My nightly visitor

Mr Bats goes out the door, climbs the cupboard and yowls until I open the window. Look surprised!

Fat cats on a sofa…

…and they are all heavier than leopard cats.

Swiss Roll purrs

Civetgirl Xu Weiting takes the long route home to meet Swiss Roll, a community cat near her home.

Lovely!

The evening kill

The cats need an outlet after being cooped up all day. They are very active before their evening meal and mildly active after. After a day of snoozing, it’s to be expected.

Here is Xylo the cat in ecstasy as he takes down a kill, before midnight.

I can feel his canines clamp into position and gently apply enough pressure to pin the hand but not enough to tear the skin.

He is skillful, this one.

The cats get drowsy midway through the night sometimes and then become active once again at dawn – by sitting on my chest, unblinkingly, and vocally demand for food.

Mr Bats the cat likes the new animal behaviour textbook too

More than one use for a book.

BTW, the book’s “Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach,” by John Alcock, 2013.

Tiger the Cat and the abused money plant

Was just telling the LSM1303 Animal Behaviour class about this and right on cue, he’s at it again.

Tiger the cat uses the money plant as an emetic. So once he chomps on the leaves, I’m prepared to mop up a little splotch on the ground.

Neighborhood cat..

…says hello. Hung out for awhile then had to go.

Tiger the cat

Photo from 08 Dec 2013

Long weekend’s over, animal behaviour presentations beckon

Mr Bats the Cat detects my rousing and awaits breakfast. It’s time to evaluate 40 animal behaviour proposals in preparation for the four-hour session which begins at 10am later.

Students present a three-minute elevator pitch about the wild animal species they propose to study, their research question, study site and method.

We’ll listen and suggest refinements. Everything can change at this point and also when they begin their field work. This initial effort, however, clarifies the mind and enhances their situational awareness.
And from March they present their findings in a symposium. We look forward to being informed.

Had a tough day? Go home, hug your cat,

…whether or not he likes it!