Cat calling over a stuffed toy

[Gruntfuttocks]

My cat (8) often captures one of my DS's soft toys and drags it round the house. Until recently I thought she was just pretending to catch it like she would a mouse - often it would happen late at night, just after I went to bed. I would hear her calling loudly and then find the toy on the landing in the morning. She has a favourite - a small soft dog.
This behaviour has been happening more and more frequently, although often just out of sight, so we just hear her calling and say "Oh, she's caught the dog again..." Just today I've seen her carrying this dog around and I've realised that she is actually positioning it quite carefully, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck, and carrying it around like a kitten! She was speyed at 3 months so has never had kittens or been around any since growing up herself, so this behaviour is instinctive. She doesn't seem distressed in between times, but the calling over this 'kitten' is getting more and more insistent! Anyone else had anything similar?

[bornagaindomesticgoddess]

One of our cats frequently 'kills' a stuffed bird toy we have.

[Nandocushion]

Yes, I've had two cats who do this. In their case it's more to do with playing - they take the soft toy into whatever room a person is in and drop it near your feet and call to you so you'll play with them. Our current 1 yr old spayed female is doing this with a stuffed monster toy and it's really sweet.

[cozietoesie]

I think they're just carrying it by the easiest means possible given the shape of the thing carried and its weight.

Seniorboy does this - in fact it's sometimes the best way to get him to eat - with his small toys and in particular his most favourite small brown and white floppy eared dog. He'll dip it in his bowl and then crunch the toy (ears are a favourite) alternately while eating his meal.

Sadly, his small dog, due to crunching and near daily washings is now nearing the end of its road. I've been roaming the internet to find substitutes (this is such a favourite) and I finally found the brand.

Yes - you guessed it. I may have bought his dog in a charity shop for 30p or something but the original is a designer US brand retailing used at about £7 -9 a pop. Ruddy typical.

[Gruntfuttocks]

Ooh, my Mum's Siamese does something similar with one of her toys - chews it repeatedly then eats, then chews. We wondered if the chewing was somehow stimulating the flow of saliva for her.

[cozietoesie]

I don't know - I've always assumed he was killing and eating his prey. (Prey being his dog mingled with cat food.) He does like his dog to be freshly washed which is why I've had to buy the extra ones.

[gobbin]

First time my rescue girl did this I was worried she was in pain as it was so loud, insistent and went on for about 5 mins! She came from the rescue home with a little squeaky gonk somewhere between kitten and large mouse sized so I just assumed she was either moving her 'kitten' or bringing me a foody 'gift'.

She still does it at least once a day - she's not missing her real kittens as they came home with us too! I see it as a declaration of love that she's bringing me her most favouritest thing in the world awww!

[cozietoesie]

Anyway, Grunt - it could be worse. When The Lodger is here and trails something round I always know it isn't a stuffed toy but still (if I'm lucky) warm. (Or if I'm unlucky not only warm but still breathing.) He's a mouser.

[Chocrock]

My 1 year old cat does this she sounds like she is crying when she carries the toy around. Quite often she puts the toy in her water bowl - what he hell does that mean ?!

[GemmaTeller]

One of mine did this with a small stuffed penguin toy, you'd hear, clomp, clomp, clomp and she would be carrying it downstairs carefully by the scruff of its neck.

[Gruntfuttocks]

Let's face it, they are just weird, no?!

[ArthurCucumber]

We live rurally and have a hunting cat (acquired as a semi-feral kitten so an expert) and that's the call she makes when she's carrying a kill.