Update on my new cat

@OogieBoogie Yep, this is typical Patrick in action. Find the absolute most difficult thing and go blindly charging in 🤣. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

Some people learn. Me, not so much 😁.

Last night I put together a cat gym/tree with a hideaway, scratching posts, and a perch. I've put out three boxes (scattered around the house) with blanket scraps in them and put out some wet cat food and water, plus a litter box. I've also put out a few large paper bags and three rattling soft cat toys.

I love the idea of the tinfoil balls - I'll make a few of those and leave them lying around.

I think it's down to me being patient.

@Ontheroad 😂

sounds like you're right on top of this .🤗

Personally though , I really recommend you use the toys such as the balls, as an opportunity for her to learn ' you're the source of good stuff'.
Even if it's just throwing it up the hall or something, for her to then go chase .

Same with the food . Let her see that you put it in the bowl .
If you get treats , let her see you put it on the floor, (even if you walk away from it - she knows it comes from you).

I get you want her to have as much freedom as possible ....and that's brilliant .

But you also have to use what youve got as 'learning opportunities' for her to connect you to good things - like toys and food and such .

If you lay everything out for her to just find, she will take longer to make this connection.

I've done so much study on learning ...flipping years of it . And there's this thing about making 'neural pathways' .
Neural pathways are stronger when they are self learnt ....self realized .
You can try and try and to teach something , but it's never as good as if the subject comes to the 'realization for themself'.

And you're in the position where you need this 'realisation' from her . You're not yet in a position to 'teach' yet .

So that's where these 'opportinites' come in .

They don't seem like big things ...just throwing a ball near her and walking away , or dropping a treat in her sight and leaving her to privately eat it ...but all those little things add up .
She connects them to you .
They are good .....ergo (hopefully) you are good.
She makes that connection herself .

I really think you need every trick up your sleeve with this case 😏

It sounds awesome everything you've set up for her . I'm really amazed that you've put in so much effort 🤗

@OogieBoogie This is brilliant advice... thank you so much Oogie! You are the best!

@Ontheroad oh I'm glad you took it with the openness I meant it .
It did sound kinda 'know it all'🙄😏

But it works . It's very passive learning . It's all up to the subject to make the connection - you just have to 'set up' the opportunities .
And it's just repetition after repetition.

The other thing I just remembered is. And I did this with the cats here .
(They were given names, but their owners never really used their names in a way that they learn them . They would say " good Artemis when they cuddled her ...but it meant nothing to the cats .)

So ....when it was left for me to feed them, rather than wait till they were super hungry - id feed them a little earlier.
I'd clink their bowls together , and call their names.
(The first few times I had to go find the cats, and clink the bowls right in front of them so they saw them)
Then I started doing it from the kitchen .

Then when I gave each their bowl , I'd say their name .

Did this for weeks .

But now they know their names and come when I call ...well mostly..... 😏🤷

Anyhoo ...good luck to you and your new roommate 🤗

@OogieBoogie Oogie, over time I've come to appreciate your wit, intelligence, insights, and wisdom.

You never, at least to me, sound like a know-it-all.

I think you are in the awesome range and I'm always amazed to see how willing you are to share with others.

So yeah, thank you my friend, you are much appreciated.

@Ontheroad oh wow. Thankyou so much , you're very kind .

I wish I knew useful stuff...you know , like grown up shit 😂

So on the rare occasion I know shit that someone could use ...I feel really useful ,😂

@OogieBoogie Nah, that grown-up shit ain't worth knowing... you're golden 🤣

@OogieBoogie I'm going to try your home-made cat toys for our cats, too!

@OogieBoogie
True for humans as well. I always told people, don't push me because I am going to become resistant, wondering what your true objective is. Pull me in, get me interested, and I will remain open to learning.

My son is the main cat psychologist and so we have used most of the things. But every cat is an individual and what works for one doesn't for another. His cats love the ping pong balls, mine do not. Dinky takes middling interest in the usual fake mouse toys that his cats love; Cooper could care less. I have two different scratching post/gym structures. Cooper uses it for scratching; both occasionally for the high perch to nap on. My son used a couple of different size boxes connected with hole cut on the side, connecting them, and one on top. Both prefer that. But I put down a simple open box, with another smaller, empty box turned sideways at one end on the floor, and Dinky loves that. It provides that fort security, but is open enough for her to stick her head up like through a submarine hatch opening to see what's going on. The crushed up paper balls will keep their attention for awhile. I will have to try the wrapping them in aluminum foil.

You never know what will be their go to security blanket. Dinky has this little raggedy ann doll -- I have no idea where it came from -- that she turns to when she is frustrated or upset. Carries it all over the house, and will let out these sorrowful wails, as if it reminds her of the kittens she had in a previous life.