Mystery of the Fuzzy Cat Toy

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fleemo17@comcast.net - 15 May 2005 18:58 GMT

My 4-year old male cat has a mysterious habit. Every once in a while
he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
throughout the house. The cat toy is one of those whip kind of toys,
resembling a fuzzy 3' piece of material attached to a stick like a
fishing pole. He'll take the toy in his teeth and drag it throughout
the house, the toy dangling between his legs, meowing in an agitated
fashion over and over and over again. It almost seems to be a kind of
sexual practice. He was fixed many moons ago, though I don't know if
that diminishes all desire in cats. Any insight on just what's going
on with my fuzzy friend?

-Fleemo

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Candace - 15 May 2005 19:27 GMT

fleem...@comcast.net wrote:

> My 4-year old male cat has a mysterious habit. Every once in a while
> he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> -Fleemo

Not really, they're pretty mysterious critters. One of my cats does
this, also a male. He does it several times a week. Others have
mentioned this behavior on this ng but, of course, no one knows what
it's all about for sure. Some surmise that they are thinking of it as
prey, others that it is their "baby." Who knows, it's pretty cute,
whatever it is.

Candace

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Justsomebody - 15 May 2005 20:10 GMT

Respond to his "meow" and see if that stops him. We had a cat that
brought in "prizes" all the time and had to be very vocal about it, AND
expected a response from us.

He'd wake us up in the night, and out of habit, we'd just answer
back...lol.

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bigbadbarry - 15 May 2005 20:17 GMT

fleem...@comcast.net wrote:

> he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
> throughout the house.
> -Fleemo

Maybe he thinks he killed it, it's a trophy, and he is sporting it;
flaunting it

or

his real complaint is..."waaaa! this thing won't die"...

haa!

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Mary - 15 May 2005 20:41 GMT

> fleem...@comcast.net wrote:
> > he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> Maybe he thinks he killed it, it's a trophy, and he is sporting it;
> flaunting it

That is exactly what it is. He is making a gift to his owner,
and crowing over his "kill."

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John Ross Mc Master - 15 May 2005 20:53 GMT

>> fleem...@comcast.net wrote:
>> > he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>That is exactly what it is. He is making a gift to his owner,
>and crowing over his "kill."

I've seen cats bring home half-dead mice for the kittens to 'practice'
on.
Is this gift-to-the-owner behaviour derived from the hunting-training
that cats give to kittens? If so, that means the cats think we're
kittens or something. What an honour!

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Mary - 15 May 2005 21:01 GMT

> >> fleem...@comcast.net wrote:
> >> > he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Is this gift-to-the-owner behaviour derived from the hunting-training
> that cats give to kittens?

I don't know, but when Cheeky does it, I can tell she wants
a response. She is definitely making me a gift. Feeding me,
maybe.

>If so, that means the cats think we're
> kittens or something. What an honour!

Yep. What is really cute is that this snake was on the floor
the day we brought her home (she was about 2 years old) and
she was afraid of it so I put it away. Three months or so later,
I brought it out again and forgot about it. That night is the first
time I heard this ungodly meowing, almost like she was in
pain. Next thing I know she is up on the bed with the snake in
her teeth, and she drops it, puts her foot on it, and stares
off across the bedroom, proud of her kill. :)

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Mary - 15 May 2005 20:40 GMT

> My 4-year old male cat has a mysterious habit. Every once in a while
> he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
> throughout the house.

He's making a "kill" and crowing over it. My little tabby does this
with a rubber snake several times a day. She usually brings it to
my feet and leaves it. At night when I am watching tv downstairs,
we hear the meowing and "crowing" start upstairs, and after she
has exhausted her self she runs by the couch like a little gray
streak and drops the snake at my feet.

(She does this more because I think it is cute. I pick it up and
praise her, tell her how green and wiggly the snake is, and what
a good girl she is. She takes it all very seriously and looks
extremely satisfied with herself, narrows her eyes, that sort
of thing. She weighs like 7 lbs. My Great Hunter. )

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Fritti - 15 May 2005 21:28 GMT

fleemo17@comcast.net Wrote:

> My 4-year old male cat has a mysterious habit. Every once in a while
> he'll start meowing incessantly as he carries this long furry cat toy
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> -Fleemo

Fixing doesn't necessarily kill sexual desires in tomcats. I have on
who's been fixed over four years ago, and whenever one of the queen
starts luring, he still tries to mate. But this aside. What your ca
does with his toy, well, the best explanation I can give is that he'
just being a cat :). My 14-year-old queen Whoopi every now and the
starts attacking a corner of the rug, really vehemently. Without an
reason. Maybe your cat is trying to tell you that he thinks his toy i
terribly outdated, and he wants a new one, NOW? Try buying him a ne
toy (one not too expensive and looking distinctively different from hi
current one) and see if that toy catches his interest and makes hi
leave that old one alone. Just a suggestion.
Purrs,
Fritti and his gang

--
Fritti

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fleemo17@comcast.net - 16 May 2005 19:14 GMT

Thanks for the input here, folks. Hmmmm, crowing over a kill, eh? How
cute is that? Makes me love him all the more, the little
squeezebugger. I'll shower some praise upon him next time he does it,
see how he reacts.

Many thanks for the insight here. :D

- Fleemo

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Mary - 16 May 2005 23:53 GMT

> Thanks for the input here, folks. Hmmmm, crowing over a kill, eh? How
> cute is that? Makes me love him all the more, the little
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> - Fleemo

Squeezbugger! I love it!

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