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Protected object - red ball

"My cat Andy is three years. I took her from a shelter two years ago. She had kittens then, and her former owners had kept kittens to themselves and the cat had been thrown out on a street. When I had brought her home, she was shy, timid, ill and lean. Since then she has put on 3 kgs and has become cheerful and trustful. Andy is unusually getting attached to a small red ball made of artificial fur. She carries it all over the flat and miaows in a thin voice, when looks at it. She hides and hides the ball, especially when she stays alone.

I had visitors recently, whom Andy had never seen earlier. Andy likes them. She was chasing her ball to make an impression on them. Then she left the room and starts to miaow.

My another guest sat near red ball. Andy grabbed the ball and jumped on the sofa closer to me. Thinking, that she brought me a ball as a gift, I thanked and tried to caress her, but she dropped the ball and threw on me and bitted painfully. She was furious.

I did not understand value of a red ball for Andy and, probably, I did something wrong. Can you explain the value of the toy?"

- The red ball for Andy is a protected object, her mutual relations with it is a reflection of her feelings. She is very sensitive because of endure loss. The ball gives an output to mother's instinct and substitutes a partner to her. Andy is easy exited that is confirmed by her behavior with your friends. Her attacks on a red ball during their presence were splashes of overflowing emotions.

Andy's affection to a ball expresses in taking care of it safety, especially when she feels herself uncertainly or, it supposed that something threatens to her. Just for this reason she carried it away from your guest and sat with it near you. Your action, however, strengthened her alarm and over exited her. You had caused her confusion and fit of anger as a result. I advise you do not flatter Andy, when she is carrying the red ball, especially under new or intense conditions. Instead of that tell her something encouraging. You can try to take a kitten for her, whom she can make friends with and play (with the alive partner). The syndrome of the lonely cat caused her affection to the ball.