We had a breakthrough this week in human-cat relations. Plover, our newest cat, was adopted from the pound, and came with a bit of post-traumatic-stress disorder. He had a rough time in cat jail, and has been on edge for the last six months.
Then we got him a shoelace.
We tried everything to get him to play: catnip, stuffed mice, balls, rattling things. He would try, but he always remained a bit reserved. The shoelace changed everything. He instantly recognized it as a toy, and jumped on it with a joyous fury.
He is a changed cat. He carries the shoelace around the house, lays on it, chases it wherever we drag it (even to previously scary parts of the house), and has generally blossomed into a fun-loving, easy-going guy.
This kitty was a mystery, and all it took was a shoelace to decrypt his code and get him functioning. Kittyhack!!!
My lovely cat, Squeaker, loves the “cat dancer” available from Petco for $1.99. My other cat, a japanese bobtail, loves dental floss.
The plastic rings off of milk jugs. 15 1/2 years of cat bliss. Of course, visitors think I throw my trash on the floor, but who cares about visitors?
Ha ha! I used to shower Merlin with cat toys, but I wised up when I realized that no amount of fuzzy catnip mice or jingle balls could measure up to the awesomness that is the String On A Stick – the holy grail of cat toys.
An Agletted Kitty mystery.
“Kittyhack!!!”
I love it.
My family has a long history of cats who love sewing accessories: bobbins, empty spools, and, currently, pieces of elastic. Non-toy toys are often so much better toy toys.
Along the same lines as rochelle’s comment – just make sure you keep your shoelaces tied.
When are you going to graduate him up to a snake? I bet he’d really love a moving shoelace!
I think he might like a snake rochelle, the question is: would the snake like him?
This morning Plover came in to see me while I was getting ready for work. This is a first. Owl got jealous and I quickly had two kitties swarming around my legs competing for attention. It’s amazing the change he’s gone through in just five days. Thanks shoelace!
Our feral kitty finally responded to a pom pom at the end of a very long string. He could play with us and yet be in the same room. Congratulations.