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What a difference a day makes.
Yesterday it was mild, blue skies and hardly a puff of wind.
This morning it's not only 'wall to wall' grey cloud, but raining ‘to boot‘!
A day to us humans, is so small when compared to our suggested life span of “three score years and ten.”
I don’t even suppose that figure is now accurate, with life expectancy ever increasing.
But what is a day to a bird, or animal as compared to their life expectancy?
I tried looking up average life expectancies for different animals and birds,
but in my library I could only find ’an expected maximum’,
rather than an average.
Chickens, for example have been known to live for 30 years!
.
.
An (aged?) White Naked Neck Frizzle.
A starling for 16 years,
and our friend the ostrich, a very respectable 50.
Unless of course he was unfortunate to have been hatched out
at Pathfinder Ostrich farm in Chesham!
A dog came in at 20, although it didn’t say what breed,
and a horse (breed again not specified) at 46 years.
.
.
Fancy trying to get your leg over that.
The poor old mouse was right low down the list at a maximum of three and half years.
This is, of course, excluding the ones in Wesley’s hunting grounds!
The reason for my research was of course to look up cats.
.
.
Fancy trying to get that through a cat flap.
Domestic moggies were missing from my list,
although they did include felis catus,
a wild cat, at a magnificent age of 28.
Mmmm, if it was a wild cat - how did they know -
when it was born?
Wesley was fifteen in February, and Hazel is nearly nineteen!
So what is a day to a cat?
I went to a vet web site where I found a wee calculator.
A one year old kitten is equivalent to a boisterous fifteen year old teenager!
A two year old cat would be 24 in human years.
Then for every year after that, I had to add four years.
A “Cat year” is therefore 13 weeks.
Six hours to us, is a day to a cat.
(No wonder I always find my two asleep.)
Now, Wesley turned out to be a fine ‘old man’ of seventy six.
.
.
Music-roll production comes to a halt!
And my one and only Hazel - a staggering - One Hundred and One!
.
.
Whooops! Sorry.
And whilst going through all of my old photos,
I found the one of Hazel as a baby, with her three sisters.
.
.
They were (from left to right) Sophie, Rosie, Hazel, and Tilly.
They all remained within our ‘family & friends’,
and all reached very respectable ages.
Rosie died last year, leaving my little Hazel as the sole survivor.
One hundred and one - not out!
.
Oh those kittens are devine, a real chocolate box photo! How on earth did you choose just 1, Unc?
ReplyDeleteOne of my Mother in laws cats lived til 21, they tend to live a lot longer than dogs.
The life expectancy for our breed of dogs is 14-17, so we are treasuring every minute with our 2, at 10 and 13yrs old. Mind you, they have been behaving like puppies in the river today :-D
Bernard this is so intersting...fish seem to have a very short life span at our house the ones in the inside tank, however the ones in the pond last for years we once had one for 11 years and when we recemented the pond he only lived another 6 months we do not think he liked the renovations lol then there is georgie our cockatoo,we had to have a family discussion as to who would have him after we are gone as he is 4 and will live past 90!our daughter has raised her hand to have him however if Bob pops off first I imagine georgie will fret after him.Molly our puppy is only 6 months and already so much established in the home you just cannot imagine life without her,pets are an amazing love relationship aren't they..by the way i will be looking for the cookbook you left on my blog,thankyou very much.
ReplyDeleteChickens live to 30? Oh dear. I should be dead then.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the cat photos!!! Especially the little kittens. So toe-curlingly cute!
And what a HUGE cat that man is holding.
I liked that post. Full of interesting, funny and cute things.
Wesley and Hazel look grand old gentle folk. I think Hazel qualifies for a telegram from the Queen
ReplyDeleteOK, chickens AND horses AND cats! You've made my day Uncle B. I've had chickens for 50 years. I had one, a Silkie cross named Michelle, that lived to be 14. Her last two winters we would bring her in the house at night and put her in a cat carrier next to the wood stove. I consider a chicken that lives to be 9 a very hardy bird. The horse reminds me so much of my old mare, Big Ears. She wasn't a draft animal, but she had the exact color and markings and beefy build as the one in the picture. And, of course, I adore your Wesley and Hazel. It's gray and overcast here today, also, so I truly appreciate your ray of internet sunshine. XOX
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I should clarify. I have raised chickens for 50 years, I didn't have one that was 50 years old.
ReplyDeleteThey both look so young for their age :-)
ReplyDeleteHello Kath.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is I didn’t choose any!
My friend, the owner kept two, and gave two, to her mother.
Her mother said to me, that she didn’t think she could manage with two kittens around the house, so gave Hazel to me. (nineteen years ago)! :D
Good morning Carole.
There was a long list of birds and animals in my book, from elephants to parrots, so I only chose a few common ones. I know parrots and cockatoos live to a ripe old age.
Didn’t our famous Winston Churchill have one that out-lived him? I’d have to check.
The cookbook is great, I do hope it is still in print. You may have to search the web.
Hi Foody.
I thought you would enjoy this blog. :)
I thought - chickens, horses and cats will certainly please Foody and Jan. (and no doubt, upset my brother).
We think that picture of the huge cat is a ‘doctored’ picture? Good though?
Morning Molly:
Wesley and Hazel are very gentle. They always have been very docile and quiet, even when I have to lug them up the vets!
Morning Jan.
As I said to Foody, I chose animals that I know people like to read about. I steer clear of racoons and possums, rats and snakes!
I must admit to not knowing whether the animals in the pictures were old or not. I simply chose a few interesting/amusing pictures. Of course size has nothing to do with age. (ie over-weight teenagers).
Fifty years is a long time - think of all those dozens (hundreds?) of little friends you have known. :)
Hi Cherie:
I guess it must be a ‘trick of the light’ or me ’softening’ their wrinkles! :)
Sneaking in under my radar again Angus. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so slow typing replies in the morning, it takes ages to get my fingers going.
No mention of a Dei in my book.
I think you need to look back down your Dei family tree and work out a few averages. :)
By the way I'm not having much luck with those ancestry sites you sent me.
They all require me to part with hard earned 'filthy loofah'! :(
I know - I'm a tight old bugger! :(
Shouldn't that be "filthy lucre"?
ReplyDeleteMind you I also have a filthy loofah! Must get a noo one when I'm next in Boots! :)
The kittens are lovely - just as well you were given one rather than have to choose. Mind you, I think cats choose you - two of mine chose to live with me (and the other cats) and there's the stray waiting, perhaps, to move in when there's a vacancy. Not yet, I trust... Ashley is about 80 with your reckoning.
ReplyDeleteWesley's daring you to shift him, by his expression...and Hazel taking it all in her stride.
Some cat!
ReplyDeleteBoth the gigantic one and the centenarian.
Low flying is a Dei characteristic Bernard the Fiscally challenged, I have researched what is laughingly called the "blood line" seems like every one else the lifespan of an Angus varies depending on lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteIn which case it has been nice knowing you:)
As to the Morris/Morgan family tree, it is the way of the world, you get nowt for owt as they say in the county next to Lancashire.
I know that you used to be able to go to Somerset house and pay a small fee, but I believe it is now a place of "art, culture and creative exchange".
http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/about_somerset_house/
Sigh....
Good Morning Uncle B., what a awesome pictures you have found for us...love that horse its beautiful! although i would be a bit scared of that enormes animal..if you own that cat you don`t need a dog...never saw a cat that big...Your Wesley and Hazel look as young as ever...must be the surrounding and good food!!Have a great day...groetjes Francien.
ReplyDeleteHello Silve,
ReplyDeleteThe reason I was given Hazel was because the other kitten, Sophie, had already become more attached to her new owner than Hazel. Wesley is very docile. I could just pick him up and move him - with loads of purring. He loves a lot a fuss.
Good morning Friko,
Thanks for popping over. I have read your blog many times. I found it from Doctor FTSE I think, or was it CJ Duffy?
My cats are real, but I think that large one is a ’Photoshoped’ picture.
Hi Low Flying Angus.
What was worrying me Angus, was I couldn’t be sure if I had the right person. Fancy paying out for a certificate and then finding out it was a completely different family!
I may cough up if I was 100% sure or they had a ‘money back’ guarantee!
Good morning Francien.
I love to find unusual pictures. The cat picture I don’t think is real. I think the large cat was superimposed on the man pretending to hold it. I am not sure, but it is well done.
My two get a lot of fuss and get through a lot of food. They demand the best!
They turn up their noses at cheap ‘cat food’.
Cheers....Bernard
Our two dogs are 11 and 13 and just beginning to show their age. Dash, who is the youngest, has developed arthritis quite badly and so is putting on weight through lack of exercise.
ReplyDeleteAll rather like some humans actually. The other is a bit deaf when he wants to be though pretty spritely. We'll miss them dreadfully when they're gone.
Cheers
Helen