An Idea

I have an idea for a really neat invention, but since my dad won't let me use power tools, I need some help. I think someone who can drill holes and cut wood should be able to make a prototype very easily. But I'm a cat, so what do I know.

My idea is to take a piece of wood about 8 inches long and drill a hole in it. Then take another piece of wood about 10 inches long and drill a hole in it. Put the two pieces of wood together, taking care to line up the holes. Then pound some nails into the boards so that they stay together.

Turn this assembly on its side and drill a hole into the other holes. Take some string and push it through this hole and then tie it. Repeat the string step 2 more times, so that there are a total of 3 pieces of string tied to the wood.

Next, put the wood on something that is kind of high in the air and let the string hand down. Then step back and watch your kitties play and have fun. I have a lot more ideas like this.

For example, I think somebody should invent something that I will be able to turn on just by thinking about it. This thing will then scamper about like a mouse, but it won't run and hide behind the stove. It would really be cool if this could also fly, because I love to jump real high at flying things. In fact, I love jumping so much that sometimes I do it even when there isn't a flying thing around. But I digress.

My sister Rikki sometimes comes up with ideas, but to be honest, they are not very good. For example, she thought a good toy would be to nail two pieces of wood together, drill a hole in them, attach some string, and then put the wood up real high. I don't know where she gets such silly ideas, but I suspect that she was dropped as a kitten.

Our Most Delightful Cat Tree

When we were kittens our daddy surprised us one day by building us a cat tree. Part of the reason for our surprise was the fact that we didn't know what a cat tree is, but it sure sounded like a spiffy thing. And our daddy even let us help him build. The picture on the right is Kaycee holding something in place while daddy got ready to hit it with a big metal thing.

We weren't sure what a cat tree should look like, so we had to defer to daddy's judgment. We have to admit it turned out pretty neat, and we like to spend a lot of time laying on it, scratching the posts, and generally showing our daddy how much we love his gift.

I don't know all of the technical details of its construction, but daddy explained that it was relatively easy to do. He began with a plywood platform, which he covered with a soft material. Then he attached 4 4" x 4" posts of different heights. He used some big pointy spiral things (I think they are called lag bolts) to attach the posts. He covered these posts with different things, but mostly he used a heavy rope.

He then attached plywood platforms to the tops of the posts. This was for us to sit on. He covered the platforms with the soft material too. He tried attaching several toys on strings, but Kaycee kept pulling them off. (I would never do such a thing, because I am very respectful of daddy's work.) He even added a tube for us to hide in, though Kaycee isn't very good at hiding.

If we had to make another cat tree I would have some suggestions this time. For example, we don't have anywhere to put our book if we want to lounge on the cat tree and read. Also, now that we are bigger the platforms can get a little crowded if two of us want to lay on one at the same time. But these are pretty minor complaints.

If you want to build a cat tree for your cats, and why wouldn't you, you can get some pretty cool ideas here. Your cats would really love you if were as nice to them as our daddy is to us.

My Favorite Cat Toy

When I was a kitten, most of my time was spent playing with the various toys that my human companions dutifully provided for my entertainment. As the demands of adulthood have foisted themselves upon me, I find less and less time for such activities. But I still occasionally find time between staring out the window and napping to engage in a few minutes of carefree frolicking.

By far my favorite companion is Fishy Fun. It has a delightful aroma and its hard body feels good in my mouth. I love to roll around while chewing on it. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this toy is the fact that it slides very easily, so the slightest swat can send it scurrying just like a real fish might do if I was allowed to have one. This allows me to practice my pouncing.

However, the ease with which is slides can be a problem on some flooring, like ceramic tile and laminates. The damn thing will slide under the refrigerator or under the sofa and hide just like a fish out of water. I then have to go find one of my human companions and instruct them to remove my toy so that I can continue. This can be very disruptive when one only has a short time to play before resuming a nap.

My sister and brother have their own favorite toys, though they do occasionally like to play with my fish. Fortunately, we have a lot of them laying all over the place, so I can usually find one pretty easily. (I've also hidden a few, but don't tell anyone.)

What, you may ask, do cat toys have to do with philosophy? In a word, everything. If the purpose of one's life is one's own personal happiness (which it is), then having the proper toys is a crucial element. And if your cats can't express it quite that well, then trust me. I'm one of the philosophical cats.