ThrowBack Thursday with Leo's Cave

Today's ThrowBack is from August 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th, 2012. I know I know, what am I thinking, posting four all together?? I was only going to post the last one and give links to the first ones, but when I was looking at them for the links, I thought they were so cute and funny that I decided to include them all! So, sorry this is so long! But I hope you'll agree that it's awfully cute!
These were called Tree Learnin', Cave Attempt, Cave Attempt 2 and Leo Caved!

Tree Learnin'

We've had the kitty tree for a while now. And while Leo loves it and Star likes it, no one has really used the whole thing. Meaning, no one goes inside the bottom thingie. The hole thingie at the bottom seems like such a fascinating thing with so many options for fun and napping opportunities!

They both love the very top and will nap there or use it for bird TV watching. It took a while, but Leo started using the second shelf a little bit, not a lot, but a little. As shown in our new gif:

It's a good spot for waitin' for bugs to show up on the screen..

 

 

He did go in it once on his own, but he turned around and got out immediately, before I could even catch him on camera.

I'm outta here!

So Greg and I set out to change this situation. I'm going to take the next few days to show off out attempts at getting Leo to realize the fun of the bottom tube!


Cave Attempt

Let me continue from yesterday where we were trying to get Leo to get in the bottom cave of the cat tree. But first I want to acknowledge some of your suggestions.

Tree dwellers verses ground dwellers: Leo is for sure a tree dweller, a birder for sure. Star is somewhat of a tree dweller, but also a ground dweller, a mouser. Star never used to play with Da Bird unless you were willing to drag it along the floor, but now she will chase it a little if it's close to the ground and might make a jump or two, but mostly, still the ground. Leo, when Star's not around to make him nervous, will jump his heart out after high flying Da Birds. Star does like the back of the couch or chair, but as you may have noticed, her favorite spot is the bean bag on the floor. Perhaps I should have tried to get her interested in the cave rather than Leo.. A thought for next week!

Cat nip or catnip sprinkled blankies in the cave: Leo is not crazy about catnip. He ignores the stuff spread on paper, which is Star's favorite way to eat it. He doesn't care if there's nip in his toys, in fact, he's more likely to play with things without nip. Star's favorite butterfly toy is one of those with the 'zoom around the room' catnip and she will lick it and rub it all over her face for a long long time. I have been wanting to try valerian root and silvervine to see if they had any effect on Leo, but I haven't gotten around to getting any yet, bad mommy..

Flipping it upside down: MOL, I have never thought of that, but since the top perch is off center, I have a feeling it would fall over. And that he'd be the one to knock it over by jumping onto the new top which was the bottom... ok, now I'm confusing myself..

So what we did do was drop a springy wormey toy down the top hole while he watched. He plays with these even though they have nip in the head because he likes the springy body and can carry them easily. They're not a feather toy, but they are one he plays with and they were handy, so that's why we used those. Here's what happened:

Why you bein' mean to my toys? They don't like hiding from me!

That's right, ol' long leg boy can reach to the bottom without ever entering the cave.. He hooks a claw in the toy and yanks it back up from the top hole.. *sigh*

Ok, that didn't work. Probably because he was on the top top when we dropped it, making sure he'd see it, and he went after it from the hole it was dropped in. Time to change tactics!

I put Da Bird down the hole and waited for him to walk by. When he did, I wiggled it on the bottom of the cave. Oh boy did that catch his interest! He sat right down to watch the dancing Bird!

Hey birdie, what you doin' in there? That your new nest?

 

But that's as far as it went. He reached in a little to try to whap at it, but mostly he just watched.... And waited for it to fly out the top! *double sigh*

You got to come out sometime, birdie.. and I'll be waitin' with toof and claw!

 

Tune in tomorrow for another tactic!


Cave Attempt 2

Continuing to try to get Leo INTO the cave on his cat tree.. He loves Da Bird, so we kept using it to tempt him inside. How hard does it have to be to convince a kitty to do something that's supposed to be fun for him??

We got him playing...

I see you Birdie, 'n I'm gonna get  ya!

 

Grab! I know I missed the birdie.. I'm grabbin' the hole!

 

Now I bite you birdie! Now that you's all unsuspectin'!

 

We tried this from another angle, getting him on top looking down into the cave..

Didn't I already show you that I could get ya from the top?

 

Oh yeah..

Birdie tryin' ta tickle me. I give him the ears of annoyance!

 

I'm gonna grab ya now! Go higher, I dare ya!

 

 

 Then a quick drop into the hole! Unexpected results..

Oh lookie! I CAN get in there!

 

Not exactly how I had imagined..

I will eat you birdie! You can't get out past me again now!

Ok, we'll try again Monday, we gotta get that boy inside the right way!


Leo Caved!

Continuing the story of trying to get Leo into the cave bottom of the cat tree... First let me say this: Frustration, thy name is cat!


No no, you goofy boy! That's back on the top! And you're being a lazy player too!

Bring it closer...

 

Is this close enough? It's right on top of you!

Meh, I's takin' a break now..

 

Oh! Almost! Um... get yer rump inside too!

Why? I can reach the birdie from here.

There you go! YAY!!

Hang on... gotta get turned around..

 

Ok, I all in, now I's gonna get the birdie good now!

 

Uh.. that is, if YOU can get it back in the hole...

 

And now a gif of him inside the cave!

I guess it ain't so bad in here.. maybe.

Whew! finally!


King Spitty is a prognosticator I think! Because even after all this work, getting Leo to see that the cave can be fun, he has not once gone back in after this session! Which, if you read his comment on the last post, Spitty dear suggested is what Leo should do! Thank you so much Sire Ornery! MOL

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Be sure you check on the auction over the weekend, I'll be adding more, hopefully today, but if not, then for sure tomorrow! I told myself I was going to add earlier this week.. but you see how that worked out! Oh well.. But there's still lots of awesome stuff to bid on!

Every bid helps the kitties of Winnie's Wish! Thank you!