Since about February 2006 Ellie has had a curious interest in cardboard. It seems to have started in the previous month when there was a large Cardboard box in the kitchen. The leftovers from a vacuum cleaner that had just been delivered. As you can imagine this box was not small. It was about three foot high. Ellie being Ellie had to investigate. In the obvious way: Jumping in head first. She came to love this box and spent her time jumping in and out of it. Time passed, the re-cycling dump called, and Ellie was, so to speak, left boxless.

However we remembered how little things can please little...cats, and every time we had a cardboard box left over we would leave it in the kitchen for her. True enough she would jump into it. Just as if she were sitting in her own little boat. But then another behaviour started. It seemed she was eating the box. The fact was, she wasn't actually eating it, she was just ripping it to pieces. We knew because every time we came into the kitchen the room was scattered with tiny remnants. It seems she bites, chews, then spits it out. Bless her. Quite a dignified cat.

We were concerned though. Was this behaviour natural? Was she bored? Was she in pain? Was it disturbed behaviour. She seemed happy enough. But to make absolutely sure we took her to the vets to find out if it was a behaviour we should worry about and if she was ok. The vet was in no doubt that it was not a problem and a way perhaps of strengthening her teeth.

So now we watch her and find her antics quite endearing. Is she strengthening her teeth? Is she being destructive? Is she creating a nest...or...is she doing something much more aesthetic?

Is our cat a true artist??????

We looked at the remnants of the boxes after she had finished and we began to see something quite amazing. They reminded us of well-known Historical sites. So the quiz today is (humour us!!!) can you recognise the well known tourist attraction?

A. This is an early sculpture. Constructed from simple materials such as a delivery box from Boots. Sponsered by nobody in particular, it took around three weeks to chew, and made a hell of a mess on the floor. What was Ellie's inspiration? Clue: A well known London tourist attraction.

 

 

B. This is one of Ellies more popular sculptures. Made from the resiliant cardboard of a British Home Stores wine glass box, this particular work of art took a great deal of re-finishing at the expense of eating ones dinner. Ellie's inspiration? A European mountain range.

 

 

 

C. And to Ellies "piece de resistance" as they say in artistic circles. Made from a shredding box, (why did we bother, we've already got one!???) the bottom was taken out and spread out to get the full symbolic effect. Ellie's insiration? This country is quite near Burma.

 

 

 

Well, how did you do? If you are artistically minded (or as mad) as we are the symbolic likenesses will have shone through straight away. Here are the answers: