Kitty rubs her head against everything - even her food!

[cath]

My funny kitty loves to rub her head up against absolutely everything - the carpet, my shoes, her toys, anything at all that's on the floor, the corners of drawers and cupboards...and even her food!!! She would rather rub her against her toys than play with them and when I give her a kitty treat, she'd prefer to rub against it rather than eat it! Is this just a quirk? She doesn't have fleas. She's been with me only since mid-August so maybe she's still marking everything with her scent?

 

[cat person]

Originally Posted by Cath

My funny kitty loves to rub her head up against absolutely everything - the carpet, my shoes, her toys, anything at all that's on the floor, the corners of drawers and cupboards...and even her food!!! She would rather rub her against her toys than play with them and when I give her a kitty treat, she'd prefer to rub against it rather than eat it! Is this just a quirk? She doesn't have fleas. She's been with me only since mid-August so maybe she's still marking everything with her scent?

I am NOT terribly sure what is going on. But my guess is that the behavior you describe is some type of "over marking" behavior.

Is she spayed? How old is she now? How old was she when you acquired her? Does she eventually eat the food and treats after she has "marked" them?

Lastly has she seen a veterinarian, if not that would be my first stop for sure.

 

[cath]

Hi, thanks for your response. Sayuri is 9 years old. She has been to the vet and got the all-clear. She has long fur so the vet couldn't find a clear spay scar (even after she was shaved) but the vet did think that she had been spayed. I'm not sure what 'coming into season' behaviour looks like, but I don't think she is exhibiting such behaviour. She does eat her food but sometimes she doesn't always eat her treats after she has marked them. She started marking the instant she came into my apartment when I first got here. She may have gone through some trauma before I got her. Her previous owner died and was not discovered for a while (I don't know for how long). So poor Sayuri may be having some abandonment issues and this could be contributing to her over-marking behaviour. What do you think?

 

[cat person]

Originally Posted by Cath

Hi, thanks for your response. Sayuri is 9 years old. She has been to the vet and got the all-clear. She has long fur so the vet couldn't find a clear spay scar (even after she was shaved) but the vet did think that she had been spayed. I'm not sure what 'coming into season' behaviour looks like, but I don't think she is exhibiting such behaviour. She does eat her food but sometimes she doesn't always eat her treats after she has marked them. She started marking the instant she came into my apartment when I first got here. She may have gone through some trauma before I got her. Her previous owner died and was not discovered for a while (I don't know for how long). So poor Sayuri may be having some abandonment issues and this could be contributing to her over-marking behaviour. What do you think?

I would assume as long as the cat is not doing any of the behaviors shown on these three youtube video's that your cat is spayed. Anyway here are the video's:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEb29...eature=related, , and .

So if the cat is spayed,then I would assume it is just an "over marking" behavior. Which might or might not have anything to do with her past.

I am glad you rescued her

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