Kringle: A Cat to Flip Over

While some cats are all about the nip, and Kringle loved his catnip like the best of  ’em, this cat was all about the flip.

Unearthing what amounts to “vintage video” in cat years, I share with you this special moment from May ’06 when we first discovered our cat’s untapped love of acrobatics. Often spinning in circles on his own, we found a new way to entertain our little beasty on this particular day. See for yourself.

From this moment on, Kringle spent each morning kneading the pile of the dining room rug to garner his papa’s attention. Tim would meet him there, on what we called “the mat,” to wrestle with, roll and flip the kitty. Evolving from a hillside rolling flip, their new combination involved Tim holding Kringle upside down at waist level, then sliding Kringle down the length of his legs until Kringle met the floor with his front paws. Kringle loved this and, purring, would circle Tim’s ankles until he was lifted once more to do it again. This became a daily ritual, one you can view in the previously posted “Kringle the Christmas Cat” video.

Accentuating your pet’s interests can be rewarding and fun. Let them show you what they find entertaining and build on that. Just remember to never violate their trust by pushing your pet beyond their comfort level. The activity has to be enjoyable for both of you.