A purrfectly fun thread.

[Guest sL1k]

This is Diesel. She is about a year and half old. Somewhat of a contortionist when she sleeps. She purrs loudly all night long- sorta sounding like a diesel. I have a serious soft spot for Torties.

Diesel is beautiful I bet that one is a character!

Edited October 22, 2012 by sL1k

[bubbiesdad]

[1morethan8]

The white Persian cat with two different color eyes are called "Van kedisi" or "Turkish Vankedisi" they are from Turkey and some say a direct link to the Ark.

We had one that lived for 18 years.

Edited October 27, 2012 by 1morethan8

[1morethan8]

"Here is a photo of a Van Kedisi, a very famous type of cat in Van, Turkey in Eastern Anatolia. These cats are so special because they have two different colored eyes (green and blue) and they love to swim! Also, most of them are deaf, but they are very intelligent"

[Bad Habit]

Bones is 16 pounds and loves to sit and sleep on me. Diesel is more independent and loves to play.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

I doubt its a Van cat..they are rather rare around here and someone just having one and letting it stray...Highly doubtful..

I seen cats that had odd colored eyes and they where not vans..Its random genetics..and it being white is a not so rare..

anyway..beautyful cats either way..

[kieefer]

[gjohnsoniv]

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/bobcats_cactus

The Oatmeal, 'nuff said.

[1morethan8]

Sour Kraut..

You just need to be a little more optimistic.

Could the cat that ReefBlueCoupe have, have any Van blood in it? Why sure, it's possible. The cat he has, has a left eye that's blue. The one I had, had the same. The one I posted a picture of is known to be a Van, also having a left blue eye.

You say that they aren't common around here. I don't know where he got his, but the one I had came from the coast of Georgia.

One thing I thought was strange about the one we had was, if you left the bathroom door open while taking a bath, our cat would jump in the water with you, so you don't really know for sure some times?

I guess if I told you about seeing a large black panther twice near my home, you'd probably say that was highly doubtful too...

But you would be wrong!

[Guest sL1k]

Turkish angoras can also have different color eyes

[Oh Shoot]

.....I guess if I told you about seeing a large black panther twice near my home, ....

Oh, well that makes all the difference. I believe you now. Right.

- OS

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Oh, well that makes all the difference. I believe you now. Right.

- OS

But Mac..those are common around there..

[1morethan8]

OhShoot..

Now don't say that! You KNOW you don't believe me!

But.. you'd be wrong too!

[Oh Shoot]

But Mac..those are common around there..

Since there has never been a black cougar documented in history, from Canada to South America, this must indeed be the place where they all hang out, since so many people have "seen" them.

Seems folks would try to document the already near astronomical odds of a regular colored one still existing or getting reintroduced here first.

- OS

[1morethan8]

But OS.. the regular colored cats ARE known to be in the Appalachian Mountains.

You do know that it can't be "documented" until a "professional" documents it as being true...

no matter how many good-ole-boys see them!

[Oh Shoot]

But OS.. the regular colored cats ARE known to be in the Appalachian Mountains.

You do know that it can't be "documented" until a "professional" documents it as being true...

no matter how many good-ole-boys see them!

Don't need a PHD. One on the hood of a car would suffice.

All the good ole boys I have known are pretty good shots. Apparently all the ones that see cougars of any color suck at it. They also suck at photography, every one of them.

Plus, automobiles have killed every lifeform known in TN since Henry Ford, but haven't scored one, at least since the 20's. And of course, never a black one, which has never been found anywhere.

- OS

Edited October 29, 2012 by OhShoot

[Patton]

You are correct that there is not a species of black panther or black cougar in N America but there are a few documented cases of large cats with melanism ( all have been leopards) that makes it look black. It can be described as ghost striping. It's what we call a alleles of a gene. The odds of it occurring are about 1 in 10,000 so truth be known there may not be one alive now but there may be one in our life time. Leopards normally have 3 cubs a litter normally the mother will reject the melanism because it most likely will have a immune difficiency and most likely only one will have the pigment discoloration.

Actually unrelated but I have known of black couples having white babies and vice versa.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Patton

[1morethan8]

I had to grin when I saw this news report.

[Oh Shoot]

I had to grin when I saw this news report.

Me too. Somebody claims to have seen one. Stop the presses!

Have you been on TV too?

- OS

Edited October 29, 2012 by OhShoot

[1morethan8]

Seeing one only once may leave room for doubt by others.. seeing it twice in the same area during daylight?

But, OS... some said they wouldn't shoot one. They said because it's so rare.. others said because of the legal system.

OS, what "Scruffy Little City" do you live in, or area of TN?

[Oh Shoot]

You are correct that there is not a species of black panther or black cougar in N America but there are a few documented cases of large cats with melanism ( all have been leopards) that makes it look black. It can be described as ghost striping. It's what we call a alleles of a gene. The odds of it occurring are about 1 in 10,000 so truth be known there may not be one alive now but there may be one in our life time. Leopards normally have 3 cubs a litter normally the mother will reject the melanism because it most likely will have a immune difficiency and most likely only one will have the pigment discoloration.

Well, there is no species of "panther" period, it's a collective colloquial. The Latin "Panthera" is genus name for species such as leopards and panthers (but not cougars).

Of course black jaguars and leopards are well known; matter of fact black ones apparently make up the majority of leopards in captivity and the trait is easily carried forward from breeding in captivity.

I'd opine we don't have those running around in the Tennersee hills either, though.

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

....But, OS... some said they wouldn't shoot one. They said because it's so rare.. others said because of the legal system.

Them good ole boys shore have gotten a lot gooder than in my day.

OS, what "Scruffy Little City" do you live in, or area of TN?

Knoxville got dubbed that during the World's Fair.

I grew up down around your turf, spent a lot of time in real black painter territory in Cherokee/Tellico. Them good ole boys didn't much care about game laws back then, but I guess were equally poor shots as those of today, 'cause they "saw" them all the time back then, too.

And Russian boar the size of Volkswagens were common, too!

It's a case of "I wish it were true so I'll act like it is". Same as any good story, "If it ain't true, it should be".

- OS

Edited October 29, 2012 by OhShoot

[1morethan8]

Humm?

"With sightings becoming commonplace among people in the Southern United States, how else are we supposed to describe what we are actually seeing? Nothing fuels a good healthy debate and a session of I-Told-You-So like telling people they did not, in fact, see something they KNOW they did indeed see. It is like being called a liar, but a lot more exciting.

In 2005, the Shreveport Times ran an article explaining that the catamount, or Louisiana black panther, was extinct, and that less than 60 of these wild cats remained in the Florida Everglades. This article admitted the existence of such a creature, but denied any possibility it could still thrive anywhere outside the mysterious Florida swamps. Ironically, most southern states have a law against killing these supposedly extinct creatures. Dr. Shropshire of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation stated in one article that black panthers did not exist, then later provided a list of documented black panthers either killed or found deceased, which included Montgomery County, Arkansas in 1949; Caddo Parish, Louisiana in 1965; near Hamburg, Arkansas in 1969; and in Logan County, Arkansas in 1975. Dr. Shropshire even discusses possible factors contributing to the demise of the animal, including urban development and a low white-tailed deer population. How is it that research on this very subject contradicts itself, even within the boundaries of a scientific community?"

[Oh Shoot]

Humm?

"With sightings becoming commonplace among people in the Southern United States, how else are we supposed to describe what we are actually seeing? Nothing fuels a good healthy debate and a session of I-Told-You-So like telling people they did not, in fact, see something they KNOW they did indeed see. It is like being called a liar, but a lot more exciting.

In 2005, the Shreveport Times ran an article explaining that the catamount, or Louisiana black panther, was extinct, and that less than 60 of these wild cats remained in the Florida Everglades. This article admitted the existence of such a creature, but denied any possibility it could still thrive anywhere outside the mysterious Florida swamps. Ironically, most southern states have a law against killing these supposedly extinct creatures. Dr. Shropshire of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation stated in one article that black panthers did not exist, then later provided a list of documented black panthers either killed or found deceased, which included Montgomery County, Arkansas in 1949; Caddo Parish, Louisiana in 1965; near Hamburg, Arkansas in 1969; and in Logan County, Arkansas in 1975. Dr. Shropshire even discusses possible factors contributing to the demise of the animal, including urban development and a low white-tailed deer population. How is it that research on this very subject contradicts itself, even within the boundaries of a scientific community?"

"Dr. Shropshire" sound like he's related to Alex Jones, "documentation" wise.

I'm out. You can take solace from the well established "black painter group" that already exists on TGO. I'm sure some will chime in.

- OS

[1morethan8]

OS..

The next time I see that "so-called black panther", I hope I have my gun near by... I'll shoot it and place it on your front porch!

...he ..he ..he