in the mood for caturday

May 16, 2009 12:37 AM

Parrot in touch with a cat. Cat in a sleeve; in a suitcase; in a vase; in shock; in sleeping positions; in tune; in history (origin of the Keyboard Cat meme).
posted by nickyskye (27 comments total)

The cat and the parrot made me smile. Our cats have to leave the room when our cockatiel (much smaller than a parrot) is out of her cage because they have too much of a pouncing reaction around her, but when she's in her cage they enjoy sniffing and "talking to" each other.

Sometimes interspecies grooming leads to confusion and misunderstanding (check out the "what the hell is wrong with you!?" look on the cat's face at the end).
posted by amyms at 12:53 AM on May 16, 2009 [6 favorites]

Hmm... Keyboard Cat's popularity has risen unnervingly fast
posted by JHarris at 1:52 AM on May 16, 2009

"what the hell is wrong with you!?"

I love that video. Crazy little dog.
posted by Talanvor at 1:59 AM on May 16, 2009

Hmm... Keyboard Cat's popularity has risen unnervingly fast

Won't it be delicious when Keyboard Cat plays Keyboard Cat off?
posted by Kikkoman at 2:12 AM on May 16, 2009

Totally off the keyboard cat thing ... that parrot's feet are just... weird. I sort of get this creepy omg its going to eat me moment, way down in my mammalian protobrain whenever I watch birds using their feet.
posted by strixus at 2:18 AM on May 16, 2009

With the Cat and Parrot video, I kept expecting Bam-Chicka-Wow-Wow music to start up and sweet, sweet interspecies love to be made.

note to self; watch less porn
posted by Sparx at 2:45 AM on May 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Won't it be delicious when Keyboard Cat plays Keyboard Cat off?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkQ01-Y4uf0
posted by effbot at 5:58 AM on May 16, 2009

You can tell the cat and parrot are having a failure to communicate. The cat can't quite puzzle it out: "Is the parrot trying to scratch me? Does it want me to groom its feet? Is it trying to play? What's going on here?"

Most cats can be lulled into grooming someone else they're on good terms with. I could reliably get a friend's cat to wash my entire hand with one trick. First, you pet the cat with short strokes, paying attention to one area at a time. Then, when the cat inevitably begins trying to wash one of its feet, simply slip your finger into the cleaning path. This triggers the grooming instinct in many cats. This particular cat would patiently separate my fingers with its paws and wash each, one at a time.

Why did I do this? I used the cat to clean off their dog's slobber.
posted by adipocere at 6:10 AM on May 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Is this where we're supposed to post lots of Maru videos?
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:29 AM on May 16, 2009 [2 favorites]

Our baby chickens nap on top of the rabbit sometimes.
posted by aniola at 6:52 AM on May 16, 2009

Johnny Assay: Yes! Yes it is!
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 9:15 AM on May 16, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkQ01-Y4uf0 ~effbot

We salute your dedication, Keyboard Cat (aka 'Fatso')!
posted by Kikkoman at 9:15 AM on May 16, 2009

Look At This Cat!
posted by Sailormom at 9:54 AM on May 16, 2009

I absolutely adore cat videos.
posted by flatluigi at 10:19 AM on May 16, 2009

Cat in a sleeve really made my day.
posted by yeloson at 10:58 AM on May 16, 2009

We need a stimulus package where everyone with a pet gets $300 for a video camera.
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 11:03 AM on May 16, 2009 [4 favorites]

Now all we need is a political thread and a fat people thread and were on quota for the week.
posted by Jeremy at 11:25 AM on May 16, 2009

aniola, I demand pix of baby chickens napping on the bunny. One giant puddle of fluffitude!
posted by Salmonberry at 11:46 AM on May 16, 2009

Man, none of these videos let me down.

Thanks.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 11:46 AM on May 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

amyms, loved the complex range of emotions and relationship displayed in that short video span, humorously soundtracked; the mutual pleasure, affection, understanding, surrender, bonding, familiarity, tenderness, caring, vulnerability, trust.

Then the Chihuahua's sudden feeling hurt/offended/afraid/discomfort/violated/betrayal and setting the boundary with outrage and attack, huddling by the bag all forlorn, having rejected the tender but unwelcome ministrations of the cat. But not too distant. Just far enough to express hurt. The cat's defensiveness but acceptance of the dog's choice, while giving that wonderfully intense wtf stare. And the other cat watching all this.

Such an excellent mini-drama.
posted by nickyskye at 12:23 PM on May 16, 2009 [3 favorites]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~00
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 1:34 PM on May 16, 2009

The cat in the suitcase is a big Senore Wences fan.
posted by Huplescat at 3:39 PM on May 16, 2009 [1 favorite]

I loooved the cat in a sleeve! I must have a cat in a sleeve for my very own!
posted by orme at 4:10 PM on May 16, 2009

Blood.....so much blood......
posted by orme at 4:10 PM on May 16, 2009

how come my cats never do anything video-worthy?
posted by msconduct at 6:31 PM on May 16, 2009

We have far too many metaphors about common animals in containers. The cat's in the bag. The bird is in the hand. I'm in the doghouse. Who let the dogs out? Close the barn door after the horse has bolted. A bird in a gilded cage. Shooting fish in a barrel. Pigs in a blanket. The mole in the organization.

So when I see a spunky cat emerging from a suitcase to take a swat at the world I say "Bravo, spunky cat!" You are not only taking a swat at the world, but also at a tired metaphor.
posted by twoleftfeet at 1:46 AM on May 18, 2009

Jaguar cubs at the Berlin Zoo
posted by homunculus at 5:14 PM on May 22, 2009