A Big Fat Easy Button

Little Forest has a very interesting way of perceiving life.  Forest has the idea that body parts are separate creatures that are not part of a whole.  

He believes my left hand is another kitty that can play with him.  He's always ignored my right hand, probably because up-until Wednesday I had a brace on it and haven't used it much.  But anyway, he'll randomly decide to play hide and seek, and while pretending he's the seeker he'll pounce on my left hand and arch his body into the defense attack stance (where a cat tucks in their chin, puffs up their fur, turns sideways a little) and stand up on his hind legs and bat at my hand with both of his forearms.  

And no... I don't encourage this, I've never played with cats with my hands because I believe it promotes cats thinking that hands are for biting and playing with.  But Forest just perceives the world differently than any other kitty I've ever had.  

He's the only one I've ever had that I have been unable, thus far, to teach the word "no" to.  And when he gets something fixed in his head, it stays for a long time.  An example of this... is that it took me to the middle of November to teach him to consistently use the litter-box (which he now uses perfectly).

He thinks his tail is not his, that it is a weird moving feather following him.  I'll be holding him so he's facing me with his butt vertical to his head... and he'll look me in the eye and always... always notice his tail is moving underneath him and appear shocked that something fluffy is moving.  He doesn't know that his tail, is his tail.  He plays with it a lot.

What's very different for me is learning that to Forest, my nose is one big fat easy button.  When I'm sleeping and Forest wants to eat or play, or just wants me to be awake, he'll take his paw and press my nose so I wake up.  It doesn't matter how I hide my head to try to sleep longer, he'll stick his paws under whatever is covering my face (my pillow... my arm... etc...) and wave them around until he hits my nose.  And he seems to know without seeing my face where my nose is... and whether or not he's hit it yet... because after he has, he'll just sit there next to me, quietly looking at me until I look at him back.

And yes, I fully agree with Forest, my nose does seem to be an easy button... because I do wake up when it gets pressed by him.