The Silly Things Cats Do

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I’m often surprised by the silly things cats do.

Simon and Daisy haven’t really slowed down in the silly-things-cats-do department. Well, Daisy has slowed down a bit. But not Simon. He is one energetic, boisterous kitty.

this Idea

Case in point: A large thrifted basket sits under the piece of furniture. I’ve had it quite a while. I had it over next to the couch and put several soft throws in it for the cats to sleep on. But they never took to it. It just sat there empty.

Until I moved it.

Yesterday morning, I moved it underneath another thrifted find, the piece of furniture. And they were immediately all over it! Jumping in and out of it. Daisy would jump out, and then Simon would jump in. Then Daisy would sit staring Simon down in the basket.

I put a blanket in the basket for softness, but they don’t seem to want to go in the basket and nap.

The two of them were running around playing, and then suddenly it fell silent. I suppose they both were worn out and took off to another room for a cat nap.

Another Basket

There is another smaller thrifted basket I was planning to do something with; I can’t recall what. Somehow it ended up under the table next to my chair.

Lo and behold, Simon took over that basket. I often look down, and there he is, curled up in this basket many times a day.

Sometimes while I’m typing, I’ll put my left hand down and see if he’s there, and I feel his soft, velvety black coat. I guess the snugness of the basket makes him feel safe.

A Cat’s Personality

Daisy and Simon are still very bonded and close, yet their personalities are quite different.

Simon is a busy beaver and runs and plays all the time. I figure he’s trying to hone his hunting skills.

Daisy will play with him when she takes a break from keeping an eye on the birds from the living room window. She spends a lot of time there.

I know when she sees a bird because she makes a certain little sound.

Simon makes a funny sound when he sees a fly in the bathroom. It’s kind of a “yip”, and I know he’s spotted something flying.

Ivy sleeps a lot, as cats are wont to do. But she also spends time keeping the other two in line.

Simon seems afraid of her when Ivy hisses at him. Daisy takes it in stride and doesn’t let Ivy intimidate her.

Right now, Daisy is at her usual station watching out the front window. Simon is sprawled across the fireplace mantel. That is one place he jumps to a lot and races around the room when the zoomies strike.

Did you know that veterinarians call this behavior Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs)? These periods of activity usually last from a few seconds to a few minutes, starting and stopping out of nowhere.

They’re also called midnight crazies, or mad half-hours. Other domesticated animals such as rabbits and pigs, and other wild animals such as ferrets and elephants, are also known to experience FRAPs.

Somehow I can’t envision an elephant running around as Simon does!

Ivy

For some odd reason, Ivy has been in the back room up against the wall with her head under the bottom of the curtain lately. It’s not that she can see out a window there on the floor.

I can’t figure out why she’d sleep in that one particular spot. But who can explain why a cat does what they do? They’re strange creatures.

Does your pet have certain habits?

I read that cats have their own unique habits because they rely on predictable routines to feel safe, conserve energy, and manage their instincts as natural predators.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because I also have predictable routines. And the older I get, the more ingrained they seem to get.

I’ll be bringing in my houseplants from the front porch soon, where they’ve spent the summer. I wonder if Simon and Daisy will still be fascinated by them. I’ll be putting them back up high on the baker’s rack anyway.

Ivy was enamored of the houseplants for a few years, but she’s outgrown them and now ignores them.