The Magic Red Dot

Puma · Jan 2, 2012

There were some very good responses to my thread about cats and computers, so I thought I'd start another thread. How about pet antics in response to the magic red dot - you know, the laser pointer. If you're like me and play with your pet with a laser pointer, I bet you have stories to tell. (And yes, we're careful the pets don't look directly at the pointer.)

We have several cats and one dog who go bananas whenever we even reach for the laser pointer. But our best is a cat who responds to a different light source - the reflection off my watch whenever I'm around the window in the kitchen and the light is right. She watches for it, waits for it, and then when it shows up it's bam, bam, bam, bam - up the wall and onto the side of the stove. It makes her day. She'll play with the light as long as I'm willing to stand there and direct it.

How about you - got a story to share? Puma

Nexus · Jan 4, 2012

Puma said:
How about pet antics in response to the magic red dot - you know, the laser pointer.

All I can add to this thread was my confusion.

I read the title and did not think about laser pointers. Instead I thought of "a special time of the month". A "red dot" or "red period" or... you get the idea.

Although I had never heard that female bodily function being called "magical" - which is why I needed to prove to myself that that was not the purpose of the thread.

alleycat · Jan 4, 2012

I'm still low-tech. My cat and I still use string . . . and my hand. The bleeding usually stops after an hour or so.

Puma · Jan 4, 2012

Love it, Alleycat. I have one that loves the neck strings on my hooded sweatshirt - and she's not too careful where she swats at them.

Sorry for the confusion, Nexus. Just trying to get some activity going here. Puma

alleycat · Jan 4, 2012

Yes, my cat likes to play "Get me if you can." She will come sit near me and encourage me to try to "get her" before she can get me.

Me: tender skin. Her: sharp claws.

Wonder who is going to win?

Nexus · Jan 4, 2012

Puma said:
Love it, Alleycat. I have one that loves the neck strings on my hooded sweatshirt - and she's not too careful where she swats at them.

Sorry for the confusion, Nexus. Just trying to get some activity going here. Puma

No worries. I was hoping that my confusion was funny. Only reason I had posted it.

Taytortots · Jan 14, 2012

My animals love this, particularly my Golden Retriever Charlotte, who will watch for it all day after it goes away (unless she sees a shadow, of course).
We used to put it on the other animals (say one of the dogs backs) and the cats would have a field day following the dogs around.

Pyekett · Jan 14, 2012

I need you to stay late tonight. We really have to catch that red dot.

I keep the pointer in a small pen box. The cat gets the shakes when he hears the click of the lid. He vibrates with excitement.

Friendly Frog · Jan 17, 2012

alleycat said:
I'm still low-tech. My cat and I still use string . . . and my hand. The bleeding usually stops after an hour or so.

I have a solution for that: an old ski glove (not that I ever went skying but they worked great on making snowmen too). The other glove of the pair has gone missing. Probably eaten by the same monster that usually steals the other sock, but I digress...

My cat can go all out against the glove and I barely feel a thing. Although you've got to be quick to avoid the rapidly becoming uncomfortable moments when the hind leg claw line up with your unprotected upper arm.

Other than that, the fishline with the mouse toy, despite it low-tech nature is a sure hit as well. I can make my cat run round after round around the coffee table as he goes tearing after it. Now that's a sight! And the fun thing is that I don't have to move an inch. But you can't let him have the toy for long. He starts tearing hair or threads out of it, the way a wild cat would plume a bird before eating.

The Magic Red Dot

Puma

Retired and loving it!

Nexus

Evolute

alleycat

Still around

Puma

Retired and loving it!

alleycat

Still around

Nexus

Evolute

Taytortots

Pyekett

I need no hot / Words.

Friendly Frog

Snarkenfaugister