>As I said before, there is a problem with people using the word "cat" in
>this discussion too loosely. The alynxes are as similar to mountain lions
>and lynxes, IMO, as they are to domesticated cats. They are not felis
>familiaris, they are felis something else. This means that, although they
>will have similar personalities to other types of RW cats, they will also
>be different.
"Cat" is the term used to refer to the cat family which includes 35 different species of all shapes and sizes so using it "loosely is perfectly acceptable. (BTW I believe you mean felix catus which is the latin name of the domestic cat, not felix familiaris.)
But I agree that more percision might be helpful. I assume that Alynxes are
like RW lynx, i.e. lynx rufus (bobcat), lynx canadensis (Canadian lynx),
lynx
lynx (Eurasian lynx) and lynx pardina (Spanish lynx). Now if you want to
throw puma concolor (mountain lion, cougar or puma) in as well that's fine.
>I pointed out that lions and tigers can be trained to do all sorts of
>things which I agree you could not get a tabby to do. But, shadow cats
>are not tabbies. If everyone will be a bit more exact in terminology, and
>specify what type of RW cat they care comparing alynxes too, this whole
>discussion might be easier to resolve.
Okay, done. Provide examples of RW lynx or mountain lions being trained to do tricks and you have an argument. Otherwise leave panthera tigris (tiger) and panthera leo out of this though as I don't think anyone thinks Alynxes are like lions and tigers. Apologies if you do.
Another factor to consider is the claims of animal rights activists that circus animals are badly mistreated. I don't know if they're right or not but they present some convincing arguments. If they are right using tigers and lions performing tricks in circuses as an example of the ability of felines to learn tricks is a bad example because no Orlanthi would mistreat a Alynx.
>I have no problem with certain breeds of cats being trained to do all
>sorts of things that a housecat could never be trained to do. Look at
>circuses, zoos, and places like Marine World. Try to get a tabby to jump
>through a flaming hoop, see where it gets you.
I don't have a problem with trained felines either but if you notice in my first paragraph above I refer to felis catus as the "domestic cat". None of these animals you refer to are domestic. Keep a distinction between getting animals to perform tricks in an controlled environment and using them in an uncontrolled environment. Sure you can teach them tricks. (Why not herd bears then, they can be taught tricks). I agree with Sandy, it grates against the RW cat mystique to think of them as trained domestic animals even in a fantasy setting. With RW lions and tigers the perception is that they are being forced against their will and nature to perform tricks so this doesn't mess with the mystique.
Oliver "Loosey D". Bernuetz
bernuetz.oliver_at_cbsc.ic.gc.ca
www.geocities.com/timessquare/realm/5545
Powered by hypermail