So, I took my cat for a professional photoshoot which we had to cut short because he fell *face first* into the pond.
The pictures came back and they are better than I could have imagined.
First up - Thoughtcrimes.
He has not yet decided what he is going to do, but heโs bored and is about to do *something*
Posture is tight, neck relaxed, braincells are colliding.
Youโve got a narrow window to give him something fun to do before he decides his crime. Once he has decided weโve progressed to โBasil, noโ
Risk prevention is over, risk mitigation is your only option now.
Telltale signs are elongated neck and quick head movement.
Youโre doing errands around the house when suddenly you encounter his next notable sitโฆ
Heโs awake and bored and itโs your job to fix that. He sits directly in your line of sight making direct eye contact, waiting for you to be interesting.
If we play our cards right heโll start to wind down. Heโs still engaged, but his posture is more relaxed and his expression has changed from crime to content.
Heโs up for adventure but is no longer burdened by his demons.
Other important sits - patiently waiting to go out for his walk.
The last photo makes me laugh because there was a stray outside and I went to move it, so he thought Iโd forgotten him and was very concerned because he was being good and I went outside without him.
The last, final sit is very rare.
Depression sit.
Weโd just come back from vacation and he knows he will start a ruckus with the elder cats if he sleeps in the bedroom, but wanted to spend more time with me.
So he sat himself in the tub until I slept on the couch with him.
โI made a poor choice and now Iโm coldโ sit.
Photo of when he snuck out of the house to play in our neighbourโs sprinkler and photo of after jumped in the lake in spring
1) โdislikes the weatherโ sit
2) โthis water is boring bring back the sprinklerโ sit
3) โI havenโt been weird in ten minutes so here we goโ sit
4) โIโm bored and Iโd like to go homeโ sit
@HeatherWeaverDC
Yes! I hike with my cat and offleash dogs are *the worst.* I carry bear spray now and if I have to mace your dog I deeply, deeply resent you. I donโt want to do that, but my cat comes first.
Donโt make me mace your dog, please.
My sandwich had ham on it when I looked away.
When I looked back there was no ham.
Also, I didnโt bite that apple ๐ค
Surely we will never solve this mystery.
Popular cat account stole Basilโs video, didnโt credit, and it has 16k+ likes, so Iโm reposting is the full version.
They edited out the best part where he makes a CHOICE and goes back for more.
I was really worried when this started taking off but I have to say these comments are all wonderful. I love all your criminal cats and other Basils.
Keep em coming.
@spaceandweather
heโs just โฆ so much sometimes. Sometimes I think Iโm one step ahead of him and I turn around and heโs on the wrong side of the safety glass
Bengal groups are wild because you can post something like โanyone know how to get a cat out of a chandelierโ and at least eight people go โoh, here is what worked for meโฆโ
@DoctorGusDVM
@HeatherWeaverDC
I always hold him when I see a dog. Doesnโt stop the dog from jumping us.
Source: weโve been jumped three times while I hold my cat
Leash your dog in on-leash areas.
@memesiwish
Also if you leash train your cat donโt let them harass wildlife. We were young and dumb and I didnโt think he would jump.
It could have ended poorly so please learn from my mistakes and just assume your cat will do the dumb thing.
Happy catwalking โ๏ธ
@celaV
I think theyโre much higher energy than most other cats, which is why they end up with behavioral problems or getting rehomed so often.
Basil can be more work than our dog, and heโs bonded to me so I donโt get to take sick days.
11/10 would die for him though
@Fox_E_Lori
Didnโt get fired, but two weeks of wage loss was enough to set me back significantly.
Took me a while to get back on my feet. Couldnโt imagine what would have happened if I had to pay for medical services and am very thankful for Canadian healthcare.
@Fox_E_Lori
Same here. Got sent home from night shift, went to the ER the next morning. Called in from the ER and was told Iโd get fired if I missed any more work and asked if Iโd make my lunch shift.
Diagnosis? H1N1 & pneumonia. Had a two-week unpaid home quarantine while I recovered.
@HeatherWeaverDC
Okay further clarification and then Iโm muting this:
We stick to daylight hours and on-leash trails.
Iโve never used it and I never want to.
Iโm not spraying random off-leash dogs, itโs there in case of emergency - when weโre being attacked on a trail and the owner is gone
weโve been working on getting the dog to ask for โhelpโ instead of trying to scratch lost toys or chews out from under furniture.
She lost a toy under the fridge and look at how good she is ๐ฅน
@HeatherWeaverDC
I also have a nervous pup who is very anxious around strange dogs. One bad interaction could set her training back months.
We stick to on-leash trails. Leash yoโ dog.
@hahajustkitten
@agent_e17
Iโd die for him and I think heโs perfect but he can be more work than my border collie.
So if you hate sleep and having nice things then yes.
@w8lfkt
@HeatherWeaverDC
Most of these people say something dumb and block me from responding, but yeah, lots of people telling on themselves in the comments.
I didnโt think โshare the space because I donโt want to have to defend my little buddy from getting mauledโ was a controversial take but
the emergency vet is the worst place on earth and I feel so terrible for everyone in there.
weโre going home, a lot of people werenโt so lucky today.