We tried that so we could tell them apart, but when they "Play Fight" they paw the ribbons off. I also have concerns they could strangle on the ribbons too.

The idea of a helix striped yellow and black cat just popped up in my head.

Here's where I got the idea.

http://www.airliners.net/photos/air...../6/0809617.jpg

He will have his revenge for your impertinence.

SOON.

Yes. I am certain if given the chance he will perforate my posterior Purfunctorarily.

Having been living with a black cat in the house for 5+ years, I believe that the alleged medieval connection of black cats with 'bad luck' was very pragmatic. Imagine living in a hut in 1400 (or even a small grain mill, or castle in 1400). You and your mouse-eating cat get along fine until night-time. Think of what the lighting is like in 1400. (Real lighting, compared to fantasy movie lighting.) There might be some dim light from a fireplace (or moonlight, if you had a shutter open). You might be rich enough to have a candle, but you are not likely to burn it most of the night, and certainly not all night long.

So you and your (black) cat both get up in the dark to go take care of midnight business. If it were a white cat trotting across your path there might be the chance that you would notice that foot-level flash of dark grey from the dim light from some reflected fireplace embers. With a black cat, no chance of seeing anything. Bad Luck ensues, including bruised knees, maybe.

So a black cat becomes "Bad Luck" from the increased chances of midnight collisions in your hovel.

When a body meet a body... Just below the knees.

I LIKE that explanation better than anything I've read on the association of Black Cats and bad luck. (Crosses fingers behind back.) Here I thought Black cats were associated with evil because they were the same color as the night, or their association with Medieval witches, and the practice of Black Magic. (Knocks 3 times on wooden desk.) Yes. I had never taken into account the poor lighting of those times, not to mention poor eye health brought on by disease, injury or even clouding of the corneas by age.

I feel my encounters with Charley and his brother Sammy have been more "Unlucky" on my part though. We seemed to hit it off poorly after I moved in here last September, but after I started feeding them and taking care of them, they have been very lucky cats indeed.

Heh... Now I Wonder if black cats have superstitions about humans wearing thick eye glasses...

"Great maker, the eyes are all wrong!" *buckles frightened and hisses, then flees under the drawer*

That makes all kinds of sense, especially since the old superstition is about black cats "crossing your path". It's funny how easily practical becomes mystical thru ages of retelling.

"The Greatest Disadvantage of an All Black Cat..."

Is the chance/odds of getting your ass (and other bits) slashed when you sit on one!

That's the most distressing part of it all. Charley is so "Mellow" in his temperament that he rarely even hisses at me. Both cats eat well, and both being total indoor cats only seem to express aggression towards one another as Siblings do. Sammy on the other Paw is the noisy-er and bossiest of the two. Oh yeah. He'll yowl or hiss if I accidentally step or sit on him.

i have 3 of them and one is blacker than the blackest black times infinity!! her name is tyra....tyra the black hole, tyra the shadow beast.......tyra the snuggly void!

Oh my gosh! You just gave me a great name for a scout space ship.

lol! glad i could help! :)

Get in the habit of sweeping a hand across whatever you plan to sit on before doing so.

It helps.

-Badger-

Yes! I will adopt that practice from now on. Either that or I can place a white or light colored towel over the seat.

In my case, it was to make sure the pet gopher snake had not sneaked up onto the chair when I got up, because it was warm.




-Badger-

Gopher snakes are neat.

Or put colored tape on the chair. Perhaps green for go. If you can't see down to the crack between cushions, there's a cat.

It's the sunlight overpowering your camera. I have had a black cat before but the absolute WORST is the Tortoise shell cat that we now have, she is absolutely invisible in low light unless she is moving. I mean ABSOLUTELY INVISIBLE (stomp) MeerrrOOOOOWWWWWW........ CLAWS!!!!!

My friend Schirm has a fluffy, orange moggie named "Alex" who is a skillful hunter. I've often joked that if the cat was unfortunate enough to get all four paws dipped in black mud, and with his white tail tip he could be mistaken for a red fox. ...At a great distance, mind you.

Ahh, yes. Try a grey striped one, when all yer gear is grey, black or green.

Like that new military gray stripes stuff which I believe they nicknamed "Lizard?" I think I know what you're referring to. Yeah. A gray striped cat could disappear into that stuff teal quick.

Yeah. Grab an item of gear, get a hiss-claw-OUCH, instead.

I'm reminded of an early "Krazy Kat" cartoon....

"The invisibility of a black Cat against a back background..." 7@=e

You wouldn't happen to know if there was a revised series of Krazy Kat cartoons from the early 1960s? I couldn't stand them because Ignatz the rat was well... A rat and was always chucking bricks at the cat, and she'd Love him for it.

I remember those cartoons: the same syndicate also did versions of "Snuffy Smith" and "Beetle Bailey". 7@=e

Ah ah ah! Grreat Ballsafire I's Bo-day-shush! Oh yeah! Possibly one of the oddest, cartoon theme songs a nine year old child could hear in 1966.

A black cat crossed your buns!

Yes. And I ended up with Cat Crossed Buns. On a side note, I discovered one of the local, overly Ritzy supermarkets has a bakery that specializes in European style treats, including crossed buns. If I ever get rich again I might try a couple just to see what they're like.

As prwawojazdy suggested, I'd do something about the color of the chair. Like get a small, light colored blanket or cover for it, so you could up the contrast without damaging the upholstery.

That would be the easiest way to fix the problem, yes. I have a roll of sparkly metallic Green duct tape around here someplace too. But I agree that anything to create contrast between the cat and the chair would be helpful.

I guess I shouldn't submit anything with the bright sun shining on the monitor. Either that or my inexpensive little Digital Camera is getting ready to give up the Ghost.

Most likely it's the former. Most cameras don't handle bright light coming from behind the subject being photographed very well. You'd generally need a "pro"-style 35mm or digital SLR with interchangeable lenses and filters to take strongly backlit shots like that, so that you can control the exposure manually.

I can't help but agree with you there. I used to own a Minolta X-700 SLR with three lenses, and I really enjoyed using it to photograph my models I'd build. The little Vivatar has one of those LCD screen on the back which gives me a good idea of what I'm shooting, but no control over exposure or light. It can focus to about a foot, but I kind of miss being able to get in to about three inches. Anyway, someday if the Fates are kind, I'd like to get a digital SLR as I feel that type of camera would be better suited for my artistic and archival needs.

I was at a house once that had a tiny little Chihuahua. Poor thing'd sleep on the sofa with one eye open and as soon as someone's gigantic butt began to descend, it would book out of there so fast it would your head spin.... Literally, it was a streak of light....

On the plus side that dog would at least get out of the way. Thank goodness it wasn't one of those overbred, hyperterritorial types that wouldn't let ANYONE or anything sit on HIS couch. My brother's Yorkie was like that, and nobody would visit the apartment as long as "Greta" was out and about.