Answer to the question of just how much they understand
 

My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand. We'll
I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.

We're moving at the end of the summer into a condo that is being built
for us. It is configured differently than the apartment we are living
in and in some areas we will have less space. So we're looking at what
to get rid of to make life more livable. Looking around the living room
I noticed Oliver and Boone's overflowing toy box. I told Steve that we
could get rid of some of the toys they don't seem to play with. First
thing to make the list was the regulation size soccer ball. It was my
RB Golden's ball and neither Boone or Oliver have touched it in over a
year. The second thing I decided to get rid of was the first scratching
post we ever got Oliver. He was a itty bitty thing when we found him
and the post was perfect for a kitten. Now that he is a nice sized
adult the scratching post is too short for him. He has others better
suited to his size and I haven't seen him use the little one since we
moved it her from NC a year ago.

That decided, We go off to eat dinner. As we're sitting there Boone
comes running by the table with Oliver in hot pursuit. I almost squirt
milk out my nose. They have the soccer ball and are rolling it up and
down the living room. Steve was laughing so hard he almost fell off his
chair. "OK", we tell them they can keep the ball. They haven't touched
it since.

Then Oliver has been making the point to scratch his little post. He
looks right at us while he is doing it. I'm totally serious when I say
he hasn't used it since we moved it here. But suddenly it is the most
desirable scratching post in the house. Guess that is staying too.

We've come to the conclusion we need to get rid of some of our stuff and
leave their stuff alone.
--
Margaret Fine

That's hilarious! I guess you're being told to get your priorities in
order. Get rid of the slaves' stuff, not the masters'.
Katz

Ha! That'll tell you to leave their things alone.
Your boys sound so smart. :)
Jazz & his mama

--

Irulan
from the stars we come
to the stars we return
from now until the end of time
"Margaret Fine" wrote in message
ink.net...
My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand. We'll
I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.

We're moving at the end of the summer into a condo that is being built
for us. It is configured differently than the apartment we are living
in and in some areas we will have less space. So we're looking at what
to get rid of to make life more livable. Looking around the living room
I noticed Oliver and Boone's overflowing toy box. I told Steve that we
could get rid of some of the toys they don't seem to play with. First
thing to make the list was the regulation size soccer ball. It was my
RB Golden's ball and neither Boone or Oliver have touched it in over a
year. The second thing I decided to get rid of was the first scratching
post we ever got Oliver. He was a itty bitty thing when we found him
and the post was perfect for a kitten. Now that he is a nice sized
adult the scratching post is too short for him. He has others better
suited to his size and I haven't seen him use the little one since we
moved it her from NC a year ago.

That decided, We go off to eat dinner. As we're sitting there Boone
comes running by the table with Oliver in hot pursuit. I almost squirt
milk out my nose. They have the soccer ball and are rolling it up and
down the living room. Steve was laughing so hard he almost fell off his
chair. "OK", we tell them they can keep the ball. They haven't touched
it since.

Then Oliver has been making the point to scratch his little post. He
looks right at us while he is doing it. I'm totally serious when I say
he hasn't used it since we moved it here. But suddenly it is the most
desirable scratching post in the house. Guess that is staying too.

We've come to the conclusion we need to get rid of some of our stuff and
leave their stuff alone.
--
Margaret Fine

in article , Irulan at
wrote on 2/23/05 5:19 PM:

Ha! That'll tell you to leave their things alone.
Your boys sound so smart. :)
Jazz & his mama

I had a bed specially made for Grant because he is sooooo long. Completely
ignored it. Even if I put a fuzzy blanket on it. Thought about getting rid
of it, and suddenly Pearl began sleeping in it regularly. Now, all of the
sudden 2 years later, Sugar who NEVER sleeps in the soft beds (even avoided
the cushy new rug for months; she seems to not care for squishy surfaces)
suddenly will sleep in it! So will Grant. In fact, last night when he was so
sick, he curled up in it for much of the night. It only took 2 years.

On Wed 23 Feb 2005 07:38:27a, Margaret Fine wrote in
rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
link.net):


My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this
conversation before about just how much human language our
animals understand. We'll I am here to testify today that they
understand EVERYTHING.

We're moving at the end of the summer into a condo that is being
built for us.

snip

We've come to the conclusion we need to get rid of some of our
stuff and leave their stuff alone.

ROTFL!! Be very very afraid. heheheh Funny, but a lot of stories
are making me think that lately. Is the mission coming to a close,
and the mothership has plans of takeover soon??

--
Cheryl

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 12:38:27 GMT, Margaret Fine
wrote:

My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand. We'll
I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.

At my previous workplace (located downstairs in the boss's house), the
boss's wife once called down the stairs, "Lunch is ready!". His dog
immediately dashed up the stairs, so we all decided that the dog had
definitely learned THAT word.

--
John F. Eldredge --
PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better
than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria

LOL! Well, you could always discuss what to get rid of outside the
apartment so they can't hear and then just go and grab the items
before they have a chance to realize what is happening!
--
Britta
Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and a purr. I have an alarm clock that's
covered in fur!
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album




Margaret Fine wrote:
My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand.
We'll I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.

We're moving at the end of the summer into a condo that is being
built
for us. It is configured differently than the apartment we are
living
in and in some areas we will have less space. So we're looking at
what to get rid of to make life more livable. Looking around the
living room I noticed Oliver and Boone's overflowing toy box. I
told
Steve that we could get rid of some of the toys they don't seem to
play with. First thing to make the list was the regulation size
soccer ball. It was my RB Golden's ball and neither Boone or Oliver
have touched it in over a year. The second thing I decided to get
rid of was the first scratching post we ever got Oliver. He was a
itty bitty thing when we found him and the post was perfect for a
kitten. Now that he is a nice sized adult the scratching post is
too
short for him. He has others better suited to his size and I
haven't
seen him use the little one since we moved it her from NC a year
ago.

That decided, We go off to eat dinner. As we're sitting there Boone
comes running by the table with Oliver in hot pursuit. I almost
squirt milk out my nose. They have the soccer ball and are rolling
it up and down the living room. Steve was laughing so hard he
almost
fell off his chair. "OK", we tell them they can keep the ball.
They
haven't touched it since.

Then Oliver has been making the point to scratch his little post.
He
looks right at us while he is doing it. I'm totally serious when I
say he hasn't used it since we moved it here. But suddenly it is
the
most desirable scratching post in the house. Guess that is staying
too.

We've come to the conclusion we need to get rid of some of our stuff
and leave their stuff alone.

Karen wrote:

I had a bed specially made for Grant because he is sooooo long.
Completely
ignored it. Even if I put a fuzzy blanket on it. Thought about
getting rid
of it, and suddenly Pearl began sleeping in it regularly. Now, all of
the
sudden 2 years later, Sugar who NEVER sleeps in the soft beds (even
avoided
the cushy new rug for months; she seems to not care for squishy
surfaces)
suddenly will sleep in it! So will Grant. In fact, last night when he
was so
sick, he curled up in it for much of the night. It only took 2 years.

When I got my 3 girls, ^Abby^ wouldn't let Daisy in the bedroom. So I
bought poor Daisy one of those nice soft round beds & put it on the
couch. Then Moxie started using it, so I bought another one. The day
that Abby the Tyrant went to the bridge, Daisy started sleeping w/me.
For years, only Moxie used them, so I started calling them the Little
Moxie Beds. Last year Daisy started using them for daytime napping.
Silly girls!

Katz

John F. Eldredge wrote:

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 12:38:27 GMT, Margaret Fine
wrote:


My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand. We'll
I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.


At my previous workplace (located downstairs in the boss's house), the
boss's wife once called down the stairs, "Lunch is ready!". His dog
immediately dashed up the stairs, so we all decided that the dog had
definitely learned THAT word.


Every time I am in the kitchen and I say "damn" the dog will come
running from no matter where he is and what he is doing figuring I've
dropped something.

--
Margaret Fine

Karen wrote:

in article , Irulan at
wrote on 2/23/05 5:19 PM:


Ha! That'll tell you to leave their things alone.
Your boys sound so smart. :)
Jazz & his mama


I had a bed specially made for Grant because he is sooooo long. Completely
ignored it. Even if I put a fuzzy blanket on it. Thought about getting rid
of it, and suddenly Pearl began sleeping in it regularly. Now, all of the
sudden 2 years later, Sugar who NEVER sleeps in the soft beds (even avoided
the cushy new rug for months; she seems to not care for squishy surfaces)
suddenly will sleep in it! So will Grant. In fact, last night when he was so
sick, he curled up in it for much of the night. It only took 2 years.


Now if you would have brought the bed home and said "Grant, this bed is
for Pearl and you are never to sleep in it." he would have been using it
23 1/2 hours a day from day 1. :-)

I haven't seen any updates on Grant. How is he doing?

--
Margaret Fine