On Sunday 05 November 2000  9:27 pm, you wrote:
> Yea Paige, you can never be truly sure can you?  I never see Jubal acting
> aggressively toward birds or any other animals in the backyard, but he is a
> cat and I have to assume that sometimes instinct can take over.
>
> There is another cat -- Oscar is his name -- who lives nearby who comes to
> visit frequently.  Oscar is young and full of life.  He definitely shows
> birding potential.  He likes to sit in my lap when I'm sitting in the back
> yard, so I take Jubal's brush out with me and brush him when he is
> visiting. While I am doing that, I talk to him and tell him that he has to
> learn to curb his birding nature so the little birds that come to my
> feeders will be safe.  Am I hopelessly idealistic or what?
>
> Oscar is just too adorable for words.  He is a b & w domestic long hair --
> I mean really long hair, and he is developing three or four mats on the
> side of his body.  I want to help him, but every time I try to get to those
> mats he gets upset.  I know they must be hurting him; they are right next
> to his skin.  I think they will have to be cut out.
>
> I don't know who his owners are and I don't know if they would get mad if I
> were to do this, but since they are not doing it maybe somebody should.
> Their phone number is on Oscar's tag, but I am reluctant to call them to
> ask if I can take him to a groomer to have this done.  It would be like
> saying "Since you are not taking care of your cat, can I do your job for
> you?"  I don't want to come off like that, but I know that mats hurt.
>

Accidentally drop toast and jam on him, then you've got to put it right. ;-)

> I'm being overly Motherly to all the little animals since I just lost
> Astro.
>
>
> Betty

Cheers

Deri