Precious Tuxedo Cat Is Totally Obsessed With His 'Emotional Support' Rope

Cats and balls of yarn are an iconic duo, one that I knew so well that when I first got my cats, I stopped crocheting for nearly a year because I was afraid of them getting into my yarn. And though they show the occasional bit of curiosity about yarn while I work, it’s only a casual and momentary interest, and one they tire of before long (the bird feeder action is apparently far more fascinating).

But for this tuxedo cat, there is nothing more enchanting than a tangle of rope. In fact, he loves his rope toy so much that his owner has taken to calling it his “emotional support rope” and schedules time every day for the kitty to play with it in a safe and supervised fashion.

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In this video, an adorable tuxedo cat named Mauri waits with barely checked anticipation while his mom gets out his tangle of hemp rope. Rope playtime is his favorite hour of the day and he quickly pounces on the bunch of rope, pawing at it, rolling around in it, and giving it the good old “bunny legs” kick.

Related: Crafter Makes Tuxedo Kitty a 'Cat Pod' From Scrap Yarn

Why supervised? Well, a tangle of rope like this can quickly prove dangerous to a rambunctious cat, and he could find himself so twisted up in it that he actually hurts himself.

“All cat owners know why that has to go in a drawer,” says one viewer in comments.

Why Cats Love String

And anyone with a cat knows that they are usually obsessed with strings, yarn, phone chargers, or anything else that dangles. String’s lightweight and unpredictable movements are attractive to cats because they ignite their hunting instincts, a flicking piece of string is exactly the kind of thing their predator brains are honed to go after.

A liking piece of string, to your cat’s sensibilities, is a wounded bird, a fluttering fish, or the tail of a tasty rodent.

And when you have a thicker piece of string, maybe even a rope? Well then, you’ve just added fun textures to the game. Now you’ve got something your cat can really sink his claws into.

The rope in this video is made of hemp, which is a durable, all natural material popular for making cat toys. Some cat toys made from hemp rope are even infused with catnip, making them extra fun for kitties to play with.

How To Incorporate Rope Into Your Cat’s Play

Many of the best toys and equipment for cats are made with rope. A lot of cat scratching posts are wrapped in narrow pieces of sisal rope. Many cat play gyms feature bits of jute or hemp rope for your cat to climb on, bat, scratch, and chew.

But be careful, even ropes made from natural materials can cause problems for cats if ingested. Because of cat’s backward-facing barbs on their tongues, it’s very difficult for them to spit things out once they are inter mouth. And once ingested, even natural ropes will not be digestible by your cats, and may lead to intestinal blockage.

When covering cat toys in rope or allowing cats to scratch and chew on ropes, make sure you keep an eye on the condition of the toy and remove it if it appears that damaged or if the cat is actually consuming pieces of it.

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