So, did the ridiculously elaborate automated Undercover Mouse setup that I built produce measurable results?
Nope.
Observations:
- Weekend warrior: Snickers racked up 7,739 “steps” on Saturday, crushing her previous record of 5,477. Interestingly, Jennie and I were asleep or out of the house during most of Saturday, so it is possible that Snickers may play differently when left alone for longer periods.
- Null hypothesis: Record-setting single day aside, the automated Undercover Mouse setup does not appear to have made a big difference. Snickers’ step totals remain around 30k/week.
Notes:
- Fitbit charging was performed from 6:30 to 10 on Tuesday evening (Jan 8). This is a bit longer than usual, as I accidentally left the Fitbit on the charger before we left for a fancy dinner party. If Snickers’ activity was similar to her hourly average, those 3.5 hours work out to 650 steps; not a significant dent.
What’s Next?
I’ll buy some silly plastic cat toy off of the shelf while I work on the next ridiculously over-engineered cat annoyance.