Out-chickened ... By a cat!

[ColinJ]

It was Friday evening, and I was out on my singlespeed bike in the warm evening sunshine.

I had headed along the A6033 from Todmorden towards Littleborough, and then taken my favoured diversion up Calderbrook Rd. That road is permanently closed to motor traffic after several landslips broke up the road surface. The local council finally took the pragmatic decision to block the road with a barrier rather than throwing good money after bad repeatedly repairing it, but it is still possible to cycle that way. There are great views from up there and the only traffic now is to a few farms and cottages before the barrier so it is a welcome escape from the busy main road below.

I had gone over the summit and was beginning a gradual descent in the direction of Littleborough when I saw an object in the middle of the road ahead of me. As I got closer, I saw that it was a large ginger cat. He was sitting facing the sun, taking in a few warming rays before sunset.

I slowed from 30 km/hr to 20 km/hr, waiting to see which way he would go. I've had animals that seemed quite settled suddenly freak out and run in front of me so I wanted him off the road and out of my way before I got there. Tom just stared up the road straight at me ...

Fair enough - I slowed to 15 km/hr and called out "Oi , Cat - SCAT!" Tom stared up the road straight at me ...

I slowed to 10 km/hr, took one hand off the bars and waved it violently. Tom stared up the road straight at me ...

I slowed to 8 km/hr and swerved my bike from side to side. Tom continued to stare up the road straight at me ...

I slowed to 5 km/hr, back-pedalled feverishly so my freehub made a loud clicking noise, I jumped my front wheel up and down, and shouted "GET OFF THE ROAD YOU DAFT ANIMAL!!!" Tom was not interested ...

I coasted towards Tom and finally stopped with my front wheel 10 cm from his nose. He didn't even flinch!

Tom looked up towards me with a look of total feline disdain ...

I dismounted, told him that he was the boss, I was not worthy.

I walked the bike round him, remounted and went on my way.

 

[Effyb4]

That taught you. A cat is always the boss

 

[raleighnut]

There's nowt else like a big Ginger Tom, a few years back we had some new neighbours move in who had a Jack Russell and the bloke said to me "I should watch your cats mate, my dog will kill them". A couple of weeks later they were going out and their dog (off the leash) came running into our front garden to be confronted by my Ginger Lad who smacked it across the nose, needless to say it ran back to them yelping and with blood dripping off its conk.
I told the guy "My cats are quite used to bullying Sabor (my German Shepherd), do you think that yapping thing frightens them"

 

[Dayvo]

NEVER underestimate the stare of a ginger Tom!

 

[ufkacbln]

for the ultimate cat behavioural analysis, try Simon's Cat on YouTube

 

[Welsh wheels]

Should have rushed at him and bunny-hopped him at the last minute. See how he liked that.

 

[Sharky]

Missed an opportunity to find out how much room you actually need to swing one.

 

[ColinJ]

A couple of weeks later they were going out and their dog (off the leash) came running into our front garden to be confronted by my Ginger Lad who smacked it across the nose, needless to say it ran back to them yelping and with blood dripping off its conk.

My friend's dog cornered a cat, which responded like that. It clawed the dog's nostrils, which split open and gushed blood. Served the dog right - it was always chasing cats and cyclists ...

Should have rushed at him and bunny-hopped him at the last minute. See how he liked that.

I have come to the conclusion that either the cat was on major tranquilisers or that he was supremely confident in his ability to leap sideways in the milliseconds before any potential impact!

 

[Mrs M]

My friend's dog cornered a cat, which responded like that. It clawed the dog's nostrils, which split open and gushed blood. Served the dog right - it was always chasing cats and cyclists ...


I have come to the conclusion that either the cat was on major tranquilisers or that he was supremely confident in his ability to leap sideways in the milliseconds before any potential impact!

He was supremely confident you'd do what you did

 

[ColinJ]

He was supremely confident you'd do what you did

It seems so, but it was a bit of a high-risk strategy ... it would only have taken one nasty person to have ruined his sun-bathing session!

It is a very quiet road but there is still the odd vehicle to and from the farms and cottages.I suppose that everyone knows everything going on up there, including that there is a cat who likes to sit in the road.

 

[marshmella]

[QUOTE="ColinJ, post: 4837545, .


I have come to the conclusion that either the cat was on major tranquilisers or that he was supremely confident in his ability to leap sideways in the milliseconds before any potential impact![/QUOTE]

Actually saying that our cat can move rapidly when he 's under the car and the engine starts.

 

[ColinJ]

Actually saying that our cat can move rapidly when he 's under the car and the engine starts.

They certainly CAN move rapidly from a cold-start when they want to ...

 

[raleighnut]

They certainly CAN move rapidly from a cold-start when they want to ...

 

[fossyant]

He was supremely confident you'd do what you did

Ours won't move out of the way when I'm in the car - all of them have done it.

 

[ColinJ]

Ours won't move out of the way when I'm in the car - all of them have done it.

Just the once, mind you ...