My 5 favourite toys

I've decided to add a category to the series on "favourite things". TOYS. Toys are the best, and most felines can improvise with the most unlikely things to find amusement. Here are my top 5:

1. Rodents -- Oh, yes, rats, mice, large or small. They all do it for me. The past couple of days have been interesting in this department. I had me a rodent on Friday night. Played with it all evening until it hid where I couldn't get it in the bathroom. But eventually it came out and I knew what to do! But then yesterday the weirdest thing happened. One of them came in through my cat door (which doesn't have a door on it yet)! E stood there shrieking at it to go away, then called me over as though I was a servant. Demanded I catch it and take it outside! The thing is, it had climbed up this lattice grid over the window and clung there, calm as you like. I got bored and left E to it. I mean, rodents are loads of fun, but not when you've been ordered to it! She's just trying to diminish my pleasure. Hmmph

2. butterflies & moths -- They flutter around brilliantly and make fantastic toys. They don't squeak though, nor does E shriek, so this diminishes the pleasure somewhat. Nevertheless, if I can't find a rat, a flutterby will do.

3. milk bottle rings -- I think I've blogged on these before. They are great! And even better, E actually provides them for me to play with. They scoot around on the floor brilliantly.

4. tissue paper -- As any self-respecting feline knows, tissue paper means crackle and rustle. Humans hate it! Which means we love it!

5. boxes -- There's nothing quite like a box for pure and simple indulgent fun. The world recedes and there's only the four cardboard walls, the scratching of claws, the reassuring firmness at your back. Give me a box any day.

Milk bottle ring

Oh praise the cat gods, I have found new meaning in life with the revelation about milk bottle rings. You know, the ring that seals the lid to the bottle when first purchased? I found one on the floor yesterday quite late, and you have no IDEA how much fun it is to play with! It scoots along the floors amazingly well, and makes a cute plasticky tinkling sound.

Ellen just looks at me and laughs. Ha, she says. Have you only just worked that out? Moggie used to play with them all the time. (Moggie was Ellen's former feline. I met her once or twice -- old decrepit thing. She died over 4 years ago.)

I have a sneaking suspicion that E put the ring in my way to see what I'd do. Well, so what? She was right for once. I LOVE it!

The only problem is that now I've lost it. It's disappeared under some piece of furniture (can't remember which) and so that's the end. Until E opens another bottle of milk . . .