Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Each cat is unique, just like people. And some are more cat-like than others. Out of the three cats I have, it’s hard to say which one is the most obvious cat. Miki is more like a dog in so many ways. Minnie is just Minnie, special in every way, very attached to me, with highly developed skills for social interaction with humans. And Nara is just a weirdo. Well, she’s skittish and withdrawn, some may say aloof, which, by the generally accepted but prejudiced set of feline definitions, makes her the truest cat in my home. Now, I have heard of cats hoarding and carrying objects, but taking nails and screws out of boxes is a first. That’s Minnie!
How Many Toys Do Cats Need?
You would think that having three cats that play with each other, have outdoor access, cat trees, dogs to harass, and many toys would be enough. Still, they find ways of getting into trouble regardless. As my house is still a work in progress, I have a lot of spare parts, building materials, and tools everywhere. It’s rather organized on shelves and in specific parts of the house, but I recently realized that the kittens seem to think it’s all there purely for their fun. I often hear them running around, knocking things over, and even using packages of rock wool to sleep on rather than all the cozy and dust-free beds out there. Not to mention, they love tearing things up.
Minnie Loves Collecting Screws
Just a few weeks ago, I caught Minnie digging through a box of screws, and slowly but surely, picking one up and taking it downstairs. I was shocked. First of all, the screw could damage her mouth, lead to choking if it slips her grip, or get accidentally swallowed, which is a recipe for a disaster and a very expensive bill. But also, how and why is she doing this? Could she be that bored? But then I remembered. Minnie loves collecting things. She will bring small twigs and leaves inside and play with them. And the screw obsession seems to be the newest.
After a week or two, I actually found a stash of screws, a dozen or so, luckily all too big to be swallowed, downstairs, where the cats spend most of their time. Besides screws and twigs, I also had the pleasure of vacuuming feathers one day, as one of the kittens brought in a dead bird. The bird didn’t die by their paw, but they decided to make the most of it.
Security Measures in Place
Since finding out about the screw obsession, I have secured all the boxes containing any screws and nails, so Minnie can’t get to them. She is, however, finding other things to occupy her attention, including cardboard boxes, plastic packaging, and logs that she can’t pick up, of course, but loves taking the bark off. Her favorites are little objects, such as my headphones, that she loves knocking off the table and playing cat football with. I am only grateful that Miki and, for the most part, Nara, do not have the same idea of what fun is.
Cats Need a Full-Time Assistant
Given how easy it is for kittens to get into trouble, you can’t help but think that they need a full-time, 24/7 assistant. Someone to pick up everything they dropped, to clean out their litter boxes, feed them, and keep them out of trouble. Well, it may not be trouble in their eyes, but it certainly is in mine. And what a dedicated assistant I am. I just hope they value all of my efforts to keep them happy. While curling up next to me every evening, purring and kneading, is most likely just a means to an end, in this case for Minnie to stay warm and cozy, it could also be her way to show her affection towards me and gratitude, or so I like to think. It’s easy to be fooled by a cat.
- Read her previous article: Cats in the Shower: Minnie’s Water Obsession
How Many Toys Do Cats Need?
