Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/4mth old retriever

Advertisement

Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/19/2009


Question
i have discovered something i've not heard of before.if i roll or through a plastic bottle top to my young female, she will chase iT down like a dog and bring it back, laying it at my feet. this game continues for up to 10 mins ( about the time i tire of it)she particularly enjoys this as i stir from sleep in the morning when she comes in from her little bed in another room. she comes for a cuddle firsr then hunts down a bottle top and lays it in my lap and waits for the game to begin, each time dropping it in my lap me. is this usual in cats?

Answer
Sally,

It's not an uncommon behavior for a cat. I had one litter of kittens that had a feral parent (they are now 2 years old), and ALL of them chased and retrieved. Cats/kittens that had a feral parent are natural hunters and an inside cat can't really hunt, so they find something inside to 'hunt' and catch. I use sparkly crafts balls that you can get in the Wal-Mart craft department or at a craft store. When I am tired of throwing, my cats will carry them around in their mouth. Stuffed furry toy mice from a pet store are good too for retrieving.

Two of the cats would want to fetch in the morning also. I could tell how many times one tried to wake me up by how many toys would be laying by my face when I woke up! And one of the cats is blind so I have a ball that rattles with feathers on it and she will chase it by sound and bring it back by the feathers.

That is a good way to bond with your cat and a good way for her to burn up energy.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

Education/Credentials
***********

Awards and Honors
* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.