2356 Cat Toy!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

What's this, four posts today? I apologize. But I'm excited!

I was talking with Daughter yesterday, and she mentioned that she was letting her cats outside now. I was a bit worried about that, but on the other hand, if they (she and the cats) are willing to put up with ticks and fleas and worms and colds, and a possibly shorter (but probably happier) life, well, ok. I told her that I felt bad about Jasper being stuck in the house all the time, but I can't let him out because we have so many coyotes. He used to be feral. I'm sure he doesn't get enough exercise now. Not just physical exercise, but mental exercise, too. I'm sure if I were he, I'd be going crazy.

I've tried playing with him, but he's not interested in anything on sticks or strings. As soon as he figures out I'm on the other end, he loses interest. Toys dangling from stationary strings or elastics don't interest him at all. He'll wrestle with catnip cigars or bat catnip mice around, but it's kind of halfhearted, and not much exercise.

I was starting to feel so guilty I was considering issuing an invitation (via bread crumb trail and unplugged garage mouseholes) to local field mice.

A few days ago I was wandering around an office supply store, and I bought a laser pointer. No particular reason. Just seemed like a good idea, you know, just in case I ever needed one. It was on sale for a dollar, including batteries.

I put the batteries in it this evening.

Miss Thunderfoot wasn't interested in it at all, but Jasper went wild. He chased the spot all over the house. With just a few steps back and forth, I can get him tearing through the kitchen, dining room, living room, down the bedroom hall into the far bathroom, and back around again, and I'm not associated with it at all.

I turned it off a few minutes ago, and he's still prowling the house "Eep eeping", looking for it.

Ahah! Residual mental stimulation!
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