HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lyndap@Novell.COM (Lynda Peterson)
Subject: Re: Should I get a second kitten?
Organization: Novell, Inc.
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 15:57:54 GMT

In article <lis.715821943@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> lis@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu  
(Elisabeth Riba) writes:
> The thought of getting a kitten has become stronger lately, but before
> I do anything, I thought I'd ask you guys.  Here's my story.
> 
> I've had Boopsie for a little over a year, when she followed me home.
> I currently live alone in a small one-bedroom apartment.  Two rooms, a
> kitchen and a bathroom (not much room to separate two cats should they
> not get along)  I'm also not the neatest of people (understatement!)
> so the room is even scarcer, but everything is cat toy material.
> Unfortunately, my job has moved farther away, and I don't have much
> time to spend with Boopsie.  She has begun licking spots on her feet
> raw, and I suspect it may by psychological.  Boopsie has always been
> an only cat, however, when I vacationed in NYC she stayed in an
> apartment with a kitten.  The kitten was sick, however, and stayed
> locked in a room.  However, whenever the kitten cried, Boopsie ran to
> the door like a concerned mother.  
> Anyway, I've been thinking of getting Boopsie of getting Boopsie a
> kitten so she won't be alone so much of the time.  But I'm not sure
> I'm a good mother for the cat I have, much less whether I can handle a 
> second kitten.  But the more I look at kittens, the more I want one.
> I really do think it would be good for Boopsie to have a
> friend/surrogate daughter.  But you guys seem to be authorities, what do 
> you think?
> -- 

This so strange, I was just going to post with the same question. I have  
had my cat for almost four years and I wonder if she would want a  
companion. I am away most of the day and I wonder if she would want the  
company. I once tried to adopt a stray but my cat had a fit! She hissed  
and would not come near us. Now that I have read some of these postings on  
how to introduce new cats, I have thought about trying again. My only  
concern is about her getting mad and peeing on things which she has a  
history of doin gwhen we make her VERY mad (like moving, having dogs over  
and other serious stuff). 

Is it everyone's opinion that two cats are better than one? Is it every  
cats opinion that two are better than one?
Organization: Electrical & Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 14:48:12 -0400 
From: Meg Alison Veily <mv0t+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Sachia doesn't like bare skin
	<ERICJ.92Sep4184814@calcutta.cfsat.Honeywell.COM>

On 05-Sep-92 in Re: Sachia doesn't like bar..
user Eric Jacobsen@hwcae.Hone writes:
>to sit without touching bare skin. I have no idea why some cats refuse to
>sit on bare skin, but ours is like that, too...

Gee, Brilla is the opposite. She will sit on a lap (mine, my
boyfriend's, my roommates', it doesn't matter) so that, at the very
least, her front paws are on bare skin. If you situate her so that they
are on clothing, she will re-situate herself. Very charming and
pleasant, especially when she begins "makin' muffins" (kneading,
whatever your favorite term is) with her VERY sharp front claws.

Sigh...I love my cat, even with all the abuse she gives.

-Meg (who had scar-free legs until about a year ago) Veily
From: gt1167b@prism.gatech.EDU (Christie Shackelford)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: How about kitty noises?
Date: 6 Sep 92 01:50:01 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

In article <1992Sep4.184641.7188@morgan.ucs.mun.ca> colette@morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Colette Goodyear) writes:
stuff deleted...>>
>I call it a "merp".  Both Fluff (RIP-19 years old) and Willow make that
>noise.  Speaking of silly names for cats, I used to call Fluff "Merps".
>It was the only noise she would make.  Never purred, never meowed.
>The name has been passed on to Willow.
>
>Colette Goodyear

My cats "merp" too (I used same name for it!).  The "merp" is one of
my favorite cat noises.  They always do it when I am petting them,
maybe thats why I like it.  It's like they are thanking you and
telling you they like the scratching or petting.  My Fermi will often
turn over onto her back while merping.  Cute!




-- 
Christie Shackelford
gt1167b@prism.gatech.edu
Meow!
From: ailsa%ailanth.uucp@wang.com (Ailsa N.T. Murphy)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: I NEED A NAME
Date: 9 Sep 92 12:43:02 GMT
Organization: Ailanthus Project

jll@doc.ic.ac.uk (Janice ) writes:

> HI,
>
>
> TONITE MY PARTNER AND I HAVE GOT THE IMMENSE PLEASURE OF BRINGING
> HOME A NEW 10WEEK OLD TOM KITTEN.  HE IS VERY FLUFFY
> WITH GREY AND WHITE PATCHES AND A BLACK SPOTTY NOSE.
> THE ONLY PROBLEM IS - WHAT TO NAME HIM?  SO FAR WE
> HAVE COME UP WITH SMOKEY, BADGER, ARCHIE AND MICKIE.
> HAS ANYONE ANY *GOOD* SUGGESTIONS FOR A PRETTY GREY AND WHITE
> KITTEN?
>

Nimbus.

                                  -ailsa

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
                    ailsa%ailanth.uucp@wang.com
 I wish her insight to battle love's blindness            ________
 Strength from the milk of human kindness         Silence \      / Action
 A safe place for all the pieces that scattered      =     \    /    =
 Learn to pretend there's more than love           Death    \  /    Life
                                  that matters               \/
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ellene@microsoft.com (Ellen Mitsue Eades)
Subject: Re: Looking for pet odor remover/neutralizer.
Date: 11 Sep 92 16:07:36 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corp.

In article <2985@voodoo.UUCP> das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz) writes:
>In article <1992Sep3.173146.9148@newsgate.sps.mot.com> r1156c@waccvm.corp.mot.com (Michael R. Dow) writes:
>> (What to use to remove cat-stain and cat-odor?)
>
>	     ***** Nature's Miracle *****
>	     available at pet supply stores.

Actually, plain old ordinary white vinegar also works like a charm, and
is a helluva lot cheaper.  Nature's Miracle is about eight bucks the
quart; white vinegar at Safeway, house brand, around sixty cents.  I
started using it when Sarah and I moved in with Sparky and Vicka; every
few days Sparky is mean to Sarah, and if she does it when I'm not around,
Sarah goes up to my room, sulks, and pees on the down comforter to get
back at me for not being there to sympathize.  The first time it happened
I was hysterical (the comforter was 4 days old and $300).  Now I just
sigh and get out the vinegar.

I *wish* I could make Sarah stop doing this, but I haven't been able to
yet.  Figure eventually we'll move out and she'll be free of the little
Siamese shit, but for now... Any suggestions on how to get an obnoxious
and spoiled juvenile delinquent cat to stop beating up on my fat and
chicken older sweetie?

Ellen
-- 
Ellen Eades					Microsoft Corporation
"Just call me F.G.M.  I hate excess verbiage."  _Twice Upon a Time_
From: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us (S. Mudgett aka little gator)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Organization: gators 'r us
Subject: Re: Goodbye Thomasina-the-cute
Reply-To: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.03 Rev. Apr 14 1992
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1992 11:15:08 -0500

In <24547@oasys.dt.navy.mil>, Sid Yearick writes:
>I tried twice to finish reading your post.  It took some doing but I made
>it all the way thru.  It's hard to read with tears running down your face.
>Have a big hug from all of us (Kepurr/Muffin/Tigger/Teal/Yogi)

and us too.
-- 
-- little gator aka s. mudgett     email: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
-- friend of a gator is a friend of mine
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ilana@kiowa.scd.ucar.edu (Ilana Stern)
Subject: More strange behavior with prey
Organization: NCAR/UCAR
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 21:02:25 GMT

Description of kitty violence ahead.  If you are bothered by cats being 
hunters, skip this.

Friday morning, as I left for work, I noticed Elvie had flushed out a
large mouse (actually, a rat) in the back yard.  He was doing the usual
cat thing:  prod it with a paw until it runs, then pounce and bite, then
back off and prod it some more.  The rat had a few bits of fur missing
but was still giving Elvie a good workout.

I came home, and saw no rat sitting outside the door, so I assumed 
Elvie had eaten it (I've seen him eat a mouse once before, and also snakes
and bugs).  Then, Elvie saw that I was home.  He trotted into the tall
grass, and came out with the rat in his mouth, and proceeded to do
the weirdest thing I've seen:

He tossed it up into the air, and when it landed on the patio he jumped
onto it and *rolled* back and forth over it.  Then he grabbed it in his
teeth and did it again:  toss, pounce, roll.  At first, it seemed as
though he was trying to play with it, and disappointed that it wasn't
"playing back."  But I'd never seen him rolling on top of things -- that
looked like some sort of ritual display, "See what I have caught!" After 
a few iterations of this, he settled down to some serious chomping, and
soon the rat was just a bloodstain on the patio.

Is my interpretation of this as a display behavior correct?  Do other
cats do this?  (The other time he ate a mouse in front of me, he picked
it up and dropped it several times, but he didn't throw it into the air
or jump after it, or roll on it.)

Ilana
and Elvis Kittycat "Dances With Mice"

-- 
/\                Ilana Stern DoD#009  ilana@ncar.ucar.edu 
  \_][ <--NCAR       Colorado...is totally rectangular.
      \_Boulder______________________________________________________Kansas__
From: mverman@msus1.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Looking for pet odor remover/neutralizer.
Date: 11 Sep 92 15:49:38 -0600
Organization: Minnesota State University System

>>> (What to use to remove cat-stain and cat-odor?)
>>
>>	     ***** Nature's Miracle *****
>>	     available at pet supply stores.
> 
> Actually, plain old ordinary white vinegar also works like a charm, and
> is a helluva lot cheaper.  Nature's Miracle is about eight bucks the
> quart; white vinegar at Safeway, house brand, around sixty cents.  I


Plain bleach is also an inexpensive and effective alternative, which works
on bleachable fabrics and on woodwork, linoleum, walls, etc.  After washing
thoroughly with bleach, rinse the bleach off thoroughly with water to avoid
bleaching out colours or ruining the surface finish.

>...when I'm not around,
> Sarah goes up to my room, sulks, and pees on the down comforter to get
> back at me for not being there to sympathize.  The first time it happened
> I was hysterical (the comforter was 4 days old and $300).  Now I just
> sigh and get out the vinegar.
> 
> I *wish* I could make Sarah stop doing this, but I haven't been able to
...

You could close your bedroom door when you're out, if you prefer an unsoiled
comforter to allowing Sarah the refuge of your room.

... shu













> Ellen Eades					Microsoft Corporation
> "Just call me F.G.M.  I hate excess verbiage."  _Twice Upon a Time_
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: K_LEPA@unhh.unh.edu (Kristen   Lepa)
Subject: Re: How NOT to impress your girlfriend
Organization: University of New Hampshire
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 01:03:22 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.12

In <1992Sep14.220027.26706@den.mmc.com> snoopy@spacemanspiff.den.mmc.com writes:

> In article <1782@shaman.wv.tek.com> robd@orca.wv.tek.com writes:
> >
> 
> [Story about Smokey smokin deleted]
> >
> >Final Score:
> >
> >Smokes tail: No apparent damage. I don't think she even knew what happened.
> >Girlfriend:  Still in the mood for a bubble bath...but either the cat or
> >             the candles have to go!
> >Me:   Wiser....and still chuckling.....
> >
> >
> >          +====================================================+
> >          | Robert Dixon, Reliability Engineering Proj. Leader |
> 
>

Ha!  That reminds me of a story my boyfriend told me:  when he was young,
he had a really dumb cat named Clyde.  Well, one day Clyde saw a candle
burning and went up to investigate it.  [sniff]
Now that was one cat who really learned a lesson the _hard_ way!

meeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooooooouch!

	-Kristen
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cat Peeing
From: graeme@hart.actrix.gen.nz (Graeme Hart)
Date: 8 Sep 92 6:8:9 GMT
Keywords: Pee

meyer@uuisis.isis.org (Katherine Meyer @ International Shared Information Service (Ottawa)) once wrote....
>graeme@hart.actrix.gen.nz (Graeme Hart) writes:
>
>>>We have three cats.  Two ex-females, and one ex-male (i.e. they have all
>>>been spayed/neutered).
>>>One of the females insists on peeing in the doorway to our bedroom.
>>>She does this at least once a week, sometimes once a day.  Occasionally
>>>she will pee somewhere else such as in the lounge.
>
>>>We have had her checked by the vet and the problem doesn't seem to be
>>>medical.  She pees outside most of the time.  Our vet thinks she is trying 
>>>to show her ownership of the place.
>
>It could be your cat doesn't like the smell of the Kitty litter you are using.
>Some of the litters get to smell really obnoxious (because of the deoderant)
>once they get wet.  I've noticed that smell even when the box is cleaned a 
>couple times a day.  The litter being used had two deoderants in it.
>Maybe you should try an unscented litter.

Fortunately these cats are "ex wild cats", and don't use kitty litter.  They
go outside and do it in the dirt.  It's great, we NEVER have to bother
with Kitty litter.

>Also, I have three cats too and they each have their "own" litter box.  Seems 
>to help.  I have two males kittens and an adult female (all neutered).
>Don't clean the cat pee up with an ammonia based cleaner.  They will pee 
>there again because the ammonia creates the same smell.

Hmmm, that could be the problem, I'll see just what is in what we are using
to clean up the mess.

>
>KATHERINE
>MEYER@UUISIS.ISIS.ORG
>CANADA



----
Graeme Hart                                     Telephone:  64 4 3829124  
graeme@hart.actrix.gen.nz                       Snail Mail: PO Box 11865    
                                                            Wellington       
                                                            New Zealand
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Kittens!
Date: 8 Sep 92 20:28:37 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Sep3.223519.6501@iscsvax.uni.edu>, klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
Continuing the saga of Charlotte, her 6 new kittens, and Max:
> Anyhow, I had to teach at 10AM Tuesday, and I wasn't comfortable with
> dragging her back that night, so Mark offered his bedroom as accomodations
> for the new family...  Max, Mark's 14 lb (ex)tom, took one look at the
> kittens and decided someone was going to ask him to change diapers or
> something, and retreated under the couch.  He also let me know what
> he thought of me dragging in all those interlopers by peeing in my
> suitcase (just got socks and a swimsuit)...

Mark tells me the kittens are now *huge* (he was gone this weekend), and
Charlotte is being a good cat-mama.  Max has been shown the kittens:
he took one good sniff, then sort of a soft hiss, then walked off about
3 feet and turned his back on the entire assortment of *wierd cats*.
Maybe 2 cans of Pounce and a lb of catnip to get back in his good 
graces????

Kitten eyes should be opening soon!

Kay
From: ericj@hwcae.Honeywell.COM (Eric Jacobsen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Mice, Cats and choking
Date: 15 Sep 92 19:38:06 GMT
	<1992Sep11.131745.2624@rsg1.er.usgs.gov>
	<1992Sep11.144529.18821@super.org>
Organization: Honeywell, Air Transport Division; Phoenix, AZ

In article <1992Sep11.144529.18821@super.org> msmam@super.org (Margaret A McGarry) writes:

   >> I was told that swinging a cat back and forth
   >> between your legs in this manner is also the
   >> standard way to resuscitate a cat that has stopped 
   >> breathing.
   >> 
   >> Marge
   >
   >I'm still not clear on how you're supposed to hold the cat. Do you hold
   >it under its body with legs dangling?
   >
   >Steve

   I saw a picture of this on a pamphlet at
   the vets office.  (I guess I should get
   a copy to keep at home if I see it again!)
   The cat was held firmly at the hips, with
   the cat's head pointing down toward the floor
   (the picture showed its tummy facing the persons
   body).  The cat was swung backwards between the
   legs and then upward in an arc of about 45 degrees.
   The object is to force air into the lungs gently.
   I guess we should all ask our vets about this
   procedure when our kitties have their next visits.

Actually, I think the object is to get enough centrifugal force to
dislodge whatever the kitty is choking on. This has got to be a tad
uncomfortable for the cat, but is certainly better than letting them
choke.


--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
* Eric Jacobsen        Honeywell Inc.                           *
|     1-602-436-3941   Commercial Flight Systems, Air Transport |
* HVN       436-3941   US Mail: P.O. Box 21111, MS 2Q34C1       *
| FAX 1-602-436-1310   Phoenix AZ 85036-1111                    |
* INet: ericj@hwcae.honeywell.com                               *
| UUCP: uunet!hwcae.honeywell.com!ericj@uunet.uu.net            |
* The opinions expressed are my own and therefore better        *
| thought out than my employer's.                               |
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: maverick@topgun.b29.ingr.com (Mike Sorrelle)
Subject: Re: Possums and cats
Reply-To: maverick@topgun.b29.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph Corp., Dullsville (as in Huntsville), AL
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 22:17:04 GMT

In article <2978@voodoo.UUCP>, das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz) writes:
|> Last night, as I was sitting in a friend's kitchen chatting, we saw a
|> large possum walk up her back steps, help himself to the food she had out
|> for her cat, then waddle off.  The whole time, her cat was crouched about
|> 10 feet away, frozen, watching the whole thing.  My friend was rather
|> freaked out, having never seen a possum before, but Seattle is overrun
|> with wildlife, and I see them walking around the streets in my neighborhood
|> at night all the time, and even sometimes during the day.  I never let my
|> cats out at night, but I am wondering: are possums at all aggresive towards
|> cats?  If a cat approached a possum, would the possum run, attack, or 
|> 'play possum'?   I know all too well how racoons behave (when I was a kid a
|> family cat was ripped up by a racoon, luckily the cat survived after
|> considerable surgery), but don't know much about possums.              
|> 

My experience with possums is that they're pretty easy-going, and
non-agressive.  But on the other hand, they will stand their ground
and show their sharp teeth if approached or cornered.  My parents
cats would sometimes try to investigate one that came up to steal
some of their food, but when the possum showed its teeth and hissed,
the cats backed off, and the possum went about its business.  Pretty
much of a "leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone" attitude.

-- 
                 _   |  Mike Sorrelle, Intergraph Corp., Huntsville, AL 
  /| /| |     / / \  |  Opinions expressed here are a daemon's, not mine.
 / |/ | | /| /   \   |  Internet:  maverick@topgun.b29.ingr.com
/     | |/ |/  \_/   |  UUCP:      ...uunet!ingr!b29!topgun!maverick
From: mverman@msus1.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Conversations with cats
Date: 4 Sep 92 17:10:24 -0600
Organization: Minnesota State University System

In article <Bu2Fxv.66K@cmptrc.lonestar.org>, carter@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Carter Bennett) writes:
> In article <1992Sep3.060214.1720@walter.cray.com> bonni@snoid.cray.com (Bonni Ensminger) writes:
>>Winston has an inverted version of this, more of an OW? as if he's asking a
>>question.  In this mode, if I meow back, he'll answer,  over and over.:-)
> 
> Kepler and Einstein and I will have these conversations, too.  After doing
> it regularly, we seem to have an elementary form of communications going.
> Now that I think about it, it amazes me how specifically we can communicate
> with these utterances.  In a way, it's much like the way one can train
> animals to respond to English commands, but we're using THEIR vocal
> patterns instead of mine.  That may make all the difference, since they
> are cognizant that I'm actually trying to communicate and not just making
> noises like the TV.  Rarely does a "comment" in feline go unanswered.
> 
> It's very difficult to describe the inflexions and dynamics (some are 
> rather subtle differences from other phrases), but they have taught me 
> several phrases (or perhaps I should say we've agreed to a few specific 
> meanings).  Just off the top of my head, I'd guess that we have about ten
> "words" in our vocabulary - some of which can be strung together to form
> "sentences."
> 
> Has anyone else done this?  Has my potato been bakin' too long?
> 
> Carter R. Bennett, Jr. - Scientist      No matter where you go...
> carter@scilab.lonestar.org - home                 .../dev/tty!
> carter@cmptrc.lonestar.org - work
> KI5SR
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: adwright@iastate.edu ()
Subject: Re: I NEED A NAME
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 17:33:18 GMT

In <jll-080992114057@wplmacd-56.doc.ic.ac.uk> jll@doc.ic.ac.uk (Janice ) writes:

>HI,


>TONITE MY PARTNER AND I HAVE GOT THE IMMENSE PLEASURE OF BRINGING
>HOME A NEW 10WEEK OLD TOM KITTEN.  HE IS VERY FLUFFY 
>WITH GREY AND WHITE PATCHES AND A BLACK SPOTTY NOSE.
>THE ONLY PROBLEM IS - WHAT TO NAME HIM?  SO FAR WE 
>HAVE COME UP WITH SMOKEY, BADGER, ARCHIE AND MICKIE.
>HAS ANYONE ANY *GOOD* SUGGESTIONS FOR A PRETTY GREY AND WHITE
>KITTEN?

>TU IN ADVANCE

>Janice AND Marcus.


How about a name that suits the personality? You do not have to think hard 
about it. It could take some time but all of a sudden it will hit you.

My brother-in-law has two cats named "blackie" and "calico". Guess what
they look like :)

We named a black cat "shadow" but he was so named because he would follow 
us around all the time.

Anyway, enjoy your kitty. Sounds like a real cutie!
Allen
From: syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sid Yearick)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cats, fleas, Precor, etc.
Date: 10 Sep 92 19:27:13 GMT
Reply-To: syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sid Yearick)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

My youngest has worked for a Vet since age 14 (now 17) and now is working for 
a groomer.  She told me the other night that they bathe the cats and dogs with 
palmolive dish soap and that it works to kill the fleas but it is still gentle 
and doesn't bother the animals.  I use it for my plants to spray for bugs, so 
I guess it is an all purpose detergent!

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
               /|              []   syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil
            ` o.O '            []   Sid Yearick
            =(___)=            []   David Taylor Model Basin Carderock Division
               U               []   Naval Surface Warfare Center
          ACK!THPTPHH!         []   Bethesda, Maryland 20084-5000
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][]][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
From: cwaite@opal.tufts.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: What we say; what cats hear
Date: 11 Sep 92 14:59:01 GMT
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA

There's one word my cat Oz knows besides his name (which took him a long time
to learn): bird!  His absolutely favorite toy is like a fishing pole with a
feathered thing at the end of the line with flutters around like a bird.  If I
ask him if he wants his bird he'll get all excited and chirp at me.  Because I
thought he might be listening to my intonation rather than the word, I've tried
asking him in different ways and he still seems to respond to the work "bird".
By the way, I have to keep it hidden and very securely out of his reach or
he'll demolish it.  My other kitties (Albert, Gellis and Ms. P) like the bird
too but not as much as Oz;  it's the only way I can rid him of his excess
energy.