Eldritch Mlems

So afaik there's no definitive answer as to why they do it. I heard it's an attempt to lure prey closer but I find that not very convincing as I can't believe it would ever actually work, especially since they make the same sound for mice, birds and even insects.

I've observed two aspects about it that I haven't heard anywhere before: They only make the sound when the prey is out of reach and there's a social aspect to it. I've tested both myself. If you want to you can test the social aspect too. Next time your cat is locked in on a bird outside the window just make a vaguely chitter-esque sound and there's a good chance it will join in. I do it a lot since I've discovered it's contagious for them. Really gets them riled up and ready for murder 😅

My best guess is when cats do this they're basically stimming, similar to purring. They don't have naturally great attention spans but they need to stay focused on the prey in case it moves within range. Producing a sound might help them stay in the zone. The fact that it can be triggered by making the same sound does puzzle me a little. Maybe it's just a way for them to bond, sort of like howling in wolfs. Hunting is very important to them after all so actively stalking prey together could be a way to strenghten the relationship. I don't think they do it as a hunting strategy though. Maybe I'm wrong but I've never seen house cats actually hunt together as a team.

Ok enough yapping out of me. What are your thoughts? Do you have theories of your own? And have you ever chittered together with your cat? 😄

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/54393323

(German, 1863-1906)

Sophie Sperlich was a well-known artist in Munich, her home town. Although not much information is available about her, she was a popular artist painting both dogs and cats. Her paintings are in the same style as those of Julius Adam and Henriette Ronner-Knip. Many of her works were used as postcard illustrations.

More cats: https://artvee.com/artist/sophie-sperlich/

On the one hand I somewhat hate my old name and getting referred to as male, but on the other hand I would actually have to correct others to use my preferred name/pronouns.

Edit: Its not that im uncomfortable with she/her or that I have to fear of people having a negative reaction over it, but instead that I simply do not like to correct people so I do not "fulfill" the st ereotype of "the annoying trans person that constantly annoys you about pronouns". Is it completely irrational to think like that (especially since all of the people I interact with are very accepting)? Yes! Do I still feel that way? Also yes!

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Esther Fallick wants her comedy to be an escape from the horrors. But that escape has a purpose: to make it easier to face these times for what they are. By poking fun at something that can feel so heavy, like the president pitting his administration against transgender people, Fallick wants to find ways to bring people together and laugh off the darkness creeping in on everyday life.

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• Russian courts have issued over 100 convictions for “extremism” for participating in the “International LGBT Movement” or displaying its alleged symbols.
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