Is my cat mentally ill?

Question

She keeps walking round with a plastic pan scourer in her mouth and squaking really loud

Answer 1

I dont know about mentallt ill, she might just like washing up!! x

Answer 2

Take the cat to the vet to rule out any physical problems. If she checks out ok, I would then consult a behaviorist. Yes cats CAN have mental issues. It sounds like she is displaying 'redirected aggression'. When cats get overstimulated, for whatever reason, and they don't have a way to release that aggression on whatever it is causing the aggression, they will 'redirect' on the thing closest to them. I suggest carrying a hand towel with you when you are in the house. When the cat makes a move to be aggressive, throw the towel down and let her attack that instead of you. You don't have to throw it at her, just in her general direction. If she turns on the towel and attacks it, that is redirected aggression. Consult a behaviorist. And if the behaviorist says that the cat cannot be helped and euthanasia is the best thing, believe them. I never advocate euthanizing a healthy animal, but if it is danger to you, there are other cats out there that need homes that are not so aggressive. I also know that this is not going to be a popular answer, but saving an animal from a shelter is commendable. Saving an aggressive animal may be not in anyone's best interest.

Answer 3

Not at all! Many cats, when unable to hunt in the great outdoors, try to find a substitute to it. In this example, she obviously believes that the pan scourer is her prey. She is probably very proud of herself for catching it. You can find that most cats do this. Lots of them even have hidey-holes where they keep all the things they've "caught" which are actually their owners' belongings. Don't worry because your cat is completely normal. If you want her to stop, you can buy her some little stuffed toy mice or the like. If she doesn't take to them at first, you can use catnip on them. It makes nearly all cats crazy in love with the items you use it on. And try to think about what's been disappearing lately. It just might be she took those things while "hunting"!

Answer 4

If this was a human then I would say yes, mental illness.

But since this is in fact a cat we're talking about, I'd say no, she's just being a cat. They act differently from us on the whole - she's playing. If she's not spayed, then the 'squawking' could be her in heat. They make awful noises when they're in heat - although pan scourers aren't involved as a rule :-)

Chalice

Answer 5

no you are, try taking the plastic pan scourer out of her mouth, hey presto cat dosent look mental anymore

Answer 6

Nope, shes fine. my cat kit-kat walk around with the Mcdonalds beanie kitten in his mouth. He uses it to bap about and play catch with.
When he hears it being jiggled he jumps on the stairs and waits for us to throw it up the top of the stairs and he bounds after it and returns it to us to start the process over again.
He also hunts it out the toy box and attacks it and walks round the house with it. My other cats Mavis and Lola di that with pens and ear buds.

Cranky animals

Answer 7

Yes - you cat is definitely mad. Of course - to cats all humans are mad too!
One of mine (a slightly demented half Persian) has a real passion for those plastic ties that you cut off of electrical equipment. She secretes them around the house and they turn up years later - she carries them up & down stairs, pounces on them from a great height (OK - one stair up - she's short) then WOWs loudly when she has killed it. Then a few mintues later she has forgotten all about it and looks pleased and surprised to have something to hunt!
My other cat looks on with a very supercilious look on her face, waits her moment, then goes & sits on the tie.
It takes the Persian AGES to work out where it is!

Answer 8

Try getting her some toys. She might be bored. If she already has toys, she might be bored of them. Sounds like attention-seeking to me. Do you have a brush for her? If so, next time she's doing that, see if she's wanting groomed.

I doubt very much that she's mentally ill, more like, she's trying to tell you something. Speak to her constantly, even if you have nothing to say. Heck, you could even act like you're having an intelligent conversation with her. They enjoy the attention.

Answer 9

It sounds like she's playing, you don't mention how old she is, which makes it hard to give a definate answer as if she's young it could just be her playing, my kitten carries sweet wrappers in her mouth and meows all the time, and my older cats will pick things up to move them to a new hiding place, so to me it just sounds like they're playing.

Hope this helps.

Answer 10

Maybe, but sounds like she is hunting. Does she have any toys- like furry mice or my nut job likes the shiny, tinsel type balls that I get at a pet supply store. She will carry them around and yodle(sp) as loud as she can. Then sometimes, she lines up all her "victims" in a row or puts them on the bed, like a gift.

Answer 11

No, she's being a kitty.
My Xander takes my contact lens cases and won't give them back. Same routine every morning. I do my makeup in the bathroom, kitty jumps in the sink, snatches the case off the side and takes off.