Strange Cat Behavior

Tap to Read ➤ Sayali Bedekar Patil

Here are some strange cat behavior, which are so common, that they have many an owner wondering, if his/her cat is demented.

It has been a unanimously accepted fact that no one can choose a cat as a pet - it is the cat that chooses his/her owner. But despite their no-nonsense aura, cats can, indeed, behave in humorous ways if they so wish. I list some of their more humorous and strange behavior.

Meowing All Night for No Apparent Reason

Cats have an unusual knack for annoying humans without even trying. Meowing all night can be categorized as attention seeking behavior.

He/She is only trying to get a nocturnal companion for midnight adventures; it is surely not his/her fault that you keep falling for it. It is for us to remember, that cats can be very vocal if keeping us awake all night is high on their agenda.

Loud Play During the Night

I think it is a 'cat thing', something the cats do just for us to know that there is nothing we can make them do - they shall only do what they want.

Sometimes I just sit awake on my bed and curse myself for getting them - the toys, not the cats, duh!

Night-time Escapades

Though I keep a close eye on my kitty, I get caught completely off-guard when I wake up sometime during the night to find her gone. Whoosh!

She has disappeared into thin air, without a trace. How she goes off stealthily, where she goes and what she does, I will never find out, but I am sure she will always be back the next day, to her feeding bowl, with her smug demeanor intact.

Cats are crepuscular (so I've been told by the vet) which basically translates into 'let them do what they like between dusk and dawn'.

Pushing Things off the Table

Cats, do have a tendency to push things off the table. They either like the loud banging sounds or they just want the owners to notice them. Either way, they tend to achieve both.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Some cats show obsessive tendencies towards some hilarious pastimes. Tail chewing (Animal Planet's famous 'round and round cat' laugh), excessive licking, wool gathering (oops, I meant wool pulling!) and fur scratching are just some of them.

I have always wondered what fascinates them in a ball of wool, or a Persian carpet, but came up blank.

Inexplicable Behavioral Patterns

Scratching expensive furniture, rolling over on the back, rubbing faces against things and scratching reflective surfaces are some really weird incomprehensible cat behavior.

My cat just tops it with stealing, unrolling and generally making a wet mess out of toilet paper, tearing up valuable possessions (like my leather handbag and my husband's favorite wallet) and sharpening her claws on my sofa.

Acting as if They Heard Something

My cat likes to feel important by telling me she heard something. She acts all genuine, pulls up her ears, acts alert and all that, while I wonder if I am actually going deaf.

My vet tells me not to worry though because she can hear the ultra-sonic sounds that I cannot. He left me with strict instructions to see a psychiatrist for the time when I start hearing the things that she doesn't.

Licking and Eating

They say, a cat licks herself before a storm. As bizarre as that sounds, it is actually true. Leonore Fleischer has explained the reason for this in her book 'The Cat's Pajamas'.

She says that an electrical storm generates static electricity in the atmosphere, making dirt particles to stick to the cat's dry fur. It makes perfect sense for the cat to clean up after that, doesn't it?

Eating Grass and Plants

Sometimes, you may see your cat eating grass or plants in your garden, although that's not her regular food. Strange, right? But don't worry, grass or plants act as laxatives for constipated cats and sometimes they consume it in order to vomit hair or undigested food.

My cat also eats grass, when she can't digest foods easily. If you notice such a behavior in your cat, don't ignore it and immediately take her to the vet to rule out other digestion-related issues.

There is so much more to write, I think I'd end up with a thesis. I think I should leave the hissing, growling, biting, nibbling ears and pouncing on invisible objects for my next article. I just leave you with one thought, that every cat owner experiences but does not own up to. My cat just lazes around on the couch and surveys everything I do with semi-bored eyes, while I try to make myself somehow invisible, so I wouldn't have to bow down to the high and mighty. Does your cat actually do the same?