drowning her mice?

[Rowan815]

Shaedi has started putting her furry mice in her water dish while we're in bed at night.

I come downstairs in the morning to find 3 or 4 of them floating in her water. I assume its her, because it never happened when it was just the boys here.

Why does she do this? I mean, its adorable, but puzzling behavior.

[PayItForward]

Your kitty is putting her toys away in her territory the water bowl.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I believe Ritzy does this too. I don't know if there's anything you can do to stop her. Maybe Tuxluvr will chime in and tell her your experience with Ritzy. Although, Tuxluvr is busy and not around much anymore, so you might want to PM her for any hints. I think it's cute and funny, but I can see how it would be a bit of a mess.

[Rowan815]

Oh I don't mind at all- I think its adorable The mice are a little squishy most of the time, but its only water

[tuxluvr]

Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
I believe Ritzy does this too. I don't know if there's anything you can do to stop her. Maybe Tuxluvr will chime in and tell her your experience with Ritzy. Although, Tuxluvr is busy and not around much anymore, so you might want to PM her for any hints. I think it's cute and funny, but I can see how it would be a bit of a mess.

T&P's mom is right - both about Ms Ritzy's "water works" and about me being a little too absent recently (pesky work schedule)...but, to the matter

Ritzy has this ritual. Dunk in the water, then remove it and put it in the dry food dish....we are not entirely sure of the meaning, but like you, think it is cute (except it means we clean out the water bowl a lot because it gets "furry" and sometimes "tinted" from the colored mousies--blech)

There are mornings when we wake up and find these "treasures"--her record so far is 5 mice, three milk rings and a shoestring.

We are not sure if this is her way of leaving a tip, offering payment or sending a hint "this thing is empty, fill it up" ...or, she could be "flavoring the mice" or "sharing food and water with the mice"....perhaps she, like us, watches the FOODTV channel too much and is trying a new recipe

"First, wet your mousies, then dredge them in dried kibble for a nutty flavor, leave them to marinate for 1 day and your toys will have that "snack quality" for days to follow!!"

I used to think this was "random" and that her play efforts sometimes flung the mouse to hit the food dish...however, we have on occasion actually witnessed the event, and it IS very deliberate!

Someone on Pettalk told me that animals in the wild cover their food with plant material to keep it fresh...