My boys crack me up sometimes. I know we've had this conversation
before about just how much human language our animals understand. We'll
I am here to testify today that they understand EVERYTHING.

We're moving at the end of the summer into a condo that is being built
for us. It is configured differently than the apartment we are living
in and in some areas we will have less space. So we're looking at what
to get rid of to make life more livable. Looking around the living room
I noticed Oliver and Boone's overflowing toy box. I told Steve that we
could get rid of some of the toys they don't seem to play with. First
thing to make the list was the regulation size soccer ball. It was my
RB Golden's ball and neither Boone or Oliver have touched it in over a
year. The second thing I decided to get rid of was the first scratching
post we ever got Oliver. He was a itty bitty thing when we found him
and the post was perfect for a kitten. Now that he is a nice sized
adult the scratching post is too short for him. He has others better
suited to his size and I haven't seen him use the little one since we
moved it her from NC a year ago.

That decided, We go off to eat dinner. As we're sitting there Boone
comes running by the table with Oliver in hot pursuit. I almost squirt
milk out my nose. They have the soccer ball and are rolling it up and
down the living room. Steve was laughing so hard he almost fell off his
chair. "OK", we tell them they can keep the ball. They haven't touched
it since.

Then Oliver has been making the point to scratch his little post. He
looks right at us while he is doing it. I'm totally serious when I say
he hasn't used it since we moved it here. But suddenly it is the most
desirable scratching post in the house. Guess that is staying too.

We've come to the conclusion we need to get rid of some of our stuff and
leave their stuff alone.
--
Margaret Fine