Kitty behavior questions...

[Pinot's Mom]

Two situations that just make me wonder...

1)I have a question regarding a "habit" of Pinot's, which I shared with a coworker/friend and her Eddie does it as well; we're both just curious what it could possibly mean. I know it's not uncommon.

Pinot: on three very smooth surfaces (the 'fridge door, the surface of the side of the island in the kitchen, and our glass shower door when I'm in it), she will just start incessantly pawing for no reason. It's not going to get her anywhere; why is she doing that?

Eddie (friend's kitty): does the same thing at night on the window by Jen's bed...why?

2)Back to Pinot...right after I change her box, she has to pee in it (normal), BUT, as she's in the process, her butt raises up and she shoots straight out! What's that about??

No concerns, just curious....

[Freedom]

I swear, they do things just to drive us nuts!

[pomtzu]

Beats the heck out of me as to why they do it. I've had cats in the past that have done the same thing - probably do it just to drive us crazy, trying to figure out why they do what they do.

Never had one with the litter box issue tho - just scratching on glass.

[cassiesmom]

Pinot: on three very smooth surfaces (the 'fridge door, the surface of the side of the island in the kitchen, and our glass shower door when I'm in it), she will just start incessantly pawing for no reason. It's not going to get her anywhere; why is she doing that?

Cassie does the same thing with cardboard boxes, the rolled edge of the box spring, and the sofa cushions. She's front paw declawed (I didn't do it; the people whose porch she chose to have her kittens had her spayed and front-paw declawed because they thought at first they'd be keeping her). I suspect she has p hantom sensations in her front paws that make her want to grab hold and pull. Sometimes she just does it when she is content, like a way of releasing energy. But that wouldn't explain why Pinot, who is not declawed, would want to paw at smooth surfaces. Just a Cassie idiosyncrasy (sp?), I guess. Is Pinot pawing at something she sees reflected in the glass, I wonder?

[krazyaboutkatz]

I can't really answer your questions either. My RB Sunny would also paw at my sliding glass door. He's do this if he saw dry leaves blowing around in the wind. I guess he thought that if he pawed at the door enough that he'd be able to get through to the leaves.

He was also the one that would pee very high in the litter boxes but only in the ones that had covers on them. The pee would then leak through so I had to put puppy pee pads under the litter boxes and I'd also have to clean the lid and box with an enzyme cleaner. I still use the puppy pee pads under and in back of the litter boxes just in case.

[catnapper]

Pouncer has nightly boxing matches with the mirror on my dresser. He just st6ands up on his hind legs and scratches at his reflection. Its hysterical to watch.


As for christening fresh litter, what cat doesn't do it?

[Laura's Babies]

Caramella wants to get in the box while I am scooping it.... ALL of the boxes and she will do something in each one while I am scooping!

I think it is a "kitty" thing and we hoomans just will never understand..

[Pinot's Mom]

As for christening fresh litter, what cat doesn't do it?

Caramella wants to get in the box while I am scooping it.... ALL of the boxes and she will do something in each one while I am scooping!

I think it is a "kitty" thing and we hoomans just will never understand..

I know they all christen the litter; that's a given, but why does she have to raise her rear end so it's shooting straight out - WELL above the box (and actually into the side of the basement 'fridge)?

[krazyaboutkatz]

I know they all christen the litter; that's a given, but why does she have to raise her rear end so it's shooting straight out - WELL above the box (and actually into the side of the basement 'fridge)?

Maybe she's trying to tell you that she needs a much taller litter box.

[catmandu]

It may be as simple as the fact that pawing that smooth surface is a good sensation on thier paws, and that they enjoy that feelings.
Our Cats are sensual animals and are addicted to physical pleasures!!!

[Cataholic]

Many of my cats do the pawing thing, both declawed, and four on the floor! *

The litter box issue....I used to have this, until I had some genius on PT suggest the extra large storage tubs (maybe 22 gallon sized rubbermaid ones?), with a cat sized hole cut in one of the ends. They can now pee standing up to their heart's content, it all runs down the side. It also cuts down on the kicking/splaying of litter. I swear, it took such a concern off of me- the pee soaking on the wall/floor. No more worries. No more cleaning the rugs under the box, no more taping plastic to the wall. The base of the box is no larger than a large litter box, and I never, ever put the lid on it.

Those big box stores run specials on the tubs, I think HD just had them for $4.97. I do try to search out ones that are mostly perfectly flat on the bottom, without any cleaning nook issues. KWIM?







*Disclaimer- I am a former REformed declawer, and of my 9 cats, I still have 2 that are declawed. I wouldn't ever do it again.

[Pinot's Mom]

Many of my cats do the pawing thing, both declawed, and four on the floor! *

The litter box issue....I used to have this, until I had some genius on PT suggest the extra large storage tubs (maybe 22 gallon sized rubbermaid ones?), with a cat sized hole cut in one of the ends. They can now pee standing up to their heart's content, it all runs down the side. It also cuts down on the kicking/splaying of litter. I swear, it took such a concern off of me- the pee soaking on the wall/floor. No more worries. No more cleaning the rugs under the box, no more taping plastic to the wall. The base of the box is no larger than a large litter box, and I never, ever put the lid on it.

Those big box stores run specials on the tubs, I think HD just had them for $4.97. I do try to search out ones that are mostly perfectly flat on the bottom, without any cleaning nook issues. KWIM?

Was there any problem with the kitties adapting to the high walled tubs?

[Cataholic]

Nope, no problem at all. My sister just did it with her four cats with nary a complaint either.

[cassiesmom]

Dear Auntie Pinot's Mom... I had another session of "stand on my back paws and pull on the box with my front paws" yesterday. A long one! It was a banker's box that my meowmie stores towels in. I pulled from one side of the box to the other while my meowmie watched. She just shakes her head and wonders why I do that.

She cleaned my litter pan last night and I hopped in even before she came back from taking the old litter down to the dumpster. I'm good at that.

Purrs,
Cassie