So, I'm curious, I've never really had a cat as a grown up, because of allergies and other issues, and now that I can have mine I'm absolutely loving pet ownership again. I previously had dogs and I always thought myself to be more of a dog person which is still probably true, but Thor (the perfect name he had given to him in the shelter) is much more than a cat. I'm sure most of us say that about our pets, but most days I swear he acts more like a dog than a cat, which is perfect for me and my family. This has given me some difficulties though, because I'm unsure of some cat behavior and I'm not sure if what he's doing is normal or not.
I was hoping some of you could help me figure out if he's just being a cat or if there is something I should be worrying about. I know cats LOVE boxes and we have a few thrown around for his pleasure. He doesn't spend a lot of time in them which I think means he's happy and comfortable in his new home, his most common places to be are on my bed or on my office chair. If he's lucky the clothes hampers are full of clean clothing that he can happily lay upon. These things are not what bother me though, what I'm worried about is his tendency to chew on things. He is a full grown neutered male cat, but he chews on boxes absolutely decimates them with his teeth. When he is done with them it looks like a rat has used them for nesting material. Is this normal? Should I attempt to stop the behavior? How would I go about doing that?
Another issue I'm having with him is that although he has fresh water at all times he would much rather drink water from the bottom of the tub, the sink, or if we forget to close the lid, even from the toilet. I thought that was a dog only behavior so was completely shocked to see him days after we brought him home propped on the toilet seat with his head down in the toilet. Do your cats do the same sorts of things?
No, my cat has never been caught drinking from the toilet, although she never really gets the chance as the lid is always down to keep her from ever trying it. She does, however, like to sit on the lid and bat blindly at the top of the tank. I say 'blindly' because she has this weird habit of tilting her head so she is looking out of only one eye at the subject and then, having lost her depth perception, she will try to bat at the lid with her paw and usually ends up swatting at the air. It's the oddest thing to watch because I know her eyes work just fine, but she's acting like she's half blind or something. Also, my cat is not a chewer, but one of her sisters is. Her real name is Miranda, but we all call her the Shredder. She firmly believes that her job around the house is to destroy any piece of paper or cardboard that falls to the floor, and proceeds to do so. She helped me open my birthday presents one year, but she only opened one gift before she lost interest and found something else to do. It's possible that your cat simply likes the feel of cardboard in his mouth. It squishes a little bit when he bites it, and perhaps that is where his interest lies. Some cats will chew power cords for the same reason, because they're squishy. As far as drinking out of the toilet is concerned... cats often like to choose their own 'stuff' and this includes not only toys but also food and water dishes as well. It could be that he simply doesn't like the water dish he's been given and this is his way of telling you. Or, if he drinks a lot, he could have diabetes, which has symptoms similar to that of humans. Make sure that he is healthy, for one thing, and also check to make sure his water dish is full at all times. My cat has two water bowls at all times, but usually only drinks from the one, simply because she likes the looks of it and no other reason. I hope some of this helps you out.
I suppose that at the end of the day, kittens will be kittens. Since they are analogous to human kids who have all sorts of proclivities ranging from the hilariout to the tragic. I have even observed kittens going to a neighbour on unsolicited visits which could elicit a negative reaction since some people have other ideas as to their mission. I often see people fretting over the whereabouts of their kittens since they are vulnerable and can be made an easy meal by a delinquent canine. Are cats supposed to be fed on water? Where I come from, people usually don't give water to their cats and have a ready bowl of soup or milk for their sustenance. Cats are usually fussy feders but one thing I have seen them relishing is a bowl of milk. The flip side is that once they are accustomed to milk, they don't look at water twice. But milk can be substituted with tea. I think this should be your recourse if they are to be deterred from these areas.
Your cat sure acts like a dog with him biting stuff and all that. I just want to ask though, have you had Thor and a dog live at your house at the same time? Maybe he got used to the behavior and the dog and that's why he started acting like one. Otherwise, I can't explain why he might be doing those things. Try to ask a professional since it might cause him health problems because of drinking from almost anywhere.
Well that is a little strange that they prefer the water at the bottom of the tub or the sink, but I would say that this might just be something that takes some getting used to. It immediately reminded me of my old cat who would only drink water as it come out of the sink faucet, and you had to have it go slowly with a good stream. It was kind of funny, but it always made me wonder if it was bad to get him used to that sort of thing, but I never made to much of a deal about it. I would say that you are okay, and that things take time to get used to, but then again I cannot say with any certainly. It is very interesting to think about, though, so thanks for sharing.
(10-10-2016, 10:56 PM)Loro Wrote: It's weird. Educating a cat could be the hardest thing ever, but it's not impossible. There's nothing that a bit of food couldn't fix, indeed.
I have tried so many times to teach my cat something or do something particular, and it is almost to the point where I think he totally gets it, and is just messing with me when he will just do the opposite. Cats are smart, but at the same time they have that way of making you wonder what is going on upstairs sometimes, and maybe it is just rats and catnip.
Kerri I think it's still too early to get worried. I agree that educating cats is difficult but you'd better think how to use his habits. Offer him toys he could chew. As for toilet water, some cats really drink toilet water.
