Greetings from East Yorkshire

[Lou-D]

Hello everybody

Got to say what a brilliant site! It's nice to see everybody so helpful and friendly.

A little about me: I live in East Yorkshire with my trusty dog, cats and ferrets. I'm a member of South Holderness Countryside Society and will hopefully be doing some voluntary practical work with them fairly soon (can't wait to get my hands dirty!!!). Although I work full time, I'm also doing a part time Wildlife and Countryside conservation course at Bishop Burton College and hope to get a job in this field when I complete the course in 3 years time (fingers crossed!).

I look forward to 'chatting' and getting to know other like-minded nature lovers

[Helen]

Hello Lou and welcome to the forum!

Regards

[StuartDH]

Hi Lou and welcome to Wild About Britain,

Dogs, cats and ferrets - do they all get on with each other? I've only got a dog and she can be very lively at times - add a cat and ferret into the mix and our house would be chaos

[Oy]

Hi Lou!

East Yorkshire eh? I'll try not to hold it against you

Weclom to WAB

[Lou-D]

Thank you for the welcome, guys. It's good to be here.

StuDH - the dog and cats have been brought up together and adore each other (yes, really! lol). The cats are indoor animals (don't want em catching me birds!) so they all spend a fair bit of time in each other's company. The ferrets are a different kettle of fish. They are very mischievous and like nothing better than to antagonise the dog - obviously, it's supervised meetings only. The cats are more wary/sensible and stay out of their way!

Oy - and what have you got against East Yorkshire, me dear? Perhaps I might be able to change your mind? lol.

Look forward to getting to know you all.

Lou

[Fritillary]

I love people from Yorkshire!!
Most of people around London I am getting on are from Yorkshire.
Welcome to the Forum

About cats, dogs and ferrets, I have had dogs and cats living together and there is not any problem. Yet my female dog had as best friend a yellow cat. They were always playing together.

And cats after a while they dont chasse any more. I told that because I remember cats I had with my parents. When they were young, sometimes they brought a lezard or a little bird (one day mother and child brought an alive chicken from neighborns!!) but with the time they stop.

Later the mice arrived with my parents and cats just watched them how they were running from one side to other in the room.

Fritillary

PS I had been out for a while. Too busy with my theses. But I am trying to come more frequently.

[digi]

Originally Posted by Lou-D

Got to say what a brilliant site! It's nice to see everybody so helpful and friendly.

Hi Lou, it is a friendly site and whatever you want to know ask and whatever you know answer

Look forward to reading your posts and seeing some pictures!

Digi

[Lou-D]

[quote=Fritillary]I love people from Yorkshire!!
Fritillary

Awwww, that's really nice of you, thank you Fritillary

I was told that to deter cats from hunting, it is best to keep them inside for the first 6-9 months of their lives as that, apparently, prevents them from honing their hunting skills and stops them from developing a liking for hunting. Sadly, I am now forced to admit that is not totally correct. Living in an old property, we've never really had a mouse problem til recently. Within a week I've discovered two dead mice in the house - one was well chewed - my money's on one of the cats being the slayer!!! Guess they will continue to be allowed supervised-only visits into the garden. They don't seem to mind being house-cats as they've got loads of toys and it's quite a big house for them to roam around.

I, too, have been busy with college assignments. We have a big project to get in next month. I do love doing all the research though - it's just fitting it all into however many words we have to submit that's the problem for me! Good luck with your thesis. What's it on?

[nightshade]

hello lou d, I was born in Wentworth so another yorkshireman?,keeping cats in only gets them used to an area so they dont go back to their old territory
ferrets are the most amazing creatures and I would dearly like to keep them
but they are susceptible to so many human ailments!
any hoo welcome

[Lou-D]

Originally Posted by digi

Hi Lou, it is a friendly site and whatever you want to know ask and whatever you know answer

Look forward to reading your posts and seeing some pictures!

Digi

Hey Digi

Cheers me dear! I've already found out how helpful folk are on here and hope that I can also be of some help in the future.

Not so sure you should be looking forward to seeing my pics, unless you like blurred/out of focus/headless ones! Suppose they'd be alright in a 'guess what it's supposed to be' competition. Yours are fantastic and I really admire you for your patience and skill, as I do all the other talented photographers on here.

[henrya]

Quote
was told that to deter cats from hunting, it is best to keep them inside for the first 6-9 months of their lives as that, apparently, prevents them from honing their hunting skills and stops them from developing a liking for hunting.
Endquote

My last cat was a complete house cat - but that did not stop him from catching small mammals that came his way. One shrew he killed while it was under the matting in 'his' room. My mother and I kept on telling him that there was nothing at the spot he kept sniffing - but when we lifted the mat to show him, there was the now very flat shrew! Later on, I was sitting reading one evening and the cat was sitting in one of his usual places, on the end of the banisters at the top of the stairs, where he used to listen to the mice running around under the floorboards. I heard a loud thump, and he ran downstairs to show me the Bank Vole that he had caught. It was stone dead, so I think he must have landed on it with all four feet! So he know what to do, despite never having hunted outside.

henrya

[Lou-D]

Originally Posted by nightshade

hello lou d, I was born in Wentworth so another yorkshireman?,keeping cats in only gets them used to an area so they dont go back to their old territory
ferrets are the most amazing creatures and I would dearly like to keep them
but they are susceptible to so many human ailments!
any hoo welcome

Ooh yes, another Yorky!!! Nice to meet you, Nightshade

I adore my ferrets but they are very addictive so be warned! I started off with 2 that I got from a rescue and have 10 now!! They do make terrific pets - very intelligent, affectionate and so very amusing (and naughty!), they have me in hysterics at times. I could tell you loads of amusing stories about the antics of my lot. They are just as susceptible to illness as any other pet really, but they can catch (and give) the human flu virus so I tend to be careful about handling them if I have a cold/flu. Many health problems in ferrets can be prevented by common sense and correct care. I would recommend them as pets.

[Lou-D]

Originally Posted by henrya

Quote
My last cat was a complete house cat - but that did not stop him from catching small mammals that came his way. One shrew he killed while it was under the matting in 'his' room. My mother and I kept on telling him that there was nothing at the spot he kept sniffing - but when we lifted the mat to show him, there was the now very flat shrew! Later on, I was sitting reading one evening and the cat was sitting in one of his usual places, on the end of the banisters at the top of the stairs, where he used to listen to the mice running around under the floorboards. I heard a loud thump, and he ran downstairs to show me the Bank Vole that he had caught. It was stone dead, so I think he must have landed on it with all four feet! So he know what to do, despite never having hunted outside.

henrya

Yes, I think some of them will retain their hunting instincts whatever we do to try and repress them. I once had a cat who used to go out. She'd disappear off and return later pulling huge, full grown Rabbits through the cat flap. (Why do they always bring them home?) I'd often get back home to find blood and guts - and the scut - left in my porch! 'Nasty little catses'!!!

[nightshade]

henrya,hello My cat madam mim used to bring Rabbits (youngsters)and mice etc. home and lay them on my pillow while I slept then call loudly for attention!

[Fritillary]

Hello again!!
Euh yes it is true what you say
quote of Lou D
.."Living in an old property, we've never really had a mouse problem til recently. Within a week I've discovered two dead mice in the house - one was well chewed "...
I have had around 30 something cats (not all at the same time!!) and the personality plays an important role in chassing. You remind me a cat who liked to eat mice. I remember every morning I saw some tails on the floor, and it was him cose the other 2 I had were too young to be outside.
Now he is around 10 and he doesnt chasse at all.
Well wait 10 years to leave yours to visit the garden

See you soon