Test Equipment Anonymous

Marconi

But he doesn't look terribly happy about that hat.

This morning, one of ours was convinced that my red berry and apple crumble was something she would like. I've offered it to her before and she knows it's not really kitty food, but if I'm eating it, it must be worth investigating.

EC8010 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 25, 2025 4:38 pm But he doesn't look terribly happy about that hat.

This morning, one of ours was convinced that my red berry and apple crumble was something she would like. I've offered it to her before and she knows it's not really kitty food, but if I'm eating it, it must be worth investigating.

Harley always has to check out what we are eating.

Cubdriver wrote: ↑Wed Dec 24, 2025 7:12 am

Translation: If a tree falls and no one is there, what sound does it make?

Cubdriver wrote: ↑Thu Sep 14, 2023 9:25 am What the heck - every forum needs felines…. Extra points if test gear is involved.



-Pat

Oh look, Pat... your cat got new flip-flops for Xmas.

mnem
and a Jeepful of [hp] MEBB spaceheaters...

RIP Pooch

That's a shame.Still, seventeen years is pretty good going and you know your cat had a better life with you than he would have had anywhere else. A handsome devil, too.

BU508A wrote: ↑Sat Jan 17, 2026 10:15 am RIP Pooch

My condolences, for what they are worth.

Yesterday's widely reported study.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ber-survey

My condolences too. 17 years is a very long time for a cat....which makes the loss even more difficult.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding here.
Pooch wasn't my cat, it was Shahriar's cat from The Signal Path.
I've thought, this has been widely known.

Apologize for the confusion caused.

Yeah, I saw that in the wee hours this morning - very sad news - I always enjoyed seeing Pooch's cameos in Shahriar's videos. They always leave us too soon, no matter how long they're here.

-Pat

Schottky:

Harley at about the same age. Harley lacks the black tufts on the ears but otherwise damn near identical.

MED6753 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 20, 2026 4:14 pm Harley at about the same age. Harley lacks the black tufts on the ears but otherwise damn near identical.

They really are!

Both are really handsome guys.

Now a few of Marconi:








-Pat

My experience has been that mackerel tabbies are the brightest cats. Have others found this?

Remember this?

viewtopic.php?p=11646#p11646

Last night Harley is crouched in the kitchen growling. WTF? Then he ran into the main hallway and dropped a dead mouse. Before I could get the mouse away from him he grabbed it and ran into the bedroom. He dropped it again and I managed to get it away from him. So we have rodents again. Blondie is pitching a fit saying for the amount of rent we pay we shouldn't have this issue. I agree so today I looked for possible entry points. I checked behind the stove again to make sure that foam sealant was still in place. It was. But I discovered gaps where the water lines come in for both the kitchen sink and bathroom vanity. Going to contact building maintenance and have them foam seal those lines.

Harley is damn good mouser.

Charlie is exceptionally good at indicating their presence even if he can't get at one.

He stops playing with his ball, runs around obsessively sniffing where he has heard them, with the occasional explosive snort as he clears out his secondary mouse-detecting-organ.

These are excellent at catching the little darlings; peanut butter is a good bait. Just put them in a crevice where the cats can't reach.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pest-Stop-PSLN ... B000YQ12MK

tggzzz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 21, 2026 5:31 pm Charlie is exceptionally good at indicating their presence even if he can't get at one.

He stops playing with his ball, runs around obsessively sniffing where he has heard them, with the occasional explosive snort as he clears out his secondary mouse-detecting-organ.

These are excellent at catching the little darlings; peanut butter is a good bait. Just put them in a crevice where the cats can't reach.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pest-Stop-PSLN ... B000YQ12MK

I already have some snap traps as shown. And yes, peanut butter is an excellent bait that I have used before.

I knew someone who used humane mouse traps. They'd trap the mice so she could release them in the garden, then probably find their way back into the house.

Anyway, she forgot to check them for a few days, and when she did there were mice which had starved to death in them. It took her a long time to live it down. "How are you getting on with the lingering death torture traps"?

Zenith wrote: ↑Wed Jan 21, 2026 6:54 pm I knew someone who used humane mouse traps. They'd trap the mice so she could release them in the garden, then probably find their way back into the house.

Frequently humane traps are preferred because that way people can avoid thinking about and dealing with a corpse.

Anyway, she forgot to check them for a few days, and when she did there were mice which had starved to death in them. It took her a long time to live it down. "How are you getting on with the lingering death torture traps"?

Warfarin is the other method. When people become too sanctimonious for my taste, I tend to ask whether they would prefer to die from internal haemorrhages, being drowned in a strong acid, or having their neck snapped.

I wouldn't use poison partly because it is slow and partly because the animal will die in a place that is only accessible by drafts. Not sure cats are any better in that respect.

tggzzz wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 12:16 am Frequently humane traps are preferred because that way people can avoid thinking about and dealing with a corpse.

That was Claire.

tggzzz wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 12:16 am Warfarin is the other method. When people become too sanctimonious for my taste, I tend to ask whether they would prefer to die from internal haemorrhages, being drowned in a strong acid, or having their neck snapped.

I wouldn't use poison partly because it is slow and partly because the animal will die in a place that is only accessible by drafts. Not sure cats are any better in that respect.

Poison is expensive and should be laid in bait stations, so other animals can't get at it. A length of pipe will do. It disappears but you don't have direct evidence of the results. The poisons on the market are certified humane. I'm not sure how effective cats are. They are often not humane as they delight in tormenting the prey before they finally dispatch it. I know someone whose cats bring in mice and sometimes leave them uneaten, so if there's an unusual number of flies buzzing about and a smell, it's time to track it down, find the rotting rodent and throw the disgusting object out.

Fortunately I've never had mice in this house. My parents occasionally would have a few mice move in for winter. The Little Nipper was effective in dealing with them. Once in a while there would be a smart mouse which took ages to catch. They can certainly be a bloody nuisance.

Zenith wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 12:39 pm

tggzzz wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 12:16 am Warfarin is the other method. When people become too sanctimonious for my taste, I tend to ask whether they would prefer to die from internal haemorrhages, being drowned in a strong acid, or having their neck snapped.

I wouldn't use poison partly because it is slow and partly because the animal will die in a place that is only accessible by drafts. Not sure cats are any better in that respect.

Poison is expensive and should be laid in bait stations, so other animals can't get at it. A length of pipe will do. It disappears but you don't have direct evidence of the results. The poisons on the market are certified humane.

Not sure what that might mean. Clearly they cannot be instantaneous!

I'm not sure how effective cats are. They are often not humane as they delight in tormenting the prey before they finally dispatch it. I know someone whose cats bring in mice and sometimes leave them uneaten, so if there's an unusual number of flies buzzing about and a smell, it's time to track it down, find the rotting rodent and throw the disgusting object out.

Neighbour's cat enjoyed throwing them across the drive, then catching them when they ran away. Delightful

Fortunately I've never had mice in this house. My parents occasionally would have a few mice move in for winter. The Little Nipper was effective in dealing with them. Once in a while there would be a smart mouse which took ages to catch. They can certainly be a bloody nuisance.

They moved into my parent's basement every November. The most I caught was 4.

Charlie indicated one at my house, which I duly caught. Rat catchers and their large "humane" traps have been seen in my road. Charlie has never had the opportunity to earn his keep that way.