Can cats have OCD?

ping

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I know this seems like a silly question but I am curious. We have had Ping since he was 8 wks old? and now he is 6-7 mths old. And for as long as I can remember he always scratched the side walls of his litter box. We have bought him several different boxes, currently using a covered box, and this still persists. Sometimes its just a few mins. (very times) but most times he can last 15-20 mins doing this. Sometimes he does it when he has not gone potty he just looks at the box and hops in and does this. So can cats have OCD and do you think this is what it is?

When I say the side walls I mean literally the side walls. No litter involved. And it sounds like the poor boy is digging to some foreign country out the side of his box.
 

shambelle

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Originally Posted by Ping

I know this seems like a silly question but I am curious. We have had Ping since he was 8 wks old? and now he is 6-7 mths old. And for as long as I can remember he always scratched the side walls of his litter box. We have bought him several different boxes, currently using a covered box, and this still persists. Sometimes its just a few mins. (very times) but most times he can last 15-20 mins doing this. Sometimes he does it when he has not gone potty he just looks at the box and hops in and does this. So can cats have OCD and do you think this is what it is?

When I say the side walls I mean literally the side walls. No litter involved. And it sounds like the poor boy is digging to some foreign country out the side of his box.
My PJ does this all the time. We just consider it to be her own special thing.

She does it when she hasn't used the box, and then she comes charging out of it, ready to play. She also does it after using the box - she rarely buries her stuff, so I don't know if she's cleaning her paws, or wasn't taught how to bury, or what. But it's cute.
 
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ping

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I think its cute as well. Hubby kinda gives Ping a weird look when he does it and I just say "Everyone in the house is a little nutty. So why should the cat be any different" lol.
 

tiffanyjbt

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Hmm... I thought all cats were this 'anal retentive'!


Duke scratches around in his litterbox for anywhere from 5-25 minutes. Whats even more amusing is that he announces to us when he has to 'go' by giving a few short "meorowowmrowroau's"
 

graciecat

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My Gracie does that too.
Doesn't matter if she's used the box or not, she just seems to really like scratching the walls of the litter box.
 

epona

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Sounds normal, it's part of scent-marking their territory - round their litter box (or on the inside walls if it's covered), or round their food bowls, they have scent glands in their pads and it's very important to a cat to be able to say 'this is mine' by leaving scent around the places that are important to them.
 
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