The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [36]
To stop his ear-fetish antics, stand up and walk out of the room as soon as he climbs up on you, wraps his paws around your neck, and makes the move to lick your lobes. Don’t yell at him or toss him roughly away; just put him on the floor and leave. By walking away, you are taking away attention, something Smokey obviously seeks from you.
Now comes part two of the plan. Wait a few minutes and then return. Perform an activity that you both enjoy, like chasing a feather wand, teaching him a trick, or fetching a paper wad. Important: don’t just walk away, but give Smokey an appropriate alternative to interact with you. After all, you don’t want to weaken that wonderful bond between the two of you. If Smokey persists, you need a last-resort tactic. Make a noise he doesn’t like such as clapping your hands loudly or making a hissing sound. The idea is to disrupt Smokey’s behavior but not harm or frighten him.
Wool-Sucking Fetish
Q My Siamese cat, Sake, is very dog-like in many ways. He fetches toys, he walks on a leash, and he comes when called. As wonderful as he is, he has one habit I would love to break. He chews and sucks on items made of wool. I find my wool socks saturated with slobber. It’s disgusting. Why is he so obsessed with wool?
A Sake sounds a lot like my first cat, Corky, who was also a Siamese. When I was in junior high, my grandmother gave me a beautiful, charcoal gray sweater vest. I loved it and wore it a lot. That is, until the day I came home and found Corky on my bed sucking on my vest. I picked it up and there was a giant hole in the middle. I yelled at Corky and he fled from the room.
Little did I know then that wool sucking is not unusual among certain breeds, especially Siamese and Siamese crosses. In fact, veterinary researchers have discovered a strong genetic predisposition for this odd fetish. Experts report that Siamese cats represent about 50 percent of the wool-sucking feline population, though the reasons for this remain unclear. Most cats stop this behavior by the time they are two years old.
As for the behavior itself, it is not well understood. In addition to the genetic predisposition of some cats, one theory suggests that kittens removed from their mothers before six weeks of age are attracted to wool materials because they were not completely weaned. They seek out wool blankets and other clothing as a way to compensate for their shortened nursing time.
In the case of a confirmed wool addict, prevention is the best cure. You need to make a conscious effort to keep all wool clothing out of Sake’s sight and away from his mouth. Stash your socks and sweaters in drawers and put other wool clothing in closets with doors completely closed. During the winter months, make sure that Sake cannot reach any wool blankets on your bed.
FELINE FACT
Although they ruled as world leaders and conquerors, Julius Caesar, Henri II, Charles XI, and Napoleon were scared of cats.
Next, make the object of his desire less desirable, such as spraying perfume on your wool clothing. As tempting as it may be, do not punish Sake — a mistake I made as a teenager with Corky. Yelling at him will only cause him to be more anxious and to be sneakier in his pursuit of the “forbidden” material.
Ask your veterinarian about Sake’s diet. Some wool-sucking felines fare better when they are fed a high-fiber dry food. Finally, give Sake some “brain teasers,” such as having him hunt for his food by putting kibble in treat balls or scattering it throughout a room. Provide him with plenty of interactive toys in several different rooms. The goal is to increase his activity level and prolong his feeding time to distract him from other pursuits.
Cat Prefers Plastic Cuisine
Q I feed my 10-month-old kitten, Sunrise, twice a day,