What's With the Basket?

Dear Sammy,

People are very strange. For the most part, they’re ok to have around. They feed me, give me the occasional treat, and don’t bother me when I’m napping – most of the time. I’m hoping you can explain a peculiar habit my people have. I’m really hoping this is a common oddity among people and that I’m not living with some real weirdoes.

Here’s the thing. Every week, my people fill a basket with nice warm bedding, but no sooner do I jump in and settle down for a nap, but they empty the basket (sometimes with me still in it) and put away all the clothes. If that weren’t strange enough, then they do it all over again. They’ll do this several times for a couple days, and then they seem to get it out of their system for a few days. But, just when things get back to normal, they start all over again. What gives? Are they just doing it to get me, knowing I can’t resist the lure of a basketful of stuff warm from that warming machine. Why do they go to the bother of warming up stuff if not for me to sleep on it? Should I be getting them professional help?

Wondering in Wildwood

Dear Wondering,

Don’t be alarmed. You’re people are not psychotic, at least not because of this. They are just following their instincts. The first thing you need to remember is people are not cats, but they wish they were. So they do a lot of things unconsciously to deal with their frustrations.

This particular habit is what the experts call “nesting.” Unlike us, people cannot curl up for a cat nap in just any soft place. Every so often, their instinct kicks in to create a comfortable place to curl up in. Hence, the nice, warm basket. Then, they wake up, so to speak, and realize they will never fit and they take it apart. Because this is an instinctive behavior, they can’t help it any more than you can help taking advantage of their nest. Sometimes we just have to be patient with our people and let them work out things on their own.

In the meantime, enjoy the little nests they make when you get the chance and if they do kick you out, realize it’s not personal, it’s just their way of dealing with the limitations of not being a cat.

Best of Luck,

Sammy