28/04/2010

Dandelion Season is back

Yesterday in the late afternoon I visited the kats. There was not much going on, though. After a long and sunny day the kats were rather idle, mostly sunning themselves or sleeping.


Sayuri and Flat Ears enjoying a warm spring day.

The question of who will become the next dominant couple is still unanswered. Neither Sayuri nor Caruso seem to excite any interest in the males.

We discussed this and came to the conclusion that it would need a new male in the group.
Christian`s opinion is that the incest repression (I`m not sure about this expression...) is not genetical, but rather social. This meaning that the males are not interested in the females, because of their close social bonds, taking care of them as pups and guarding them while they were growing up etc.

Some dead logs and cut-off boughs were added to the enclosure, as long as it is still bleak from winter. The dead logs and roots are favourites with the kats, they like scratching and examining the bark, playing with and sitting on the logs.

Everybody looked healthy so far.
Möfzi is a bit stiff, but she will defend her food and even tried to jump for the dandelion, whereas the former champions Orlok and Flat Ears did not bother to jump. Flat Ears seemed rather shy, but these last months we have not been visiting as regularly as we used to.

But Sayuri did jump! She landed on her back with an audible "THUMP" and gave me the evil eye ;-)

Stubby Tail looked rather unkempt in his winter fur. It looked like the strange relationship between him and Orlok has been discontinued.

Yesterday evening lacked a bit of the mob feeling, with everybody doing things on their own.

Lateron Möfzi lay down for a nap and after some time first Caruso and then Snoutie came to her. Snoutie made loud squeaky-calls and strated grooming Möfzi, who remaind impassive. After some time he started gnawing her tail tip, like he used to do as a pup. But even this did not result in any reaction. After some time he lost interest and went away, with Möfzi dozing happily on her own.

Flat Ears also went to sleep by himself on one of the big stones, which must have been warm from the sun. He was asleep most of the time during my visit. At first I did not see him, but then I discovered him on the far side of the lookout hills, stretched out flat like some meerkat rug.

With the fine weather continuing during the week, I will hopefully find time for another visit soon.

Here come some pics I took yesterday.



Food´s not, what it used to be... Waiter! I would like to file a complaint!
Left to right: Flat Ears, Möfzi and Sayuri, Sayuri

And here is the latest video posted by Christian on youtube, as I cannot embed this video for whatever reasons, I will just post the link.