Hi Im New! Very Strange Cat Behavior!Need Help!

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Hello everyone! I am new here and I am hoping someone can explain my cats odds Behavior.

First of all she is a 4 year old female. Tortoise Shell. She is spayed. The problem is that I think she goes through some sort of separation anxiety. Whenever my fiance' leaves the house, she will start meowing like crazy. Then she will try to open up our drawers to pull out socks..and carries them around in her mouth while meowing at the same time.

Sometimes while we are out working all day and come home, there will be socks and underwear all ovber the house from her pulling them out and carrying them around! If she cant get into any drawers she will put sweaters down from hangers and drag those around in her mouth and meow!

Has anyone else expeirienced this with their cats?

I can't say I've ever had a similar problem, but it sure sounds cute!
I've heard the Feliway plug-ins help with separation anxiety--good for anxious cats in general. You can get them at any pet store and they plug into an outlet sort of like a Glade plug-in and distribute calming pheremones into the air which make the kitties happy and relaxed!

I also forgot to add that she constantly likes to Lick things around the house.

She likes to lick doors, she licks the netting on our table tennis set, she licks the bed posts, just the oddest things. As soon as I open the door to our bathroom, she will start to lick the underneath of the door and in between the crack when its open.

She is only nice when she wants food. If you pet her she tries to bite. Sometimes when your walking to a different room she will jump out from somewhere and grab my leg and try to bite it!!

IS this normal?

Originally Posted by OllyExtra05

I can't say I've ever had a similar problem, but it sure sounds cute!
I've heard the Feliway plug-ins help with separation anxiety--good for anxious cats in general. You can get them at any pet store and they plug into an outlet sort of like a Glade plug-in and distribute calming pheremones into the air which make the kitties happy and relaxed!

Click to expand...

Maybe I will have to try this! There is always a mess of clothes I have to pick up everyday! Some of them she puts holes in! SO anything that would calm her down I will try!

Just so long as she's not eating the clothing. It's an odd behavior, that's true, but not so far as to be considered an abnormal behavioral problem. Just put all the things away where they can't be gotten at.

Originally Posted by OllyExtra05

I can't say I've ever had a similar problem, but it sure sounds cute!
I've heard the Feliway plug-ins help with separation anxiety--good for anxious cats in general. You can get them at any pet store and they plug into an outlet sort of like a Glade plug-in and distribute calming pheremones into the air which make the kitties happy and relaxed!

Click to expand...

To solve the problem of her getting into your clothes- Can you close the door of the room you keep them in so she can't get in. Or maybe buy a baby proof mechanism. To keep her occupied you could give her her own socks to play with. She must like the scent of your b-friend, so you would need to change them regulary. My cats also seem to have oral fixations. One is always licking me, esp my ear. He also chews stuff, like lampshades. The other used to lick the shower curtain while I was showering- BUT ON THE DRY SIDE! I am concerned however about her anxiety level.

It also sounds like she may be bored while you are gone all day. Does she have access to a window to look outside and plenty of toys?

Molly used to lick the bottom of the shower

She goes after my socks! When he leaves, she always goes for my things! That is why it is so odd! I live in a big loft, so we have no rooms! I shut my drawers all the time. They are big heavy wooden ones and she still manages to open them somehow!
I think she just likes my socks and soft things!
The other day I came home and found my Cashmere sweater was dragged across the floor!

Yep she has access to windows. She has cat toys. Everything a Cat could possibly want...and still she prefers the socks and sweaters!

When did you get her? Did you have her since she was a young kitten? If she was a rescue, perhaps some past experience is causing her to fear being abandoned... There was something else you said about her shunning affection, makes me wonder what made her act that way.

As for liking your stuff, perhaps you could try leaving an old t-shirt and a pair of socks that you've been exercising in for her whenever you leave the house. Maybe have a set with your bf's scent on them as well. If that works, then she probably IS having separation anxiety and likes to have your scent around her when you're out of the house.

Im thinking that she does goes through some sort of separation anxiety. She acutally belonged to a friend of mine who couldnt keep her as a kitten, so he gave her to another friend for about a month, but she couldnt keep her,so I took her in.

Im not sure if anything happened to her in between those 2 previous owners. But she has been doing this ever since we've had her. And she never really has been very affectionate. I know all these people with loveable cats that snuggle up to them and want to be pet, but not my cat

My 1-year old Siamese does the same thing! She will pick up my socks and bring them to me and meow at the same time. She used to be a ferral, so I think she is bringing me her "prey" to get my attention, kind of like: see I bring you good stuffs, love me...
Maybe you cat just want to get your attention when your fiance leaves. Maybe she wants to claim you over him...

My cats aren't exactly snugglebunnies either, occasionally my little 2 mth old boy will lie quietly in my arms and purr, but these occasions are getting few and far between as he grows older. His mommy won't stand for it, she'll jump right off, but she likes her pet-fests, as long as her feet are all on the ground!

When you say you cat tries to bite when you pet her, what kind of bite is that? Is it the playful roll over, grab your hand with her paws and bite, or is it the hiss snarl and "MAUL THAT WOMAN!!" kind of bite? I suppose it's either another one of her emotional issues, or she's just one of those cats who don't like much contact...

Let us know if the smelly sock/clothing idea works

When you say you cat tries to bite when you pet her, what kind of bite is that? Is it the playful roll over, grab your hand with her paws and bite, or is it the hiss snarl and "MAUL THAT WOMAN!!" kind of bite? I suppose it's either another one of her emotional issues, or she's just one of those cats who don't like much contact...

Let us know if the smelly sock/clothing idea works [/quote]


She never ever has hissed at any of ever. She just lays around all day and she looks so cute and I just want to snuggle her. But as soon as I try to pet her she reaches up and bites me! And she bites hard! I guess she doesnt like to show affection. But she sure does when she is hungry! She wakes us up in the morning by jumping on our bed! And if you dont feed her right that second, she chases your leg, grabs on and takes a bite!

Originally Posted by OllyExtra05

I can't say I've ever had a similar problem, but it sure sounds cute!
I've heard the Feliway plug-ins help with separation anxiety--good for anxious cats in general. You can get them at any pet store and they plug into an outlet sort of like a Glade plug-in and distribute calming pheremones into the air which make the kitties happy and relaxed!

Click to expand...

lol it does

Maybe she needs a kitty friend. Since she was moved from home to home, she may have anxiety that when you go away, her whole world will change. And she is afraid you will never come back. If you had another cat, she wouldn't be alone.

If she thinks socks are comforting, try giving her socks. Every time you or your bf are getting ready to go, let her know. Follow a ritual, so she knows you are leaving. Pet her, give her some pairs of socks to play with, and tell her good-bye.

Even try going away for 2-3 mins at a time several times over a weekend, so she learns the bye-bye ritual, but learns that you always come back.

DD's best friend had separation anxiety from her Mom, a single parent. If she would be away from her Mom for more than a few hours, she would begin to cry. At the age of 9, I bought her a baby CD with a song "My Mommy Comes Back", about how Mommies go away, but always come back and get their babies. She thought it was ridiculous, but it did solve the problem. If she started to worry about when she would see her Mom again, she just had to sing that song in her head. You need to provide a similar comfort for your kitty.

Becky...I am definately going to try the sock thing. WE have 2 Chihuahua's here, so she's not exactly alone when we leave She actually didnt do the sock thing today. I was surprised. Maybe she was too lazy too..hehe..

Mandi,

Have you tried finding any information on vocalization. Sometimes cats meowing constantly can be a sign of something being really wrong, not just a behavior problem. Have you talked with a vet? You should check online, there are lots of good sites with info that might help you. Try http://www.catwellness.org/signs.asp.

Hope this helps some!

Originally Posted by *Mandi*

H
Hello everyone! I am new here and I am hoping someone can explain my cats odds Behavior.

First of all she is a 4 year old female. Tortoise Shell. She is spayed. The problem is that I think she goes through some sort of separation anxiety. Whenever my fiance' leaves the house, she will start meowing like crazy. Then she will try to open up our drawers to pull out socks..and carries them around in her mouth while meowing at the same time.

Sometimes while we are out working all day and come home, there will be socks and underwear all ovber the house from her pulling them out and carrying them around! If she cant get into any drawers she will put sweaters down from hangers and drag those around in her mouth and meow!

Has anyone else expeirienced this with their cats?

Click to expand...

My brother's pit bull does this! Every time he leaves for work, she runs into his room and drags out a pair of underwear or socks- but always from the dirty clothes! She, actually, was abused as a pup, and her breeder tried to train her to be a fighting dog , but she just simply doesn't have it in her to be one (poor baby!). My brother is extremely gentle, kind, and patient with her, and I do believe that she has a seperation anxiety issue.

I tend to agree that she may feel a bit bored during the day, even though she doesn't intentionally spend a lot of time being cuddled and played with. The simple fact that you guys aren't there might just be enough for her to start feeling restless.

MISS...I never even thought that there could possibly be something wrong with her I hope that she is ok. I thought that maybe she just missed us a lot when we left. Ill have to check up on that with her vet. Thanks for that link, Imgoing to check it out.