Does Your Cat Help With Chores?

[greypaws]

I get the biggest kick out of Mr Sparky 'helping' me with my chores. He is, depending on what I'm doing, right next to me, involved with nose stuck into what I'm doing or just hanging out in the room. Even when I vacuum he doesn't leave, just goes to the other side of the room. I'm used to this with my bridge angel dogs, just am so surprised a cat is doing this.

Anyone else have good kitty helpers? 

 

 

[Boris Diamond]

Whenever I clean, I know my cats will be there helping.  When I cleaned my air cleaner , Boris jumped inside, and inspected my work!  When I put clothes in the mesh laundry hampers, I often find cats inside inspecting them too.  Sweeping and mopping get great attention.  I don't know what I would do without their wise supervision! 

 

Two nights ago, just after I lay down to sleep, the vacuum cleaner started!  One of the cats must have turned it on.  I appreciate the effort, but I think the vacuum was just too big for them to do much cleaning!

 

[petercotton]

Gracie is very adamant about helping make the bed.  As soon as I start tucking the sheets in she has her paws underneath the mattress helping to pull the sheets tights.  She can be in another room, but as soon as she hears the sheets moving she comes running.

 

[greypaws]

So sweet that there are more kitty helpers among us. Thanks for sharing. Mr Sparks keeps surprising me in so many ways with his personality plus that honestly I never expected from my 'Good Boy'.

 

[losna]

Sinbad actually does help. 

When I am sweeping, he will run beneath all the furniture and bat out the dust bunnies and odds and ends that have rolled beneath so I can pick them up more easily. 

His other attempts don't go so well though.   He tries to help fold laundry and just winds up tangled in it.  And he rides the vacuum cleaner. 

 

 

[detroitcatlady]

lol My cats hide when the vacuum is out. They always think it is playtime when they see the broom they love to chase it

They love it when I do the laundry. They play in the laundry baskets and they love to snuggle in a pile of warm towels or sheets and go to sleep

 

[puddykat]

Oh yes. Symba helps  me when it is time to empty the garbage!

symba garbage copy.jpg

• puddykat
• Jan 25, 2017

 

[greypaws]

Enjoying everyone's stories. Mr Sparky loves to chase the swifter. His latest feat is losing his foil balls under the china cabinet. Getting them is a challenge until I discovered I could use my long handled fussy duster brush. So picture if you will, old lady on hands & knees trying to get said duster between wall and back of cabinet, slide around to fish out toys, all the while resident goof ball is trying to attack the duster and generally help. I really should get husband to block of this space but Mr Sparky likes the hiding spot, so as long as I can fish them out, I"ll  leave it. Fishing toys out from under the couch garners the same assistance.

 

[Brian007]

What with Dudley being my wee fluffy shadow, he's always poking his nose in to whatever I'm up to.  Be that winding around my legs as I wash up or make tea, sitting on the cat box as I scoop litter, riding the broom as I sweep, helpfully pulling my knickers off the drying rack the moment I put them on, teetering on the bath edge as I get bathed, tackling my feet as I use my exercise machine, or simply sitting quietly by my side watching me write.  He also comes running at high speed into the bathroom whenever I go to the toilet, he used to sit by my feet or on my lap but has now taken to jumping into the empty bath, this is not exactly a chore but it still needs supervising according to Dudley.  He doesn't help me to tuck in my bed sheets like some clever cats but every cat I've ever known finds clean sheets irresistible and just have to be the first to jump on board.  

 

[greypaws]

That is so funny @Brian007   Dudley sitting on the edge of the tub reminds of my first cat. He'd balance on the edge of tub while I bathed, walk back and forth, supervising, until the day he miscalculated, slid in and got out with cat's scream of death, I still bear a couple of scars from that escapade. He never walked on the tub edge again

 

[losna]

@Greypaws   It is too bad I can't get Sinbad to teach kitty courses. Sounds like you'd find it helpful if he could teach your cat to knock things out from under furniture. 

 

[greypaws]

 
@Greypaws   It is too bad I can't get Sinbad to teach kitty courses. Sounds like you'd find it helpful if he could teach your cat to knock things out from under furniture. 

Oh yeah, Sinbad might be able to help. Problem with the china cabinet is has a solid front and sides, just back is open and of course that is the perfect spot to hide toys. Barely enough room to get them out tho.  Mr. Sparky is helpful, he shows me where they are and tries to assist with retrieval, so maybe we could give him a B?  

 

[neely]

Carleton is amazed by my walk-in closet, he patiently waits for me to organize the laundry because he knows I will open the closet.  He can hardly wait and rushes in to find a spot for me to put things away.  Of course, he finds a cozy spot for himself too!

 

[hexiesfriend]

When I make the bed my cat will jump on the bed and supervise. When I am digging in the garden the same cat will sit by me and watch. He's the household supervisor.

 

[DreamerRose]

Mingo is always right by my side watching whatever I do. There is one lower kitchen cabinet with a hidden second shelf in it, and when I open the door, he hops on the shelf in a flash. I can't get him out, so I shut the door; then of course, he wants out and bangs repeatedly on the door until it finally opens up enough for him to get out.

He also helps me change the bed, chasing the sheets around as I pull them off, and then hiding beneath the new ones I put on. I go ahead and make up the bed with him in it, a big lump in the middle.

But his biggest job is fur distribution. Whew, you should see the vacuum canister after two rooms. That's all I can do before it's full. I could knit a sweater. 

 

[roserivers]

I think our two are in some ways the opposite, they supervise housework and food preparation, especially theirs, of course. Their big problem - no, our big problem is their efforts not to let us make beds. They jump into the middle, curl up in the tumbled cozy duvet and stay there...

They're also good stair guardians, top or bottom, always there when we want to use the stairs to get some place, up or down. My Burmese friend likes exploring my desk, especially keyboard, when I'm working, too. Many a time the pen holder and letter rack have hit the floor through over enthusiastic sniffing. I'm waiting for the landline phone to hit the floor, the cable has been inspected many times already, usually wound round someone's neck.

Great to know other cats are the same... nosy, bossy, interfering, adorable.

 

[di and bob]

It's a bit crowded in the house right now, during these cold winter days I have let the outside cats in, so there are 5 little supervisors now! They sleep a lot of the time but jump up to help when I'm fixing meals or making the bed. I turn around and all 5 of them are sitting there, staring intently. I have pretty well got them trained to not jump up on the counters to help. but they still slip up once in a while. It's not so bad when I'm fixing their food, but I really don't want their noses in mine.  They are 'stir crazy' now with all this napping, so are stuck to me like velcro, thinking I might bring some excitement into their boring days. I can't sweep with out them chasing the dust balls, (most of them from their little bodies by the way)  or clean the tub without them jumping in, rolling around and testing it out.  Mop the floor? Forget it! For some reason they HAVE to walk all over the place I just mopped. I have to put them outside and see their little faces staring at me through the patio door or lock them in a bedroom. The funniest is when I do get outside to weed, I am on my hands and knees with one of them on my back, where did THAT come from, and what do the neighbors think when they walk by!? This time of year they are always on the wood pile, sitting right where I need to pick up the next piece of wood, it is uncanny how they know exactly where to position themselves to be the most annoying!  

 

[greypaws]

@DreamerRose   that is so funny, reminds me, there used to be a place that would knit you something out of your dog/cats fur.

. 

Mr Sparky helped loading the dishwasher tonight, hopped right onto the door. A bit of challenge loading the bottom rack with him there. He was a good sport and got down when I asked him to. He also has to dash into the closet every time I open it and he knows which shelf in the pantry has his food, so he just put's his front feet on the shelf. Ignores everything else but he can sniff out his favorite NVI rabbit every time. He receives that as his bedtime snack at night.