The Present Was Barely Open When a Kitten Claimed the Ribbon
The wrapping paper is torn, the red velvet ribbon is loose, and a cream-colored kitten is holding the end like a prize. She crouches on the carpet over the half-opened present with her paws pinning the ribbon down and her amber eyes aimed past the camera. Around her are the clues of a busy morning: a mug, a pacifier, a toy elephant and a small pile of building blocks.
Ribbon is the classic kitten toy, but it comes with a warning. If a cat swallows string, ribbon or yarn, it can cause serious trouble inside the digestive system, so any ribbon play should be supervised and put away afterward. A feather wand or a short, safe cat toy gives the same chasing fun without the risk. British Shorthair kittens are usually calm and steady, but even the mellow ones can't resist something that wiggles. If you ever think a kitten has swallowed string, don't pull on it and call your vet right away.
The kitten has no plans to do anything dangerous at the moment, only to guard the ribbon against imaginary rivals. A pounce here, a tug there, and the present is slowly becoming a kitten toy. The person who wrapped it might sigh, but the gift inside will never be as entertaining as the paper. It's a small, happy kind of chaos, and it is the sort of holiday detail that gets remembered long after the gifts are forgotten.
