10 Common Cat Behaviors Explained
We all love cats – but do you know what some of their most quirky behaviors mean? Read on to discover the explanation behind 10 common cat behaviors.
1. Purring
This is probably the most common cat behavior on the list. Most of the time purring means your cat is content, comfortable and feeling safe. However, it can also be a signal to other cats that they want to play or a signal to you that they’re scared, sick or stressed.
2. Kneading
Kneading, sometimes colloquially referred to as “making biscuits,” is something cats begin doing before they can even open their eyes. Kneading is an action kitties associate with the comfort of nursing from their mothers, and when they knead later on in life it means that they’re happy and comfortable.
3. Knocking Things Over
Who hasn’t experienced this one? When your cat knocks objects off a high surface like a table, it’s likely that he is curious about the object and wants to see what happens when he paws at it. In other cases, your cat might crave your attention and knock something off the table because he realizes you will come running to him if he gives that vase a little nudge.
4. Stealing Objects
We all know a cat that steals seemingly random household items like socks or stuffed animals. When your cat burglarizes your dresser drawer, it likely means he wants your attention, wants to play or “wants what he can’t have.”
5. Curling Up in a Small Place
It’s super cute when your cat hangs out in boxes that are almost too small for her. In addition to being adorable, this is also a behavior that makes kitty feel safe – when curled up, she is protecting the vital organs in her abdomen. Don’t worry, this move doesn’t necessarily mean she’s feeling unsafe, it’s probably just comfortable.
6. Laying Belly Up
If your cat is laying belly-up, it means she trusts you and feels comfortable enough to sprawl out. For some cats, an exposed belly may even be a request for a belly rub.
7. Rubbing Against You
Has your cat been rubbing against your legs all day? That’s because he has scent glands and loves marking his territory with them. Take this as a compliment – your cat wants to mark you as his own and let everyone know about it.
8. Sniffing Your Face
Cats are curious creatures who have a strong sense of smell. When your kitty takes a whiff of your face, he is likely confirming your identity and this act will strengthen his trust in you.
9. Short Meowing
A short, happy-sounding meow is likely your cat saying hello to you! Feel free to say hi back.
10. Long, Whiny Meowing
Chances are if your cat is letting out some loud, whiny meows, she’s hungry. Make sure you feed her soon.
Why doe’s my male cat bite when we are playing?
This is likely due to him not learning how to play appropriately with humans. Redirecting his biting onto a toy, is one method. If your cat is very aggressive, please consult with a veterinarian who can examine him and give you more advice.
why do my 2 kitties like to lick each other then the next second they HATE each other and then are chasing each other aggressively around the room!?? ( PS. I am 10 years old and i love my kitties <3 :3 )
They are likely trying to show dominance and/or they have developed this aggressive level of play. If you are concerned for their safety, please seek a veterinarian’s opinion/exam.
darling cats are just working out the social structure between them. No matter how bad it sounds when they fight remember they never use claws with each other. it just sounds well bad
my cats do it too. but since i stopped worrying about it and things are better
Because it’s cat nature. That’s the way kitties play. Mine does the same thing. They will bite, kick and punch like little boys
Cats play mimics hunting. Cats bite their prey. Instead of your hand play with some kind of object like a cat toy. My biter loved to play with a fuzzy dusting tool.
Recently adopted a new year old male kitty from the shelter. This cat is so goofy he is not like any other cat I have seen. I do have a older male about 4.5 yr. old and a 14 month old female. But this new kitty just does things I’ve never seen. He is not niple at all and jumps at the tv screen and sometimes the windows head 1st. It’s like he doesn’t even know any better. He’s clueless!!! He also never lands on his feet and will jump up on my chest or face while sleeping. I feel like he doesn’t know he does these uncommon things.?.? I spend many hours a day playing and loving on him and my other 2 kitty’s. Does anybody know what this means or have you ever seen a cat act this way.??? Any advice would help and be appreciated. Ty
Hi Sally, it could just be your kitty’s personality (every cat is different!) but if you are concerned, please talk to your vet. Thank you.
Kitty gets worked up and carried away. He doesn’t bite that hard does he? Walk away for awhile if he bites hard; too much playing. Use Kitty’s toys such has the feathers at the end of the string or kitty balls or scratch post with cat nip. I know my kitty gives me little nips being playful or loveable and when I keep bothering her, she’ll get angry and will bite or use claws. They are good communicators in their own way. Meow.?
I have a 14 yr old neutered male that I am fostering. He needed to be completely shaved due to horrendous hair mats. I brought him home that night & he started kneading then laying on his side & I saw his “penis” going in & out. What the heck is that all about? It’s my first cat & I’m not too sure what this means. HELP!!
Please contact the organization you are fostering for … it’s likely just a pleasure response to actually feeling better. Thank you for fostering a senior kitty!!
be calm,your kitty is showing a NORMAL response. think of it as a compliment. and thank you so much for taking him in, give him your heart… he will never break it
He is showing you that he is very happy and content. There is nothing wrong with him he is feeling the love. Thank you sweetie for taking care of him and there is love in the world. Thank you again
why is my male 2 yr old neutered cat, Felix, still spraying on one particular area in my din and has used the bathroom outside of the litter box on my sofa that’s also in the area of where he is spraying even tho its cleaned and ready for him to use. I just assumed that since he was neutered we would not have to see this kind of behavior. Please help Felix is a gift to my daughter and she absolutely adore him but I cannot live with the spraying.
Felix may still be able to smell the urine that he has left behind. Please be sure to clean the areas multiple times with a product that is designed to remove cat urine smells (ex. Nature’s Miracle). You can add another litter box for him so he has choices. Some people have to add a litter box in the area that the spraying is occurring.
Make sure there are no strange cats outside near where the cat is spraying. Cats can be quite territorial and spraying can be a sign that they feel their territory is being threatened.
Hartz “NOdor” litter spray is excellent deodorizer. Supposedly, made for direct application to litter box — but I’m never totally at ease with any product that’s not completely natural. This product is enzyme-based, and will leave sprayed surfaces smelling fresh and clean — I would, however, use it ONLY OUTSIDE the litter box, for odors left on walls, floors, etc., just to play it safe. Another good product=
“Kids n’ Pets” deodorizing spray– but this one is not advertised// intended for use in the litter box. BTW: Search consumer comments re: Arm & Hammer brand, et al., litter box deodorizers — crystals and powders, in particular. Consumers have cited numerous complaints re: product toxins causing illness/death.
it will be a while before his hormones decrease, please just love him and try to be supportive. his world has been turned around and he needs you more than ever…
MY CAT WONT LET ME PET HER UNTIL SHE STIFFS ME. WHY ??
Think of her smelling you like a greeting … she just wants to make sure you are safe.
My cat is the same way. She will walk away from me and won’t let me pet her unless she gets to sniff me first. It’s because she NEEDS to make sure it’s you, and not a stranger trying to contact her. My cat will bite my little sister if she doesn’t smell her first. Good luck with kitty! Hope I helped
If she stiffs u. Lol. Sorry. I know what u meant. My kitty always comes and smells my face. Just confirming it’s u and that they r safe.
she needs to know that it is you, consider that her eyes may not be so good… but if she can smell you she absolutely knows its you,,, somebody she can trust….same thing with my cat, she does not want to be touched until she rubs against me with her face.. then I know she is ready to let me pet her.
Just remember one thing about your cat you belong to them they don’t belong to you and they want to make sure it’s you before they let you near them or look out cats can be vicious I have a four-year-old and she is a brat and she has to sniff me all the time if it’s not me she’s not coming nowhere near the person who’s trying to be mean so sure it will be fine just let him smell and let them know that you belong to them they don’t belong to youThank you for being a cat lover does my heart good and I’m sure it does your cats are good thank you a lot
If I look at my cat for too long or if we are playing he starts arching his back, puffing his hair up, and sometimes he will charge at me in this position (it’s quite awkward/funny because he’s running sideways…)
He also will get very overwhelmed and try to his or growl at me when I am literally giving him all the space in the world. I also try to play with him for 1 hour (or more) a day so he will get out all his energy, but he seems to STILL be restless, a little aggressive, and not very affectionate.
Is your cat neutered? Perhaps consider a kitty-friend for him.
When cats stare at eachother, it is often a “challenge” for which cat is in charge. I’ll reasearch this a little more and hopefully come back with a more helpfulll answer
cats do that when they look in a mirror @ floor height. They don’t think it’s their image in the mirror. They think it’s another cat charging them or wanting to play.
Hi Cyan, may this little info would help you a little bit. When you look at your cat for a long time, he can take it as a threat from you. And not just a little threat, but a BIG TIME THREAT. We (people) pretty often don’t realize how powerful the stare is. I’m sure that at least once in life all of us had the experience of the meeting a people with very unpleasant stares and we all didn’t like it. The animals are much more sensitive to that kind of things and plus cats are a very territorial animals and independent too. So, your long stares your kitty may take a very wrong way – like disrespect, like not being friendly or even as a serious threat. Can you be nice and friendly if somebody threating you?
Here is my advice – when you’re dealing with any animals and especially with big scary dogs, when you just are being introduced to them, NEVER look them straight into their eyes. Try to look a little bit like sideways, if you’d like to be friendly with them. When you’re dealing with the animal that you’re familiar with, you can look them in the eyes, that’s for sure, but not for a long time. And if you dealing with your own kitty and you like to stare at him, then try while you’re staring at him, tell him something very nice and pleasant. Something like: “you’re the best kitty”, “I love you, my boy” or something like this to relax him and not to aggravate. Especially if you’re doing this after you play with him. Because when you boys are playing it’s usually who gets who and I’m sure your kitty gets more than enough signs from you that you’re stronger, smarter and more powerful then he and he is aggravated already and after all this, he also gets a big stare from you… I’m sorry my letter is so long, but I really just wanted to help…
Try blinking your eyes very slowly when looking at your cat as this indicates you are relaxed an friendly. I have 4 cats, one given, two rescued an one feral with her 3 kittens (whom I have found homes for). The feral one has turned from a monster into the most lovable cat over 6 weeks. After initiation period they all get on well together. Sometimes all 4 want to sleep on my bed at night, which is a squash! One insists on weeing in sink or bath plug hole! They all go out an play an have 2 litter trays for nighttime.
Reading a lot about cats I have learned one thing when you look at your cat in the eye and say I love you your cat knows what you’re saying the bigger their pupils get either they’re telling you that I love you too are there wanting to play but they do understand what you’re saying come on let’s give cats credit dogs aren’t the only one that understands thanks I am a dog lover to don’t get me wrong and I have a four-year-old cat my first one and I’ve learned a lot about cats from her I can tell her I love her and she will get in my face and give me kisses and get a bag of her couch and just wrap her body around me they know trust me then
Your cat will be fine you just Gotta have faith in them and them have faith in you and a lot of love
something I do once a day it go fishing with my cats…. I have a little red laser pointer and they love to chase it up down back and forth, it escapes every time of course, right under the coffee table where they can’t go. then it comes out again tomorrow…. you can get one for a few $ at the pet store .
Instead of staring, look at him. When he looks back at you, slowly blink your eyes keeping them closed for a moment. Keep doing this. Cats think you are telling them that you are not a threat.
My cat shakes his tail like a Rattlesnake alot. What does that mean?
Sylvia – is your cat neutered? He may just be thinking he’s “marking” with his tail shakes. This is pretty normal behavior. 🙂
It means he’s excited. When cats quiver their tails, they’re excited. When they curl their tail as a question mark, they are curious. It’s all cat behavior
A shaking tail indicates excitement.
My kitty attacks my hands pretty intensely about once a week. He doesn’t bite. He often stands and bats my hand back and forth while sinking in his claws pretty deep. His mom was a bit agessive with her babies. So I know that must play some role in his actions. It really upsets me when he does this. My roommate is much more assertive in his boundaries, often pushing my cat away forcefully. But my cat is very affectionate with him. What can I do? I am so frustrated!
We suggest that if what your roommate is doing is working and not altering the relationship w/ the cat, you could try that. 🙂
You can also redirect his batting onto a large stuffed toy (we like the Kong “kick-a-roo” toys available at many pet stores.) Discouraging this aggressive behavior is a good idea.
My cat is always meowing for a long time and I give it good and alot of attention and it still meows alot. What does it mean?
Some cats are just very vocal to their humans. 🙂
Hi! So a few weeks ago my car stopped sleeping with me. She sleeps on the kitchen counter or dining room table. On days when I’m home from work she will occasionally come onto my lap and begin kneeding on my my lap and eventually curl up. But at night it’s the kitchen and dining room!! I miss her!! Answers please….
Cats can be fickle creatures. Have you changed anything in your house, bedroom or life? She could just be reacting to the change. Or she may be reacting to the change in the seasons. Part of the fun of living with a cat is trying to figure them out!
My cat seems happy and very smart. He’s almost one year old. My problem is he steals toys from my neighbors yards that belongs to their dogs and cats. He brings them home puts them on my bed and his dog brothers bed. He has his own basket of toys. I play with him daily. How do I stop him from stealing toys?
Hi Donna, it sounds like this is just your kitty being playful and quirky! It may be hard or impossible to get him to understand he should not steal those specific toys. Perhaps your neighbors could put the toys in a container of some sort?
I have a young male cat (Smokey) that has come into manhood. He’s peeing on everything including ME! I know there are 2 male cats that hang around my house also. I broke up a fight between my cat and the 2 male cats. Smokey jumped on my bed and peed on me. Why?
Hi Sherey, it may be a combination of biological factors, and stress/anxiety. Please read this article to learn more and if the problem persists, please contact your vet: https://www.petmd.com/cat/slideshows/5-reasons-your-cat-peeing-bed
My cat is 5yr old and he’s been neutered since he was 2months. We got a new kitten in June (now neutured since this Oct.) and he’s been fine until now where he just pees on anything that’s on the bed. If the bed has nothing he does nothing, it’s only whenever there is something on the bed that he pees on it. We have a diffuser on and I have cleaned everything with (natures miracle) urine destroyer, there are also 2 litter boxes. We had nothing on the bed for about a month and decided to give it a shot by leaving an old pillow. Come back to the pillow being peed on. What else can we do to fix this behavior? I want to be able to leave things on the bed without worrying.
This is a tough one, Jessica. In all honesty, you just may not be able to leave things on the bed 🙁
I personally can not leave anything on one of the three dressers in my room … just one, the other two can be piled with stuff. Cats can be odd little creatures. ~Christie
Try putting the litter box in your bedroom. It may stink, but that’s when u have to constantly keep it clean. I had the same problem. I recommend checking out some segments on cats at this website called Petmd.com
My cat won’t stop meowing we are thinking about taking him back he just won’t stop and we always have his food and water full
We would highly suggest you figure out why he is meowing. Is he the only pet in the house? Does he need a friend? Are you giving him enough play and cuddle time? Is he neutered?
My cat is Very vocal. He also has different meows & he also makes a chortling sound & a yowl. Not to mention all the little sounds he makes when he’s jumping on or off something, sighing in his sleep even, etc.. There was a time when he was younger that his meowing may have disturbed us, like in the night. However, it all worked itself out. He’s still very “talkative” but is very, very rarely disturbing. I heard that the meows cat’s make is for humans & that they do not make them in the wild. They may yowl etc. but meows are for us. I like that & I enjoy “conversing” with him. Jack, I hope since your post you have given patience & time for this this to solve.
your cat is desparetly trying to show that he needs love reassurance and companionship. people tend to turn on their love and attention like hot and cold water . cats need warmth all the time. consider getting a friend for him.
Hi my female fixed cat who also is blind keeps pooping outside of the litter box I keep it cleaned out I have used the same litter since I got her 6 years ago. She is peeing in the litter box but refuses to poop in it I’ve caught her mid poop and scooped her up to put her in the litter box to finish and she just stands there then jumps out and goes to a different spot to finish pooping. She just started doing this a few weeks ago we moved into a new place about two months ago. Any ideas? I’m getting so frustrated because I don’t understand why she’s just now doing this.
She is likely reacting to the move. We would highly suggest giving her a second litter box … maybe she doesn’t want to pee where she is pooping. You can use doggie “wee wee” pads in the meantime to make poop clean up easier. You should also consider a vet visit to make sure this isn’t something medically-related.
My 16 yo male recently started the same behavior. Pooping outside the box while peeing inside. I keep the box and area around it quite clean. I tried giving him an additional box to no avail. This has been going on for about 6 weeks. Is there any hope or solution?
Geoffrey – at 16 years old, please make sure there is nothing medically going on with your cat. You may want to try different litter in a second box. To make clean up easier, we suggest using puppy “wee-wee” pads around the litter box for his bowel movements. Good luck!
Thanks for the feedback
Geoff
He may be having hard, uncomfortable bowel movements. It’s gross, but you must inspect his poop. Is it hard? Is it hollow in the middle? If you are feeding him only dry food, you must switch to wet food so that the consistency of his poop is smooth + comfortable. I saw this on an episode of Jackson Galaxy.
thanks for the info
Hi, I have three cats; The oldest cat is four and she is the Alpha. She likes to mother the other cats who are two years old. The older cat sniffs and cleans the “butt” of one of the cats, but not the other. It grosses me out, because she grooms only one cat like it’s her kitten. She will not have anything to do with the Torti. The oldest cat throws up hairballs all of the time, because she cleans herself, and the other young cat. The cats finally have run of the house; because our Rottweiler passed away 2 months ago; and the dog did not let the cats do very much in the house. Now they are FREE!
Hi! I technically don’t have pets and have no knowledge of cats especially but when we moved into our house it came with a few strays in our backyard. After a lil while I felt bad and started setting out cat food and water for them in the yard. They come to eat and go as they please. Now they’ll see me put out food and won’t run away but there’s this one orange one. He’s brave. He will come out meowing whenever I’m outside and sit directly in front of me. Lately he’s been doing this rubbing against things and meowing but it makes me think he wants me to pet him. I want to pet him! I’ve been feeding them for about 8 months now and I would LOVE to build trust with the orange guy (I’ve named him Garfield) and get him some vet care, possibly bring him inside. I am totally clueless and would appreciate any tips, tricks or advice 😉
Christina, Please send us an email at info @ karmacatzendog . org
so that we may be able to help you with this situation.
MY SISTERS CAT IS ANTISOCIAL TO THE POINT THAT I THINK HE SHOULD BE PUT DOWN, HE IS SCARED TO DEATH OF PEOPLE. I HAVE BEEN TENDING HIM FOR 4 WEEK NOW AND ONLY SEE HIM WHEN I GO TO MY REC ROOM WHERE HE HIDES UNDER THE COUCH . WHEN I LOOK UNDER THE FRONT OF THE COUCH HE EXITS THE REAR WHEN I GO AROUND THE REAR HE RETREATS BACK UNDER . HE COMES OUT WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND TO EAT AND USE THE LITTER BOX HE IS GOOD THAT WAY. HE IS BIG AND CLEAN . HE BELONGED TO MY 1ST WIFE FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 YRS WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY MY SISTER TOOK HIM ABOUT A YEAR NOW. MY EX WIFE HAD 6 CATS AND HE WAS ALWAYS A LONER. HE HID THE ENTIRE TIME MY SISTER HAD HIM. IS THERE ANY HOPE THAT HE CAN OVERCOME THIS. FEEL SO BAD FOR HIS WAY OF LIFE. HE IS NEUTERED AND DECLAWED.
Euthanasia should be reserved for times when an animal is truly suffering. Scared is not suffering. It sounds like this cat has been through a lot. You may want to relocate him to a smaller room in your home that will allow you to interact with him more. A room that has less hiding places but is still big enough that he’s comfortable. Use food to your advantage – cats often respond to food.
We have an 11 year old neutered cat I rescued at three months who lived under the bookcase until he got too big. Then he lived under the couch. It’s taken a few years, but he will come and sit on the couch with me now and he will sleep on the furniture now instead of under it. It took a lot of patience, but he’s very loving now. Just give him time.
I’d be pissed too if some cruel human ripped my claws out! It’s an actual amputation of the digits – NEVER, NEVER, NEVER declaw a cat; if you don’t want them scratching your furniture, get them scratching posts (sisal) or cardboard scratchers. If you don’t want your things ruined, don’t get a cat!
oh please don’t give up. this cat had his karma bulldozed when his claws were removed. Better NOT to have a cat than to do this to one of gods most perfect animals. this cat feels as though he is powerless, and so he cowers afraids, not knowing who to trust., You need to place him in a room where he cannot hide, with you there for about 48 hours. Let him approach you. he will come to understand that in this world you are someone he can trust all the way. Build this bridge for him. I have used this method for feral cats that are terribly afraid, and through kindness love and caring you can change his life. Keep trying what ever it takes, no one wants to live alone. My sister fostered a cat like this and eventually found another and the two of them were inseparable.
About 2 weeks ago my 6 month old kitten started to knock things over, not listen, and just be disobedient. We have punished him, tried to pay him attention and play but nothing seem to work.
Punishing cats rarely works – they do not usually respond to negative punishing like dogs do. If your kitten is not neutered yet, please get that done ASAP. It sounds like he may be bored and needs more interactive play time and/or another cat to play with.
hi i was woundering my cats like to put stuff in there water bowl why is that???
“While no scientific evidence proves any particular theory, behaviorists suggest this is kitty’s way of securing prey in a safe place they consider their own.
Thus caching toys in water or food bowls makes sense. Instincts inherited from kitty’s wild ancestors drive stalking, capturing, then hiding prey in their “nest” to protect the bounty from predators.
Since domestic cats don’t have a nest per se, water and food receptacles may appear the safest location for the catch of the day. ”
From: http://www.pennlive.com/pets/index.ssf/2013/03/why_does_kitty_drown_toys_in_h.html
My cat has a curious habit. In my day-to-day activities, I sometime get scrapes and cuts. But when I sleep at night, I have to “make sure” the blanket covers me. If I don’t, my cat (in the middle of the night) will jump up on the bed – sniff my arms/legs – and, with her front-paw claws, “pick off” any scabs she sees (grin). She doesn’t eat them. She just picks off a scab and continues scanning my arms/legs for other scabs to pick off.
Just a comment on food. Daily, we are bombarded with ads for “special” cat foods that claim to be better than more “standard” cat food. My cat used to have problems with fur-balls. I tried so many different “special” foods that claimed to cure the problem. But, my cat wouldn’t eat them. And frankly, if a cat won’t eat the food, what good is it? I finally “cured” her by feeding her Purina Cat Chow Complete … just an ordinary cat food available at any grocery store. She wolfs it down. FWIW, I also give her a daily can of Friskies wet cat food … which she also wolfs down. And over time, I’ve become “immune” (grin) to these fancy-food ads.
One more comment on the Friskies wet cat food. I get my cat a variety pack of chicken, turkey, and beef filets. Now, if my cat was “wild,” I could see her taking down a chicken. I could even see her taking down a turkey. But a cow? Hehe. I can see her hiding in a tree, waiting for a cow to walk underneath, then jumping on the cow’s back and clawing away … and the cow looking up and saying, “Ahhh, yes, a little bit more to the left.” Whenever I put the beef in her wet-food dish, I tell her, “It’s mountain-lion day,” a day for her to pretend she’s a mountain-lion (grin) taking down a cow.
You have a lucky cat.
My neutered 4 year old cat recently started pooping on the futon next to his litter box. Before giving him a treat, I check the futon. If it’s clean, I tell him he’s a “good boy” and he gets the treat. If he’s pooped there, I call him a “bad boy” and he is not rewarded. This behavior started when I left the house for a few days (with someone coming in to look after him). Now he does it whenever I leave the house or even if I’m not giving him the attention he wants. He is so smart that sometimes he even pulls a blanket over the evidence to hide it. I’m at wits end. I’m constantly cleaning the litter box, picking up the poop from the futon and spraying with products that are made to clean the odor. Has anyone experienced this problem and found a solution?
Please consider adding a second litter box for your cat. At a minimum, thoroughly clean and change the litter in the box that you have. You can use puppy “wee wee” pads on the futon to make clean up easier. Some experts say that cats do not respond to positive or negative reinforcement UNLESS the reinforcement is done immediately after the pos/neg behavior.
My male cat is nuterd he is a year old he is always restless he will not stay in one spot. When I try to pet him at times he leaves I do not know can anyone help
Hi Sherri,
If this is just behavioral we would recommend exercising the cat, maybe with a wand toy.
I was woundering why my kitten wont let anyone pet or touch her?
There could be many reasons for this. If you have not taken your kitten to a veterinarian, please do so. She could be in pain.
My cat attacks me while I’m sleeping. She bites me hard enough to draw blood and then runs out of my room. Sometimes she even bites me while I’m just sitting on the couch minding my own business. I’ve told her no many times and she just doesn’t stop.
It sounds like your cat may be bored and needs more proper playtime. You can redirect biting onto a toy – we’ve had success with the “kick-a-roo” type toys. If your cat is not spayed – please get that done ASAP.
Today, my cat did the weirdest thing. I was sitting in a comfy high-back chair and he was on the padded back behind me. Suddenly he mouthed the top of my head and gently bit me. I asked him “what the heck?” but he didn’t answer. A few minutes later he did it again! He’s been my buddy for five years and has never done that before. The back of the chair is a favorite place of his where he stretches out and naps.
I had a cat that would take his teeth & gently bite & tug your hair. I believe he was giving affection possibly mimicking me kissing him on the head. He has passed on. I miss my sweet “Tinker” boy.
kitties somestime give tiny love nips to people they love all the way, it is him saying I love so much, thank you for being you, and letting me be part of your life!
We have a female cat that knocks on any flat surface that is clear or has a reflection (mirrors, windows, tv, big plastic tubs). She mostly sits and only uses one paw to do it, however something’s she will stand on her hind legs and use both paws. Any suggestions as to why she may do this?
Hi Todd, thanks for asking! Your kitty may be responding to her own reflection. She may also be asking for someone to play with her.
I have a male cat and a dog when they were smaller they were inseparable but now my cat runs away from her or when my dog goes up to my cat he gets defensive, why is that?
Something must have changed in their relationship … a bit hard to say more without a lot more information.
Hello! I have a six year old male cat,neutered. For the past 4 years or so he has tried to scratch the couch and jump on the table when I’m eating or doing ANYthing at the table. I use a water bottle to stop him,however, he continues to keep doing this. He damaged roughly 80% of the box spring on my old bed. Now with my new bed, I keep the BR door closed. Hard on me, since I’m claustrophobic!! He STILL attempts to claw at my (new) couch. Sometimes actually listens when I say “no”……..I can’t constantly spray him!! This makes relaxing in my LR a real problem!! When it gets bad, I put him in the basement. I am seriously considering declawing him, which I DON’T want to do!! We have other cats and also dogs………they aren’t a problem for him. He seems to do this ONLY when I am in the room or nearby him. His behavior really seems to have something to do with me, but WHAT?! Sign me………….VERY frustrated. (he still tries to pee on everything,also, but it’s the couch issue that is the MOST problematic.). He is somewhat timid,yet a real sweetheart. Thanks for your help!!
He may need more of your attention and/or more play time. Pheramone plug-ins may help calm him down. Experiment with different scratchers for him – put catnip on them to entice him to use them. Cover your couch with a couch-cover or blanket or sheet. As for urinating outside of the litter box – consider getting new litter boxes and/or adding more to the home. Multiple boxes are often required when there are multiple cats in the home.
I agree with Christie & with the multiple litter boxes for multiple cats homes comment you may want to put them in different places in the home. In addition, PLEASE DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT! It’s painful & I read that it is equivalent to amputating knuckles. It is even against the law in some places & have you considered what defenses the cat would have if it got outside. My sister’s cat was outside & was attacked & couldn’t fight back or even climb a tree to get away.
so, have a rescued cat (about 2-3 years) who was badly wounded as kitten (dog bite?). is indoor outdoor cat. goes out at night on demand with the 2 large dogs for potty time (he has a couple of choice spots) and then comes back in unless he wants to stay out for the night.
He has a habit of gong over to his fav blanket and begins kneading then bits a corner and begins “humping” the blanket dragging it around and doing his pleasuring , flipping himself and the blanket upside down until he finally begins to clean himself. he is fixed. we have been finding the blanket clear across the room in the morning. this behavior has become more noticeable lately. he is not comfortable with being on our laps but enjoys being petted on the head. he is very close with our two large dogs and plays and sleeps with them. what do you make of this? could it be because there was no bonding with the mother, a stray?
This article may help you: http://www.cathealth.com/how-and-why/why-does-my-neutered-cat-hump-things
Hi. I have a 15 year old cat that we’ve never had a minutes trouble with. He’s helped us raise three dogs in those 15 years, being on the third one now. He’s neutered and declawed (I know – very controversial – remember, he’s 15 years old and my very first cat, so we didn’t know any better at the time) Anyway – the issue is now food. He’s eaten the same food for 15 years with zero issues. Dry Purina Indoor Cat. No issues. And, he gets Wisker Lick’ins as occasional treats. About a month ago, he started meowing and leading us to his bowl fairly often. That has increased to ALL THE TIME. We’d put a couple of Wisker Lick’in in his bowl on top of his dry food and he’d gobble up the Wisker Lick’in’s and then look at you and meow. Then, I started noticing the Wisker Lick’ins are all he’s eating and he’s hungry. He started savaging in our kitchen, licking left out butter and licking dishes in the sink. So, I bought a few cans of wet food. He downed the first one with gusto. Ok – I thought – he’s tired of 15 years of the same food. I get it. Or perhaps he’s got a tooth issue. So, I was prepared to take him to the vet after the weekend. But then the very next day after he had that first wet food, we found him downing the DOG’S FOOD!!! WHATTTT?? No tooth issue. So, I switched his dry food. He nibbled on it, but just kept meowing. I’ve discovered the only thing this little stinker wants and will eat now are those darn Wisker Lick’ins. He won’t even eat the wet food now….I can’t feed him a diet of Wisker Lick’ins now. Whats all this about after 15 years??
We highly suggest you take him to the veterinarian for an exam and possibly blood work.
I adopted an adorable 5 1/2 yr old spayed, declawed female cat from our local shelter in October. She has no tail, so they were calling her Bunny. We kept the name, not that it seems to matter to her one way or the other. She is delightful in every way – likes our big dogs, tidy pottier, eats well, very loving and never aggressive. She loves to touch and in the beginning she would sleep by me at night and touch my hand with her sweet little paw. Shortly after I woke up twice in a nightmare about not being able to breathe. Turns out little Bunny was laying on my face and I really couldn’t breathe. I LOVE her sleeping with me and being close and I think being an adult I’m probably not in any danger of actually suffocating because natural reflex wakes me up. But I’m tired all the time. I wake up often in the night with her draped across my neck, licking my face and hands or unable to breathe. Any suggestions? I am married but she doesn’t bother my husband this way while he sleeps. She is as loving to him during the day as she is with me, but at night is always with me.
The reason she does this is because she has picked you as her favorite human. Something that might help is wearing her out with play before bedtime that way she sleeps through the night too.
I have 5 cats and they will all line up at the sliding glass door and start this chanting sound while they are looking outside at my humming bird feeders. What are they doing?
They are “chattering” at the birds in an attempt to call them closer. This is likely instinct built into their genetics.
Hello, I have a 7 month old kitten that I adopted from a rescue about three months ago. She settled right in to her new home, and everything has been fine. However, at night she gets really squirrelly. This has escalated the past couple of nights so much so that I’ve had to put her out of my room and shut the door so I can get some sleep. Last night she kept me up until 1am! I’ve tried playing with her right before bed and that hasn’t helped at all. What happens is, as soon as she sees that I am starting to get ready for bed, she begins running around the house like a crazy cat. After I shut out the lights and go into my bedroom, she’s standing on the bed, staring at me wild-eyed, tail lashing. As soon as I get under the covers she zooms around the bed, walking all over me, attacking my feet under the covers, even if I lie perfectly still. When I try to pet her while I’m in bed, she grabs my hand with both forepaws, claws dug into my skin, and bites me while her back legs kick at my hand. I’ve stopped even trying to pet her while in bed because she attacks me this way. Normally, this happens for maybe 5 or 10 minutes and then she settles down to go to sleep. But the last two nights it’s been extreme. I have to keep all my body under the covers, because she will attack my bare hands that are simply resting on the covers. If I have my feet out from under the covers and perfectly still, she will claw and bite them. I have never encouraged this behavior, tried to “extinct” it by ignoring it, but this is getting ridiculous! Now, this morning she hopped onto my chest while I was watching the news, and as I was petting her, she turned over and attacked my hands with her claws and biting me. I was home for 12 days on vacation recently; I wondered if perhaps this was a reaction to my going back to work? How do I make it stop?? Normally she’s a sweet loving affectionate cat, just not at bedtime and now it’s getting really bad. I can’t play with her or pet here anymore than I do. She gets plenty of attention. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Hopefully your kitten is already spayed – if not, please make arrangements to get that done ASAP. Increase her playtime before going to bed – 10 to 15 minutes of serious-active play (we like the “da bird” toy made by Jackson Galaxy). If that doesn’t help, consider getting a second kitten so she has a more appropriate friend to romp with. Another option could be to try some of the calming treats or sprays.
This is likely just a phase she is going through.
Sounds like she needs more play time with you. Keep toys in/by the bed so you can play with her till she is tired
my daughters 12 y. old(cat) puts alltypes of things in water bowl. he even washs his feet . some of the others now also clean in water bowl. itry not to leave things on floor or my socks get a pre-wash
A cat, still a kitten appaeared on my porch I had decided this week to get a shelter cat .problem solved! I went to the pet shop got flea killr just to be sure and fed her. 24 hrs later she is in my home wandering around sniffing everything. She is enjoying food but frequentlygoes to the door and wants to go out. She allows me to stroke her but seems nervous if I try tohold her.She is comfortable taking short naps stretched ot on the carpet but then off she goes wandering again. Tomorrow I am taking cat to be “fixed. Is her(I don’t know if cat is he or she} behavior normal for the situation? When I let her out she disapears for a short while then returns.when Iwalk around inside and out of my home she follows me right beside my feet.
This all sounds normal! Thank you for getting the kitty fixed!! This will likely help reduce the desire to wander and go outside.
I have a female cat I adopted in October. She’s around 1 yrs old and has been the perfect kitty up until last night. I woke up and smelt cat pee, I couldn’t locate it until tonight. She peed on my bed, in her spot. I don’t know why she did it or what to do. Obviously I’m washing everything but does that get out the smell?
Urinating outside of the litter box can indicate a health issue (like a urinary tract infection). We suggest that you get your cat examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. As for getting the urine smell out of the bedding – please look into enzyme-activated cleaners (for example: Nature’s Miracle) and follow the instructions on the package.
my 9 year old Gus has been getting antibiotics for periodontal infection. Last week I took a pork chopout oftherefrig to cook and it disappeared. I found it and Gus under my bed. Chop had not ben marked. Th same thing happened this week. The cover was knocked off the plate. My daughter says she thinks th coldness of the chop alleviates the gums. What do you think?
Since we are not veterinarians, we can’t really comment on this situation – please give your vet a call to discuss. 🙂
My cat keeps peeing on towels and sometimes clothes and her litter is cleaned not sure what to do.
Please make sure she does not have a urinary infection or bladder stones or other ailment by taking her to a veterinarian for an exam/testing.
I am having a problem with two out of three cats. two are litter mates and one was the only one in the cage when adopted there are about two months apart and have been introduced about a year ago and still having issues the black cat cumpanyin is contently attaching lindy one of the two litter mates. cumpanyin will groom the third cat lila with no issue and plays and gets along with her perfectly. the one cumpanyin attacks lindy can not be doing anything but walking by her or across the room playing sitting or laying down and cumpanyin will dart across the room and jump on her. lindy scream very loud. I am cumpanyin on a mild antidepressant which i spoke my my vet and she said she is going to look into putting her on paxil. I have tried the plugins with collars lots or toys catnip and identical bowls. Cumpanyin does do this at least twice a day while im home and I do not know how many times when I’m at work but I’m not sure what I should do and need help. I love all three of my cats and it upsets that one is always sacred and the other picks on her. I seen you are in Maryland. I live in Frederick. Are you able to help me? How much do you charge and would I have to take them to you or do you come to the house? thank you for your time in advance.
Angie,
We are in New Jersey and we are an adoption group – not really a cat behaviorist group. We suggest you continue to work with your veterinarian on these issues.
So my cat stomps us with her hind legs when we’re in bed. She starts kneading and out of nowhere she starts stumping us while still kneading, I think it’s hilarious when she does it, but we just wanna know why does it in the first place.
My cat walks really low all the time. She meows constantly even when we do feed her. Sometimes she’ll just lay there really low like she is ready to pounce, but just meow for no reason. 24/7 she does this.
It may be time for a veterinarian to examine your cat and perhaps run a blood work panel – just to make sure everything is OK.
We have 4 cats 2male 2female all fixed Our problem is the females sometimes throw up their food. Especially betty our oldest she is 15 We use a clumping litter ,can there ingest the litter when they clean.or can it be their diet. We feed them Blue Buffalo grain free The vet says they are healthy. just get tired of cleaning up
It’s probably rare that cats would ingest too much of the litter – however, they will get some dust in their system when cleaning. You may need to switch foods to see if the vomiting stops.
I had an old cat who threw up every time she ate figured out she couldn’t chew the dry 9 lives and was swallowing it whole,started feeding her a mixture of boiled boneless,skinless chicken breast & tuna problem solved.
My wife, and I retired, and moved Florida, and had a home built. We moved in and shortly after took in a 1 year old Bengal male. We had 3 prior to that, 2 passed away, and the other stayed with our son in Indiana. Our cat will not come on our bed, no matter what. He will come in the room, but not the bed. He sleeps everywhere else in the house, we are just surprised that he will not come on the bed at all.
Dave- Is your bed too high? Both my cats were having a hard time getting up on the bed. I put a 2 step stool on one side of the bed. The cats will walk all the way around or under the bed and use the stool to get on the bed. By the way they walk by now, age 11+, they may be starting to get arthritis. They can usually get down on their own or by “stepping” on different levels of stuff on the way to the floor.
Could be the smell of your bed, also, on top. is all bedding, including mattress and pad, recently cleaned and washed? Are their other smells he may not like on the bed? Does your male cat get along with the husband of the house or does he feel threatened? Cat maybe needs a friend.
our 10yr. old inside cat loves to have her tail flipped from right to left. She will back up to the chair I am sitting in for this action, I have a tube rolled up from a news paper and covered with masking tape because sometimes she will wheel around and attack the tube and has got my hand a few times I have never heard of this action before and no one else I have ask about it. I have spent hours doing this over the last few years. She is not a lap cat and does not like being petted. any answer for why she loves this it is like she is cat heaven.
My cat who is 10 months old, loves on me and purrs at me, rubs against me and while I’m loving on her and she is doing all of these things, she nips and kind of chews on my arm but she doesn’t bring her claws out, she just nips at my arm while I’m loving on her and I was wondering if it’s kind of like a form of kneading? I don’t get mad at her, I just pull my arm away because it hurts a little bit, but she seems happy and content when she does it and I was wondering why.
It’s certainly a form of expression … she may be communicating to you that she isn’t liking that particular way of being petted. Or, maybe the nips are “love bites”.
Hey there Lisa,
When cats nibble on you it’s a form of showing affection. Your cat is saying “I love you.” I call em “love bites”.
I had cats that were taken from mom too soon do this not weaned properly it seems llike thesmooth skin promps nursing atemt
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!
My 1 year old calico cat has been acting strange. She is now aggressive with the other 2 cats. Both of these cats are her kittens. She is standoffish toward me when she used to be with me all the time. She started being less affectionate towards me when she had her first litter of kittens. I don’t know if she is just going through a phase or if she is agry with me or if she is just trying to show her dominace toward the other cats.
Please take your cat to a veterinarian to have her examined – and then schedule her (and her kittens) spay surgeries.
Hey everyone,
For the past couple months my female cat Cali has been licking her furr off on each side of her body. She did have fleas before, but now that they have been gone for a while now, she’s still doing it. She making her way up to above her front legs now. I’m pretty sure she will be a Mohawk cat soon. Any suggestions? Thanks!
She may still be having a reaction to the flea bites – please consult your veterinarian ASAP about this.
Sounds like it may be a food reaction if she doesn’t have an infestation of fleas. Try changing her diet, no poultry such as chicken, eggs, turkey. Try a beef diet, or a fish diet.
Did u ever take her to the vet. If si and she still does it you might want to shave the rest of it of.
have your vet chheck for alergies household cleaners defussers pplants catfood or people food spices we use can be toxic to our furry family members
We have 2 cats, Archie who is mine is mellow and loves to play lays on my lap at night. But Miss Kitty who belongs to my son is always clawing on the walls and meowing constantly when he gets home. He tries to pet her, play with her and give her attention, but nothing seems to work. He works at night so it is driving him crazy because he can’t sleep. How can we help Miss Kitty? She doesn’t do it to me at all while he is gone.
She seems to be reacting to something that your son is doing while at home. Consider what else changes in the home when he’s there … music, rooms closed off, etc. Also, if you have not had Miss Kitty checked by a vet recently, an exam may be in order to rule out any medical issues.
I have a 6 year old male cat. He is neutered. He has been diagnosed with Kidney disease. He has suddenly begun licking the stone covered walls in the bathroom. Occasionally he will lick the air flanges on fans and portable heaters. Oh, and in a pinch he will lick a wall. Took him to the vet and his answer “your cat is weird”. Grrrrr…. What kind of answer is that?! — Any ideas?
It sounds like your kitty is “missing” something in his food that he’s now trying to get elsewhere.
My 8 month old, spayed kitten will sometimes poop in my large potted plant. I keep her litter box clean and have tried several things to keep her out of my plant. Citrus, aluminum foil, water spray (when caught in the act) and now I’m on to moth balls. They stink almost as bad and the “dirty deed”. That hasn’t helped either. Found the evidence yesterday. Any other suggestions? Thanks.
Remove the plant from the house 😉
Try Cat Attract litter (available in most pet stores).
I grow veggies in contaners.. Ive used bird wier in something like a dome cat poop can cause some serious illnesses very VERY BAD. A feed store should have supplies. Dont forget a good pair of gloves. Or your hands will be saverly scarached
I adopted 2 kittens – one is 8 weeks (Oreo) and the other 10 weeks (Peanut) last Saturday. Peanut is VERY active while Oreo is a bit more reserved. They are from different litters. They are getting along better and better, but Peanut seems to play very rough w/ Oreo, or maybe hissing and growling is ‘normal’ when kittens play? They both hiss and growl, not just one of them. I’m just worried if this is ‘normal’ behavior? Is this how they kittens ‘play’? I adopted my other 2 boys (both now gone) when they were 4 months old, and I do remember chasing, hissing and growling then too! Any input would be greatly appreciated! I’m really worried about these little rascals! Thanks!
Hi Teresa,
Kitten play can get rough and does often include some hissing, but there are some signs that it has gone too far that you should watch out for such as having the ears flattened down against the head, tail puffed up really big, and bitting/scratching their companion to the point where it is no longer play. Growling can be a sign of possession over a particular toy, and if you are finding this to be the case then you may want to take away the offending toy.
If your kittens had never met before they were brought to your home, or one arrived before the other, the aggression may be a sign of territorial behavior. If this is the case, please separate the kittens in different rooms of the home and do a slow reintroduction over a week or two. You can find lots of helpful guides online, including our resources page http://karmacatzendog.org/about/resources/. Cat introductions can really set the stage for the rest of their lives together, so it’s really important to get these territory issues out of the picture early on.
Hello!
I have two cats (one year old male & female), and I got them together. I’ve recently been having trouble with my male kitty, Jagger, who is meowing in the middle of night and scratching at the walls. He does this around the same time frame every night (between 3am-6am). I’ll call him back to bed, and he’ll come up but he only lays down (if at all) for a few minutes then gets back up again and starts the meowing and scratching. I’m not sure if it’s just a phase, or something is wrong with him and he’s trying to let me know about it. I’m losing sleep! Please help!
Also, my female, Ginger, she likes to get up and start running around at that same time as well. All it takes is for me to get up for something (bathroom, water, turn down a/c), and she just lights up and thinks it’s play time. Jagger joins in as well most of the time. Maybe they’re just not getting enough play time? Just want to make sure it couldn’t be something else.
—Thank you so much!!
Hi Tyler,
Cats are usually nocturnal creatures, and only through domestication have they adapted to sleeping at night. Sometimes they haven’t quite adapted as much as we’d like though.
There are a few things you can do to try and stop this behavior. The first, and most important thing, is to try not to respond to their cries for attention. By giving them your attention, which is something they really want, you are reinforcing the idea that if they cry and fuss you will wake up and give them attention. It can be really difficult, but you must ignore it! I’ve also found that eating close to bedtime and having a good play session close to bedtime helps to get that energy out.
My cat is laying on my back, does she know she is laying on me?
Hi Jake, yes I would say that if she is awake and laying on your back then she knows! Enjoy the kitty snuggles.
Two of our cats will walk from my feet up my legs then lay down on hip side sholder. there is a whole bed why do they do this??
Hi Diana, I think they just want to snuggle 🙂
Our female cat is an indoor/outdoor cat with her own cat door. Our of the blue, she peed on a small rug in our guest bedroom, and then made a racket pawing and trying to cover it up, like cats do. She has never had an accident in the house before, and I am wondering what could be the problem? She isn’t ignored at all, and gets little treats every day. If you go into the kitchen, she will stand backed up to the dishwasher and “shiver” her tail to tell you it’s treat time. I’m wondering if she might have a bladder infection.
Hi Susan, we would suggest taking your cat to the vet and asking about this behavior.
My cat has been acting strange. She’s been sleeping in my room lately which is weird because she normally never comes in my room due to my dog always being in there (My dog hates cats). I’m worried because my cat is getting older.
Note: I am not the only person in the house. In fact my cat normally sleeps in my brothers room.
Hi Ashlynn, we would suggest taking these concerns to your cat’s vet. Good luck!
My cat only eats black rabbits, and even then he only eats the head. We used to live where there were a bunch of wild rabbits, he never caught any except the black ones. (He did catch ONE dark gray one once.) He has only ever eaten the heads and always leaves the body. Why is this?
My cat does not want to be held. I have 2 cats and both are very affectionate, but one will panic if you pick her up. Other than that she’s a huge attention hog. I want to be able to hold her. What can I do?
Hi Nata, this site has some good tips on training your cat to get used to being held: http://www.perfectpaws.com/handle.html#.Wa7OWNGQyUk
I adopted a 1 year old female that has been spayed. She walks with her tail straight up. WHY ???
Hi Roger, a lot of times, a cat walking with its tail up means it’s happy and friendly. However if there are any other symptoms going on that you’re concerned about, please take your cat to the vet.
My cat would wake up freaking out because she’s can’t walk, her back paws won’t work and when she tries to walk she starts shaking, after we lay with her for a few minutes and starts calming down and goes back to walking and being her self. What does that mean
You should seek veterinary advice ASAP.
Hi..I rescued my female cat 5 years ago..she is indoor outdoor and has always used a litter box..well lately she started pooping in the rooms and Urinated all over our couch 2x..any ideas???she is fixed
Hi Renee, we recommend taking your cat to the vet ASAP. Also be sure to change your litter and litter box(es).
My 13 year old cat has begun backing up to a wall and descreting something. Not sure if it is urine. Why is he doing this? He has been litter trained his entire life.
Please take your cat to a veterinarian.
2 years ago I adopted a 10 years old female cat, named Baba. I’m using the same kind of litter she was using before me, with her former owners and everything worked well. But now I got another cat – a female kitten Dotty. Baba doesn’t like Dotty, but she isn’t aggressive, just growling a lot on a close contact. Dotty took Baba as a leader, but in a weird way – it’s like if you don’t want to deal with me, then I’ll be on your way all day long. So, if Baba sleeps, the little one think she is obligated to jump to her, wake her up and lay down instead of her. If Baba won’t go away, the little one would be happy to lay next to her, But Baba usually leaves… And now I started to get unpleasant messages from Baba in a litter box. She is peeing outside of it. I thought that maybe I didn’t keep it clean enough to her, because it’s kind of very hard to do – the little one is using litter box at least 6-7 times a day, plus she is a “digger” and digs everything in small pieces (the litter supposed to clamp and it does, but she brakes it to much smaller pieces) and now I sift through the whole big litter box 6-8 times a day cleaning it. But it doesn’t help, because Baba urinates outside the box even when box is clean from almost all the small pieces. To get 2nd box won’t help because the little one would use both boxes. And now I think maybe somebody would help me with the advice is it too late to try to teach a little one to use a toilet instead of litter box? Is it possible to do? My little one is something like 5-6 month old and during her training the Baba’s litter box still would be available for her. Somebody PLEASE help me! And thank you in advance.
We suggest getting at least 2 more litter boxes. Another thing you can do is give the older cat some time alone where the kitten can be a bother. Additionally, another cat that is Dotty’s age would give her someone to play and romp with and, in theory, they would leave Baba alone.
Just curious why my cat literally holds one of my hands with his paw and cuddles it and wants me to pet him with my other
Because he loves you!
I have a young female cat very intelligent, plays fetch with a small stuffed green mouse…… so she lives betting picked up by the scruff of her neck. So much so that she will jump down from my lap repeatedly….. additionally she loves having her ears tugged one at a time and both at the same time. Is this normal? I’ve had many cats but never had one behave like this.
Two more things she does is loves sitting in my lap…… spends hours with me without interruption and the last thing she does is sleep under the covers with me…. so any info anyone can give would be great!!!!!!
Oh and one more thing she does is wants to eat everything I’m eating….. and I mean everything….. sure lives chips wavy lays, corn chips, sour cream and onion chips and she loves ice cream, het favorite is vanilla!
I have a 7mo spayed female kitten. She has always had some bizarre tendencies, but they seem to be getting worse. She loves chewing on window blinds. Why, i don’t know. She scales walls. Yup, she climbs door frames & hangs off door knobs. She scales shoe organizers to walk across closet doors. She takes makeup sponges off my daughters vanity and carries them thru the house. She jumps on the sink and stares blankly at the stove. We’ve tried command calls (NO & saying her name). the spray bottle, & swatting her butt. Nothing works. She looks at you like yeah, ok. Any suggestions ?
Hi Jacki. A couple of ideas to start with are playing with your kitten more and perhaps getting a cat tree that she could climb. You can encourage her to play on it by sprinkling cat nip on it. These are a couple of ideas to get started but you can always research other ways to deter the behavior, or even ask your vet. Hope this helps!
Why does my cat eat feathers?
Hi Don, eating feathers is a natural cat instinct. But also know it’s dangerous for them to eat artificial/dyed feathers.
My 6 month old kitten suddenly peed on my side of the bed, and on “my” usual spot on the couch. He bonded to me most in the household. We can’t let him in our bedroom at night because he is too crazy, jumping on us and keeping us awake. We know he is not thrilled with being alone at night because if one of us gets up to use the bathroom, he is right outside the door. Could his accidents be related to him being kept outside our bedroom at night? Could it be separation anxiety since his accidents are specifically where I tend to sit/sleep? We have multiple litter boxes in the house, and he is the only pet.
Hi Jennifer, if your cat is not neutered yet, please do so ASAP. Also, make sure this isn’t a urinary infection, by visiting the vet. Otherwise, yes it could be separation anxiety and/or boredom. Consider getting another kitten friend – lots of playtime before bed can make for a calmer kitty!
He is neutered, but I will take him to the vet just in case it can be an infection. We were considering another cat for him anyway, so this cements it (as long as I can convince my husband!). He peed again on the couch where I usually sit, and last night he was meowing loudly while I was trying to put my sons to bed until I went out to him. I tried letting stay in the room with me and the boys while they were going to sleep, but he was too active.
Will he be jealous if there’s another cat?
Thanks so much for the advice!
I posted a few days ago, and my cat has since started peeing much more outside the litterbox. My husband is ready to get rid of him, and it’s breaking my heart because I’m really attached to this cat. I have a vet appointment this morning for him.
Since my first post where he peed on my side of the bed and my side of the couch, he has since peed on the couch 2 more times, once when we all left the house for a couple of hours. We started letting him sleep in our room at night thinking it was separation anxiety, and it seemed to work throughout the weekend. Then yesterday he peed on the couch again when I took my children to the bus stop. I then found a plastic bag he had peed on, and this morning when I got up for my toddler, the cat (who had been sleeping on our bed the entire night) immediately woke up, and peed on my spot. My husband is furious. I’m convinced it’s some sort of bladder issue because a cat who plays all night isn’t about to suddenly settle down and sleep on our bed 2 nights in a row, right? I’m thinking since I am the one who feeds him and sees him most, this is his way of asking me for help?
Has anyone had something like this be resolved? ?
Hi Jennifer, I’m so sorry you are experiencing this issue 🙁 It’s not fun for anyone and it is absolutely heartbreaking.
This definitely calls for a vet visit – we are glad you are taking him in!
Also, if it’s NOT a medical issue: 1. Add more litter boxes in the house, 2. In one of the new boxes, use a different litter than you’re using now, 3. Use an enzyme cleaner on the existing pee spots (Nature’s Miracle is available at PetSmart).
I hope this helps and we hope to get some good news back regarding your kitty.
Hi….I have two cats that we adopted 5 years ago, both around 3 months at that time. Bella is still active and in charge. Mina has always been laid back, calm and quiet. Mina started having problems eating last year, eating a bit then jumping off to the side with a sort of howl. Eventually took her to the vet and found she has tooth resorption. Took her twice. They treated her and swelling went down. But the second time the vet suggested getting all her teeth pulled except the incisors. Is it common? Will she be alright and able to eat? In addition to that, some months ago we noticed Mina had poo on the front of both paws/legs and mid way down the back of her tail. We bath her, and a few days later she’s done it again. Its constant. And it’s weird because it seems like you would literally have to manually take it and rub it on her because it seems impossible for her to do. How and why is she doing this? Should I purchase another litter box? Different litter? And should I get her teeth pulled? Right now she’s doing good with her teeth because the swelling is down, but no doubt it’ll come back. HELP!
We are not veterinarians, however, we’ve had several cats come through the rescue that have had the teeth issues you are describing. Those cats had the majority of their teeth removed and they were no longer in pain. They all eat normally, too!
As for the fecal matter getting on Mina, that is another question for your veterinarian – it sounds like she is having loose stool or diarrhea (or maybe Bella is and Mina is going in and trying to clean it up). Either way, loose stool should be checked out by a vet.
We always recommend at least one litter box per cat – it helps the boxes (and cats) stay cleaner.
Thank you so much. (I don’t see that it is loose bowls, or diarrhea. I lifted her tail and it’s clean and no indication in the box that it might be this…..all poo is round and hard). Will definitely bring it up to the vet. I will probably set up an appointment to get her teeth pulled before the next bout of gum swelling). Thanks.
Best of luck – it sounds like you love your kitties very much!! 🙂
My cat is so mean she bites anybody that touches her or even goes near her. She hisses and growls at everyone. Nobody can even pick her up with out loosing blood. Can anyone please help me with my cat
She has been declawed all her shots and Spade/neutered
Unfortunately, this can be a side effect of having a cat declawed. You should work with your veterinarian to make sure she is not in pain.
My cat has pancreatitis…I have found him sleeping or lying in the kitty Litter. He has bee having trouble defecating but have been giving him MiraLAX and some fiber. He has gone to the vet twice to be given enema or having his stool pulled out. Once you do that do cats forget how to defecate? he is now lying in the kitty litter. Why is he doing that?
Hi Pj, we’re sorry you’re experiencing this issue. We’d actually recommend asking your vet this question. Good luck!
get him out of the litter, it will disease him. My cats are healthy because i lay down a choice variety on a mat from wet to dry to water to milk and they learn quick what food they don’t like to poop out. I also found that a mixed litter is best as in buy a siftable litter, and mix it with the $3 / 20-pound bag of cheap broken clay. Also something people don’t realize sickens a cat is not washing the dish out each week. Oils from the dry food (especially fish) go stagnant and do more than give them chin acne blackheads, it sickens them). I also learned if you have a cat door or any corner they rub their nose on, be sure you occasionally wipe off all that snot and eye drip because that will get them sick, probably a cold of cat herpes. Occasionally wet a rag and wipe their face just like you would a toddler.
Hello All, My mother has a cat that keeps waking her up early in the morning just to eat. Is there anything my Mom could do to get the cat to wait until she gets up? The cat wakes her up very early in the morning.
Hi Mark, your mom could leave some food out overnight, if she doesn’t already. Perhaps the cat would not wake her up so early if a snack is available. Good luck!
Hello All, My Mom’s cat still contiues to claw the rug even though my mother purchased a couple of scratching posts. Is there anyway she could get the cat to stop clawing the rug and use the scratching posts?
Hi Mark, your mom could try to sprinkle some catnip on the new scratching posts. Sometimes that helps attract cats to the new posts. Here are some more tips on how to get your cat to stop scratching rugs: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/destructive_scratching.html
grab her, slap her butt, take her to the post, and gently pinch her claws open and make her scratch the post. They love corrugated cardboard, and it is cheaper to take a box lid, and cut sheets of cardboard in layers. Theyll sit in it and claw it. AND i found they love the bubble wrap envelopes the mail man delivers. They hate bubble wrap, but love the paper envelope, and it goes pop pop pop as they claw it.
my cat is eight months old and when it started meowing a LOT I googled it and notesed out she was out of food so thank you sooooooooo much
Why does my calico only sit on my lap if there is a magazine or newspaper on it?
Hi Renae, it is possible that your cat just likes crinkly things!
I adopted a female cat 3 months ago and just recently adopted another female cat 2 weeks ago. The new cat is closed off in a room at night and we let her roam during the day seems to be fine when we come home but when we are home the old cat makes sure the new cat doesn’t get very far in the house and growls at her chasing her back in the room she stays in. Well the last few nights we have tried letting the new cat roam but the old cat got in a fight with her and cornered her under a bed. Every time the old cat does this I spray her with a water bottle and go to the new cat then the old cat starts meowing long and loud, what does that mean? Also how can I make them get along it’s so frusrating
Hi Lynn, there is almost always an adjustment period when two cats are first introduced and are living in the same home. Here is an article with some tips on how to ease the adjustment: https://www.paws.org/library/cats/home-life/introducing-cat-to-cat/ Hope this helps! If you seek further advice, we suggest you talk to your vet.
Why would my cat stop drinking water out of bowl? Now he will only drink out of my hand because I tried to get him to drink and thought this might calm him a little if he smelled my scent. Now he won’t touch his water bowl. Sometimes I work 12 hrs at my job. Help!
Hi Jeanne, I’m sorry you’re experiencing this issue. Here is an article with seven different ways to encourage your cat to drink more water. I hope these help! http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-checkups-preventive-care/7-creative-ways-encourage-your-cat-drink-more-water
I have two male kittens from the same litter. One of them has started to try and mount his brother. I have always had cats in my life but have never had this happen. Can someone help with this
Hi Jennifer, there could be a few reasons for this behavior. This article does a good job at explaining those reasons and some solutions: http://www.pet-happy.com/why-does-your-cat-mounts-other-cats/ We hope this helps!
Hello my cat is 13 yo female and she’s been hising just by walking by her and sleeping/ sitting/ laying in her litter box we have to pull her out and close off the litter box. Is she getting close to…. death. I hope not
Hi, we suggest you take your cat to the vet ASAP. We are not qualified to make medical evaluations. A vet will be able to assist you in person.
i have a question i have 3 cats who are actually brothers and had them and raised them when they were a couple of weeks now they about to be 2 but my question is one of my cats got hurt and has been recovering very well but the other cats act like they dont know their brother hissing at him wont eat with him dont want to come near him making him feel like he is an outcast and Ive seen this behavior before but why shouldnt they show more love when they see one another in pain or injured instead rejecting him IDK i just want to knw what this is all about
Hi Mark, it’s hard to pinpoint why exactly your cats are acting like this toward their brother. I would suggest giving it some time and waiting to see if they have a change of heart. If the aggression continues, I would contact your vet.
i was also thinking because of cats smell is so sensitive does a cat release an odor or a smell when they àre injured to give off a help or im injured response because i do see that the brothers smell first and i feel deeply they dont recognize him through smell idk but it wierd then after they hiss but they awlys smelling first
Mark- It has been while since your post. How are your three cats getting long now? If there is still a problem with the 2 brothers not accepting the injured one, had the injured been getting any medication which would make him smell differently? Had injured been going to the vet with resulting ‘vet’ smells? Injured could have given off different smells with stress and worry. Hope they are all getting along better now and that injured is healed. You know, my cousin has 3 kids, and growing up, ANY 2 together was fine, but all 3, then trouble. Hope all 4 of you, cats and you, are all one big happy purring clowder, clutter and glaring. Happy wishes.
I have a mother cat and her kitten,both spayed females who have lived indoors entire life. Just last few days the kitten who is 2 yrs old started to crawl at mommy cat. They can’t even eat at the same time, now. What caused this? Or could 1 be sick? I’ve had cats all my life and never experienced this behavior.
Hi Julie, I am not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean that the kitten was growling at her mother? Thanks!
(What does it mean when your cat sprints head first into the door?), let me provide my story, so just 20 minutes ago its currently 5:30 am, my cat began meowing in the hallway, by the way he likes to walk back and forth in the hallway, bathroom and living room, so he was walking back and forth and he began meowing, I knew he was walking back and forth because his meowing would fade then get louder then fade and continue that cycle for about 5 minutes then he stopped in front of my parents bedroom door and began meowing, I didn’t think much of it and then I heard a loud thump and him meowing like he was calling my parents of some sort, then I heard the loud thump again followed with his weird meowing, and than once more, the thump was so loud it woke my parents and they unlocked their door and it scared him off into the living room, I opened my door and my mom was confused, my living room door was cracked opened like 7 inches open and I see my cat peep through it, like he knew he did wrong, he might of just wanted to wake my parents up because my mom usually wakes up around this time to get ready for work, look this is really weird and I know it sounds like he is possessed, but this actually happened and I’m not entirely sure why, maybe one of you readers can provide a reason why.
Hi Mark, like you said, it’s likely he just wanted to wake his humans up. 🙂 If this continues though, definitely consult your vet.
Cats get fed around the same time or get attention, they expect you up again like always, so either wake you up, or all of them lay by you until you get up. When i come in the house doing any shopping the bag can have anything, they still run for the kitchen.
I have female cats. I am tired of drip marks of male cats outside spaying my front glass storm door, the glass patio door, the kitchen window outside.
I have female cats. I am tired of drip marks of male cats outside spraying my front glass storm door, the glass patio door, the kitchen window outside.
Well you could try to catch the males and fix them but i think there is a repellent you can spray on your property to keep the males away or .you could fix your female cat, your choice
I have a female cat who had kittens she has adopted a baby whies mom died. She’s done great for almost 2 weeks and now she keeps grabbing it by the neck and taking it out of the box and grabbing in the box why
Hi Ashley, it is possible she is just carrying the kitten around. Cat mothers carry their young by the neck. Here is more info about it: https://iheartcats.com/ask-a-vet-why-do-mother-cats-carry-their-babies-by-the-neck/ If you have any further concerns, please consult your vet.
I have a almost 1 year old cat and a 10 year old cat I lost two cats about 6 months ago and I just got the 1 year old right after they died he was 3 months then. Well 10 year old cat is acting no re like a kitten then he ever did and 1 year old cat and him are best friends. Here’s my question the 10 year old cat has never ever been vocal but since I got the other cat he goes arou d the house meowing up a storm almost like he’s singing. Why does he do this what changed?
Hi Andrea, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. It sounds like your older cat and the new cat may just have a very close friendship, and the younger cat is rubbing off on the older one! If he appears to be in distress, however, please take him to the vet as soon as possible. If he seems happy, though, then it seems like he just has made a great new friend 🙂
My female cat is about 10 months old she has been using her liter box perfectly no issues at all. Up until these last 2 weeks. She peeing and pooping right beside her litter box or under my bed. But mostly right beside her litter box. I did recently change from fresh step to arm and hammer or whatever but it was a month ago and this just started like a week and half ago..
We suggest you get a second litter box and get the old litter you used to buy for it. Put the litter boxes side by side or near each other. This may help you determine what litter she likes better.
Our cat is taking any food off the counter eating through things. She never used to eat our food. She is very vocal all the time. Very loud kinda a whinging. She will pee in laundry baskets full of laundry or at the front door rugs. I think it is all behavioural but need help thanks.
Please take your cat to a veterinarian – these behaviors could indicate a serious health issue.
I adopted a 3 year old cat a month ago and she does the head butt and also her body arches up when she either goes by you or anything else. She has a history of being left out side in the winter and when they got her she had issues with breathing, an open wound, and her left eye was bad they took her to the vet and she had medication which cleared up the wounds but she can’t smell certain things like cat nip, or treats. When you give something by hand she hits your hand with her head, at first I thought she couldn’t see but they said her eye is not all that bad. When she eats she throws up I have tried all kind of foods for stomach and skin ( she liks all the time) even from the vet and she did the same. I am at my wits end on what to give her to eat or her head butting and some times she bites. Please if you can give me some advice on what to do. I don’t want to give up on her she is very loving she doesn’t sit on you or come close to you when you are sitting in a chair or couch no human contact that way. She has issues and no one can figure it out.
Please note, we are not veterinarians – the following is just some thoughts of things that you may want to look into.
– food allergies. a vet can run blood work to look for allergies.
– smaller meals if she is eating super fast and then vomiting.
– head butting can be a sign of affection and is probably not something to be concerned about
There are some holistic remedies that you can try, by Jackson Galaxy: https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/solutions/by-species/for-cats/
Good luck and please don’t give up on your cat. It’s only been a month and it is likely she is still just trying to settle in to her new home.
Both of my cats seem to feel the need to move their food/ water bowl out to the middle of the room.. they spill water everywhere… why? Even if I tell them “no” , I get “that look” , and it gets moved anyway
Hi Carol, thank you for reaching out. There are a few reasons this could be happening. This article has some good information: https://metro.co.uk/2016/05/27/this-is-why-your-cat-moves-their-water-dish-before-drinking-5908489/ Hope it helps!
Our 7 year old tuxedo cat, Ace, has recently started tearing apart tissue boxes, magazines, boxes and any kind of paper. He shreds them into tiny pieces all over the place….
He has never had an issue like this before and I know “punishing” him will have no benefit.
He is a 7 year old neutered male. He does go outside every now and then for brief periods of time but is mainly an indoor cat.
Any suggestions what to do or why he is be doing this?
Thanks!
Hi Kristi, thank you for reaching out. A good place to start would be to buy him some new toys; he may be bored. If he continues, even with new stimulation, we would suggest discussing the issue with your vet. Good luck!
PLEASE HELP! DIAGNOSIS: Intestinal lymphoma or IBD
* 12 year old spayed calico
* Weighs 8 lbs. (very small cat from birth), but continues to lose weight
* Waxy, unhealthy hair
* Drinks a lot of water
* Feeding W/D Science Diet to help firm stools, but still hungry & not helping gain weight
* I have been feeding turkey baby food to help gain weight, but anything aside from W/D causes
loose stools.
* She also receives a weekly B12 shot of 5 mg
* Lives with another female cat (age 6), but because of her sickliness isn’t close friends with her
* I have 3 litter boxes for them.
* Urinalysis was normal.
** Also suffers from random seizures of walking strange and picking up feet, but she seems fine after a few minutes.
I realize this is a difficult disease, but she has recently been peeing on my bed or pottied in random places when her litter box is CLEAN! I honestly believe this is behavioral, but I need help. I give her attention alone and aside from the other female and she is at times very playful.
I need HELP! I don’t know what else to do!
So sorry to hear you are going through this. We are not veterinarians so you should definitely check in with your vet on this. Your cat may be trying to tell you that she does not feel well. 🙁
Kristi Furr- Just reading through this column and read your article on your Calico.. After looking up the diagnosis, Instest Lymph or IBD, and reading about it, tears just ran down my face. Sounds like you are doing all you can for her. Oh my. It brings up memories of my first cat. She had long white hair, had one blue and one green and was deaf. About 15 years of age or so, she was diagnosed with diabetes. This came about after she would drink water out of the bathtub faucet in which I then had her tested. I had to give her shots about every day.
After leaving work (school, actually) one day, she was displaying “unwanted, heartbreaking” behavior. Took her to the vet. She was losing body heat, was somewhat limp and I left her at the vet overnight. After talking with the vet, I had to decide what was BEST for HER. What was HER QUALITY OF LIFE? After much agonizing and apologizing to her and crying (etc. etc.) I held her as she was put to sleep. OMG, tears again running down my face.
I hope Calico is there with you, enjoying your attention and is friends with her 6-year-old housemate. If she is not there anymore, hope you have happy, happy, wonderful memories of her and remember your good times together. Take care.
Kelly
Have a 7 yr old cat. my daughter needs to move in with her 8 yr old cat. Mine has claws, hers is declawed. Mine has always been protector of the house. How do i introduce them? Help
Slowly, with a lot of patience. Set up a separate area of the house for the new cat (preferably an area that your current cat doesn’t care about and that can be securely blocked off) – your daughter’s bedroom might be a great choice. Make sure her cat has everything it needs in the room: food, water, toys, bed, litter box. With no contact and no letting them see each other, let the 2 cats adjust to all the changes for a while. Not only are the cats getting a new furry housemate but the human dynamics in the home are changing. Eventually, you can “site swap” which means your daughter’s cat gets time to explore the rest of the house and your cat gets to explore your daughter’s room (or where ever her cat is living). Do this multiple times. You can also feed them at the same time on opposite sides of a solid door. If you look up Jackson Galaxy, he probably has videos and details for introducing 2 cats.
Hello I have had my cat for about a year now. She just had kittens 5 weeks ago. She will do a long constant meow Everytime I walk threw the door or if I go to the bathroom and come back. But she’s free fed I check her water and food every morning and when I get home every evening I fill it if it’s not full any thoughts?
Hi, she might just be saying hi to you, if she meows at you when you re-enter the room. If she seems like she’s in distress, we suggest taking her to the vet right away.
My cat when rubbing on me, likes to spit, he’s done it his whole life so i know its not dangerous, but it’s just odd because i havent seen anyone elses cat do that.
My male ginger cat is very attached to me. I can’t close a door to separate use due to his crying and clawing at the door. He also bites my chest sometimes and any male that come near me that he doesn’t like.
Why is this?
Hi Jessica. Are you giving your kitty enough attention during the day? Perhaps trying playing with him more and see if that helps stop him crying at your door. Also, are the bites he gives you hard, or “love bites?” If these issues persist, definitely visit your local vet and ask for their professional advice.
Mary – Usually, it is said that there should be one more litter box than cats, so you should have two litter boxes anyway.
Sounds like the cat doesn’t like the new litter. Why did you change litter? Cats usually don’t like already-smelling-perfumed-overly-much cat litter. And, cats also HATE CHANGE!!! christie suggested using two litter boxes, one each with a different litter. If, there is a reason why you changed litter; cost, whatever, you could “blend” the two litters together for a while until cat is used to new litter. Such as 9 parts old litter, 1 part new for a week or so. Then 8 parts old, 2 parts new, continue 7-3, 6-4, 5-5, etc., if you are determined to go to the newer litter use.
OR – just go back to the old litter that she used regularly.
Good Luck. Kelly
hey uh, so my male cat meows everytime I put my hand over
his head (not on him, far up) he doesn’t seem to be annoyed or sick, I’m just curious about why he does this. I usually put my hand over his head like that when I’m holding a toy for him to hit. But sometimes, it’s when I’m reaching for something, etc.
Hi there, thanks for reaching out. Since your cat doesn’t seem to be in distress or ill, he could either be excited/playful when you do this, or he could mildly annoyed. If he starts to show signs of distress definitely consult your vet. Thanks.
my female 8 year old cat has started to lick and then chew on the corner of the stainless steel refrigerator. she has never done this before. she will lick repeatedly and then rub the corner with her face then try to chew the corner. then I noticed a day ago her doing the same thing to the stainless steel dishwasher. I thought maybe she was having tooth issues, but her eating hasn’t changed. any ideas what she is doing?
Hi Holly. Your cat could be suffering from a nutritional deficiency, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, or be stressed out. If this continues please ask your vet about it!
My cat always steals my things as soon as I get home from work! I thought that was why, you confirmed it!
I have a 15 year old female neutered cat. She’s recently been going to the front door and raising her tail at it. It looks like she’s straining but nothing comes out. I took her to the vet about it, did blood and urine test and came back negative. Next step would be an ultrasound. Any idea why she does this? Thanks
This is a common sign of “marking” … she may be trying to leave her scent on the door to stop other animals from coming around or leaving their scent there. Please be sure she is urinating in her litter box in regular intervals (usually one to two times per day).
Hi, my cat is both indoor and outdoor. I have a doggy door he uses to go in the back yard to do his business and play, coming in and out whenever he wants. He made a bed outside under a tree from pine needles where he curls up and sleeps. He now prefers is outside bed instead of coming inside even in the rain and cold. Why would he prefer that to a nice warm house?
Hi Ken, it’s likely your kitty finds comfort sleeping outside because biologically he is hardwired to be an outdoor animal. I am sure he loves being inside your home but he may find sleeping outdoors comforting. If you have any questions about concerning behavior though, make sure you talk to your vet (and keep him up to date with his shots!)
I have a 2 year old cat who has suddenly started scratching at different things. She is kneading on books and papers. She has chewed through wires. Her behavior started a month ago and is getting worse. What is going on?
We did recently get a chihuahua, they seem to get along in fact they chase each other around.
Thank you for any help.
Hi Johna, it may be that your cat is adjusting to another pet in the house. I would suggest looking up some different methods to correct her behavior. If the behavior persists, contact your vet, and they should be able to give you more advice as well. Thanks!
My daughter recently moved in with us & she has two cats that she brought along. I am allergic to cats but I started taking Claritin to bypass an allergic reaction, The medicine worked great however the male cat Drac(short for Dracula)has become fond of me & while he’s purring & rubbing against my legs he stops & Bites me. Not a hard aggressive bite but it stings all the same. After being here for 5 weeks now I cannot go into any room & shut a door because he’s outside the door scratching very aggressively & meowing very loudly & if I let him in he immediately comes to me & starts the biting.nipping at my legs. Does Drac not like me? How do you stop a cat from nibbling at your calfs? My daughter assures me Drac likes me & I think he does since every room I try to escape Catless he’s there scratching & pushing up against the door,
How do you stop a cat from biting your legs>
Hi Gianna, if it is a soft bite, it is probably a “love bite.” Here is more information on that: https://www.care.com/c/stories/6328/cat-love-bites-a-unique-form-of-communicatio/.
I have a curious behavior. In the last year, I have managed to tame a young, adult, feral cat. She will now come and jump into my lap, roll over on her back and allows me to rub her stomach. She is very affectionate with her rubs and gentle bites. However, she will not allow me to approach her, unless I have food. She will run away. I can call her and she will come. But to walk up to her, she flees. Why is this. How can I correct this behavior?
Hi Deborah, thanks for reaching out! It sounds like she may still be slowly warming up to you, and food is what is helping her trust you. What happens when she finishes eating? Does she stick around or run away? Perhaps you could bring a toy and stick around until she’s done eating, and try to play with her after the food is gone to establish you are still good to have around even if there is no food. Then maybe in the future if you approach with just a toy, she will not flee because she’ll associate you with playtime. Just an idea. Good luck!
After my cat eats she sometimes acts as if she is trying to cover it by scratching on the floor around it. Is she trying to say it’s crappy and doesn’t like it or what?
Hi Janis! Many cats do that because in the wild, cats cover any uneaten food to avoid attracting predators to the area.
I’ve had a shelter kitty for three weeks He is very playful and is always hungry A couple days ago he started dumping the water from the bowl on the floor and/or towel I put down. Anyone know why?
Hi Carole, sometimes kitties do this when they are feeling playful. Also, some cats prefer moving water and dump it to produce this effect. You could try a water fountain-style water dish to see if this helps. Thanks!
So I got my cat at a shelter and she keeps digging at the floor (which is no where near her litter box)
But she digs at the floor as if trying to dig a spot to go potty, all the while she’s meowing. She never has gone potty after doing this, but I’m curious if anyone else has experienced this and hopefully it’s not some health concern.
Thank you so much
Hi Billie, some cats do that just to mark their territory/leave their scent on places. If she is new to your home, that may be why she is doing that. However if she seems in distress please take her to the vet and ask for their professional opinion.
Why is he biting my scalp while I sleep? Despite hours of research I cannot find any explanation for why my neutered male cat — who is normally a sweetheart easy going teddy bear — will occasionally attack my head!
Trying to notice a trend, it seems to be after grooming his genitals and is proceeded by low growling/grumbling.
It only happens about once year, and it’s almost ALWAYS in the morning while I am still asleep. He always goes after my scalp/hair or forehead.
It’s scary and takes him about 20 minutes to calm down, then he acts like nothing happened.
Is there a name for this and is there anything I can do to predict or prevent it?
This is definitley NOT playing and not boredom.
Hi Kef, I would definitely advice you to ask your vet about this behavior.
Perhaps it is really something very simple, he sees a spider or some other bug and was attacking it. Only way to find out, of course, is to record it.
This is a question.
My cat loves his cat tree and has slept in it for 8 months.
(that is how long I have had him)
Now after his meal when he jumps to his spot to take a nap
he smells it and gets down.I clean up lose hairs with a
paper towel. Why won’t he go up there anymore?
Thank you
Hi Renee, we have noticed that cats sometimes change their “favorite spots.” It is probably harmless and he will probably go back to enjoying his cat tree more in a bit!
My cat usually meows for only 2 things: a litter box–related reason or food. If the food bowl is empty, he makes sure to let me know. Once a day, usually in the evening, he gets canned food instead of dry food.
How do I make my male cat to stop peeing everywhere?? I need MAJOR HELP my mom told me she is sick and tired of him peeing everywhere. If I don’t think of something to stop him from peeing she might sent him to get neutered or to sent to away. Can someone help me find a solution for my problem.
Thank you
Please get your cat neutered as soon as possible! This is very likely the reason he is peeing outside of the litter box – he is marking his territory. You will also want to clean all the pee spots with a cleaner that has an enzyme in it made specifically for getting rid of cat urine (Nature’s Miracle is one brand that makes this type of cleaner).
A fixed male young cat lives 3 houses from me, was laying at the end of our driveway and I made verbal contact (hi baby), it ran toward me rubbing my legs, purring, rolling, exposing his belly and now won’t go home. His home has 2 other young kitties, male and female and he does not get along with the others I found out. Made the mistake of feeling sorry so fed him, now he won’t even leave our sundeck. I am upset, what to do. If he won’t go home does that mean never? Please help as this is making me very emotional.
It would be best to have a conversation with the owners of this kitty.
Rubbing cheeks on everything : When a cat rubs their cheeks against your hand, the doorway, furniture, or other objects around the house they are essentially marking their territory. Cats have scent glands around their mouth, chin, and cheeks that leave behind their unique scent when rubbed. This behavior is known as “bunting.”
My female cat is 5 years old and she has slept with me on my bed most nights. Just recently she started urinating on my bed while I’m in the process of making it and changing sheets. The first time it happened about a month ago I thought I must have spooked her because she was jumping on and off while I made it. Then today she did the same thing again while I was making my bed. Now I know this isn’t a coincidence but I’m also confused about why she is doing it. She hasn’t peed anywhere else in the house nor has she peed on anyone else’s bed and she still sleeps on my bed and hasn’t peed on it, just when I’m making it. Why would she be doing this?
Hi Tami, she could be spooked by you changing the sheets, or be trying to mark her territory. If she continues to do this, we’d advise asking your vet about it. Thanks!
Rubbing cheeks on everything : When a cat rubs their cheeks against your hand, the doorway, furniture, or other objects around the house they are essentially marking their territory. Cats have scent glands around their mouth, chin, and cheeks that leave behind their unique scent when rubbed. This behavior is known as “bunting.”
My cat is an almost 4 year old male neutered Tuxedo cat. He’s great in every way – sensitive, intelligent, when I hold him very affectionate towards me – sometimes unexpectedly giving me love bites…but what bugs me is he very rarely ever sleeps on my bed ! He’s a real loner at night preferring to go off to a favorite secluded spot to spend the night. I know I shouldn’t force him but, couple of times I picked him up + carried him over to my bed to see if he’d stay ..+ he just got up + went back to his spot. I’d like to know – Is this normal ? I thought the big thing cats like is to sleep with you ? (I had 2 other females that always did).
It sounds like your cat just prefers to sleep on his own. There could be a million reasons for this but unless he’s exhibiting other signs that point to a medical issue, we wouldn’t worry about it too much. You could try putting a special blanket on your bed to entice him. Or training him to come up there for treats. But! Be careful what you wish for … cats it bed can sometimes disturb our sleep more than we realize. 🙂
My four year old female cat is very attached to my partner and I. She demands to be in the bathroom and sit on my lap, but not my partner’s. Yet, she only sleeps next to him. She will follow the both of us around the house, and will stare at us through the windows and gates we have in our home.
I usually know her body language and behavior very well, but there is one thing I just can’t find an answer to.
Why does my cat demand to smell what I drink? If she sees me drink anything, like water, tea, milk, juice, ect, she immediately runs at me with wide eyes and stands on her back legs trying to reach the cup. She’ll take a few sniffs and then relax and walk away. It’s as if she’s afraid of what I drink.
Cats can be strange! It sounds like your kitty is just super interested in what you and your partner are doing. As for the smelling of your drink, it’s not super uncommon for cats to develop habits like this. Think of it as your funny little ritual with her 🙂
so lately my cat has been attacking her new litter, i will have not even open the new litter container box and she is trying to open it even after iv cleaned her box and placed new litter in her litter box. she Diggs as much litter as she can out of the container and then just rolls in even though there is new litter in her box. ive gone as far as hiding the new litter in my car until needed or if it’s a larger box that didn’t use all the new litter, trying to cover it with a blanket or towle but she still attacks the box
Hi Dakotah, how peculiar! Cats can be silly. Did she do this to her old litter? We’d suggest hiding the litter in a room with a closed door that she can’t get to, or perhaps switching to another litter you know she doesn’t do this with.
Oh thanks baby kitten lick a person in the face in their hands Mostly?
All right at first thought it was because she needed food or water in her bowl because my granddaughter would forget at night to check it but now I’ve been checking it as well and make sure she has it because she always wakes me up about five 530 every morning jumps up on the bed and he gets in my face and sometime she just lays there and curls up beside me but she’s purring loudly and fast like and she jumps up and stays a minute and then just down and makes a sound as she jumps downLike she’s mad almost that I didn’t follow her the first time but I know she had food and water so I didn’t get up so since then she keeps doing it consistently even though she has food and water so I don’t know what it is like an alarm clock faithful alarm clock?♀️
I was talk texting and that message I hope you can understand it I meant what makes a cat or a kitten lick you in the face or the hands jump on the bed and do that
Hi Tammy, if your kitten doesn’t need anything in particular, she may just enjoy giving you kisses and playing with you! If you have any further concerns, though, please do contact your vet.
My young cat 7 month old has started marking and peeing by his food dish , seems like in the morning before i feed him, any suggestions, he has no symptoms of a UTI and uses his litter box regularly. I do feed him in two different places, is that an issue?
Hi Randall, it is hard to say since we cannot see your cat in person. We would suggest asking/taking him to your vet. Thanks and good luck!
Hi,two of my cats keep swatting and hissing at each other.The problem is their both orange.We think it’s just because they think there can only be 1 orange cat.What is the real problem?
Hi, it could be that their personalities clash a bit, or that one or both of the cats were undersocialized with other cats from a young age, and need to build up that social confidence. Here are some tips that may help, but if the problem persists, please contact your vet: https://pets.webmd.com/cats/aggression-between-cats-in-your-household#1
Cleo is our female rescue cat. Her adoption papers say she was 2 yrs old when we adopted her in April 2015. She comes to where I am and scratches something hard like the plastic trash bin near where I’m working on my computer or another vertical hard surface. She does this for about 30 seconds. Then she pauses briefly — sometimes walks away and returns — and repeats the scratching. The scratching is quick but not aggressive. She’s been doing this intermittently since we brought her home. She would exhibit the pattern for a few days. Then not for months. What is she trying to tell me?
Thank you.
Hi Livia, it may just be that your cat is marking its territory/using her paw glands to “stake her claim” around the house. If you are concerned or if she shows other odd behavior please contact your vet.
I have a cat that when I take off my trousers will lay down at my feet want me to hit her repeatedly with the trousers.
What could this strange behavior mean?
Hi Mike, if she seems happy about it and wants that to happen, she may just think it’s a way of playing! Just be careful and play gently.
I have a calico cat that is one year old. Her mother abandoned her, and my boyfriend presented her to me last year on Mother’s Day! So cute, her eyes were not even opened yet! I have spoiled her like crazy! She is now spayed and had all her shots, and in great health.
Now, just about three or four days ago, my boyfriend brings in another calico kitten with the same scenario, and my cat has gone crazy!!! She has been hateful to me, and me only, as if I have done something to hurt her or cause her harm.
She hisses at me, (which she has never done before), swats at me, and when I went to pick her up, she tore me to pieces!! Scratching me all up!! We were so close, I thought! What has happened to my one year old cat and me? Will she accept this kitten and when? What can I do to rectify this situation, without having to give the baby up?
Hi Teresa, it sounds like your cat is adjusting to the new cat in the house. There are specific ways to introduce a new pet to an existing pet. Please find some tips here: https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-introducing-cats/ If you have further concerns, please contact your vet.
My wife and I have a 13 year old female cat. We’ve had her for about 3 years from the SPCA. About 3 weeks ago she started where she would not leave my wife alone at all. She wants to jump up on the couch with her and lay on her leg. Put her to bed, and she’ll come back and want to climb and sleep with her this is about 24 hours a day. Any ideas out there in about why her behavior changed?
Hi James. It could be that your kitty needs more playful, or is feeling anxious. We’d suggest contacting your vet if the behavior continues to rule out any medical causes.
My cat is a rescue, so I do not know about his first 6-12 months of care. Recently he has gone into attack mode. The first times I though I scared him. but the most recent event happened as I was closing down the house, getting ready for bed. I left him in the livingroom enjoying a few treats. I turned off the lights and turned on the lights in my bedroom. As I was turning down the blankets, he rushed onto the bed in attack mode. The only way I can distract him is to squirt him with water. Then he returns to his normal sweet self.
I now carry a squirt bottle with me around the house. Seems ridiculous, but I feel I need to have water handy to deter him.
Hi Ann, we’re sorry you’re experiencing an issue. Is it possible he thought you were playing with the blankets? If the behavior continues and you are concerned, please contact your vet. Thank you.
My male kitten is fixed, but he gets litter & urine stuck to his genitals after he pees. He’s just soaked down there afterwards. Has anyone ever heard of this?
Hi Cameron, is your kitty short or long haired? Also – is your litter box covered? If so, try removing the cover. He may be squatting and getting his urine on himself.
I was gone all day and my cat normally doesn’t eat much when I’m gone and he’s generally sitting behind the door when we get back well I had a busy day yesterday and when I came home he was behind the door I went to the pantry and he followed he decided to squat down and pee in the bags on the floor he’s never done this before he always uses his litter box also around 5 I have to wake up and give him attention because if I sleep for to long he rips up the blinds and dumps his water and litter box all over the floor
Hi Faith, perhaps you can try to play with him more – he may be missing your attention and have some pent up energy. If you have further issues, please contact your vet.
I have 2 kitten one is 51/2 months and plays really rough as she grew up with a dog.. the other is only 2 1/2 months. They love to play so each other but the youngest one growls and yowls like she’s in pain, I separate them and she runs right back to the bigger one. Do kittens make this noise when they play or could something be wrong?
Like I said she keeps going back for more but then makes these noise…
Hi Brooke, it is likely just play but we’d suggest keeping a close eye and watching to make sure it doesn’t escalate.
We recently got a new kitten. We’ve had our other cat for about three years. Ever since the two met our cat has been weird. I know it’s territorial but it’s other things thag seem to be weird that make me wonder if she’s hurt or if she’s just being fussy. Here are some changes lately…1. She thinks the kitten is everywhere, we will be in a room where the kitten is not and she hisses at thin air 2. If I let her sniff me to assure her I’m not the kitten, then she’ll let me pet the tip of her, but here’s the catch… normally I can pet her chest and belly, but now she won’t let me. I started off by rubbing it become her eyes had made her look like she was depressed and she’s been lousy lately and for the last two months doesn’t eat much. I rubbed her chest then went further down to the belly and that’s when she growled and pawed at me. The first time was gentle, but then as I would go back she started to bring her claws out. If I pick her up I try not to hold the stomach, but to ball her legs up to where there’s not nearly as much pressure on her belly. 3. She’s an indoor and outdoor cat, but she is hardly ever inside nowdays, but I’m pretty sure that’s because she know the new kitten is inside. Now, with information provided, should I worry?
We highly advise that you bring her to a veterinarian for an exam and to speak with them about her behavior changes.
I have 18mth cat she was a stray but having kittens so we kept her she had kittens in January and we kept 2. She is now crawling round floor with bottom up and tail high rolling round our feet and making loud noises. Eats and plays well not sure what’s going on?
Hi Karen, does she seem in distress or is she being playful and goofy? If she seems in distress, please contact your vet. Thanks!
My 6-7 yo female cat has stress colitis and PTSD (vet diagnosed) When she is in a carrier even for a VERY few minutes she starts panicking,panting extremely hard,crying out,pees and poops on her self. When she gets out of the carrier I HAVE to bath at least her bottom half. Vet approved sedatives are another issue. She seems to know when she is “feeling funny” she hides where I cant easily get to her.(small apt-no tight closing doors) 2 questions.#1 What can I do to help her? #2 Will “cleaning herself” hurt her?
Hi Sherry, we’re sorry your cat is in distress 🙁 I’d recommend talking to your vet who knows your specific cat. They should be able to give you some tips that will work for her. Thank you.
My cat uses her litter box however she continues to go into my daughters bedroom and urinate on her clothes. My daughter spends a lot of time away from home. I really need to find an answer to fix this or I’m afraid I’m going to have to get rid of her I can’t have her ruining my daughters clothes or my hardwood floors
Thanks so much I’m advance
Hi Michelle
We know how upsetting it can be when kitties urinate outside the box. Inappropriate urination is often caused by either illness, such as a urinary tract infection, or by behavior. If you have eliminated illness as an option by having your cat checked out by a veterinarian, and your cat is spayed, you can then consider behavioral issues. Cats don’t like change, so it is possible that the kitty is doing this out of frustration from your daughter leaving so often. I would recommend that your daughter try to not leave her clothes in a place where the kitty can get to them, use a good cleaning spray like Nature’s Miracle or diluted bleach to clean the old spots thoroughly, and close to door when she’s not home to keep the kitty out of her room. If that doesn’t help, there are many YouTube videos and lots of cat behavior experts on the subject who may be able to help with more suggestions.
Hello everyone! So my question is this, my son gave me his cat who had just gave birth to eight kittens ? lol and since I’m at home we thought it would be best I look after them…we put her & her babies in our guest room with plenty of food, water & litter box and left her alone for the first few days so she could get use to her new surroundings, after a few days (we did check in on her daily but from a far so not to get her too bothered after such a big move etc) since then we go in regularly to clean her litter box and give fresh water and both wet & dry foods and every time she comes from under the bed where she moved them from her original nesting box she hisses then growls then begins to sniff the air repeatedly and strongly then she will eat a little and let us pet her slightly all while hissing & growling, what can I do to help her feel comfortable and begin to trust us as this breaks my heart thinking she is still scared and nervous of us…I only want her to be happy and feel safe with us so please help!! Lol thanks to anyone who responds! ?
Hi Angela and Bruce. Thank you for taking care of this mama and her kittens. There is a lot going on here! Please email us at info@karmacatzendog.org and we will try to help you with some tips and information.
Hi, so I was wondering if I could get some advice on how I can get my female cat from peeing everywhere in my room (and she does go in the litter box as well). For some context I basically was forced to live with two female cats in my room and have to take care of them, they can’t go out of my room because we have a pyrenees retriever mix dog that roams my house in the morning and I have school as well. They do go out of my room at night. I clean their litterbox daily (twice a day) and it still doesn’t do anything. Please help me.
Are your kitties spayed? If this is a new behavior it could be a urinary tract infection. We recommend a visit to the vet to talk about these issues.
I’ve just u think adopted a young female cat, but not really sure why, she’s been visiting for a year, now, & it’s the first night she’s been here for the longest, she’s usually gone at around 5.30pm
And always returns in the morning at roughly, 7 to 7.30am.
Has her brekky & is back & forth all day, but she seems quite relaxed so far & just won’t leave, no problem,?
My question I was asking, why is it everytime I pass by her, she strikes out at my legs, not nastily, & never with her claws just smacks me gently but firmly,?
Everyday atleast twice a day?
I love it really, because I think it’s playfull?
But I’m not certain, she’s got quite a prominent scar, where I think she’s been spayed,? I can never smooth her as yet, but she’s very content in mine & my partners company, so far, I’ve been trying to find who’s cat she is originally, but have had no luck as yet, but she’s so pretty & such a fab! Character, I’m very fond & grateful she’s chosen my house & company, even if she does decide to move on again in her future?
Knowing not Anything about cats, I honestly thought she was male??!!
Poor little sweetheart!!??? ××
So hence her more of I’d guees ” male gender name”
FELIX?? Has stuck cause she’s the spit of FELIX, ” On the advert, is what my partener suggested??
Hey, she loves it,,!
I’d love her to stay in the warm cosy home I’ve offered her,? And will be deeply upset if she does move on,?
But I’m truley loving little FELIX for the hopefully future ××
so i noticed my other (more adult ) cat was stepping on my tiny cats throat trying to choke her but i also noticed she had peed as she was being choked what does that mean?
Hi Rosie – Without seeing what happened it’s difficult to say, but it sounds like she may have peed because she was scared. If she’s being bullied by the older cat you may want to speak with your vet about possible solutions.
Hi my cat is 7 years old he has taken to hiding sleeping all day hiding in his dirt box not liking being touched looks scared all the time big round eyes. I have taken him to the vets twice can find nothing wrong. He was usually such a friendly cat ?
Hi Wendy – oh dear, it might be helpful to think about when he started doing this and workout out what might have changed. Hiding in the litter box and those big eyes sound as if he doesn’t feel safe. Are there other cats outside your home he might be hearing?
We got an 8 week old kitten, friendly as heck. He is now 10 months. Lately he has been going in his travel cage and tries to lock the door behind him. He plays (friendly but) rough with our female Australian Cattle Dog .
My 17 or 18 year old male (neutered) cat suddenly started circling my bed at night, making a loud, odd meowing sound and doesn’t seem to recognize me when I try to calm him. It doesn’t last too long, once I’m out of bed using toys to distract him. I’m worried maybe he is sick and will take him to the vet, but it’s difficult to find a knowledgeable vet right now. I saw your site and thought I’d ask. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer
We love senior cats! Yes, we definitely recommend a vet visit, and while we aren’t veterinarians, we can definitely relate to this experience. Just like we humans, as cats get older they can experience memory loss and dementia. This ASPCA article talks about it a bit, and says that cats over 16 years have an 80% chance of being affected. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/older-cats-behavior-problems
We send our love to your little guy – he’s lucky to have you to remind him he’s loved!
Our cat Bijou (French for jewel) loves to play with plastic springs from Chewy. Lately, I have been finding some of the springs in or on top of my shoes. This is done after I have gone to bed. Do you have any idea what is going on in her kitty brain? Thank you.
Hi Karren! We’ve seen this behavior before as well – some of our kitties often leave beloved toys in their food bowls for us to find in the morning! While it’s of course up for debate since our kitties still aren’t spilling the beans on why they do this, some people believe that this reflects feline behaviors in the wild, where larger cats are known to bring toys/prey back to what they consider to be a ‘safe’ place. Sounds like your shoes are safe!
My cat will be really lovey and keep rubbing her back on the ground then will lay down and wiggle her butt at night then the next morning will pee on our bed. Any ideas?
Oh my, this sounds like very strange behavior. Has your cat been spayed?
Outdoor female cat that has had at least 3 litters ,currently has a litter that is just about totally weened off of her . 3 nights in a row now I see her at night walking up the hill with something in her mouth and dropping it. Fully expecting it to be some kind of meal for her kittens I sneak over to take a look at it 3 nights in a row now the object that she’s bringing up are just rags?
My 10yr old female cat recently started pooping on my sons bed. I have 2 other cats whom she does not get along with, but I have had them for well over a year. I also have 3 litter boxes that I clean daily. Any ideas on why all of a sudden she has started pooping outside of the litter box?
Hi Lindsey! When a cat unexpected starts going outside the box, they are usually trying to tell you something. It could be that your cat is upset with your son for some reason, or maybe she’s trying to tell the other cats that he belongs to her (by putting her smell on his bed). It’s also possible that this is a medical issue and you should take her to visit your veterinarian. I recommend a vet visit, followed by some searching on YouTube for behavior advice from cat behaviorists like Jackson Galaxy. Best of luck!
Hi. I have a kitten of 7 months. She used to love being petted and used to love to sit on my or curl up against my tummy in bed and fall asleep. Of recent, she does not want to have anything to do with me. She walks away when I try to pet her and when I am in bed, she will sniff at my tummy and start to claw at it and then just walks away. I love her to bits and I feel so unloved and neglected.
Hi so I have a cat who will be off and on peeing on clothes, rugs, and furniture; basically anything soft. Her behavior is that she would sniff, knead while doing a meow/gowl, and then pee right near where she knead and sniffed. She has done that since she was a kitten and I don’t know how to stop it. Its also not every day or month, its like she gets into these fits of this behavior for a while and then she is fine for months on in. I am at the point where if she continues I will have to rehome her to a shelter or farm. I just don’t want to abandon her to another place, b/ut the smell is bad and everything is getting ruined. Has anyone else seen this type of behavior
Hello! There can be many reasons for inappropriate urination. First thing to check is to make sure she has been spayed. If not, please get this done immediately. Second is to have a vet visit to ensure that there isn’t a medical issue.
Best of luck!
My male kitten (3 months old) is nursing on my other male cat (11 months old) penis. I.was shocked when I found them and don’t know what to do. Is this normal?? Help
Hi Kathryn, this is definitely a behavior we’ve seen before. There’s a pretty good video on cat suckling by Jackson Galaxy on Youtube, we recommend you watch it!
My cat jumps up on the toilet after I’m done and scratches at the seat like he is trying to cover my scent for me. Is this normal?
Hi Miranda! We’ve never heard of this specific thing before, but it sounds like it’s normal for your cat!
My car is getting older. He is 13. For several years now, if we have any type of rug or towel on the floor in the bathroom, he will pee on it. I can’t ever put a mat in the bathroom cause it just gets ruined. I can’t find any research about why he does this. Even if my son leaves a pile of clothes on the bathroom floor, It gets peed on. Any suggestions?
Hi Jennifer,
Please take your cat to a veterinarian to be examined – he may have a urinary infection. If you’ve already done that and he was cleared, you may want to evaluate his litter box situation. Maybe access to the box isn’t as easy for him now that he’s older.
I have a kitten of 17 weeks and my roommate says after a bit of time has passed once I’ve left (hour or so) he’ll meow in a whiny/louder way that he never does when I am home. I want to curb that behavior before he gets to be an adult, is this just a kitten thing? It really does seem minimal but I don’t want it to cause issues for my roommate, neighbors, or anyone else! Is there something I can do?
Im not sure if he forgets I am gone, remembers, calls for me and then after 5min gives up. He’s supposedly only done this a few times
Hi Jessica
We always recommend kittens are adopted in pairs, and this offers a good example of why. They are social animals and babies have tons of energy and attention needs that humans can’t always provide. We recommend getting a kitty friend so they aren’t so sad while you’re away!
I have a quick question my cat has been missing for about 8 days already and I have had problems with my neighbor with my cat but my cat went recently missing 8 days ago so now the mother cat of that cat I caught him this morning at the next door neighbors in front of their door facing their door sitting down like if it was waiting for something what could that mean?
We’re sorry to hear about your kitty missing Estella – did you try to set out traps for your kitty? If you need to borrow one, please contact us by email info@karmacatzendog.org
what does a swaying tail mean? Many Thanks, Claudia
This may be due to the cat being focused on something, like a toy or food!
My 6 month old kitten, in her first heat cycle- just urinated on my couch- what can be done so this is not a permanent behavior? She has always used her litter box up until now-
Hi Tracy
We would start with a vet check. Urinating outside the box often indicates a medical issue like a urinary tract infection. Second suggestion is to get her spayed.
I have a problem with my two year old cat Mickey. He is so good except for one thing. He insist on licking my asprecream on my knee on my neck hands . It’s the only thing that helps my pain. I have been pushing him away hiding my neck under the covers It’s a real battle any suggestions Thanks