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Kittens

It’s no secret that kittens are funny little creatures! They steal your heart with those big eyes and ears and then sometimes turn out to be pint sized terrors! They can go from walking normally to jumping and hunching, skidding sideways ears back then taking off at lightening speed! Then OH THERE’S A TOY flopping all over with it, and in the next second racing across the backs of the furniture or scaling the curtains!

Right then and there you know that you are in for it! But then they cuddle up on your lap or in the crook of your neck, start purring and fall into a deep sleep. And you’re in love. You never really do know what’s coming next or what is behind their funny behavior but cats can develop some pretty interesting habits over the years!

Tosh

When we lived in Calgary we found a kitten in the middle of winter, a stray. She was so tiny and it was SO cold that my brother and I just couldn’t leave her out there! We already had a dog, Mack, but no cats at that point in time. My mom couldn’t help herself. The baby kitten was here to stay! We named her Tosh (Mack ‘n Tosh…get it?). But she was a WEIRD cat! She did things we have never seen any other cat do!

This was my mom’s cat through and through. She would make her partner at the time BLEED every night in the middle of the night! If she tried to shut the door that cat would hurl her full body weight against the door…over and over…Until someone opened the door! She learned to flush the toilet. She dragged full bowls of water across the entire house! She was a hunter. We always found piles of feathers tucked around the house! She was a different kind of cat that’s for sure!

Attack!

This seems to be a common theme when it comes to cats! I had not one, but TWO cats who made one boyfriend in particular bleed! My cats always seem to really attach to one person and if they feel the need, protect their person! Or maybe it’s jealousy. Who really knows??? They are cats after all!

The first was my boy Carmichael. He lived with my parents and was devastated when I went to university. One time, my boyfriend came to visit and was sleeping in my bed, Carmy crawled up under the covers and BIT his feet until he bled! Carmy slept curled up to me at night, and I think he was more than a little peeved someone was in his spot!!!

Gizmo was the second. The same boyfriend! And the boyfriend who got Giz for me in the first place…He would wait in the hallway for him to get up and go to the bathroom in the night and launch a full scale ATTACK on him! I’m talking fully fluffed up, ears pinned back, eyes dilated and growling and hissing like a maniac! But looking back I guess those cats were picking up on something I had clearly been missing at the time…So it could just be jealousy but I really believe cats can sense when something is off as well.

You Can’t See Me!!!

Have you had a cat that pretends they are invisible when you call their name??? Whiskers, who is a huge fluffy white Ragdoll, does this! He likes to prowl around the yard. And if ANYONE says his name he hunches up and peels off in the opposite direction! Like NO you didn’t just see me! But he’s pretty impossible to miss…

My mom’s cat Emmy does this too! If you say her name and call her over it’s ears back, hunched up and peeling off to another part of the yard or house! I’m not sure why some cats don’t like to be acknowledged at times! Makes me think they are up to something…Like you are interrupting their plan to take over the world or something.

Hairspray and Perfume

I know of several cats that go WILD for certain hairsprays and perfumes! My mom’s cat Chubby would act almost crazy and amorous if my mom wore one particular perfume! His eyes would go HUGE and he would rub and lick and BITE her! I’m not sure what they put in that stuff but clearly the boy loved it! She had to only wear it on certain occasions because of the state it would put him in!

And some hairsprays seem to really attract cats too! I have had cats (when I wore hairspray…those days are long gone along with the 80s) climb behind me and almost seem to NEST in my hair! Kneading, licking, rubbing and making a proper mess out of it!

Split Personalities

This seems to be a trait of the vast majority of cats I have known! Loving and cuddly one minute and in full ATTACK mode the next! But while there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why they act the way they do, their body language can be a big cue! If they tense up, ears go back, pupils get big and their whiskers move forward they could be thinking of ways to inflict some sort of pain!

As one of my friends puts it with his cat Riley “He might (swat), or bite, or sit there purring, he’s a warrior poet!” I’ve learned to read my cat’s body language relatively well, so scratches and bites aren’t as common but they definitely still catch me off guard sometimes!

Sticking Their Butt In Your Face

Ok, I don’t know of a single cat that DOESN’T do this! I’ve woken up to cat butt in my faces more times than I can count. But it’s actually pretty interesting WHY they do this! It’s actually a good sign and a bit of a greeting of sorts, like ok go ahead and give my butt a good sniff. Ew. Cat equivalent I guess of hugging. Another way your cat shows it’s happy even if it’s kind of gross haha. You can read more on signs of a happy cat HERE.

Walking Across Your Computer…Or Pushing Your Book Away

Jealous much??? Your cat wants you to pay attention to THEM instead of whatever else you might be doing at the time! I always have an animal it seems trying to either get on my laptop or push it right off my lap! If I’m reading before bed you can bet Miesha will crawl up on my chest between my head and my book! And if I’m baking or doing something in the kitchen Whiskers will wind his way through my legs yowling the whole time! It’s already bad enough maneuvering around the dogs!

So maybe give what you are doing a bit of a break if you can and give your kitty some love!

Get Out of the Bath!!!!

Who has had a cat that seems to get upset or concerned when you are having a bath or shower?? Miesha will prowl the edge of the bathtub and meow the whole time at me! So much for relaxing…and she’s usually knocking everything in her path off into the water too! I’ve had books, bottles, glasses and coffee knocked into the tub!

Your cat is actually expressing their concern for your wellbeing! They don’t see you as a person. Cats, being as self-centered as they are, figure you’re just a big weird cat. And water is BAD! My mom’s cat Emmy does this too and it drives my mom just about nuts!

Instinct

A lot of the behaviors we see out of our cats are due to instincts that have never really gone away. They are much further behind the domestication train than dogs are! Wired actually has a pretty good post on why cats react to their owners like they do. Likening us to a “huge, unpredictable ape”! You can read the full article HERE!

Does your cat have any quirky behaviors? Be sure to share them in the comments below and check out the rest of the blog for more cat related posts!!

The post What Is My Cat DOING? Odd Cat Behaviors! first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.

This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.  By making your purchases through the links on this website HIGP may make a small percentage at no direct cost to you. HIGP only promotes products we use & truly believe in. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my Privacy and Disclosures for further information. HIGP thanks you for your support!

An Unpleasantly Wet Bed

When I crawled into my bed and for the THIRD day in a row slid into a warm, stinky wetness of cat urine it prompted me to think a bit more about why my cat was doing it!

Miesha has always been an odd and scared cat. She frequently comes running down the stairs at top speed, stops, looks around…And even if she hears nothing she tears away like her life is in danger!

With Miesha, the peeing in my bed started a few months ago. One of the dogs noticed her and barked at her a bit. That was it. Miesha was freaked out to the point that she repeatedly started peeing in my bed…In the exact spot where I sleep…every time. I was sick of stripping down my bed EVERY SINGLE DAY (usually not noticing it until bedtime).

If you have a cat that is not using their litter box, and other inappropriate places around the house I am sure that you share in my frustration. In Miesha’s case, I knew that she was doing it because she was scared of the dogs. Yes, even after over a year of living with them. She practically lives upstairs during daylight hours, and will sneak down to the basement for food and to go to the bathroom…Then it is right back up into hiding! But she has always hidden for most of the day.

Medical Reasons Behind Litter Box Issues

There are several reasons that could be behind your cat’s sudden aversion to the litter box. The first things to rule out are medical issues. If a medical reason is behind your cat’s behavior watch for signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Signs of a UTI are small, frequent trips to the litter box. You can read more on this on Pets WebMD here.

Feline intersistial cystitis could be another reason. Signs for this are attempting to go to the bathroom but being unsuccessful. They could also lick themselves while going to the bathroom or you may spot blood in the urine. This could be life threatening if it is the cause. And kidney stones are another medical reason behind litter box issues. Symptoms for this also include frequent trips to the litter box but pain or meowing and crying. Their sides may also be tender to touch.

All these medical conditions are serious and require a visit to the vet.

Behavioral Issues Behind Kitty Litter Issues

Behavioral issues can be another factor behind litter box issues if medical conditions have been ruled out. This was the case with Miesha, and it wasn’t overly difficult to figure that out!

Gizmo had one episode where one morning before getting out of bed he peed on my bed right beside my HEAD! It never happened again, and I think it was simply because he was getting old and either forgot himself or couldn’t make it to the box.

Bubbles was also the culprit a couple times. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this was because she was taken from her other house where she was marking and had gone a little wild and she was NOT happy about being in my condo.

Any cat owner can attest to how finicky they can be…about just about EVERYTHING!

There are many things that can cause them to go off their litter. This can including a change in litter (texture), not being clean enough, not being in a good location, not enough litter in the boxes, not enough boxes for the number of cats, hoods or liners, or even a conflict with another cat in the house.

Things To Try to Address Behavioral Issues

Observation of your cat while using the litter box should provide you with important clues as to the reason if one of these is the case. If it is due to the texture of litter, you can experiment with different litters until you find one that works. Cats tend to prefer unscented clumping litter (although this can present a danger to very young kittens so be mindful of that).

If you notice your cat jump into the box all wild eyed and nervously use the box and BOLT like a shot out of it after, you may want to consider changing the location of the box. An ideal location is in a quiet spot out of way of the daily action and should provide escape routes to make them feel safer while using it. Also, don’t put food and water near the litter box. You can try different spots to see if one works better, or you can try one on each level of your home to see which one is preferred.

Finicky Cats

Keeping the litter cleaner can be another thing to attempt. If I let mine go too long I KNOW that they are going to just end up going on the floor right beside the boxes! An unpleasant lesson if I let it slip and end up with a wet knee when I bend down to do it…Some cats I know won’t use the litter box after even just ONE use! But ideally you should be trying to clean it daily, and cleaning the box with either unscented soap or baking soda weekly.

Add More Litter Boxes

Not having enough litter boxes or having them be too small can also be behind a cat’s reluctance to climb in. I have three cats currently and four litter boxes. You should try to have at least one extra for the number of cats in your household. If the box is too small that can also end up being an issue they will contest to. Hoods and liners can also be a reason behind the cat’s dislike for it. Try not using them and see what the result is.

Automatic litter boxes also sound great to people! And while they can do the job of keeping the litter cleaner by sweeping it after every use…watch out. Fear can cause our feline friends to snub the litter box! I had gotten one (they are not cheap!) for Gizmo and Chester. But the sound of it turning on and motion where it was unexpected freaked them out and after using the box they would bolt like lightening right out of there to avoid it!

Amount of Litter In The Box

Sounding counterintuitive is the amount of litter in the box. Cats actually prefer only 1-2 inches of litter in the litter box. It is PEOPLE who prefer more! Try letting it run a little lower and see if that makes a difference!

Stress

Household stress can also be a cause. If there are multiple cats who don’t get along it could end up preventing one of them from using the litter box. Try moving the boxes around and see if anything works. With Bubbles I ended up getting

With Miesha being a HIGHLY stressed out cat in the best of times though I needed to try a different approach rather than just changing the litter. To calm her, I purchased Feliway Classic pheromone diffusers and pheromone spray. This has helped her calm down significantly, and she is even prone to hanging out on the main floor of the house again!

Enzymatic Cleaner

Along with these suggestions make sure that you are not using an ammonia based cleaner as urine contains ammonia and the cat could continue to use this spot. Instead, same as with puppies, use an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly remove any traces of urine.

Make It Less Appealing

Making the inappropriate area less appealing can do the trick. I have double-sided tape in my house at all times for this very reason! It also helps when your cat is scratching something they shouldn’t be…but if you do not have this, tin foil or even just turning a rug over can work.

What NOT to Do

There are definitely things that you should NOT do if your cat is having accidents around the house.

DO NOT rub their faces in it. They do not understand why you are doing that and it can make them more fearful! Yelling at them or throwing them into their litter box can also be more adverse to their mental health than anything. Same with confinement as they just do not understand why it is happening.

With some patience and trial and error you should be able to narrow down the cause of a cat peeing where they shouldn’t be. Make sure that you are willing to work with them to find a solution and everyone will be very happy!

The post Tips You Need to Know to Address Litter Box Issues first appeared on Help! I've Got Pets.