1. Introduction

As any knowledgeable cat knows, the most exciting thing in the world is "not" a present or toy, but the box or bag that it came in. Sure a toy will amuse you for a few moments but a really crinkly bag can provide endless hours of fun and excitement.

Bags and boxes are extremely useful when hiding. Remember the First Law of Hiding - if you can't see them, they can't see you. The second you stick your head inside a bag to investigate, you immediately become invisible to those around you (note - this is true no matter how hard you wiggle your butt and tail). You will only reappear when you pull your head back out.

2. Plastic bags

Nothing can beat a really nice plastic bag for sheer crinkliness! The crisp crackle and rustle drives me wild and I can't stop myself from burrowing into any plastic bag I find. I believe that the high frequency crinkling of plastic bags was specially designed to tickle our kitty brains.

Another cool feature of plastic bags is that they are usually translucent. That means you can just barely sort of see through them. With your head stuck inside, you can see shadowy blobs moving in the room around you. These shadowy objects are known to be fierce monsters which must be attacked through the plastic bag.

Plastic bags make great slides for those of you who live in a carpetted home. Simply run to build up a little speed, then launch yourself onto the bag and enjoy the ride as you slide across the floor.

Caution - plastic bags rip easily. What began as an exciting place to hide may quickly turn to shreds if you are overzealous in your playing. Then you must demand a new bag from your human. Also, it is a good idea to have a human around while you play with a plastic bag. Not only is it more fun, but if you run into any trouble breathing or if you get tangled up in the bag (like I always do), then your human can help you.

3. Paper bags

Paper bags have the advantage of being able to stand up almost like a box. These bags will generally stay open as you tumble around and roll in them. This is especially good for claustrophobic kitties. They are also a lot darker than a plastic bag, with many dark shadows to hide in. The thrill of sitting in a tall paper bag is something every kitty should experience.

The sound of a paper bag is a nice deep sonorous rustle. The larger and heavier the bag, the more mellow the rustle. Small thin paper bags crinkle almost like plastic bags.

Paper bags are generally sturdier than plastic bags and will last longer. However, there are no shadowy monsters to attack and hence they are not quite as much fun.

4. Boxes

Boxes have a special allure all their own. I believe that the dark shadows in the corners remind us of caves and cubbyholes in the wild, back when we had to fend for ourselves, before we tamed the humans. This hint of the ancient and wild adds greatly to the general fun of playing with a box.

Boxes make excellent home bases from which to ambush and pounce. You can either ambush from around the box, or pounce from within the box. The element of surprise will always be yours! When sitting in a box, I like to periodically poke my head out and scan the surroundings like a periscope. This not only locates possible targets for ambush, but also seems to amuse the humans to no end.

Boxes are also excellent for storing your cool things. Mice, bits of string, or even a snack for later can all be tucked away safely for future use. And you don't have to worry about your cool things being sucked up by the evil noisy Vacuum Cleaner!

Probably the best thing a kitty can do in a box is sleep. This is my personal favourite activity and boxes are second only to piles of laundry for sheer comfort.

5. Summary of fun activities:

A. Activities to do in a plastic bag:
- attack monsters
- hide
- slide on the carpet

B. Activities to do in a paper bag:
- roll around

C. Activities to do in a box:
- periodically poke your head out and scan the surroundings like a periscope
- hide
- sleep
- store cool things (mice, bits of string, etc.)
- plan for ambushes

Teacher:

Jessie

[Exam]

CLAW University, Sports College

Summary

Wednesday, 23-Apr-03 14:16:19 EDT