Sophie's World

Sometimes the hardest thing about having a cat in the house is keeping her entertained. Cats are very intelligent creatures. I attribute it to their close proximity to their ancestral counterparts. They are keenly aware of their surroundings. Here are some ways to keep cats amused and off of your curtains.

Rotate toys.
A toy is soon forgotten. When you rotate toys, it’s like there’s a new toy in the house. I like to rotate every two weeks.

Interact with your pet and their toys.
Any toy has endless possibilities for new games. Cats thrive on interaction with their owners. Your participation makes the play more enjoyable for your pet. You’ll be surprised at how your pet makes new games her favorite pastime.

Catnip makes any toy more fun.
Not all cats react to catnip. Younger cats won’t bat an eye at catnip. However, if your cat enjoys the occasional treat, make that old toy more fun with some catnip. I like to keep a small supply in a ziplock bag. I then take one of Sophie’s toys and shake it in the bag of catnip. Bruising the catnip releases new oils that enhance its effects.

Sophie’s in luck: our catnip plant is in flower. Dozens of blossoms are ready to be harvested and dried. She will have enough catnip to last for months.

Catnip is an interesting plant. It is a perennial. You’ll often find it on disturbed areas like the sides of a trail. Whenever we’re out walking, I’ll keep an eye for it. Trust me, it’s everywhere. Funny, Sophie always knows when I’ve picked some. She’s right there, searching for it when we come home. That’s probably not a difficult task since the scent can be quite strong.

Sophie rather enjoys the hallucinogenic effect of the catnip. She reacts immediately when I put some on the floor for her, rolling around with her eyes all dilated. She’ll bat at it, sniff it, lick it, and finally eat it. She’s actually quite amusing to watch.

The ingredient that causes the effect is nepetalactone. The sniffing initializes its effect. Eating the catnip will affect a cat like a sedative, as it does in people. In fact, the folklore reports that catnip was given to children that couldn’t sleep. A bit of nip, and they were down for the night.

I suppose that I give it to her for a similar reason. When she’s peevish or being a pest, I’ll give her a bit to occupy herself. Those moments usually come when I’m trying to cook dinner and she wants to play. She has her bit of fun. I get dinner on the table. It’s a win-win situation.

Our little catnip plant is not so little anymore. Though it attracts bees, it repels the mosquitoes, give and take. Well, when the flowers are harvested, the bees will be gone–and so will the bugs!

Photo by cygnus921

Some catnip, a sunny spot. I’m in kitty heaven.