I have on old loveseat that had recliner capabilities once. The operative word is once, it long ago died.

Well last night I figured I could use that old mechanism to make some sound and get a rise out of my cats. It made the oddest metal to metal rasping with the drawn out sproing sound of the old spring. I did get a reaction but not the one I was hoping for. I was hoping for a little play while they tried to find the sound but it didn't really work out that way. I won't do the Robbie Burns quote at this point.

The cats of course noticed immediately that strange sound coming from the loveseat under me and froze. I would do it again when they moved causing them to jump then freeze repeatedly over a five to ten minute period. I was getting some really large jumps from cats that were otherwise barely moving. I was really a little startled at how tense they seemed to be.

Peepers, came over very slowly and stared at the area where the sound was coming from after doing a little bit of looking into other places along the way. He stared very nervously at that place, while Smudge never really came close. She just sat and stared from halfway across the room and jumped up to 3 feet in the air if the sound came while she was moving - she actually did a backflip at one point before she got back into staring position.

Anyway after five to ten minutes, I quit because I was not getting playful cats, I was getting frightened cats instead. At the end of this time they were both staring at the loveseat from about halfway across the room. They just sat there for about twenty minutes before either of them dared to move. Finally they did but ever so cautiously. Smudge swatted under a nearby chair (3 to 4 feet away from where the sound was coming from) and again at the strap of my briefcase about 7 feet away from the sound and at least two feet from the loveseat.

The rest of the night neither would come closer than about three to four feet away from the sound. They wouldn't play in the area either, despite their wanting to play when I got the toys out - hoping that playing would help them to forget their fear. For the most part they stayed out of the living room the whole night. Mind you I did get the added benefit of both of them with me for the whole night. Neither was going to leave the bed away from me if it wasn't essential. Peeper's even stayed under the covers with just his head out. He usually only goes under the covers if I'm not there.

This morning, I went to the loveseat and sat down as I always do for 10 to 20 minutes before feeding them. Normally Smudge is all over me meowing to get up and get the food out; she didn't come near...

After I fed them, they still wouldn't come near. Smudge who likes to get on my lap after her morning meal wasn't getting near me while I was anywhere near the loveseat. She even worked to lure me out of the living room to go to the bedroom which is really strange because that is where Peepers hangs out and that is where I have that nasty box that I look at a lot (computer monitor) and ignore her so normally she is trying to get me OUT of the bedroom.

When I was in the living room she would sit in a chair on the opposite side of the room staring at me, rather than her usual lap fungus routine. Peepers would come over occasionally, not nearly as often as usual and never beside me as more usual to try to get me away from THE SEAT OVER THE MONSTER. Finally about noon Smudge cautiously crept over looked under everything, got up on my lap looked real carefully at where the sound had been coming and very cautiously laid down to rest on my lap. Normally that is a prelude to a long stop but she was gone in ten minutes, but at least it was a start and I expect I will have her about me more often as she relaxes more.

That is one bit of play I won't be doing again.

Copyright © Larry Osborne
January 29, 2001