Spending Money on My Cat: How to Make Miki Appreciate My Efforts

Hi, I'm Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.

Being new in this cat parenting business, I figured it would be quite similar to raising my two dogs. They can’t wait to get new treats, toys and beds. It’s actually hard looking at their disappointed faces if I return after being away for a few days, without bearing gifts. In fact, it’s unacceptable, if you were to ask them. But Miki on the other hand, he couldn't care less. But how is this possible? He must appreciate that new cat bed I got him, it’s super cozy and soft. But no, he chooses to lay on a piece of cardboard instead.

What Am I Doing Wrong?

You know that feeling of joy when picking out a new toy or a bed for your beloved pets, imagining the happy and impatient looks on their faces, how they will be inseparable from it and will cherish all your efforts. Or in the case of my dogs, how quickly they will destroy the squeaky toy and tear it into a million pieces. But they will have fun, so that's all that matters, is it not?

And then you get home, to get not even a maybe, but a clear “nope” from the cat. Ignore, if anything. Let’s just say, I have two scratch posts now, that are mainly collecting dust. I mean, they look cute and seem to have become a part of the furniture. But has Miki used them at least once? Let’s be serious and not kid ourselves. He doesn’t even like the shiny balls attached to it, that make rattling noises when you push them around. I know, as I played with it more than Miki has.

Same thing is with cat beds and toys. He loves his mouse toys and he does enjoy a good laser chase, but of course, this can all get a bit boring, so instead of me spending money on further toys, Miki invented his own games for when he is indoors.

Chasing Shadows: Can Cats Hallucinate?

The first time I saw him run like mad across the room, jumping on the sofa and trying to get something on the wall, I thought it must be an insect. But it was actually a shadow. Well, I don’t know if Miki sees things that aren’t there, as he certainly seems like it at times, but he is at least very mindful of my budget.

Chasing shadows is a great game, when you have dogs wagging tails, making the shadow move around very quickly, and unaware family members going about their business, while the cat is clearly seeing different meanings in it. It’s strange to say the least, but also fun watching him.

Besides this game, Miki loves when we play together, using a stick toy with a ball at the end. The ball makes noise, and the string is very flexible, so it literally flies. Sometimes, it bounces back unexpectedly, and there have been rare times, well maybe not so rare, when it bounced back directly in my face. But it’s worth seeing him leap and stalk, jump and bite the ball, as if it were an actual prey animal.

What About Cat Beds? Why Do I Even Buy Them?

As soon as I rescued Miki, I got him a very soft cat face-shaped bed and two blankets. It took me months to get him to actually lay at least his front paws on it. He would instead choose to sleep on my laptop, my laptop bag, the dogs’ bed, my bed, sofa, a window sill, or if outside, he would settle for a bunch of bricks or even just the ground. He does have his favorite chair, which he shares with my mom, or should I say, she’s pretty much given up on sitting there now.

I could put his bed in any of his favorite locations, but he would just move around. As if he couldn’t figure out it was for him, or just blatantly refused to acknowledge my efforts.

Then I made the terrible mistake of getting one more bed, that looks like a tent, with a soft pillow inside, thinking this would get him interested as he loves to play under the covers. He sniffed at it once, as I put his blanket inside, and with a look of dismay, turned around and never set foot in it again. Treats and toys, even pointing his laser inside, did not get him to change his mind.

As Long as Miki is Happy

At the end of the day, I have come to accept that Miki is nothing like my dogs in this sense. And maybe for the better, as I will certainly save money on cat beds and scratch posts, and redirect it into toys and food. Another one of Miki’s favorite sleeping locations is actually anywhere, as long as it’s next to my dog Lava. Guess she is comfy, soft and warm like a cat bed in a sense, although she can snore and will often move around and change locations, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Often we go through all this effort in order to make our four-legged family members happy and comfortable, while not realizing sometimes it doesn’t take much to fulfill this goal, as long as we are there for them. Finally, what I like to think is at least in Miki’s top five sleeping locations, is my lap. Feeling his soft purrs is enough to heal most problems in a blink.