Monday, September 21, 2015

Having Fun Together, Separately

The toy called Undercover Mouse was given to me some years ago by a friend. The cats enjoy it, though I don’t have it out continuously. I want it to be something special that they are permitted to play with once a week or so. As well, there is the fact that some of the cats are not interested in it, or, perhaps, not interested in it while other cats are.


Not unexpectedly, Noah enjoys the toy. It is a mechanical device in which a wand revolves under a circular shroud. The wand will stop periodically and swing back the way it came. Sometimes it will pause, only to start again. There are several speeds. Though I was not surprised by Noah’s exuberance over the game, I was by Tucker’s participation.


The roly poly one doesn’t care for Noah. Well, I suppose it is more accurate to write that he is annoyed by the boy’s presence and now and then tries to beat him up. I think that has more to do with hierarchy than with personality. The instances of combat have decreased, and it was nice to see the two of them playing with the same toy at the same time. That’s as close as they will likely get to playing together.


Even so, a good time was had. Renn came by at one point. He rarely played with Undercover Mouse previously, and this time contented himself with observing the fun. The girls were uninterested in playing, though Cammie grumpily made her way through the ruckus, hissing at everyone. I suspect she enjoyed that more than any game.



It was an entertaining Saturday afternoon, for the boys, and for me, watching them have their fun. By dinner-time, Tucker was tuckered out but Noah could have gone on for several more hours - the energy of youth. He seemed to derive as much pleasure from lying in the path of the wand - which creates an endless noise resembling a child’s toy machine-gun - as from chasing it. I eventually put the toy away, in time for dinner to be served. And afterward, even Noah was ready for a nap.

8 comments:

  1. what fun!!! and mom snickered at the image of Cammie walking through muttering "heathens" :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's nice that the Undercover Mouse brought everybuddy together...sort of. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is nice to see the toy bringing them close together. Cammie has to have her say of course.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What fun indeed! Annie would have had the same reaction as Cammie did to the others. :-)

    It's great that Undercover Mouse got everyone together, even if not playing *with* each other.

    Purrs and peace.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cammie;

    Indeed, a merry Hiss miss to all....while this toy does look fun and enjoyable; I'd like to know who gave permission, allowing the boys to have a go at it first. Perhaps the boys need a refresher course in the definition of matriarch.

    Frankly I've had a poster sized portrait of myself made up which includes the word matriarch across the top, and I've secured it to the eastern most wall of my domain so that none who pass, shall forget it

    Hugs to you and Josie

    ♥♥♥

    dai$y =^..*=

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think Cammie cares enough about other cats to be a matriarch. If they just leave her alone, her world is fine.

      Delete
  6. I like the part where Cammie walks right through, hissing at the boys while they are enjoying their games. From Eileen and Jessica

    ReplyDelete