Conference misery::feline

    Sure, Greg!  Herbie learned to beat up Kelsey by watching Taja do it. 
    Now they both love to gang up on him and make him whine.
    
    Also, when I first got Kelsey he had a brother Shelby.  Kelsey was very
    shy while Shelby was very outgoing.  Kelsey adjusted by following
    Shelby's lead.  They're just like real children!
    

    CAN THEY TEACH EACH OTHER?  YOU BET THEY CAN!!
    
    Miss Mary taught Kitty Moffet just where to sit behind the boys as they
    sat eating from the dish.  They knew those ladies were there but
    couldn't see them unless they turned around.  The guys went paranoid
    nuts trying to eat and keep them in sight.  The boys would move, so
    would the ladies; they looked like a miniture carrosel as around and
    around the feeding dish they would go.
    
    Christopher covers over unwanted food.  None of the rest did it until
    he came, now, if I put down cup of coffee outside I soon have four happy 
    little feet filling it to the brim with grass, pine needles and dead leaves.
    
    And they learn without anyone to teach them.  How did Tigger know that 
    it was my left leg that was injured?  He would wake me up by applying 
    pressure with his front feet on my injured knee.  Before long Charlie 
    was doing it as well, "feed me or I'll make you hurt".  
    
    If only they would learn the good things from each other instead of 
    all the tricks and wickedness. But then, they wouldn't be cats would they.
    

    
    
    
    The FIRM is basicly providing little Arty with a university education 
    (majoring in misbehavior). Arty has learned a "trick" from just about
    every other member of the FIRM.
    
    Harry has taught little Arty how to open the curtains in my bedroom if
    I don't get up and feed him on command (usually around 4 am). He knows
    which of the cords to pull on the travis rod, and can open and close
    them (he'd make a great signaler for a covert operation). And he knows
    how to snap the shade up. He seemed *very* proud of himself for teaching
    Arty how to do this since once Arty got good at doing it, Harry could
    jump on my stomach to "urge" me to get up.
    
    Kostas seems to be Arty's food professor. They are both solid black,
    and Kostas is 19 lbs. Since Kostas is the biggest cat, Arty figures
    that he is the best one to pattern his eating habits after. I have to
    pull him away from Kostas' dish every morning. For reasons I don't
    understand, Kostas loves many vegtables. About 2 weeks ago I was making
    BLTs of lunch and the phone rang. When I turned around, Kostas and Arty
    were on the counter eating the tomatoe slices. WHen Kostas decided to
    try the lettuce, Arty did too. Kostas ignored the bacon, so did Arty.
    
    Panther has this little habit of gathering all of his toys in one area
    and then sitting there. If he decides to move to a new area, he moves
    the toys with him. While Panther was doign this, I saw Arty grab
    several toys and put them into the cat bed he was haning out at.
    
    I could go on, but I think that you get the idea...
    
    Deb  

    So true that they teach or mimich each other!!  My traverse rod
    bent and hanging in the middle is proof of that!
    
    Deb, I had to laugh for a second (you know my mind is in other places)
    as I read about Panther.  I said to myself .... geesh, Panther is a 
    male?!  I thought he was the Princess Panther.  Reality check proved
    that I need to get with it!  But I love the stories.
    Karen

    Just so that the FIRM doesn't sue any of us on anyone's behalf,
    Princess Panther Jane belongs to Sue Springler; Panther S. Pussycat,
    Esq. is a member of the FIRM (he is the surviving member of "the twins",
    the brother of the late Eirene).
    
    Deb 

    My sister had a young cat (Snorky) and acquired a puppy (Jamey), who
    just looooved to play with the cat, but was really too rough and
    exuberant and drove Snorky nuts with his antics.  One day we were all
    out in my yard and Snorky was lying peacefully in the grass, when along
    cam trouble in the form of Jamey who immediately made a dash for the
    cat and began jumping back and forth across him and generally being a
    pest.  My cat, Fleaby, watched all this for awhile and suddenly decided
    that both these animals needed a good lesson.  She got up from under
    her favorite shade tree, walked over and laid down beside Snorky.  The
    next time Jamey rushed up and started to jump across the two of them,
    Fleaby, rolled over on her back, put all four feet straight up in the
    air, claws extended, and gave him a good whack on the stomach.  While
    the dog was trying to figure just what the heck had happened, Fleaby
    got up, stared intently into Snorky's face, as if to say "There! That's
    how you handle pesky puppies!!!".  Then, lesson over, she walked
    leisurely back to her shade tree, and went back to her nap.
    
    Jamey gave her a wide berth for quite awhile after that, and Snorkey
    began to be a little more aggressive with the dog, too.  So the answer
    is, they sure can/do teach other all kinds of good (bad) stuff.
    
    Marilyn H.

    My Mother's previous cat had learned to "bounce" the front screen door
    to let the humans know he was ready to come in. We don't know how he
    learned it, but it was very effective, since it sounded like someone
    knocking (old rather heavy wooden screen door). In fact, my Mom would
    hear that more than she would hear the doorbell. 
    
    When a young stray adopted my Mom's house, the older cat didn't want
    anything to do with the young cat. Infact, was close to being hostile
    without actually drawing blood. So, we don't know how the "knocking"
    trick got passed on, but the stray picked up on the habit, and now,
    after 10 years of being the only cat, he still "knocks" when he wants
    in. 
    
    Just this past weekend, my mom mentioned that she's tempted to a kitten
    now, so the "knocking" can be passed to another generation.