How to Train Your Person to Share Veggies
According to Thea
Some people think cats only like to eat birds and mice and such. But my person doesn’t eat any animals, and the only ones I get to hunt are the insects that sneak inside. I do eat chicken and turkey daily, but the meat comes out of a can and appears in my food bowls all mushed up. Sometimes I get snacks that are flavored with chicken or turkey, too. Maybe if I lived with another person I would get excited about begging or sneaking bits of meat, but I’ve discovered something I think is just as tasty. The big treat in my household: vegetables.
It all started with a taste of arugula. That tangy, leafy herb opened my eyes to the wonders of green food. My sister snagged a leaf off of our person’s plate one evening, so she set a few leaves aside for us. Oh, boy! Yum! From that moment on, I demanded that my person share her arugula with me anytime I saw her preparing it. If my person didn’t automatically give me some, I reminded her of her responsibility by sticking my nose on the cutting board or on her plate. If she turned her back on the arugula before sharing it, I snuck a leaf for myself.
I soon discovered that there were other tasty leafy greens: spinach and lettuce in particular, but even kale, cabbage, and seaweed are worth some nibbles. I learned to watch for the salad spinner. If my person was washing greens of any kind, she had to share.
And not only green, leafy vegetables. Green beans! Broccoli! So many delicious crunchy vegetables! I have trained my person to share them all. How? With just a few simple steps and a lot of repetition. If you want your person to share veggies with you, here’s what you do.
First, pay attention to the crisper drawers at the bottom of the refrigerator. Veggies often come from those drawers. Washing is always involved, and usually the cutting board comes out, too. When you notice your person pulling green things from the crisper and then standing at the sink to wash them, position yourself on the stool facing her. That gives her a little space to work but also reminds her that you are there. Plus, you’ll look really adorable with your head peeking over the counter when you sit on the stool. Looking adorable is always a bonus in getting what you want.
If your person does not seem to pick up on the hint, move from the stool to the counter itself. You might get scolded, but chances are you’ll get your share of the veggies, too. Sometimes your person might be too distracted thinking about other things--though I have no idea what could be more important than paying attention to me. When that happens, she might go through the usual steps of pulling veggies from the crisper and washing them, but forget about the sharing piece. The best thing to do is to help yourself. Grab a green bean from the strainer in the sink. Snag a broccoli floret from the cutting board. If your thievery goes unnoticed, all the better. Your person might wake up and share, too, so you would get twice as many goodies. If your person catches you stealing, jump down and proceed to munch on your treat as if you are doing nothing wrong. It will remind your person of the importance of sharing, and you’ll get your nibbles. Chances are, your person will find your sneaky behavior adorable. And, again, adorable helps!
In short, be present, get in the way, and take what you want if it is not offered. With enough repetition, your person will learn and the sharing will be an automatic part of any meals with fresh leafy greens, broccoli, or green beans. Cauliflower is pretty good, too.
P.S. I don’t like carrots, though.