my cat has issues. i really ought to videotape this intriguing behaviour of his. it’s amusing and yet, mildly disturbing. i think it’s likely that he has some form of feline obsessive compulsive disorder. but he’s so cute!
anyway, he’s at that age of being a “troubled teen” (about 18 months) and despite being neutered, he’s beginning to come into “sexual maturity.” which means he humps things. but not indiscriminately, no. he’s very particular. it goes like this:
edward has this favorite toy, a canvas fish with some catnip in it (old, dry, odorless catnip. one only knows it once was catnip-y because it clearly says “catnip fish” printed on it). he loves to play fetch with his catnip fish. every so often, especially when playing fetch in the living room, he starts on this bizarre ritual. he runs after the fish, picks it up in his mouth. it’s a decently sized fish, so he can only hold it with his mouth wide open. then, he walks over to a paper bag that is on the floor. he wipes his feet on the paper bag (fish still in mouth) and then jumps up on the sofa. there, fish still in mouth, he begins kneading his paws on this green synthetic silk down-filled throw. then, he starts humping. now, he’s not directly humping the blanket, he’s just standing on the blanket, pawing at it, and humping the air. with a fish in his mouth. after humping for a good while, he seems to be tired, or confused. sometimes he just turns around on the blanket and humps some more, or, more often, he suddenly sits down, drops the fish, and begins to lick himself. usually at this point i stop laughing at the insane humping and shout “ewww! ed! don’t you lick me with that tongue after doing that!” and then i throw the fish… upon which he repeats the whole process. he’ll really do this about 4 or 5 times in a row, until he’s just plain tired of humping the blanket, or just tired of me throwing his fish across the room again.
it’s really weird. i mean, i can expect this 18mo old cat to need to hump things, and i guess the downy blanket is soft and the catnip fish is, well, catnip-y. . . but standing on the paper bag first? that’s the part i just don’t get. but every time. he has to step on the bag first. and he doesn’ t hump the blanket without the fish in his mouth. it’s a two-part fetish. fish + green downy blanket.
i was going to put that paper bag in the recycle bin, but now i don’t want to deprive edward of his newfound enjoyment…. well, eventually it’ll have to go. then i guess he’ll find something else?
ach, my cat is weird.
but we love him. :)
