Cat Question...

buzzard0627

So here is the low down...My girlfriend and I just adopted a second kitten from the pound as a playmate for our other kitten. The older one is 8 months old and the new one is 4 months. After about 2 weeks of dealing with various issues (the new one came home with a URI, had stitches from getting spayed) both cats were seeming to get healthy and enjoy each other.

Yesterday morning, the older cat seems to have a limp and is favoring his front right paw. A couple of theories on what happened, but we do our best to keep him calm and watch him to see how serious it is. Not a big deal. This morning, his right paw seems fine, but now he seems to be favoring the left one. Again, it doesn't seem like a huge deal - he doesn't seem to mind if I poke and prod it, everything else seems normal. Is my cat clever enough to be faking an injury in an attempt for attention (which we have been VERY careful to give him lots of)? Is something more serious going on?

Obligatory picture:

urahonky

It does sound like he's trying to get attention. Can you lightly squeeze up his left paw up to his "shoulder" without him getting uneasy? If so, it's probably more for attention. I'd take him into the vet if this behavior persists though, just for a checkup. It couldn't hurt, and it isn't too expensive.

VThornheart

I didn't realize cats were intelligent enough to know that they could fake injury to recieve attention. I can believe it, but it does blow my mind a bit. Deviously intelligent creatures they are.

buzzard0627

I have poked and prodded his right leg and he didn't seem to mind. He even got a bit playful with me when I did it, so I am thinking he is probably faking...I suppose if by Monday he is still acting up, then a trip to the vet is in order.

BlochWave

I didn't realize cats were intelligent enough to know that they could fake injury to recieve attention. I can believe it, but it does blow my mind a bit. Deviously intelligent creatures they are.

Don't be too impressed, it's associative behavior. Cat has no idea what it's doing but it knows it gets your attention. It's similar to how dogs will hide when they make a mess if you've scolded them before, looks like they feel bad or realize their mistake, but....

They don't realize THEM making the mess is getting them yelled, they realize the mess gets them yelled at. If you put them well out of sight in a different part of the house, then make the mess yourself, upon seeing it they'll behave the same

VThornheart

BlochWave wrote: »

I didn't realize cats were intelligent enough to know that they could fake injury to recieve attention. I can believe it, but it does blow my mind a bit. Deviously intelligent creatures they are.

Don't be too impressed, it's associative behavior. Cat has no idea what it's doing but it knows it gets your attention. It's similar to how dogs will hide when they make a mess if you've scolded them before, looks like they feel bad or realize their mistake, but....

They don't realize THEM making the mess is getting them yelled, they realize the mess gets them yelled at. If you put them well out of sight in a different part of the house, then make the mess yourself, upon seeing it they'll behave the same

Interesting! Pet psychology is fascinating to me. It's hard for me not to ascribe human emotions/thought processes to the behavior of animals. (I think it drives my wife crazy sometimes as a result )