by ANITA KELSEY

Welcome fellow cat lovers. Thanks for all of your letters so far. Please keep them coming plus any high res photos of your moggies to: [email protected].

Mog of the Week

Clarence sent in by Sandra O’Neill. Named after the angel in the film ‘It’s A Wonderful life’.

Letters

Toilet Zoomies

Dear Anita,

Our boy cat is a rescue and luckily he has had no accidents apart from his first week in our home. He now has 3 litter trays of which he is very clean. 

Just wanted to know, when he has a stool/poo moment, why is it that he runs around very fast up and down the stairs as soon as he has finished. I have been told this is called the zoomies.

Sandra O’Neill

Thanks for your question Sandra.

I’m no poo expert but I can imagine cats sometimes feel the same as we feel when we go to the toilet, which is a feeling of a pleasurable release! The difference between us is that we smile and sigh afterwards (well I do!) and our cats run around like Mo Farah on Ecstasy. Scientists believe it is a nerve, called the vagus nerve, that is stimulated by pooping, giving a pleasurable sensation. This may cause them to feel excited, leading to the zoomies. Some have labelled this action poo-phoria or post-poop elation, so nothing to worry about. Your cat is just high on his own bowel movements!

Anita

Bedwetting

Hi Anita,

Our cat occasionally wees on my flatmate’s bed and has weed on his clothes left on the floor. Why does she do this?  

Simon Gregory

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Thanks for your question Simon.

One of the ways cats communicate is via their scent, and when there is an issue in the home, or something bothering them outside of the home, they will use their scent outside of the tray to communicate this. It is a natural action for cats, although an action humans naturally do not want! Cats will also urinate outside of their tray if there is an issue connected to the tray, a medical reason such as cystitis or even due to age and the onset of dementia. It would be difficult for me to guess why this is happening with your cat without doing a proper investigation but you may wish to consider the relationship between your flatmate and your cat, and maybe whether any smells are being bought into the home by your flatmate that your cat is picking up on? It could also be a territorial issue. I suggest keeping a diary whenever this happens to see if you can find a pattern of behaviour or anything that may have happened on the day that resulted in a wee on the bed. You will be surprised what diaries reveal of our cats’ emotional states sometimes. If this continues I suggest you contact a feline behaviourist to do a home visit and conduct a thorough investigation, as only then would you get a proper diagnosis with a modification plan to follow. Good luck.

Anita.


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https://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/clarence-835x1024.jpeghttps://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/clarence-150x150.jpegHIPCommunityAnita Kelsey,cats,feline behaviourist,hastings cat chat,let's talk about cats,mog of the month,petsby ANITA KELSEYWelcome fellow cat lovers. Thanks for all of your letters so far. Please keep them coming plus any high res photos of your moggies to: [email protected]. Mog of the Week Clarence sent in by Sandra O’Neill. Named after the angel in the film ‘It’s A Wonderful life’. Letters Toilet ZoomiesDear Anita,...The Hastings & St Leonards non-profit community newspaper