Weird kitty habit - what does it mean? (sm)

This is the first cat I've had to do this behavior, and I have no clue what it means - must be some instinct maybe?  Whenever she goes to one of her water bowls (that have fresh water put in them every day), just before she starts drinking, she wipes her front feet on the floor, like she's digging a hole.  Then she drinks. 

I've seen cats act like they're burying their dinner after they've had enough to eat, and heard that it is an instinct that goes back to wild cats, lions, etc. burying their kill so they can come back to it later.  But what do you think the foot-wiping thing is? 

• Weird kitty habit - what does it mean? (sm) - CAT-atonic
  • One of my males does this also.....and another - wants to drink out of faucet only......nm
  • it's a territorial movement by the cat - My cat does this all the time (female)...sm
    • They do have scent glands in their pads, - Misha
  • My female cat does something similar... - PAMT~MDM
  • My male kitty - does the same thing
  • maybe she is --sm - nn
    • Thanks to all for your input! I think you're probably - sm - CAT-atonic

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I buy things and then don't use them.  It can be food,  shoes,  clothes,  what ever !  I don't go out shopping looking for things to buy on purpose.  It is worse in shoes and clothes.  Here is a couple of examples.

I have 5 new pair of shoes I bought Sketchers and Clark sandles and they are STILL in the box.  Then I have NEW clothes with the tags on them.  Bought them to wear to an occasion and then didn't so there they HANG !  Oh,  and 2 new purses. 

Just last week I bought a complete outfit of a jacket, capri's and top plus a pair of Dockers and 3 tops.  What do I end up wearing all the time,  my same OLD stuff. It's like I want to keep them NEW !! if that makes any sense. It's not a waste of money as I will eventually wear them (someday).

DH doesn't say anything as he likes to see me buy things for myself.   As I get older I find myself doing this more. Plus I go up and down in weight like a YO-YO !

We have a 6-year-old foster child whose birth mom had a stealing problem.  Our 6-year-old has had several episodes where she was caught stealing both before she came to live with us and since moving in with us.  Conversations with her about it being wrong to steal, talking with the caseworker, psychologist & even a policeman have helped but occasionally she steals something from a store anyway.  The last episode was this weekend when she stole some nail  polish when my husband turned his back for a moment, even when she was being allowed to buy some lip gloss she was wanting.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to get her to stop stealing?  I've talked to the local juvenile court system and all they said was they couldn't do anything unless she is actually arrested.... which of course we're trying to stop.  Of note her biological mother had a problem with being arrested several times for stealing and even though it's not documented, we suspect that this child would see her mother steal or her mom had her steal at times for her.   There are plenty of times we can go into a store without problems with her, it's only every few months she steals.

Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who helped me through these last couple of weeks with my beautiful cat with bone cancer.  We finally put her to sleep yesterday and it was very difficult for us but for her it was very quick and nontraumatic.  The hardest part for her was the ride down to the vet's because she hates/hated that part.  We then took her to the cremation place and should have her ashes back within a week.  I didn't write until now because my heart is still very sad.  I still haven't picked up her "things" around the house but will probably try to do that tonight or I may only be able to do a couple of things at a time, but that's okay. 

I wrote about our milk prices here and it got me thinking how we probably won't have to buy as much milk now or the whole roasted chickens at Costco we used to buy for her.  She would share some with us but it was really Mochi's chicken.  She would come running in from outside whenever we cooked chicken too.  Plus she would do what we called "praying to the refrigerator God" for something good to eat, she would sit in front of the refrigerator doors and just stare at it or sometimes rub up against it until we opened it up and found something in there for her. 

We hadn't been able to let her outside for a month or so so that she could warm herself in the sun, so I think she is very happily sunning herself right now, in no pain. 

Sounds like you did all you could and provided a wonderful home.   

She sounds sweet!  I swear by a liquid called Ration Plus.  I first got it for my equines who had weight problems and gas.  It's a prebiotic that works in their hindgut to regulate things...makes food stick to the ribs and helps with things like diarrhea and gas.  I also give it to my dogs now and again and even my old senior cat.  I put it right on their food and they gobble it right up.

HOWEVER, it does not state anywhere on their website or the label that it is appropriate for cats.  I just wrote to them actually, just now, to find out if it was safe for felines.  I know I've been feeding it to my cat now for over a year, one or two times a week as a top dressing on his food, and haven't had any problems and he looks great.  I will let you know what they say about it.

Fantastic results and a bottle lasts a long, long time. 

Here's their company website: http://www.rationplus.com/dog.html
but I buy it from pet places because it's usually cheaper that way.

She's an 8 year old Exotic Shorthair Persian named Charlotte.  Her little tongue sticks out all the time, 'cuz her face is so flat & her mouth is so small.  She's tiny - and only weighs about 5-1/4 lbs. right now.  Needs to gain a pound or two.)  She's a total cuddle-bug!  

(She just came out to say hi to me - she was annoyed with me earlier because I had to give her a pill.  Not easy with that tiny little mouth!)  Whenever I'm on the computer, she sits on the back of my chair and "helps". 

Oh and I love your "blanket" on your bed?  Can I have that?  It looks so luxurious especially this time of night after typing all day!  What a life!  I want to be a cat in my next life! 

This is our cat!  This is around the holidays, and my 7-year-old thought she'd jazz her up a bit, but I'm not so sure she is liking it.  She does like having pictures taken though! 

Hope your cat feels better soon; she is just beautiful!     GET WELL SOON AIDA!

I need some advice from all the cat experts out there. A week ago a very nice black male kitty adopted us and since he was so mellow and got along with our dog, we decided to keep him. I took him to the vet for the first time last night to get checked out and get shots. The doctor noticed an area between his shoulder blades that was a little flaky and a little fur was starting to come off. She thought it might possibly be ringworm but couldn't tell yet. Honestly, I didn't even notice this (and I've been petting kitty a lot) until she pointed it out, and it really didn't start flaking until we got to the vet. Today in the same area he has a very small patch of hair loss and still has some flaking but I don't see a lesion like ringworm. Could it be that the lesion just hasn't shown up yet? If it is ringworm, what can I use on it without having to go back to the vet? I already spent a lot of money there yesterday and I do want to take care of kitty, but we do have limited funds. Oh yes, and to my surprise, this kitty who has been outdoors for who knows how long is very clean and actually does not have fleas! And yes, we did try to find his owner, but no one has called.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

I have been over there at various times of the day and making sure I was there at the regular times I had seen him previously (sometimes 4 times in a single day!) and have not seen him again.    I have waited in my car for him and gotten out to call *kitty.*  I still have the carrier in my car and I am ready to bring him home.  I have put out 2 cans of really yummy canned food over there for him, but they have gone untouched.  I sure hope the little guy is okay.  I will continue to watch out for him! 

When we first got her, she peed in my bed and actually peed on me one morning when she jumped up into the bed with me.  She was laying on my legs and then all of sudden I felt a warm sensation!  She would pee on bath towels in the bathroom that were left in the floor.  I actually watched her pee on the empty bag of liter rather than in her litter box.  When I took her to the vet for her shots and stuff, I asked my vet about her doing this.  She checked her for a UTI which she did not have.  Then the vet suggested I try a different litter because cats can be picky and if they don't like the smell or the feel of the litter, they won't use it. 

Finally, she said if all health concerns and litter concerns were ruled out, then the kitty was just being hard headed and she advised that I put the cat in a room by herself with her litter box and food and nothing else as punishment every time she peed or pooped anywhere but the litter box.

Thankfully, this phase didn't last long and I found a litter my kitty liked.  She never stayed mad at me.  We have a very good mom and cat relationship now.  Stick with it.  I know it's irritating, but that's the price we pay for having pets.  You have to expect a little mess especially with babies!

If you give up this easily, I hate to see how you handle my honery dog!  She's a boxer and a big goof ball.  She knocks over the trash cans, chews up everything she can get her mouth around, and I even caught her on the very top of my upright piano chasing after the cat!  I tell ya my house is like an episode of Tom and Jerry!  But I love animals and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

If you want a pet, you have to be willing to be patient.  I hate the idea of just giving away a pet because they made a mess.  What does a person expect with a kitten or a puppy?