I assume "pay with your skin" refers to scratching and biting (they specify in the morning, which seems to be when cats INSIST that you get up and feed them RIGHT THIS MINUTE).

What to they mean by "pay with your skin" in that article?

Oh, in the original article, it was a like to that "Simon's Cat" cartoon: [link]

eta:

I assume "pay with your skin" refers to scratching and biting (they specify in the morning, which seems to be when cats INSIST that you get up and feed them RIGHT THIS MINUTE).

Yeah, that's exactly what that cartoon is about. (Someone linked to it before.)

I guess people raised by people who were raised by people in rural environments or cultures where animals are part of the landscape just don't know any better.

::raises hand::

I've never understood the idea that dogs represent unconditional love and much neediness. We had an outside dog that got played with by us, but she was just lucky to have a family with kids. Many of the dogs on our street didn't. She had her preferences--she liked us kids just fine, loved our older live-in cousin and paid no attention to our parents at all.

Not a loud dog at all (Doberman) and not that social--she was alone unless an neighbour's dog snuck in, until she gave birth and we kept one of the puppies. But I don't recall too much interaction on her part once he was weaned.

Reinforcing the notion that Buffistas know everyone, I'm two degrees from the Giant Hands running the puppycam. Hee! Friends in SF know them.

A friend of mine who did both Shiba and Akita rescue for many years used to say that it wasn't so much that they think they're Akitas -- it's that they actually are, just super-concentrated, like the detergent that does just as many loads with a smaller bottle.

So totally true. Shibas are about the bossiest little dudes I've ever met.

Kuma is a Jindo, the middle-size, between Shibas and Akitas. Not hardly bossy, but with all the blowing coat and cutitude.

OH!

I was picturing somehow having to peel your skin off and give it to the proprietor! Sometimes I am too literal.

Shibas are about the bossiest little dudes

It could be amusing for a bossy dog to be in the White House, trying to herd the President around.

Lori, I am so amazed by how much Kuma and Chile resemble each other. We should totally get them together sometime so that they can be aloof towards each other together. Or something like that.

mac is kinda like that about animals. He talks about how cute pets are in lovey dovey baby tlak, but he mostly ignores them. It was actually a blessing for his arrival, because a grabby kid would have set Oz off and probably resulted in bites and scratches, but as it is the cats adjusting to him was a non-issue.

Tonight mac will have a sitter and I won't be home before bedtime. It's been months since we've been apart at bedtime and he was a little anxious last night. Now, at 2:30, my worry brain started. Let's all hope I am not checking my BBerry every two minutes at my dinner tonight.

KUMA! My bf.

lori - sorry I missed the message the other day - I responded last night.

It could be amusing for a bossy dog to be in the White House, trying to herd the President around.

Hey, but if he had the G8 or G20 together, the doggie could help achieve international consensus on important issues.

msbelle, how old is Mac?