# Alien Abductions = Cosmic Version of Cat and Laser Pointer **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940 "2007-01-22T08:51:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/1 "2007-01-22T08:51:06Z")
I haven’t quite worked all the details out, but after watching my cats reaction when they “catch” the dot from a laser pointer, I’ve come to the conlusion that people who claim to have been abducted by aliens are experiencing the same thing as my cats. Not that I think that buzzers are showing up, snatching yokels and sticking probes up their asses, mind you, but that they hit something and their brain can’t process it, so it spins the whole abduction story to them. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/2 "2007-01-22T10:24:31Z")
The funniest thing I ever saw in my life was when we traced out circles with our laser pointer, as our hapless cat pursued it. When we suddenly turn off the light, she tried to walk away nonchalantly…but she was so dizzy from the circling that she wobbled briefly then fell right over on her side like a drunken sailor (or what I would imagine a drunken sailor to fall like; can’t say I’ve ever seen one). We have tried to repeat the experience but she is too smart. She will still chase laser beams (and chirp in frustration when they vanish) but she will not run in circles after them. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/3 "2007-01-22T15:08:32Z")
pshaw, i say. try watching a 125-pound german shephard chase that dot. seriously. he doesn’t seem to mind - or care - that he’s never going to catch it. it’s all in the chase, i guess. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/4 "2007-01-22T22:47:37Z")
I think my cat must be defective. I just brought him home from the animal shelter last week and even though he is 8 months and still technically a kitten he doesn’t go for the laser pointer at all. As a matter of fact, he just isn’t all that playful either. If you swish a feather or something in front of his face he’ll just like of stare at you to say “what are you wasting my time with this for??” That’s not to say he isn’t an awesome cat because he definitely does seem to be, he’s just much more chill than any other cat I’ve had. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/5 "2007-01-22T22:49:32Z")
I have a cat that chases it as felines usually do, and one that is deathly afraid of it. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/6 "2007-01-22T23:11:07Z")
[QUOTE=Cowboy8467] I think my cat must be defective. I just brought him home from the animal shelter last week and even though he is 8 months and still technically a kitten he doesn’t go for the laser pointer at all. As a matter of fact, he just isn’t all that playful either. If you swish a feather or something in front of his face he’ll just like of stare at you to say “what are you wasting my time with this for??” That’s not to say he isn’t an awesome cat because he definitely does seem to be, he’s just much more chill than any other cat I’ve had. [/QUOTE] goodness! give the little guy some time. he’s still adjusting to a new environment. it was weeks before the dive master’s rescued kitten even started to notice the kitty feather lure, and she was only a month or so old at the time. fast forward to friday night as we watch very same kitten tear-assing around on the bed, leaving friction burns on us. :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/7 "2007-01-23T01:11:31Z")
A friend of mine bought a laser from Edmunds Scientific back when they first showed up in the catalog. Our apartment overlooked a fairly busy streetcorner, and we had loads of fun freaking out pedestrians. (We **never** pointed it at anyone in a vehicle.) ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/8 "2007-01-23T01:16:14Z")
If alien abductions = laser pointers, do satanic cults = catnip? ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alien-abductions-cosmic-version-of-cat-and-laser-pointer/388940/9 "2007-01-23T01:45:47Z")
Our parrot will slowly track the thing and open his mouth to get it-- I think he sees it as a tasty insect.