Expert: Dear Tabbi - 3/23/2009

Question
I have two questions.  First, my cat plays with my hair ties and puts them in her water dish and my mom's does the same.  Is there a reason for this?  Second, my roommate told me that my cat meowed like she was in heat when I wasn't home but I never heard her do it and she was only 8 weeks then.  I live in a senior center now and she will pop her head through the blinds when she hears my car and then run to front door and wait till I pick her up.  The old ladies in there said they hear her meow like that when I am gone.  Is there a reason for this?  She's a very affectionate cat yet she'll act out when I am gone and I will come home to my bed unmade or q-tips all over, clothes off the hangers on floor, toilet paper or paper towel everywhere.  Now that I have blocked her from everything she used, now she takes a bear in one of my chairs and takes it and puts in on my pillow and then chews on it.  Is all that strange?

Answer
Shana,

Is your cat spayed? That cures a lot of behavior problems!

Toys in the water dish: your cat is trying to find a "safe" place for her favorite toys. A toy that ends up in the water or food bowl is usually a toy that has recently been enjoyed by your cat. In the wild, cats often take their prey back to their "nest" area, and hide it from predators. Indoor cats don't really have a "nest" per se, so they often consider their food and water dishes as the "safest" places in their 'home territory'. I have 2 cats that do the same thing.

Your kitten's behavior is very normal...for a bored kitty. The smarter the cat is the more it needs mental stimulation. Also cats need a kitty friend for company, comfort, and companionship. A single kitty gets can get into a lot of mischief trying to keep itself amused. The way she runs to the window tells you she is lonely and happy for you to be home to keep her company. And humans can't play kitty games like another cat can. It's also not good to have a cat TOO dependant on human companionship. Plus 2 cats are easier to care for than one because it takes the pressure off of you to constantly keep the cat amused.

She needs toys to bat around, like stuffed toy mice; ping pong balls in the bathtub (with the drain plugged) is fun for them; videos for cats (my cats love them!), here is a link where I got mine:
http://petsittervideos.com/index.html
A kitty condo in front of a window that she can climb and look out the window; maybe a secure cage with gerbils, mice, or lizards that she can watch and safely try to 'hunt', a raw beef rib bone (I have the butcher cut them in half for me) for her to chew on (the fibers help clean the teeth) and they are like a 'fresh kill' to a cat.
Also get a pet laser light or a shoe string to pull and play with her when you come home. She needs your attention and affection too.

These are some suggestions. I hope they give you some ideas. A friend for her about the same age and temperament combined with the above toy ideas should give you a happy, well adjusted kitty.

Tabbi