being single sucks -_-

Very True. I hate it. But, being gone for sometimes six-or-more months out of the year, and killing a relationship because if it, sucks even worse, so I endure.

*Wondering what your biggest secret might be*

If leopards scent smell like you said it did, it's not that bad;) There are a lot more foul smelling things out there than that. But i'm not gonna bother listing them here...

Is it appropriate to ask what your full name is? You can answer by email if you want to tell me^^,

Hey, can i do this one to? It's fun reading about my friends, so maybe my friends will like reading about me as well:)

(shasta grins deviantly) I never tell secrets. }:>

About the leopard scent: calling it pungent is putting it mildly, but most animal scents/odors are just not something that bother me. If a leopard scent-marks you, you'll be searing it for a few days, no matter how many showers you take. It's pretty rank stuff. But again, things like that just don't bother me, although I've seen a few folks that've gotten sprayed, and they literally wretch from it.

If you're really curious, I'll tell you the name via email. :)

I'll read your "secrets" next, as I see you've posted it now.

Well, i still wanna smell it so that i know what it smells like:p I have a feeling it wouldn't bother me to much anyway...

Yea, i'm curious:) I think i have the whole thing by now, but i'm unsure of what order they should be in:p

And about the secret, you'll tell me someday:p I've just gotta work you a bit more first }:>

*Ugh, now you've infected me with that evil smily as well:s*

I'm not sure I have a good description as to what leopard scent smells like. It's just one of those totally unique scents that defies description.

Tiger scent, tho... The best decription I can offer for that one is stale, heavily buttered popcorn. I know it sounds silly, but it's actualy quite accurate. Of course, tiger-scent can be rather overwhelming too. But in biological terms, tiger-scent is water-soluable, which means a good wash of the clothes and a shower, and it's gone. Leopard-scent is oil-based, so you get to keep it a day or two (or three, if they /really/ got you good).

Anyway, I guess I've beat the whole cat-scent thing into the ground now, huh?

Yea, i guess so:) But it seems like whenever something we've talked about before comes up, i still learn something new:p

But i guess i should thank you for the good info you give me about... Well, whatever i wanna know about anything^^, hehe. Now i have something new to tell my friends that will make me sound smart for once:p It was Tiger scent you mentioned before! I still remember almost everything about that, except that i forgot it was tigers you mentioned:s

But just a few more question about this... And exuse me if some are sickening ones, but i'm curious and i would have found out myself if i could:p

What's it taste like?

I assume it doesn't burn, but... You never know... Maybe it's really hot? (As in warm).

Do the animal become much friendlier after it's marked you?

Maybe you should just direct me to some book or something, cos i could ask new questions all day:s You must have some fantastic books in your library. Or is everything learned first hand?

(Oh, and btw, the story you sent me is great so far;) )

(Shasta ponders the questions...)

Taste... I really have no idea. It's mostly urine, so I'd guess it to be salty, and depending on blood-sugar levels, maybe a little sweet too. In truth, I've never gotten blasted in the face, although it's been close a few times. Most of the time, because I’ve worked around cats long enough to keep a watch out and usually see it coming, and either get spun around in time for it to hit my back, or more often, I manage to avoid it completely.

Cats have a normal body temp of about 101(f), so just a little warmer than we are. Being that urine is waste-fluids coming from the blood, and then "stored" in the body, it's usually at body-temp, so yes, it's warm, or even a little hot. Of course, if you get into the whole physics of liquids spraying under pressure into air, because of the urine somewhat becoming droplets in the air, the heat in them is rapidly lost into the air itself (because of the large surface area of a drop of liquid versus the quantity of it) so usually, unless you're close, or get hit by a full stream (which has happened to more than a few people - insert deviant grin here) then it's more about air-temp, which can even make it feel cold if you’re warm anyway and there’s a breeze.

As far as being more friendly, hard to say. Cats are weird creatures, and in many cases, they're somewhat black-and-white about things. They either like you, or they don't, and if they don't, you've got a snowball's change in Hell at changing their mind. So usually, if they claim you as their own, they've made up their mind long before they mark you. In fact, they don't always urine-mark either. Like with myself and Macumba, he's definitely my buddy (aka I'm his Chosen One) and he's never urine-marked me. Of course, I can't say I've really given him opportunity either. Leopards can be really sneaky, so I tend to watch him very close. But usually, when I'm working with him, I'll take off my hat or my coat if I'm wearing them, as that's less things he can grab when I'm in the cage with him. That means that he's got stationary targets that smell like me outside the cage, and more than once, he's marked them quite generously. Being that I'm in the cage with him, I just have to grin an bear it, as there's not a whole lot I can do about it anyway. Again, maybe I’m weird, but the scent doesn’t really bother me, even though it’s rather abrasive and pungent.

Unfortunately, when it comes to some of the more trivial, biological and behavioral stuffs, most authors don’t write about them. With the more detailed books, they might go into some basic facts, like reproduction, gestation, and some feeding/hunting facts, but that’s about it. For most of the curiosities beyond those, you’ll just have to find a biologist and ask. In all my years in the “furry fandom” - though on the periphery most of the time - I’ve been asked almost every question under the sun. I don’t mind questions, and I try to answer thoroughly and completely, even if the topic might be considered “off-color” to some folks. Probably the discussions about scent-marking are great examples. I always try to be quite open and honest about what I know and sharing it when people ask.

So I guess all that’s to say, I can’t really recommend any books that go into that kind of detail, but if you’re curious about anything, ask, and if I know, or know where to get the answer for you, I’ll be more than happy to share. Of course, I should issue the warning with that: if you ask, be prepared for the answer, because as you know, I tend to just put out all the facts in a rather verbose and matter-of-fact manner.

Anyway, nuff babble for now. :)

Well, in the grand scheme of things, it's really the same idea as a domestic cat, but obviously, the volume is much greater, which can certainly be a problem. But you might find it fascinating to know some of the psychology behind it.

In the basic terms, scent-marking is to more-or-less define territory. Cats use scent-marks as "property signs". For the most part, cats will respect each other's territory. Scents are also used for "advertisements", as a female in heat needs to let the male know that she's receptive, and likewise, the male needs to let the females boardingering his turf that he's there.

In the more social arena, such as big cats in captivity as well as domestics, there's really only two reasons that you might find yourself scent-marked, one good, and one bad.

Good: Cats are highly selective about who they like and who they don't. So if a cat likes you, they'll scent-mark you, which is essentially claiming you as their own. There's a couple forms of scent-marking. The urine-propelled scenting is probably the most obvious, and to some people, the most vile, but keep it in perspective. Yeah, it's kinda disgusting to think that you've just been pissed on, but if you keep in mind that the cat likes you enough to want to claim you as his/her own, then it's kinda a neat thing too. There's also scent-glands on the cat's cheek. So when they head-rub with you, they're actually scent-marking you as well. In fact, if your domestic cat doesn't mind being held, pick it up, and put your nose into those little whiskers that are on its cheek, behind the "feeler" whiskers. If you've got a pretty good nose, then you'll be able to smell the cat's unique scent.

On the "bad" side, a cat will also spray people as a somewhat direct form of insult. If the cat really doesn't like you, then you might find yourself literally pissed on, and in this case, it's exactly that: getting pee'd on. Quite the insult indeed!

So really, there's a lot of psychology that animals display for us meager humans, in so many ways. And cats aren't unique. Wolves (and some dogs) have many of the same behaviors, although they might manifest in different ways.

Anyway, enuf babble from me. That's all probably more that you ever wanted to know about scnet-marking. :)

ROFLMAO

sometimes i think i like your journals more for the comments than the journal its self.

Well, as long as I'm being a source of entertainment and trivial information, then all's good!

In truth, I have a lot of fun with the interaction. Getting some good dialogs going can be a lot of fun, I think.

i have to ammend what i said slightly it's because of the comments & dialog that adds to my enjoyment of your journals!

the trivia is just an extra added bonus to that ie come for the journal, stay for the trivia & comments

This one looks like fun; I think I'll steal it. =^ ^=

Oh, and Saint-Saens? Excellent choice. :: loves classical music::

Have fun with it all (I think that's the point anyway). :)

I can listen to just about anything, but I've always been partial to the various "classical" genres. They really paddle my boat. Saint-Seans... That particular piece is one of my most favorite, obnoxious organ works. :)

Yay for obnoxious organ works! =^ ^=