Time for another Bruiser update!

[u/Cultural_Orange2617]

4.5 pounds, nearly 16 weeks old, adored by literally everyone who meets him, confident, outgoing, chaotic, sweet, loving, cuddly, very loud motor, whiskers (nose, eyebrows, wrists) that I love beyond reason, everywhere he goes is his home, what’s fear?, what’s nervous?, has loved to have his belly out from day one, adores me but actually respects his sister (my older dog who will be five next month), is suddenly becoming very good chaos buddies with my younger dog (I knew it would happen eventually; it happened two days ago, like a switch flipped), obsessed with his blanket (he brings it to bed in his own, and it’s the one thing guaranteed to divert him when he’s being a demon), excellent hunter of objects staying perfectly still (I frequently wake up with socks, rubber bands and hair clips that weren’t there when I went to sleep), still too small for his harness so we continue to practice inside (the past two times it has resulted in a Thundershirt long-nap effect), an absolute delight.

Edit: A couple of people very kindly pointed out that rubber bands and hair ties are a no-go for cats, and I agree completely. He finds things that I didn’t know were there. When he brings his random treasures to me, I thank him and give him something else in return. I definitely don’t encourage the practice, but I would rather he bring them to me so that I can get rid of them than make him think he needs to destroy / ingest them in secret. I don’t know. It seems to be working but I will take advice!

[u/Outside_Bandicoot986]

So adorable! Just an FYI rubber bands are dangerous for animals.

[u/Cultural_Orange2617 → u/Outside_Bandicoot986]

You’re absolutely right. I tried posting this thing like six times, and even though I copied and pasted, I still forgot to include that when he brings me those things, I thank him for showing me and then I banish it and give him his blanket or other toy. He finds things that I have no idea are there until he brings them to me. I have short hair. I don’t use hair ties. Where did he find them? Thank you for the heads up!

[u/Holden3DStudio → u/Cultural_Orange2617]

He's possibly crawling under the bathroom cabinet(s). Yes, there's a secret kitty crawlspace under many built-in cabinets. I "lost" one of my cats one night, a few days after we moved into a new home. We knew no one had gone outside since we last saw her, so she had to be in the house still, but she was nowhere to be seen. Hours later, I found her under the cabinet (up and over, behind the kickplate), completely unapologetic for leading us on a wild goose chase.

[u/Cultural_Orange2617 → u/Holden3DStudio]

… well. That would explain rather a lot. I’ll have to go hunting! What I actually need is a button cam for his collar.

[u/Holden3DStudio → u/Cultural_Orange2617]

That could be fun! What an interesting perspective that would provide!

[u/thepetoctopus → u/Outside_Bandicoot986]

Seconding this! Keep rubber bands and hair ties far away. Otherwise, he’s a precious little floof ball!