[roads]

Just FYI (If you have a cat & don't want to get involved over your head):

DO NOT GET A CAT THE BEST-EVER CAT TOY
(unless you want a demanding, volunteer FT job.)

Charlie's very favorite toy is his race track containing a red ball, which has a battery inside & lights up and performs a mini light show if hit hard enough. Over the course of the past year, Charlie's bali as gotten dirty, stinky--Florida-filthy. A result: The ball is not moving as smoothly as it used to and sometimes it sticks and comes to a complete halt. Soooooo I dissembled the 17 parts that "Requires assembly," washed them all in hot, sudsy water, allowed them to air-dry completely, then reassembled the entire complex. Of course, this took place with closely monitored, feline inspections

My bad.... I knew the bottom sections were different, but I didn't think that it matters a lot how they were put together--the overall effect was to make it different so that the ball didn't just go around and around on the same plane. Half of the bottom sections were flat, the other half were shaped like overpasses. I had not kept track of the original setup; when I began hooking one section to another, I realize that I did not know which should be hooked next: flat--flat--overpass--flat'? Who knew?

Charlie is a therapy cat and I guess he could tell that I was doing my best, he made an earnest effort to try to play with his toys once I had gotten everything back together (together but not correctly).

I thought, he's young, he'll get used to it. I thought, the change will be good for him. For the next 24 hours I was followed by a cat who is letting me know he's not happy. He did not eat--he didn't groom--he wouldn't let me brush him or and stopped sleeping or napping with me,

I thought I'd hit the jackpot when I alternated the pieces (a flat section followed by an overpass etc.; however, that didn't last for more than 15 minutes of Feline
joy. I was ready to give up, unable to think of any other way to arrange it. Then I guess Charlie used his mental powers.

Many people are unaware of this proven fact, but cats CAN put thoughts into people's heads without involving speech or gesture. He came and lay in the middle of the race track, which is not a normal place for him. He seemed to be meditating (or falling asleep). I figured he was up to something and then suddenly thought, "I bet you I have them reversed--there should be an overpass where I have a flat track," and behold! Once again, a joyous feline and fully attentive therapy cat! I am so glad that it's all written down now and I won't have to go through this crisis again.

Now, after my spending so much attention to it, Charlie's decided that it's greater for if we play it together ...:heart)

Roads & Charlie

[unaluna]

Omg! You know its bad when your cat is more mechanically-minded than you are!! Too funny! Maybe he can get a job at an automotive company test track to earn his kibble, if hes such a smarty cat!