I didn't know my cat was deprived�

2002-03-14

I've been playing a lot more with our cats lately. One of their toys broke, and Penny likes it better that way. It makes a skittering noise as it crosses hard surfaces. She likes hearing it as well as seeing it. Of course, I'm really not sure what she sees and doesn't see. She's as cross-eyed as all get out.

Since I started playing with them Penny follows me all over the house. Whenever I go through the living room, she crosses in front of my legs, almost tripping me. Every. Single. Time. She wants to play more than she wants anything else in the world. She cries at me. She doesn't want food that much, and she's always hungry. I feel bad. I didn't know she was deprived.

I have no lawn and really no room for one, but the cats will eat anything even vaguely grass-like. You should see what purple fountain grass cat-barf looks like. I've grown a couple of cat-lawns. Get a couple of large pots (the cat has to be able to lie down in it comfortably), some dirt, and the smallest container of lawn seed you can find. Add water, warm weather and a couple of weeks. Voila! A cat sized lawn. Not that having readily available grass ever kept them from eating the purple fountain grass. I finally gave up on that.

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The only thing grass-like that they won't eat is chives. Although it was fun to watch them try the first time. We've had the cat-lawn above for about two years. They have always liked it. They lay on it in the summer and eat the grass year round, but I've been trying to get rid of the plastic pots, so I decided a couple of months ago that I was going to get rid of the cat lawn in the plastic pot. I would then empty out one of my more unsuccessful water gardens and plant a new cat lawn in the blue-glazed pot.

I let the lawn dry out preparatory to getting rid of it. The cats have never liked it more. They would fight about it, except that they don't fight very much at all. They have a few dominance statements every once in a while, but no real fighting. They alternate lying in the lawn. Kitt really likes it. Penny likes it, too, but she would rather I dragged her toy through it a few dozen times.

Timid Sprite (named for exuberant ear-hairs, not the soda gets to enjoy it very seldom. Weekends only, around noon, when the other two go up to nap on or under the bed. Poor little girl. I sneak inside and love her a little extra.

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