Baby JAX

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

I love the look Raiden is giving as well, real attitude!

Don't laugh, but Hendrix and Jagger also have a large memory foam dog bed (bought mainly as it has a washable cover that comes off), thought they'd both easily fit on it together, but didn't take into consideration how Hendrix likes to stretch out! Convinced he thinks he's a dog, never known a cat take up so much room!

So glad Oscar has ignored the pool, as I also wondered, especially as Jagger came home one evening drenched! Thought he may have investigated a paddling pool on his travels as there are children down the road. He didn't care though!

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

Jagger must have been so hot and dying for a dip to cool down! Last Wednesday when it was 30 degrees c (don't laugh all you Americans..........that is REALLY, REALLY hot to us pale Brits) I was scooping water from the pool and pouring it over him as he lay on the grass. Oscar loved it so he must like water but does not play with water from taps, bowls etc. I also went walking with my sister and her two black labs on Wednesday. They broke through a hedge and did a couple of lengths in someones very posh swimming pool......... Goodness we were mortified and quickly left the area! Can just imaging the poor people wondering why they were covered in black dog hair after swimming in their pool! Animals ! :rolleyes:

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Boy, there are some really spoiled cats here. LOL. I'm guessing you Brits don't have a/c in your homes as it is rarely needed (you apparently don't have screens on your windows either). But I'm sure you can purchase fans, right? I could not live without A/C, even though we only use it about 3-1/2 months out of the year. Melissa, I'm guessing they don't walk dogs on a leash in the UK either? It's amazing how different the cultures are just an ocean away. I'm sure the doggies didn't leave much hair in the pool that the filter wouldn't take out. Dogs love to swim! I guess cats do not.

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

No air conditioning and no window screens! We don't have leash laws like some/all states in US do?? In towns dogs would most likely be on a lead but it is not mandatory. In the country where all my family live it's rare to see a dog on a lead unless being walked on a road. We are so in the middle of nowhere that we had the local fox hunt (drag hunt now as it's illegal) come through my garden/paddocks, accidentally in hot pursuit of a fox a few months ago........those fox hounds are HUGE and there was about 30 of them......nearly gave me heart failure as my youngest and my friend's six yr old were playing outside at the time.

CMYKjill you are so right about not be able to do enough for the kitties, I get so excited when I have something new for Oscar!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Melissa, no, no, no fox hunts. Foxes are beautiful animals. A few roam in the woods behind my house. I just don't see the reason for a fox hunt! And those dogs that hunt them are really big and go FAST!

Well, I do hope things cool off for you soon in the UK so the kitties (and doggies) can get back to normal activity.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Love that pic of Oscar, Melissa!

We have a fox den in our garden so I can't say I love them, cute though they are when cubs... I'll be filling it in soon to try to move them on, as they don't seem to have used it for a while now. Jagger was attacked by a fox this year, it chased him into our conservatory and Jon had to chase him off. It was being protective of their babies I suspect, no doubt jagger was too close to the den. We also had a dead cub left on the lawn, probably the runt of the litter, but pretty unpleasant as the others were eating it. I had to get rid off it of course as I didn't want the cats investigating it, foxes tend to carry parasites, worms and ticks.

Unfortunately we have neighbours who feed them, people seem to forget they are wild animals and it makes them extremely bold and fearless of humans. Every evening the mummy fox comes through our garden to go to get their tea. Comes back with chunks of ham, or roast chicken etc. it's like a fox superhighway!

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

We don't really have many foxes that I see. How awful to have Jagger attacked! yes, sounds like good sense to move the den if you can Claire. We have quite a few hunts near us but never have we had hounds on our land before. I told the Master in no uncertain terms to control his hounds and never come on my land again. Thank goodness Oscar was in the land of nod at the time.

Kyenta1 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:39 am

There is no reason, during a drag hunt, that hounds should venture onto your property. We did drag hunts in Ontario and that was one of the huge benefits of them, control of the hounds. It was really like a FUN cross-country course with a large group of great friends.
We also did live coyote hunts that were less predictable, of course, but we had a large area of land and were respectful of owners. There were a few that did not want us on their land and we did respect this. More owners seemed delighted to welcome us which allowed us to work around the ones that did not. We always repaired any damages to properties we entered. We hunted in the fall so open fields were plenty and there were very few fall-planted crops to avoid.
The hounds should always be trained well enough for their handlers to be able to call them off.

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

They have never come on our land before but the dogs had put up a fox which obviously can happen when drag hunting. I guess the instinct took over and they were trying to call the hounds back but they were not coming. Foxes must be much more fun to chase than an aniseed trail. The hunt was very apologetic and paid for broken fencing but it did make me very cross that they were not in control of their hounds.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I'm a lover of wildlife! We all have to share this earth. Most of the foxes and coyotes in the woods behind our home don't come close to where our house is. There is plenty of land for them. Do have a real problem with raccoons. Have two babies that mommy has weaned and I usually give them the remaining canned food that Raiden hasn't finished. One is not even afraid anymore and will wait patiently several feet away. They are super cute. Raiden tends to ignore them when they get on the bird feeder next to his enclosure. There are foxes that roam the golf course where my husband plays on weekends. Members there feed them dog food. There are lots of homes around the golf course, and that's a little too close for comfort for me.

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

I'm a huge wildlife lover too. I can see both sides re the foxes though. I love to see them and would not hurt them, however two of my friends have been so upset that all their chickens have been killed but only one taken to eat. Wish they would just kill what they need to eat! Back to cats as they play and kill for fun too! Nature is cruel, there is no getting away from that. Sherry, those Yellow Jackets sound nasty. What are they? Poor Raiden! :cry:

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

I am a huge wildlife lover too, but also can see both sides as I also know people with small holdings were foxes have killed all their chickens etc. Foxes run amok in our area, bold as brass, but I imagine in the countryside, where you live Melissa, they still have a fear of humans which is a good thing.

Here is a picture of the cubs in April when they first came out of the den - no fear whatsoever, Jon managed to get really close. They would come right up to our patio windows as well, and Hendrix and Jagger would stare out in disbelief at the cheek of it all. Hendrix will have a growl now and again, but always from the safety of behind the window lol I was up very early Saturday morning and there were two chasing each other around our lawn and playing.

Hope Raiden has recovered from his scrape with yellow jackets - poor thing!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Clare, those baby foxes are so adorable! All baby animals are the cutest things. I would never harm an animal but respect the rights of others who hunt game. I couldn't even catch fish without releasing them back into the water. I don't like neighbor cats attacking the birds we feed. It's just nature!

Melissa, yellow jackets are sort of like wasps or hornets, except they build their nests in the ground. My hubby had complained of getting bit while he was mowing the yard. Had huge welts on his legs. Raiden and I walk that part of the yard twice a day and had no problems, but he walked by there the other afternoon and they attacked him. He leaped 3 feet in the air screaming. Hubby was outside at the time and said, "That's where I got bit." On closer inspection, we found the hole for the next and have killed the beasts. I don't consider them "wildlife." Insects I will destroy!

Baby JAX

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