Local Neighborhood Ragdoll Cat Stumped After Mysterious Picnic Table Tumble
People keep cats for many reasons. Historically, cats were a means of pest control. In fact, some researchers theorize that we never really domesticated cats the way we did with other animals like dogs, horses, cows, and even pigeons. Rather, cats domesticated themselves, hanging around ancient grain storage facilities and living off the rodents and other pests they caught. They were valuable to humans in this way and thus lived side-by side with them based on their natural instincts and hunting skills.
Though some cats still live by these skills, many have become simple pets and companion animals, who are fed regularly by their human servants—um, I mean caretakers—and may not keep their wits as sharp as their wilder forebears. Like the somewhat clueless Ragdoll cat in this video.
The Ragdoll in this clip is definitely in the running for Himbo of the Week. He’s large, fluffy, and utterly majestic. He also does not appear to be the brightest bulb in the box. He’s sitting on a picnic table when he spots an autumn leaf clinging to his prodigiously poofy tail, and goes to remove it. Unfortunately, he ends up chasing himself around in circles several times in an attempt to capture the leaf. Fourteen times he spins in a circle, and then he falls off hte picnic table, likely from dizziness.
Oops.
All About the Ragdoll Cat
Ragdoll cats are beloved for their gorgeous appearance, with long, silky fur, big ruffs, and dynamic coloration (especially their blue eyes). The breed was first developed in the 1960s by cat breed enthusiasts who wanted a “glamorous” looking cat like the distinctive Persian breed, but with a friendly, affectionate personality.
But according to those watching the videos, Ragdolls may be pretty but they aren’t necessarily the smartest cat you can get.
The idea of cat breeds is a relatively recent one compared to most domesticate animals. Most of the older “breeds” are just regional variations in type, such as “Persian” cats or “Maine Coons.” The first cat shows, held at the end of the 19th century, ignited a craze for cat breeding the way dogs were bred, and today there are dozens of specialty breeds, with more being developed all the time as would be cat breeders find natural genetic mutations or variations and select for their continuance. Hairless breeds, “werewolf” cats, dwarf breeds and breeds with genetic deformities like Scottish Folds are all the result of this kind of selective breeding.
Why Do Cats Chase Their Tails?
Though the Ragdoll cat in this video certainly looks rather silly chasing his tail, he probably knew that the leaf was attached there. Dogs and cats often chase their tails in order to be playful or just because they are bored. Think of it as the animal version of tapping ones toes or whistling.
Many people are surprised to discover that their pets play games, and that they understand what game playing is, but “play” is as much a part of animal life as it is for humans. Cats like to play tag and gently wrestle with each other, and dogs like to run in packs for fun so much, we humans have even invented special kinds of parks for them to do it in.
Now who has domesticated whom?
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