[foot-loose]

10:02 normally.

[Console]

Exactly.

[rustybike]

What's upset me today is the fact that I could have become a parent of a beautiful white kitten today.

See, I had to rescue it and take it to the vet first to get it checked over as I saw it fall off a pretty high balcony (stupid owners obviously just left their window open (which they fessed up to later after I told them off)). Once my credit card was fried I took it home and bought it some food and kitten milk and even a small bed and litter tray. But then the so called owner contacted me to get it back.

I'm completely heartbroken. My own fault - I really shouldn't have got attached, especially as I knew it would happen once I put the "Found" posters up around my street.

[Andy B]

Was it not chipped? Bugger it, Finders Keepers I say. Obviously that doesn't appy to Muffin or Crumpet or Abbey.

[rustybike]

No it wasn't. We checked.

I was kinda in the mood not to take it to the vet incase of this happening but not only was I worried that Mr Kitten had hurt himself falling off the balcony, as his nose was bleeding a bit, but I felt guilty because I wondered how I would have felt if I was in the owners shoes. But then again I wouldn't be in that situation because I'm responsible!

[Andy B]

Actually (sorry for the double post) How do the computers read the picture thingys anyway? Computers don't have eyes, yet! I know they can do it when you scan it in but when it's just a picture on a screen how does it read it? Bloody magic I tell ya.

[foot-loose]

dogs > cats.

[Console]

How do the computers read the picture thingys anyway?

They analyse the picture directly, as binary data, without having to 'view' it optically. From memory, OCR works by using a neural network to look for specific blocks within the image, which they simplify and try to match against know patterns. Essentially, it's educated guess work by the computer, especially with such a wide variety of fonts and writing styles, but in such a specific area as CAPTCHA busting, it can get the correct sequence very often.

[chrysostom]

dogs > cats.

definitely this.

I refer you to the Jeff Goldblum classical film representation.

[Andy B]

Console - I still say it's the first sign that the machines are starting to take over. It's the beginning of the end people. Mark my words.

[rustybike]

dogs > cats.

I would generally agree - however dogs are more destructive when they get bored as they're more reliant, where as cats generally sleep; so for now, I think we're going to have to settle for a cat or 2 to keep each other company. Which, by the way, are still lovely but I would rather have a Dog just because of the fact you can't really take cats out for a walk or play around with them without having to involve some shitty mouse on a bit of string. Later on when we own our own property it'll be dogs all the way.

[foot-loose]

Cats destroy things 24/7.

Dogs don't destroy anything if they are well trained and have plenty of things to keep them entertained.

[rustybike]

Cats destroy things 24/7.

Dogs don't destroy anything if they are well trained and have plenty of things to keep them entertained.

Cat's don't actually destroy things if they're trained too. My cats at mummy bike's have never really been destructive apart from a wee on the floor every now and again. Where as the dog, despite being incredibly well trained and obedient still has a slight tantrum for a couple of minutes (i.e Throwing cushions off the sofa) when one of us leaves the house. He'll only do it for a couple of minutes then wander outside. Where as the cats just sod off out.

[foot-loose]

If your dog throws a tantrum, then the cushions off the sofa, then he isn't very well trained (sorry to be blunt an that). I thought you couldnt train cats? I thought they looked down on that sorta thing?

[rustybike]

If your dog throws a tantrum, then the cushions off the sofa, then he isn't very well trained (sorry to be blunt an that). I thought you couldnt train cats? I thought they looked down on that sorta thing?

Maybe, but with everything else he is extremely well trained, I think it's just because he doesn't like being left alone, or thinking that he's alone (usually there's someone in the kitchen or upstairs which he forgets about).

No, cats can't be trained like dogs but a tap on the bum sure as hell makes them stop scratching a sofa.

[foot-loose]

We used lemon juice on Hollie and Abby is currently enjoying that delight. By God do they hate the taste, but it doesn't harm them.

(except from when Abby ate the paint in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. Dad walloped her for that - he wasn't impressed)

[rustybike]

We used lemon juice on Hollie and Abby is currently enjoying that delight. By God do they hate the taste, but it doesn't harm them.

(except from when Abby ate the paint in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. Dad walloped her for that - he wasn't impressed)

Lemon juice is an excellent tactic. I used to use it on the Hamsters cages to stop them chewing the bars all night.

She ate the paint??? Is she ok???

[foot-loose]

I think she spat it out again.

[S4B]

My cats have never ruined ANYTHING. I do love my cats but I miss having a dog.

[Andy B]

My dogs generally sleep all day, however Crumpet is now getting to the age and size where if she wants to destroy anything her first and only target these days is Muffin.....who then beats the shit out of her but Crumpet is getting a few blows in these days. My water pistol needs constant refilling.

[Sunny So Cal]

To be fair, Andy, Muffin and Crumpet are the size of hamsters so they don't really count in the canine world. There's not a hell of a lot of damage they can do, is there? They must need a ramp to get up onto the sofa and they'd be incapable of throwing a cushion onto the floor to mangle!

Cats are evil. I used to have one that whenever she saw the luggage come out, she knew it portended an extended absence on my part and would respond in kind. She'd have a wee inside the luggage. Then I took to bringing all the items to be packed into the garage and doing it there, out of sight. She clued in eventually and on 2 occasions, while I was busy packing in the garage, she'd saunter into my closet and wee inside my handbags. We also have one cat who can't go near a duvet without leaving some sort of bodily deposit behind. For this reason, her and her siblings all live in the enclosed sunroom and are only permitted in the house if one of us is watching them. My husband says it's like a library book, whoever checked the cat in the house is now responsible for checking it back out again.

I'm not saying dogs are better, sorry Foots, but they certainly don't plot against you. Or mine doesn't. My dog is thick as pig shit and completely incapable of the thought processes that plotting would entail. She's a black lab/greyhound mix and the only times she'd ever done anything wrong was when she was a puppy and was teething. She ate my wooden furniture patio set -- she left only the springs and the metal bits behind.

[Andy B]

My dogs are not hampsters.....my bed comes halfway up my thigh and they can easily clear that. Muffin is an expert and hell hath no fury like a pug denied food. I came back the other day and they'd ripped open a cushion and had ripped all the stuffing out of it.

They are evil plotting schemers. Muffin is fairly direct in her approach but Crumpet is devious and sly. She finds exactly where the line is and then slumps down on that line....then when you are not looking, she sneaks across it but only a bit. Then when you turn your back she sneaks a bit more.

I swear that if we didn't keep their food in a top cupboard they'd kill me and eat my remains.

[Sunny So Cal]

Loved the new pics you posted. Hope you saw my remark!

I swear that if we didn't keep their food in a top cupboard they'd kill me and eat my remains.

Can the missus video this and post it?

[MK Chris]

It looks like the company my mum works for are finally going to tell them that the Milton Keynes branch is closing, but they're not saying who keeps their jobs and who doesn't. I wish the arseholes would be more open about it, this has been dragging on for weeks.

My suspicion is that my mum will be made redundant though... they are looking for multitaskers, which she ain't (although she is very good at her own job.)

[Yudster]

I've had loads of cats over the years and I don't reacall any of them ever being destructive by nature. One of them ruined a carpet but only because she got shut in a bedroom all day and couldn't get out so she was scrabbling at the corner of the door trying to get it open, so I'm thinking she had some kind of excuse.

Dogs surely aren't really destructive by nature are they? I thought they just chewed stuff up because they get bored. My first dog ever ate a sofa if I remember rightly. I really think that dogs only work as pets if they are constantly entertained (especially when young). I like them, but not to that extent.