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Path: utzoo!decvax!mcnc!bch
From: bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron Howes)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: Another strange cat story
Message-ID: <454@mcnc.mcnc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Apr-85 00:15:29 EST
Article-I.D.: mcnc.454
Posted: Fri Apr  5 00:15:29 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Apr-85 16:06:26 EST
References: <1366@vax3.fluke.UUCP>
Reply-To: bch@mcnc.UUCP (Byron Howes)
Distribution: na
Organization: North Carolina Educational Computing Service
Lines: 29
Summary: 

In article <1366@vax3.fluke.UUCP emery@fluke.UUCP writes:

>Here is another unexplained cat behavior story.  Our cat has two toys
>that he is very fond of.  They are two small stuffed bunny rabbits.  He
>absolutely loves these bunnies.  Before bedtime he brings his bunnies
>upstairs (one at a time) to our bedroom where he sleeps.  The next
>morning, he brings both bunnies downstairs in the same manner.  Well
>this isn't the strange part.  Every so often, when no one is home, he
>will take one of his bunnies and drop it in his water dish!  We don't
>know if he is mad at the bunny or if he wants bunny to have a bath.
>Compared to some of the other cat stories I have read on this net, I
>should be thankful that this is as bad as it gets.  Has anyone had any
>similiar experiences?  Or perhaps there are some expert cat
>psychologists out there in net land that would care to suggest an
>explanation.  I'm all ears!  By the way, I believe he is mostly manx.

Are you sure this cat is a he?  This sounds like compulsive nurturing
behavior.  It would be useful to know the age of the cat and whether
he(?) cleans the bunnies or when he lies down with them or what.

I suspect dropping the bunny in the water dish is an accident.  If
he spends the day cleaning them he probably gets fairly dried out, goes
over to the water dish and drops one in when he drinks.  I'd take him
to a vet and explain the behavior, if you have a doctor that spec-
ializes in small animals he might have an answer.
-- 

						Byron C. Howes
				      ...!{decvax,akgua}!mcnc!ecsvax!bch