This is a true story. You might not believe it, but it’s absolutely, honestly true.
It’s about Pierre, who goes by the nickname P around here, and his newest toy, which we nicknamed “mini P.”
Mini P is large stuffed mouse I acquired at Dollar Tree. He’s gray like Pierre, and has a white belly like Pierre, which earned him the nickname Mini P, like “mini me” in the Austin Powers movies. Mini P makes a nice rattling sound when he’s batted around the house, which really excites Pierre. We hear him jingle-jangling his way all around the house with that thing.
Now, Pierre has managed to lose several mini P’s over the past few weeks. One is still at large in the house, but he has another he enjoys. Still, when he shoves it behind the TV cabinet or under the sofa and can’t get it out, he gets frustrated.
Early this morning, he took matters into his own paws.
I was sitting in the plant room enjoying my morning coffee when the sound of Mini P’s rattle jingled throughout the house. Then I heard a thump and a muffled crash. I considered checking Pierre’s whereabouts, since I had a feeling the crash came from his antics, but the next sound was a short jingle, as if he had his Mini P toy again. I thought nothing of it and continued reading. About half an hour later, I walked up stairs and went into the bedroom, where I found the source of the noise.
You see, we had a new mini P, still attached to his store cardboard backing, on a high bookshelf. Pierre had lost his toy, and decided to take matters into his own paws. He’s climbed up onto a bookshelf about 3 feet high, jumped to another piece of furniture, then made the leap up another several feet to reach the desired toy. He grasped the cardboard back and walked it across the living room, up a long flight of stairs, and left it at the foot of the bed…hoping, I guess, that one of us would play with him.
I had to show it to John. We got such a kick out of it that I didn’t even mind the books Pierre had knocked over in his attempts to grab the toy off the shelf.
So now not only can this cat open doors by hitting the door latch with his weight, he can climb up bookshelves to get his toys. Lucky for us all his Friskies bag is safely in a closet, but woe until me when he realizes he can pop open that door, too!
P is a smart kitty!