Baby gate disaster
Dear Patches,
The cats and I love to play chase in the house. Flash is the fastest and he always gets away from me, but he cheats! He will run from the kitchen to the lounge, through the dining room, down the hall and then over the baby gate at Mom’s room. Time and again I run as fast as I can, but then crash into the baby gate. I’m convinced that I’m starting to look like a Pekingese. Flash will sit on the other side of the baby gate and laugh at me, sway his tail a few times, take a few bites from his bowl and then casually stroll away to the catio. Why is the gate there and why doesn’t Mom remove it?
Slow MoPo
Patches: There can be a couple of reasons why your mom installed a baby gate to that room. Maybe it is a safe space for the cats, where they can go and rest when they don’t feel like playing chase, and where they cannot be disturbed. It might also be so that you can’t get to the cats’ food, water and litterboxes. Maybe she created the space specifically so that you don’t follow them into the catio.
But the question here is: when will you learn to stop in time and not crash into the gate? If the same gate has been in the same place for a while, then surely you need to learn when to stop? If there are any loose mats or slippery surfaces in the area before the baby gate, ask your mom nicely if she can do something about it.
Bored bunny
Dear Patches,
Life is so unfair! I don’t have any balls as toys – I promise you. I always have to steal one of Snowflake’s balls to play with. Snowflake is scary – she hisses at me and threatens me with her claws. My dad only gives me carton rolls and tunnels to play with, but I’m bored with these toys. Balls bounce around and roll everywhere where I can play fetch with myself. Why doesn’t my dad give me any balls?
Flopsy Bunny
Patches: Why don’t you negotiate with Snowflake and give her one of your toys in exchange for one of her balls? If you fill one of the carton rolls with her favourite treats, she might give in to your request. Or why don’t you ask your dad for a few balls? Play around with one of Snowflake’s balls while your dad is watching, and then he will see how much you love playing with a ball. That might persuade him to get you a few balls of your own.
