Saturday, January 19, 2008

Entertaining Your Cat


Some of the toys I've purchased for my cat have been a success. Others, like the one pictured below, have been a wash-out.

My cat, Meeko, will jump into into any undefended plastic or paper bag, but she won't venture into this--even when I toss in cat nip or treats. I've pretty much done everything but crawl inside the darn thing myself. But there is one form of entertainment that never fails to draw her in.

Chipmunks and squirrels.

Of course, I have to litter the outside sill with sunflower seeds. It's a small price to pay to keep the cat amused. Here she is, this past summer:

Cat with Squirrel at window
She thinks she's being sneaky, hoping to catch the chipmunk unaware while staying hidden below the window.

But sometimes, the temptation is too great and she throws caution to the wind.

Black cat and squirrel at window
These days, she waits eagerly by the window for the return of the warm weather and live entertainment.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

My sweet departed baby, Jazzy, used to really give the squirrels outside my windows a piece of her mind, by batting and hissing at them through the window pane. She'd also do this to birds -- until a large flock of them would swoop down near the window, and she'd wind up running underneath an end table for cover. (Suddenly, she didn't feel quite as tough, when obviously outnumbered : ))

As for amusing herself, I think that *I* was probably her favorite toy. She'd jump up on one of my tables and stick her paw out to "hit" me on the arm, every time I passed by. She also pawed at my feet whenever I was sitting in a chair, and climbed on top of my head while I was lying in bed watching television. So, when it came to amusing herself -- I was clearly the amusement.

God, how I miss my little baby.

Lynn Sinclair said...

Georgie, it sounds like Jazzy was such a sweetie. I know how much you must miss her. When I look at pics of Chowder, I wish I could play with her and pat her--just one more time.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that the more I pay for a toy, the less they play with it. The stuff found around the house -- boxes, bags, yarn (don't worry, I'm careful) -- they'll go for hours. But if it's specifically manufactured for them -- they yawn and walk away.

Lynn Sinclair said...

Good point, Devon. Meeko likes the 'found' toys too--I should stick with them.

The Hide 'n Play pictured in my post was only $9.99, so I don't feel completely ripped off, but I did have high hopes for it.

NuclearToast said...

Ok, the picture of Meeko's paw sticking up from below the windowsill cracks me up!

Lynn Sinclair said...

Lol, NT, I agree. Kind of like a cat's idea of puppets.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! That is so cute!

Lynn Sinclair said...

Yes, she's a cutie. Sometimes I wonder if she is more frustrated than entertained by the visitors. I could very well be driving my cat crazy by doing encouraging this.

Carolyn Burns Bass said...

Meeko the sneako. I love the paw in the window trick.

Shannon Perry said...

One advantage of having no access to Internet at work is the chance to binge on your faves when you get a few hours at home. I still have my lovely "guest" cats (one daily, another sporadically), and I worry like crazy when Siam doesn't show. I really want to get hold of her and get her to a vet -- she's had trouble with her lower jaw for a long time now. (obvious pain and drooling, so she gets wet food from me). Vet says maybe a bad tooth. Any ideas on how to catch a cat that doesn't want to be caught?

Lynn Sinclair said...

Carolyn, that picture is a keeper.

Lynn Sinclair said...

Angst, this must be very distressing. I believe the only way is to entice the poor guy into a humane trap using food. The trap can be borrowed/rented from Animal Control/Humane Society. Perhaps even the vet has one).

Put it out on Friday night/Saturday morn, when you're not working. I'd arrange with the vet ahead of time--let him know you might be bringing him in. If you haven't caught him by the time the vet closes for the weekend, then take the trap back indoors.

I found this page. Should have some good hints.:

Humane Trapping Instructions

Best of luck, Angst. Please do this soon and let me know how it goes.

Shannon Perry said...

Thanks for that, Lynn. Great advice.

Lynn Sinclair said...

Your welcome, Angst. Hope it all helps.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea on the window sill! Finn needs more fun things to do.

Lynn Sinclair said...

Yes, Karen, everyone is happy--the cat and the squirrels and chipmunks. I'm just as excited as Meeko to see them back again--I love watching the animals stuff themselves until their cheeks are fairly bursting.