Cats that do strange things?

[Mia]

Does your cat do strange things? Went outside today to find my cat Iggy (formerly know as Pinky) Asleep beside my car, at first I thought he was dead. Right out in the open, he woke up later because a fly was bothering him. He seems to have no stalking, hiding, hunting, instincts whatsoever. Although he lives to fight with other male cats, and to guard the property day and night, even though he's neutered. He'll wander about, and simply sleep wherever he is.

My two others and all cats I've known seemed to have some sort of instinctual self-preservation and sleep in places where they can't be seen both inside and outside. Do your cats do things that you don't understand? My spouse thinks he does it because he's not afraid of anything. I suspect he was taken away from his Mother before he learned any of those skills. Or he was born in a commercial pet selling operation.

 

[Chance]

My cat (Zap) sleeps on top of my dog (Tucker)... its pretty weird, but they seem like best friends.
Where one is, the other is, and they seem to have lots of fun together.

 

[QueenOfFrance87]

My cat seems to like human food, even though she isn't supposed to eat it. She drinks milk right out my cereal bowl, and loves meat, dairy, and anything saucy.

Again, I am highly aware that her diet is inappropriate and unorthodox, so please don't judge.

 

[Bolletje]

My cat does this thing all cats do: look intently at a place where nothing can be seen, on full alert. Then pounce invisible things, freak out and T-Rex out of there.
This is my cat, currently lurking on the bed head above me, waiting to pounce whatever it is she's imagining.

 

[Katleya]

My cat plays fetch.
I grew up around many cats (my parents have had well over a dozen in the almost-30 years between the first two who came into the house when I was 4 to their current two girls), but we've only noticed that behavior with our last 4 cats (mine included). I guess we never realized before, because we never thought of playing with the right toy. So I'd be curious to know what happens when some of you try that.

Each of them has a different way of going about it, though: the one who helped us accidentally discover that he plays fetch had a tiny bouncy ball that he would catch when thrown his way and return for more throwing. The 2nd one will play with the same type of ball or anything made of crumpled paper, but only when thrown in a particular spot. Oh, and straws are fetchable, too. The youngest brings my mother the weirdest things for her to throw: parsley or tomato stems, and pieces of linoleum she stashes somewhere.
I got mine used to playing with a baby bottle nipple: the material is bouncy, it's not too loud, and it's big enough that there's no choking hazard no matter how he picks it up in his mouth. So he'll bring the nipple and plop it at my feet when he wants to play... or when my boyfriend and I are having an argument. This cat is a playful peacekeeper (because obviously we stop the argument and play with him instead).

He also seems to mimick a lot of what I do: he'll lay in the exact same ways as I do, but he also sighs (I sigh a lot). Seriously, if he begs for food & doesn't get it, or can't catch some insect, or whatever source of frustration, he'll let out the biggest sigh. That's weird.

And he has identified bedtime rituals, so he knows what's next if I walk towards certain parts of the room and jumps into bed like there's a cue or something.

 

[Mia]

One of my cat's abilities really freaks me out. She'll be sound asleep, wake up suddenly and jump on a fly in mid air! She'll chase it around for hours. I can't hear the insect nearby but she can, (used to think she was attacking shadows) she may hear it's wings flying I think, or the buzzing noise it makes.

 

[Katleya]

One of my cat's abilities really freaks me out. She'll be sound asleep, wake up suddenly and jump on a fly in mid air! She'll chase it around for hours. I can't hear the insect nearby but she can hears it's wings flying I think, or it's buzzing noise.

This is a different cat than the one with no hunting desire who sleeps next to your car, right? Because that sounds like one mighty hunter.

 

[mocha]

So...this is how my cat Sam lay on me the other week.
He has crazy mood swings, sometimes tries to nibble human hair, stalks people down the road, rests his chin on just about anything and goes nuts for chicken.
Then there's my sisters cat who will only drink water if its in a mug/cup made for humans.

But they wouldnt be cats without the odd quirk, right? XD
I think its what makes them so unique and lovable...and downright funny.

 

[Mia]

And he has identified bedtime rituals, so he knows what's next if I walk towards certain parts of the room and jumps into bed like there's a cue or something.

My male cat does that too! He starts coming up to me at bedtime and stares, if I don't go to bed, he'll come back. Finally when I make for the bedroom he runs ahead of me up the stairs. Then jumps on the bed. If I don't go to bed immediately he follows me into the bathroom and sits on the sink while I brush my teeth. Then runs into the bedroom and jumps on the bed.

 

[Katleya]

Ah yes, the stare and coming to get me, I had forgotten about that. He WILL remind me of bedtime.
I'm amazed every time I turn the light off and he almost immediately stays put and falls asleep, instead of roaming in the dark like our other cats did.

His daughter knows about bedtime too. She'll come tap gently on my mother's leg, call, and show the way to the bedroom. And she doesn't take no for an answer.

(Disclaimer: my cat figured out how nature works literally the week before he was supposed to be neutered. It sounds like a Greek tragedy of cats to say that my cat impregnated my parents' cat. Anyway, I'm glad they kept one of the kittens)

 

[Gracey]

Sleeps or rides around up on my shoulders like it’s normal.

Perfectly able cat, legs of her own, no disabilities.

 

[Gracey]

I start to take photos of my other animals or things, this one sits in front of my phone, blocking the view.

 

[LucyPurrs]

My cat plays fetch.
I grew up around many cats (my parents have had well over a dozen in the almost-30 years between the first two who came into the house when I was 4 to their current two girls), but we've only noticed that behavior with our last 4 cats (mine included). I guess we never realized before, because we never thought of playing with the right toy. So I'd be curious to know what happens when some of you try that.

Each of them has a different way of going about it, though: the one who helped us accidentally discover that he plays fetch had a tiny bouncy ball that he would catch when thrown his way and return for more throwing. The 2nd one will play with the same type of ball or anything made of crumpled paper, but only when thrown in a particular spot. Oh, and straws are fetchable, too. The youngest brings my mother the weirdest things for her to throw: parsley or tomato stems, and pieces of linoleum she stashes somewhere.
I got mine used to playing with a baby bottle nipple: the material is bouncy, it's not too loud, and it's big enough that there's no choking hazard no matter how he picks it up in his mouth. So he'll bring the nipple and plop it at my feet when he wants to play... or when my boyfriend and I are having an argument. This cat is a playful peacekeeper (because obviously we stop the argument and play with him instead).

He also seems to mimick a lot of what I do: he'll lay in the exact same ways as I do, but he also sighs (I sigh a lot). Seriously, if he begs for food & doesn't get it, or can't catch some insect, or whatever source of frustration, he'll let out the biggest sigh. That's weird.

And he has identified bedtime rituals, so he knows what's next if I walk towards certain parts of the room and jumps into bed like there's a cue or something.

Have you ever tried twisting a pipe cleaner into a spring and toss it for your retriever cats to bring back? I have had cats that would play with them for hours. Best to bend the ends down though so they don't poke the kitties. I've only had one cat that retrieved stuff- usually crumpled up stiff papers or pipe cleaners.

 

[LucyPurrs]

My cat Lucy has to be loved up before I go to sleep otherwise she won't go to sleep. So when I get in bed to go to sleep she comes up to me on the bed and starts talking and waiting for me to scratch her face and chin. If I stop she takes her paw, grabs my hand and pulls it to her head letting me know I haven't finished the love session.

 

[Panthro]

View attachment 35912 My cat does this thing all cats do: look intently at a place where nothing can be seen, on full alert. Then pounce invisible things, freak out and T-Rex out of there.
This is my cat, currently lurking on the bed head above me, waiting to pounce whatever it is she's imagining.

The rods and cones of the eyes of cats are different from ours which allows them to see things that we can't. So while it appears that your cat might be looking intently at nothing, he or she is likely seeing something that your eyes aren't capable of.

 

[Mary Anne]

One cat loves to eat nori seaweed sheets (used in sushi). This same cat drinks out of the toilet bowl. Both cats open the rubber bath tub drain plug (even though it’s a tight fit), and love to drop their small toys down the hole. I have found balls, and mouse toys in there. It’s bad because I am afraid one day I will not be able to fish the toys out and have a big plumbing bill. Both cats know how to open closed doors in my home, so I cannot really shut them off from the bathroom!

Here is an excellant DIY toy idea that my cats absolutely love to play with:
Make a foil ball. I make one in several layers and crunch it kind of tight. Then I put it in the dryer for several loads of launders. When it comes out it is a solid, weighted shiny hard metal ball. The cats love the hefty ball and the sound it makes rolling around on wooden floors. It’s way better then just a light weigh foil ball without being compacted in the dryer first.

Another toy they love is goose wing tip feathers...which are 12 inches or longer. I find them on the ground in the forest preserves during the late summer molting season of Canada Geese. I put the feathers in a big zip lock bag and freeze them for a week before giving to the girls. They carry the feather around from room to room, and it’s pretty destruct-proof.

You can buy huge feathers at your local craft store or online. Turkey wing feathers are also inexpensive and readily available. Just try to get the undyed ones.

 

[Mary Terry]

View attachment 35750

Does your cat do strange things? Went outside today to find my cat Iggy (formerly know as Pinky) Asleep beside my car, at first I thought he was dead. Right out in the open, he woke up later because a fly was bothering him. He seems to have no stalking, hiding, hunting, instincts whatsoever. Although he lives to fight with other male cats, and to guard the property day and night, even though he's neutered. He'll wander about, and simply sleep wherever he is.

My two others and all cats I've known seemed to have some sort of instinctual self-preservation and sleep in places where they can't be seen both inside and outside. Do your cats do things that you don't understand? My spouse thinks he does it because he's not afraid of anything. I suspect he was taken away from his Mother before he learned any of those skills. Or he was born in a commercial pet selling operation.

I have a calico cat who does that, too. She will sleep anywhere with no regard for safety. She was kicked in the head by one of our horses when she was a kitten so I suspect she has CTE like football players. She also snores loudly and makes a lot of strange noises when she breathes so I named her Snuffles.

 

[LucyPurrs]

I have a calico cat who does that, too. She will sleep anywhere with no regard for safety. She was kicked in the head by one of our horses when she was a kitten so I suspect she has CTE like football players. She also snores loudly and makes a lot of strange noises when she breathes so I named her Snuffles.

Oh my, Lucy for sure has sleep apnea- she snores like a banshee. Needs a CPAP!!!!

 

[Mary Terry]

Oh my, Lucy for sure has sleep apnea- she snores like a banshee. Needs a CPAP!!!!

LOL. Between my hubby's snoring next to me, and Snuffles snoring at either my feet or under the bed, I sometimes just go sleep in the guest bedroom. It's like stereo-snoring.

 

[GrownupGirl]

I have two cats. My younger cat Mischief will pester me and live up to his name whenever I eat Pop-Tarts. I find it strange that he wants to eat them since they are not a protein-based food, like cheese slices. *which both* my cats really like. But Mischief is the one who begs so much while I'm eating he's almost like a dog.