Tag Archives: boxes

16

Cat Games: Beating the Summertime Blues

|

On Tuesday morning, at 5:13 am Eastern Daylight Time, it  will  be officially summer. All those long summer days with lots of sun puddles sound great, but some times it’s a little too warm for comfort. So we decided to look around and see if we could find some activities that would help us beat the heat. Note: Most of them involve ice and/or water. If you’re not a fan of wet paws, you may want to just lie in front of a fan or air vent.

Why, Oh Why, do Cats Hate Water? | Cat Care of Vinings

Water Park – This one’s for the real water lovers among us. Have your human put a few inches of lukewarm water in the bathtub. They should also put a couple of places for you to sit in the water where you won’t get wet. (An upside-down pot is one idea.) Have them put in a few toys that will float. (Even ice cubes work.) You can bat the toys around and watch them move in the tub. Perfect toy? Floating battery-operated fish.

Ice Cube Bowl – Don’t like the idea of sitting with water all around you? Have your human fill a bowl with water and put some ice cubes in it. You can bat the ice cubes around from the safety of your favorite seat. If your human really wants to get on your good side, they can make the cubes out of chicken broth or tuna juice. The best way is to use an ice cube tray, fill it part of the way with the broth, and add a piece of a treat (or catnip).

Is It Safe To Put Ice In A Cat's Water? | Purr Craze

Fishing Bowl – Really don’t like the idea of touching cold, icky ice? Have your human put a few floating toys in a bowl. Hollow plastic or cork are the best. Ping pong balls are ideal. Make sure the bowl is big enough for you to actually move the toys around.

Fishing/Bobbing for Treats – Have your human fill a rimmed baking sheet or other low pan with a small amount of water. Then they should put a couple of plastic lids on the water. (There should be enough water that the lids float.) Finally, they need to put treats in the lids. You can either scoop the treats out with your paw or “bob” for them with your mouth. If your human doesn’t want to use lids, they can just freeze some broth or tuna juice into cubes and float them on the water, similar to the Ice Cube Bowl above. Once again, make sure there’s enough water for the items to move around freely.

Cats & Toilet Paper: Why Do They Keep Unrolling It? | Hill's Pet

While we were looking around, we also found a few things that won’t help with the heat, but sound like fun.

Toilet Paper Tube Puzzle – Once you’re finished unrolling all of the toilet paper, give the tube to your human. Tell them to put a few pieces of kibble in the tube, then fold the ends over and seal them. Have them put a couple of small holes in the tube, then put the tube on the floor. You can get the kibble out by rolling the tube around the floor.

Pizza Box Search – Don’t let your human throw away their empty pizza box after you’re done sharing. They can put a small toy in there (Something that rolls around would be good.) They close the box, then cut several small holes in the top. You can put your paw through the holes to move the toy around (and maybe get it out.)

Why Does My Cat Eat With His Paw? - Cat Attitudes

Tube Fishing – Don’t let your human throw away the empty paper towel tubes either. They can cut them into different heights and secure them into a box. They put kibble in the tubes, and you have fun fishing the kibble out of the various tubes. (We have a store-bought version of this game, and we really like it.)

Box Forts – Your human can stack a bunch of old boxes and bags together. They need to cut holes in several places so you can crawl around the whole thing.

Catnip, Catnip plant, Heirloom seeds

Rooting Box – Have your human fill a big box with non-toxic stuff like leaves, sticks, grass, and/or river rocks. You can root around in the stuff looking for treats and toys they have hidden. You can even sleep in there if you want.

Kitty Garden – Ask your human to plant some cat grass, catnip, or other cat-friendly plants where you can explore them. There are few things more cooling than lying in cool grass.

Cat Stroller – It’s a great way to see the neighborhood without being in any danger from traffic. Be sure your human uses a stroller that is safe for kitties. You should be able to see and smell, but not get out accidentally. Note: If you are a shy or tense kitty, you may find a stroller is not really much fun. There are a lot of different noises and smells in the world, and it may be overwhelming.

Iz a stroller-- Get strollin'! http://cheezburger.com/9002086656 | Funny cute cats, Cat stroller, Pets cats

Hopefully, you can find something in this list that you and your human can enjoy together. We’re not really fans of ice or water, but if Mom freezes some tuna juice, we might give it a shot. On the other hand, the rooting box sounds like a lot of fun. Or napping in that sun puddle.

Pictures courtesy of Google Images.

18

Thunder Katt: Best of Baby

|

Hello everyone! It’s Thunder, and I have a special post for everyone today. About a year ago, Mom and Dad got us a human kitten (we did so good with him, they’re bringing us another one soon)! At first, we were really nervous, because we heard human kittens were loud, stinky, and messy- yuck! While all of these have proven to be true, he also proved to be more trainable than the adults (he already gives tummy rubs!) and he comes with some really cool things that cats everywhere can enjoy. So without further ado, here is the 2021 Best of Baby, as voted on by Angel, Onyx, and me!

Baby Carrier

This has proven to be a wonderful asset to our house. Despite it smelling like the human kitten, a cat can curl up for a nap, play with the straps, or cuddle with the human kitten if he’s still in it. As an added bonus, there’s often a soft blanket tossed in it to keep everyone warm!

Some Baby Foods

I need to start by emphasizing the “some” part of this, as babies tend to eat yucky foods like green beans and peas. However, they also drink this wonderful concoction called “formula” (our human kitten has to drink the dairy-free version due to an allergy, but it still tastes good). They also have cereals that some kitties may enjoy. And, we recently discovered that older babies get meat mixed in their purees. Just really sniff before licking, as there are some very gross flavors out there.

Car Seat

Much like the carrier, these seats are padded and soft, and make great nap spots. You can also sit on them and watch cat TV. However, be careful, as ours stays in the car if it doesn’t need to be washed, and you don’t want to get stuck on a car ride.

Packaged Diapers

I will start by saying these diapers must be clean, and preferably in the package. Once they are used, diapers move to the top of the worst of baby list. However, in the package, diapers are soft but firm, making them good to lounge on. If you can get a clean one by itself, they make decent targets for hunting practice. I would not advise napping on the pack of diapers, as you’ll be disturbed far more frequently than acceptable. Human kittens go through too many diapers for the effort of curling up for a good nap. 

Crib

This seems like an obvious choice. It’s a human kitten bed! These are preferable for bed time in the summer, as most human kittens don’t sleep with fluffy blankets until they’re older (feel free to switch back to your big human bed in the winter). Just make sure you get to the crib before the baby so you get the best spot. 

Baby Swing

These act much like carriers, but you can have your human turn them on so they move and vibrate! Some play music, but that’s just annoying. Avoid pouncing in them, as the swinging motion will upset your balance and make you stumble. 

High Chair

There are several advantages to this human kitten feeding center. First and most obvious, you can get food! However, they also have trays you can sit on and receive pets from the human kitten (make sure the tray is clean prior to sitting). Many have storage nets attached to the bottom where you can nap. And, if nothing else, you can sit in the seat and claim your rightful spot at the table. 

Play Mats and Pens

This is where you’re most likely to get one-on-one time with your human kitten. You can lounge by yourself and enjoy the daily sun, or you can cuddle up to your human kitten. You can also use these to teach proper hunting technique, or to get some tummy time in. And, if they have a play pen, you can store your mousies in there. 

Stroller

I see this more as a lounger, since that’s what I do in it, but if your big humans insist on using it to stroll with the human, make sure you get the most use out of it when it’s collapsed inside. Otherwise your humans may try to push you around, which will impair your natural feline independence. 

Walker

Again, I think of this more as a sitter… humans are quite odd in their namings. You can sit in the comfortable fabric seat and swat at the attached toys for hours of fun and play! 

Toys

Human kittens have tons of cool toys to swat around! Balls, little cars, stuffed animals, things with pushy buttons and moveable parts… and they’ll usually play with you! I’ve been able to train my human kitten to play paws through his desire of pushing a ball back and forth with me! 

Boxes

Every cat loves boxes! And luckily for us, we found out that everything for babies comes in boxes (and usually has foam wrapping as an added bonus)! As soon as the item is removed, jump in the box to claim it. You’ll be so cute, your big human won’t have the heart to get rid of the box, and soon you’ll have a great selection to hide in when you need a break from the human kitten!

I hope you’ve enjoyed Best of Baby, Thunder K. Katt style! Please note that this list was not printed in any particular order, and everything on this list has been tested and approved by 3 cats of different ages. If you have a human kitten in your life, best of luck to you with raising them; and if not, enjoy your quiet and peace!

Furs and purrs,

Thunder Katt 

23

Cat Etiquette for Humans – Part 2 (Food)

|

Our good friend (and part owner of our human sister) Thunder enjoyed last week’s post. However, she feels that we neglected the role that food plays in human/cat etiquette. Therefore, she has written a follow-up post to rectify the situation.

Grey and white cat sniffing the meat grinder. | Homemade cat food, Homemade cat, Cat food

Allow your cat to sniff everything. This ensures she gets to choose according to her wishes, not yours.

What to Do If Your Cat Is Obsessed With Human Food - Archie Cat

Just like humans request samples, kitties may also want to try a food before committing to it. I’ve learned that humans put tasty foods, like cheese, on yucky foods, like potatoes, and it can be deceptive. Therefore, samples are necessary.

He REALLY wants a bagel : aww

If your cat is sharing with you, such as a bagel with cream cheese or a forkful of chicken, allow Kitty to finish licking or nibbling before removing the item and taking a giant human bite for yourself. My dad did this with a bagel and cream cheese once, and I was depressed for the rest of the day.

24 Human Foods Cats Can Eat + Foods Cats Should Avoid! | Foods cats can eat, Human food, Pureed food recipes

Do not mock us if we choose to go for a veggie option (peas) or sweet (ice cream) option. First of all, cats are masters at knowing what’s best for their nutritional needs. (Scientific articles relating such information have been published – see the Catster website). 

Second of all, if it’s good enough for humans, it must be good enough for kitties. After all, even our canned and dried foods are made with human-approved ingredients.

And if humans can be in the mood for these things, why can’t kitties?

The CAT thread. - Page 4 - Pelican Parts Forums

Tear or cut up anything we decide to eat into appropriate-sized pieces. We have small teeth and mouths, and can’t stuff a whole turkey leg in the way humans can. It’s frustrating when we’re given a delicious treat, only to have to abandon it minutes later because we can’t properly eat it.

Japan's Cat Island Asks Internet For Food, Gets More Than They Can Store | Bored Panda

In the interest of food bank donations (which rise this time of year), I’ve decided to share this tip: 

Donating to the less fortunate is wonderful thing to do, and cats across the world support this gesture wholeheartedly (assuming you don’t donate our treats.) However, when donating, leave the empty boxes around the house alone.

Nothing is more heartbreaking than a cat spotting an empty box, planning to use it as a cozy nap spot, and marking it with your furs only to have a human kick you out. Then they ruin the furs you’ve carefully shed in there and fill it with junk before removing said box from home. Remember, bags work just as well and typically aren’t as cat-friendly. So it’s a win-win.

Dear humans, I hope this has been helpful.

Thunder K. Katt

Pictures courtesy of Google Images (except me)