The discrete Roadcat

Harri Roadcat can play as energetically as any of the other kitties, but
it seems she wants to maintain her dignity and hold on to her "Tough Girl
Kitty" image. After all, a Trucking Kitty wouldn't be seen flinging a
fluffy mouse all over the house.

I stopped at a local pet store yesterday for some cat food and Feliway
diffuser refills. While I was there I picked up another tub of catnip and
a package of mouse toys. When I got home I got some of the mouse toys and
noticed that they squeak if you squeeze them hard enough. Ranger really
got in to the mouse toys, and I tossed one over to Harri. She batted it
around a bit, but just sort of half-heartedly.

Since I had just gotten home I headed into the bedroom to unload my cell
phone, pager, wallet, and all the other crap I have to carry with me.
While I was so occupied, I heard rapid-fire squeaks coming from the living
room. Ok, Ranger must be really enjoying his mouse toy. Nope, Ranger is
right here attacking my feet. Let's sneak quietly down the hallway and see
who is playing. There's Harri Roadcat, rolled over on her back with a
mouse toy between her paws, squeezing and swatting and biting away. She
was enjoying herself with the kind of abandon that kittens should always
enjoy.

But as soon as she saw me watching, she rolled over and resumed
half-heartedly swatting at the toy. She likes to play with it, but she
doesn't want to be seen doing so.

What a silly girl!

On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 17:22:38 -0700, Dan M yodeled:

y of the other kitties, but
it seems she wants to maintain her dignity and hold on to her "Tough Girl
Kitty" image. After all, a Trucking Kitty wouldn't be seen flinging a
fluffy mouse all over the house.


LOL! She's a woman of the world!

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War

"Dan M" wrote in message
news
Harri Roadcat can play as energetically as any of the other kitties, but
it seems she wants to maintain her dignity and hold on to her "Tough Girl
Kitty" image. After all, a Trucking Kitty wouldn't be seen flinging a
fluffy mouse all over the house.

I stopped at a local pet store yesterday for some cat food and Feliway
diffuser refills. While I was there I picked up another tub of catnip and
a package of mouse toys. When I got home I got some of the mouse toys and
noticed that they squeak if you squeeze them hard enough. Ranger really
got in to the mouse toys, and I tossed one over to Harri. She batted it
around a bit, but just sort of half-heartedly.

Since I had just gotten home I headed into the bedroom to unload my cell
phone, pager, wallet, and all the other crap I have to carry with me.
While I was so occupied, I heard rapid-fire squeaks coming from the living
room. Ok, Ranger must be really enjoying his mouse toy. Nope, Ranger is
right here attacking my feet. Let's sneak quietly down the hallway and see
who is playing. There's Harri Roadcat, rolled over on her back with a
mouse toy between her paws, squeezing and swatting and biting away. She
was enjoying herself with the kind of abandon that kittens should always
enjoy.

But as soon as she saw me watching, she rolled over and resumed
half-heartedly swatting at the toy. She likes to play with it, but she
doesn't want to be seen doing so.

What a silly girl!

That is so funny! I'll enjoy playing with it, but won't let you watch me,
so you will continue to think I am dignified...silly kitty girl.

Dan M wrote:

But as soon as she saw me watching, she rolled over and resumed
half-heartedly swatting at the toy. She likes to play with it, but she
doesn't want to be seen doing so.

Aww, she's trying to act cool. It reminds me of Frank's dad, Pantern. On
his last summer out on the island, when he was nearly blind, I once gave
him one of Nikki's voles that she hadn't eaten herself. Pantern was a
great hunter in his day, but that summer he hadn't caught anything,
maybe his hearing was going as well as his sight.

He was sitting in front of my mother's house, and I set down the vole in
front of him. He just looked at me, then at the vole, then looked away
(don't how much he actually saw). I thought, oh great, he's not the
least interested. I started walking back down to my shack. A few steps
down the path, I looked back, and saw Pantern happily throwing the vole
into the air and then pouncing on it! Then he noticed that I'd stopped
and was watching him, and he stopped playin and looked away from the
vole again.

I turned my back again and walked a few steps, then carefully turned
back to look. Pantern was playing with the vole again! Then he realised
I was watching again, and he stopped and tried to look bored. So I went
down to my shack and left Pantern to play with the vole. This is a very
fond memory of Pantern. He died of stomach cancer the following winter,
but I'm so happy I could give him at least those short moments of
happiness. His whole body radiated pure joy when he could play with
'his' prey just that one more time.

--
Marina, Frank, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Aww, she's trying to act cool. It reminds me of Frank's dad, Pantern. On
his last summer out on the island, when he was nearly blind, I once gave
him one of Nikki's voles that she hadn't eaten herself. Pantern was a
great hunter in his day, but that summer he hadn't caught anything,
maybe his hearing was going as well as his sight.

He was sitting in front of my mother's house, and I set down the vole in
front of him. He just looked at me, then at the vole, then looked away
(don't how much he actually saw). I thought, oh great, he's not the
least interested. I started walking back down to my shack. A few steps
down the path, I looked back, and saw Pantern happily throwing the vole
into the air and then pouncing on it! Then he noticed that I'd stopped
and was watching him, and he stopped playin and looked away from the
vole again.

I turned my back again and walked a few steps, then carefully turned
back to look. Pantern was playing with the vole again! Then he realised
I was watching again, and he stopped and tried to look bored. So I went
down to my shack and left Pantern to play with the vole. This is a very
fond memory of Pantern. He died of stomach cancer the following winter,
but I'm so happy I could give him at least those short moments of
happiness. His whole body radiated pure joy when he could play with
'his' prey just that one more time.

AWwww. Happy sweet tears.

I turned my back again and walked a few steps, then carefully turned
back to look. Pantern was playing with the vole again! Then he realised
I was watching again, and he stopped and tried to look bored. So I went
down to my shack and left Pantern to play with the vole. This is a very
fond memory of Pantern. He died of stomach cancer the following winter,
but I'm so happy I could give him at least those short moments of
happiness. His whole body radiated pure joy when he could play with
'his' prey just that one more time.

It's so wonderful that you were able to give him that enjoyment.

What a lovely story! Thanks, Marina.
Best wishes,
Polonca and Soncek

Marina wrote:
Dan M wrote:

But as soon as she saw me watching, she rolled over and resumed
half-heartedly swatting at the toy. She likes to play with it, but she
doesn't want to be seen doing so.

Aww, she's trying to act cool. It reminds me of Frank's dad, Pantern. snip So I went
down to my shack and left Pantern to play with the vole. This is a very
fond memory of Pantern. He died of stomach cancer the following winter,
but I'm so happy I could give him at least those short moments of
happiness. His whole body radiated pure joy when he could play with
'his' prey just that one more time.

--
Marina, Frank, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Dan M wrote:
Harri Roadcat can play as energetically as any of the other kitties,
but it seems she wants to maintain her dignity and hold on to her
"Tough Girl Kitty" image. After all, a Trucking Kitty wouldn't be
seen flinging a fluffy mouse all over the house.

What a silly girl!

Of course not! Persia doesn't like me to watch her when she's playing,
either, *except* when she expects me to throw something for her. If I'm
otherwise occupied I get an indignant stare and sometimes a meow... hey you,
slave! Why aren't you paying attention? Bend to my will, NOW!

Jill

Of course not! Persia doesn't like me to watch her when she's playing,
either, *except* when she expects me to throw something for her. If I'm
otherwise occupied I get an indignant stare and sometimes a meow... hey you,
slave! Why aren't you paying attention? Bend to my will, NOW!

Jill

Ranger, on the other hand, couldn't care less! When I was in the truck
with Harri we had a big purple mouse we used to play with. Harri liked it
ok, but it wasn't one of her favorite toys. When we brought all the kitty
stuff in out of the truck, Ranger was thrilled with Purple Mouse!

He will pick up Purple Mouse and run out into the yard with him, come
running back into the house a while later with Purple Mouse still in his
mouth, and when he stops to eat kibble he drops Purple Mouse in the feeder
and eats out of the other side. When he comes running into the living room
with Purple Mouse he frequently throws Mouse across the room (it's amazing
the distance he can get), and fairly often ends up throwing Purple Mouse
into my lap or bouncing him off my leg. He doesn't care at all that he's
being watched.

Dan

Marina wrote:

It reminds me of Frank's dad, Pantern. On
his last summer out on the island, when he was nearly blind, I once gave
him one of Nikki's voles that she hadn't eaten herself.

[snip]

His whole body radiated pure joy when he could play with
'his' prey just that one more time.

That's a wonderful memory to have.

--

Wayne M
(indulged by Will and Heidi)