Here we are locked down at home, with our pets being a major source of distraction as we try to alleviate anxiety and find ways of not becoming addicted to reading the news and obsessing about Covid-19 and our collective futures.
Our three cats and two dogs provide solace, companionship and entertainment. And in some ways they are our teachers too. Here are some tips I picked up from our cats on things to do during lockdown.
Visiting websites is likely one of the commonest ways of dealing with lockdown, be it for information or entertainment. Our late cat, Ned, put a different spin on it when, some years back, he visited a non-digital website and returned home festooned with the evidence, as shown in the picture below.
During prolonged social isolation during lockdown, many people are benefiting from meditating so as to feel grounded and to help calm the mind, something Nina seems to do instinctively.
When confined to our homes we have to be creative about getting exercise both to keep fit and to relax muscle tension. Yoga is a popular way of doing this, and Nina shows here how she has her own way of relaxing those neck muscles and releasing tension.
Many people who used to go to the gym prior to lockdown have been finding everyday items to use as basic equipment to assist them with their physical fitness routines. Ella shows how to improvise equipment as she warms up prior to doing her isometric exercises.
Despite the many creative ways of exercising at home there may well be times when the confinement drives you stir crazy, and may even make you want to climb the wall. Nougat devised a way of doing this, which I show you as a matter of interest only as I do not recommend you try this at home.
Nina tends to take an opposite approach and buries herself under a mat or blanket, creating her own safe cave-like space, and there may be times when you benefit from doing likewise.
Another comforting option, if you are lucky to have a sunny window, is sunbathing from the shelter and safety of indoors. Nougat is a rather exuberant sunbather.
Ella has found a sunny patch where in a rather more decorous fashion she combines sunbathing with meditation.
Other options for keeping oneself entertained during lockdown include of course games. Imagining yourself as a famous person from history and devising ways of dressing appropriately is not only diverting but can lead to interesting posts on social media.
Although she has a limited range, Nina can be very good at impersonating regal personalities from days gone by. Can you guess which Queen from ancient times she is pretending to be here? (Tip: the eyeliner is a clue.)
As usual, Nougat has a more renegade approach to games. Here he plays the rather unnerving role of a ghost haunting the bookcase. Somehow he hides behind the books, and bursts out ghoulishly when least expected.
Cuddly toys can make comforting companions during lockdown, no matter what your age is. I made a companion toy cat for Nougat out of scraps of fabric, and here he is greeting his new friend.
Adapting toys to be more interesting can require some ingenuity that can lead to repurposing. In the video below Ella provides an illustration of how to turn a toy, which was originally designed to encourage the player to spin a ball in a circular channel, into a puzzle that draws not only on dexterity and problem-solving abilities, but also on a high level of determination as she tries to extract the ball from the channel.
And Nougat shows how tactile experiences can be taken to a new level. He loves smooth surfaces and has devised games where he paddles his front paws on smooth surfaces be they windows, mirrors, boxes, the top of my laptop or even the back of the loo.
These games have evolved alongside a high level of creativity where Nougat develops his talent as a percussionist. I am sure that any of you with a musician’s or dancer’s sense of rhythm can draw inspiration from Nougat’s routine where the shower door is used percussively against the bathroom wall.
Thanks for playing along, and perhaps these tips from the cats can contribute to enriching your lockdown living. I hope that at the very least you can find a sunny spot to enjoy from time to time.
Keep safe during these times.
Posted by Carol
May 22, 2020 at 9:02 pm
I need to state cat-egorically that this a fun, funny and obviously scientific post
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May 23, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Thanks Abrie 😊 Nougat was the cat-alyst but thorough research was fun-damental
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May 13, 2020 at 5:01 am
Those cats are so cute! Love the post.
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May 13, 2020 at 2:49 pm
Thanks so much! The cats manage to be cute without even trying 😊
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May 11, 2020 at 5:16 pm
From your stories and videos, it is apparent how caring and loving you are to your cats, how you provide warm, soft places for them to curl up, cat perches in rooms with a view, toys, and loving attention. There is mutualism in the relationships. We each thrive when the other thrives. And we cry and comfort when the other cries. Most fortunate we are indeed to have our furry friends.
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May 11, 2020 at 6:45 pm
We have deep mutual friendships with our cats and dogs – as intense as any with humans and often a lot less fraught!
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May 12, 2020 at 2:19 am
So true.
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May 11, 2020 at 4:34 pm
Delightful! Made me laugh out loud! Cats are creative, resourceful, self-entertaining, and self-nurturing creatures.
In this state of emergency, my Dixie dog has taught me that when I get up from sitting or lying down, I should stretch and drink some water. And after working a couple hours or so, I should go outside for a walk. And a game of fetch is always good for a laugh, a snuggle, and a romp!
I’m still laughing at the percussionist cat and Ella’s playful ingenuity.
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May 11, 2020 at 4:48 pm
I am so pleased that the cat antics made you laugh! You describe cats so well, but added to all that our three are surprisingly sensitive to how we are feeling and are also quite needy and dependent – possibly more so than other cats as they were hand-reared.
One thing about the cats and dogs being barometers indicating how we are feeling, means that we are more aware of when we are tense or anxious and so we have to moderate how we act things out so as to comfort the animals, which in the end is therapeutic also for us!
Dixie is a sensible teacher and it sounds like you are an attentive learner 😊 Where would be without our animal companions?
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April 28, 2020 at 8:28 pm
Nougat has some impressive abseiling skills! My dog is delighted by the lockdown because it means that I am now obligated to be within her sight practically all day every day. That said, she’s not quite so pleased that cocktail sausages (her favourite treat) are in short supply due to erratic grocery deliveries.
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April 28, 2020 at 9:07 pm
Nougat is quite the athlete 😊
I am sure your dog enjoys the constant company – hopefully that more than compensates for the erratic supply of her favourite treat!
We are hoping our lockdown regulations will be eased to allow us to walk our dogs, but at the moment we have to stay on our premises. We and the dogs are fortunate to have a garden.
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April 28, 2020 at 9:15 pm
That must be very tough. I was dreading that outdoors restriction here but instead we’ve been told that we can walk once per day, provided we keep local and away from other people. I have lots of rural tracks around me but those in more urban areas will be struggling.
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April 30, 2020 at 7:59 pm
It must be so hard for those in built up and congested areas. From tomorrow we will be able to walk (or jog or cycle) locally between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. in the mornings, which is something 🙂
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April 28, 2020 at 6:51 pm
Beautiful cats and such entertainment. Lovely to meet Nougat!
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April 28, 2020 at 9:03 pm
They are definitely entertaining and Nougat has grown up to be an unusual character and a bit of an extremist!
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May 1, 2020 at 3:35 pm
Thanks for the PDF. Will keep it marked for my return or just send and let my daughter print it!
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May 1, 2020 at 8:07 pm
I hope the printing works out okay.
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May 10, 2020 at 7:26 am
Yes, that will be a later date now as not even my daughter has a printer working in their house!
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May 10, 2020 at 6:19 pm
Printers must be among the most frustrating pieces of equipment.
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April 26, 2020 at 12:58 pm
Carol, what marvellous material! Please thank your gorgeous felines for providing it. You’ve made my day! 🙂
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April 26, 2020 at 3:09 pm
Thank you Sandra. I will pass on your thanks. My spouse thinks that Nougat might become even bigger for his boots given his 15 minutes of ‘fame’ 😊
I hope that you are safe and well during these stressful times. Take care.
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April 25, 2020 at 9:17 am
What a delightfully entertaining post. Thank you for the clever words and photographs. It is patriotic of Nougat to choose the shelf of South African fiction for her games. (I have found that my large dog is a good meditating partner as he keeps companionable silence with me as I sit on the deck and try not to think.)
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April 26, 2020 at 3:04 pm
Glad you were entertained by our funny felines Mariss 😊 So sweet that your dog is so companionable when you are trying to still the mind. Helps to have a soul mate.
Oops power outage, Not sure when I will be able to send this comment …
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April 24, 2020 at 5:43 pm
That was the most enchanting post. And extremely helpful too! I can’t make my mind up which is my favourite cat – I’ll just have to settle for they are all my favourite. But my favourite picture is definitely regal and imposing Ninapatra – does she walk like an Egyptian too? 🙂
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April 24, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Oh all three are my favourites too 😊
Ninapatra could become a new nickname, to add to Nina’s collection of several nicknames already. And now I have ‘Walk like an Egyptian” on repeat in my brain …
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April 24, 2020 at 9:32 pm
They are all absolutely beautiful ☺️
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April 24, 2020 at 12:26 pm
Excellent and delightful post. Thank you so much for your awesome videos and share.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:40 pm
Hi Kamal. Thank you very much. Glad that you liked the videos too 😊
I hope that you are keeping well and safe.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:41 pm
You are always welcome dear and yes all is well here. All under quarantine. Hope you too are under lockdown. Take care 🙏🏻🙏🙏🏻
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April 24, 2020 at 8:00 pm
Glad to hear that all is well with you. We are on strict lockdown here, but there will be a partial and incremental lifting of restrictions starting at the end of the month, at least in some regions of the country. Details are still to be announced.
Thanks, and you take care too.
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April 24, 2020 at 10:19 am
Great post. I have 2 cats and I agree with you, they are teaching me a lot in these day. They always find time to stretch and relax, they are so funny!
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April 24, 2020 at 7:38 pm
Thanks Claudia. Where would we be without our cats? Especially in these times.
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April 25, 2020 at 7:41 pm
I can’t imagine my life without them!
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April 26, 2020 at 3:05 pm
😊
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April 24, 2020 at 9:22 am
I loved this playful post and the marvellous pictures of the cats, especially Nougat peering out through the window in pic 1.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:31 pm
Thank you Christine, I had fun putting it together. The cats are each such strong and unique characters aren’t they? I also like that pic of Nougie at the window.
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April 24, 2020 at 6:45 am
Delightful! xxx
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April 24, 2020 at 7:28 pm
Thank you Nikki 😊
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April 24, 2020 at 5:54 am
I had a good chuckle at Ned and his lacy bonnet, thanks Carol!
From the tone of this post I gather you are well and in good spirits?
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April 24, 2020 at 7:27 pm
A lacy bonnet is a lovely way of describing Ned’s webs 😊
We are well thanks and trying to keep the spirits up during these times with a little help from our friends, especially our cats and dogs. I hope that you are all well and coping too?
We cancelled our planned trip to Marakele, Mapungubwe and Kruger. It seems it will be many months before travel will become possible again. How profoundly things have changed …
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April 26, 2020 at 5:22 am
I’m so sorry that you’ve had to forego your trip to three wonderful national parks, Carol. We will likely not be able to take up our bookings in iSimangaliso and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi in June either.
We’re still coping fine with the lockdown and really have no reason to complain about anything.
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April 26, 2020 at 3:07 pm
Well we have to keep it in perspective, though I am sorry that you too have to postpone your holiday. I worry about how the national parks and other nature reserves will be able to sustain themselves during these times and whether travel and tourism will ever be anything like it was before,
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April 24, 2020 at 5:19 am
A great post. What persistent and charming cats you have! My daughter, also a ‘cat lady’ says their two are thoroughly bemused by no longer having the flat to themselves in the day. They’re not sure whether they like it or not. Humans can get in the way sometimes.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:21 pm
Thanks Margaret – and yes they are all persistent and of course charming. I have heard that about other cats being apparently bemused by having their humans around all the time. Is this your daughter in Spain? I hope she is okay and coping with the stringent lockdown regulations and all the anxieties related to the pandemic there.
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April 25, 2020 at 7:46 am
Yes, Emily and partner are cooped up in a none-too-large flat, where at least they have a balcony. We Skyped on Thursday, and she told me she was … trying her hand at macrame! So you see they’re trying to be resourceful and resilient but I do think this is a step too far,
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April 26, 2020 at 2:47 pm
The balcony must help a lot when so cooped up.
How funny about the macrame apropos of our ‘conversation’ related to sprouting lentils 😊
I can picture though one or two tasteful macrame plant hangers on the balcony?
I see there is some easing of restrictions in parts of Spain as possibly the worst is over. I hope that they get more encouraging news as time goes on.
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April 26, 2020 at 4:38 pm
She tells me plant holders are not on the menu! Artful hangings, perhaps. Yes, maybe things may get easier – thanks.
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April 24, 2020 at 5:10 am
Dear Carol, as we are now in sight of the start of lifting lockdown, hopefully these delightful ways cats have always approached life, will stay with us. Cats are amazing, we’ve had some very special ‘purrsons’ in our home, brought a smile of remembering! xxx
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April 24, 2020 at 7:17 pm
Cats are great companions, and they are so idiosyncratic and interesting. My life would be a lot duller without them.
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April 24, 2020 at 4:49 am
What a delightful read! I enjoyed perusing your bookshelf too – having read several on your shelf.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:12 pm
Glad you enjoyed the cats antics and tips Anne. That bookshelf housed mostly South African writers. Not quite the Dewey Decimal System, but I do like to categorize our books up to a point to make them a bit easier to find, despite Nougat periodical knocking books off the shelves seemingly just for the fun of it.
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April 24, 2020 at 1:39 am
These are fabulous! I am still smiling just remembering the precious antics. Cats are pure joy, for me at least!
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April 24, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Thank you Julie – nice to share some smiles in these days, and I agree that cats bring joy.
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April 24, 2020 at 1:09 am
awesome post!!
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April 24, 2020 at 7:03 pm
Thank you Pam!
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April 23, 2020 at 11:49 pm
Well, these wonderful tips brought a big smile to my face! Your felines know how to enjoy life and de-stress.
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April 24, 2020 at 7:02 pm
Glad these feline-inspired tips brought a smile Sandy 😊
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April 23, 2020 at 11:16 pm
Loved this post, Carol! Of course, you can never go wrong showing me kitty antics. Ella is a determined ball chaser. 🙂 I’m fond of many of the same things– pockets of sunshine, long naps, yoga and meditation. Smart kitties!
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April 24, 2020 at 6:54 pm
Yes indeed Ella has amazing determination, but she is good at chilling too. Lots to learn from cats 😊
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April 23, 2020 at 10:51 pm
Very entertaining. I like your percussion cat particularly. Might be time for some rubber bumpers and that door.
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April 24, 2020 at 6:52 pm
Thanks Graham. Bumpers sound like a good idea, though I have been wondering about adding some bells to the door 😊
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