From: Graeme Lindsell (lindsell@rschp1.anu.edu.au)
Date: Thu 09 Jun 1994 - 22:53:01 EEST
Scott (The Lotus Jukebox) writes:
>Most cats exhibit solitary behavior (lions are a classic exception).
I recall a TV show which documented a biologist studying feral domestic cats. They seemed to be more social than most other cats (lions excepted), with a small pride of related females associated with a much more wide ranging male. They were still solitary hunters, though.
> Personally, I think it would be *great* for
>people to have trained hunting cats. Glorantha ain't Earth, have fun
>with it!
Their ability to train cats is probably mythical/magical in nature; possibly only the Orlanthi (or Yinkin initiates) can train alynxes. After all, lions aren't charming pets, but the Basmoli can live with them. Earth rhinos aren't too charming, either, but the rhino riders have tamed them. With these examples around, arguing about the social life of Earth cats becomes a bit irrelevant.
Sandy Petersen writes:
>Lionesses normally set an ambush,
Which probably means the Orlanthi prefer hunting by ambush to the chase. I don't think the Orlanthi hunt from horseback at all.
The point about cats being bad as herding animals is good though. Cats aren't physically suited to running long distances, either, being built to produce a lot of power for a short time, and then needing to rest. Like the Orlanthi, always blowing hot and cold, come to think of it.
--
Graeme Lindsell a.k.a lindsell@rschp1.anu.edu.au
Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra.
"I was 17 miles from Greybridge before I was caught by the school leopard"
Ripping Yarns - Tomkinson's Schooldays.
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