“Dear Cocoa,

I believe that I am a learned feline, having been around for many, many years; however, my pets have been doing something that confuses me.  I know about the moving pictures on the box that sits in the big room, every feline knows that it is called a ‘moving box’ thing; but when they sit at a funny shaped table in front of a smaller box and tap away at a flat thing that clicks when they tap on it, I can’t figure out what they are doing.  Are they playing with the flat thing?  Are they watching a mini moving box thing?  Are they crazy?  When I tried to check the whole thing out my pet tossed me on the floor with an angry sound coming out of their mouth.  What is this thing?  Should I be worried?  Please help. 

Signed What is this thing?”

“Dear What is this thing?,

Image by JamesDeMers

I understand your confusion, since I was also confused the first time I saw those things; however, it is nothing to worry about.  I have found that my pets have unusual taste in toys.  Rather than chase around a ball or feather-covered bird, they prefer to tap on these oblong flat boxes which make symbols of some sort on the moving-picture box in front of them.  I wondered a great deal about this process until one day I was on the flat box while my pet was away and was amazed to see things moving on the screen.  I was fascinated by it and remained until my pet returned.  Try this examination yourself and you will feel much better about your pets using this item.  It is, after all is done, just a toy for them.

Signed Cocoa”