BS: why does a cat love a paper sack

Subject: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Jun 17 - 08:26 PM

Not just any paper sack, mind you. I have in mind:
the big boxy paper sack from the grocery store,
with a rectangular bottom, that folds just so.
An empty, unfolded paper sack, placed open on the floor
with the boxy opening pointing horizontally toward the cat,
as if to say:
"why don't you creep inside and make yourself comfortable?"

When I was a child, and watched the pet cat
creep out of sight into the depths of the paper bag,
I foolishly felt deserted -- why won't the cat come back out and play?


Is it the privacy of a space just large enough for a one-cat den?
Is it a territorial thing: this space is MINE now, says the cat.

Why are pet cats fascinated with a paper sack?

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jun 17 - 11:17 PM

It isn't the sack, it is the primordial cave that they crave.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Jun 17 - 11:27 PM

hmmm:

so instead of "This is the forest primeval,"

we have:

"This is the cave primordial..."

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: JHW
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 06:31 AM

My mother's cat didn't creep in; it charged in full tilt and crashed into the closed end so that cat in bag slid along the floor. With bag suitably dealt with it would come straight back out.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 07:18 AM

I always bought two kittens at a time (usually brothers) and they used to love playing with a large paper bag. One would hide inside while the other pounced. Then they'd swap roles. Hours of fun.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 11:11 AM

A cat does not love a paper sack. A cat merely makes do with a paper sack when nobody has left a guitar case open.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 12:31 PM

Yes! It almost doesn't matter what kind of instrument case. I have many lovely photos of our wicked old tomcat Bill, who fit neatly into the banjo case in a full doughnut curl, spread himself out to fill three-quarters of the guitar case with his chin propped on the pick box, and overflowed the mandolin case with an expression of indignation. "It fit yesterday; what the hell happened?"

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Mr Red
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 12:58 PM

tomcat Bill, who fit neatly into the banjo case - Oh! A music lover then?

And cats don't like sacks ever since the old pig sellers trick of conning buyers of piglets with a "Pig in a Poke"

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 01:47 PM

I've noticed on films etc that in USA they don't seem to have plastic bags at the supermarket, just large paper ones. Very green of them, but how does one carry a bag like that? Clutched to one's chest?

When kittens, our cats loved the huge bookshelves I had around the house. Smokey liked the dictionary shelf at the bottom, Minty the non-fiction paperback novels and Murphy preferred to be on the top shelf with the recipe books. They always looked like rather lifelike china book ends
My sister told me today that Maxi, her daughter's cat, absolutely hates it when she plays her piano. She sits on the top of it scowling, and whacks her face with a well-aimed paw until she stops.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: gillymor
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 02:19 PM

In the many parts of the U.S. I've been in plastic sacks are the default grocery carriers provided and to get paper you have to ask for it in just about every supermarket except for high-end ones like Whole Foods or Fresh Market. We bring our own reusable cloth or nylon sacks.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 02:29 PM

That's interesting gillymor. Here in UK of course, one has to pay a tiny amount (5p!) for a plastic carrier bag, to discourage folk from using them. But we have lots of nice hessian ones that last for years and don't pollute the planet. Our cats used to like getting inside those too, but they're a bit old now for fun and games.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: frogprince
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 08:27 PM

Then again, I know some humans who aren't happy unless they are at least "half in the bag".

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: gillymor
Date: 27 Jun 17 - 09:19 PM

It's good, Senoufou, that you charge for plastic over there but it seems like with a little R&D we should be able to come up with a biodegradable bag that won't last forever in a landfill. Over here supermarkets have recycle bins dedicated to plastic bags but I'll bet only a fraction of them wind up there.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 04:59 AM

a biodegradable bag that won't last forever in a landfill

They had those here, unfortunately they degraded in UV, and the residue was micro particles that end up in the food chain if washed into the ocean. They were banned here.

I usually have a rucksack or in Sainsbury's they put their cardboard boxes in an area and I use them. Particularly the substantial trays - very useful for storage at home.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 12:23 PM

When we moved to Ireland I brought our two cats over in advance in my van
Arriving at an empty house I opened the front door and shooed them both in - by the time I'd unloaded my luggage and walked inside there was no sign of either of them
Frantic, I searched the house - still no sign - eventually I gave up, convinced they would turn up
I sat on a box in the totally empty room and after a while, heard a scrabbling from the fireplace - both were squatting on a ledge just out of sight up the chimney
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 12:36 PM

We have four plastic crates in the boot of our car (left over from my teaching days) and often we don't even bother with the hessian bags, just put the stuff straight back into the trolley at the checkout. In the car park, we unload the things into the crates. My husband is incredibly strong, and on arrival at our house, he carries each heavy crate balanced on his head into the kitchen!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Anne Lister
Date: 28 Jun 17 - 06:15 PM

Our cats like bags, but best of all they love boxes. To chew on, to scratch the corners of - we think this is Deconstructive Art as far as they're concerned. They've been in heaven since we moved at the end of February as it's been a house full of boxes. We're now down to our last 28 (yes, we've counted them). Over the weekend we welcomed some American friends and showed them around the house. We were looking into what will be the music room (where most of the unpacked boxes are currently sitting) and heard a rustle, and then Mylo's ears and then his head popped up from the top box (of four). He's perfected the art of opening the parcel tape and getting inside an apparently unpacked box .. words can't do justice to the scene.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: leeneia
Date: 29 Jun 17 - 03:53 PM

That's a charming story, Anne.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Jun 17 - 03:59 PM

How sweet Anne to see Mylo's head popping up like that!

My goodness, if we'd let our Siamese cats loose among the boxes when we moved to this house, they'd have surely weed up every single one! It's their favourite hobby, having a quick wee on anything standing there. Very disgusting.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Jun 17 - 01:23 PM

We won't get to see it for a few weeks but the documentary on Turkish "tame" feral cats, 'Kedi' seems worth looking out for
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Jun 17 - 01:28 PM

I was reminded of this song years ago when I worked for an extremely wealthy lady i(in Kensington and Chelsea who had two rther pathetic Pekinese, somewhat spoiled and somewhat potentially yappy only their owner had had their vocal cords removed because the constant barking got on her nerves

S6 NATION OF ANIMAL LOVERS
(1968)

Ewan wrote this after seeing a little Pekinese transferred tenderly from the back seat of an enormous Mercedes Benz onto a velvet cushion and carried by a uniformed chauffeur into a London veterinary surgery. Its mistress followed, weeping. Are we really a nation of animal lovers? Britain's wildlife is under continuous threat. Badger-baiting, cock-fighting and dog-fighting take place regularly in Britain. Most of us encourage our children to stamp indiscriminately on spiders, snails, worms and anything small that crawls or flies. True, we are a nation that loves domestic and service animals but even then, not always ... ask the R.S.P.C.A. or any veterinary practice.



alternative title: 'We're a Nation of Animal Lovers'
words and music: Ewan MacColl
© 1968 Ewan MacColl, Ltd.
disc 5, 49



We don't pretend we're perfect but we have endearing features,
We're honest and we're always kind to God's four-footed creatures;
Dogs and horses, hamsters, rabbits, little furry things -
Lousy Europeans can't appreciate the pleasure that a little kindness brings.
We're a nation of animal lovers.

When Greeks were being tortured then we always held our peace,
We used to like to spend our summer holidays in Greece;
Cats and ponies, budgies, moths and hairy caterpillars -
Lousy Europeans can't appreciate the pleasure that these little creatures give us,
We're a nation of animal lovers.

When there's hangings in South Africa we just avert our gaze,
But we're tender-hearted to a fault with alley cats and strays;
Remember how the nation nearly had a nervous spasm,
Breathlessly anticipating giant panda's pleasure in a cuddly orgasm,
We're a nation of animal lovers.

When there's rioting in Brixton we're impressively impassive,
But be cruel to a horse and our reaction then is massive;
Guinea pigs and painted terrapin, tropical fishes -
¤ Lesser races cannot understand the simple fact that it would meet with all our wishes
If there were no human beings.

Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Jun 17 - 03:19 PM

Ahem. To get back on topic.

Oh indeed yes.
Paper boxes/cartons delight cats in much the same way as paper bags.
And it really is delight, the boxes fascinate the cats.

I can absolutely believe the Mylo incident related by Anne Lister.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 04:10 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: leeneia
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 11:03 PM

My husband (who had no pets till age 40) refused to allow our cat in the bedroom. She was confined by doors to the kitchen and the basement at night.

In time we realized how miserable she was, so we made her a little house from a cardboard box with door cut in it. An old towel made the floor comfy. In the winter, a heating pad designed for a D-O-G made it toasty warm. She probably would have preferred curling up next to me in bed, but she certainly liked her little den.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 11:13 AM

A cat with her own box (for sleeping) is a happy cat. Sweet.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 11:54 AM

Our cats have always slept together in a huge but cosy cat bed on the counter top in the kitchen, away from draughts. When we had five of the little blighters, they'd curl around each other in a complicated knot, grey tails, brown tails and various coloured legs (all Siamese, but some seal point, chocolate point or blue point) I always put a smaller bed at the side for any dissenters, but no, they were more than happy to pile in together.
They be only too ecstatic to sneak in with us under our duvet, but they'd be a blooming nuisance. One or two would be thrilled to sit on our heads on the pillow and lovingly lick our noses with their sandpapery tongues.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Raggytash
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:38 AM

We now have just 2 cats, the male is a BIG cat, almost a stone in weight (no fat) 3 years old and neutered and is afraid of his own shadow. He wails and cries for no apparent reason especially in the early hours of the morning after his nocturnal hunt.

However I suggested we leave a light on in the kitchen, the little bugger doesn't wail half as much with the light on.

I think he's afraid of the dark!!

(Lulu our 17 year old long haired grey and white bundle of love
........ and malice had to be put to sleep last week)

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:50 AM

Oh Raggytash, I'm so sorry about your 'Lulu'. How sad, but I'm sure you did the best for her, and she had a very happy life. Big hug to you both.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Raggytash
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:53 AM

Thanks Senoufou. But for the astonishing Vet, Libby Beck, she should have been put to sleep months ago. I cannot praise the Vet highly enough, so we at least had time to adjust to the inevitable.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 12:39 PM

We find it never gets any easier to say goodbye to a much-loved cat.
It's good that you have an excellent Vet, one you can trust to make a decision for you when the time comes.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: leeneia
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 12:52 AM

Raggytash, have you tried providing the timid cat with a box of some sort to sleep in? He might think he is safe in his den.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 03:49 AM

Now that our SmokeyPokey is fifteen, he's getting more and more insecure, with a wee bit of dementia. He cries sometimes during the night, even though he has Murphy for company. I find that a quick reassuring stroke and a 'Nightie night boys!" (at 2am or 3am, sigh) calms him down. We never let them out at night, and we shut the cat flap at about 6pm.

After all the affection he's given us over the past fifteen years, I don't really mind getting up to see to him. I know that he probably doesn't have all that long left, and I want his last year/s to be happy.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 06:02 AM

We had Oedipuss put down last month. We knew he was fading but Pip had hoped he would just pass away quietly. I think what wound up as my decision (although it was discussed over the phone and she arranged the vet) was made harder by knowing Pip's wishes but the cat took a turn for the worse while she was in hospital and I couldn't let him go on any longer. Vets were excellent and reassuring.

Down to just Mewan/Fleabag now. Plus Pusspuss, the feral one. He'd been absent for a month but is back to turning up when he feels like it, expecting food and rewarding getting some with hissess...

Back to the OP, I'm not sure I've known a cat like a paper sack but they can like dens, cardboard boxes (and I've had games with boxes with holes, where you poke something through) and dark spaces (ever seen their interest when say a floorboard is lifted).

Sometimes they need to investigate something in their own time but Fleabag can "ask me" to make something out of my duvet for her to settle in, sometimes I make more of an open nest, other times I fold it to make a den with a roof.

But cats are funny creatures, they might well come back to them but chairs, dens, boxes, etc. only remain "in fashion" for a while. Sooner or later, somewhere else becomes their favourite spot.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 06:45 AM

Oh dear, Jon and Pip, so sorry about Oedipuss. Hugs to you both as well!

It really does make a difference when the Vet is compassionate and kind. When we had Minty put to sleep back in January, the Vet managed to make it less upsetting by tenderly carrying the little decorated cardboard box they provided out to our car for us, and gently patting us on the shoulder. These little things stay in the mind afterwards and help enormously with the grief.

I love all these names people have given their cats! I wish I could be clever and inventive, but my choices are pathetic. My worst shames are 'Snowy' and 'Blackie' over the years. How feeble are they for names?

I believe cats move on from a favourite spot from instinct. Before they became involved with humans, they probably changed dens due to flea infestation.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 08:35 AM

Thanks S. I know Pip did feel the handling of one dying (I'm no vet or doctor but I'd guess congestive heart failure) cat a bit harsh in earlier days here but she has found the practice she has since used - for I'd say the last 16 years quite excellent.

As for cat names, my favourite was probably Port and Starboard. A black and white sister and brother. They had a white spot on different side of their noses.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Raggytash
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 08:51 AM

Many years ago a friend had a cat called Trex ..........

I'll leave you to figure that one out.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 01:20 PM

The other thing about Anne Lister's Mylo anecdote
is that the box is on top.

I recall someone's opinion:
Cats enjoy looking down on a situation...and the people in it.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 04:01 PM

The Trex joke went entirely over my head, friend Raggytash,
so thanks for explaining
that it refers to bleeping-cat/cooking-fat.

No Trex on the shop shelves in my hometown.
Had we done likewise,
the cat would probably have been named Crisco.

(Remember Crisco, mudcatters?)

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 04:11 PM

Always thought Trex was a glam rock band...

Seriously, I think Trex remains well known in the UK. I've not heard of Crisco.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 04:36 PM

Here in the U. S. we call the stuff "shortening" for some reason.
Crisco is made by Smuckers, which company is better known for jars of jam and jelly and so on. There is also a Proctor & Gamble connection.
According to Wikipedia, Crisco has been around since 1911.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 04:52 PM

I'm not sure if I'd really know the word quite like that?, k, but "short" is used in cooking, eg, shortcrust pastry or for me a Christmas treat, shortbread.

I'm no wiser with "Smuckers" but do know the P&G name.

Gone a long way off cats who don't even like the things but for UK jams and jellies, try Tiptree. Part nostalgia on my part as grandad always had a jar or two but they do make some nice stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 05:27 PM

I used to make giant apple pies for our church Harvest Supper. I always made my own pastry with butter-and-lard for the fat. Our cats always liked a bit of uncooked pastry to lick.
But once, I left the pies on the counter top to cool and came back to find blasted SmokeyPokey sitting on one, enjoying the warmth. He'd squashed it all in. I 'repaired' it as best I could, brushed off the cat hairs and took it down to the Village Hall with the others.
No-one was any the wiser...

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Jul 17 - 05:41 PM

Thinking of cats and cooking, Starboard had a fondness for sultana buns. He once took the tops (yep not any bun completely eaten, just a good nibble of each) of a batch Pip cooked.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 03:30 AM

Ooooh! Blooming little monkey! I bet Pip was absolutely livid.

There was an awful succession of bad thunderstorms during last night, and at about 2am I could hear our two crying in fright after a particularly loud crack of thunder. Muggins got up and foolishly let them into our bedroom. It was a humid, sticky night, and now we had two hairy critters stuck under the duvet with us, wriggling about and licking each other's heads (a 'comfort action'). Husband was NOT pleased, especially when SmokeyPokey decided that he would be safest tucked under his armpit.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 04:03 AM

We had the thunderstorms too. Mewan can be a nervy little thing (of strangers, of te vacuum cleaner, ...) but I don't think thunder is on te list. Misty, a dog we had, was quite upset by it. You could suspect there was a storm in the distance by her behaviour.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 05:27 AM

Murphy is absolutely terrified of the vacuum cleaner. When it's not actually connected but sitting benignly in the utility room, he surreptitiously does a quick wee on it.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 05:36 AM

Ours runs when she sees it moved. An other thing that will make her run, not that anyone has ever squirted it at her or threatened her with it, is the hosepipe outside.

I have quite inadvertently got her (and another cat we had) with the micro irrigation watering though. You press the button, the spray starts and out from the vegetation comes a startled cat.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 05:41 AM

We could do with something along those lines to 'startle' (completely soak) the white Psychocat.
My husband recently chucked a half-full bucket of cold water over it. It fled, shook off the surplus, then five minutes later, it was back again!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 05:57 AM

Odd cat! Mewan could be funny if it was pouring down otside. She usually looks right and let now, like Tufty crossing the road but we could have a gleeful running outside to a slamming on of the brakes...

Which brings me to Oedipuss and the big (I suspect he was at least part Norwegian Forest). Sort of like Tom and Jerry where Tom finds he's run in to Spike.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 07:40 AM

Cats do often resemble cartoons don't they? Murphy is easily spooked, and when he tries to run on our polished floor, his legs go like mad but he doesn't get anywhere.

When it's raining, our cats peer gloomily out of the back door and decide not to venture out. Then they demand to have the front door opened, so they can look out there. They imagine that each exit from the house presents a different weather option.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 08:04 AM

I think te Tom and Jerry writers/animators must have done a pretty good observation of cats, Sen.

Mewan in her older age is mostly a sleeper. She prefers outdoor when the weather is nice. Sometimes she can have an in/out period before she decides where to settle. She is also a bit of a creature of ritual, eg. if one was to walk down the garden early afternoon and she follows, one is supposed to give her a treat at the bench. She will do her own thing then...

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 01:40 PM

Eliza, maybe you ought to find your furpersons a paper sack to hide in during the next thunderstorm?

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 01:53 PM

Haha keberoxu. But in their view, they've already found one. It's a large goose-down duvet complete with an African and a plump white lady underneath.
More storms are due tonight. Sigh. I suppose we'd better brace ourselves for another onslaught of hot, hairy lodgers trying to get their heads under our armpits...

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 03:23 PM

We had a Siamese name of Tokyo Rose who dove under the duvet the minute I did; an absolute menace, she would drowsily knead my defenseless form at zero dark thirty when I had to go to work the next day. The Kevlar nightie has yet to be invented, worse luck.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 17 - 03:54 PM

We don't normally let our cats into the bedroom. They usually spend the night shut in the kitchen. But the thunder and lightning were very scary, and they needed reassurance.
Some cats can sleep sensibly at the foot of the bed, but not ours. They just have to squash themselves behind one's knees or under one's armpit. Or sit on one's face. Very uncomfortable!

I'm sitting on the sofa at the moment, and they're scrunched onto my lap. My husband is due home from work very soon. I always smile when he calls out in his funny accent, "Poossy Woossies! 'Ere comes your Daddeeee!" They howl in delight and wind themselves round and round his legs.
This is a total Mad House.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Charmion
Date: 20 Jul 17 - 01:33 PM

No, Eliza, what you describe there sounds marvelously sane.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Jul 17 - 07:42 AM

TMI WARNING!!!

Ugh! Our cats are totally Out Of Favour today. I got up at 6am, longing for a nice cup of tea, but Someone had gobbled up his diced chicken too quickly and sicked it all up in their bed. I dealt with that, then noticed my slippers were wet... Someone had done a huge wee on the kitchen floor. Gallons and tons of disinfectant and papertowels later, I noticed Someone had had a very liquid poo all over the utility room floor. The smell was phenomenal. All doors had to be opened, and further decontamination required. (Husband slept on like Sleeping Blooming Beauty)

After disinfecting my own hands, just got the tea and biscuits ready when that ghastly white monster Spirit arrived through the wide-open door, and began to hoover up what was left of the food. Jug of water deployed, then a mop to soak that up.

I finally got my tea at 6.30am. I'm completely knackered now.
Hope this doesn't happen again tomorrow....

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Jul 17 - 08:20 AM

Don't you love that "heave, heave" sound? It's not a regular occurrence but best suggestion I can make if you are on the scene when it happens is to get some news paper down quick - chasing one off will only make a spread. Other suggestion is if cat is a gobbler to reduce food it can take in one go but feeding isn't that predicable here - Pip likes to ruin Mewan with her cooked for the cat chicken, sometimes the cat will tuck into her cat food, other times she will say "there is far better around" and turn her back on you if you just offer cat food.

Messing, we have a problem at the moment. I can't work out the "psycology" but Mewan was thrown by her run of ops. Used to be good but now, even if outdoors a lot of the time, might ignore that and the tray and decide the carpet is a good place.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Jul 17 - 08:46 AM

Oh I know Jon, that sound: "...bleugh... bleugh... bleugh... BLEUGH!!" And you're right, if one rushes to avoid a pile of puke, it only gets sprayed all over the place.
My husband spoils our two and it was he who put all the chicken down after I'd gone to bed. It wasn't cut up small enough and there was far too much. He was only being kind though, I hadn't the heart to say anything.
Never mind. Only proper food sachets today. They usually digest those quite well.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Aug 17 - 06:10 PM

creep, pussycats, creep.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Jan 18 - 12:24 PM

refresh

in this cold, of course,
a cat probably prefers something different than a paper sack --

like the nearest outlet of heat or warmth

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Jan 18 - 12:49 PM

I've discovered that a cat also likes a nice warm laptop keyboard.
Husband had left his study door ajar (big mistake) and I found SmokeyPokey fast asleep on top of the keys. He opened one eye, made a sniggering sound and went back to sleep. Husband was in the shower. I daren't tell him. The other one, Murphy, was nowhere to be seen, until I noticed a little brown tail jutting out from behind one of the sofa cushions.

We thought we'd treat the pair of them and got some of those fiendishly expensive little sachets of 'cat soup'. They've had them before and used to go mad for them. Put one down in a dish. Both sniffed suspiciously, looked at eachother then said, "Nah" and shuffled off. Blooming waste of money.
But they smell so delicious I fancy trying a sachet myself...!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Jan 18 - 12:59 PM

Cats love the sack for the same reason Rap loves his duck blind.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Jan 18 - 11:53 AM

It's a territorial thing, isn't it?
And Donuel is on to something:
Cats being solitary predators,
territory is a tactical thing.
And cats are manipulative tacticians. The dear furry things.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Raggytash
Date: 16 Jan 18 - 12:11 PM

You've reminded me of something Senoufou. Years ago, in the bar I drank in, a group of us would take food in on a fairly regular basis. Anything unusual or odd. We all contributed except for one man who was always first to the food and always helped himself to more of it than anyone else.

Needless to say we all got a bit cheesed off with him.

One night I took some "Salmon Pate" in, nicely garnished with slices of cucumber and a few biscuits. He waded in with his usual gusto while we sat back.

For some reason he wasn't very happy when he later discovered it was a premium cat food!!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Jan 18 - 01:25 PM

Hahahaha Raggytash! I can just imagine his face!
Actually, some of the cat food we give ours smells gorgeous. (especially that soup)

I got a very reasonably-priced cooked half-chicken this morning while at the supermarket, and it was like cavemen in the Stone Age. All four of us sat round and demolished the carcass, we humans using our fingers to eat with and handing tasty morsels to the cats poking their noses into our laps. Rather primitive, but we all licked our lips and enjoyed it.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Raggytash
Date: 16 Jan 18 - 04:07 PM

In my defence, in case anyone thinks I was out of order, both myself and the steward of the club tried it ........ but we knew it was cat food!!!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Sep 18 - 06:02 PM

Time for a fresh paper sack.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Dec 18 - 09:59 PM

An acquaintance of mine had a puppy
who was absolutely petrified-frightened
of wrapping paper when the present was unwrapped
and the paper tossed to one side, where it sat, loosely wrinkled.
The pup was afraid that the wrapping paper was going to eat him.

Whereas, the cats would investigate,
that is,
if they weren't trying to climb the Christmas tree in the house.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 12:19 PM

Decades ago there was a cartoon in a book entitled "Another Cat Book". Two people were conversing while looking at a pair of eyes (feline) gazing out of the dark of a paper bag.

Cutline says, "Don't you wish you, too, could find happiness in an empty grocery bag?"

I love that book.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: SamStone
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 01:54 PM

Look for these...i recent found some large paper grocery bags infused with catnip (package of 6) at a charity shop...never seen these before. Open the bag up, set it on the floor and be prepared...kitties gone wild.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 02:56 PM

SamStone, I never in my life heard of such a thing.
Which charity shop was it?
That's ... diabolical, that is.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 08:44 PM

Bat Goddess, that sounds like a book worth having,
if only for that cartoon.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: SamStone
Date: 25 Dec 18 - 11:00 PM

keberoxu ... a Salvation Army store in Greensboro North Carolina ... the bags were unbranded with just a small hangtag which stated the bags were infused with potent catnip ... and yes kitties do complete back flips "under the influence".

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 07:05 PM

I recently saw a video which showed cat after cat preferring the cardboard box that a cat condo had come in to the cat condo itself. It was cute - the cats were so pleased and happy with the boxes.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 11:44 AM

There are more paper sacks around, as someone observed (SRS?) ,
what with local restrictions on plastic shopping bags.

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 17 Nov 21 - 03:28 AM

back in the 70s when I had a cat I acquired a large empty box that had contained furniture. Had the box not been cardboard, 2 people could have sat at ease on it!

As I was gathering stuff to put in it, I heard a funny noise & opened the top flaps - cat looks up, she had jumped on it & of course fallen in & couldn't get out. I removed her, filled it & put a tablecloth over it so she had to find somewhere else to hide.

The day my brother & his dog visited she found a good spot - we saw a a very obvious cat-shaped lump under the smooth bedspread, dunno why she didn't run under the bed!

Subject: RE: BS: why does a cat love a paper sack
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Nov 21 - 08:31 PM

Hey, here's a variation:
What is it about cats and
decorated
Christmas trees in the house !!