Mirror Fetish?

graciecat

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Elliott was a stray that we took in last November.
He was about 18 months old at the time.

He took to being an indoor cat basically overnight.
He loves to look out the window and "bark" at the birds and any cats, dogs or people who he sees walking down the street.
He doesn't claw the screen if the windows are open and doesn't claw at the windows if they're shut.

After a slow introduction to our other cats he had free run of the house.
For the first 3 or 4 months he was fine.
About May of this year he started to sit on our dresser or vanity and push on the mirror with his paws...this happened day and night.
I just assumed he was seeing himself and couldn't understand why that "other" cat wasn't responding to him.
It got so bad that I had to put sheets over the mirrors so he wouldn't break them.

I took the sheets off a week of so later and he never botherd the mirrors again...until last night.
He was really going to town on the dresser mirror at 4 AM this morning.
I guess I'll either have to put the sheets back up or do my "Can of pennies" trick to stop him.
The girls have both seen themselves in the mirror but they don't freak out the way Elliott does.

I just wondered if anyone else has a cat that does this and even if you don't, if anyone thinks that he really does think that his reflection is another cat?
 
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graciecat

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Thanks for the link.
It's good to know that Elliott isn't the only mirror attacking cat out there.

It just seemed strange to me because I've had cats in my life from the day my parents brought me home from the Hospital and he's the only one who's ever done that.

I think I woke up everyone in the house this morning screaming "ELLIOTT, YOU GOOFBALL, THAT'S NOT ANOTHER CAT IT'S YOU."
He ignored me of course
 

emmylou

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There were a lot of stories in the news a few months ago about which species of animals have self-awareness — in other words, can identify themselves in the mirror. Cats can't.

So, no, your cat won't be able to recognize it as himself. I think some cats are curious at first about the "other cat," but because it has no smell and no dimension, they lose interest. Others are more interested.

My cat sometimes looks at the mirror cat, but isn't obsessed with it. Though I once caught him attacking a photo of a cat that was printed on the side of a box. It was life-size, and he was smacking it in the face over and over.
 
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graciecat

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Originally Posted by emmylou

There were a lot of stories in the news a few months ago about which species of animals have self-awareness — in other words, can identify themselves in the mirror. Cats can't.

So, no, your cat won't be able to recognize it as himself. I think some cats are curious at first about the "other cat," but because it has no smell and no dimension, they lose interest. Others are more interested.

My cat sometimes looks at the mirror cat, but isn't obsessed with it. Though I once caught him attacking a photo of a cat that was printed on the side of a box. It was life-size, and he was smacking it in the face over and over.
I sure hope Elliott loses interest soon.
I would have loved to have seen the boxing match with the cat on the box.

Originally Posted by 4meezers3kids

Could he need a companion?
We have two other cats, so he's not lonely.
He's just a little stink pot
 

emmylou

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Originally Posted by Graciecat

I would have loved to have seen the boxing match with the cat on the box.
Safe to say that my cat won.
 
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