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A gift?

post #1 of 13
2/5/10 at 4:35pm
Thread Starter 
I've noticed that when I get Ollie a new toy, like a crinkle ball or something, he plays with it and plays with it and then eventually he carries it in his mouth and comes over to me and puts it either in my lap or next to me. If I toss it, he chases it, plays some more and once again brings it to me. He's done this a lot.

At one point in the past when he was about 4 months old, he would bring me his poop from the litter box in his mouth and put it next to me. Fortunately, that stopped.

I'm just wondering, is this him trying to give me a gift, or is he trying to communicate something else to me that I'm not getting. With the poop, it was almost like he was saying, "Here. I made this special for you."
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post #2 of 13
2/5/10 at 4:46pm
Aw, that is cute! And the poop story is funny!
Have you tried playing with the toy for a while without tossing it? Perhaps Ollie is teaching you the purpose of the toy
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post #3 of 13
2/5/10 at 4:50pm
Thread Starter 
I can try pushing it around with my fingers I guess and see if that makes him respond somehow. Or maybe he wants me to play with the toy along with him?
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post #4 of 13
2/5/10 at 4:52pm
Ok, the poop thing is TOO funny! Glad for you that stopped!

Yes, sounds to me that he just wants a play buddy. Too cute!
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post #5 of 13
2/10/10 at 1:31pm
Thread Starter 
He's been doing it for almost a half hour now. He brings me his soft fabric ball toy and drops it in front of me. Then he waits. I take it and throw it and he goes running after it, plays soccer for a minute or so, then brings it back to me and drops it in front of me again. He waits.... I throw it..... etc. etc. You get the point.

It's kitty fetch!
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post #6 of 13
2/10/10 at 1:35pm
We've had a number of cats go through the fetch phase. Seems like they've all outgrown it.
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post #7 of 13
2/10/10 at 1:43pm
Some cats enjoying making their humans play with them more than they do playing by themselves. I have a girl cat like that.

You might have luck with interactive toys, but don't be surprised if you're still Ollie's favorite.
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post #8 of 13
2/10/10 at 2:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Some cats enjoying making their humans play with them more than they do playing by themselves. I have a girl cat like that.

You might have luck with interactive toys, but don't be surprised if you're still Ollie's favorite.
They both like Da Bird (or however it's spelled). Those feather attachments though seem to break after about a week of daily use though.

Ollie is by far the most playful with toys and whatnot. Ally likes to play with Ollie with "chase" and "wrestling" etc., but her favorite thing to do seems to be to explore and be a little daredevil. In the middle of the night when I go to use the restroom, I often find her doing a wire balancing act on the top metal frame bar for the sliding shower doors. Ollie watches her, but doesn't attempt it himself. Ally also enjoys practicing predatory behavior and can often be seen practicing her stalking skills on Ollie, and then pouncing on him to instigate a game of "chase".

My parents call Ollie "catdog" because in their opinion, he acts like a dog, and Ally is basically a little girl who dreams that one day, she'll be a Tiger.
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post #9 of 13
2/10/10 at 3:45pm


Cats will also sometimes play poop "hockey"... usually as kittens!

He wants to interact with you and yes - he is playing fetch. I think it's adorable.

My Ghost did that "top of the shower door rail" thing ONCE. He got stuck up there b/c he was too scared to come down. I had to rescue him and while he looks up there longingly... he hasn't gone back!
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post #10 of 13
2/10/10 at 8:31pm
Da Bird isn't a toy a cat can, or should, play with by themselves. I meant the ones that a cat can play with, that move, have lasers, etc, all on their own.

There was a thread not too long ago in the care and grooming section. White cat lover listed several - if you can't find that thread she may be able to recommend some to you. She has more cats than a lot of us do, so she's tried out quite a few toys trying to keep them entertained.
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post #11 of 13
2/10/10 at 8:55pm
Cats playing fetch is not as uncommon as people think. I've always had at least one cat in the household who plays fetch, always a Red Boy, oddly enough.

Cats are playful imaginative critters! Have you ever noticed that the more you play with them, the more they want to play? It is not only exercise for their bodies, it stimulates their brain and imagination too.
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post #12 of 13
2/11/10 at 2:45am
All of my cats have fetched when they were younger. Kuura still does it but only with his favourite mouse.
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post #13 of 13
2/11/10 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Cats are playful imaginative critters! Have you ever noticed that the more you play with them, the more they want to play?
Indeed I have. Ever since I figured out that he wants me to throw it and play fetch, we've been going at it constantly. A couple times the ball has gotten stuck somewhere he can't reach, and he starts to cry for me to come help him fish it out. What a funny little guy. Ally watches the whole time with this look on her face of disapproval. I just know she's thinking, "Gosh my adopted brother is an idiot. The human should be bringing the ball to him. Not the other way around."
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