Left or Right?

Been away for a long while, so I don't know if this has been discussed. In Flag In Exile, there's a reference to Honor in Grayson uniform, lifting Nimitz to ride on her right shoulder. I would have thought that it would be standard for someone in uniform to carry their treecat on their left shoulder, so as not to interfere with a salute. Anyone aware of such a standard, or do adoptees just carry their 'cats on whichever shoulder they like?

I can't remember what he weighs in at, but Nimitz carries a hefty bit of weight, for someone carrying that weight around every day. So I would imagine the stronger shoulder would bear the weight.

At least in Honor's case, her heavy musculature is an added bonus, but still.

Good question though.

I don't believe it has ever been specified which shoulder, except in instances of injury. with Honor losing her left arm at cerberus, if Nimitz was capable of riding (which I don't think he was until their return home), I would expect right shoulder.

Although, I believe Lionheart rode on Stephanie's right shoulder, due to the loss of his right true hand in the hexapuma fight, and it could well have become tradition with Stephanie and Lionheart being the first that generally a cat rode the right shoulder.

The painting of Stephanie and Lionheart in "What price Dreams" (worlds of honor anthology, I think) may hold answers.

dscott8 wrote:Been away for a long while, so I don't know if this has been discussed. In Flag In Exile, there's a reference to Honor in Grayson uniform, lifting Nimitz to ride on her right shoulder. I would have thought that it would be standard for someone in uniform to carry their treecat on their left shoulder, so as not to interfere with a salute. Anyone aware of such a standard, or do adoptees just carry their 'cats on whichever shoulder they like?

It also shows up - now that I'm searching for it - in:
Short Victorious War (He nuzzled her right ear from his perch on her shoulder) and
Field of Dishonor (she missed his weight on her right shoulder as she headed to the duel; since she'd left him behind with McGuiness).
Flag in Exile has are references to him on that shoulder both for her civilian Grayson clothing and her GSN Admiral's uniform.
Honor Among Enemies: [Honor] "lifted her 'cat to her right shoulder"
Ashes of Victory: "Nimitz rode on her right shoulder"
War of Honor: "Nimitz. The 'cat leapt into her arms and swarmed up into his proper position on her right shoulder"

But from the very limited examples we have it may just be what the person or 'cat prefers; though right shoulder does seem to predominate.

Honor Among Enemies: "watched Samantha flow the rest of the way to his right shoulder. Nimitz followed a moment later, perching on Tschu's left shoulder"
War of Honor: "Ariel rode on Elizabeth's left shoulder, while Monroe rode on Justin's right shoulder. Behind them stood Lord William Alexander and his brother, the Earl of White Haven, with Samantha standing high and proud on his shoulder" (So dunno which shoulder Samantha was on)
Wolds of Honor: "Fisher, who rode Scott's right shoulder, then at the stray, who'd taken up a perch on Scott's left." &
"It sat on its person's right shoulder, its tail hanging down her back while its remaining true-hand rested on her head"
A Beautiful Friendship: [Stephanie Harrington]"’d rigged a light harness with a tough fabric pad on top of her right shoulder, and the six-limbed treecat had sunk the curved claws of his mid-limb feet lightly into the padding for balance. Most of his weight, however, was supported by his rearmost feet, which were dug into a second protective pad just below the girl’s right shoulder blade."

Jonathan_S wrote:But from the very limited examples we have it may just be what the person or 'cat prefers; though right shoulder does seem to predominate.

It's tradition, at least among the treecats of the Bright Water Clan. Somewhere we get a first-person account from Laughs Brightly (Nimitz) that he rode Honor's (Dances on Clouds) right shoulder because:

A Beautiful Friendship: [Stephanie Harrington]"’d rigged a light harness with a tough fabric pad on top of her right shoulder, and the six-limbed treecat had sunk the curved claws of his mid-limb feet lightly into the padding for balance. Most of his weight, however, was supported by his rearmost feet, which were dug into a second protective pad just below the girl’s right shoulder blade."

Because Climbs Quickly (Lionheart) rode Stephanie's (Death Fang's Bane) right shoulder.

And Nimitz is said to weigh 9 kg.

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

Jonathan_S wrote:But from the very limited examples we have it may just be what the person or 'cat prefers; though right shoulder does seem to predominate.

It's tradition, at least among the treecats of the Bright Water Clan. Somewhere we get a first-person account from Laughs Brightly (Nimitz) that he rode Honor's (Dances on Clouds) right shoulder because:

A Beautiful Friendship: [Stephanie Harrington]"’d rigged a light harness with a tough fabric pad on top of her right shoulder, and the six-limbed treecat had sunk the curved claws of his mid-limb feet lightly into the padding for balance. Most of his weight, however, was supported by his rearmost feet, which were dug into a second protective pad just below the girl’s right shoulder blade."

Because Climbs Quickly (Lionheart) rode Stephanie's (Death Fang's Bane) right shoulder.

And Nimitz is said to weigh 9 kg.

I like "it is tradition." And I would bet the tradition began with a right handed person. Try to carry twenty pounds (9kg) on your non-dominate shoulder day-in day-out.

Heck, try that with a large Maine Cat, if you can fit one straddling BOTH shoulders.

Nimitz packs the weight of a large Maine Cat in his smaller size?

cthia wrote:Nimitz packs the weight of a large Maine Cat in his smaller size?

Muscles are denser than fat. Treecats aren't known for being fat and, in order to survive in 1.35 gravity on Sphinx, they'd have strong muscles.

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

cthia wrote:Nimitz packs the weight of a large Maine Cat in his smaller size?

Muscles are denser than fat. Treecats aren't known for being fat and, in order to survive in 1.35 gravity on Sphinx, they'd have strong muscles.

Expanding layman's terms?

cthia wrote:Expanding layman's terms?

They're denser than Terran cats.

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

cthia wrote:Expanding layman's terms?

They're denser than Terran cats.

No no no. I put it in layman's terms. You expanded it. But yeah, I agree.