Strange Cat Behaviors

Cats have some of the most surprising behaviors in the animal kingdom. It's not odd to find a cat sleeping in a sink or drinking from the toilet.
Strange Cat Behaviors

Last update: 01 November, 2018

Cats can be very mysterious, and sometimes they are very unpredictable, but even so, they’re still one of the world’s favorite pets. They give affection, make us laugh, and sometimes intrigue us with some of the unusual things they do. Read on if you would like to know more about some of the strange behaviors cats do.

Strange Cat Behaviors

Just by looking at social media, you’ll find tonnes of entertaining cat pictures in some truly incredible and unexpected situations.

Sleeping in the sink

This is one of funniest pictures that you could ever take of your cat and come across in social media. Why are cats so seemingly obsessed with sleeping in such an uncomfortable place?

Well, it’s actually because a sink looks a lot like a burrow or a den, which makes them feel safe. The wild existence of their ancestors, such as tigers, makes them want to hide in order to hunt prey by day and avoid predators by night. Therefore, the smaller the den, less likely any predators would reach them.

Also, the sink is probably one of the freshest places in the house due to the material they are made out of and all the moisture the pipework provides. This is definitely a place no one would ever expect to find a cat…

Drinking from the toilet

You’ve surely caught your cat drinking from the toilet on more than one occasion. It may seem quite disgusting to you, but to them, it’s just a freshwater source.

Cat getting inside a toilet

As a general rule, due to the constant flow of toilet water, it can seem fresher than the water in your cat’s water dish, which warms up to room temperature. Since they don’t know what the toilet is made for… well, what they don’t see, won’t hurt them…

Hyperactively running all over the place

This can be one of the funniest you can ever see from a cat. You may be sitting down quietly on the sofa watching TV when, suddenly, your cat starts dashing all over the house. What’s happening?!

Sometimes they’re just burning up all of their excess energy.  Cats can sometimes have too much energy and they instinctively need to burn it off. What better way than running?

However, this strange cat behavior can also be the result of itchiness, fleas, or a parasite that are bothering them. If you see your cat running around like this a lot, take a close look at their fur to make sure that this isn’t the case.

Sucking on fabrics

Another one of the strange cat behaviors is that they love sucking on fabrics, fingers, or toys. If a kitten does it, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s just their way to get to know their new surroundings. However, if it’s an adult cat, well, then that’s a different story.

If an adult cat tends to suck on fabrics or on other objects, it could be a compulsive condition which you should have your cat’s vet look at.

This normally takes place if a kitten is weaned too early and still has the urge to suck in order to get milk. If your adult cat behaves like this, don’t hesitate to go to the vet for a diagnosis.

Staring at you with their mouth open

This behavior is known as the Flehmen response. It comes from a German word which completely describes the state of having the mouth open.

Cat staring with mouth open

Cats do this for the smell in the air can get to the vomeronasal organ which is in the upper part of the mouth. This way, they can get much more information about the smell than just through their noses.

These are some of the strange cat behaviors. Have you noticed your cat behaving like this?

 

 


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.