Housepets!

Getting serious Ravenpaw vibes from this. If a cat named Barley shiows up, I will freak. Although Rufus is a lot like Barley already.

Baby Max is adorable!

Should we be worried by how much Max knows about criminal activities? It's seems Rufus has had run-ins with Coyote before if "the coyote" is enough to identify her to the barn cats (I wonder if those cats will get names this arc).

Why am I not surprised Young Max would be okay with drug smuggling? The strip just keeps escalating the shadiness of the things Max is/was okay with. At the rate, the comic could reveal that he spent a month or two breaking into people’s hearts as a Phantom Thief and I’d buy it.

Champion Wallace wrote:Should we be worried by how much Max knows about criminal activities? It's seems Rufus has had run-ins with Coyote before if "the coyote" is enough to identify her to the barn cats (I wonder if those cats will get names this arc).

I was wondering that myself. Max's history with drugs goes way back. It's nice that it answered my earlier question about if Rufus knew Coyote Sam before.

Rufus’s tail got all floofy and he’s smiling funny - maybe he is hiding drugs for cross-country runners.

Always knew we'd see those three again. Got Peanut's attention now!

So Maxwell met the slinkiest trio
and thought “what’s in it for me? Oh.
Free food is all that I need here,”
and the way to his future was clear.
Rufus knew what he was doing
as the ladies were interviewing
minimax with a view to living
in a way that’s most forgiving.
For one wild he’s relied on others,
some like moms, some like brothers,
helping him grow into fine shape,
the sort to attract one like Grape.

Pets aren't an oppressed people yearning for equal rights, they're all coconspirators in a scam to get free food .

Douglas Collier wrote:Rufus’s tail got all floofy and he’s smiling funny - maybe he is hiding drugs for cross-country runners.

His tail was floofy in the previous strip so I think it just depends on the angle and if it's wagging.

Champion Wallace wrote:Pets aren't an oppressed people yearning for equal rights, they're all coconspirators in a scam to get free food .

I don't think it's the food they're scamming for but the shelter. They can hunt for food anywhere but by "keeping the mice down" they get a free room and apparently pillows.

Champion Wallace wrote: (I wonder if those cats will get names this arc).

Here are some names, from left to right its: Russetfur, Echosong, and Heathertail

So Max's thing for catnip started at an early age. Interesting.

Well, looking at Rufus we sure now know where Max learned his signature grin hahahah

When's the slow-motion pillow fight?

Iceheart wrote:When's the slow-motion pillow fight?

After MinMaxwell's bedtime.

For all you know, is Max speaking about actual drug runners or just the sport performers?

Glad to see those three again. Hope they get to reunite with Peanut and Grape and meet some of the other people like Rufus did.

Max and drugs and crime... we're slowly learning more about about his past, but at this point there's still more questions than answers.

Well, that might explain the interval between Max at the door peddling hang-up signs and Max lying by the side of a dirt road face down ... A little 'nip trip, mebbee?

Champion Wallace wrote:Pets aren't an oppressed people yearning for equal rights, they're all coconspirators in a scam to get free food .

Or else they *are* free food.

I was hoping he'd meet the barn cats <3

Now I'm curious if they know Grape and Max are dating? I'm sure they do, but still curious :3

It just occurred to me that those cats look the same as they always been.
Don't tell them about Sabrina. x3

Saturn381 wrote:So Max's thing for catnip started at an early age. Interesting.

NHWestoN wrote:Well, that might explain the interval between Max at the door peddling hang-up signs and Max lying by the side of a dirt road face down ... A little 'nip trip, mebbee?

Unless athletes eat catnip to improve their performance, there's been no mention of catnip this arc. Kitten Max seems more profit oriented towards acquiring food and shelter. Besides, you know what they say about your own supply.

Always looking for an angle, eh, Max? Gotta love the grin on ol'Rufus's mug! Poor, sweet country lassies.....

I recall mentioning before that I suspected Max being a barn cat at some point, but it turns out he was not born as one, but likely will be raised as one. Probably explain why he loves being out doors a lot as well.

Looking back at his call with Jeff, I wonder if his spending time with Jeff and Grape has been turning him domesticated overtime and if that's actually a significant thing going on between Grape and Max: raised domesticated meets raised barn cat.

GameCobra wrote:I recall mentioning before that I suspected Max being a barn cat at some point, but it turns out he was not born as one, but likely will be raised as one. Probably explain why he loves being out doors a lot as well.

Looking back at his call with Jeff, I wonder if his spending time with Jeff and Grape has been turning him domesticated overtime and if that's actually a significant thing going on between Grape and Max: raised domesticated meets raised barn cat.

"Raised" is a strong word. We don't know how long he's going to stay there. My hunch is not long enough to fully engross in the country life style before hitting the road. At most maybe a few months before setting off again. We know he was still a kitten when he was adopted by Jeff. He couldn't have been much older during the Stranger Incident than he is now. Which again raises so many questions about his catnip addiction.

Oh, all those cute cat ladies, nice to see them again. They should be really elder now, though. Good for you to give Max to them, Rufus, he's going to have three mothers. What? How do you know that bad stuff, Max? Mice catching is just normal in countryside life, both for "free" food and to protect the crops, how can it be also a scam for you?

fenrirblack wrote:

GameCobra wrote:I recall mentioning before that I suspected Max being a barn cat at some point, but it turns out he was not born as one, but likely will be raised as one. Probably explain why he loves being out doors a lot as well.

Looking back at his call with Jeff, I wonder if his spending time with Jeff and Grape has been turning him domesticated overtime and if that's actually a significant thing going on between Grape and Max: raised domesticated meets raised barn cat.

"Raised" is a strong word. We don't know how long he's going to stay there. My hunch is not long enough to fully engross in the country life style before hitting the road. At most maybe a few months before setting off again. We know he was still a kitten when he was adopted by Jeff. He couldn't have been much older during the Stranger Incident than he is now. Which again raises so many questions about his catnip addiction.

Also, don’t forget we don’t even know which of the reasons Grape mentioned cats end up at the pound was the reason she was there, so she could possibly been an alleycat type just like Max seems to have been up until the barn and then Jeff

Gameb18oy wrote:

fenrirblack wrote:

GameCobra wrote:I recall mentioning before that I suspected Max being a barn cat at some point, but it turns out he was not born as one, but likely will be raised as one. Probably explain why he loves being out doors a lot as well.

Looking back at his call with Jeff, I wonder if his spending time with Jeff and Grape has been turning him domesticated overtime and if that's actually a significant thing going on between Grape and Max: raised domesticated meets raised barn cat.

"Raised" is a strong word. We don't know how long he's going to stay there. My hunch is not long enough to fully engross in the country life style before hitting the road. At most maybe a few months before setting off again. We know he was still a kitten when he was adopted by Jeff. He couldn't have been much older during the Stranger Incident than he is now. Which again raises so many questions about his catnip addiction.

Also, don’t forget we don’t even know which of the reasons Grape mentioned cats end up at the pound was the reason she was there, so she could possibly been an alleycat type just like Max seems to have been up until the barn and then Jeff

Looks like Grape was pounded when she was Max's age in this arc. She and Max I suspect were both left to travel alone, but Grape got pounded and met the Sandwiches while Max drifted and met the barn cats. It's a perfect case of Grape the domesticated meets Max the wild cat, in my opinion, but Max is becoming more domesticated as time goes on :3

Like Craig and Draig with "Mama" Kix, Max may soon find the Barn Cats are crampin' his style.

GameCobra wrote:

Gameb18oy wrote:

fenrirblack wrote:
"Raised" is a strong word. We don't know how long he's going to stay there. My hunch is not long enough to fully engross in the country life style before hitting the road. At most maybe a few months before setting off again. We know he was still a kitten when he was adopted by Jeff. He couldn't have been much older during the Stranger Incident than he is now. Which again raises so many questions about his catnip addiction.

Also, don’t forget we don’t even know which of the reasons Grape mentioned cats end up at the pound was the reason she was there, so she could possibly been an alleycat type just like Max seems to have been up until the barn and then Jeff

Looks like Grape was pounded when she was Max's age in this arc. She and Max I suspect were both left to travel alone, but Grape got pounded and met the Sandwiches while Max drifted and met the barn cats. It's a perfect case of Grape the domesticated meets Max the wild cat, in my opinion, but Max is becoming more domesticated as time goes on :3

Okay, but how is it that Wildcat Max is so useless and timid when they are in danger while Grape who has been domesticated all her life is a fierce warrior. You would think a feral cat, like Max would be more capable. It seems to me that he was born to be domesticated and didn't really have far to go even after Jeff adopted him. Clearly Max has experience with humans given his knowledge. Most likely his mother was a pet but Max was abandoned not long after he was born (Oliver and Company) but was old enough to actually learn about human customs and society. Or he could have learned that stuff while living on the streets from a pack of street animals (Oliver and Company).
No matter how you look at it calling Max a wildcat has mixed meanings. Maybe I've read the Warriors books to many times (yes I have) but in my mind a wild cat is a feral animal that can fight and defend itself from danger and is actually cool. Max's only wildness is the fact that he lived on the street. Would you call a hobo wild? Living in a barn doesn't make him wild.

The fact that Max's drug addiction started when he was maybe in single digits kind of disturbs me.

In the HP! universe, catching mice actually was the oldest profession cats held for humans as established by Housepets 7500 BC.

fenrirblack wrote:Okay, but how is it that Wildcat Max is so useless and timid when they are in danger while Grape who has been domesticated all her life is a fierce warrior?

Wild NATURE VS NURTURE DEBATE appeared!

Amazee Dayzee wrote:The fact that Max's drug addiction started when he was maybe in single digits kind of disturbs me.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about drugs here because they're profitable to sell, not because he wan't to use them himself. I've stated before I don't think present day Max has an addiction.

Champion Wallace wrote:I'm pretty sure he's talking about drugs here because they're profitable to sell, not because he wan't to use them himself. I've stated before I don't think present day Max has an addiction.

I'm still holding out he might've started adopting his nip craves in this arc, but we'll have to wait and see. And I blame those innocent drug-related commercials when they were young.

As for Grape being the tough one in the relationship despite Max being in the wild more - Grape probably watched too much television while Max learned how to run from his fights :3

I am imagining maxes lines in a tiny little new york gangster accent

GameCobra wrote:As for Grape being the tough one in the relationship despite Max being in the wild more - Grape probably watched too much television while Max learned how to run from his fights :3

You’re probably right about Max. Rufus should have taught him how to swing a shovel while he was living there. I’m curious if Max learned anything from Rufus while he was living on the farm because whoever taught him how to scam failed miserably. I’ve seen better money schemes from Ed, Edd, & Eddy.

Grape doesn’t really watch tv, she sleeps all the time.

Champion Wallace wrote:In the HP! universe, catching mice actually was the oldest profession cats held for humans as established by Housepets 7500 BC.

fenrirblack wrote:Okay, but how is it that Wildcat Max is so useless and timid when they are in danger while Grape who has been domesticated all her life is a fierce warrior?

Wild NATURE VS NURTURE DEBATE appeared!

Amazee Dayzee wrote:The fact that Max's drug addiction started when he was maybe in single digits kind of disturbs me.

I'm pretty sure he's talking about drugs here because they're profitable to sell, not because he wan't to use them himself. I've stated before I don't think present day Max has an addiction.

You know, speaking of Housepets 7500 BC, can we talk about how much we can consider it canon? I see it brought up a lot just to try and figure out the dynamics between humans and animals in general, but I never have seen If Rick has confirmed if it should be taken that seriously, heck some of the stuff he’s written like the time travel arc put it on shaky foundations. Honestly, I hate having to consider it, so I’d like to clarify this stuff

When Rick wrote An Infinitesimally Brief History of Housepets! I'm certain he intended for it to be a supplemental guide to understanding the Housepets! universe, therefore canon. It possible that a few of his ideas on the topic have shifted around, but I think the main disconnects that people see may be interpretational more than any significant change to that history. (i.e. we are not interpreting it quite the way Rick intended and/or his interpretation and implementation of the explored concepts have gained nuances over time that weren't really there in the history)

I wouldn't mind a timeline so we know how long Max was with his mother and the other family before she died and how long she was on the street before the farm and then Jeff adopting him.

Amazee Dayzee wrote:I wouldn't mind a timeline so we know how long Max was with his mother and the other family before she died and how long she was on the street before the farm and then Jeff adopting him.

Wait what?

Obbl wrote:When Rick wrote An Infinitesimally Brief History of Housepets! I'm certain he intended for it to be a supplemental guide to understanding the Housepets! universe, therefore canon. It possible that a few of his ideas on the topic have shifted around, but I think the main disconnects that people see may be interpretational more than any significant change to that history. (i.e. we are not interpreting it quite the way Rick intended and/or his interpretation and implementation of the explored concepts have gained nuances over time that weren't really there in the history)

By the way, what’s the context for him posting that? The stuff before the actual story I just realized doesn’t hard confirm this couldn’t be a story told parallel to Housepets, rather than in the long past history of the comic’s prime universe. Personally, I just have gripes with one argument this story is always used as evidence for, the idea that humans are the only ones smart enough to build societies. Honestly, it’s a really weak argument even if Rick did intend that to be the case as it only brings up one species that didn’t figure out more intelligent ways to survive, and stuff with the wolves at least seem to paint a contrary picture, as quite a large amount of them seem more capable and intelligent than a large amount of the humans in the comic. I’m kinda rambling a bit, but that story bugs me quite a bit.