Cat Curling – Good or Bad?
Cat curling is sliding your cat (usually a kitten) on a polished wooden floor as if she was a curling stone. Obviously, it is essential that the floor is absolutely smooth and safe from defects. It is not a fad or trend as far as I know. It is just the title to this video…
I can’t see an adult cat liking this but the well-known box loving cat Maru liked to slide into boxes. This looks like fun for a kitten who likes it. This kitten seems to like it. I don’t see anything wrong with it in this specific example as it provides fun for both cat and human. It is always good to see human and cat playing together. There is not really enough of it.
It is important that the person playing with his cat like this does the sliding with skill. The person in the video does have the skill to do it nicely but not everyone will have these skills. There is a potential for injury which is why it could be criticised.
Without wanting to be a grumpy old pain-in-the-bum, the downside is that an irresponsible cat owner might copy this on the wrong floor and in the place and with the wrong cat all of which could lead to injury or an unhappy cat.
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What do you think?
For anyone who doesn’t know curling is a winter sport played on ice in which people slide flat stones towards a target. It is part of the Winter Olympics.
I smiled when I saw it because the kitten was having so much fun and then running back for more! Lovely!
Downside? Idiots who haven’t a clue what they are doing or they do and are deliberately out to hurt a cat 🙁
Individual cats like different games and hopefully their carers play gently with them and within boundaries, the cat in the video seemed to like playing but I’d personally be worried sliding him that far and shaking him up and in case he hit the door hard, a couple of minutes, if that, would be enough of that game. This bloke seems kind enough but as others have said it’s giving idiots ideas and someone always mutates a game cruelty in the end.
This was mentioned in a book in pre-internet days and was known as “back-sliding”. Some cats like to be slid on their back across floor or carpet (Siamese cats were specifically mentioned!). Kitty II loved being pushed backwards on my living room carpet by her back legs. When she wanted a turn, she’d lie down and waggle her back legs and tail ready to be slid!
The trouble with You Tube is that too many idiots try to slavishly copy things rather than building up their own interactive games with their pets.
Interesting about Kitty II. The experience probably just feels nice. But as you say it requires a sensible approach from a cat caretaker who understands cats a bit. Just copying it isn’t enough.
Well along with everyone else I dont agree with it. We do Curling here in NZ in the winter time. Not with Cats mind u. I would be ashamed to do anything like that.
I tend to agree that this sort of aggressive “play” is overboard. I wouldn’t want to scramble the brain of any kitten any more than I would want to shake a baby’s brain.
Agreed DEE, thank you <3 🙂
Michael youtube is ban in our PAKISTAN, and I am unable to watch these precious videos 🙁 Is there some alternate? so that I can also join the same community who I love <3 please help me.
Youtube is not possible how ever if the following snap shots are about video that you have mentioned above, so I may say that whether it is a cat or it is a kitten.
During their training, This is an aggressive PLAY.
kittens like to play but that sort of play must be stopped where their mouth are open and teeth can be seen widely and clearly.
What I am sharing with you friends! is not a VET experience. It is my own observations. It can harm the BRAIN or the mentality of your kitten who will soon become a full grown cat.
The question is How can it harm kitten’s psychology?
Straight answer! These kittens need a bit training of sliding but they have to figure it out themself, not forcefully, never. Even they love it but you have to stop to re-doing much. It converts to aggression in cats. They see the world in different ways than us, they have different EYE views, not an eye three dimensions like human beings, remember the same is with hearing powers.
My instinct tells me that whether they love it or they are afraid for that kind of play, they are aggressive in both the ways. and WHO of you want an aggressive full grown cat of the future???? 🙁
2. Rub your hand with your hand. It will be heated. Wood is rubbed, it becomes FIRE. Cats have their coat. Rub the heated cat coat with wood in speed, what will happen??????
3. In this way the body organs can have a stroke. Aggression / high blood flow/ pressure towards brain. Ahhhhhaaaaa NUP will never prefer to any cat lover 🙁
4. Make a slider (short one to 3 feet only) in the cat tree. The kitten will figure it out her self how to slide or put feet on that but training consists of socializing the kittens not hyper them, just remember, much friendly cat will give you less worries and hyper cats will make your life terrible 🙁
Wow, that is a very interesting theory Ahsan. Thank you. Fascinating.
Ahsan you talk so much sense anyone would think you are a trained cat therapist! You are so right, people treat little kittens roughly then they wonder why they are aggressive as adult cats.
Tickling a kitten’s tummy while he grabs with tiny teeth and claws may seem fun but how is the cat to know not to do that when he has big sharp teeth and claws? Then he gets blamed!
I hated seeing that kitten slid along,some people may think I am over reacting but the truth is that like you I am ALWAYS on the side of what is right for the cat, not the person.
Ahsan is our resident Asian Cat Guru 😉
I had no idea YouTube was banned in Pakistan. Right now I can’t think of an answer. I guess you see your videos on PoC don’t you? They are hosted by Vimeo. I presume you can see Vimeo videos?
Why do Pakistan ban YouTube videos? Is it because there is too much bad behaviour.
I sometimes wish YouTube was banned here too when people put videos on of cats being abused 🙁 for the amusement of idiots.
YouTube is anarchic because the people who manage the site are unable to monitor it because it is so big plus they are 25 year old fools.
Certain things are banned here that you can see in the Bahama’s. My cousin lives there and she wants me to see certain video’s. When i go to view it is always says, the video is banned in your country. This is something new to me as well. Never knew anything to be banned in the United States.
I wonder if this is actually not “banned” but a technology/commercial problem causing videos to be unplayable in certain countries. It is a bit like the DVD film market when you have to buy a DVD for a specific marketplace (geographical area). It may be linked to that. In other words a commercial issue due to the world being carved up for commercial reasons. I am not sure.
Yes RUTH agreed <3
When youtube was online here, I saw some foolish videos about cats and those all videos not seem to be any kind of love of the cats or kittens. That was straight away an abuse. I hated and thought that what kind of treatment they want to show but Alley Cat Allies were the best and also from other rescue videos. I loved them all. <3
Actually It is a protest from all MOSLEM states. They showed something about prophet S.A.W. very WRONG. Michael! I personally is against that person/ country who favors insulting PROPHETS/ GOD 🙁
This is the basic reason for Youtube BAN and Vimeo is okay. :)<3
Hello all…
Personally, i watched the video and i am content with the action filmed here. If a feline does not like this, he/she is going to let you know right off! I can add this because i have an older cat that enjoys something similar, just another version. He loves to lay on the tile kitchen floor and he lets me push him along the floor. With my hand touching his backside, along the floor we go. It tires me more than it affects him. He will get back up and immediately lay back down waiting for another round. Its something my cat and i do a lot together and there is nothing to raise eyebrows about. He is not harmed and we both have some physical fun interaction together. I never push him into items of any kind. Its usually a gentle pushing about 2 to 3 feet and we stop and he just wiggles and enjoys. Main thing is that you know the limits and that you can tell if a cat is enjoying an activity or not. Thanks for sharing Michael. Thinking of you and Charlie..
BAD BAD BAD
Leaves cats wide open to abuse from idiots who will see it and take a ‘fun for kittens’ game too far and unwilling cats will be forced to participate and more than likely will be hurt physically, or at the very least their dignity will be hurt!