One of my cats started doing something strange this past year. Jesse is a 4yr old neutered male. He brings dirty laundry downstairs. I know he's trying to tell me something, but I can't figure out what it is. He'll grab a sock usually, but sometimes he'll bring underwear, t-shirts, pajama pants, and once he brought a blanket!
While he's carrying it in his mouth he meows; but it's not a normal meow, it's more of a moan or a howl. Then he drops the laundry at the bottom of the stairs and goes about his regular business. It's truly disturbing. He does it when all of his basic needs are met (clean litter, food, etc.) I thought maybe he was bringing us 'gifts', but he doesn't bring them anywhere near us, he just drops it at the bottom of the stairs. He has never been, and has no desire to go outside, so it's not that either.
He seems to do it most after supper, but sometimes he'll do it in the middle of the night, but bringing the laundry from the bottom of the stairs back up and waking me up with that crazy howl. If anyone has any ideas about what my cat is trying to tell me, please let me know.
OMG, I can't believe there are other cats that are doing this. My female has been doing this for about 3-4 months. It started happening about 2 months after we moved in with my boyfriend. I could understand if it started happening right after we moved in but she was completely normal for 2 months after her change of environment and now she drags laundry all over the house, clean, dirty, folder, unfolded it does not matter. She also makes a strange meowing sound when she does this. Anyone know of someplace that might be able to solve the mystery?
My cat carries around a rabbit foot key chain & makes the same sad howling sound. I figure it is some sort of hunting instinct. He also howls like that when my hubby leaves for work at 11:pm. I always thought it was a way of mourning his absence, they are crazy about each other.
I had a cat when I was a kid do that all time, but only with one particular pair of striped socks. Clean or dirty, she didn't care. He's just having fun driving you nuts.
My orange tabby female, Newt, did this all the time whether the clothes were clean or dirty. When I lived with my brother and sister in law, they were a bit scared of her howling as she normally had a sweet voice. I explained that she was playing a hunting game, and the howl was a victory cry. After my explanation, it became a family joke to see socks and underwear in odd places in the house. It does no harm-it's enrichment play for indoor cats.
Our cats like to sleep in my son's dirty laundry basket. I think maybe they just like the scent of the clothes. Dogs like all sorts of stinky things, so it could be the same with the cats.
Welcome to the loony world of felines!! My daughters cat does this also, usually with her clothes. Whenever they go out they come back home and there is one or more articles of clothes in the living room. One time "Frankie" dragged my son in laws sweat pants into the living room and my son in law is over 6 feet!
Our cat started dragging around my daughters stuffed yellow "woodstock" that came with valentines candy a few years ago, and does it EVERY DAY!! It is so hilarious!! Usually she will do it until somebody calls her then she will drop it at that persons feet.
hey! A cat that wants to do the laundry lol. Maybe he smells your body's pheromones and he is like how a female cat gets when she is in heat. My cat went through it and howled and wailed like that in evening for like 2 weeks she must have been in heat. We accidentally let her out and guess what? She just had kitties! So it could be the pheromones.
Perhaps separation anxiety. The laundry items you mentioned have "skin" smell. When my puppy does something very similar to what you described, I give her a drop of Rescue Remedy (bought it at Whole Foods) and she calms down.
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