Why Does My Young Cat Do This?

[skhill]

One of my cats does something similar-- she'll walk around the house carrying a sock, making weird noises, then present it to me. From what I've heard, it's hunting/prey behavior. Does your girl speak while she's carrying her sponge?

[Velocivixen]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was thinking the exact same things. Either she is presenting me with prey or since it's damp/wet and about the right size for a kitten maybe it's her "mothering instinct". Now she is laying behind a chair and she put the sponge about 6 inches away from her next to a wall. She's just lounging, and she's nowhere near where I'm at. So that makes me think it's a "kitten" thing. Yet when she brings it to me it seems like a "prey" giving ritual. She doesn't make sound while carrying it (I've never actually seen her carrying it) but when she brings it near me she does a multiple, quick "meow-meow-meow-meow" then looks at me.

I don't mind that she does it, just wondering what you thought it meant and if it's common.

[lph]

She sounds really cute

If you behave like it's prey, toss it around a little, what does she do? Join in, or take it "into safety"?

[indysteel]

One of my cats does something similar-- she'll walk around the house carrying a sock, making weird noises, then present it to me. From what I've heard, it's hunting/prey behavior. Does your girl speak while she's carrying her sponge?

Yep; one of cats did this with her toy mice. She would vocalize somewhat oddly as she was bringing it to me and then lay it at my feet. This happened almost nightly. She would also leave them in my shoes. She only did it with two specific toys, one of which was included in her ashes, it was so central to life with her.

But I would add that most cats have some stance habits that can't really be explained. They're funny that way.

[owlice]

I'd give her her own sponge; maybe then she'd leave yours alone.

[zoom-zoom]

We've had two cats bring us little wads of paper so that we could throw them...to play fetch. Both made cute little noises until we would pick up the paper and throw it. The game could go on for a very long time.

[Biciclista]

let's hope she doesn't bring the sponge to you in bed. And giving her her own sponge won't work unless it smells the same.
My cat had a mouse toy that she loved; she ATE it. when there was nothing left except bits of hard plastic, we tried to replace it with other toys. NONE were the same You can't fool them.

[Velocivixen]

So my cat was in the family room on the sofa and the sponge was near the sliding glass door, so I picked up the sponge, tossed it and "petted" it. Mila became very attentive, jumped down, sniffed of the sponge then walked over to our other cat. I guess it's just her little quirky nature.

[Brandi]

Oh my gosh my cat Bo did that same thing till he was about 2 and then just stopped all of a sudden. It was the strangest thing. I could never figure out why a sponge? Now my cat Aki brings me gifts all the time. and she is 7 now. When I leave the house she brings a toy outside and leaves it on the stairs for me. So funny.