Strange behavior - nothing new

[knolet]

This is nothing new - Zeus has done this since I adopted him.... he licks the wall, or my dresser drawers, or anything else that he's near; but he only seems to do it when he wants to get my attention such as early in the morning when he wants to be fed or at night when he's hungry. The morning licking really irritates me, that little sand paper tongue licking the wall is SOOOO loud. I've tried to re-direct him, and to just ignore it, but he keeps it up until I get out of bed (which is always before my alarm). After I adopted him and before he was diagnosed with FD, I had mentioned it to the Vet, wondering if it was a sign that Zeus was missing something in his diet. The Vet just laughed and wasn't concerned at all.

What do your kitties do to get your attention? Do we have any other wall lickers? Have you been able to get them to stop?

TGIF! Have a great day everyone!

Kathie

 

[Cindy & Pets]

Mine mostly just bite my nose to get my attention. But Christmas loves to lick everything just for the sake of tasting it. She's even gone for my brothers stomach while he was taking a nap and his shirt rolled up some! :lol: She's done that one since I got her at 6-8 weeks old. I pretty much just learn to tune it out and make sure the house is free of cleaning chemicals before she licks it.

 

[hmjohnston]

Could Zeus have pica?

Sneakers gets into bed- currently the only time she does as it is too hot for her to spend the night there- and licks/grooms herself right in my ear (slup, slup, SLUP!!!). If that doesn't work she tries the paw on my face, then the claws in my hair, her last resort is sneezing in my face- that one has never failed yet :lol: .

 

[Traci and Boomer]

Merlin (avitar) is a bag licker. Lick, lick, lick. It drives me nuts. I've been told that plastic bags have something on them that tastes good to cats.

I've never heard of a cat licking walls and dresser drawers. I don't see how it could be loud-but what do I know? All of my cats paw my mini-blinds to wake me up. Now that's LOUD. I squirt them with water and that ends it quickly. :lol:

 

[PrettyBlueEyes]

I have a tiny set of wind chimes hanging in my bedroom window. When he feels I've had enough sleep, Leo jumps up onto the dresser and starts batting them around.

Yes, it's very cute. Just not at 4 A.M. cat(2)_steam

Kate & Leo

 

[MelanieP and Ninja]

If you google "cat licking wall" you'll see that a lot of people share your problem. LOL!! The most logical answer seems to be "because it works in getting the owner's attention;" though I did find one reference that it could be indicative of anemia: "A cat that licks odd things such as window panes, walls, or cement walks may be anemic which is a symptom of a disease such as feline leukemia. If you suspect a medical problem, see your veterinarian immediately." But if your cat has been checked for this, then my guess is that it is just attention getting behavior. Consider yourself lucky. My cat slaps me in the face with her paw each morning to get me up. I'll trade you. LOL!!

 

[knolet]

Thanks for the responses - I got a good laugh at a few of them :lol: Sneeze in the face... paw in the face... the plastic bags. Yup, been there too, but it's really the licking the wall at 4:30 AM that bugs me the most. You'd be surprised how loud the sand paper tongue is licking the wall when everything else is quiet.... and I'm a bit of a light sleeper as well, so that doesn't help.

Could Zeus have pica?
quote]

I don't know. I did ask the Vet about the licking a couple of times, he didn't seem too concerned. I really think it's to get my attention because as soon as I get up he runs to the kitchen expecting to be fed. He also doesn't really lick the walls during the day.... but he did last night before I started getting his dinner ready.

If you google "cat licking wall" you'll see that a lot of people share your problem. LOL!! The most logical answer seems to be "because it works in getting the owner's attention;"

Well, at least I"m not alone, LOL!!!

All of my cats paw my mini-blinds to wake me up. Now that's LOUD. I squirt them with water and that ends it quickly.

I've thought about getting a squirt gun/bottle and keeping it near the bed, but I'd have to shoot blind without my contacts/glasses, LOL.

 

[Traci and Boomer]

:lol: I've "shot blind" myself. It's easy to get them-just point in the general direction and squirt away. I can shake the bottle and they will run now.

 

[SHK]

You've got yourself a wall-licker! LOL

EQ likes to rub his face vigorously on the lampshade next to the bed and in the process, he knocks every.single.thing off the nightstand. He only does this when I don't get out of bed fast enough for him. Dex likes to knock over the (nontoxic) plants and make a high-pitched baby meow over and over (that is quite annoying in the middle of the night).