The age of chivalry is not yet dead - my cats are all perfect gentlemen!!
By rosie_123
@rosie_123 (6113)
September 9, 2007 2:16pm CST
OK - silly topic I know - but as I was just feeding my brood of 6 felines, a sudden thought crossed my mind! Those of you who know me will know I have 5 big, strong, male cats and one tiny, very frail female called Lily, who has had more surgeries in her short life than any creature has a right too:-(( Anyway - I digress........
When I feed my "babies" I have to admit that my boys are a little lacking in the table manners department - LOL! I put their plates down, and it's a bit of a free-for-all! They all rush to finish theirs first, and then push their brothers out of the way for second helpings! There is usually a fair amount of growling and hissing - though all in a "friendly" and brotherly way! Lily, meanwhile, is a perfect little lady - she refuses to take part in all this pushing and shoving, and eats somewhat apart from the others, picking very slowly at her food, washing between mouthfuls, and savouring each piece of food! But do you know what? Despite their hassling each other - none of my boys EVER approach Lily's plate or try and eat her food. They are perfect gentlemen! And in the same way - when they are all out - no other cat from outside this house dares to approach Lily - if they try at least two of her five "bodyguards" will appear as if my magic and see off the intruder!So I got to thinking about it - and decided cats must be chivalrous too, and they have little rules and etiquette and codes of conduct amongst themselves when it comes to how to treat a lady with respect! LOL!
Anyone else noticed this between their male and female cats in a multi-cat household? Or are mine just strange!?
2 people like this
16 responses
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
11 Sep 07
Awwwwww that is so sweet
I am afraid Simba is the only boycat among the 4 but he stands his ground with the Girls when they try to eat his food the only one he does not stand his ground to is his Grandma Scruffy lol and I have to say no one messes with her not even the Dogs
@LightninStrike (5915)
• Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
10 Sep 07
well i have no idea about cats, i've never owned one, but with your posts i am learning a lot rosie!! hehehe. I am glad though, because as a kid, I used to dislike them much, and now i even like them. Who knows, one day i might get one.
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@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
Wel - yes I guess you never know, Cats are just the best in my opinion:-)) So intelligent and an endless source of pleasure to me. Thanls for responding.
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@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
9 Sep 07
Hi rosie_123.
Sadly I am allergic to cats, but I think that is great that your male cats seem to look out for your female cat and treat her with respect and courtesy. They probably feel for her knowing of all of her surgeries and that hse is a lady. I think animals can sense when another animal is in distress, has had a surgery, is frail, etc. I wish more humans were like that! Would definitly make the world a better place!
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@rosie_123 (6113)
•
9 Sep 07
Yes you are right there - it would be a far nicer place. And you are probably right about them sensing her weakness too. When she came back from spending 2 months in Hospital earlier this year, I was actually scared they might not welcome her back into the house because she had been gone so long, and that they might bully her. Bbut they seemed to sense that she was weaker than them, and they all look after her like loving big brothers. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
9 Sep 07
I believe that animals can sense things like I said (another animal in distress, etc) but that also reminds me of my dog. My friend was pregnant a while ago and she would always be gentle with her. Anyone else she would just jump in their lap because she is a lap dog (shihtzu), but with her she would jump on the couch and then gently make her way over to my friends lap.
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@thefortunes (2367)
• Netherlands
9 Sep 07
Hi Rosie, how nice to hear about the boys being so protecting towards the lady cat in your household :) And treating her with the respect she so much deserves.
In my cat household the things rae totally different as I have 5 lady cats, and 1 small boy cat. Well, they do not even look at him, and treat him like the lowest of the lowest on the planet Earth... And he is so sweet, and well mannered that it breaks my heart.he wouldn't dare to eat , or try toeat from their plates, and if he shows them some love and giving kisses, only 2 of the ladies do give him ocasionally a kis back, but otherwise, all of them are giving him either hissings, or smash him on the head, and whatnot. I am so sorry for this boy of mine, but yeah, the ladie do not "need" a mail cat for years now, and cannot stand a mail cat at all near them. Such a pity though
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
Awww - poor little soul - I want to give him a big cuddle just reading your post. As long as he is happy though! maybe he needs another male cat for companionshiop Thanks for taking the time to answer this topic.
@thefortunes (2367)
• Netherlands
10 Sep 07
Hi Rosie dear, you know, Pymko (this is his name) thinks of my partner as his father, and goes to him and "tells" him everything when Willem gets home, it's such a talker, and so sweet :) But we cannot afford to bring in yet an other cat, as 6 are already too many for us really. The neighbors we had (where now the "music guy" lives - from the othet discussion) had 4 cats, and when they moved away they simply left 3 of the 4 here! Can you imagine? So we adopted these, and this is why we are with 6, as we had only 3 before that. He, Pymko, gets lots of love from us, and hope this does keep himhappy anyway, no matter that the cats are not friendly toward him. And thank you for the BR dear friend :)
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
10 Sep 07
It could be because she's a female and females have a dominacy about themselves in which males better abide by or else. lol All of my females hold their own especially my siamese. None of them will bother her except for one and only when she agrees. But she eats and acts like a little dainty female even when she's playing with her toys.
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@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
Yes - Lily is like that - very dainty - and entirely unapporachable! LOL! Thanks for answering.
@margerydaw14 (735)
•
9 Sep 07
i have 5 cats, 4 'ladies' ( i use the term loosely!!) and one big black tom. he is called tyson and is the size of a small black panther. in his youth, he was attacked by a fox and also run over, so he has a stumpy tail and limps. and he does look fearsome. but believe me he is a real gentleman. all my girls luv him but he sits aloof. but very very gentle. he wouldnt hurt a fly. he eats alone, wouldnt dream of pinching anyones food, except the dogs!!! but hes beautiful. my 4 girls are sally, kitkat, felix and tux. and they like to live in my greenhouse with all my plants. even in the summer you find them in the undergrowth. and yes like tyson, they never fight over food. but they do rush for the bowls once i have filled them up, but they all have their own little areas to eat and never (hardly) fall out. they are all over 10, the eldest is 18 and the youngest is 11 and apart from kitkat, who should have been an only cat, they all get on very well. the only time tyson, like your male cats, gets ferocious, is if a stranger cat,- not neighbours cats, he knows them, -if there is a strange tom, tyson will get quite fierce and see them off with the usual howling noise.
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
9 Sep 07
Awww - your cats sound adorable - especially Tyson! I always think the biggest cats are the gentlest - like real "gentle giants". My Sasha (on my avatar) is like that - huge, ginger tomcat, but the softest creature you have ever known! He is old now, so really doesn't do anything but sleep and eat! My Lily is a real little madam (and like yours - a "lady" using the term very loosely! LOL!), but she has been through so much, that I forgive her anything - the fact she is still alive makes her a miracle! Nice to meet you and your felines, and thanks for responding here. Enjoy your time on myLot.
@jennawinseverytime (377)
• United States
10 Sep 07
I have six cats and I know exactly what you are talking about. They act sweet, but not when it comes to food. My poor momma kittie tinkerbell always gets pushed aside by the other cats. I make it a point to watch her eat and put her food where the other cats cant see. If the cats are acting up, start feeding them more dry food until they share a little more, just a suggestion. It always makes tinkerbell happy when I guard other cats from taking her spot on the "dinner table".
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
10 Sep 07
That's just lovely Rosie. How well behaved your boys are and Lily apparently laps up the special treatment. I leave Banjo's food out all the time but it's on the kitchen workbench where Lucy the dog won't get it. In our house, there is nothing sacred. Banjo like to nibble little bits during the whole day, Lucy, the dog, who appears to be starving, slurps and licks and the contents of her bowl disappear in seconds...she doesn't even give herself time to taste the delectable morsels I sometimes present her with.
My daughter and 2 granddaughters are coming in 4 weeks to visit for a few days...that should prove interesting.
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
LOL! Lucy the dog sounds like WIiby and Henry - they are just vultures when it comes to eating! Thanks for your response my friend.
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
13 Sep 07
I don't think that your cats are strange at all and are just acting naturally. When I lived at home, I noticed that not all of our cats ate peacefully. The more aggressive ones growled and got the lion's share of food.
My two cats are sweet. My Columbus cat will eat politely, and never push my female cat, Waffles, away. He minds his own business and heads over to the sunporch when he has had his fill. He is a perfect gentleman and a very sweet guy!
Waffles won't try to steal food either. She eats and walks away, usually to the bedroom for a little catnap or the sunporch for a little sunbathing. She doesn't touch Mimi's food either.
Mimi gets her own separate dish of food and water and doesn't have to worry about sharing with anyone. She's still getting used to living in a multicat household and basically stays in one room all of the time.
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
13 Sep 07
Your cats sound lovely. And I'm sure Mimi will settle in soon enough - it will just take her some time to adjust. Thanks for responding.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
10 Sep 07
They probably know that Lily is frail & she's also one of theirs so they look after her.
I've got gals that are right in the mix with the boys, then there are some that are frail. When Henry got sick, they all left him alone because they knew he was sick.
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
Yes - they do seem to know when one of their own is unwell. Frodo was ill not so long ago with an abscess from a fight with a neighbourhood cat. I was worried about leaving him while we were at work, in case the others set on him as they always take part in a fair amount of "rough and tumble" - but I shouldn't have bothered, because they left hin completely alone and respected his need for peace and quiet suring recovery.
@Perspectives (7131)
• Canada
11 Sep 07
What a cute story..and observations. As a cat lover with 5 cats I loved hearing things like this. As I was reading your post I had to stop and think whether our 3 makes are chivalrous with our 2 females or not. Definitely not around the feeding bowl..it is free for all then.
They are not outdoor cats so I do not know how they would be with their gals outside. I have noticed that the males will lick and clean the two females...and not play as rough with them too. I do tend to agree with you that they do have some kind on communication that only they understand. Their language and meows are something unique to each cat.
Cute, fun post..thanks!
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
13 Sep 07
Perhaps some of us men could learn a thing or two from the cats lol.
1 person likes this
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
10 Sep 07
your cats sound so great and loving and very well behaved and protecting.you are such a great person and i love to hear the love you have for your animals,thats so amazing and beautiful.well my little boy is still a baby but hes such a loverboy,and he eats like a pig.but this kind of breed the lady told me that the males are more loveable than the females,im not sure i only have the male,and to me they are all loving and great,if i could have 10 i would.take care.pattie
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
Awww - that is such a lovely thing to say - thanks. And your Yukon is an absolute darling. Actually, I think quite often male cats can be more "loving" than the females. The females quite often have a strong "hunting instinct" to protect their young, and can be less affectionate, - though obviously that is not always the case. The boys are often more lazy and cuddly and loving! Thanks for responding here.
@hgosinski (153)
• United States
14 Sep 07
Cute article, it put a smile on my face. I only have one cat at the moment, and the most I've ever had was 8, but six were just babies that we gave to good homes.
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
14 Sep 07
Well I never meant to have 6 - it just kind of happened! LOL! But I wouldn't change any of them for the world.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Now those boys sound like they really appreciate Lily being around. maybe it's due to the pain she has been through they are afraid she may beat them up so to speak? HAHAHAHA! I bet it's cute seing this as they won't mess with her. How is her leg doing now by the way?
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
10 Sep 07
LOL! Believe me she would beat them up if she wanted to - she is a fesity little madam, and the chivalry only goes one way!!! And her leg is really good now thanks. If you see on the photo I posted with this discussion, she has one dark-coloured leg and the rest are white. The rebuilt one is the dark-coloured one, because the skin grafts came from her side where the fur is a different colour. Her pad and paw and still slightly mis=shapen, but she gets around fine:-)) Thanks for your response.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
12 Oct 07
mine are..kind of like that.
my calico has moved up to alpha since 2 of my other males passed.she eats first..PERIOD.
if the other 2 even think of challenging,she puffs and hisses.
but by the same token,human or feline threatens her,
they are right there backing her up.
