itself. She is not outgoing, but personable. When I pull out a camera, however, and point it her way, she will immediately dart under the bed or down to the cellar.

She *knows* what is and is not a camera. I can take any other similar size humanoid toy, raise it to my eyes and look her way, and she does not blink. However, if I take a camera and hold it down and try to take a slop-shot from the hip, she freaks.

The only idea I have is that she may think of the lens as a big eye staring at her and in some way threatening or challenging her.

Anybody else seen this in cats?
 
Well, I have had Rover since 1992. I had graduated from college, moved home for a year or so to get my feet on the ground, then moved in with a good friend. I grew up with dogs and wanted one very much. I knew though that having a dog would not be a good fit for the life style of a man in his mid 20s. Less of a fit for two of us as I wouldn't impose any responsibility for the beast on a friend. Well, a friend at work new of someone who's cat had kittens. She almost wouldn't take me to get one unless I named it appropriately, but I wouldn't relent, and Rover was my catch. Funny thing is I picked the wrong kitten. Apparently when you pick a kitten out of a litter you are supposed to take the one who is friendly, but a little reserved and cuddly. Well, I was picking out a puppy. I sat on the floor of the owner's home and the mother cat and 3 of her kittens slowly made their way towards me. I was not aware there were 4 until Rover came blasting out of the kitchen, knocking over his 3 siblings, brushing by his mother and jumped on me. He had to be the one right? No, an agressive kitten, one who plays like a dog, is not what you want, unless it is a puppy. I must say that Rover kept things light in the apartment, and we always had to be on our toes. When I met my wife she also had a cat, and we collected two more before we were married. We bought our house in 1996 and I immediately added my dog Molly, and later Calvin. I think I will let the feline herd shrink a little over time, but I can see always having 2 dogs. If I ever do get to pick another cat though, I will name him Fido.
 
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My avatar is a tabby that adopted us in the late 60's. When he was very young, just past the kitten stage, he showed up at our back door and pawed the screen to be let in. We opened the door and he walked in and stayed. Because of his white paws we named him Manitas de Blanca -- this was in Arizona and we had just been to a concert by the wonderful gypsy guitarist Manitas de Plata (little hands of silver). He was a great cat -- intelligent, playful and, I swear, witty. RIP, Manny. You were a wonderful friend.

Gene
 
Um... Cats? The Broadway show?


:)

I've two. They both hate the camera. Love me, like some friends, they see that glass aimed their way and the do their Amazing Cat Disappearing Trick. Gone. Like they never were there, save for the hair they leave behind.

Siamooses. I have to work harder on getting pictures of 'em.
One is great, one is... Not-so-great. I belong to BOTH.

Dogs have owners,
Cat's have STAFF.

:)
 
I have a 20 pound cat, Stimpy. A fat beast. He is in dog training though. I swear he has figured out that the dogs get more treats than the cats, so he hangs out with the dogs. Lays on the floor with them, follows them around the house, and when the pantry door opens and the dog bone bag is rustled, he is there for his share. He didn't get to be 20 pounds by being a picky eater.
 
jdos2 said:
"So first your memory I'll jog,
And say a CAT is NOT a DOG!"

(Place that quote for 1000 Trivia Points.)
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Um... Cats? The Broadway show?
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Survey says ...
...
{long pregnant pause} ...

>>DING-DING<<

Originally from TS Eliot's "The Naming Of Cats" and adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber for the musical "Cats", which is my all time favorite musical. :)

Siamooses. I have to work harder on getting pictures of 'em. One is great, one is... Not-so-great. I belong to BOTH.
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Hey, join the club! :)
 
dmr436 said:
Originally from TS Eliot's "The Naming Of Cats"
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Oops {blush} got the title of the poem wrong. It's actually "The Ad-dressing {sic} Of Cats." :) Just looked it up. :)
 
I've always liked cats - amazing how instinct can make them look so smart when really they haven't a clue what they're doing :)

I don't really like to photograph cats. They don't often do unusual enough things to make an interesting photograph - unlike my dog, my children or my friends.

However, every now and then, instinct drives them to do something that looks...errr...interesting:
 
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vladhed said:
amazing how instinct can make them look so smart when really they haven't a clue what they're doing :)
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Au contraire. :)

Cats know exactly what they're doing. They just have different priorities in life than we do.

They're bright enough to know that they don't have to do all of that hard work of hunting rodents and birds when they can con humans (who they regard as totally clueless) into feeding them, giving them shelter, attention, medical care, everything. (Well, everything except a regular diet of people food.) :)

They also know that humans are natural suckers, and they don't have to feign subservience, as dogs do. :)

And they certainly know they don't have to pose for humans with cameras unless they really want to. :)
 
I'm heartened that it's not just me that has noticed the high percentage of felines on Rangefinder forum. I wonder if this is a reflection of rangefinders owners as a statistical group? Cats (and I have found cat owners) tend to be intelligent, independently minded, curious about their envrionment, and fastidious about personal hygiene. Are these traits of rangefinder camera users? Does this mean that the equivalent forum for the users of plastic Canon Rebel or Nikon F65 SLRs would be populated with labrador avatars??
 
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