Who is master, who servant?

[Varley]

On the cats' worming medicine I read that, to minimise instances of infection, I should keep them away from mice. I do not impose much, allowing them to behave to their own complete satisfaction but one thing I do expect is for them to do the 'keep mice away' thing, not me.

[Tmac1720]

You want jam on it you do, I trust you recompense your feline workforce with the appropriate remuneration, pension provision and free veterinary care otherwise the shop steward Mr Claude Balls will be requiring a word.

[Varley]

I wonder if we are talking of the same Claude. There's No Balls on his visiting card.

[Farmer John]

Partly for the reason you mention of keeping away from mice, I always have a mouse trap in the car, I have no real reason to do so. It is never set.

[Varley]

My mouse trappers really don't like being in cars. However they are certainly 'armed' as I found a mutilated one on the kitchen floor this morning. Another problem with the 'keep mice away' contract is that they must think it is piece work and bring them from 'away' into 'not away' they have not realised that their feeding is not performance related.

[Dartskipper]

David, I think the issue may fall into the remit of that oft quoted saying.

"Dogs have owners,
Cats have servants."

Regards.

[Engine Serang]

Next thing you'll be blaming McDonalds for the mice.

[BobClay]

"The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry,"

[Engine Serang]

Originally Posted by BobClay

"The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry,"

As rote by William Topaz McGonagall, the Poet Lauriat.

[Varley]

Originally Posted by BobClay

"The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry,"

"Gang aft agley" Surely. No Brit need have a translation from 'Scots. Need they? Mind you, why 'they' congregate behind the kitchen might puzzle some.

[Farmer John]

But, Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, (not alone)
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Robert Burns, "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough, November, 1785"

I once turned up a mouse's nest whilst ploughing, a Pied Wagtail snapped up the babies very quickly. That quite surprised me.

[BobClay]

I'm afraid Flodden and Culloden gives me the right to alter what the f*** I like.

[Varley]

Originally Posted by Dartskipper

David, I think the issue may fall into the remit of that oft quoted saying.

"Dogs have owners,
Cats have servants."

Regards.

I suspected as much myself but one does not usually rely on sleeping with a servant for warmth (exceptions made for the benefit of the young master's 'education').

[Varley]

Originally Posted by Engine Serang

Next thing you'll be blaming McDonalds for the mice.

Of the vermin that breeds in the riverside nourished by McLeavings only a muggle would use the word rat. Those we dare not speak of are 'longtails' here.

I more fear that they might be poisoning carelessly. When the cats throw up sometimes there is blood. Maybe victim's may be theirs caused by victim ingested poison (not sure if it is actually warfarin but has the same MO according to the vets).

[Malcolm G]

I was looking for a poem about mice, but found this instead:

A Dog will often steal a bone,
But conscience lets him not alone,
And by his tail his guilt is known.

But cats consider theft a game,
And howsoever you may blame,
Refuse the slightest sign of shame.

When food mysteriously goes,
The chances are that Pussy knows
More than she leads you to suppose.

And hence there is no need for you
If Puss declines a meal or two
To feel her pulse and make ado.

[Dave McGouldrick]

Originally Posted by BobClay

I'm afraid Flodden and Culloden gives me the right to alter what the f*** I like.

Hey Bob
I seem to remember your witty repartee was a bit more subtle in the past - or is it a memory thing?

[BobClay]

These days everything is a memory thing.

[King Ratt]

Dogs have owners, cats have staff.

[Varley]

Flodden perhaps. Culloden was merely a police action against a papist usurper. A quarter of the Governments army was Scots.