Cat in red slippers?

Dear Fisher,

I have a small problem. I am a cat who likes to steal my mom’s shoes and bath mat. I will chew on them and then drag them to my food dish. Sometimes I will go months without stealing them and one day I just got to get that shoe or bath mat. When I do steal a shoe or bath mat my mother gets very mad at me. Help – what can I do to stop this?

Sid

Dear Sid.

You have quite a problem and I admit, one of the most interesting I have heard. I must disclose to my readers that we had a few more notes back and forth because my first thought was, how big are you? Then in a follow-up to that, I asked if your mother wears tiny shoes. To my surprise, you are a wee 4 to 6 pound cat, and no, your mother does not wear tiny shoes, and the bath mat is 12” by 32” with rubber backing! That, my friend is a fine example of what focus and intention can do for one small kitty.

People are often not aware that cats are very strong when they have a mission. The key here is determining the nature of your mission. Cats are by nature, hunter gatherers. Even when spayed, a cat may have fierce maternal instincts. Add to these the fact that cats really do know the value of their possessions. Yours are #1, your mother, represented by her shoes and bathmat. Your food dish, of course, is your #2 most treasured possession,.

If we look at each of the above, we can explore possible solutions:

1.Hunter/gatherer: Your mother could place little treats in odd places around the house, requiring much of your waking time to seek and destroy.
2.Maternal instinct: Shoes and bathmat could be replaced with small cuddly toys for nurturing.
3.Prized possessions: Move food dish into bathroom with shoes and bathmat – a shrine, if you will, saving your strength and her angst.

Two other possibilities are separation anxiety or boredom. Please visit Our Happy Cat Our Happy Cat to discover many great ideas for your entertainment.

In all my research, I found it is not uncommon for cats to haul around socks. Dirty socks are preferred. Some cats will choose all types of undergarments, and some have been known to clear out entire laundry baskets. This leads me to the conclusion that you, Sid, are definitely an over-achiever. Your mother may just want to appreciate that.

Your friend,
Fisher