About Dear Tabbi Expertise My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too.
Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again.
Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.
Experience Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).
Education/Credentials ***********
Awards and Honors * One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *
I play with my cat with a laser pointer from time to time. I can get him to run all over the apartment, jump on furniture - it looks like great exercise.
My cat has the longest attention span I've ever seen. After I turn the laser off - he keeps looking for it, for maybe another hour. Is this cruel? Is it good to get him this exercise and stimulate his brain while he hunts for the elusive red dot - or is this just teasing him?
Answer Dave,
All my cats love the laser light, and they too will look for the 'red bug' for a long time. I try to end it at the door or a window so they might think it went outside and is gone.
You can also get the cat to associate a word like "bug dead" or "no more bug" (or something similar, but using the same term each time) when you are through playing. Cats don't have any reasoning ability but they do go by word association. It may take a while for the cat to associate your words with the light being gone, but eventually he will and hopefully will stop searching for it.
If your cat goes outside, it is also fun to use the laser light outside at night. With fresh batteries it can shine a long distance, and in a wider area. It is fun to watch the cats run big circles on the lawn or up and down a walkway, etc.
Always be careful though not to shine the laser in their eyes...it can burn the retina.
