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sleeplessinftwayne

Ginger Kitty needs another kitty to play with

sleeplessinftwayne
15 years ago

Ginger has been unhappy since the cicadas aren't around any longer. I am still finding their perfect remains all over the house, mostly in the houseplants. She may have brought them in as toys but she didn't damage any of them. Strangely gentle for a cat.

She doesn't try to catch the birds any more but it seems the chipmunks are the new game in town. The worst part of it is she brings them inside, too. I stepped out of the shower the other day and started into the bedroom just in time to see a chipper dash across the dresser with Ginger in full pursuit. My jewelry case didn't get broken but it came open and there were earrings and necklaces all over the floor. Once she catches the chipper she takes them into the dining room and releases them. Then she turns around and walks a few feet away from them. As soon as they start running she is after them again until they get into the laundry room. That seems to be their safe place. This past weekend DH and I had the joy of trying to capture three of them at the same time while trying not to step on Ginger who was delighted to have us joining her in the new game.

I think I am getting too old for this. It is really amazing that she does not injure them. She may have hurt the first one she caught several weeks ago. She was very upset about it even though she didn't kill it. She released it and then put her paw on top of it and it wouldn't run even though she kept nudging it. I think it may just have been too scared to run. I carried it to it's hole in the ground and it moved pretty fast to get inside. Did I mention that she had a chase with a flying squirrel last month?

Does any one know what to do about all this? I really don't want baby rabbits or a possum in the house. She is really interested in that possum. Sandy

Comments (5)

  • sheepco
    15 years ago

    You may have answered your own question, another cat would probably entertain her. Unfortunately not all cats play well together.

    I do think that if you are considering a playmate for her the sooner the better, young cats tend to accept "room mates" better than older cats. And get another boisterous one.

    The other option is to keep her inside, but it sounds like you've decided on the indoor/outdoor cat :)

    Good Luck! Sarah

  • pikecoe
    15 years ago

    Sandy, would bells on a collar give the chippers and whatever enough warning to avoid capture?? Glenda

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have come to the conclusion that as crazy as the chippers were in Wisconsin, they are just as crazy here. Up there the chippers would often come to the screen door and tease the cats. They would also go into all sorts of attention getting behavior when they wanted grapes from me or my sons. They ignored DH. Yesterday afternoon, Ginger and I were at the pond and one of the chippers came all the way around the edge to a point that was just enough to give Ginger a hard time if she wanted to give chase. Ginger turned her back and yawned and settled down with her eyes closed. The chipper came closer and yelled more. Ginger got up and made a false start toward the crazy rodent. Said rodent took off running. Ginger laid down and put her head on her paws. Crazy rodent stopped, looked back and made a couple of fast starts then decided to look for stray bits of fish food. It was very interesting. I should apologize to the chippers in Wisconsin. Rather than being brain damaged and/or lacking all common sense, they are no more crazy than their relatives here. The whole thing seems to be a game designed to make me crazy and allow them access to the inside of the house. If my jewelry box is pillaged again, I will know who to blame. Sandy
    The Wisconsin chippers apparently had a thing about costume jewelry. I often found one earring of a pair missing which would eventually turn up in the driveway. I guess it is a good thing I don't have any diamonds. I never did find out just how they managed to get in the house, seemingly at will.

  • pikecoe
    15 years ago

    And I always wished we had chipmonks around our neighborhood. They are so cute. Maybe I should be glad we don't. Glenda

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I keep finding myself checking out the rescued cats that the ASPCA places in the local pet stores. Some of them are so appealing but I haven't seen the perfect one yet for Ginger. Also I remember the knot in my stomach when I added up the first bills from the vet and they were over a thousand dollars. I think I will hold off for a little while if possible. Maybe Ginger will get a late Xmas present from the ones that were gifts for some one who decided they were not meant to have pets.
    I know some of you are dead set against indoor/outdoor cats. I know in most cases it is for the best if they are strictly indoor cats but Ginger was a stray and short of a miracle I don't think I can change that. So far she has observed our property line except for one case recently when she got curious about the noises going on in a neighbor's house. She took only a quick peek and came back quickly. She spends a lot of time lounging on the brick wall in front of the house watching the kids at play across the street. She is always there when the High School a block away lets out for the day and she watches all the big kids go by. Ditto for the runners and dog walkers. She seems to have favorites although she doesn't let them too close. Pookie used to do that.
    Yesterday, I was watching her waiting for the school bell. She suddenly was looking up in the trees for some reason and it quickly became apparent why when she started ducking the hickory nuts being thrown at her. The squirrels wanted her GONE! She was interrupting their search for food to store for the winter. She tries to ambush them but they are too quick and there are too many to keep watch for her. The number of squirrels, moles, chippers and rabbits is terrible here. They do a lot of damage. Our driveway partly collapsed because the chippers dug out so many tunnels and nurseries under it. I hope they don't all figure out she only wants to play catch and release. Perhaps they will look for less threatening territory. I do keep things as safe as possible for her and the vet is becoming used to my precautions. The worst worry is the raccoons. As amusing as they are, I would wish them gone. They don't have the good manners of the ones in Wisconsin and I worry about diseases. I haven't noticed any sick ones, but they seem to be prime vectors when something is going around.I keep trying to educate the neighbors about the raccoons but they still keep putting their dogs out at night and you can tell when the raccoons go through because of the dogs barking. Sandy