Zoe's WEIRD instinct

Cats are supposed to have some kind of instinct, aren't they? Tania, for example, is Zoe's sister and she really acts like a normal cat. She likes to hunt the little toys in the house, she sleeps where she can see everything, etc. However, Zoe is always acting strange.

She won't lick the water, even in her small bowl she'd rather put her paws in it and then lick it. When she's done eating or drinking, she'll do the same as when she done going in the litt, she'll try to "cover" her food and water, by rubbing the air around her bowls (???). Since her bowls are in stainless steel, she often makes noise in the middle of the night for about 5 minutes, trying to hide her food. Also, she won't fight with her sister, she'll just stand there while the other attacks her and then whine if it hurts. When I change the litter, she can play for half an hour in it, scraching it, rubbing her noise in the fresh litt and even laying on it. Plus, she never sits, lays or clean like a cat. She's always in weird and non-elegant positions that would fit more to a little puppy than a cat! She often falls down of where she's standing and rather sleep on a piece of paper than on a more comfortable place.

So, I'm wondering, any of your cats have some "instinct failure" like this or does Zoe have a problem? I find it really cute most of the time and I really love her, so as long as it's not a health problem, she can be as she want!

I am not sure but I think Zoe is rather normal. Maybe in the "minority" normal in cat behavior. Her sister is the dominant one which explains Zoe's refusal to fight. Two of my cats enjoy the freshly changed cat litter. The water thing is probably because Zoe does not enjoy her nose getting wet. Like Zoe, my Skinny also "covers" her food. Finally, oftentimes I've seen my cats sleep in really uncomfortable places.
But I agree - it is all very cute.

I think cats are just weird like that. Milo sticks his paws in the water and then licks his paws too. Thats how he eats a lot of the time too (if its wet food). He tries to get my food with his claws all the time.

Zebra lays in weird ways too. She will fall asleep wherever, including on a piece of paper as well.

Originally Posted by yayi

I am not sure but I think Zoe is rather normal. Maybe in the "minority" normal in cat behavior. Her sister is the dominant one which explains Zoe's refusal to fight. Two of my cats enjoy the freshly changed cat litter. The water thing is probably because Zoe does not enjoy her nose getting wet. Like Zoe, my Skinny also "covers" her food. Finally, oftentimes I've seen my cats sleep in really uncomfortable places.
But I agree - it is all very cute.

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Oh, thanks! I just wasn't sure if she was normal or not. I've only had two cats in my life other than Zoe and her sister and they had a really normal behavior, so I was a little scared it would hide some health problem for Zoe. I'm so dumb, I was wondering why no one was replying to my post, I should have known it was just common for most people here to see their cats do what Zoe does...

rather sleep on a piece of paper than on a more comfortable place

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Hee. That is totally normal. Cats seem to have a thing for paper. Put a piece of paper down anywhere, and the cat will come along and want to know exactly what it is, and more often than not, sit or lay down on it, especially if you are trying to read it or something.

Sometimes posts get pushed to the bottom if there are a lot of posts in a time period.

Seb covers his food and litter for a long time before he is satisfied He even tried to cover my food if I leave a bowl or plate somewhere too long. Silly guy.

Both cats love fresh litter. Its a huge treat Your little girl isn't looney (well, not any loonier than other cats) and you aren't dumb. We don't know the answers until we ask the question

The scratching around to bury everything is also because her sister is dominant- it's normal for the dominant one to leave their doings on top of the litter or at least not bury it deeply so as to 'claim' their territory by the scent. Zoe accepts her submissive position and buries hers deeply so as not to challenge that ownership. Radar is the same, paw waving around in the air just to make sure he's done a very thorough job! Sonic often doesn't even cover his.