Two curious pet notes for today's post.
The first is personal: Bug - my youngest and most enthusiastic cat - has taken to fetching. He brings either a milk-jug ring or his fish-on-a-stick toy to the nearest human, spits it at said human and waits for the toss. Once the toy is thrown, he tears after it and promptly returns it. This will go on until you either kick him out of the room or distract him with food. Somehow, I have raised a puppy-kitten.
The second is anything but: Iams is spending an estimated 40 million dollars on the launch of a new product: Iams Savory Sauce, a line of three "canine condiments" to be added to dogs' meals.
This is basically pet ketchup and has raised such a groundswell of interest that it's taking to television, veterinary conferences, even yesterday's Stuart Elliot feature.
"[A]bout half the pet-food dollars are spent by what we call pet-passionate people," Jeffrey P. Ansell, president of Iams, in Dayton, Ohio explains, "who think of pets as family and want more than just great nutrition."
"Many people are looking to create an 'exciting feeding experience' for the pet, a lip-smacking, tail-wagging effect," Mr. Ansell says, "and that is exactly what Iams Savory Sauce is intended to provide." "We see a real opportunity here," he adds.
omigod.
Eegads. I thought my cat was the only one that played fetch. Toss the cat dancer down the hall and she'll bring it back everytime. Sometimes she drops it at my feet expecting to play. Sometimes if you ignore her and walk away she'll follow you with it in her mouth and drop at at your feet where ever you stop.
Maybe this is a more common phenomena than I thought?
Posted by: dugh | February 10, 2005 at 03:40 PM