- #31
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DocToxyn calls them undercooked deer.
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Is our cat best friends with a pet deer?
- Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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Discussion Overview
The discussion centers around the interactions between a pet cat and a resident deer in a garden setting, exploring the nature of their relationship and the implications of potential offspring. Participants share anecdotes, observations, and speculations regarding the behavior of both animals, as well as the impact on the garden and the possibility of deer-related issues.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Conceptual clarification
- Debate/contested
- Meta-discussion
Main Points Raised
- Some participants describe playful interactions between the cat and the deer, suggesting a friendly relationship.
- Others speculate about the possibility of the cat and deer having offspring, humorously referring to them as "deercats" or "catdeers."
- Concerns are raised about the deer potentially damaging the garden, with some participants noting Tsu's frustration over the state of her plants.
- There is discussion about the characteristics of the deer, including the development of antlers and the implications for gender identification.
- Participants share personal anecdotes about deer behavior, including their tendency to play when safe from predators.
- Some express a desire for photos of the animals, leading to shared images and further commentary on their cuteness.
- There is a mention of the potential dangers posed by young male deer during mating season, highlighting the complexities of human-deer interactions.
- Discussions also touch on the types of deer present, with some participants correcting each other on species identification.
- Humorous remarks are made about the deer being referred to as "undercooked" and the implications of hunting in certain regions.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally share a sense of wonder and amusement regarding the cat and deer interactions, but there are competing views on the implications of their relationship, particularly concerning garden damage and species identification. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the potential for offspring and the future dynamics between the animals.
Contextual Notes
There are uncertainties regarding the identification of deer species, the implications of deer behavior on garden maintenance, and the timeline for potential offspring. Some statements about animal behavior are anecdotal and may not apply universally.
Who May Find This Useful
Readers interested in animal behavior, human-animal relationships, or those with a particular interest in deer and pet interactions may find this discussion engaging.
- #32
Moonbear
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Ivan Seeking said:
Since I'm moving to WV where I think their biggest "industry" is hunting, I suppose I have to say the same thing now. 
They're really cute at a distance, not so cute close up and in tight quarters.- #33
Evo
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Nooooo, NOOOOOO. I can't even think about killing one of those beautiful creatures.Moonbear said:
Of course if it's already a rump roast, the only decent thing to do is eat it, in honor of it, of course, sort of a "Stranger in a strange land" grokking kind of way.
- #34
Integral
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Actually they are Western Black Tail. Oregon has a very small White Tail population, they are localized in a valley about 100mi south of here. Our Black Tails are small, less the 100lbs dressed, often way less then 100 lbs. If you go to the other side of the Cascade mountains you will find a much larger Mule Deer.Moonbear said:
My mom was born and grew up on a ranch in the Oregon Coast range. One year, as a child, she befriended a deer, later in the year her "pet" grew horns (ok, antlers). When it chased her across the yard and tore her dress, grandpa wasted no time...They had venison.
- #35
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I'd say the more immediate concern is the cat getting stomped.
- #36
Moonbear
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Integral said:
Maybe it's the lighting, but the deer in the pictures don't look like they have black tails (the distinctive characteristic of black-tailed deer, not surprisingly). Other than that, it's pretty hard to tell white-tails from black-tails, at least for me
. Well, if they are black-tails, then those aren't such a vermin as white-tails, so we won't turn them into venison. Tsu can watch for fawns.
Ivan Seeking said:
Deer seem to know house cats can't really do anything to them. When I worked with deer, we had a stupid, highly annoying, loud barn cat that we thought we'd find stomped one day, but he seemed to wander among the deer all he wanted and they didn't really care. They can move a lot faster than the cat if they want to be left alone.
- #37
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Okay we have a solution. If this is a male, when the antlers start getting large I'm going to have Tsu go out and put little rubber tips on the ends.
[Reminds me a bit of how my grandpa told me to catch birds: Just put a little salt on their tail.]
[Reminds me a bit of how my grandpa told me to catch birds: Just put a little salt on their tail.]
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- #38
hypatia
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I think she will need some practise...say, finger cots at 40 paces?
- #39
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Tonight I walked out the back door of the house and caught a doe playing with two of our cats, and only about five feet away. Of course as soon as the door shut she saw me and ran for cover; with two cats right behind her.
So now they are up to the door. What's next? Of course it beats skunks.
I once met a woman who, while taking a leisurely bath one day, looked up to see a baby Brahma Bull standing in the doorway of the bathroom and watching her.
So now they are up to the door. What's next? Of course it beats skunks.
I once met a woman who, while taking a leisurely bath one day, looked up to see a baby Brahma Bull standing in the doorway of the bathroom and watching her.
- #40
Evo
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Brahma's are well known voyeurs.Ivan Seeking said:I once met a woman who, while taking a leisurely bath one day, looked up to see a baby Brahma Bull standing in the doorway of the bathroom and watching her.
- #41
revelator
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Was it a romantic, Pepe le Pieu, kind of rendezvous?
- #42
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revelator said:
We don't know of any funny business, but cats and skunks do really like each other. Well...that was until they met Bun. Until now our cats and the skunks liked to hang out, but Bun [barely a year old] is so high energy that she seems to have run them all away. I would see her chasing them all around my office, and then, one day, they were gone.