Wierd burying behaviour

One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not litter.
Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.
How can she not realize that she isn't covering her stuff when she does
this?

"Angela St.Aubin" wrote in message
. ..
One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the
phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned
to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was
trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not
litter.
Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.
How can she not realize that she isn't covering her stuff when she does
this?



That's the beauty of an instinctive behavior- they do it without always
knowing why.

-Toni

Angela St.Aubin wrote:
One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not litter.

Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.

My kitty does this too. I thought perhaps he was attempting to clean
of his paws...

--
~m.

"Toni" wrote in message
. ..

"Angela St.Aubin" wrote in message
. ..
One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and
I was on the
phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or
two, she returned
to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then
"scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I
think she was
trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is
smooth tile, not
litter.
Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not
in the litter, on
the plastic edge.
How can she not realize that she isn't covering her
stuff when she does
this?



That's the beauty of an instinctive behavior- they do it
without always
knowing why.

-Toni

That's sums it up pretty well
Alison

Suddenly, without warning, Meranda Anne exclaimed (13-Jan-06 9:50 PM):
Angela St.Aubin wrote:

One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not litter.


Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.


My kitty does this too. I thought perhaps he was attempting to clean
of his paws...

--
~m.

Meep is quite an artist. She'll dig for ages and when I look in the
box, what do I see? Unburied poo on top of a huge pile of litter

Actually, she's quite clever - seems she buries if we're not home, and
does the mountain thing - or just leave without bothering - when we are.
She knows once I smell it I'll come clean her box...

jmc

Angela St.Aubin wrote:

One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not litter.
Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.
How can she not realize that she isn't covering her stuff when she does
this?



It is instinctive behavior.

Angela St.Aubin wrote:
One of my cats Josephine threw up on the hall floor, and I was on the phone,
so I did not clean it up right away. After a minute or two, she returned to
the pile, and then kept sniffing it and then "scratching" at the floor
around it, in all directions, then smelling it again. I think she was trying
to bury it and did not understand that the floor is smooth tile, not litter.
Even in the litter box, she scratches for ages, but not in the litter, on
the plastic edge.
How can she not realize that she isn't covering her stuff when she does
this?

it's not weird. it's normal. she buries what she thinks is bad and/or
so that she can't be tracked by other animals. it's really funny when
my otherwise smart kitty keeps scratching at the floor, walls and table
leg to bury the remains of her food. she also periodically peaks into
her litter box, front paws and head only, to cover her poop with more
sand. we let her near our food, so she's become quite a gourmet
critic. whatever she decides is not worthy of her pallate, she
burries. if we are eating of a bed tray, she tries to cover the plate
with some of the bed spread that she scratches on. it's very sweet of
her to care. i am sure she would take out the leftovers to the
kitchen, if she had opposable thumbs.