Kitty has established her household order. She gets up from the end of the bed, or from under the chair, when I get up, at 8 a.m. or earlier. After that initial dash to the bathroom, I make the bed and get dressed. Kitty stays close, she knows these drills and when to insert herself. So, when I sit down to sort the day's pills, and take them, Kitty decided the rattle is her first summons for treats, and there she is, face expectant.
Feeling guilty over the lack of a "real" Kitty bed, I bought one for her. What a disaster. The first night I put it under the chair, so she would step into it on her "way to bed." In the morning I learned the eight pound cat could man handle a three pound bed. It was dragged from under the chair and left in the middle of the studio area.
I put it between the chair and sofa, and put treats in it. Next morning the bed was moved and the treats gone. I put it back between the chair and sofa and did not replace the treats. It seems to be an impasse now. She does not move it and I don't put in treats. If she uses it, I do not know. So I will leave it there and see if she changes her mind.
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This toy is the bulk of Kitty's play things. She also has the stripped rag in the first picture, a cardboard tube from the weaving thread and a tennis ball. That latter she never seems to use, and the tube seldom. The ball toy is her preference. I would like to get her another toy. I will get some ping pong balls soon. I can put some in this toy and see how long it takes her to learn she can pry out the white balls, but not the colored.
The only other toy I've looked at looks like a small Slinky. It does not behave like Slinky, but only looks like a small section. The size makes me reluctant. Suggestions about the toy I've seen, and other cat toys, will be appreciated.
A feather tied to a piece of string...it seems born in them that this means Bird....and that means pounce
ReplyDeleteI didn't mention, she has feathers and ignores them. Perhaps because all are colored, red, green, yellow. I'll ask my walking friends to find me a real bird feather.
DeleteOne of my friends provided many lovely toys for her cat, who steadfastly played only with a big piece of string. Everyone who visited was warned: do not throw away the string, it's not forgotten, it's a vital toy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful kitty! I love the calico look. 8 lbs is a hefty cat! We had a black tom and he was that size.
ReplyDeleteHe might like those tiny fake little mice that you see in the cat toy section of most stores. Especially if he was ever a roving outdoor kitty. You might ask kitty why he puts the bed where he does. Surely he has a reason! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteA cardboard box with holes cut out was one of the cheapest toys our cats ever had. See if anything filled with catnip works
ReplyDeleteOver the years, I bought HRH three beautiful (and expensive) cat beds. She turned up her nose at each of them and never used them. She had one of those circular ball-in-the-loop toys and loved it, until she figured out she could never get the ball out. Then she abandoned it as a sucker's game. Her most favourite toys were little soft foam golf balls and little wee fur mice that she could bat around and carry in her mouth like the Mighty Huntress she was.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteA catnip toy. Guaranteed winner. Even just a pot of catnip. Bribery, I believe it's called. YAM xx
Kitty is warming up and finding her comfort rituals. Cats are so individual in what they like to play with. My old girl Mari isn't much into toys or lasers although she used to be as a younger cat.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful cat and you’ve made progress with her. The bed appears to be a stalemate for now. You have infinite patience with her, Joanne. That helps for sure!
ReplyDeleteShe reckons you are trained now.....
ReplyDeleteSome cats play a lot, some don't... same with dogs (or any other critter - including humans) Our inside cats (when we had them) played mostly at night as I would find toys spread out all over the house (mostly catnip mice). The outside cats (and raccoons) like the circular toy with the balls and do carry the little catnip mice around. I'd be careful with string or any cord that she could swallow...
ReplyDeleteKitty looks calm and very comfortable in her photos. She's got her routine and is interacting with you more and more. My cat liked toy mice and a suspended ball that she could bat. She did not sleep in her cat bed and preferred my bed.
ReplyDeleteOh I laughed when she moved the cat bed away from her preferred spot. Cats. Y'all are getting there.
ReplyDeleteWe've had luck with a small laser pointer.
ReplyDeleteHoudini loves small balls with bells inside them. The play and squeak birds are a real hit with him as well. When the cat bats them, they squeak. The finshing pole with the feathered gee-gaws are a hit, and the nice thing about them is that you can play with him from a chair. He has a toybox in the livingroom under the end table. He'll go over and carefully study his toys, moving them around until he finds just the toy that he wants. He has really turned into a love bug. I never would have believed it. That's why I have such confidence that your Kitty will come around nicely.
ReplyDeletePS: try some catnip spray for that bed.
ReplyDeleteUse the bed as a footrest for yourself a few times so it gets your smell on it then kitty might take to it. Angel played with toys until he was about six months old then gave them up, his favourite was a strip of velcro rolled up and fastened to itself to make a tiny ball, he would bat that around the floor until he lost it under the fridge and I would get it out again. Lola doesn't play, she was 8 when I got her and has never played.
ReplyDeleteI would like a giant version of her bed.
ReplyDeleteThere's a ball toy (don't know the name of it) that when the cat hits the ball, it flies around in a circle...look on Amazon. Lots of fun things...
ReplyDeletehugs
Donna
I wonder if she thinks that furry bed is a toy, or a wild animal that must be dominated.
ReplyDeleteShe looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteCutie-pie kitty. I've often thought that Larson (of Far Side fame) could have done a panel showing a pet store with shelves of various twist ties from bread loaf bags, empty toilet paper rolls, rubber bands and the occasional earring such is the state of 'toy' play at my house. :)
ReplyDeleteShe seems to come to terms, Joanne, slowly, but she starts to feel at home (her way: her - she chooses where to sleep.)
ReplyDeleteKitty is settling in nicely. She seems to know she is home.
ReplyDeleteAn impasse indeed. You've met your match there! I wonder why she moved the kitty bed in the first place?
ReplyDeleteKitty is probably thinking that you are a difficult one to train.
ReplyDeleteThe two of you appear to be settling in just fine. Kitty has a very distinctive stripe on her head. Is that a common pattern?
ReplyDelete