The "Raahr" Game--Both Versions

We have lots of games that we play with the buddies.  One of the Siamese's favorites is something we call the "raahr" game, or just "raahr."  Imagine if the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz were trying to roar at someone and chase them around--that's kind of how "raahr" sounds.  

Wanda and Otto both play the game a little differently, but it's always some variation of this:  1.) one of the Siamesers ("Meezers," for short) is lying around looking bored.  2.) Sean or I look at them meaningfully and say, in a sing-songy, playful way:  "raahr," usually with a couple of syllables added on for good measure.  3.) The cats jump into chase mode instantly and start running gleefully around the house.

But that's where the similarity ends.  Wanda, for example, wants to be chased.  Yesterday, Sean said she came up to him while he was working at least twice with those barky meows that meant she wanted him to play "raahr" with her.  As soon as you say "raahr" to Wanda, she prances off with this kind of galloping lope, joy evident in every muscle twitch.  She'll run a few feet, then turn around to see if you're chasing her, usually camouflaging the move with a quick lick to her flank.  If she sees you are, off she goes again, lickety-split through the house, occasionally diving under a bed to see if she's "thrown you off the trail."  But she only pretends to want to throw you off the trail, because as soon as you give up and walk away, she will come looking for you, giving you a stare like you're some kinda wimp for giving up that fast.  

The ultimate is if she keeps going and finally reaches what she has decided is "home base," usually one of the three large kitty trees that are positioned around the house.  She'll bound into the very top platform of the tree, immediately flip over on her back and do a cute "victory wriggle" curled up halfway on her back and side.  "Ha, ha--I win again!!"  At this point, it is absolutely imperative that you skritch her on her side, in the corner where her leg meets her belly.  She expects you to do this, and will look at you accusingly if you don't.  This is a very satisfying game for Wanda.

Otto, on the other hand, prefers to be the chaser.  And he likes to turn the game into a group event.  For some reason, he really only likes to play this with Sean as the "chasee," but I have a role to play, too.  In some ways, Otto's "raahr" game is more like hide-and-seek than chase.  Otto likes you to chase him a bit, but then he wants to chase you.  Sean will run ahead of him and find some place to hide, usually behind a door or a corner or the bed.  Otto slows down and starts looking for him.  (One of the things you will learn about Otto is that he always has to make every game just a little more challenging for himself.  More on that later.)  I learned that Otto likes to make this a group game when he kept looking at me and yowling during one of the games.  I knew he was having fun, so I couldn't figure out what he wanted at first, until I got up and joined him.  I could tell by his body language and facial expression that this was exactly what he wanted.  

My job is to add intrigue to the hunt.  I say to Otto, in a stage whisper, "Otto, where's big buddy?"  Then I start poking around various corners and around doors, pretending I don't know where Sean is.  (Sometimes I actually don't.)  Otto looks up at me expectantly, whiskers forward, with this beautiful expression that is half-trustful and half-conspiratorial, and meows quietly, too.  We're like Scooby Do and Shaggy, looking for the ghost.  Finally, when the suspense is just about to kill him, we come around a corner and find Sean.  Sean jumps out from his hiding space and yells "raahr!!"  At which point Otto drops to the ground in a crouch on all fours while Sean roughs him up playfully, pulls at his hair, and Otto purrs so loudly you could hear him a few rooms away.  Then off Sean darts to find another hiding place and the game starts all over again.  

Seriously, I think a casual observer watching these festivities would think we had all taken leave of our senses.  Maybe we have.  But if it can bring excitement and the "thrill of the hunt" to a couple of cats who are strictly indoors and never have opportunities to hunt in the wild, then so be it.  I'm okay with seeming a little crazy for da buddies.