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Cats/My male orange tabby acts like a mother!

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Expert: - 3/25/2010


Question
Why is my orange tabby, Scuttles age 8, will carry pillows, socks, etc. into another room? He also has a deep, low cry whilst doing this.

Answer
Olivia,

I have a few questions I have to ask you before I feel comfortable attempting to answer your question and explain what motivates Scuttles to behave this way.

- Is Scuttles neutered? If so was this done when he was a young cat or after he was an adult?

- How long has this behavior been going on?

- Have there been any recent changes within your household that might make Scuttles more anxious?

- Is your little guy an indoor only kitty or indoor/outdoor kitty?

- Does Scuttles have access to a number of toys to play with on his own?

- Do you provide Scuttles with interactive play with toys such as kitty teases, toy mice to play fetch with, etc.?

- How did you initially react to Scuttles while he's talking and carrying different items to different areas of the house?

- Have you made any attempts to try and stop Scuttles from behaving this way?

- Is there a specific routine that Scuttles goes through prior to, during or after carrying an object to another room while meowing?

- Is there a specific time of day that Scuttles is more likely to begin talking with different objects as he moves them from room to room?

- Have you considered trying to create puzzles and/or that will encourage Scuttles to make use of his intelligence?

- Are there any other pets in your household?

- Is Scuttles accustomed to wearing a harness or collar? If so is he leash trained?

- If this behavior is fairly new has the vet checked him over just to be sure that he hasn't got anything medical going on that would increase how often he "talks"?

Hopefully the answers to these questions will allow me to get a more accurate picture of what's happening with your little guy and I'll be able to help you understand why he's chatting and carrying things around as well as possibly offering little tips and tricks that might help reduce Scuttles' discussions with inanimate objects as he moves them from room to room...I look forward to hearing more about Scuttles.

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Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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