Hi FMLers Marilyn here with notes from Ledoux Hospice. The question today is not about raisins, diet, or whatever. It is do animals talk to each other? Last night, I was in bed, when my big shepard and the Border Collie came running in to my room. They were both crying that high pitched whine and dancing around. Then they ran out to the kitchen, back and right up to my face. They clearly wanted me up. We had already had the nite-nite cookies and were all tucked in bed, but up I got and I followed the dogs out to the kitchen. They ran to Reilly Marie's, my little ferret girls cage and stopped and sat down. I looked in, there she was, her toe caught in the stitching of her blanket. She was shaking and scared, but I picked her up, got my clippers, and cut the thread off. She was so relieved. I put here back into bed, covered her up, and had to give another round of nite-nite cookies to the dogs, and treats to the ferrets, and finally got back to bed. I lay there thinking about that. This reminds me of something that happened several years ago. I was in the chicken coop, gathering eggs, when a barn big rat jumped out at me. I had several barn cats, Susie my female was about to have kittens and off duty, and Skippy the big male was in charge of two smaller cats that I took from a shelter. I need more cats to keep rodent free, but I was waiting for my new batch of kittens. I ran for the door of the coop, saw Susie, picked her up, and put her in the coop. The chickens were wild. Susie took one look at the situation, ran out the coop door, down the barn to the door to the shed where I had just put out cat food on my way by the dish, and was gone. Seconds later, you could here feet pounding the floor, Susie was running as fast as she could in her condition, with Skippy ahead of her. She stopped outside the coop, he rushed in, and in 30 seconds flat was back with the rat. (Sorry Rattie lovers) He marched down the barn floor, showing off his prize. The barn was silent as the cows, goat, and calf watched. He deposited the rat in front of the smaller cats. Then he went back to his dinner. It was all in a day's work, but how did he know? He was in the shed eating his food, and waiting until I milked the cow. He knew warm fresh milk would be coming his way as I went by the dish to the house. Can you tell me who told who, and how did they say it? I was there the whole time and I didn't hear anything. Marilyn [Posted in FML issue 5195]