What's a 'catbird' you ask!

Friskie's mom wrote me to tell me that she planned to write a blog entry, on her family's blog (listed under our follower's as 'The Benny's, (little white puppy pic) . She mentioned that Friskie had seemed to learn a new language after his last visit ... I didn't understand what she had meant by that until I had read her own blog entry.

We hear back from our customers sometimes about their cat, usually a single cat in the household, and usually only after a first time visit, will, on occasion, wander about the house for a night or two making the weirdest calling noises. In most instances I can relate this to the lone cat looking for and calling his new buddies... It stops after a night or two...

While I was writing to Friskie's mom in response to her query, another funny story popped into my head that I had forgotten about and relayed it to her....

We had an African Grey parrot that would visit us regularly with her sister, a little grey cat. The parrot would be housed in her own room, physically separated from the group cat play areas but she was, at all times, within view and earshot of them.

After one early on visit, the parents of the two animals called us to book another holiday. Dad explained that after they had brought their 2 home from the Pet B&B the last time, his parrot had started doing new things... He told me that she had learned a handful of cat meows and even had mastered the art of a 'cat hiss'.... He said it was the darndest thing during their first couple of days home after that visit. They kept hearing a cat meow and would, each time, go to see if their cat was ok! .....That is, until they realized the meowing was coming from their parrot...

I heard her 'meows' myself, when they returned on their next visit. It was a busy day for pick-ups and drop-offs. They had just arrived with their parrot and kitty. We had their bird, in cage, on the floor, just inside of the front door. The door bell rang again and we opened the front door to allow more people to enter... Sure enough, we heard cat meows, but they weren't coming from up the stairs... It was very funny. This is when 'Dad', the funny guy that he is, started calling the parrot a 'catbird'.... So, there you have it! Kinda makes you wonder how 'catfish' came to be!