Why does my cat love my shoes

It’s official: Cats are mysterious. I got a cascade of questions from curious cat people this week, proving that even their owners can’t fathom them. I hope these answers to your Ask Your Weird Animal Questions will make your feline a little more relatable. (See “What Do Cats Think About Us? You May Be Surprised.”)

Why do all my cats like the smell of my stinky shoes? They can’t seem to get enough! —Anne Deason Spencer via Facebook

In nature, scents are messages, so in general “animals tend to be attracted to smelly surfaces,” said Carlo Siracusa, a veterinarian at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia. Smelly shoes are likely to come with odors, including pheromones, from other cats or animals. When a cat rubs on smelly shoes, he probably wants to ‘rewrite’ the message on the shoes, adding his signature; he may also want to exchange signals with the owner who is a member of the same social group.”

Can an FIV+ cat (one with feline immunodeficiency virus) live happily and healthily with a non-FIV+ cat? —Lisa Reddy via Facebook

Julie Callahan Clark, also of Penn Vet, said it depends on the relationship of the cats. The virus, which lives only a short time outside the body, can’t be transmitted by sharing water bowls or by mutual grooming and is primarily transmitted by biting. (See National Geographic readers’ pictures of cats.)

“Therefore, if the cats know each other and have no aggressive tendencies towards one another, they could coexist happily,” Clark said, though a cat fight could transmit the disease.

Clark noted that “transmission of FIV in multi-cat households is considered to be an infrequent event.”

Will clipping a cat’s claws make them not scratch things as much? My husband says when you clip them, they scratch more to re-sharpen them. —Ellen Sherman Jewel via Facebook“

The Science of Meow: Study to Look at How Cats Talk

Scratching is a complex behavior which serves many functions,” such as keeping the nails sharp and functional and communicating with other cats, said Siracusa.

Barbara Sherman, of North Carolina State’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, added that even declawed cats will scratch, and that this characteristic behavior may have to do with stretching and “conditioning their limbs.”

"It’s usually done after a nap, so often we try to put a scratching post for a cat near their resting site,” she said. (Learn about National Geographic’s Little Kitties for Big Cats initiative.)

She encourages owners of indoor cats to trim their pets’ nails, which they can learn to do with the help of a vet—and a few treats. This can minimize damage to the home and injuries to the cat, as well as avoid the surgical procedure of declawing, which provides no medical benefit to the animal, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

How can I stop one cat from clawing my door sills and the other from urinating in the bathtub and sink and on floor mats? —Melissa Dempster-Daly via Facebook

Sherman laughed and said this doorsill scratcher “has made a personal choice.” Cats have a need to scratch and stretch, and there’s just something about this surface the cat likes, she said. In order to save your sills, provide the cat with an alternative, like a scratching post, that she will like and use (it might take a few tries).

Once that need is met, then cover the doorsills with double-sided sticky tape or a similar product. “We’ve got to barter with the cat, to say, ‘We don’t want you to use the sills anymore, but we want to give you what you need,'” Sherman said. (See “How Cats and People Grew to Love Each Other.”)

The cat that urinates outside the litter box may have an underlying medical problem, she said. Cats prefer a loose, absorbent surface as a latrine; if urination is painful, the cat might associate the litter box with that pain and “may go to a place that’s very different and try it and see if it’s less painful.”

Last, owners shouldn’t yell at or punish a cat for either behavior, Sherman said, especially for urination. Cats may just be trying to communicate something to you, so you have to learn how to listen.

Got a question about the wild and wonderful animal world? Tweet me or leave me a note on Facebook.

If your cat is constantly stealing, chewing on, or scratching up your favorite pair of shoes, it can get pretty old pretty quick. However, your cat’s obsession with your shoes is actually a compliment–they’re trying to get closer to you by way of the one article of clothing that’s most likely to smell like you! In addition, because your shoes collect all sorts of interesting smells throughout the day, the combination of familiar and new scents can be irresistible to a curious cat!

Most cat experts agree that a cat’s need to seek out your shoes is generally a well-intentioned gesture that can nevertheless leave owners feeling frustrated. If you find your cats unable to leave your shoe rack alone, then it’s often a lot easier to prevent them from reaching their target than it is to train them to give up the hunt.

Why Do Smells Matter to Cats?

Of the five senses, smell is probably one of the most important for cats and their daily communications. You’ve probably seen your cat rubbing against furniture, or even against your legs if you stand still for long enough. While this can sometimes be because they find the sensation pleasant, this rubbing can also serve as a form of scent-marking.

Cats have scent glands, located all over their body, that secrete a pheromone unique to each cat. When they rub their faces against the leg of your table, they’re leaving behind a scent marker that any other cat will be able to detect immediately. This helps them mark their territory, and claim pretty much anything they see as belonging to them exclusively.

This scent-marking also helps cats identify each other. As mentioned above, the smell of each cat is unique and different from any other cats in the area. Similarly, cats can recognize the distinct smells of their owners as well as they can recognize the smell of other cats.

Interestingly enough, evidence suggests that cats don’t pay very much attention to their owner’s faces. While they may react to exaggerated expressions, they don’t display the same level of face-reading as dogs do and seem to have some level of relative face blindness. Instead, they mostly seem to react to and recognize to things as specifically belonging to the people that they care about — their owners’ voices, and, of course, their owner’s smell.

Obviously, your cat recognizes you and is generally pleased to see you when you come home at the end of the day. If you notice your cat perking up before someone’s entered the room, the combination of their acute hearing and sense of smell allow them to anticipate someone’s approach long before you can do the same.

Since your cat values your presence so highly and also recognizes your distinct smell as something comforting and pleasing, it makes sense to expect that they should gravitate towards things that smell like you. Cats, like most other domesticated animals, react well to having objects that smell like their owners, as these can serve like comfort objects even in uncomfortable situations.

Bestseller

Petstages Dental Kitty Chew Wheel Catnip Cat Toy

• ENCOURAGES HEALTHY CHEWING: The Dental Kitty...
• HELPS CLEAN TEETH: The Petstages Dental Kitty...
• REDIRECT BAD BEHAVIOR: If your kitty loves to...
• CATNIP INFUSED: This cute cat chew toy is...
• PLAY IT SAFE: No toy is indestructible. Do...

So Why Do My Cats Want My Shoes So Badly?

Now that we know how important smells are to cats, it should come as no surprise that the things they like to steal the most are, well, the things that smell the most like you. Especially if you have a particular pair of shoes that you wear all the time, your shoes are going to smell like your sweat, and, by extension, very much like you.

It sounds kind of gross, but for your cats, your shoes are a very concentrated dose of the thing that helps them recognize you in a crowd. For this reason, you may notice your cat stockpiling your shoes in places where they like to hide away. Your shoes serve as a comfort object and a way for them to remember you even when you’re not right in front of them.

Especially if you have to be away at work or at school during the day, you’ll probably notice your cat sleeping on or around your shoes. This serves as a method of self-comforting, and is basically your cat’s way of thinking of you throughout the day. For especially nervous cats, this can also serve as a reminder of who you are and a reminder that you’ll be coming back soon to play with them.

Obviously, this is a very sweet behavior for your cats to display, but it can be kind of annoying to tear the house apart looking for your missing shoe before finally finding it beneath your cat. For this reason, it can be difficult to keep those sweet intentions in mind, especially if the hoarding behavior is starting to cut into your early morning daily preparations.

While shoes are an inconvenient enough thing to have stolen, it could always be worse. Some cats prefer to steal their owner’s dirty socks or underwear, presumably for the same scent-based reasons. Next time a guest or visiting friend trips over a suddenly unearthed shoe, take a moment to be glad they’re not literally tripping over your dirty laundry!

So What Can I Do?

In all seriousness, having a cat that constantly steals your shoe can be a major roadblock as you race to get ready each morning. For this reason, sometimes convincing your cat to leave your shoes alone can be a matter of utmost priority, no matter how pure of heart their intentions may be.

Unfortunately, for reasons mentioned above, it can be very difficult to discourage cats from seeking out your shoes as their own personal security blanket. Basically, it’s a lot easier to block your cat’s access to your shoes than it is to convince them that what they’re doing is wrong.

If you have a way of completely cutting off your cat’s access to your shoe stash–a closing door or box–make sure that it’s firmly secured before you leave for work. Because cats can climb, it probably won’t be enough to store them higher up, but try and seal them away somewhere where your cats can’t reach them.

If this isn’t really an option, then it may be time to look into providing other outlets for your cat’s kleptomaniac tendencies. Try letting your cat use an old item of workout clothes as a blanket, or making an old pair of socks into a new toy for them to play with.

Using an old item of clothing like this will do two things. First, it will provide your cats with something that carries your scent, which will help them feel safe and reassured whenever you have to leave. Second, it will keep them from gravitating towards newer items of clothing.

Of course, if you catch your cat in the actual act of stealing your shoes, you can always try and discourage them. The ubiquitous spray bottle is usually a good way of discouraging undesired behavior in cats, even if it’s not always foolproof. Similarly, you can encourage them, with treats and verbal praise, for choosing toys or previously provided clothing items over brand new shoes.

However, it’s always good to keep in mind that shouting or acting aggressively towards your cat will most likely scare them instead of actively doing anything to change their behavior. When a cat is startled or scared, they’re generally not thinking clearly enough to be able to discern the reason for your anger, and instead will act on instinct. As a result, losing your temper with your cat’s behavior can do a lot to set their training back significantly.

They’re generally not thinking clearly enough to be able to discern the reason for your anger, and instead will act on instinct. As a result, losing your temper with your cat’s behavior can do a lot to set their training back significantly.

In the end, there’s really not a lot you can do to keep your cat from stealing your shoes. If you live in a place where you can physically restrict your cat’s access to your shoes, then definitely do so. If, however, you can’t actually stop your cats from getting into your shoes when you’re away, then your best bet is to provide an alternative to constant shoe stealing.

Conclusion

While a cat’s apparent need to seek and destroy any shoes in their owner’s closet can be incredibly frustrating, it really does come from the best of intentions. If you find your cats constantly gravitating towards your footwear, know that it serves as a sign of your cat’s keen interest in your health and daily adventures, and that they’re trying their best to show you how much you matter to them!

However, as sweet as the sentiment behind such shoe-seeking behavior may be, it can still put a major dent in your daily routine. To keep your shoes safe from these literal cat burglars, try to keep them in a place where your cat can’t reach, or else provide an alternative for their scent-marking needs.

Ultimately, keep in mind that your cat is acting out of affection for you and any other family members–but take the steps necessary to make sure that their overtures of affection won’t keep you from getting all the things done that you need to do.

Product data was last updated on 2022-08-24.

QUOTE: "In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this."

-- Terry Pratchett