She's never going to leave me alone again.

[randomness]

After resisting for eighteen years--Ember the Wonder Cat's entire life--I finally gave in to her persistence and hand-fed her some of my breakfast cereal.

She's going to pester me from now on, isn't she?

Comments

positive reinforcement...

[chris-warrior.livejournal.com]

ayup.

Re: positive reinforcement...

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

intermittent positive reinforcement, at that.

I'm such a fool.

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

If you "finally gave in" that means she's been pestering you already? Why would she stop?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

She has, but I have up to now been steadfast in my refusal to feed her by hand. That's bedfull_o_books job. As a result, she's been less pushy to me. She's very persistent with bedfull_o_books, who feeds her more often than not.

So, no. Now she has absolutely no reason to stop. It's worked once, why not keep trying?

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I am.

Re: positive reinforcement...

[dpolicar]

Yup.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Hey, I like cereal.

Can I have some cereal?

You gave her cereal!

Please?

Re: positive reinforcement...

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

No more so than the rest of us.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

Resistance is futile. You have been assimilated. :-)

I am laughing very hard right now.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

SUCKER.

That is all. :)

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

She's very persistent with bedfull_o_books....

Putting it mildly. She's been known to pull my hand towards her mouth with her paw if it's something she really wants....

I still love her though.

Re: positive reinforcement...

[kissoflife.livejournal.com]

Yep, can't you see the crack-crazed glaze in her eyes now? When. payoff. again. Maybe noww!! *rinse, repeat, skip rinsing*

[sarakate.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's like the one time you gave in to the toddler's temper tantrum and bought the toy to shut him up.... You're doomed.

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

Now I want cereal, too.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Get yer own! :)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

You know what I was doing? I was offering her a piece because I didn't think she'd want it.

"See? You don't like this...oh, crap."

She ate it. She seems to like them.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she was doing that thing where she puts her paw on your arm, but to me.

I didn't think she'd actually eat them, I really didn't.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

Silly. You know she likes cereal. What kind were you eating?

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

Bwa ha ha ha hah!

And yet you knew of her strange food preferences.

Welcome to my world.

[stolen-tea.livejournal.com]

Well, hey, if she's 18 years old, my view is that it's OK if it makes her happy. I've seen very few cats that old who get much joy out of life, so more power to her. :)

Re: positive reinforcement...

[chris-warrior.livejournal.com]

i would have said "possessed of a tender heart", but perhaps they are the same. ;)

[chris-warrior.livejournal.com]

*LMAO*

why didn't *i* post this?!?!?!?!

and yeah, where's my cereal??

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

The Golden Grahams I bought recently. I thought they'd be too sugary for her.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

I brought home a bit of extra maguro from the sushi shop one day. Laptop spent three days yowling at the fridge. Err, no. "Kibble forever for you, whiney git!"

Of course, I'm likely much less of a nice person than you are. :)

[tfarrell.livejournal.com]

Well, on the positive side then, she will now most likely become the first cat to live to be 36 years old, just so she can spend the next 18 years nagging Leon to spite him.

[sea-bound.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Big, big mistake. What made you cave?!

[sea-bound.livejournal.com]

Aha, ignore my question below.

When I was about 8 months old, my dad was pouring the last drop of one of the best chardonnays that he had in the house. And, of course, I was curious, flailing my arms, making the "aaaaggghh" noise. So he gives me the glass, thinking, as you did, that I wouldn't like it.

I downed the glass before he could get it away from me and looked like a red raccoon for several hours.

Let's face it: there are some creatures that will eat (and drink) whatever you put in front of them. Lesson learned for you, the hard way, as kitty paws your arm for the remainder of her life. ;)

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

I taught my mog a noise for "I have something for you", and also a gesture for "There will be no more you may leave now". Works great! I can call him, give one titbit or several, then it's kitty-b-gone. Of course we had to go through the routine quite a few times before he got it, also of course one has to be 100% consistent, but overall I can recommend this cat management practice. At least for this cat.

Only I wish I had picked a less embarrassing gesture.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

I actually thought she didn't like what I was eating, and if I showed it to her she'd turn away disdainfully.

I hadn't planned on the remarkably omnivorous nature of our cat.

[gale-storm.livejournal.com]

You might possibly come to regret that, but isn't that what cats are good at?! Just don't let her near the milk in the bowl, or else ... let's just say -- *ahem* -- catulence.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

Hah! Em loves her some sugar...

[agrimony.livejournal.com]

I bet if cats blogged, Ember would be all 'My male human is /so/ obtuse, but we had a break through today! I've been trying to train him for 18 years and today he finally succeeded!'