Stick And String

[Michael Paparo]

Hi,
One my kids (Spike) is a DSH and the vet and I both agree that he has some Siamese traits.

So, I tie a string onto the end of a dowel and flit it around on the floor in a playful way with him and he responds well. This gives him some exercise and also tires him out before I go to bed so I can sleep. Ha, yeah right!

I keep the stick out of his reach during the night so there's no chance of him chewing on and ingesting the string but he always finds it and herein lies the reason for my post....

During the night, we know (wife and I) that he found the stick because we hear it being dragged around and eventually up the stairs to our bedroom. Now, it took a while but he figured out how to pry open our bedroom door all the while still hanging onto the stick, well actually the string.

He's amazing to watch: he has a grip of the string in his mouth as close to the stick as possible so when he drags the stick, it is under his body between his legs and while dragging it around, he's emitting this gutteral sound like he's a warrior returning with his prize.

This goes on until he drops the stick and retreats. At first I thought he wanted to play more but if I attempt this, he shuns me and leaves. When I return the stick to the basement living room and tuck it into the crease of the couch cushions, he comes along and pulls it out, drops it and goes about his business. If I put it back, upon seeing it replaced, he pulls it out again. This will go on for as long as I allow.

Besides there being the maniacal Siamese genes in him, can anyone explain this bizarre behavior?

I'd be very interested to find some meaning to this.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Really, really NOT being a smart alec here...but...HE'S A CAT! They do this stuff. We will never know why. Except that he loves his toy, and enjoys having it near him.

 

[ArtNJ]

I suppose he is treating it like captured prey. Which is a weird thing to do with this type of toy, haven't seen this before, but as Mamanyt1953 said, cats do weird stuff.

For his Christmas gift, or earlier for your sanity when he busts your homemade version:

Cat Dancer Cat Charmer Toy

Wouldn't surprise me if he turns his nose up at the fancier version...you might have to just keep repairing it lol.

 

[1 bruce 1]

We had a singleton kitten we raised that had his "own room", or a room he considered his.
Any toys we were playing with that he "caught", he'd grab it up, freeze, then rush off to "his" room, presumably to consume his kill.
It's bizarre to us, but so instinctive and so basically intelligent on a cat-level.
I say enjoy him and all the funny stuff he does!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Our kitty Milly will do this with the metal wand and string (toy attached) that comes with some versions of DaBird.

She drags the stick around, though, by grabbing onto the toy that's affixed at the end of the string. She does it most when there is a rabbit fur toy hooked on the string. She waddles to the other room with the stick dragging between her legs. Good to know there are others who have a cat that does this!

 

[Michael Paparo]

Thanks all,
Just happy to know he's not the only one. That idea of captured prey makes sense, our bedroom must be his "room".
That's a funny thought... everyone has their quiet place. I have my shop, my wife the upstairs living room, Missy likes the guest room, Noodles likes the bathroom.

Thanks again everyone.