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Pet behaviorist explains the viral phenomenon of people buying their cats concrete slabs

A pet behaviorist explains why this trend is actually purrfect enrichment.

@annieknowsanimals/TikTok

Cat owners everywhere are shocked to see how much their feline love a simple $2 concrete slab.

If you’ve traipsed through @CatTok over the past few days, you’ve undoubtedly come across various videos of cat parents bringing their feline friends a fairly unusual yet surprisingly effective enrichment tool. We are talking of course about a concrete slab. Yes, you read that right. Not a fancy new scratching post. Not some laser contraption. A cement square. That’s it.

Seriously, folks are going in droves to Home Depot to purchase these unassuming blocks. And every time they present their kitties this new treat, the reactions look something like this:

@shecatcalls PART 2 | Cat enrichment ideas. The way she sits more on this $7 brick than any of the actual cat beds and huts I buy her 😂 Can anyone else relate? 🤦♀️ Video idea inspired by Kurt the Cat @Abram Engle @The Home Depot #creatorsearchinsights #cats #cattok #sillycat #funny #meow ♬ Cute - In Music


@renusdelph I bought concrete slabs for my cats #cat #catsoftiktok #orangecat #orangecatbehavior #catlovers #viralcats #funnycat ♬ original sound - Renus Delph


@mrmilothechonk I should have bought 3 😂 #foryou #foryoupage #cats #catsoftiktok #viral ♬ Almost forgot that this was the whole point - Take my Hand Instrumental - AntonioVivald

The trend seems like it could have been ignited by this orange tabby (named Kurt) below, who loved rolling around on the sidewalk, thus inspiring his owner Abram Engle to see if he'd enjoy a concrete slab just as much. Spoiler alert: he did.

@abrameng Kurt was conking the crete
♬ original sound - Abram Engle

There have been as many theories as to why kitties go gaga for concrete as there are toy mice under the couch (meaning, a lot). But below, pet behaviorist Dr. Annie gives a few of her hunches as to what's driving this phenomeownon…though she adds the caveat that there haven’t yet been any official studies on it. So it's all based on her educated guesses.

@annieknowsanimals why do cats like concrete? 🤔 here are my thoughts on the latest cat enrichment #trend! vc: @aero.mace #catbehavior #catsoftiktok #cat #cats ♬ original sound - Dr. Annie | pet behaviorist

“First, I think cats are enjoying the concrete slab being brought into their homes because they are new and kind of out of place. There’s probably nothing quite like them already in the home environment,” Dr. Annie says.

This might initially sound counterintuitive, since it’s generally accepted that cats thrive on routine. While this may be true, as Dr. Annie has discussed in previous videos, their "predatory and territorial nature” makes them "sensitive to novelty.” When a toy seems static, it no longer mimics actual live prey, and therefore does not stimulate kitty as it would in nature. Same goes for cat beds and scratching posts, as they’re used to exploring and monitoring their environment. When something “new” appears in their territory, they are very motivated to interact with it.

@annieknowsanimals Replying to @joshtmeadows let’s explain why cats are so sensitive to “new” stuff! @Abram Engle ♬ original sound - Dr. Annie | pet behaviorist

Second, Dr. Annie surmises that the concrete’s porous surface makes it really great for holding onto the cat's scent, which is a key factor in marking a kitty's territory. Again, cat’s really like knowing (or in this case, smelling) what’s theirs. In many videos, you can see cat’s actively rubbing their cheek glands on the slab, Dr. Annie notes.

Also, and probably more of a no-brainer, the concrete surface is very, very fun for scratching! And while we all might know that cats enjoy the tactile pleasure of using their claws, having a part of their environment that they have control over is very fulfilling for their mental health.

Lastly, Dr. Annie confirms what many cat parents assumed, which is that temperature plays a huge role in making the concrete slab cat-friendly. Cats like warmth because they have a higher body temperature, and evolved from creatures that live in warmer climates (like topical jungles, African plains, etc.). If they are seeking a way to raise their temperature—especially in air conditioned homes—a concrete slab that’s been soaking up the sun is a great way to do so.

Thank you Dr. Annie for that fascinating deep dive. Those all seem like pretty solid theories. And while we might not ever get actual studies on this, there’s yet another fact that becomes abundantly clear: cat parents will go above and beyond to make their fur babies happy. Even if that means taking on a job in construction for free concrete.

For even more fantastic cat facts, give Dr. Annie a follow on TikTok.

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Watch 'aggressive' rescue cat completely transform with just one month of love and patience

This is so beautiful.

Photo credit: Canva

On the other side of that aggression was a just a kitty wanting to be loved.

Cats in general are too often mislabeled with unsavory personality traits, but rescue cats really suffer the consequences of being misunderstood. When they hiss, growl or even scratch at their rescuer, it’s sometimes assumed that aggression is just their regular disposition, rather than a fear response. But when given consistent reassurance and a whole lotta patience, even the crabbiest kitty can transform into a sweet cuddlebug.

Just take Bruno’s word for it.

According to his rescuer Grace, Bruce was the “most challenging” cat she had ever dealt with when it came to aggression.

According to his rescuer Grace, Bruce was the “most challenging” cat she had ever dealt with when it came to aggression.

In a video posted to her TikTok account, titled @kittyboyandfriends, we see exactly when she means as Bruno ferociously swipes at Grace’s hand when she opens his carrier.

“He was so untrusting of humans, but desperate for love,” her onscreen text reads.

We see this inner conflict as well, as poor Bruno cautiously approaches Grace for a pet while offering a warning hiss at the same time. The anguish is palpable.

Grace was determined not to give up Bruce, and it paid off. Slowly but surely, Bruce softened. He started approaching Grace for love—no bites attached.

And then, after a month, Bruce was transformed “into the most loving affectionate boy.”

Watch:

@kittyboyandfriends “Aggressive” Bruno’s 1-month Transformation 💫 It’s so hard to believe that this is the same cat I brought home. The first few weeks with Bruno were overwhelming. I felt hopeless at times. Even with my experience with feral & aggressive cats, Bruno has been the most challenging by far. But with love, time and patience, we uncovered a gentle soul just craving love and affection. We still have some work ahead of us, as he occasionally gets triggered, but I am so incredibly proud of how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time 🥰 A big thank you to #FurboForGood for making this video possible and generously donating to The Happy Kitty Rescue! I am so grateful for their support and the impact they’re making in the whole rescue community. Every purchase made with Furbo helps improve the well-being of rescued pets by providing meals, shelter, training, and more. I’ve especially loved having our Furbo Cat Camera to capture all our precious moments and keep an eye on the babies when I’m not home. Thank you, @Furbo Pet Camera ♬ original sound - Grace

Nowadays Bruce can be seen cuddling up on Grace’s chest. There’s still work to be done, and moments where he gets triggered, but Grace is nonetheless “incredibly proud” of how far he’s come.

Down in the comments, people were equally amazed.

“The way his whole face changed as he started to trust you,” one person wrote.

Many noted how many “aggressive” cats like Bruno are really just scared, and in need of more love.

“Hisses get kisses NEVER FAILS. Some cats take days, some weeks, some months but it always wins,” one person declared.

Another echoed, “Deep down I think no animal is really ‘aggressive,’they were just not treated right.”

Many wrote “to be loved is to be changed,” a popular phrase conveying the transformative power love has on rescue animals.

There are multiple ways to make the transition period a little smoother for rescue cats, primarily by establishing a routine, respecting boundaries and providing positive reinforcement. But really it just comes down to having enough patience to see it through. But these creatures are so, so worth it.

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Hospice cat 'predicted' death, snuggling up to nursing home residents hours before they died

Staff would call residents' family members in as soon as they saw Oscar get cuddly.

HyperionBooksVideos/YouTube

Oscar the cat comforted dying residents at a Rhode Island nursing home for 17 years.

What if a cat could predict when someone was going to die?

That's exactly what Oscar the therapy cat became known for at Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. In fact, geriatrician and Brown University health researcher Dr. David Dosa, who worked with Steere House patients and witnessed Oscar in action, even wrote a book about the fluffy piebald cat's extraordinary ability.

Dr. Dosa told Crossroad Hospice that when Oscar came to Steere House in 2005, he wasn't particularly friendly with the residents. "Oscar was initially sort of a very scared cat,” he said. “He wouldn’t really like to come out. He would keep to himself. Often times you’d find him in the supply closet or under a bed somewhere."

But once in a while, Oscar would home in on a specific patient, visiting with them in their room and even cuddling up to them in bed. Cats are known to be finicky, so that kind of change in behavior wouldn't be so unusual, but soon staff noticed a pattern emerging.

"We would eventually find out after he did this several times that the people he was staying with were usually the next ones to go," shared Dr. Dosa. "One death occurred, then two deaths and ultimately he hit about 20 or 30 deaths in a row at which point everybody started to say, ‘Wow, this is something quite unique.’”

Oscar's behavior within hours of someone's death was so accurately predictive, staff started calling in the family members of residents as soon as they noticed the cat starting to get friendly and cuddly with them.

Dr. Dosa described what Oscar's behavior looked like in a video in 2010.

"When Oscar makes his rounds, he walks around the unit checking in on the 40-some patients on the floor," he said. "He only stays with patients if they really are at the end of life. He will come into a room, he has been known to jump on the windowsill and sit there for hours on end. Occasionally, he will jump on the bed and curl up to a patient, and he will be there until the very end."

The staff were all a bit skeptical at first. As Dr. Dosa shared, "It's not something that you see every day, and this was a pretty unremarkable acat in every other capacity."

But even a family member of a residents who died with Oscar by their side offered a perspective on Oscar's unique ability: "It’s not that we trusted the cat more than the nurse. Not, exactly. It was … well, there was just something about Oscar. He seemed so convinced of what he was doing. He was so clear in his intention and his dedication.'"

The big question is, of course: How did Oscar know?

"I think that ultimately your guess is as good as mine,” Dr. Dosa told Crossroad Hospice in 2016. “It [could be] likely that he’s responding to some smell when cells start to break down.”

Research shows that both cats and dogs have the ability to smell illness and disease in humans, and it's possible that Oscar had a particularly keen nose for chemical changes during the death process. Whatever it was, it compelled him to offer his companionship during someone's dying hours.

Oscar passed away himself in 2022 after comforting dying residents at Steere House for 17 years. Read more about him and his abilities in "Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" by David Dosa, M.D.

book cover of making rounds with oscar

"Making Rounds With Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" by David Dosa, M.D.

Amazon

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Woman makes hilarious videos getting into 'crazy brawls' with her fierce cat

via Licia and mega/Instagram

Licia and mega have it out.

Licia and her cat Mega have a relationship that looks more like a "Tom and Jerry" cartoon than the average one you'd find between a human and feline. In a series of videos she's posted to Instagram, Licia documents the knock-down, drag-out fights she has with her cat, who always seems to win.

Licia refers to herself in her bio as the "girl who got beat up by a cat." She calls herself and Mega the "Toxic Duo" because they can never see eye-to-eye on anything and she is in constant terror in her own home.

Here, Mega grabs Licia and won't let go. This cat's prey instinct is off the charts.

Their bed has become like a WWE arena. One woman and one cat enter, one cat leaves.

Licia should know better than to approach Mega when he has the high ground.

The cat felt her face before going in for the slap. C'mon Licia, you saw it coming a mile away.

She's running for her life in her own home.


Never, ever trust Mega.

All she was trying to do is have an adult conversation, but this beast doesn't understand reason.

​Of course, Licia and Mega's relationship isn't always toxic. There are plenty of moments where the two show each other true love and affection.

We know that Licia and Mega are just playing it up for the cameras and that people should never fight with their pets. But it's incredibly important for people to play with their cats every day.

Animal Planet's Jackson Galaxy has some great tips for playing with your cat in the video below.

Just like every dog owner has a leash and a collar to take their dog for a walk, Galaxy says it's essential for cat owners to have interactive toys for daily playtime if they want peace in their homes. He says the primordial cat instincts we'd find in a lion or a leopard still exist in house cats so it's important that they are able to express them in a healthy way.

"Your cat wakes up in the morning [with] 'hunt, catch, kill eat' bubbling up in their system and there's no out," Galaxy says in the video above. That's why your cat is ready to "blow up at the seams" when you try to relax at night.

His solution is to have an interactive toy that you control on one end, such as a wand with a feather, that helps your cat express its instincts to kill. "All cats will play because all cats will prey," he says. But your job is to behave like your cat's natural enemy to stimulate their natural instincts.

Galaxy says the most important thing is to follow the three Rs, "routine, ritual, and rhythm" and you will drastically improve your relationship with your cat.

If not, you may end up like Licia.

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