Odd Behavior

[Burrl]

(Note: Too many smilies necessary on this one, so I decided to let you figure out where they belong in your reading of this.)

When we got our second cat at age 8 months from the same litter as our first at 8 weeks we had no idea how different she was to her brother, or from any cat we'd ever known. We hadn't an inkling about her affinity to ice.

We weren't forewarned. But later, too late, we were told "Oh yeah, don't leave her alone with an unguarded drink with ice in it!"

Yeah... She goes fishing! And when she gets a cube out (after a splashy mess) she plays with it like a toy, swatting it around the room and chasing it. When it melts down half way she loses interest in it and complains, like "Where can I get an ice cube that doesn't melt?"

She would even go fishing in the sink after someone dumps ice there. No ice was safe!

After months of guarding our iced drinks I got a notion: Why not just give her ice? Won't that possibly change this bad behavioral tendancy?

So I did! I tossed it across the room... She scampered after it, put it in her mouth and returned it just like a retriever would, laying it at my feet. Then she looks up at me with a meow "Do it again please, please!"

This led to many sessions of fetch the ice until it would melt too much or she lost it under furniture after batting it around before returning it. The most consecutive ice fetches she has ever done (I've counted them for the record) was 21! It's real good excercise for her since she is an indoor cat.

If that wasn't enough, that ice-greedy little girl would beg at the refrigerator ice dispenser every time we were getting ice for ourselves. Of course she would get her heart's desire every time.

Well, then her fettish went to another level: She fell in love with the refrigerator! OK, maybe not love as we know it, but a major infatuation. She watches the refrigerator after we have an "ice session". She knows that the ice maker will kick in and make an ice-dumping sound, then a refilling the ice cube making chamber sound.

This infatuation didn't stop there. She would come running into the kitchen any time the refrigerator's compressor would start or stop... any noise at all! She would lay in watch and fascination for hours as the refrigerator's compressor whurred. She was certain there was something alive in there.

Once I took the bottom grill off for her to see that there really wasn't something alive in there... didn't work. She still wants to know where that thing is hiding every time I open the fridge door or move it for cleaning. There's no convincing her!

OK, get this! She has taken to trying to reach the ice dispenser for herself! Can you imagine? Getting her own limitless ice cubes?

I've been tempted to put a chair next to it so she could actually perform this odd-ball behavior on film for a submission to one of those "Funniest Videos" shows. But I let my senses rule here. It would be like opening pandora's box! Thoughts of stepping barefoot into a lake of melted ice cubes around the refrigerator in the morning dissuade me.

And still -- No iced drink is safe in our house!

Tell me folks... Is this weird or do you have cats with similar behavior? Let us hear your odd-ball stories.

------------------

[kbf]

Why does my cat try to bury her food?(she likes the brand) Also why does she drag everything possible into her littler box?

[zippy-kat]

Burrl, your story reminded me so much of my kitty, Max. During his short lifetime, he devoured hundreds of ice cubes. He too would come runnin' when someone was pouring ice and/or water from the fridge. We lost Max this past January due to Kidney failure. He sure left us with some sweet memories.

Your story also brought to mind a habit that our other cat, Tinker, use to do when she was little. She had a habit of tipping over glasses that were half full. Quite a mess to clean up! Luckily, she quickly out grew this.

----
No home is complete without the pitter-patter of kitty feet!

[bettyinbc]

Just love the ice story - what a wonderful little kitty to have in your life! Personality plus...

My Maine Coon, Roxy had her own "little ways of doing things".... Firstly, Roxy was of the opinion that if her humans drank fresh water from a glass at the counter, it was indeed her right and privilege to do the same. So, she trained us to give her fresh water, in her own glass, on the counter! She also trained her big brother August to do the same.

And, what did Roxy do with her water bowl???? Why she would wash all her toys in it!! Seriously, when she was done playing with a particular toy, she would drop it in her water bowl, swoosh it around a little, ad then let it soak. Later we would find an array of soggy little mice, dripping furry balls, crumbled up pieces of soaking wet paper, whatever. Roxy was doing her laundry - again!

She was a pure delight - always making life a more interesting place. I miss her terribly.

[LoveMyPeaches]

The ice story is pretty cute! While my cats do not have odd-ball habits like that, my Daisy (1 year old black cat) loves Wheaties! She knows what is in the orange box. I have tried to trick her by pulling out a different box but there was no response until I pulled "the orange box." She goes nuts. I don't need to shake it - just the site of the orange box makes her crazy. I don't feed my cats human food but somehow she developed this love for Wheaties. Of course she gets the best of me and I share some Wheaties with her. My other cat, Pekoe, has no desire for Wheaties - or any other human food. Daisy has even dump over the trash can because she can see the "orange box" sticking out of the top! I often call her my Wheatie-Sweetie.

[Lolo]

This is so funny! My kitty goes crazy any time we cook dinner. He won't eat people food...but he does meow as loud as he can! The only really strange thing Cosmo does is when he's hungry, he will lead me to his bowl and just sit there. Even if there is food already in there, he won't eat a bite until i shake the food around in the bowl! My mom tells me i spoil him, but he is my baby! :)

[Betty]

I can relate to Lolo's story. My kitty August would often sit at his food bowl and give me "the look" - meaning he wanted me to rub his back while he munched on his goodies. When I did rub his back, he would purr so loudly and sometimes knead while he was eating his dinner. It was pretty funny watching this little guy get so happy - his two favourite pastimes - eating and getting his back rubbed.
I guess that's a good sign of getting pampered.....

[zippy-kat]

Our cats, Clarice and Tinker, HATE to see the bottom of their bowls. We must shake the food around until it covers the up the "hole"...then they will happily munch away! They also refuse to eat the crumbs.

[dallee118]

My two hooligans,Jimi (female 1 yr old) and Barkley (male 6 mos old) also like full drinks but for another reason entirely. They love to steal my drinking straws and carry them around like prizes! We find bright colored straws everywhere. They don't even wait for me to sit down to try and heist their favorite palything. Both of them have been known to jump on the counter as soon as I turn my back to put the soda (or whatever) back in the fridge!! Gotta Love Those Cats! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

[Mouse]

The story about the kitty who loves the Wheaties box reminds me of my fluffy boy, Ludwig.

Ludwig is a Norwegian forest cat, and like many cats of that breed has no problem with close contact with people, as long as he is the initiator.

I didn't realize exactly how un-cat-like he was in this regard, until the day he decided that he really, really liked to eat Tostitos. He realized this a few minutes before I did, and thought he would communicate this to me by standing on the couch next to me, leaning in, and biting at the chip I had in my mouth.

This is now his "trick". I had never before even been able to get a kitty to eat from my hand [they usually want their treats dropped on the floor, for proper sniffing and delicate nibbling]; with Ludwig, however, if I hold one end of a Tostitos chip in my mouth, he will crawl up my chest and take it from me kissee-style.

[bloomer]

I love the "Ice Kitty" story. It sounds like you have hours of entertainment there. It amazes me how they train us for their little habits or bad habits and how something cute can turn into a daily ritual. I have 3 cats, 20lb maine coon cross, and 2 ragdoll crosses, Sophie my "little one" doesn't really like the the big Maine coone, Montana, so she decided that she wants to be fed away from him.. so she jumps on the table, and waits to be fed there.. she even has her own spot, and if something is in her spot.. it's usualy off the table.. she knows feeding time 4:30, and like clock work is sitting there waiting for her dinner.. we thought this was pretty cute at first, but it's pretty embarassing when you have guests for dinner and she's sitting there.. most non cat people just don't understand... I do however disinfect the table after..

[casmeow]

I created a monster! When "Indy"(Indiana Jones)was brought into our home, he was only 8 wks old and had stitches down the front of him.3 babies had been dropped on a woman's porch & she could tell there was something wrong w/Indy.She took him to our vet & paid for his hernia surgery so the vet would find him a good home. When we had our black lab in there, they wanted us to see him. I refused,knowing the outcome,but they persisted - saying we had to see this kitten w/the unusual color(he's kind of a gray sometimes, taupe almost sometimes). ANYWAY - when we brought him home, I set him up in our back bedroom so the others would leave him alone so he could heal. I would always sit with him while he ate - so NOW whenever he wants his"baby kitty crunchies"(even tho he's 8 yrs old now)someone has to stand there while he eats - and he keeps looking back to be sure you haven't left - or he'll leave too!Even tho there's plenty of food in his bowl - he'll cry pitifully non-stop till one of us stays there.I should leave him more often as he's a hefty 15 lbs! So, see what I created? He's got me trained.

[Burrl]

Originally posted by kbf:
Why does my cat try to bury her food?(she likes the brand) Also why does she drag everything possible into her littler box?

KBF ~

Stange indeed!

About burying catfood. Does she bury it in the litter box? That would be contrary to any animal's normal behavior. Perhaps she has had to go without food for extended periods of time before you got her. I that case, many animals instictively bury food to hedge against leaner times.

My kitties have a toybox from which they select toys and often to which they return them. Perhaps if you had a kitty toy box they would play in it instead of the sandbox. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/rolleyes.gif

Thank you!



[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 10, 2000).]

[Burrl]

Originally posted by zippy-kat:
Burrl, your story reminded me so much of my kitty, Max. During his short lifetime, he devoured hundreds of ice cubes. He too would come runnin' when someone was pouring ice and/or water from the fridge. We lost Max this past January due to Kidney failure. He sure left us with some sweet memories.

Your story also brought to mind a habit that our other cat, Tinker, use to do when she was little. She had a habit of tipping over glasses that were half full. Quite a mess to clean up! Luckily, she quickly out grew this.

----
No home is complete without the pitter-patter of kitty feet!

We had a wonderful dog that died of kidney failure. We grieved her loss for years. I relate to your loss. Perhaps Max and my cat were relatives. Mine is Persian. [Her name is Mush-Mushi (Japanese for "Hello", even though neither she nor we are).]

At least Tinker knew to select glasses that were half-full instead of half-empty. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by bettyinbc:
Just love the ice story - what a wonderful little kitty to have in your life! Personality plus...

My Maine Coon, Roxy had her own "little ways of doing things".... Firstly, Roxy was of the opinion that if her humans drank fresh water from a glass at the counter, it was indeed her right and privilege to do the same. So, she trained us to give her fresh water, in her own glass, on the counter! She also trained her big brother August to do the same.

And, what did Roxy do with her water bowl???? Why she would wash all her toys in it!! Seriously, when she was done playing with a particular toy, she would drop it in her water bowl, swoosh it around a little, ad then let it soak. Later we would find an array of soggy little mice, dripping furry balls, crumbled up pieces of soaking wet paper, whatever. Roxy was doing her laundry - again!

She was a pure delight - always making life a more interesting place. I miss her terribly.

Your Roxy story is great! I would miss her too. These are the type of pets that should be bred that have "personality plus". Too bad we are encouraged to neuter animals before we really get a chance to appreciate their favorable traits. But what would you call such a breed?

[Burrl]

Originally posted by LoveMyPeaches:
The ice story is pretty cute! While my cats do not have odd-ball habits like that, my Daisy (1 year old black cat) loves Wheaties! She knows what is in the orange box. I have tried to trick her by pulling out a different box but there was no response until I pulled "the orange box." She goes nuts. I don't need to shake it - just the site of the orange box makes her crazy. I don't feed my cats human food but somehow she developed this love for Wheaties. Of course she gets the best of me and I share some Wheaties with her. My other cat, Pekoe, has no desire for Wheaties - or any other human food. Daisy has even dump over the trash can because she can see the "orange box" sticking out of the top! I often call her my Wheatie-Sweetie.

Nice story! Fun kitty!

You should enter Daisy into the Cat Olympics... She eats the "breakfast of champions"! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Lolo:
This is so funny! My kitty goes crazy any time we cook dinner. He won't eat people food...but he does meow as loud as he can! The only really strange thing Cosmo does is when he's hungry, he will lead me to his bowl and just sit there. Even if there is food already in there, he won't eat a bite until i shake the food around in the bowl! My mom tells me i spoil him, but he is my baby! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Spoil that baby! She deserves it.

I had a dog once that didn't want to eat her food. To encourage her I would get down and pretend to eat her food out of her dish. She would get jealous and nose me out of the dish and eat her food, lest I did. Maybe you might try that! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Betty:
I can relate to Lolo's story. My kitty August would often sit at his food bowl and give me "the look" - meaning he wanted me to rub his back while he munched on his goodies. When I did rub his back, he would purr so loudly and sometimes knead while he was eating his dinner. It was pretty funny watching this little guy get so happy - his two favourite pastimes - eating and getting his back rubbed.
I guess that's a good sign of getting pampered.....

Wow! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif Betty, you and August have taken kitty-pampering to a new level!

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 10, 2000).]

[vlr546111]

I eat at my desk every day and always have a cup of sugarfree strawberry jello for desert. One day my cat, Morris, decided to help himself after he had finished his lunch of Science diet dey cat food. I thought,,,,oh how cute,,,he won't like this stuff and if I let him have a taste he will go away and leave me alone to eat lunch.
WRONG.......Now everyday we have desert together. He gets a couple of bits of the cool red stuff and he is content and spends the rest of the day napping,,,,I haven't tried any other flavors or colors but I imagine he would eat these as well.

[JKRJG24]

My ragdoll is so funny! When my mom and dad went to get her they said a bag of Chips had spilled and she was on the floor eating them. Now she is about three years old and you can't eat a bag of well basicly any type of junk food without her meowing and jumping on you and licking you until you give her one bite and then she gose away! She'll eat any junk food from any type chips to ice cream and popsicles it's nuts! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by zippy-kat:
Our cats, Clarice and Tinker, HATE to see the bottom of their bowls. We must shake the food around until it covers the up the "hole"...then they will happily munch away! They also refuse to eat the crumbs.

Zippy-cat ~

I know about this "hole" thing...

Either hole-o-phobia is a common behavioral trait or Clarice and Tinker have a lot in common with my cat, Burrl (my screen-id cognomen). Burrl will find me wherever I am in the house and complain (for hours if necessary) until I cover a "hole" in even just one of the food dishes.

Now crumb-o-phobia... That I know is prevalent throughout all kittydome.

Or, uh, are there some out there that actually prefer crumbs (crumb-o-philia)? I guess any response on this will disprove that assertion.

Burrl is a male flame-point Siamese. If you are wondering how he got such an odd name, this is the story:

We thought he was a "she" until the vet told us otherwise. We had named him Purrl! :O

We did some quick thinking and told the vet receptionist to just add another loop to the "P"! -- Purrl became Burrl, just like that. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/cool.gif

[JKRJG24]

My cat dos't care about the hole thing but she won't drink from a bowl! Yes I mean it she won't drink from her bowl!! After my shower she will drink from the shower and when I brush my teeth she will go nuts unil I put water in it for her to drink! The whole sink thing started when we first got her and my mom had the water on and Nala started playing with it so mom filled up the sink and she started drinking from it. At first it was cute but now the only reason I do it is that I don't want her to get dehidrated! I've tried everything I still have her water dish out and I give her fresh water but she never drinks it!!

[This message has been edited by JKRJG24 (edited July 09, 2000).]

[zippy-kat]

Burrl~

That was some quick thinking! lol Cute story!

Clarice is a siamese/tabby cross. (I refer to her as a "tab-ese".) She is cross eyed. Remember the show Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion? Well, we "adjusted" the name to fit a female cross-eyed cat...hence, the name Clarice.

Tinker is one of Clarice's kittens but she favors the Himalayan breed with the purr-sonality of a ragdoll. (Her father was a traveling salesman.) No stories behind her name though.

Somehow, I managed to overlook your reply on Max--sorry about that! He was just a blk alleycat that decided this was to be his new home. When he first adopted us, he slept in the tree in our front yard--poor baby couldn't even be coaxed inside except to eat. However, he soon discovered the benefits of being a housecat! He was such a silly guy, we were lucky that he chose us!

[bettyinbc]

Hi Burrl,

Thanks for instigating this topic - it's a great place to come and share the experiences we have with our little fur faces. They're such a lively bunch and this forum is justification that felines are distinctly unique in some many ways.

Laughter is good for the soul - our special friends certainly know how to take care of us - don't they.

Thanks again for sharing the fun!

[Burrl]

Originally posted by dallee118:
My two hooligans,Jimi (female 1 yr old) and Barkley (male 6 mos old) also like full drinks but for another reason entirely. They love to steal my drinking straws and carry them around like prizes! We find bright colored straws everywhere. They don't even wait for me to sit down to try and heist their favorite palything. Both of them have been known to jump on the counter as soon as I turn my back to put the soda (or whatever) back in the fridge!! Gotta Love Those Cats! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

Dallee ~

ROTFLMAO! I can just visualize your Jimi and Barkley carrying on for want of a silly straw! Great story! Thank you!

Perhaps we should start a new thread about "Inexpensive Kitty Toys" (inadvertant or not). http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Hee! Hee! (still laughing)... I've heard of stawdogs, but strawcats? Honestly! That's gotta' be the last straw! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

OK... I'll stop being silly. I must thank you also for providing your kittens' names, ages and sex. It really helps in the visualization of your story. We should all follow your example and do that too, perhaps along with the coloration, pedigree or blend.

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 10, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 11, 2000).]

[Burrl]

Originally posted by JKRJG24:
My cat dos't care about the hole thing but she won't drink from a bowl! Yes I mean it she won't drink from her bowl!! After my shower she will drink from the shower and when I brush my teeth she will go nuts unil I put water in it for her to drink! The whole sink thing started when we first got her and my mom had the water on and Nala started playing with it so mom filled up the sink and she started drinking from it. At first it was cute but now the only reason I do it is that I don't want her to get dehidrated! I've tried everything I still have her water dish out and I give her fresh water but she never drinks it!!

[This message has been edited by JKRJG24 (edited July 09, 2000).]

JKRJG24 ~

Interesting kitty training! Does she ever get wet?

I hope you Nala don't have to suffer through a water shortage (drought). But I am sure you would sacrifice your lawn for her in such a case. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

At least you don't have a kitty who requires you to keep your toilet bowl lids down whenever not in use. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif ( http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/redface.gif Mushi is blushing here.)

[kbf]

Thanks for the advise. No She does not bury her food in the litter box but covers it with plastic, paper or her favourite my tea towels. I have a feeling she was a feral cat adopted from the SPCA which would explain her lack of ready food..She is a very loving cat and I find her little antics quite amusing. I try to keep her littler box clean so that she does not think she has to cover it with papers or something she finds in the house.(not my tea towels.
Thanks again

[Burrl]

Originally posted by bloomer:
I love the "Ice Kitty" story. It sounds like you have hours of entertainment there. It amazes me how they train us for their little habits or bad habits and how something cute can turn into a daily ritual. I have 3 cats, 20lb maine coon cross, and 2 ragdoll crosses, Sophie my "little one" doesn't really like the the big Maine coone, Montana, so she decided that she wants to be fed away from him.. so she jumps on the table, and waits to be fed there.. she even has her own spot, and if something is in her spot.. it's usualy off the table.. she knows feeding time 4:30, and like clock work is sitting there waiting for her dinner.. we thought this was pretty cute at first, but it's pretty embarassing when you have guests for dinner and she's sitting there.. most non cat people just don't understand... I do however disinfect the table after..

Bloomer ~

Yes, we are in "ice-cube heaven" here!

Three's Company! Your table is probably more germ-free than anyone's I know. Your little Ragdoll certainly has her territory claimed, both on your dining table and in your heart. Good for her! I don't think she is all that demanding... after all, Ancient Egyptians worshiped cats. I bet their every whim was catered to!

At 20 pounds, Montana is certainly a big boy! I understand it's the little one that eats at the table. But if I were your guest, Montana could sit anywhere he wanted. -- He could have my seat.

But seriously, he sounds like he's just a sweetheart too.

I remember when I walked to kindergarten, there was a lady who lived in the corner house who owned a Maine Coon. It also was very large. That lady warned me that it had killed three dogs! Needless to say I was scared to come anywhere near her house. I rounded that corner on it's cross-street sidewalks twice per school day, or took a different route. Although now I am sure she told me that so I would keep my distance from her unfriendly cat. It took a few years before I was sure that cats didn't have little children on their menus.

Another quick story: I had cousins who dressed their Maine Coon in baby clothes and spoon-fed her in a high chair. They also took her on baby buggy rides! It takes a patient and loving cat to put up with all that.

Thank you for sharing your story. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Lolo:
This is so funny! My kitty goes crazy any time we cook dinner. He won't eat people food...but he does meow as loud as he can! The only really strange thing Cosmo does is when he's hungry, he will lead me to his bowl and just sit there. Even if there is food already in there, he won't eat a bite until i shake the food around in the bowl! My mom tells me i spoil him, but he is my baby! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Lolo ~

Shake it! Spoil that kitty! He'll spoil you back. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

It is funny how we become attached to our cats' foibles. We aren't so quick to recognize how they become attached to ours.

Cosmo reminds me a bit of my cat, Burrl. He doesn't require his food to be shaken to eat, but he does like to eat when we take our vitamins. He probably thinks they are like kitty kibble because of how they rattle in the bottle.

I know he misses us when we are gone for a long time. He waits at the door to greet and be greeted! And he is especially sad when we go on vacations. The last time we came home from a two-week (kittysat) vacation I found him listless behind and under our bed. He hadn't eaten or anything for days. It took several minutes before he acknowledged our return and several more before he was parked in front of his bowl. Now we worry over taking long vacations again.

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Mouse:
The story about the kitty who loves the Wheaties box reminds me of my fluffy boy, Ludwig.

Ludwig is a Norwegian forest cat, and like many cats of that breed has no problem with close contact with people, as long as he is the initiator.

I didn't realize exactly how un-cat-like he was in this regard, until the day he decided that he really, really liked to eat Tostitos. He realized this a few minutes before I did, and thought he would communicate this to me by standing on the couch next to me, leaning in, and biting at the chip I had in my mouth.

This is now his "trick". I had never before even been able to get a kitty to eat from my hand [they usually want their treats dropped on the floor, for proper sniffing and delicate nibbling]; with Ludwig, however, if I hold one end of a Tostitos chip in my mouth, he will crawl up my chest and take it from me kissee-style.

Mouse ~

My mouth is agape in amazement of your story! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif I have never heard of a cat doing that! Wow!

I'll bet Ludwig won't eat a Tostito with salsa on it though! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

You are blessed to have such a friendly cat.

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 11, 2000).]

[Burrl]

Originally posted by vlr546111:
I eat at my desk every day and always have a cup of sugarfree strawberry jello for desert. One day my cat, Morris, decided to help himself after he had finished his lunch of Science diet dey cat food. I thought,,,,oh how cute,,,he won't like this stuff and if I let him have a taste he will go away and leave me alone to eat lunch.
WRONG.......Now everyday we have desert together. He gets a couple of bits of the cool red stuff and he is content and spends the rest of the day napping,,,,I haven't tried any other flavors or colors but I imagine he would eat these as well.

vlr ~

It just proves...

There's always room for Jello... and Morris in your case!

I would never think a cat would eat Jello. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif

Love your story!

[Burrl]

Originally posted by casmeow:
I created a monster! When "Indy"(Indiana Jones)was brought into our home, he was only 8 wks old and had stitches down the front of him.3 babies had been dropped on a woman's porch & she could tell there was something wrong w/Indy.She took him to our vet & paid for his hernia surgery so the vet would find him a good home. When we had our black lab in there, they wanted us to see him. I refused,knowing the outcome,but they persisted - saying we had to see this kitten w/the unusual color(he's kind of a gray sometimes, taupe almost sometimes). ANYWAY - when we brought him home, I set him up in our back bedroom so the others would leave him alone so he could heal. I would always sit with him while he ate - so NOW whenever he wants his"baby kitty crunchies"(even tho he's 8 yrs old now)someone has to stand there while he eats - and he keeps looking back to be sure you haven't left - or he'll leave too!Even tho there's plenty of food in his bowl - he'll cry pitifully non-stop till one of us stays there.I should leave him more often as he's a hefty 15 lbs! So, see what I created? He's got me trained.

Casmeow ~

Your story is very touching.

It sounds like Indy literally lives for you. You have a real winner as far as attachment goes. And that goes a long way! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

You might try catfood formula for less active cats for his heft. Personally I never touch the stuff! So I have a bit of heft too. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by JKRJG24:
My ragdoll is so funny! When my mom and dad went to get her they said a bag of Chips had spilled and she was on the floor eating them. Now she is about three years old and you can't eat a bag of well basicly any type of junk food without her meowing and jumping on you and licking you until you give her one bite and then she gose away! She'll eat any junk food from any type chips to ice cream and popsicles it's nuts! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

JKRJG ~

How bizzare! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif Now it'll be harder for the both of you to not have junk food.

My cat, Burrl, has had chip fetishes that he has abandoned since he discovered beef jerky. He goes wild over beef jerky! Both of our kitties like to finish a Dove Bar's ice cream from the stick. But your junkfood kitty wins the cake! (I presume it likes cake too!) http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

[Burrl]

Originally posted by zippy-kat:
Burrl~

That was some quick thinking! lol Cute story!

Clarice is a siamese/tabby cross. (I refer to her as a "tab-ese".) She is cross eyed. Remember the show Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion? Well, we "adjusted" the name to fit a female cross-eyed cat...hence, the name Clarice.

Tinker is one of Clarice's kittens but she favors the Himalayan breed with the purr-sonality of a ragdoll. (Her father was a traveling salesman.) No stories behind her name though.

Somehow, I managed to overlook your reply on Max--sorry about that! He was just a blk alleycat that decided this was to be his new home. When he first adopted us, he slept in the tree in our front yard--poor baby couldn't even be coaxed inside except to eat. However, he soon discovered the benefits of being a housecat! He was such a silly guy, we were lucky that he chose us!

zippy-kat ~

I remember Clarence the cross-eyed lion show! That dates both of us, doesn't it? (We can always claim we saw it on Nickelodian or AnimalPlanet cable channels in re-runs... Right! That's the ticket!) That's a good cat-naming story. We should probably start a new thread for the naming of cats!

But a cat that slept in a tree! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif That's in keeping with our odd cat behavior forum genre. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

One of the most difficult things to do is to get a feral to become a housecat. Congratulations! Most die of disease or malnutrition. The luckier ones get caught in cat traps and sent to the pound where they are unadoptable and euthanized. Clarice and you beat the odds there! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 11, 2000).]

[zippy-kat]

Actually...

I did see the show as re-runs. lol http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

[Pam]

I too have some contributions for odd behavior! My 7 year old orange tabby named Trevor loves yogurt. When he was a kitten I always let him lick out the inside of my yogurt cup when I was finished with it. Now, I can't eat my yogurt in peace any more. If he sees me go into the refrigerator, he waits to see what I am taking out. If it's yogurt he will follow me all around the house until I share some with him. I now put some of it on a plate for him so we can eat at the same time since he just can't wait til I get to the bottom of the cup any more! My other cat, an all white male named Andy (who, by the way, hates yogurt) has just started a new behavior at the age of 4 yrs. Around 2:00-2:30 AM he will come into my bedroom meowing loudly and constantly and holding a stuffed mouse in his mouth. He will keep meowing until I notice the mouse and pet him and praise him. Then he drops it on the floor and goes on his merry way (wherever that is......I certainly don't follow him at 2:30 AM!)

[Giglez]

Good judgement in not leaving a chair near the fridge! I made this mistake when one of our kitties took a fancy in the ice maker on the new fridge. What he did was push the little button and out popped 4-5-15-32 ice cubes depending on how long he wanted to sit there holding the button http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/eek.gif The dog loves this! She loves to eat ice cubes, so she really appreciated the cat giving her all the ice cubes she wanted!
One day, someone left the ice maker on the option for water. SO...he sat there, pushing the button hopeing for ice, and out came some water getting him all wet!! He no longer pushes that button http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif
The cats also love pushing all the glasses of water/soda/juice (or whatever else might be in the glass) off the counter thus breaking the glass and getting to drink whatever was in it as long as they could fight off the dog.
This is really funny, but also includes me having to clean up a huge mess in the end http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif

Silly felines!!

~Giglez

[This message has been edited by Giglez (edited July 11, 2000).]

[bettyinbc]

...and to think I considered myself a really bad mom for feeding my my little guy melted cheese (licked off my finger, of course) and chocolate ice cream!!!!! Could not resist that little face - he always got what he wanted.

Wished you'd all be around then to tell this was perfectly normal behaviour.....

Thanks for the heads up - I'll certainly be a better mom in future (had some training, already!)

[Burrl]

Giglez ~

In your case, curiosity splashed the cat! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

It's interesting that your cat took to the ice-dispenser directly as opposed to mine taking the round-about approach through her endless fascination of ice cubes. It seems your cat was more interested in the fun of making a mess on the floor than the joy of having ready access to its favorite toy. Still, we have had similar wierd-kitty experiences! I take heart in knowing there is at least one other person who has had a feline experience of the ice-cube kind. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

I wouldn't think broken glasses on the floor was at all funny. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif I guess we forgive most of the sins of felines in the light of the blessings they rain on us. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Your dog seems to benefit from having cats in the same household. I don't know how you manage. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif When we had a dog and cats at the same time we had great difficulty keeping the dog out of the kitty litter box for what it considered treats! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/redface.gif He would also make quick work of any kitty food left accessible. They had to live separated lives!

Thank you for your great (and messy http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif) story!

PS: I first tried to reply with quote, but we together had exceeded the 8 image maximum for a single post. Bet you didn't know there was a maximum! I sure didn't.

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Pam:
I too have some contributions for odd behavior! My 7 year old orange tabby named Trevor loves yogurt. When he was a kitten I always let him lick out the inside of my yogurt cup when I was finished with it. Now, I can't eat my yogurt in peace any more. If he sees me go into the refrigerator, he waits to see what I am taking out. If it's yogurt he will follow me all around the house until I share some with him. I now put some of it on a plate for him so we can eat at the same time since he just can't wait til I get to the bottom of the cup any more! My other cat, an all white male named Andy (who, by the way, hates yogurt) has just started a new behavior at the age of 4 yrs. Around 2:00-2:30 AM he will come into my bedroom meowing loudly and constantly and holding a stuffed mouse in his mouth. He will keep meowing until I notice the mouse and pet him and praise him. Then he drops it on the floor and goes on his merry way (wherever that is......I certainly don't follow him at 2:30 AM!)

Pam ~

Glad you shared your cats' idiosyncrasies!

I think perhaps Trevor's behavior might not be too unusual...

Felines (and other mammals) often retain a fondness for dairy products after being weened. And they can be quite insistant once spoiled. For instance, I can't leave the butter dish out for fear of kitty-lick marks appearing on the top of the cube. I've mentioned in another posting that both of my kitties like to finish our ice cream bars. I'm sure our other forum members and readers could offer more examples. I hope they do.

But your naughty Andy...

You poor dear! Waking you up at 2:30 am sounds a tad unusual... http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/rolleyes.gif and torturous. But how this behavior merits petting and praising is beyond my simple understanding. I wouldn't doubt that you are encouraging him to repeat his unwanted performance on a nightly basis!

Originally Andy may have hoped you would play with him on his inhuman (and inhumane) schedule. A simple non-response the first few times may have discouraged him from interrupting your sleep again.

But now, Pam, you must endure many more nights' sleep interruptions. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif I would call that problem cat behavior.

I would suggest ear plugs for awhile, but I know many of us find them uncomfortable. And ear plugs may inhibit one's ability to wake to the sound of an alarm. So you may have to create your own solution.

Whatever choice you make will not be easy. Hang in there. And let us know how you do.

[Gio]

One of my cats died three years at the grand age of 18 (she was the best cat ever and I still miss her a lot), but I always smile when I think of her and her fascination with the washing machine (we even put a basket on top of it so that she could have a nap there). The funny thing is that every time the machine would start the spinning cycle, she would stop whatever she was doing at the time, she would then run frantically and jump on it and then she would sit there happily purring away throughout until the machine stopped spinning. She didn't much like electircal appliances except from the food processor, it was enough to switch it on and three seconds later she was in the kitchen expecting to have a bit of whatever came out of it (she loved food, human food was her favourite).

[zippy-kat]

One of our babies loves to sit ontop the dryer while it is running--never heard of one that preferred the washer, though. How funny! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[Pam]

Thanks for your reply Burrl regarding Andy and his nocturnal (or should I say, early morning) "capturing" of the stuffed mouse! Actually I have tried closing my bedroom door, which doesn't work as any cat owner knows. He simply scratches and scratches on the door to come in and show me his "prize." I find it is just easier to reach down and say "good boy," pat him on his head and then I roll over! That seems to be all he wants!! It is not an "every night" thing but does happen about 2-3 times a week and has just started within the past couple of months. He is such a sweetheart and such an affectionate little guy during the daylight hours, that it's easy for him to wrap me around his little paw!! And he knows it oh so well!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[Giglez]

Burrl,
No, the broken glass was not funny http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif But all the glass cups have been replaced with plastic cups now http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

One thing about having cats AND a dog in the house...there is never a dull moment! Sometimes they get along great...and other times forget it! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif I must say though, I don't know what I would do without any of them! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

~Giglez

[Burrl]

Originally posted by Gio:
One of my cats died three years at the grand age of 18 (she was the best cat ever and I still miss her a lot), but I always smile when I think of her and her fascination with the washing machine (we even put a basket on top of it so that she could have a nap there). The funny thing is that every time the machine would start the spinning cycle, she would stop whatever she was doing at the time, she would then run frantically and jump on it and then she would sit there happily purring away throughout until the machine stopped spinning. She didn't much like electircal appliances except from the food processor, it was enough to switch it on and three seconds later she was in the kitchen expecting to have a bit of whatever came out of it (she loved food, human food was her favourite).

Gio ~

They take a piece of us when they go, don't they. You were so lucky to have her for so long. I'm a bit jealous.

I'm with zippy-kat, you had a funny prize kitty to hold down your washing machine when you were washing! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif I bet she never let even one washing machine get away. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

I guess we can understand the pleasure she took in her self-assigned duty. After all, don't they still have vibrating beds in some motels? And she didn't even have to feed it quarters. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

A very cute odd-behavior kitty story! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 14, 2000).]

[Gio]

Burrl,

yeah I do consider myself lucky to have shared my life with my little angel for so long. The vet told me one that in his next life he would like to be a cat in my household since they all seem to reach a grand age http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif. I currently have another 18 year old male cat and two younger females http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif. Also the very first cat I ever had died when she was 14...

Originally posted by Burrl:
Gio ~

They take a piece of us when they go, don't they. You were so lucky to have her for so long. I'm a bit jealous.

I'm with zippy-kat, you had a funny prize kitty to hold down your washing machine when you were washing! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif I bet she never let even one washing machine get away. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

I guess we can understand the pleasure she took in her self-assigned duty. After all, don't they still have vibrating beds in some motels? And she didn't even have to feed it quarters. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif

A very cute odd-behavior kitty story! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Burrl (edited July 14, 2000).]

[trisnic]

My cats will permanently put their balls of fur into their food dish. Rather strange.

My cat Cairo though is extremely strange. She thinks that broccoli and cucumber pieces are prey so she will run around with them, "kill" them (all the time growling at her sister if she gets close) and eventually eat the vegetables to bits. Pounce (my other kitty) likes mushy bananas, strawberries and cat grass but she does not act like a lunatic when she eats these things. I don't give my cats fruits or veggies as treats (other then cat grass) too often though.

[kbf]

I too, have a cat that likes dairy products. She will not leave the breakfat table before receiving at least two spoonfuls of milk(from the spoon). Also she will bug me till I give her some of my yogurt.

[ferret22]

My girl kitty Pandora is a silly one. We live in the country so we let our two kitties out to play during the day. At night, they are both waiting at the back door waiting to be let inside and fed. Our male cat, Panther, runs right in the house. But that silly Pandora sits on the steps and meows. She wants my husband (not me) to walk out on the steps and carry her into the house. And every night, no matter how much my husband fusses, he ends up going outside to pick up the cat. She has trained him well. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

------------------
Lisa

[KLEO]

I've read most of the stories about odd kitty cuisine including ice, broccoli, cucumbers, chips, ice cream, milk from the spoon, Wheaties, Jello, etc....

http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif But what about rubber bands, cellophane wrapping, Q-tips and cotton balls?
Once this past Christmas I caught her with an icicle (tinsel) disappearing into her mouth, and no, I didn't get there in time, but apparently no harm done!

Luckily this isn't a steady habit, but it is quite disconcerting when it happens. I mean is she a cat or a goat? Or is she a cat pretending to be a goat, or what?

She loves to lick her feather-toys and I often wonder if--God love her--she's remembering past kittens of hers (We found each other at a shelter when she was about one year old, she's now 2 1/2). She also licks the cotton balls--as if there aren't enough problems with hairballs and such!

She's very finicky otherwise: she doesn't like cheese, haddock, certain types of her brand catfood, and I could go on.

It's not very worrisome at this stage, but I was wondering just how unusual it is????

[Burrl]

Originally posted by KLEO:
I've read most of the stories about odd kitty cuisine including ice, broccoli, cucumbers, chips, ice cream, milk from the spoon, Wheaties, Jello, etc....

http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif But what about rubber bands, cellophane wrapping, Q-tips and cotton balls?
Once this past Christmas I caught her with an icicle (tinsel) disappearing into her mouth, and no, I didn't get there in time, but apparently no harm done!

Luckily this isn't a steady habit, but it is quite disconcerting when it happens. I mean is she a cat or a goat? Or is she a cat pretending to be a goat, or what?

She loves to lick her feather-toys and I often wonder if--God love her--she's remembering past kittens of hers (We found each other at a shelter when she was about one year old, she's now 2 1/2). She also licks the cotton balls--as if there aren't enough problems with hairballs and such!

She's very finicky otherwise: she doesn't like cheese, haddock, certain types of her brand catfood, and I could go on.

It's not very worrisome at this stage, but I was wondering just how unusual it is????


Kleo ~

Texture... It may be all about texture.

I got one of those 3-D jigsaw puzzles of a castle one Christmas. There was a prominent cautionary note included for those proud owners of cats. It warned that cats are drawn to the puzzle pieces because of their texture and were apt to eat them!

I did my best to lock up the puzzle in a room while I put it together. But... wouldn't you know it! Cats will be cats. At the first opportunity they were both stealing pieces away and trying to gobble them.

One piece was ruined but not destroyed. So now that the puzzle sits majestically completed -- one tower has "catapult damage".

There are some things cats can't resist. And a Christmas tree full of dangley "kitty toys" is high on the list! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[barbee10]

I have trouble with the drink, not the ice cubes. My Smeiko loves carbonated drinks. It's better in a cup from McDonalds with a straw in it. No cup is safe in our house. My husband and I always seem to forget too. We are minding our on business and then all of a sudden we hear. Thunk! Splash! There goes Coke all over our carpet. First he likes to watch the bubbles rise to the top. Then he wants to catch them. I love him to pieces though.

[Boingercat]

Originally posted by kbf:
Why does my cat try to bury her food?(she likes the brand) Also why does she drag everything possible into her littler box?


Two of my cats also bury their food (neither were strays or feral) when they've had enough. In fact, my Boinger will cover MY plate too, when he's had enough of my eating. Actually, if I let him, he covers just about everything. When one of my kitties throws up, he covers it with paper or whatever is in his reach. Sometimes it takes a while for me to find it...I think it's just a quirky cat behavior.

[Boingercat]

Pam, I sure can relate. I've taking to locking my two boys (Boinger and Taz) in a separate room at night. Boinger will stand over my ear at 3 a.m., and howl until I wake up. He also bats at my head to get me to turn over. As soon as I do, he leaps over me, and then bats me from behind again to get me to turn the other way! He also does that thing with carrying around a toy while making horrendous noises (he's all black, but half siamese, so just imagine his voice). He didn't start the latter until at least 6 years of age. I finally had to put him away at night, but since he's with his favorite buddy, Taz, he's usually okay with it. If he gets upset and howls, I just go in and sit with him a few minutes and then he's okay.

Hope you find something that works!


Originally posted by Pam:
Thanks for your reply Burrl regarding Andy and his nocturnal (or should I say, early morning) "capturing" of the stuffed mouse! Actually I have tried closing my bedroom door, which doesn't work as any cat owner knows. He simply scratches and scratches on the door to come in and show me his "prize." I find it is just easier to reach down and say "good boy," pat him on his head and then I roll over! That seems to be all he wants!! It is not an "every night" thing but does happen about 2-3 times a week and has just started within the past couple of months. He is such a sweetheart and such an affectionate little guy during the daylight hours, that it's easy for him to wrap me around his little paw!! And he knows it oh so well!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

[Boingercat]

Originally posted by KLEO:
I've read most of the stories about odd kitty cuisine including ice, broccoli, cucumbers, chips, ice cream, milk from the spoon, Wheaties, Jello, etc....

http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/confused.gif But what about rubber bands, cellophane wrapping, Q-tips and cotton balls?
Once this past Christmas I caught her with an icicle (tinsel) disappearing into her mouth, and no, I didn't get there in time, but apparently no harm done!

Luckily this isn't a steady habit, but it is quite disconcerting when it happens. I mean is she a cat or a goat? Or is she a cat pretending to be a goat, or what?

She loves to lick her feather-toys and I often wonder if--God love her--she's remembering past kittens of hers (We found each other at a shelter when she was about one year old, she's now 2 1/2). She also licks the cotton balls--as if there aren't enough problems with hairballs and such!

She's very finicky otherwise: she doesn't like cheese, haddock, certain types of her brand catfood, and I could go on.

It's not very worrisome at this stage, but I was wondering just how unusual it is????


Hi Kleo! My cats have been into all of those things at one time or other; they stopped being interested at about 3-4 years old. Except my 4-year old Tazzy loves q-tips, and my 10 year old Boinger still likes to eat plastic bags. All of those things are potentially dangerous, and I'm sure you know that dental floss is a major killer, but fortunately they seem to grow out of things in time.

When Boinger was a kitten, he would eat anything with fringe. One day I came home, and he had eaten the entire 2-inch fringe off a wool scarf (he was very particular, and would only indulge in natural fabrics). He would also steal my wool and cotton clothes out of the laundry basket, and drag them under the bed or into paper bags. He tried to eat the fringe off of an afghan, and would take the clothes off of my stuffed bear using his teeth! (He was my first kitten, and as I write this I'm slowly remembering why I swore off kittens after him; of course, I've had 4 since!) The worst was the day I came home and found tampons (unused!) unwrapped and strewn about my aparment--it turns out that the plumber was there that day; I never found out whether he was there before or after....

Sheesh, that Boinger was such a little devil. He would wake me up by standing on my neck and licking my eyelids until I screamed in pain!

The good thing is that he grew into a huge mushcat, who loves to be held, and who takes care of kittens better than most momcats. He loves to lick them and clean them and carry them around by the scruff of their necks. And when it's time for some loving, he thinks nothing of flinging his 16 pound body from the floor to your shoulder. He's a true lovekitty.

Sorry I digressed. I just love my furbabies!
They're better than t.v! Good luck with the weird eating of things....


[This message has been edited by Boingercat (edited August 22, 2000).]

[Boingercat]

Originally posted by trisnic:
My cats will permanently put their balls of fur into their food dish. Rather strange.

My cat Cairo though is extremely strange. She thinks that broccoli and cucumber pieces are prey so she will run around with them, "kill" them (all the time growling at her sister if she gets close) and eventually eat the vegetables to bits. Pounce (my other kitty) likes mushy bananas, strawberries and cat grass but she does not act like a lunatic when she eats these things. I don't give my cats fruits or veggies as treats (other then cat grass) too often though.

Hey, trisnic, my Sale kitty (who died last year of cancer) use to do that to vegetables! Broccoli was her second favorite (asparagus was her first). Unfortunately, she didn't always finish eating them, and there's nothing like stepping on a piece of cold broccoli in the middle of the night. She use to eat the middle out of cooked zucchini slices and would leave the rinds strewn about. And she would make those "killing" noises while she carried them around the house. I guess I should have expected all this--when I found her, she was under a chair at a garage Sale eating canteloupe!

[SilverStorm]

Uh,is it normal for a cat to sleep on the back of the computer monitor and occasionally bat at the screen by hanging down in front of it?

------------------
--------------
( * ^_^ * )
=6,~=
SilverStorm,Siamese Lover

[lhg0962]

We always think of dogs as the ones with all the antics. Not so!!! My cat, who is well seasoned, love q-tips and will tip the trash over every morning to find them. But, I will also admit to the occasional glass of chardonay. That cat will seek out a glass of wine in a minute! I have to put a napkin over the glass if she is inside. Otherwise I don't know what would happen to my little gir.!

[lhg0962]

We always think of dogs as the ones with all the antics. Not so!!! My cat, who is well seasoned, love q-tips and will tip the trash over every morning to find them. But, I will also admit to the occasional glass of chardonay. That cat will seek out a glass of wine in a minute! I have to put a napkin over the glass if she is inside. Otherwise I don't know what would happen to my little girl.!

[luvkittycats]

Originally posted by Burrl:
(Note: Too many smilies necessary on this one, so I decided to let you figure out where they belong in your reading of this.)

When we got our second cat at age 8 months from the same litter as our first at 8 weeks we had no idea how different she was to her brother, or from any cat we'd ever known. We hadn't an inkling about her affinity to ice.

We weren't forewarned. But later, too late, we were told "Oh yeah, don't leave her alone with an unguarded drink with ice in it!"

Yeah... She goes fishing! And when she gets a cube out (after a splashy mess) she plays with it like a toy, swatting it around the room and chasing it. When it melts down half way she loses interest in it and complains, like "Where can I get an ice cube that doesn't melt?"

She would even go fishing in the sink after someone dumps ice there. No ice was safe!

After months of guarding our iced drinks I got a notion: Why not just give her ice? Won't that possibly change this bad behavioral tendancy?

So I did! I tossed it across the room... She scampered after it, put it in her mouth and returned it just like a retriever would, laying it at my feet. Then she looks up at me with a meow "Do it again please, please!"

This led to many sessions of fetch the ice until it would melt too much or she lost it under furniture after batting it around before returning it. The most consecutive ice fetches she has ever done (I've counted them for the record) was 21! It's real good excercise for her since she is an indoor cat.

If that wasn't enough, that ice-greedy little girl would beg at the refrigerator ice dispenser every time we were getting ice for ourselves. Of course she would get her heart's desire every time.

Well, then her fettish went to another level: She fell in love with the refrigerator! OK, maybe not love as we know it, but a major infatuation. She watches the refrigerator after we have an "ice session". She knows that the ice maker will kick in and make an ice-dumping sound, then a refilling the ice cube making chamber sound.

This infatuation didn't stop there. She would come running into the kitchen any time the refrigerator's compressor would start or stop... any noise at all! She would lay in watch and fascination for hours as the refrigerator's compressor whurred. She was certain there was something alive in there.

Once I took the bottom grill off for her to see that there really wasn't something alive in there... didn't work. She still wants to know where that thing is hiding every time I open the fridge door or move it for cleaning. There's no convincing her!

OK, get this! She has taken to trying to reach the ice dispenser for herself! Can you imagine? Getting her own limitless ice cubes?

I've been tempted to put a chair next to it so she could actually perform this odd-ball behavior on film for a submission to one of those "Funniest Videos" shows. But I let my senses rule here. It would be like opening pandora's box! Thoughts of stepping barefoot into a lake of melted ice cubes around the refrigerator in the morning dissuade me.

And still -- No iced drink is safe in our house!

Tell me folks... Is this weird or do you have cats with similar behavior? Let us hear your odd-ball stories.


I feel your laughter!! LOL!! We love to put an ice cube in our cats bowl becuz the "baby" cat will actually fish it out of the bowl!! When it comes out~he proceeds to play soccer w/ the ice!! Shoot, as far as that goes he is the same way w/ the dry cat food! If his paw can get it-soccer begins!!

[missie]

I honestly thought I was the only one with a strange cat. I loved the ice story. My cat Ozzie likes to keep me company when I'm folding laundry. I have a great big pile of towles on the couch, fresh from the drier, he loves to dig his way right to the middle. All you can see is his head sticking out of one end and his tail from another. One time I had a bunch of jeans on the couch to fold when I came back with the laundry basket, I found that Ozzie had wiggled his way into one of my pant legs, with his head coming out at the bottom. I got a picture of it, and he stayed in there for about a 45 min. He also likes to get in the bat tub (when there is no water in it of course) and just play. He will lick the faucet, & spin in circles. I'm not used to a cat like this. My moms cat, Bunky ( about 13 yrs old) has always been very reserved-never even wanted to play a lot. It's fun to have a cat around-they're great companions!

[Laura]

These stories are so funny! Bushes, my youngest cat, is fascinated by my bathroom. Anytime I'm in there, she has to be with me. When I take a bath, she likes to sit on the edge of the tub and watch me. She also loves to dip her paw into the bath water and lick it all off. I have to make sure that any bubble bath I get is non-toxic! She also likes to suck my hair in the tub. She lays her paw on my head and pulls. When I tilt my head toward her, she leans in and starts sucking the water off. I was worried at first that she wasn't getting enough fresh water in her bowl, but this has gone on for about a year now, so I guess it's just her little odd thing!
Her other hobby is to watch me pluck my eyebrows. She sits on the bathroom counter and studies me. When the tiny little hair falls off the tweezers, she likes to chase it as it goes into the sink.
She's an odd one, but I love her dearly! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif