April 5/2023

 April is Cat Month!!!

5 Weird Things Cats Love

By Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB

1/ 14/ 2019

Everyone has behavioral quirks, & sometimes it appears that our cats have them, too. Do you find it unusual that you buy expensive cat toys & your cat would rather play with a simple hair tie? 

Cats may be mysterious creatures, but there’s usually a reason behind their behaviors or an explanation for their interests. If you’re curious as to why your cat likes the weird things he does, then keep reading for insight on the motivation behind your cat’s fascination.

Drinking From Your Water Cup or the Faucet Instead of Their Fountain

So, you purchase an expensive cat water fountain & your cat likes to drink out of your glass or from the faucet. Why does he do that?

Your cat may not realize that your glass of water is your glass of water. He just may find it convenient that there is a vessel that contains water when he is thirsty, so he drinks from it. Cats in the wild will drink whenever they are thirsty & find a water source; they do not specifically look around for bowls of water.

Another perspective may be that your cat watches you drink, & she wants to drink what you are drinking. If it is good enough for you, it is good enough for her.

Some cats may prefer to drink from the faucet when you are busy washing dishes or brushing your teeth due to their fascination by water that suddenly appears.

Or, your cat may just have a taste preference for running water compared to water that has been sitting in a cat bowl all day, which leads to bacteria formation. Plus, food particles may fall in & change the taste of the water.

This is the reason why your cat’s water bowl should be changed several times a day & washed with soap and water at least daily.

Pushing Things Off Tables & Watching Them Break

Do you have a cat that just lives to knock things off your shelf? It is so frustrating to provide your cat with plenty of toys, only to have her knocking items off of counters & breaking things on a daily basis. Why do cats feel the need to do this?

Well, every time your cat pushes an item until it drops, it reacts in a different manner. It may just be fun for him to watch the items bounce around in different directions each time they fall or watch them shatter to multiple pieces.

Getting Into Boxes & Jumping Out of Them

Why are some cats obsessed with boxes? They are creatures of comfort, & sometimes being in a box with side support is comfortable. Other times, being in a box makes some cats feel safe & secure, like they are protected from all sides.

Boxes are also fun to hide in, spring out & surprise people & other pets in the household. I think the cats are secretly amused by the look of surprise or terror on our faces or the reactions from their housemates when they catch us unaware. Just like some people like to pull pranks, this is their way of pranking us.

Stalking Inanimate Electrical Cords

My cat is fascinated by electrical cords. Every night as we sit & watch television, I see him make the rounds around the living room. He bats at the tags attached to the cords. Then he grabs the cords & tries to bite it.

You would think that by now he would be bored with the game. Why would he keep doing it?

A reason may be that he might have learned that playing with the cord was a good way of getting my attention. Playing with the cord may also be fun because it moves in different & unexpected ways, which piques his interest.

By now I know his MO (modus operandi). So, I now pre-emptively get his attention & distract him with a cat feather wand, or we play a game of fetch to take his mind of off hunting the cord.

Having Their Butt Scratched

Have you ever had a cat walk up to you, turn around, & present their tail end? The area just above the tail that we would call the “butt” is an area that a cat cannot use its paws to scratch, & sometimes using your tongue to scratch does not do the trick.

Some cats have learned to back up against a dangling hand if they want a good scratch. Cats might indicate their enjoyment by purring, twitching their tails, raising their butts, & sometimes arching up against your hand or foot.

What we see as quirky cat behaviors are normal cat behaviors that they need to express or those that are inadvertently reinforced. So relax and enjoy your cat’s unique personality!

Cute Cat Pics:

Cat Chuckle:

April 4/2018

April is E.B.W. Critter Corner's Annual Cat Month!!!
Feature:
Why Is My Cat Doing That? 6 Weird Feline Behaviors Explained

“…here’s a little insight into the mind of the common house cat:

Does your cat like to head-butt you?

The technical term for this behavior is ‘bunting.’ While head-butting may seem like a simple display of affection for their owners, it gets a little more complicated when you realize that cats just as likely to rub their faces on household objects & furniture.

You may have heard that cats do this to ‘mark their territory’ with their scent, & that’s definitely part of the answer. But cats will also rub against each other to indicate their friendly intentions — so when your cat head-butts you or demands to be scratched behind the ears, it’s not just a move to mark you as his property.

Does your cat seem to turn on you?

While some cats have a higher tolerance for petting than others, many cats will get excited by the attention & bite or scratch you while you pet them. Cats aren’t doing this to be mean, or trick you into a fight. A gentle — or not-so-gentle — nip is your cat’s way of letting you know she’s had enough for now…

Does your cat eat plants? Or chew on random inedible objects?

The good news is that eating grass is totally normal for cats — but excessive consumption can give your cat an upset stomach & work as a laxative. Cats may eat grass to provide fiber & help clear hairballs from the stomach, so unless your cat is regularly eating enough grass to the point of vomiting, you probably shouldn’t worry. Just make sure your plant-eating cat doesn’t have access to any common decorative or houseplants that could be toxic.

Unfortunately, for some cats, this behavior extends to inedible objects like plastic bags or electrical cords. This behavior, called ‘pica,’ can potentially be dangerous. Try keeping objects out of the cat’s reach or treating these items with a substance that tastes bad to cats…

Does your cat ‘knead’ you with her paws?

Kittens use this same motion to help release milk from their mother when feeding. So when your cat does this motion while being petted, it’s her way of showing love & affection for her human ‘mom.’

Does your cat seem to urinate everywhere but the litter box?

…This is not normal cat behavior & indicates emotional stress or a medical issue. Your cat may have a bacterial infection or an obstruction in the urinary tract that has likely led him to associate using the ‘bathroom’ with pain. It’s also possible that liver or kidney disease is causing your cat to urinate more frequently than normal, resulting in incontinence.

If your vet eliminates any medical reasons for your cat’s inappropriate urination, then it’s time to look at possible emotional causes for the behavior. Cats are stressed out by many of the same things as humans. If you’ve recently brought a new cat into the home, travel frequently for work, argue frequently with your spouse, have a new baby or have been remodeling your home, that may be the reason you cat isn’t using the litter box. Sometimes, existing urinary disease can be exacerbated by stressful living conditions.

Does your cat love to tear furniture to shreds?

Cats aren’t just scratching furniture for fun — they need to regularly scratch to keep their claws sharp & healthy…

…Providing a scratching post is an obvious place to start, although it may take your cat some time to get used to it. Discourage your cat from scratching furniture by moving desirable objects, covering up your furniture or even placing double-sided tape or sandpaper on the floor where the cat normally stands while scratching.

If you simply can’t get your cat to stop scratching, you can trim his nails periodically or put plastic caps over the claws to keep them from damaging household objects.”

Julie M. Rodriguez

Feb. 25/2018

Care2.com

Cute Cat Pics

Weekly Chuckle

Memorial

Casper- April 4/2009