My favorite television show when I was a child was Kids Say the Darndest Things with host Art Linkletter. He made his young guests feel at ease, and they responded to his questions with comments that surprised and amused viewers. At the time, I wished there was a show like that featuring cats and dogs.
After all, many strange and fun antics occurred in my childhood home thanks to our two dogs and one very amusing cat. If Crackers and Peppy weren’t wowing our neighbors with their howling duets, our cat, Corky, was raising eyebrows with his habit of swimming in our backyard lake. And it wasn’t just our house. One neighbor had an overweight Boston terrier who snorted instead of barking, and there was a cat with a knack for popping up inside a different garage each morning.
Face the feline facts. Cats do the darndest things, but they do not provide explanations. They might be puzzling and mystifying but they are never boring. In this section, I help you think more like a cat so that you can better understand and appreciate the need to knead, the attraction to water faucets, the zest for catnip, and more.
Q My cat, Peanut, an eight-year-old domestic long-hair, has what seem like major arguments with her tail. She growls and hisses at it, sometimes bites it, and occasionally runs in circles after it. She also has been grooming herself to the point that she has bald spots on her coat. If I intervene and pick her up, she gets agitated, wiggles out of my arms, and flees to another room. Do you have any ideas as to what may be causing this? What can I do to stop Peanuts from bothering her tail and pulling out hair?
A Tail chasing may result from physical problems causing pain or discomfort in the tail area or it, more rarely, can be a behavioral problem (and yes, a weird one at that). In either case, this is a problem that requires professional intervention. Book an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out any possible injury to the tail, infection in the anal sac area, spinal cord problem, or neurological disease before regarding this as a behavior problem.
From your description, Peanuts may be suffering from feline hyperesthesia. According to Alice Moon-Fanelli, a certified-applied animal behaviorist, this complicated condition includes some compulsive and neurological behaviors. Typically, a cat with this condition will display dilated pupils, excessive skin rippling, and frenetic self-directed grooming that results in hair loss. The cat often targets the tail and flank area with this over-the-top grooming. Some cats become vocal and aggressive and may appear to hallucinate by acting afraid of their tail, sporting an excited, manic look, and fleeing the room. These cats are extremely sensitive to touch when they are experiencing these symptoms and may lash out at people trying to restrain them.
For unknown reasons, feline hyperesthesia episodes tend to occur more often in the early morning or in the evening. Aggressive behavior may appear spontaneously and for no seemingly apparent reason. Following an episode, the poor cat will appear confused.
Initially, some owners regard such behaviors displayed by their cats as cute or eye-catching. But when the problem starts to occur more frequently and for longer duration, it becomes a cause for real concern. Work with your veterinarian or behaviorist to pinpoint the situation that may have triggered Peanut’s tail chasing.
Q I have had Smokey, a two-year-old cat, since he was seven weeks old. He is very affectionate, but sometimes he insists on climbing up on me and licking my earlobes. He will even wrap his paws around my neck to get a better grip and then use his rough tongue on my earlobes — it hurts! I like cuddling with him, but I have to push him off me to make him quit. Why does he do this and what can I do to make him stop?
A Seven weeks is very young to be separated from the mother cat, so it might be that Smokey’s behavior stems from being weaned too early. Whatever the reason, Smokey is grooming you. Keep in mind that mutual grooming is a normal behavior among feline friends. It doesn’t matter if it is cat to cat, cat to dog, or in your case, cat to favorite person. Smokey adores you to the point of performing this obnoxious action. This earlobe fetish may also provide Smokey with a calming outlet.
You did not mention how long Smokey has gotten away with licking your earlobes. A lot of undesirable feline habits start in kittenhood. And a lot of those habits are unintentionally reinforced by cat lovers who give their young felines the green light to continue by petting them. In Smokey’s mind, if you liked it when he did it as a kitten, why are you suddenly not such a big fan of feline grooming now that he has reached a hefty adult weight?
To stop his ear-fetish antics, stand up and walk out of the room as soon as he climbs up on you, wraps his paws around your neck, and makes the move to lick your lobes. Don’t yell at him or toss him roughly away; just put him on the floor and leave. By walking away, you are taking away attention, something Smokey obviously seeks from you.
Now comes part two of the plan. Wait a few minutes and then return. Perform an activity that you both enjoy, like chasing a feather wand, teaching him a trick, or fetching a paper wad. Important: don’t just walk away, but give Smokey an appropriate alternative to interact with you. After all, you don’t want to weaken that wonderful bond between the two of you. If Smokey persists, you need a last-resort tactic. Make a noise he doesn’t like such as clapping your hands loudly or making a hissing sound. The idea is to disrupt Smokey’s behavior but not harm or frighten him.
Q My Siamese cat, Sake, is very dog-like in many ways. He fetches toys, he walks on a leash, and he comes when called. As wonderful as he is, he has one habit I would love to break. He chews and sucks on items made of wool. I find my wool socks saturated with slobber. It’s disgusting. Why is he so obsessed with wool?
A Sake sounds a lot like my first cat, Corky, who was also a Siamese. When I was in junior high, my grandmother gave me a beautiful, charcoal gray sweater vest. I loved it and wore it a lot. That is, until the day I came home and found Corky on my bed sucking on my vest. I picked it up and there was a giant hole in the middle. I yelled at Corky and he fled from the room.
Little did I know then that wool sucking is not unusual among certain breeds, especially Siamese and Siamese crosses. In fact, veterinary researchers have discovered a strong genetic predisposition for this odd fetish. Experts report that Siamese cats represent about 50 percent of the wool-sucking feline population, though the reasons for this remain unclear. Most cats stop this behavior by the time they are two years old.
As for the behavior itself, it is not well understood. In addition to the genetic predisposition of some cats, one theory suggests that kittens removed from their mothers before six weeks of age are attracted to wool materials because they were not completely weaned. They seek out wool blankets and other clothing as a way to compensate for their shortened nursing time.
In the case of a confirmed wool addict, prevention is the best cure. You need to make a conscious effort to keep all wool clothing out of Sake’s sight and away from his mouth. Stash your socks and sweaters in drawers and put other wool clothing in closets with doors completely closed. During the winter months, make sure that Sake cannot reach any wool blankets on your bed.
Next, make the object of his desire less desirable, such as spraying perfume on your wool clothing. As tempting as it may be, do not punish Sake — a mistake I made as a teenager with Corky. Yelling at him will only cause him to be more anxious and to be sneakier in his pursuit of the “forbidden” material.
Ask your veterinarian about Sake’s diet. Some wool-sucking felines fare better when they are fed a high-fiber dry food. Finally, give Sake some “brain teasers,” such as having him hunt for his food by putting kibble in treat balls or scattering it throughout a room. Provide him with plenty of interactive toys in several different rooms. The goal is to increase his activity level and prolong his feeding time to distract him from other pursuits.
Q I feed my 10-month-old kitten, Sunrise, twice a day, but lately I have caught him chewing on the electrical cords in my living room. I discovered his habit when I went to turn on a lamp. I thought the bulb had burned out until I noticed that the cord had been chewed in two. I’ve heard of cats eating weird things like tissue and newspaper, but what’s the attraction to plastic cords? What can I do to stop him? I don’t want him to accidentally electrocute himself or cause a fire.
A While many animals will eat non-food items (a habit called pica) because they develop dietary deficiencies, Sunshine is most likely chomping cords because he is bored. He needs more attention and stimulating activities to fill his day. Make sure he has toys to play with, a perch next to a window to look out of, and plenty of interaction with you.
Consider growing a pot or two of fresh grass for Sunrise to munch on indoors to satisfy his urge to nibble.
You’re right to be concerned about the risk of sparking a fire in your house or having harm come to Sunrise. Fortunately, there are some effective products designed to cat-proof electrical cords. They are also easy to install. These cord covers are available through pet supply stores and catalogs. You can also apply an aversive spray formulated for pets to these cord covers to make them taste nasty.
Q I swear my cat is part raccoon! Chloe insists on putting her paws in her water bowl. Sometimes, she splashes around without taking a drink. She also makes a mess at mealtime by pawing out some of her food from the bowl and scattering it on the kitchen floor. She doesn’t always eat these spilled pieces of food, and I’m forever cleaning up her messes. Can I change her behavior?
A In spite of their reputation for tolerating only dry land, many cats are actually water lovers. Some, such as Chloe, like to play in standing water, whereas others are fascinated by running water and prefer to drink from a faucet. There are a lot of theories as well as urban legends about this behavior, but no one knows for sure. This attraction to running water may reflect an adaptive behavior from a wild past. Perhaps because running water has fewer contaminants, many wild animals prefer to drink from streams than ponds.
Chloe’s paw splashing could also be attributed to her need to test the water to make sure it is safe. The paw pad represents one of the most sensitive areas on a cat’s body. Chloe is scooping water with her paw to check for possible “dangers” in the water or to test the temperature. Cats’ long distance eyesight is superb and they see anything moving easily, but their close-up vision is somewhat weak. They rely on their noses to sample food and paws to test water. And she may be partaking in a little fun and enjoying seeing the mini-ripples her paw creates in the bowl.
Please make sure that you provide Chloe with fresh water every day, even if she makes a mess. Offer her more than one bowl in your home. If you don’t mind her perching on a bathroom sink, leave one with a few inches of water for her to play in during the day. You might consider an inexpensive automatic water dispenser that trickles water continuously. Many cats find these irresistible. These are readily available at pet supply stores and through catalogs.
Another idea is to take a one-gallon plastic jug and cut a hole about two inches from the bottom. Make the hole just a bit bigger than Chloe’s head (don’t forget to allow for her whiskers!) so that she can reach in for a drink but can’t splash too much water on the floor. If she pushes the jug around, you can attach it to a wall.
As for Chloe’s messy eating habit, first rule out any possible dental problems. Some cats with bad teeth or inflamed gums have difficulty chewing and swallowing kibble. Make sure Chloe’s teeth and gums are healthy. If she checks out okay, then let me offer some suggestions.
Your cat might be bored with the same old chow every day. You can warm up dry food to bring out a more beckoning aroma, or you can make chowtime a bit of an adventure. Like you, I had a cat who seemed to take great delight in flinging her food around. I placed kibble in small piles in the kitchen and dining room for Sam to stalk, find, and consume. She had fun conquering her kibble and seemed quite satisfied with the arrangement. Try this with Chloe and praise her as she finds and eats her “prey.” She may be more apt to get into the “hunt” of the food and less apt to toss the food around. A treat ball with holes might solve the problem too.
To contain the mess, forget placemats. They are simply too small. Opt instead for a large plastic drain board with a rim to prevent food from spreading across the floor. Or supersize your protective area with a plastic tablecloth that you can place on the kitchen floor during mealtime. The tablecloth can be easily taken outside to shake out excess crumbs and cleaned with a sponge. Then just fold it and tuck it in the pantry or closet until the next meal.
Finally, pay attention to what you serve the meals in. Some cats have definite preferences. Some like ceramic or steel better than plastic, which can impart an off odor or taste. Some like bowls with wide enough openings so that their whiskers don’t touch the sides when they eat. Try serving Chloe’s food in a wide-mouthed ceramic bowl if you are now using a plastic one. It may turn her into a neater eater.
Q I call my home “the house of drool.” Not only do I have Jimbo the bulldog, but I also have a cat who starts to drool when I pet him a lot. Bogart is a tabby I adopted a year ago from a local animal shelter, where he showed up as a stray looking for food. We think he is about three years old. He drools so much that I have to keep a washcloth within reach so I can wipe his mouth when he sits on my lap and purrs. Why does he drool?
A We know cats purr when they are content, but some felines also drool when they become relaxed and happy. Why they drool remains one of those feline mysteries in life. Just like Pavlov’s famous dogs who drooled when they heard the dinner bell, Bogart has become conditioned to drool when he receives a certain type of affection. In your case, that is when he is on your lap and enjoying wonderful, loving petting from you. Count yourself fortunate that Bogart views you as a trusted ally, someone who lets him be his complete contented self — dripping drool and all.
Being stimulated on certain areas of the body may trigger his salivary response. Most likely, he drools when you massage his head, chin, and neck areas. Experiment by just petting those areas the next time he jumps on your lap. See if he starts to drool and for how long. Next time, restrict your petting to his back. Talk sweet to him. You may discover that he drools less when a less sensitive area is petted. You are smart to keep the washcloth handy to wipe his chin to keep the drool from dripping on your lap or your recliner — this is a hard behavior to correct. In some instances, however, drooling is due to a medical condition, so mention it to your veterinarian.
Q When I come home in the evening, I always have to shoo Salt and Pepper, my pair of Persians, off my kitchen counters. I hate the thought of their litter-coated paws walking on counters where I do my food preparation. It’s embarrassing when guests witness my cats jumping on the counters. They are great cats in so many other ways, but how can I break them of this disgusting habit?
A Salt and Pepper do belong in the kitchen, but in your spice rack and not on the counters. Feline counter surfing is an annoyance for many cat owners. I agree that it is unappetizing to think of dirty paws trespassing on eating surfaces. In addition, it can be quite dangerous. A curious cat can leap up on a hot stove or land on a sharp knife on a cutting board.
To keep your nimble felines off these places, you need to understand why they jump up there in the first place. Put yourself in your cat’s mindset. The counter is high. Cats love to survey the scene from a safe and elevated perch. And kitchen counters offer an added bonus: they smell good. Even after a good scrubbing, counters still smell like broiled chicken, tuna casserole, or grilled steaks to cruising cats who hope to find some bits of leftover food not captured by your cleanup sponge.
Counter surfing can be rechanneled to safer vertical places in your home. To do this, you must first make the dining room table and kitchen counters far less appealing. This requires that you “redecorate” these places temporarily to make them less attractive to your feline duo.
Start by placing double-sided tape on the edge of your counters and dining room table. Cats detest the feel of sticky tape on their paws. A good way to do this without having to pull up the tape when you want to cook or eat is to put double-sided tape on placemats and position them all over your counters.
In the middle of the counter, position a couple of cookie sheets (the kind with sides) filled with water. A cat who bypasses the sticky tape will land with a splash and scoot off. The tape and shallow pans cannot be seen from floor level, which adds a surprise element. A third tactic is to use cleaners on your counters that contain citrus, an aroma cats hate.
You can also go high tech, but bring out your checkbook. There are several motion detectors on the market designed to dissuade cats from leaping on counters. When the cat jumps on a counter, an alarm sounds and quick spurts of harmless air are released. That would be enough to startle me from trying to trespass where I didn’t belong!
It is equally important to offer a suitable place or two for your cats to dwell from on high. If they find a spot in a bookcase or even a mantelpiece that is acceptable to you, keep it clear for them. I recommend placing a sturdy cat tree or climbing tree in a high-traffic area of your house, such as the corner of the living room, where the cats can check out all the household activities from a lofty perch. Or place one of these trees next to a window for your cats to check out what’s happening in your neighborhood. Entice your cats to use these trees by sprinkling some catnip and leave treats for them to discover when you are gone. Reward them with special treats when you find them on these trees.
Q My cat is extremely fearful and seems to panic at the least change in routine. I’ve read that certain music can help calm cats. Is that true? If so, what type of music works best?
A If you’re searching for a way to calm your feline, the answer may be harp therapy. It is well documented that music therapy can provide a welcome distraction or pleasure for people, especially those hospitalized with cancer or coping with terminal diseases. Music can minimize pain, decrease anxiety, and serve as a powerful distraction for patients. The same seems to hold true for our pets.
Sue Raimond, a concert violinist and composer, is considered the pioneer of harp enrichment and therapy for pets. An expert in the field of cytocymatics and vibroacoustics, she serves as an adjunct lecturer specializing in pain management at the University of California at San Diego. She has tested the effects of harp music on wolves, dogs, cats, goats, sheep, donkeys, and gorillas and authored several studies on her research.
Her harp therapy is drawing the interest of leading veterinarians and animal behaviorists who see music as a complementary tool in modifying undesirable behavior that might be caused by stress in family pets. Veterinary schools such as Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and UC-Davis in California, recommend her CDs for pets with separation anxiety.
Dr. Patrick Melese, a veterinarian and certified applied animal behaviorist in San Diego, recommends playing harp music for overly anxious pets, saying that the music does indeed help some anxious cats and dogs to calm down, relax, and eventually go to sleep. Other experts agree and add that classical music seems to tame the beast inside your tabby. Possible benefits include lower heart rates and blood pressure levels, slower breathing, elevated endorphin levels, and decreased stress hormones. It is thought that listening to music decreases stress and anxiety in animals awaiting surgery and helps speed recovery time.
So, how does harp therapy work? Raimond says that a plucked string sends overtones — some inaudible to the human ear — like a dog whistle. The sound produces harmonic overtones that seem to work at a cellular level in lowering blood pressure and reducing stress levels, though scientific research is needed to validate this. If you think this all sounds a bit New Age-y, you’re not far off-key. But this work is worth considering as researchers study the healing power of music in human health.
Whenever Raimond needs to transport her cats to the veterinary clinic, she pops a CD containing the harp music into her car’s stereo as she makes the 20-minute drive. She says that all three cats yowl if the music is not on but remain calm when she plays the music. She says for the music to work, a cat must hear it for at least three minutes. Generally at that point, Raimond says most cats will start to settle down. Within 10 to 20 minutes, most cats lie down in a resting state with some even sleeping soundly. Now that sounds like sweet music to everyone’s ears.
Q Whenever I take a bubble bath, my cat scoots into the bathroom as soon as she hears the water flowing. She perches on the side of the tub while I bathe. Once she slipped and fell in! Even getting covered in bubbles didn’t deter her and she was back the next night. What’s the big deal about bathtime?
A As explained in Making a Splash on page 126, many cats are fascinated by running water, whether the source is a bathtub, sink, or shower faucet. Some cats will even sit on the edge of the tub while the shower is running. But a bubble bath has a special allure. Think about it — when you are in the tub, you are usually relaxed, quiet, and not moving much, traits that appeal to the average feline. And the bubbles provide a fascinating texture at which to bat.
I say enjoy these quiet moments with your cat. There is no harm in her hanging out with you, and your feline friend won’t gossip to others as to what you look like in your “birthday suit.” I encourage you to call for your cat before you turn on the faucet. This way, you can reinforce the come command in a welcoming setting. Then let those bubbles flow and enjoy your kitty’s company as you soak.
Q Every year when we put up our Christmas tree, our cat, Leo, decides to test his climbing skills. I find ornaments — some broken — on the living room floor each morning. Once he actually leaped on the tree with such force that he knocked it over. What can I do to stop Leo from bothering our tree during the holidays?
A Christmas often brings out the imp in cats, whose favorite carol must be “wreck the halls with paws of folly.” Many cats are curious about new objects that appear in their territory, especially ones as interesting as a real tree. Leo probably loves that fresh pine scent as much as you do. He thinks of it as a wonderful early holiday gift — the smell of the great outdoors.
Another major temptation is all those glimmering ornaments and shimmering tinsel. Many cats like shiny objects. Leo has discovered that a slight bat of the paw makes these objects move and another bat turns them into fun toys that skitter across the floor.
A third attraction can be what’s under the tree. If catnip toys and gifts of food are wrapped and placed under the tree a few days before Santa’s scheduled arrival, Leo doesn’t know to wait until December 25. Wait to put those gifts under the tree until you’re ready to open presents with your family.
Following on the next page are some other ways to make your tree less attractive, or at least safer, for Leo.
Put a hook in your ceiling or at the top of the window nearest the tree and use high-strength fishing line to anchor the tree in place. Two hooks are even better!
Position your most-prized ornaments and any breakable ones on the upper branches or consider displaying them somewhere other than the tree, like on a mantelpiece or bookcase. Use nonbreakable ornaments whenever possible on the tree.
Place nonbreakable cat toys on the floor near the tree to distract your curious kitty.
Put orange or grapefruit peels under the tree. Cats dislike the scent of citrus.
Consider keeping Leo in a different room that features plenty of feline amenities to prevent any holiday mischief when you are out of the house or asleep.
Cats love to play with and chew on shiny, rustling tinsel and glitter, but they can become quite ill if they swallow it. Either forego it altogether or hang it only on the highest branches.
Cover your tree stand with a tree skirt or a colorful tablecloth so that your cat can’t sip from the water reservoir. The water could make him sick.
Q We live in an old house we inherited from my grandmother. We love our antique furniture and the wonderful curtains adorning the big picture window in our living room. But my cat, Reggie, insists on climbing the curtains. When I yell at him to get off, he does, but I can’t watch him all the time. Unfortunately, the curtains are showing some claw marks. What can we do to save our curtains?
A Cats are born climbers with a need to be in high places. Your beloved antique curtains are a feline version of those rock-climbing walls that attract weekend athletes.
Here are some options for consideration. You can booby-trap the curtains by balancing a few aluminum soda cans on the curtain rods. Tape a few coins into each one to increase the shock value. The sound of these cans crashing to the floor should startle your curtain climber and convince him that they are too scary for further adventures.
Or, you can temporarily hang a curtain or light blanket on the rods. When Reggie tries to scale the curtains, he won’t be able to grip and climb. The curtain or blanket will fall to the ground, discouraging your explorer. Or try temporarily folding the curtains in half over the rods. You can also spray a citrus scent or other aversive odor at the bottom third of the curtains as a deterrent.
These temporary tactics are designed to communicate to Reggie that the curtains are anything but appealing or safe. Once this happens, you can restore your desired decorative look.
Clearly, Reggie needs a suitable outlet to show off his climbing talents. In addition to discouraging him from climbing the curtains, provide him with a carpeted cat tree. If you have floor to ceiling posts, consider wrapping one in sisal rope. Then applaud as Reggie performs amazing feline gymnastic maneuvers. If you have the room, you might lean a large branch or log in one corner for him to clamber on. You could also hang a rope hammock with one end attached high on a wall and the other end to the floor. If it’s the view that is attracting him, try a window platform for him to perch on.
As a last resort, you may wish to replace those curtains with window blinds. In cat households, vertical blinds are a better choice than horizontal ones. They are far more difficult to climb, even for the most agile of felines.
Q It’s a good thing that toilet paper and tissues are inexpensive. Our Abyssinian cat, Abigail, seems to get a big kick out of rolling all the paper off the toilet roll and stealing tissues from the box and shredding them into tiny pieces. We try to remember to close the bathroom door when we leave, but Abigail seizes any opportunities to destroy our paper products. Any explanations and suggestions?
A Abyssinians embody the word active. They hate being bored and will make their own fun if they need to. Clearly, Abigail needs more playtime and more stimulating games to focus her attention and energy on. Let me offer you a few remedies to help when you forget to close the bathroom door:
Turn the tissue boxes upside down when not in use, making it much harder for Abigail to snatch a tissue and start shredding.
Install a toilet roll dispenser that covers the top of the toilet roll and prevents paws from grabbing the end of the sheet and unraveling the roll.
Cover a tissue with an aversive spray and place it on top of the tissue box or toilet paper roll to discourage your playful friend.
Booby-trap the roll by perching a small cup of water on it. Try a half-cup measuring cup. Getting doused by water will discourage even the most determined paper-shredding cat.
THE OWNER OF A 16-WEEK-OLD KITTEN came into my clinic feeling totally dumbfounded. Her once sweet, playful kitten was either staring off into space like a zombie, or hissing and growling like he was possessed by the devil. It was clear from the start of my physical exam that something was amiss. For one thing, the black-and-white kitten was significantly underweight.
“He hasn’t grown very much since we got him, even though he seems to eat pretty well,” said the owner. Filbert was mentally dull in the exam room, showing no interest in chasing or following a bell on a string. For a normal kitten, this is unheard of.
A complete blood count, serum chemistry panel, and urinalysis were submitted. Filbert’s blood count showed microcytosis — smaller than normal red blood cells. The chemistry panel revealed elevations in several liver enzymes. These findings were highly suggestive of a congenital liver disorder. One more blood test, called a bile acid test, was necessary to confirm my suspicions. As I suspected, the bile acid test showed that the kitten had a portosystemic shunt (PSS).
A PSS is an anatomical defect in which most of the blood from the intestinal tract bypasses or is shunted around the liver. The liver is unable to detoxify the blood properly, and the toxins go into the general circulation where they cause a variety of clinical signs. Some signs are physical, such as drooling, tremors, stunted growth, dilated pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, and urination. Often cats will show behavioral signs as well, such as lethargy, stupor, staring off into space, or aggression. We call this hepatic encephalopathy, which roughly translates as a mental disorder resulting from a liver disorder.
An abdominal ultrasound revealed an “extrahepatic” shunt, that is, a single blood vessel responsible for diverting the blood from the intestinal tract around the liver, necessitating a complicated surgery.
After his discharge, Filbert’s owners reported that his original spunky, affectionate personality quickly returned. Six weeks later, Filbert was brought to me for neutering, and I witnessed the transformation myself. His curiosity and fidgeting made it impossible to listen to his heart. When I finally could restrain him long enough to put the stethoscope on his chest, it was still impossible to hear his heart because he was purring too loudly!
Filbert’s case is a classic example of how a behavioral condition (hepatic encephalopathy) can be the result of an anatomical disorder (portosystemic shunt).
Contributed by Arnold Plotnick, DVM
Q My cat, Lucy, uses the doggy door to go into our fenced backyard. We have a bird feeder out there, and every once in a while, I discover a dead bird on my pillow. I almost faint at the sight. I want to scold Lucy, but she looks at me with such pride. Lucy is about eight years old, but she is as healthy as a kitten. Why is she doing this?
A Cats have novel ways of showing that they love us and that they are worthy hunters. My Callie once presented me with a huge dead rat — like you, I nearly fainted. Whether these “gifts” are dead birds, rats, or crickets, our cats are displaying their hunting instincts. We may keep their food bowls full, but our domesticated cats are not hunting out of hunger.
Some cats do bring their prey back home with plans to snack later, but most just leave the carcass lying around. Experts in feline behavior speculate that cats may bring us these “gifts” in an effort to train us. Perhaps they have realized what lousy hunters we are. Or maybe they do it because they want our approval. They can’t go out and buy expensive gifts on charge cards, so they hunt and offer us what they view as valued presents.
In any case, you can’t snuff out Lucy’s need to hunt. It’s hardwired in her brain. (See Predator or Prey, page 12.) Instead, give those prey critters more of a fighting chance by putting a bell on Lucy’s collar. If your cat goes outdoors, you probably shouldn’t put up bird feeders — keep those for indoor cats to enjoy watching from the window. As an alternative, offer Lucy some fake prey to stalk and chase in your home, such as battery-operated toy mice that move erratically. Happy hunting!
Q I always thought cats were fastidious and well groomed, but my cat is a dirt magnet. She loves to roll in the dirt outside. She digs in my herb garden and happily sports dirty paws and belly. Her beautiful black coat becomes all messy and dusty. Why does she do this?
A In general cats do pride themselves on sporting well-coiffed coats, and they spend hours each day grooming. However, your cat is on a mission motivated by scent and texture. Although it is common for dogs to roll in smelly things like dead fish and duck droppings, most cats don’t seek out stinky spots, choosing instead to wriggle in dirt or on pavement. They do this for many reasons.
The main one is to loosen and remove dead hair to assist in their daily grooming sessions. The dirt and dust that sift down to the skin discourage fleas and other pests. Cats may also roll in dirt and garden soil to get rid of unwanted smells such as your Aunt Kate’s potent perfume or Cousin Jim’s smelly cigar. Plus a good roll on a scratchy surface just feels good, like a mini-massage!
My cat Callie used to roll whenever I took her outside, but now I help her stay clean by brushing her regularly so that her mostly white coat doesn’t get dusty. She enjoys the attention and the brush feels just as good as rolling on my brick walkway.
Many cats will roll over on the ground when they see a friendly human approaching. It seems to be a way of saying, “I trust you enough to show you my belly; maybe you’ll come over and scratch my ears since I’m so cute!” Of course, often when you approach, your cat will leap up and dash away, so who knows what she is really thinking?
You mention your herb garden. Your cat’s nose is leading her to this scent-sensational spot where she can enjoy the feel of the dirt on the pads of her feet and the welcoming aroma of your garden goodies. Rolling in the dirt just adds to the pleasure of being outdoors.
Q I hope you can settle a family bet. I say that all cats react to the smell of catnip, but my husband insists that they don’t. Our cat, Gigi, comes running when I sprinkle fresh catnip on her cat tree. She races up the tree and starts rolling in the catnip and eating it. She loves it. But my husband had a cat who totally ignored catnip. When it comes to catnip, what’s the deal with cats?
A I hope you didn’t bet money with your husband, because he wins this friendly bet. Cats of all sizes, from domesticated tabbies to mountain lions, have been known to roll over, rub their faces, and twist their bodies in patches of this aromatic herb. Researchers report that up to 70 percent of cats exposed to catnip display some type of reaction and that the level of response appears to be influenced by genetics. Kittens don’t appreciate catnip until they are at least six weeks old and about 30 percent of adult cats show no reaction at all. Different cats, even from the same litter, can display different responses to catnip, ranging from no reaction to total bliss to irritability.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a member of the mint family. The oil from catnip leaves contains a chemical called nepetalactone, the odor of which closely resembles a substance present in a female cat’s urine. Researchers do not know how the stimulus works, but the nepetalactone must be inhaled to reach the vomeronasal smell receptors and trigger a reaction. Most cats will rub their chins and cheeks or roll their entire bodies in catnip, while some cats also lick and chew it. The effects last, on average, from five to fifteen minutes.
A pinch or two of fresh or dried catnip is enough to bring out the wild antics in your cat. It is interesting to note that this psychosexual response cannot be triggered again for at least another hour after being exposed to catnip. For some reason, cats need some time between servings of catnip to reset their senses. Offer your cats some catnip about 20 minutes before bedtime. The herb should stimulate them to do enough exercise to become tired enough to sleep through the night.
I recommend that you treat your cat to toys filled with organic catnip, the highest quality of this feline-favorite herb. Store loose catnip in an airtight, dry container out of direct sunlight. Do not keep catnip in the refrigerator because the cold and damp will weaken the herb’s potency.
You might try making a cup of fresh steeped catnip tea for yourself. For humans, catnip works as a sedative, not a stimulant, making it a perfect choice to help us fall into dreamland.
Q I work from home and love having my cat, Spam, in the home office with me. He usually sleeps on a cat bed on the corner of my desk. I spend a lot of time at the computer and sometimes Spam insists on walking on my keyboard or standing between me and the computer monitor. It’s annoying to have to keep moving him. I also worry that he might step on the wrong key and I will lose data on my computer. I don’t want to shut him out of the office. Any suggestions?
A Computers and cats don’t mix. A cat walking and sitting on the keyboard, perching on the monitor, and rubbing against computer towers can shut down applications, delete files, type gibberish into word documents, or cause hard drives to crash. I too enjoy having my cats nearby while I work at the computer. One of my cats frequently positioned herself between my computer monitor and me until I realized that she was broadcasting a need for my attention. So, I put a cat bed on a spare office chair and rolled it next to my chair. Contented, she no longer tries to tap dance on my keyboard while I’m tapping on the keys.
Keeping cats off keyboards is trickier than keeping them off counters. Spam already has his own spot of real estate on your desk, so your job is to teach him that he is not allowed in your work area. You cannot risk squirting him with water because you don’t want to damage your expensive equipment. When he climbs on your keyboard, pick him up and put him on the floor. You might have to do this repeatedly at first, but he should eventually figure out that the computer is off-limits.
Play a different game of cat and mouse by tossing a toy mouse across the room as a diversion from your keyboard. You can also engage your cat in some fun play for 10 to 15 minutes before you start work on the computer so he will be more likely to catnap. Also, make sure he has eaten before you settle down to your tasks, so he isn’t pestering you for a snack. Sometimes just picking up your cat and cuddling him for a few minutes will satisfy his need for attention and he will wander off to find other amusement.
If you have a cat who plays with your keyboard when you’re not around, install a retracting shelf that you can push under your desk when not in use so it’s not accessible to your curious cat. Or just use a hard plastic keyboard cover when you’re not typing.
You can also fight back with a high-tech tool: Paw-Sense, a software program that protects computers by foiling felines. The program detects the weight of a cat on a keyboard and blocks the random action from entering commands to your programs or operating system. A message appears on the monitor screen that reads “Cat-like typing detected.” To unblock the computer, you type the word “Human.” Purchasers have the option of selecting an annoying sound that is activated when a paw steps on the keyboard, even if you are not in the room.
The simplest solution: keep your home office door shut when you are working on the computer. Make it a no-cats-allowed zone. I know you don’t want this option, but you might try it for a day or two and see if that is enough to discourage your keyboard-loving cat.
Q What is happening with my cat, Mambo? On occasion, he seems to get into a hypnotic state when he sniffs something very intently. He opens his mouth slightly, wrinkles his nose, grimaces, and curls back his lips. It is such a strange-looking pose. It usually happens when he smells some bushes. I’ve never seen him do it in the house. Is this something only cats do? What does it mean?
A Mambo is exhibiting the Flehmen response. That funny face he makes is not limited to cats. Many other mammals, including lions, bats, and horses, strike this pose in response to particular smells. Mambo’s nose is alerting him to possible female cats in heat or male trespassers in the neighborhood. The interesting scent in this case is urine.
The scientific explanation is that as Mambo draws in air, he sends the odor through a specialized sac known as Jacobson’s organ or the vomeronasal organ. This organ is located in the roof of the mouth, where it traps odor molecules and dispatches information to the brain. Flehmen can occur with many scents, but it generally happens when an animal — male or female — smells urine.
Mambo is pinning down pheromones, chemical substances generated by animals that serve as a form of aromatic communication. One deep sniff and Mambo can access all sorts of information about another animal as if that critter left a business card. He can assess the gender, reproductive status, and health of other animals who left marks along your walk. If you want to get the real low-down on neighborhood gossip, ask Mambo — his nose truly knows!
Q All of the cats I’ve had before Jessie were content with sitting next to me or near me. Not Jessie. She insists on climbing into my lap and settling down and purring. She is very quick. Often when I sit down, she comes out of nowhere a few seconds later and leaps into my lap. She can sit anywhere. Why does she want to be in my lap all of the time?
A Cats are like people. They have distinct preferences for where they feel most comfortable. My cat Little Guy is very sweet, but I long ago stopped trying to make him into a lap cat. He is uncomfortable there, so I respect his desire to plop next to me on the sofa.
For felines who love to cuddle, laps offer three benefits. First, laps are elevated. Cats like to roost up off the floor where they can survey the activities around them. Second, laps are warm. Our body heat attracts cats, especially during the colder months. Third, laps are safe. Snuggling with a favorite person, a cat enjoys a sense of security.
Some cats take advantage of their one-on-one moments with you to dig their claws in a rhythmic motion up and down (ouch!) on your legs. (See The Need to Knead, page 30.) Kneading helps them relive those glory kitten days when they nursed on their mothers and felt totally safe and secure. You might enjoy this bonding time more if you trim your cat’s nails or place a folded blanket or towel across your lap to protect your thighs.
Count yourself fortunate you have a lovable lap-seeking feline friend in Jessie. Her presence in your lap can serve to bring you feelings of contentment and relaxation as well.
Q My cat can be snoozing, but if I take a piece of paper or cellophane or foil and form it into a wad, she instantly wakes up and looks like she is ready for a hunt. She loves crinkly sounds and will run after a paper ball if I toss it down the hallway. If I rattle a paper grocery bag, she comes running. She will actually jump inside the bag if I leave it on the floor. What’s the big attraction of crinkly-sounding objects for cats?
A Even though these everyday household items are inanimate, the crinkling sounds they produce mimic the high-pitched chatter of birds, crickets, mice, and rats, thereby triggering a cat’s predatory response. Your cat’s imagination is fully engaged as she pretends these items are the real deal. You are giving her the chance to hone her hunting skills and show off a bit in front of you.
Some cats show the same interest in shiny objects. A few breeds, specifically Manx, Japanese Bobtails, and Munchkins, have a tendency to collect and hoard glittery objects, such as jewelry and silver coins, and stash them in strange places, such as inside a shoe or underneath a recliner.
The tailless Manx is one of the oldest cat breeds, but its history is a mystery. According to a biblically inspired Celtic folktale, the Manx cat was the last of God’s creatures to climb aboard the ark, barely making it before Noah slammed the door shut, cutting off its tail. Upset, the cat fled the ark and swam from Ararat to the Isle of Man, where it found a home.
Another folktale claims that the Irish stole kittens to use their tails as good-luck charms. To save their kittens, wise mother cats bit off the tails of their young, thus producing the tailless cat.
The real reason behind the missing tails? It is likely that the breed developed from cats dropped on the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, by visiting ships. Centuries of inbreeding in an isolated environment resulted in a spontaneous mutation and the disappearance of a tail from this friendly, affectionate breed.
Some Manx cats do have tails, either full or partial length, and although still considered pedigreed, they cannot be shown in championship classes at official shows. Only the completely tailless “rumpy” Manx and the “rumpy riser” Manx with one or two vertebrae can compete, though cats with “stumpy” tails or the rare “longies” with an almost normal length tail are still valuable for breeding or as pets.
Q My cat, JJ, instantly raises his butt and tail high in the air whenever I pet him or scratch his back. It’s obvious that he enjoys the contact. He doesn’t seem to mind that he is “mooning” me with his rear end, but I don’t like it. Why does he do this and can I get him to stop?
A JJ is demonstrating what’s known among feline fans as “elevator butt.” You push the right button by scratching just the right spot, and he can’t help but raise his butt up high. After all, he has been doing it since birth.
Kittens raise their back ends and hoist their tails high for their mothers to inspect and clean. This early stimulation was both functional and pleasurable. Now as an adult, JJ’s so-called mooning is just his way of telling you that you are worthy of scratching a sensitive area that feels good to him.
Stopping JJ’s hardwired behavior would be like trying to keep your eyes open when you sneeze. It’s impossible. Just relax and appreciate his enjoyment of your attention. If he performs this in front of company (and you know he will), let humor be your guide and simply declare that it is “elevator butt” time. If it embarrasses you, don’t scratch his back in front of your guests!
Q One of my morning rituals is sipping a cup of coffee while I read the daily newspaper on my sofa. Since I adopted Gizmo, a very playful Bobtail, I barely get a chance to scan the front-page headlines before he is leaping and landing on my paper. He has surprised me a few times and I’ve ended up spilling coffee everywhere. Why is he doing this?
A Cats can’t read, of course, but they are intensely curious. Gizmo is a member of a lively, playful breed, so he is even more interested in what you are doing and in trying to capture your attention. When he opts to take a closer look, he leaps in — literally.
Try this solution: take a few sheets from sections you don’t read, perhaps the classified ads. Prop them up like a tent on the floor next to you. Tap on the sides to attract Gizmo’s attention. Hide a favorite toy or a small treat under the pages. Encourage him to leap and pounce and dive on his own part of the paper, leaving the front page, the sports section, and the comics for your eyes only.
You can also turn unwanted sections of the newspaper into a magical carpet ride for your cat. Place them at the start of a long uncarpeted hallway and encourage your cat to take a running start, leap on the paper, and slide down the hall. I’ve discovered that the slick ad supplements work far better than the actual news sections of your paper.
Shamu the killer whale may be the main headliner at Sea World, but dozens of talented cats are making a splash of their own at the theme park. The former strays star in a zany show called “Pets Rule,” which also features dogs, birds, and a confident pot-bellied pig. Felines who jump from a 10-foot tower onto the shoulders of a trainer prove that cats can perform with the same skill as dogs and whales.
During the show, cats and dogs rush onto the stage from various entry points — all off leash and all undistracted by the applauding audience. The cats traverse tightropes, run through tunnels, and weave between the legs of a striding trainer. In one scene, three black cats leap into a gigantic milk bottle on stage and three white cats leap out.
Renowned animal trainer Joel Slaven told me there is nothing more gratifying than adopting a shy, untrained cat from a shelter and seeing it transform into a confident and happy performer. Slaven purposely selects cats who were surrendered because of unwanted behaviors such as curtain climbing, countertop prowling, and top-shelf leaping.
Slaven has found that the most trainable cats are those with good attention spans and outgoing personalities and who are highly motivated by food, praise, or grooming sessions. He observes each cat’s natural behaviors and selects tricks based on preferred activities. A cat who likes to climb drapes, for instance, can be trained to climb a rope. A cat who trips you by rubbing against your legs could be directed into weaving in and out of legs on cue.
Slaven identifies patience and a positive attitude as two keys to feline training success. He builds on each small accomplishment and conducts brief training sessions, encouraging the cats with praise and treats.
