
Favorite Cat Games:
- "Catch
Mouse": The humans would have you believe that those lumps under
the covers are their feet and hands. They are lying. They are
actually Bed Mice, rumored to be the most delicious of all the mice in
the world, though no cat has ever been able to catch one. Rumor also
has it that only the most ferocious attack can stun them long enough for
you to dive under the covers to get them. Maybe YOU can be the first
to taste the Bed Mouse!
- "King
of the Hill": This game must be played with at least one other cat.
The more, the merrier! One or both of the sleeping humans is Hill
303 which must be defended at all costs from the other cat(s). Anything
goes. This game allows for the development of unusual tactics as one must
take the unstable playing theater into account. WARNING: Playing
either of these games to excess will result in expulsion from the bed and
possibly from the bedroom. Should the humans grow restless, immediately
begin purring and cuddle up to them. This should buy you some time
until they fall asleep again. If one happens to be on a human when
this occurs, this cat wins the round of King of the Hill.
Favorite Cat Toys: Any
small item is a potential toy. If a human tries to confiscate it,
this means that it is a Good Toy. Run with it under the bed.
Look suitably outraged when the human grabs you and takes it away. Always
watch where it is put so you can steal it later. Two reliable sources
of toys are dresser tops and wastebaskets. There are several types of cat
toys. - Bright shiny things like keys, brooches,
or coins should be hidden so that the other cat(s) or humans can't play
with them. They are generally good for playing hockey with on uncarpeted
floors. - Dangly and/or string-like things such
as shoelaces, cords, gold chains, and dental floss also make excellent
toys. They are favorites of humans who like to drag them across the
floor for us to pounce on. When a string is dragged under a newspaper
or throw rug, it magically becomes the Paper/Rug Mouse and should be killed
at all costs. Take care, though. Humans are sneaky and will try to
make you lose your Dignity.
-- Paper
bags. Within paper bags dwell the Bag Mice. They are small
and camouflaged to be the same color as the bag, so they are hard to see.
But you can easily hear the crinkling noises they make as they scurry around
the bag. Anything, up to and including shredding the bag, can be
done to kill them. Note: any other cat you may find in a bag hunting
for Bag Mice is fair game for a Sneak Attack, which will usually result
in a great Tag match.
FOOD: In order to get
the energy to sleep, play, and hamper, a cat must eat. Eating, however,
is only half the fun. The other half is getting the food. Cats
have two ways to obtain food: convincing a human you are starving to death
and must be fed NOW*; and hunting for it oneself. The following are
guidelines for getting fed.
a) When the humans
are eating, make sure you leave the tip of your tail in their dishes when
they are not looking.
b) Never eat food from
your own bowl if you can steal some from the table.
c) Never drink from
your own water bowl if a human's glass is full enough to drink from.
d) Should you catch
something of your own outside, it is only polite to attempt to get
to know it. Be insistent--your food will usually not be so polite
and try to leave.
e) Table scraps are
delicacies with which the humans are unfortunately unwilling to readily
part.
It is beneath the Dignity
of a cat to beg outright for food as lower forms of life such as dogs will,
but several techniques exist for ensuring that the humans don't forget
you exist. These include, but are not limited to: jumping onto
the lap of the "softest" human and purring loudly; lying down in the doorway
between the dining room and the kitchen, the Direct Stare, and twining
around people's legs as they sit and eat while meowing plaintively.
SLEEPING: As mentioned above, in order to have enough energy for playing, a cat must get plenty of sleep. It is generally not difficult to find a comfortable place to curl up. Any place a human likes to sit is good, especially if it contrasts with your fur color. If it's in a sunbeam or near a heating duct or radiator, so much the better. Of course, good places also exist outdoors, but have the disadvantages of being seasonal and dependent on current and previous weather conditions such as rain. Open windows are a good compromise.

SCRATCHING POSTS: It is advised that cats use any scratching post the humans may provide. They are very protective of what they think is their property and will object strongly if they catch you sharpening your claws on it. Being sneaky and doing it when they aren't around won't help, as they are very observant. If you are an outdoor kitty, trees are good. Sharpening your claws on a human is a definite no-no!
HUMANS: Humans have three primary functions: to feed us, to play with and give attention to us, and to clean the litter box. It is important to maintain one's Dignity when around humans so that they will not forget who is the master of the house. Humans need to know basic rules. They can be taught if you start early and are consistent. You will then have a smooth-running household.
