Herding Cat

[Anime Chick]

So... I dunno but I've had many cats throughout my life. Whether they were mine myself or my family member, or even just strays I was chill with, or even friend's cats. This is the first and only time I've seen this happen as a behavior for a cat.

My seven--almost eight-month-old kitten Saru herds other cats.

It started with my older cat Atsuko and when I'd shout to her to stop doing something, he would look at me, then rush to where she is and move her away from the location to make her stop. Whether the use of bumping her till she leaves, jumping on her one time to deter her from whatever shes doing and then leading her from behind till shes away from wherever she was that was making the issue or simply moving himself to the other side of her and guiding her away from the location.

Now hes started to do this with the stray,--Yukiko--that I am currently looking after. She slipped out of the safe room shes in when I was busy getting her food bowl and trying to handle feeding her. I had my hands full so I couldn't grab her in time, but when heard me shout, 'Yuki, NO. Not in the living room!' Saru lept completely OVER the top of her, landed on the other side and turned to face her but in a shielding manner and simply stood there, staring her down. He didn't have a hostile or even a play body position, nor did he try to touch her or speak. Just stayed there. She stopped in her tracks while he acted as a roadblock and I was able to grab her and move her back into the room.

I'm not sure whats up with this cat, or if this is something anyone else's cat has ever done with this herding thing. But I would love to know if anyone else owns/has owned a cat like this who holds this trait of herding other animals when their owner says something to make them feel the need to help.

Mind you... he was NOT trained to do this. I didn't sit down and teach him this at all, its his own thing I learned he does on his own. Thats why I'm so curious if hes alone in the way hes acting or if theres other cats out there like him.

 

[Hellenww]

I never thought of it a herding but that does describe it. Our Rusty would jump and stand between fighting cats. He'd come running to "help" if I yelled at another cat.

We also had a lazy cat, Mawkin, who we took to the back of the yard when we were out. One day she got under a bush and couldn't find her way out. I got Rusty and he went right under and led her out. When Mawkin was old a few times a day he'd herd her to the litter box and back to bed.

When Mawkin passed he tried herding me so we got him a kitten, Monkey. Rusty didn't let Monkey get into anything. We keep the litter boxes in the basement, had a small litter box for the kitten upstairs, and Rusty told me when he wanted the door open. One day he decided that Monkey should use the adult litter box and insisted the door be left open. For a few weeks he escorted her on the steps. Walking below her both ways and herding her right back to the steps after using the box.

Rusty was a special boy. Thank your Saru for bringing back some wonderful memories!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Too funny. I don't have multiple cats, so have no idea about whether or not this could be typical. But, it sounds like 'they got each other's back". How sweet!

 

[Kflowers]

If you hadn't posted the picture I would have thought someone gave you a Border Collie puppy disguised as a cat. Good boy. Saru.

Rusty, what a wonderful angel kitty.

You are both blessed.

 

[bodester413]

My cat does it to me. He goes from one side to the other and nips my ankles. Usually trying to drive me out to the kitchen where all the food is. At first I thought it was playing but it's different than that...He definitely acts like there is some sort of plan behind what he's doing. When he's playing he'll wrap his paws around my ankle and do the play attack thing.

 

[Boris Diamond]

I have a cat named Leonid who sees himself as my buddy, guardian, and enforcer, it seems. If I speak sharply to another cat, he will come running up and make sure everybody is properly chastened. I don't know if he herds other cats, but he can be pushy. He's a very affectionate lap cat and a great buddy. Here is his picture. Interesting that they are all similar in color.

 

[Anime Chick]

I never thought of it a herding but that does describe it. Our Rusty would jump and stand between fighting cats. He'd come running to "help" if I yelled at another cat.

We also had a lazy cat, Mawkin, who we took to the back of the yard when we were out. One day she got under a bush and couldn't find her way out. I got Rusty and he went right under and led her out. When Mawkin was old a few times a day he'd herd her to the litter box and back to bed.

When Mawkin passed he tried herding me so we got him a kitten, Monkey. Rusty didn't let Monkey get into anything. We keep the litter boxes in the basement, had a small litter box for the kitten upstairs, and Rusty told me when he wanted the door open. One day he decided that Monkey should use the adult litter box and insisted the door be left open. For a few weeks he escorted her on the steps. Walking below her both ways and herding her right back to the steps after using the box.

Rusty was a special boy. Thank your Saru for bringing back some wonderful memories!

He sounds like he was a very helpful and precious boy~.
I'm glad that you had him to help you when you needed it as well as the other cats.

Yeah, he also will come running to redirect my other cat, Atsuko if I yell to her to stop something and she won't. He'll run over and nudge her with his head, or jump on her to redirect her and then follow behind her so she moves away from whatever it is shes doing. So he also plays the 'stop that' and 'leading' game. XD!

He'll also tend to comfort Yukiko when shes in the safe room crying about something, to the point that sometimes she will specifically call for him and then talk to him or play with him through the door.

 

[Anime Chick]

My cat does it to me. He goes from one side to the other and nips my ankles. Usually trying to drive me out to the kitchen where all the food is. At first I thought it was playing but it's different than that...He definitely acts like there is some sort of plan behind what he's doing. When he's playing he'll wrap his paws around my ankle and do the play attack thing.

Thats funny that your kitty herds you to the food. I don't envy you tho, I would lose my mind of irritation if Saru didn't have enough patience to give me a few minutes to wake up in the morning before I feed him.

 

[Anime Chick]

I have a cat named Leonid who sees himself as my buddy, guardian, and enforcer, it seems. If I speak sharply to another cat, he will come running up and make sure everybody is properly chastened. I don't know if he herds other cats, but he can be pushy. He's a very affectionate lap cat and a great buddy. Here is his picture. Interesting that they are all similar in color.

View attachment 269001

I can agree, it is amusing that every cat shown here is an orange tabby of some kind that show signs of herding and correcting other kitties that upset us enough to raise our voices at them.

I honestly never bothered to correct him to stop either because its actually rather helpful for me since of my medical condition so having to constantly get up and handle it myself isn't the most welcome thing. Atsuko can be really demanding when she wants to be, but when Saru corrects her she gets so angry about it she stops. Plus him helping to block Yukiko from entering the livingroom prevented a possible catfight since unno how well Atsuko would do with her.

 

[ctineklem]

Yes! My cat, Nala does this. It took me a little while to realize what was up but I'm telling ya that cat has my back. Whenever I yell at one of my other cats for doing something they shouldn't, she comes along as the enforcer! I swear! But this cat is hands down my own personality inside of a cat.... insane!