Actually, rekstout, if they had opposable thumbs they'd spend their time on their mobiles arranging for someone else to take over the world for them... Mugging (at least in our household) takes various forms. There is vocal harrassment, which consists of following you about yowling incessantly until you give in to their demands. Then there is veiled physical threat, which consists of pawing at your leg with just enough force to hint at what havoc they could wreak on your delicate skin if they chose to extend their claws a few millimetres further. They occasionally try the friendly approach, gently but firmly invading your personal space and wiping their cold noses on anything warm and, preferably, bare. Finally, there is psychological torture, which consists of just Being There and staring. They can even stare with their back turned. A variation on this, which has been copied by dogs, is to sit in front of important visitors and start washing - they will, of course, decide to wash their bits at the most crucial part of your important conversation. I once saw two cats in a Greek restaurant working this one as a double act - one would start licking enthusiastically, while the other one explained that he'd get his mate to stop washing as soon as they got a snack, and I think that bit of kalamari might just persuade him...