Odd Behaviours

varsettie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
161
Purraise
22
Location
Ottawa
I came downstairs late last night for a drink of water before bed and found one of my cats, Fawkes, circling nothing at all in the living room with her back arched like she was ready to attack something. As soon as she saw me staring at her she bolted up the stairs and pretended that nothing happened. Likewise I can sometimes catch Atari dancing all on her own in a room with nothing but a couch in it. She will be hopping around on her back legs with her paws in the air like she's trying to catch something whipping her body back and forth. Atari much like Fawkes pretends she wasn't doing anything as soon as she realizes I'm watching her.

So how many of your cats have strange behaviors that they immediately stop as soon as they notice you're watching? It can't just be my two, right? I'd love to get pictures or video of them doing this.
 

ritz

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
4,656
Purraise
282
Location
Annapolis, MD
Ritz sometimes "zones out"; all of a sudden she stares at, well, nothing. Sometimes I want to put my wave my hand in front of her face to see if/how she will react.
I *do* believe cats see things we can't see (like bugs or ghosts(?)), and definitely hear what we can't hear. If there is thunder/lightening in the area, she will hear it a second or two before I do.
 

betsygee

Just what part of meow don't you understand.
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
28,334
Purraise
17,472
Location
Central Coast CA, USA
I agree with Ritz. Ozzy once was sitting on his usual chair in the kitchen watching me cook.  He was facing the sliding glass door and I had my back to it.  Suddenly he sat up and looked out the door, looking for all the world like he suddenly saw somebody out there!  It was such a sudden movement on his part, I jumped and jerked around to see what he was looking at--there was nothing there--not a person, not a bug, no wind moving leaves, nothing (nothing that I could see anyway!)   I figured the thought bubble over his head was "haha, made you look"   
    But I agree with Ritz.  They see things we don't--whether real or imaginary, I don't know!

Ozzy stayed there long enough for me to get a great photo of him looking at his 'ghost'--I'll post it if I can find it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

varsettie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
161
Purraise
22
Location
Ottawa
My two do these behaviors fairly often. Certainly not every day but I can usually catch them doing it once or twice a month. I think it's hilarious personally, especially the 'I wasn't doin' nothin'' look I get from both of them afterwards.

I wonder if they're actually seeing something imaginary or not, or if they're simply screwing with our minds because they know they can.  
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,960
Location
Nebraska, USA
I think all cats have what I call the 'cat crazies'. I guess we should be happy they do because I'm sure it means that they are that happy!
 

paul n steve

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Location
Iowa
My two cats do the same thing! Sometimes I see them staring oddly at the floor, just transfixed.....then I realize when I look closer, it's a little bug or spider they see and are watching!

My mom's cat Shirley, she does the dancing/twisting/turning/spinning crazies in the air when she plays with her mousey. 

I love when our cats get a case of the cat crazies- they have that crazy look in their eye and then all of the sudden, they just tear off and patrol the house, it's so funny I swear my cats make me laugh out loud every day with the antics they do! I love watching them!
 

allenkm

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
393
Purraise
17
Location
Madison, Wisconsin USA
I love the cat crazy antics too ! Mine only act embarrassed when they do something silly like try to make a jump from the bed to the window and fall short. Then they act like n nothing happened especially if someone laughed at them.
 

paul n steve

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
25
Purraise
1
Location
Iowa
I love the cat crazy antics too ! Mine only act embarrassed when they do something silly like try to make a jump from the bed to the window and fall short. Then they act like n nothing happened especially if someone laughed at them.
You know what!! Why do cats do something 'embarrassing' and then when we laugh at them- do they know that they did something that made us laugh?! Do they understand laughter from us? I once read somewhere that when we laugh cats think thats aggressiveness. ??

When my cats do something funny, and I laugh, then say their name and look at them, I slow blink and sometimes turn my head to the side, they look back up at me and they'll blink back, then lick their front or back leg as if they're saying, "Yeah. I know. I'm funny"
 

allenkm

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
393
Purraise
17
Location
Madison, Wisconsin USA
I really think cats get embarrassed, they sure act like it. I don't know what they are thinking but they seem to know when their plan did not succeed!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

varsettie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
161
Purraise
22
Location
Ottawa
I've never had any cat failures with Fawkes, but Atari is the complete opposite. She misjudges jumps on a regular basis and naturally I can't help but laugh. Mine don't see to think it's aggressive as they show no signs of fear towards me when I do laugh. They do however play the 'I wasn't doing nothing' game or the 'I did that on purpose!' thing. Either way it just makes what they did worse and I end up laughing harder.
 

allenkm

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
393
Purraise
17
Location
Madison, Wisconsin USA
I've never had any cat failures with Fawkes, but Atari is the complete opposite. She misjudges jumps on a regular basis and naturally I can't help but laugh. Mine don't see to think it's aggressive as they show no signs of fear towards me when I do laugh. They do however play the 'I wasn't doing nothing' game or the 'I did that on purpose!' thing. Either way it just makes what they did worse and I end up laughing harder.
Well said, I agree
 
Top