Hi All,

    When our little boy, Sumo was just about a year old, the toy he
absolutely loved was the Cat Dancer.  For those who haven't seen this
one, it's about a yard of black spring wire with some one inch by one
quarter inch cardboard tubes at each end.  It gives the appearance of
the cardboard tubes floating by themselves in the air.   He would
chase this if the end was on the ground and leap for it if it was held
in the air.  He would literally leap four feet for this toy but the
thing that showed how much he really loved it was what he did when he
wanted Lynda to play with him

    He would find the toy where ever it was in the house and grab one
end in his mouth.  Then with the other end dragging between his hind
legs, he would bring it to Lynda and drop it at her feet.  Who could
refuse him?  Lynda and Sumo would play, with Lynda verbally giving him
extra praise when he grabbed it with both front paws and gently
chiding him if he just batted at with one paw.

      "Oh, you silly puss, you'll never be able to catch a birdy with
one paw."  And, "What a good boy, using both paws like that."
Gradually his behavior began to change and he would catch and hold it
with both his front paws, becoming much more serious about his play,
just like he had a mother teaching him to hunt.

    One day, Lynda remarked to me that he was now trained to hunt,
using both front paws.  I replied that he may know how to catch his
prey, but he wouldn't know what to do with it, not being trained to
kill.

    Lynda took up the challenge.  She would remark on it when he
would grab it in his mouth and shake it or when he would grab it with
his mouth and front claws and kick it with his rear paws in the manner
cats use to stun their prey.  Gradually, his behavior changed again.

    We now have an indoor boy who, should he ever need to, will be
able to hunt in the wild.  We also have a very proud kitty mommy.

Regards and Purrs,
O J Gritmon