Fred and Ginger learn a new trick

As I’ve mentioned before, my dance studio is adorned with a pair of cats who are mostly greatly enjoyed by my students. I saw an ad in Cat Fancy magazine for a cat feeder that requires the cats to pull a lever to release some food, a good idea for indoor cats that need exercise. They hate it so far and refuse to use the lever, but yesterday during a lesson I heard a loud “ca chung!” and the sound of food falling into the dish. A moment later came a repeat. My students, ever vigilant to the dramas of my cats, applauded. I thought the problem was solved until I discovered that Ginger had discovered that if she bumped her head against the part that releases the food, she can get it to release some. Fred has discovered that if she waits until she hears the sound of Ginger beating the system, she can race in and partake of the spoils. They both are still holding out hope that I will tire of this before they have to work too hard and just feed them already. The guy who designed the thing is a real character, a Californian who sounds like the car talk brothers, with a story to tell about his own cats and an interest in everyone else’s. I’ll call him and find out if their progress is normal. I’ll keep you posted….