My very serious kitty, that we adopted as a starving stray about a month ago, played with me tonight!
He's batted at a piece of yarn nochalantly a few times before (I think more to humor me than anything else), but this was full-blown serious playing! I was making up the bed, and had put the warm sheets on, so Simba jumped up to lay on them and snuggle in. I knelt down by the bed to pet him, and he went for my hands like crazy. I would rather not have him biting at other people's hands, so I grabbed this funny stuffed flower I have and started swishing it in front of him, and he played hard for 15 minutes or so. Then he abruptly stopped, and jumped down.
Well, I figured he was done, so I shook out the blanket and laid it on the bed, and just as it hit the bed Simba came FLYING across the room, jumped on the blanket, and started attacking it playfully. I can't write it as funny as it was, he almost skidded straight off the bed and onto the floor!
I think he scared himself having fun or something, because he then dove under the bed and stayed there for about 10 minutes. He hid under there the first couple of days after we took him in, but has never gone under since. Then he came out when he heard me go into the kitchen and came looking for some Pounce. Now he's lying down in his usual dignified fashion, pretending none of it happened.
I'm glad this happened, because I think (hope) it means that a) he is feeling healthy and well, and b) that he is starting to feel at home here.
He's batted at a piece of yarn nochalantly a few times before (I think more to humor me than anything else), but this was full-blown serious playing! I was making up the bed, and had put the warm sheets on, so Simba jumped up to lay on them and snuggle in. I knelt down by the bed to pet him, and he went for my hands like crazy. I would rather not have him biting at other people's hands, so I grabbed this funny stuffed flower I have and started swishing it in front of him, and he played hard for 15 minutes or so. Then he abruptly stopped, and jumped down.
Well, I figured he was done, so I shook out the blanket and laid it on the bed, and just as it hit the bed Simba came FLYING across the room, jumped on the blanket, and started attacking it playfully. I can't write it as funny as it was, he almost skidded straight off the bed and onto the floor!
I think he scared himself having fun or something, because he then dove under the bed and stayed there for about 10 minutes. He hid under there the first couple of days after we took him in, but has never gone under since. Then he came out when he heard me go into the kitchen and came looking for some Pounce. Now he's lying down in his usual dignified fashion, pretending none of it happened.
I'm glad this happened, because I think (hope) it means that a) he is feeling healthy and well, and b) that he is starting to feel at home here.
