Unspoken rules

klunick

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What are some things you have noticed about your cats that seem to be mutual agreements between them?

I noticed that no matter how hard they are playing or chasing each other, once someone needs to go potty and goes to the litterbox, the other will stop and patiently wait for the other to finish before play resumes.
 
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klunick

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I only have one cat right now (can't afford the pet rent for a second) but when I had two, if Precious was on the armchair and Felix wanted to lay there, Felix would jump on the arm and grunt at Precious until he moved over so they could share.
Boone just lays on Gracie until she moves. Most of the time, she doesn't seem to mind him on her.
 

vince

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Sir Eats-A-Lot, grumpy old guy that he is, set forth a rule that communal sleeping is not to be interrupted for any reason. If they're all in a heap and one needs to leave, he gives them a hiss (not like they pay any attention to him, anyway).
 

game misconduct

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:lol:my sisters two cats dont seem to have any rules the younger one(ragdoll) will keep pushing pestering until the big old tabby cat ends up beating him up when it comes to anyperch ontop of the cat trees its a free for all again with both 10 pound plus cats trying to squeeze or keep position ontop again the ragdoll is the loser might be different now since i moved out
 
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klunick

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Thought of another one....

It is an unspoken rule that Gracie covers up what Boone does in the litter box. Boone is male so it's not surprising that he isn't too particular about how he leaves the bathroom. Living with 3 males, I understand Gracie's plight. :ohwell:
 

Tik cat's mum

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Mine will let the other cat eat or drink, if they are playing and one stops for food or a drink the other will wait until they have walked away from the dishes. I had to get hooded litter boxes because Bandit wouldn't leave Patches alone always wanted in the box with him, had a few icky moments with Bandit trying to cover his brothers mess. :lol:
 

StanAndAlf

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Ooh another one, speaking of litter boxes - my cats have an understanding that the moment I start to clean the litterbox, they both suddenly need to use it, for not just a poop, but a pee as well. Thus I must allow at least 20 minutes to clean the box, when it should only take me five....
 
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klunick

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Ooh another one, speaking of litter boxes - my cats have an understanding that the moment I start to clean the litterbox, they both suddenly need to use it, for not just a poop, but a pee as well. Thus I must allow at least 20 minutes to clean the box, when it should only take me five....
Gracie is notorious for trying to use the litter box when I am cleaning it. I have 4 total (2 upstairs and 2 downstairs). I clean two at a time so there is always at least 2 available if needed.
Mine will let the other cat eat or drink, if they are playing and one stops for food or a drink the other will wait until they have walked away from the dishes. I had to get hooded litter boxes because Bandit wouldn't leave Patches alone always wanted in the box with him, had a few icky moments with Bandit trying to cover his brothers mess. :lol:
As kittens, Gracie used to hop into the litter box when Boone was using it and would try to cover things up as something was still coming out. :lol:
 

Caspers Human

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Cat Rule #172: Never close the bedroom door. Always leave it open by about six inches. Otherwise, you'll be awaken, in the middle of the night, by a complaining cat.

Cat Rule #173:
Whenever you have an empty cardboard box, don't throw it away. Always leave it in the middle of your living room floor. Your cat will be along, shortly.
 

di and bob

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It is an unspoken rule around here that ANYTIME you are in the fridge, you MUST get the cut-up chicken out and give a small amount to Yammy, my little 'chicken monster'. Or he complains until you do. He eats a chicken a week, 52 chickens a year!
 

Tik cat's mum

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Gracie is notorious for trying to use the litter box when I am cleaning it. I have 4 total (2 upstairs and 2 downstairs). I clean two at a time so there is always at least 2 available if needed.

As kittens, Gracie used to hop into the litter box when Boone was using it and would try to cover things up as something was still coming out. :lol:
I know both of these rules, the amount of times Bandit got peed on, and yep fresh litter means they both have to go immediately normally right before I can pop the lid on the box. :lol:
 

Tik cat's mum

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Another unspoken rule is when Patches runs, Bandit must run and hide too. Patches hates having his teeth cleaned and being flead. So he's off as soon as he knows what is about to happen. Bandit now runs and hides even though he actually likes having his teeth cleaned and eats toothpaste from the tube. He doesn't even mind being flead once you get him he's so well behaved. :dunno: I think as a kitten he saw the big cat do this and thought it must be bad if he's running.
 

Caspers Human

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I don't know if this is for all cats but, in our house, Cat Rule #174 says, "The cat must inspect all food before eating."

This is kind of strange because Casper doesn't eat human food. He only eats cat food and kitty treats. He only wants "his" brands of cat food and treats. He shies away from anything else and he seems to be able to tell the difference instantly.

He won't eat chicken, cooked or raw. He won't eat sushi. He won't eat egg yolk. He won't eat anything that's not "his" food.
It's strange because every other cat I have had always went nutso for those things.

We have gotten him to take an occasional lick of butter or Vegemite. He'll occasionally nibble on liverwurst or sardines.
Again, these are things that other cats have gone crazy for.

The other thing is that Casper will not take food out of hand. He will only eat if you put his food in his dish. Even his favorite kitty treats have to be placed on the floor in his special place. If you put food on a saucer or if you put his treats any place other than his "treat spot" he will shy.

But... Casper still needs to inspect our food before we eat. We have to offer him a small piece of food so that he can come over and sniff it. He always takes a couple of sniffs then, when he gives his approval, we are allowed to eat. If it's some kind of food that is extra spicy or savory, he'll wrinkle his nose and give us a look that seems to say, "Eew! You're going to eat THAT?!"

Casper is the only cat I have ever known that is so finicky about food. I used to have a big Van cat, named "Spike," that once came up and stole a slice of pepperoni right off my slice of pizza, just as I was going to take a bite! I was sitting on the sofa, watching TV and having getting ready to eat. He sniffed the air and smelled the pizza, hopped up on the arm of the sofa, next to me, looked at me for a second then gingerly reached out and snatched a circle of pepperoni.

In my house, ever since I was a kid, the rule has always been that pets are not to be fed from the table. Humans eat first. Animals second. If we wanted to share food with out pets, we had to save him a bite or two then put it in their food bowl after we had eaten our meal.

So, for Spike, snatching food like that was a violation... A big one! He knew it, too!

When Spike ate that pepperoni, I looked at him and said, "Okay, cat! I'll let it go, just this ONCE, just because you had the cajones to do it, but that's the last time I'll let you get away with it!"

Spike finished eating his pepperoni, licked his lips and looked at me as if he was saying, "Na, I'm good..."

That was the last time he ever tried snatching food. Even then, Spike still needed to sniff our food for inspection. If he seemed interested, I'd save him a piece for his food bowl.

Y'know what? Spike was such a good cat that I often just gave him a piece but he knew that, if I did that, he was getting a "special treat."

Today, Casper won't even do that. Still, every cat I have ever had required all food to, at minimum, be inspected.
 

Hoboforeternity

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Hoboforeternity Hoboforeternity post reminded me of another unspoken rule in our house...

Before cleaning out #2's from the litter box, a certain amount of time must pass or Boone and Gracie seems to get very upset and concerned over where I am taking it if I scoop too soon after the "deposit".
That's a weird thing to get upset over lol. Maybe they are wondering where the hell their scent goes.

I usually clean after mine as soon as i can (like unless it happened while i am out or at 3 in the morning) they don't seem to have problems with it lol.
 
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klunick

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That's a weird thing to get upset over lol. Maybe they are wondering where the hell their scent goes.

I usually clean after mine as soon as i can (like unless it happened while i am out or at 3 in the morning) they don't seem to have problems with it lol.
Well, mine know where it goes because they often walk over to the little trash can in my bathroom where I dump it and stick their heads in it kind of like, "oh, that's where she put it."
 
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