Magical Pink Sweater has Transformed Our Cat!

michaelm101

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Our 8 year-old small siamese hybrid received a pink cable-knit sweater for Christmas and it has magically transformed her behavior. This is the first piece of apparel she has ever worn.

How so, did she change, you may ask?

1) She has transformed into a bonafide lap-cat. In fact, my elbows are extended above her as I type this. She never did this before wearing the "magical" sweater.

2) She was always the first one to the breakfast, lunch and dinner table (our animals get 3 small meals /day).
Since kittenhood, she has always been quite ravenous (she truly earned her nickname, 'Little Piglet'). Since wearing the sweater, she now shows up last (after our other large 10yr old adoptee, and our small dog).

Most often, she arrives sleepy-faced and somewhat lethargic and sometimes stretching and taking her own-sweet-time as she approaches. Sometimes she she never even shows and we find her snuggling and snoozing away somewhere. In fact, yesterday, I had to carry her out of bed to bring her to the dinner table.

3) Once she gets there, however, she's back to her old-self and always wins 1st place in the speed-eating competition!

Fortunately, #3 tells me that she's well and not ill.

Any thoughts are welcomed and appreciated.
pink sweater lap.jpg
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. I hope I am wrong, but I am thinking she is probably not as fond of that sweater as you think she is. She sounds somewhat like she is staying much more stationary than she used to and it is likely to be because she isn't entirely 'embracing' the confinement.
 
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michaelm101

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Is it cold where you are? There's nothing that turns a cat into a lapcat faster than cold weather.
It's wintertime in SoCal so we're getting into the 50s! We're currently having the wettest spell we've seen. But, of course, we'll be in emergency drought conditions with water rationing come summer...
 

catsknowme

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:hellocomputer:Greetings from the Eastern Sierra! I think that your meezer is enjoying the extra warmth of her beautiful pink sweater. Many of our CA cats are seeking warmth & conserving energy because they aren't adjusted to these damp,chilly days and soggy ground. My ferals are staying hunkered down most of the day, even when the sun peeps out. It is the same with many of our cold-sensitive people, especially those with cold sensitive conditions such as arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disorders or who are taking certain high blood pressure medications.
 
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michaelm101

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:hellocomputer:Greetings from the Eastern Sierra! I think that your meezer is enjoying the extra warmth of her beautiful pink sweater. Many of our CA cats are seeking warmth & conserving energy because they aren't adjusted to these damp,chilly days and soggy ground. My ferals are staying hunkered down most of the day, even when the sun peeps out. It is the same with many of our cold-sensitive people, especially those with cold sensitive conditions such as arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disorders or who are taking certain high blood pressure medications.
Greetings from SoCal! The Eastern Sierra is my favorite place to be in CA! I agree about the seeking of warmth and conserving energy, I do it too...
 
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michaelm101

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Also, are you using a lickimat or other slow-feed feeder for her?
I'm not familiar with these items.
Our animals are fed home-made food, 3 small portions per day, hand spooned into each of three bowls/dishes, by a human entity.
 
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michaelm101

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I agree with FeebysOwner FeebysOwner , her behaviour doesn’t sound like enjoyment to me. A cat being lethargic isn’t a good thing anyway. She has quite thick fur, would having something pressing on it even be comfortable? To the best of my knowledge cats don’t generally like having anything holding their bodies like that.
The photo is deceptive. She (Bella aka The Babycat) is a short-haired cat and not at all furry. Her counterparts, however, are big balls of fur...
 

ArtNJ

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I dont know quite what to make of it, but am pretty sure the cat doesn't hate it since it looks pristine. If the cat hated it, I would think that within a few hours it would look rather bitten and clawed.
 

Kat0121

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I dont know quite what to make of it, but am pretty sure the cat doesn't hate it since it looks pristine. If the cat hated it, I would think that within a few hours it would look rather bitten and clawed.
I agree. If she really didn't like it, she would try to get it off. Some cats like wearing things and some don't. My Lily does not like wearing any type of costume or clothing but she sure loves it when I tuck a soft blanket around her at bedtime. M michaelm101 you know your cat best and if it seems as though she likes it to you then she probably does. If she changes her mind, you'll know when you find it in a ball on the floor. :lol:
 

FeebysOwner

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The only reason I said anything at all about it was from the fact that M michaelm101 mentioned the change in behavior related to her getting to her food bowl to eat - and even having to be carried because she didn't go there otherwise. Also, the comments about acting lethargic. To me, these signal an issue - if not for the sweater, then perhaps something else.

I have known cats to act somewhat 'disabled' from placing them in clothing, and yet none of them fought to get them off - one of them being my own. So, it is all about each cat individually; and, yes, it is also about the caretaker knowing their cats better than anyone else.

I just wish the change in activity level, up to and including the shift in her food behavior, could be better explained so that it is known not to be caused by this sweater. Not all cats will tear the clothing to shreds, or fight to remove them, but that doesn't mean they actually enjoy them either.
 

Furballsmom

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Not all cats will tear the clothing to shreds, or fight to remove them, but that doesn't mean they actually enjoy them either.
My Poppycat put up with a lot. If I had put something like this on him he'd have tolerated it while hating it.

I think it might be a useful test of the theory to remove it and see if she returns to normal behavior.

, 3 small portions per day, hand spooned into each of three bowls/dishes, by a human entity.
How small is small?
Do you know how many actual calories you're feeding? Is there a reason you are having to do this?
 
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michaelm101

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I apologize. I meant this post to be cute. There is no cause for alarm. Babycat is fine and well. I shouldn't have used the term lethargic.
And, yes, I know her best and she appears to be so comfy and warm sleeping and napping through this cool & rainy spell that her timeclock for mealtimes has been a little delayed...

Thanks for all your comments!
 
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