One of the things I like about Cornbread is that I can see him dart out of my front door at full speed and not even bat an eye because:
He’s allowed outside (even unsupervised)
He won’t go far
I actually tested this last night with my Class I laser pointer. He chased it but as soon as it got past about 20~30 feet he wasn’t willing to go after it despite him absolutely wanting to.
I’ve also noticed if he’s under a car and he hears someone open the door he runs out. That’s great because I don’t have to worry about him chilling under my neighbour’s cars in front of my apartment. He knows when it’s not safe and when to leave.
However, I think I need to stop using the laser pointer. He absolutely loves it but he becomes distraught for like 30 minutes when I put it away. Searching everywhere and even completely ignoring his bird on a stick which he absolutely loves.
Honestly, it was kind of disturbing to see him completely ignore this bird on a stick and instead search for the laser dot. I felt so bad for him. It’s like it’s his favourite thing to chase but he never gets the satisfaction of catching it plus he doesn’t understand why it’s all of a sudden gone. It must be somewhere, right? It’s just hiding.
I think it’s best if I don’t use the laser pointer anymore. I’ve heard it’s bad for cats (and dogs) for the reasons listed above but his reaction last night absolutely confirmed it. I would have done anything to let him actually catch that dot of light and eat it if I could.
One thing I will say is at least now I don’t have to give two shits about flies that make it inside when I keep the door open for Cornbread during outside time. They’ll just provide Cornbread with additional entertainment inside and they’ll end up dead and most likely eaten within 8 hours or less.
I still have to admit that’s impressive because flies are fast af and have reflexes like a motherfucker.
Anyway, here’s some pictures of Cornbread enjoying his outside time in the evening/night when it’s not raining.
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@sjw
The way cats are immediately obsessed over laser pointers worries me a bit too. It's like a drug, and it seems to happen instantly, even to cats that have never saw one before. I can't help but wonder if there's something special about the way cats perceive laser light with their eyes, and if it somehow messes with their brain chemistry.
https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/health-care/cat-conditions/can-cats-see-color
Even if that is the case they're rods would pick it up as a bright spot.
Maybe that's what it is, it's just that it's such a bright spot and it's so concerned and there's no gradient as if it was a spot light or a flashlight. It is very bright and has very well defined edges.
It's a curious laser. Within about an inch and a half it's boarding Class II but the further it goes it greatly drops in power. It's absolute dog shit in terms of bean formation. As long as you're shining it at something 2+ inches away it's safe. If your were to shine it in eyes under an inch and a half it could cause problems but considering how borderline it is and the absolute dog shit beam formation it'd likely take prolonged exposure to cause any permanent damage and just about anything would close their eyes and recoil long before that.
This is also coming from someone who owns lasers powerful enough that literally just a few milliseconds of double ricochet light (i.e. I shine the laser on a wall, the light shines on another wall, and you happen to see the light from the second wall in your peripheral vision) is enough to cause permanent blindness without proper eye protection.
I might not have guns but I have absurdly high-powered handled lasers (some of which I've made myself) that can easily stun/permanently blind you around literally two corners plus a lot of knives.
My only concern now is Cornbread. I guess we need to do active intruder drills and I need to train Cornbread for them. That'll take a little bit of time.
Until then, in an emergency I can easily close my bedroom door keeping Cornbread safe from the blinding laser light show and subsequent stabbing.
Actually, knowing me, I'd probably drag the body(ies) out of the door and let Cornbread our so he doesn't fuck up the paint on my door whilst I wait for the police.
Might even let Cornbread have some outside time and I'll tell the cops my "guard cat" killed the intruders in jest.
But yeah, it's almost like crack for then. And since they can never even grasp it during play that feel extremely unfulfilled.
I commentary understand why so many people say not to use them. I also had other people say it's fine if you supplement the light going away to distract them and make them forget about it but apparently Cornbread is a very smart boi who doesn't forget and wants to ignore everything else until he finds the light dot again...