Gizmo Goes Fishing (and gets very wet)

Through Gizmo's Eyes

I've been eyeing off the fish in the fish tank on the counter top for weeks. When the light hits them they flash silver and gold like the medals hanging around the house. They are so shiny, and I just have to have one.
While my people have been sleeping I have been sneakily jumping onto the table and from there to the counter top, then I can jump on top of the fish tank. There are holes on the top of the fish tank just big enough to fit my paw into and if I dangle the tip of it into the water, the fishies come up to visit it...silly fishies. When they swim up to my paw i make a quick swipe and try to catch them, but they are just too fast.

So yesterday I decided I am not going to let the fish get the better of me and any time my people weren't looking, or when they went into another room, I decided to go fishing. I got to the top of the tank and dangled my paw into the water... here fishy fishy fishy... pow, crash, splash eek... I was sliding into the fish tank, the lid on the fish tank flipped into the tank and took me with it... just when I almost had one too. Help I can't swim! I clawed my way out of the tank, luckily finding a rock in the tank to push off. I could hear my people coming to see what the commotion was, I had to get out of the tank, or I knew I would be in big trouble... I'm not allowed to go fishing. Luckily I made it out just in time. I think my people knew what happened anyway. there was water everywhere (and I bet the fishies told them). They were very nice to me though, and dried me in a fluffy towel, and let me sit on a heat pack because I was cold. I don't think I want to go fishing again... it wasn't a very fun experience.

Gizmo's Favourites

Favourite toys
tennis balls
bouncy balls
pom poms
cardboard boxes of any size
balls of paper
paper butterflies
balls of foil
string of any kind
toilet paper/empty toilet rolls
empty cling wrap rolls
catnip mice
ribbon
peoples hair
peoples ankles
peoples hands
drains
bath/sink plugs

Favourite Places to Sleep
anyones lap/chest/neck
under blankets
open or closed lap tops
on a heat pack
in boxes
under the desk
on the couch or bed
in the pot plants
anywhere in the sun
in the cupboards
in the camping chair

Favourite Mischief Making Activities

chewing electrical cords

playing with blinds

jumping up walls

jumping out at people

attacking feet

biting hard

pulling up the drains

hiding anything from jewlery to bath plugs
going fishing in the fish tank

waking up people with kisses so they don't mind

scratching on doors

Hates

being left alone

being cold
having baths
not having someone to play with
being bored
getting in trouble

Mischief Maker

Gismo has learnt some clever tricks to get attention lately. We love playing games with him, but there are times when it's a little tricky amongst doing paperwork, whilst cooking dinner, or when we're getting ready first thing in the morning. He loves to chase balls of any kind eg balls of foil, bouncy balls, balls containing catnip, tennis balls, glittery pom poms, balls of paper, even plastic bags. He also loves to chase string, ribbons, peoples pants as they move down the hallway, basically anything hanging. We have created a new toy out of an old clothes horse, by hanging string, ribbon, paper butterfly's and all sorts of glitter pompoms etc tied on. He loves playing with it when we play with him, but shows very little interest in it as soon as we stop playing.

The tricks to get attention are things he knows he is not supposed to do, because he knows it involves us chasing him, or paying some form of attention to him, even if it involves us using the water spray bottle, used to try to stop bad behaviour. Latest attention seeking behaviour includes jumping/running up walls to try to get pictures hanging up, jumping for the phone cord, jumping for any electrical wires even if they can only just be seen over the edge of the counter top, and jumping for the bag that holds plastic bags we recycle. Even though he knows he will get in trouble, and that it may result in getting a squirt from the spray bottle, he insists on jumping up a wall and running away to hide (when we are busy). We have tried ignoring him, squirting him, playing with him a little during the times we are busy, locking him in his room...and yet none of these things have stopped the behaviour. Currently all things hanging have been tied up and hidden from view (unless we forget).

He likes playing with the vertical blinds, as well as the cords that open and close them. He likes playing with any electrical cords on the ground, or coming from equipment. He has also taken to scratching doors, clawing the carpet and meowing when you go into the bathroom without him, or close him into his room. Again resulting in squirting.

He seems to take great delight in the hide and seek game that results from doing something naughty, and after getting squirted likes to come and apologise for a cuddle and kiss, before doing the same thing again 10 minutes later...

While it would be nice if we could work out a way to stop him, we can't help but love him and laugh at the extent he goes to to get attention.