Upstairs & Downstairs

[Caspers Human]

I notice a funny behavior from Casper and I wonder if others see it, too...

Whenever I wake up in the morning to get ready for the day, I come to the top of the stairs and, when I look down, there's Casper, looking up at me. I say hello to him then head down the stairs. As soon as I take a step or two, down, Casper scampers up the stairs and goes into the bedroom.

Later, after I get coffee, I go upstairs to read my daily e-mail and messages and I'll find Casper sitting at the top of the stairs, looking down. Again, I say hello then make my way up. The moment my foot hits the second step, Casper scampers DOWN the stairs.

It's just a funny behavior, really. I suppose it happens, partially because the cat is trying to avoid being trampled on the stairs but it's odd because it happens almost every day. I go down...Cat goes up. I got up...Cat goes down. He always seems to be waiting there, either at the bottom or at the top of the stairs when I appear at the opposite landing. It's like he knows I'm coming.

I'm sure he does know I'm coming. Cats are really perceptive and often seem to know what's going to happen before the humans do.

Does he just want to come up and hang out in the bedroom after I go downstairs? Okay, so, he hears me getting up and he knows that it's time to go patrol that part of his territory... I suppose. But, then, why does it also go in reverse?

Do any of you guys notice anything like this?

What do you think about it?

 

[Margot Lane]

It IS strange how kitties have their little rituals. It could be territorial, could be, he just wants to hog the warm bed? Mine always jumps up on the left side of the bed at night, even tho the other side’s exactly the same, and he NEEDS me to to be up by a certain hour, not to feed him, but, just to be UP. (Then of course, he goes to sleep). Changing of the guard?

 

[maggie101]

My guess is he's having fun. My cats are playful in the morning so he likes the extra room to run around

 

[susanm9006]

Several of mine have enjoyed racing me up or down the stairs. Willow will be down at the bottom and then when I am a few steps up she comes flying by me to the top, always looking quite pleased with herself. Murphy, a former cat, love this game but raced by so close that I nearly stumbled on her many times.

 

[Alldara]

Could be play. My cat usually runs away from me during play and runs in the same direction as me when wanting something from me like attention, or food.

 

[Caspers Human]

I thought it could be play but I don't know for sure.

Casper has always been a difficult cat to play with. Either he doesn't want to play or, more likely, I'm not playing the way he wants but I've never been able to figure him out.

He won't chase a feather toy unless you drag it on the ground. Even then, he'll only pounce on it two or three times before he just sits there and watches you jiggle it. Neither will Casper tussle with me. He'll tussle with his Girl-Human, maybe for a few seconds, but when I try, he just runs away.

Casper does play by himself. He attacks his mouse and, when he gets the zips, he runs up the wall or goes to town on his scratching posts. He likes to climb his cat tree and, walk back and forth, across the shelves and things.

Several of mine have enjoyed racing me up or down the stairs.

It seems like the same game except in the opposite direction.
If I'm going down, he goes up. If I'm going up, he goes down.

If I'm upstairs and Casper is downstairs, he'll run up while I'm going down and I'll reach down to give him a little pat on the back but, most of the time, he scrunches down and scampers away.

Even though Casper is the sweetest, most well-behaved cat I have ever seen, it seems like there's something going on in that furry, little head of his that I have never been able to figure out.

 

[Alldara]

Does he like when you toss mice or toys? Some cats will chase them sometimes.

Magnus loves to play hide-and-seek chase. He doesn't chase toys on wands or otherwise. He will dart around a peice of craft paper if I run the stick end of a wand under it. He plays with Calcifer too and runs all over the house by himself with his favourite toys.

 

[susanm9006]

I thought it could be play but I don't know for sure.

Casper has always been a difficult cat to play with. Either he doesn't want to play or, more likely, I'm not playing the way he wants but I've never been able to figure him out.

He won't chase a feather toy unless you drag it on the ground. Even then, he'll only pounce on it two or three times before he just sits there and watches you jiggle it. Neither will Casper tussle with me. He'll tussle with his Girl-Human, maybe for a few seconds, but when I try, he just runs away.

Casper does play by himself. He attacks his mouse and, when he gets the zips, he runs up the wall or goes to town on his scratching posts. He likes to climb his cat tree and, walk back and forth, across the shelves and things.



It seems like the same game except in the opposite direction.
If I'm going down, he goes up. If I'm going up, he goes down.

If I'm upstairs and Casper is downstairs, he'll run up while I'm going down and I'll reach down to give him a little pat on the back but, most of the time, he scrunches down and scampers away.

Even though Casper is the sweetest, most well-behaved cat I have ever seen, it seems like there's something going on in that furry, little head of his that I have never been able to figure out.

I do have a special love for the ones that are hard to figure out.