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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Things you didn't know about cats until you got one....

130 replies

Mumdiva99 · 03/12/2020 20:42

This is just for fun and might be interesting or useful.

I'll start - I didn't know cats played fetch. My beautiful blonde cat plays with a rubber orange bullet and brings it and drops it waiting for me to throw it. This can be a long game....

What have you learnt?

OP posts:
Santaisironingwrappingpaper · 03/12/2020 20:44

My dcat sits on command..

Poppins2016 · 03/12/2020 20:48

I didn't know about carpal whiskers!

I also had no idea just how like dogs they can be... one of mine comes racing down the garden when called 😃

bluebluezoo · 03/12/2020 20:54

That they have the strange folds on their ears.

That they can mask pain to such a great extent. They can be nearly dead and you wouldn’t notice. Or ham it up, you think they’re dying but they got up wrong and tweaked a whisker....

Original poster
Mumdiva99 · 03/12/2020 21:01

Wow Santaisironingwrappingpaper how clever. I'll have to try that. Although mine don't even know their names....yet they know ' food' already.....

@bluebluezoo they haven't tried it on yet....lol.

I'm off to Google carpal whiskers.. .@poppins2016

OP posts:
joanwinifred · 03/12/2020 21:04

@Mumdiva99

This is just for fun and might be interesting or useful.

I'll start - I didn't know cats played fetch. My beautiful blonde cat plays with a rubber orange bullet and brings it and drops it waiting for me to throw it. This can be a long game....

What have you learnt?

Blonde??

Autumnchill · 03/12/2020 21:04

During lockdown discovered my dark furry overlord has a 3'o clock shit every day without fail!

Notapheasantplucker · 03/12/2020 21:07

If I squint at my cats, they squint back at me Grin I think it's a sign they're happy or content(?)

ImAKaren · 03/12/2020 21:08

That the stuff from their anal glands fucking stinks!
That they poo in naughty places if something's not right in the house.
My cats growing up didn't do any of this!

Original poster
Mumdiva99 · 03/12/2020 21:13

@Autumnchill our will wait till we are settled watching TV in about 20 minutes and then stink the house out.... :)

@Notapheasantplucker closing your eyes in a cats presence is meant to indicate something....maybe that you like them....it's also the greatest honour they can give you! Means they trust you....

@ImAKaren cats 30 years ago were apparently a different species. Lol.

OP posts:
Icanttakethiscrapanymore · 03/12/2020 21:13

That I would love him sooooo much. I’m a dog person and never even really liked cats. Then along came Simon my ginger Tom and bam !!! Wrapped round his little paws Grin

Gormless · 03/12/2020 21:15

That they can tell the time!

Original poster
Mumdiva99 · 03/12/2020 21:15

@joanwinifred yes blonde. She's not as dark irl as she looks in the picture.

OP posts:
ILovemyCatsSoSoMuch · 03/12/2020 21:19

That they love having their tummies stroked. I’ve only known cats with a murder button on their bellies

Mia184 · 03/12/2020 21:50

@Mumdiva99

This is just for fun and might be interesting or useful.

I'll start - I didn't know cats played fetch. My beautiful blonde cat plays with a rubber orange bullet and brings it and drops it waiting for me to throw it. This can be a long game....

What have you learnt?

My cat likes to play fetch and hide & seek with me.😄
ClammedupClam · 03/12/2020 21:57

This is exciting. We're getting a rescue kitty tomorrow!

SeagullSong · 03/12/2020 22:13

@Gormless

That they can tell the time!
This! They appear for meals like clockwork and I learned during my pregnancy that I could tell the time by which cat(s) appeared to greet me on one of my many nightly trips to the toilet!
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 03/12/2020 22:16

They can definetly tell time. Our kids get up at 7am (they have a clock in their rooms). Without fail the girl cat goes up and mews outside their rooms at 6.55am.

Davespecifico · 03/12/2020 22:27

My grey cat definitely has a body clock. I only give wet food in the evening. Every night at about 7.20, she comes meowing.
Territory isn’t a set place, it’s just a new thing that hasn’t yet been conquered, even if it’s just a plastic bag they’ve not seen in a particular spot before.
There are times when they must just run: as if they’ve seen a ghost.
There is such a thing as cupboard love. There are times when I think my cat actually does want to be around me, then I realise there is some crumpet butter residue on my plate and it’s crumpet butter she wants, not me. 😓
You must stroke in very particular ways.

bellinique · 03/12/2020 22:44

I've taught my cat to give a paw before I give him a treat.

He now randomly offers his paw to me when there are no treats in the vicinity and it breaks my heart and I have to go hunting for a treat for him.

Manipulative little bastard.

Takethewinefromtheswine · 03/12/2020 22:50

One of mine plays fetch, she will keep it going for ages. She also carries her treasures around the house in her mouth, usually my razor from the side of the bath.
My other one knows when I'm about to get home and smiles when he sees the car. He will also go find his sister in the garden if I ask him where she is.

Seeingadistance · 04/12/2020 01:57

@bellinique

I've taught my cat to give a paw before I give him a treat.

He now randomly offers his paw to me when there are no treats in the vicinity and it breaks my heart and I have to go hunting for a treat for him.

Manipulative little bastard.

Grin
Chlordiazepoxide · 04/12/2020 02:03

That the sight of my fat cat coming down the stairs would make me love him so much

hilariousnamehere · 04/12/2020 02:11

That they come and snuggle up for cuddles! Extended family always had semi feral cats so I was surprised and delighted when mine slept on my feet (the fluffy one) and right up in my arms with paws round my neck and her head on my pillow (the sleek one).

And also how well we communicate Grin we may not all speak the same language but I know when they're hungry or happy or not quite right, and they know when I'm happy or sad or needing cuddles.

Maskedcrusader · 04/12/2020 02:20

That they are capable of finding all the lost Nerf darts in the house to play with. Mine disappear upstairs & always come down with one to play with. Even my kids dont know where they find them. I love my fur babies, I only got them to stop the kids asking for a dog, now they are my little snuggle companions.

notangelinajolie · 04/12/2020 02:22

@Mumdiva99

This is just for fun and might be interesting or useful.

I'll start - I didn't know cats played fetch. My beautiful blonde cat plays with a rubber orange bullet and brings it and drops it waiting for me to throw it. This can be a long game....

What have you learnt?

The very first cat me and DH had used to play fetch with a bic biro. She would pick it up in her mouth and bring it back. And she used to come to the shops with us - we lived in a terraced just 2 streets away from a town centre. She would follow us to the first shop and wait. She also used to jump up and rattle the the door knocker when she wanted to come in. The smartest cat we ever had.