Monday, March 20, 2017

The Playing Kind

My cats are not the playing kind. They do play, but are not frequently enthusiastic about it. Parker attacks a fuzzy mouse and chases a ball more than all the perma-cats combined. But now and then, one of them gets in the mood.


Josie was exuberant for several days in a row recently. She wrestled with the tackle-fish initially, and then seemed to want the string-toy. Her idea of fighting the string-toy is to lie on the floor and to grab the toy as it swings past. My Chubs may actually think this is how life is in the wild; a cat lies down and attacks the various prey and predators that move next to her. Josie’s notion of life outside the apartment is limited.



But she will periodically slip into the nylon tunnel during play-time and then we can have real fun. Sometimes, the string-toy invades her space; sometimes, I do. As with Tucker, I will push at the fabric from the outside, and the cat inside will ferociously assault the resultant bulge with teeth and claws. It’s rather more dangerous than it sounds, depending on when I last cut their claws.


The action never lasts long. Josie tires of it and, as much as I try to interest her in some other toy or frolic, she decides that that is enough exercise for today. Perhaps it’s time for a snack, or a chin-rub. My cats are not the playing kind. But then, it may a little too undignified for cats of a certain age.

9 comments:

  1. Josie is adorable! Maybe she just doesn't have enough toys <-- said by cats who have three tubs full of toys they mostly ignore. MOL!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ha! Josie's idea of play reminds me so much of Derry's. :-D

    Nicki, on the other hand, still can be quite wild when in the mood, though the mood doesn't strike as often or last as long as it used to in his younger years.

    I do, however, know all about the dangers of the tunnel for bipeds with thin skin! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know mommy said I am of a certain age nowadays. She ought know since SHE is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. guyz...speekin frum all uz seniorz heer we gotta say snax snooze N sleep bee for play......N thiz holdz troo like 364 dayz outta de yeer ! ☺☺☺♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete
  5. My guys seem to play the most in the evening. And while they enjoy playing with soft toys stuffed with catnip, their favorite toy is the Cat Dancer. They also loved 'Da Bird, but it lasted 5 minutes before Danni had it in pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The last photo, along with the comment that playing may be a little undignified made our mom bean laugh out loud.

    Saku is the biggest "player" here but he is the youngest. Perhaps there is some truth that we older kitties are less frisky.

    Have fun Josie!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Holly loves her catnip toys and enjoys flinging them off the bed. She also has a bad habit of rummaging through the garbage pails for plastic things which she will then gleefully run off with. I thinknolder cats are less likely to play for long periods of time but do enjoy a short bout of play. I too find cats seem to enjoy play most in the evenings. Or late at night when the humans are trying to sleep :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aww...she is a cutie. I like her hunting style :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Josie plays the same way Eric used to, lying down using the least energy possible.

    ReplyDelete