Cat & substance abuse

[Disco Dan]

Got an odd problem...

My cat has a substance abuse problem. She loves bleach. Whenever I clean the bathroom she's right in there, meows and rolls in it. Rubs her face against all the walls and just generally hangs out in there enjoying the fumes...

I'm worried for her health. I've tried locking the doors to the bathroom and toilet after they are cleaned but she just sits by the door whining and then runs in as soon as someone goes in !

When she is 'high' she acts really strange, very affectionate and rubs up against everyone meowing. Sometimes to the point of playful nibbles. She cannot stay still and is quite 'frisky' for about an hour afterwards.

Shes about 5 years old - a pedigree Manx cat from the Isle of Man "Mr Bigglesworth".

Is there any way of getting my cat off drugs ?

[jtzzr]

You could stop cleaning your bathroom.

Not too sure if there`s B.A(bleach anonymous)near you for cats.

[McJim]

You just need to wean her off the bleach and onto catnip....try cannibis if you are uncomfortable asking for catnip at your local vet.

[Disco Dan]

Catnip? Surely that is just substitution?

[Grizzo]

You gotta get that cat to rehab dude. Tough love!!!

[kasper]

Catnip? Surely that is just substitution?

yes it is but at least catnip is not bad for the cats health.

--kasper

[Grizzo]

yes it is but at least catnip is not bad for the cats health.

--kasper

It is a gateway drug though.

[slofox]

Hmmmm...my cat gets off on sweaty undies.....errr maybe you don't wanna know that huh...?

[PrincessBandit]

So are those pix before and after shots of a bleach bender???

[Winston001]

Holy hell, I thought Maestro my Siamese was nuts but your mate takes the biscuit. Are you sure it's bleach....? One white powder looks much like another......?

She's somehow come to associate the smell with pleasure. Perhaps there are activities in your household involving bleach, catfood, oils, whips, chains, furry restraints...... we don't need to know.....

I'm worried this could escalate - no sign of her using her claws to dip into the bleach and then mainline into her leg yet......?? Try cleaning with beer - a wonderful substance containing ethyl alcohol which dissolves dirt and grime, with the added smell of yeast. Much safer for puss - and she won't be able to open the bottles.

[noobi]

use a cleaner thats not bleach based?

[munster]

You're a dude and you clean your bathroom?

Fuck the cat, there's a far more serious issue here.

Our cats enjoy catnip. My mother-in-law has an 'old' herb book that says catnip was dried and smoked before people discovered maurajuana. Apparently it has hallucinogenic effects.

Tried planting some outside once, had every mother-fucking cat in the neighbourhood visit. Plants never had a chance. Kept some in pots in the garage for awhile and pulled a leaf off now & then for the cats to munch on. It's fun seeing your cat run round the room about 3 feet up the walls!

[98tls]

Cant really help with the bleach thing,mine loves used T shirts and singlets.Cant imagine why

[stify]

had a cat a few years back that collected only washed clothes from the neighbour hood, got to the point where we were filling klean sacks with his booty after he had his evil way with the stolen washing

[klingon]

LOL I love some of the answers so far!

Now I'm going to be a spoilsport and take a serious approach.

First things first: Is it likely to be harmful? Most household bleaches are chlorine based (sodium hypochlorite). They can irritate the lungs and mucous membranes but are unlikely to do much damage in the smallish quantities likely to be inhaled by your cat so you might not need to worry at all.

If her behaviour still bothers you, take a look at the other ingredients in your bleach. It might actually be a perfume or other ingredient that attracts her, so using a plain, unperfumed chlorine bleach may solve the problem (the 'Basics' brand is a good one).

If it is the chlorine she's attracted to, then change to a non-chlorine bleach. A lot of the 'eco-friendly' brands are oxygen bleaches (hydrogen peroxide or sodium percarbonate).

OR go the old-fashioned way and use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and vinegar to clean your bathroom!


_____________________________

klingon: solving cat addiction problems since ages ago