by Nomi Berger
 
The short answer, despite several theories: no one really knows.
 
And yet, consider the following:
 
Safekeeping: The theory given the most credence by animal behaviorists involves a cat’s territorial instinct. They believe cats consider their food and water bowls to be safe places, known only to them. Depositing a prized possession – in this instance, a favorite toy -- in one or other of their bowls is their way of keeping it safe. The rationale behind this paw-ticular theory? A domesticated cat’s wild relatives such as leopards, bobcats and wildcats have been known to store their food in a safe location known as a cache. Because indoor cats don’t have caches, their food and/or water bowls are the purr-fect substitutes in which to hide their own “bounty.”
 
Hunting: There are two theories, both based on the assumption that your cat associates her toys with food or prey. One theory posits that when a toy (everything from rubber mice and moppy balls to catnip squirrels and fuzzy turtles) is dropped into her water bowl, she’s equating this with hunting and may be attempting to drown her prey before devouring it. The second theory suggests that she’s trying to teach YOU to hunt, the way a mother cat teaches her kittens when she brings the prey she’s caught back to them. And because you’re a regular “visitor” to her water bowl, she’s left that toy there for you to find.
 
Playing: Many wild cats feel extremely comfortable in and around water and will often play in it. Similarly, some domesticated cats may drop their toys into their water bowls in order to fish them out -- as their own form of playing.
 
Reliving that happy feeling: For your cat, her food bowl is a happy place, the source of everything good. And since she loves to eat, she undoubtedly associates her food bowl with those happy feelings. It’s theorized, then, that she’s merely bringing objects she likes (one or more toys) to a place she loves (her food bowl).
 
Expediency: Some cats are seldom seen without a toy in their mouths, and they simply drop it into their food or water bowls because they can’t hold onto the toy and eat or drink at the same time.
 
Can you – or should you -- stop your own cat from dropping her toys into her food or water bowl? Some behaviorists say “no”. Why? As peculiar as this particular habit may seem to you, it may, in fact, be instinctive in nature. If so, it may be impossible to try and stop her from doing what nature intended her to do.
 
Even if you did manage to stop her, any resourceful cat would quickly find an alternate safe place for her prized possessions -- such as your sink, bathtub or toilet bowl. Or if she’s the “gifting” kind of kitty, she may generously and lovingly deposit one of her water-logged toys on top of your head in the middle of the night!

by Nomi Berger
 
Scooting (the act of a pet dragging his/her bum along the ground) may be seen more often in dogs, but cats sometimes scoot as well – usually when their rears are itchy or irritated.
 
One of the more common causes of this phenomenon is intestinal parasites, particularly tapeworms. Whereas tapeworms can be seen in your cat’s poop (they look like grains of white rice), some parasites are invisible to the naked eye. Other signs of a parasite infestation include diarrhea or constipation, weight loss and a potbelly.
 
If your cat suffers from allergies – most often environmental -- that cause itchy skin, the itchiness can extend to every area of her body, including her bum. Various environmental allergies include dust and pollen, mold and mites, even fleas.
 
Although cats seem to have fewer anal gland issues than dogs, your cat’s sudden scooting may, in fact, indicate a problem with her anal glands. Anal glands, two small internal sacs positioned on either side of the anus that produce a pungent liquid, should, if they’re working properly, express each time your cat poops and remove any fecal bacteria along with it.
 
Sometimes, though, inflammation keeps this liquid from being expelled. Instead, it builds up inside the sacs where it can become very thick, almost paste like, leading to the sacs being impacted. The result of such extreme discomfort is the sight of your cat scooting along any and all surfaces in an effort to find some relief. If her sacs are impacted, however, and bacteria gets into them, they can become infected and potentially abscess.
 
To learn why your cat is scooting, bring her promptly to the vet for a thorough physical examination that will include a search for signs of parasites, areas of itchy skin and problems with her anal glands. Your vet will likely do a fecal test and possibly a de-worming especially if diarrhea is involved and check for any kind of perianal or vulvar inflammation infection, including the presence of yeast, which can be extremely itchy.
 
In short, treating your cat’s scooting depends on the cause. A thorough de-worming should eliminate any irritating intestinal parasites from her system. The prognosis for recovery from an infection of intestinal parasites is good, with most cats being completely cured within several weeks of treatment.
 
Although allergies may be more complicated to pin down, once the cause has been identified, your vet will be able to prescribe an appropriate treatment such as a topical medication to soothe her itchiness, perhaps even changing the food she eats as well.
 
If her anal glands are impacted or infected, your vet will express the affected sac(s), flushing out the solidified material, infuse the sac(s) with an anti-inflammatory and have you administer antibiotics orally to her in order to kill the remaining bacteria.
 
In most cases of impacted anal glands, the original cause of the condition remains a mystery. Some studies show a connection between a primarily wet or canned food diet and scooting, suggesting that cats suffering from recurring bouts of scooting may need a higher content of dry food or food that contains more fiber or bone meal elements to assist in proper bowel expression.