Your cat has taught
you to fetch if you're the one going to retrieve it.
I think a lot of it depends on the cat. Turtle first showed an interest every time I wadded up a piece of paper. Her eyes got big and ears perked up. So I started to throw the wads of paper. She would chase it, bat it around a while and stand next to it and look up at me. I'd retrieve it a few times and throw it again.
After I while I just stop getting up and going after it. It took several weeks but she got the message. If she wants to chase it she has to bring it to me.
Now she drives me crazy with it. She brings it to me in bed at 3am, or when I'm "in the bathroom" or as soon as I walk in from work! I think I've created a fetching monster. Oh, and of course, I always praise her when she does it.
