# Cat rolling in dog's wee!



## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

Tonight I just watched one of my cats (George, neutered male) roll in the wee of my young (un neutered male GSD) 

This is the second time I have seen him do this, the first time was in the garden on the grass & I though I must be mistaken & he was just near the patch that Archer has been on but tonight Archer had a wee on the drive & George sauntered over, sniffed it then rolled all in it, he was all wet with wee afterwards!! 

I've had cats all my life & never noticed them do this ... my older dog rolls in all manner of revolting things (mainly rotting fish) & I've come to expect it of dogs but I always thought cats weren't quite as disgusting as in that respect 

Does anyone else have this with their cat or is it just my dirty boy?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Cleo38, this is certainly a new one on me! 

I have a cat who loves to roll in the dirt in dry weather when it's dusty. This is apparently instinctive behaviour to get rid of parasites, though I hasten to add she has never had fleas or ticks She spends ages grooming afterwards to get herself sparkling clean.

George's behaviour may perhaps be due to scent marking, i.e. Archer has marked the area with his scent by weeing, and George comes along and puts his scent on top. He might be doing that rather than spray on the wee as one would expect him to do if another cat had weed in his territory.

Or, if George and Archer are great friends perhaps it is George's way of mingling their scents. Does George ever rub himself against Archer?

Whatever the cause I bet George swiftly gets on with washing himself clean after a roll?


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## Blaise in Surrey (Jun 10, 2014)

My younger cat rolls all over the dogs' bed, and rubs up against them - I've always just assumed she was scent-sharing.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

chillminx said:


> @Cleo38, this is certainly a new one on me!
> 
> I have a cat who loves to roll in the dirt in dry weather when it's dusty. This is apparently instinctive behaviour to get rid of parasites, though I hasten to add she has never had fleas or ticks She spends ages grooming afterwards to get herself sparkling clean.
> 
> ...


George can be a grubby boy & although he does like rolling around in the dirt & the garden I would not say he is particularly on top of his grooming!
In fact after this, am not sure if he bothered washing himself or the wee just dried on him as he styinks still. He cuddeled up next to me & my old dog on the sofa last night so then we all stunk of wee ... lovely!!!

It is definitiely something to do with marking (IMO), just wonder if he does it with the other dogs or if it is just Archer. I will keep an eye on him & see. I wondered if because Archer was un-neutered this may be a factor ....

Archer is a lively young GSD & would love to be friends with George but George is a bully to him. He will actively seek Archer out to tease him so I have to keep an eye on George. He does get on really well with my older GSD though but just sees Archer as just something to torment. He used to hide behind the curtains then pounce on Archer when he was a really young pup ... poor Archer used to be really worried by him, now he just wants to be friends with him.



BlaiseinHampshire said:


> My younger cat rolls all over the dogs' bed, and rubs up against them - I've always just assumed she was scent-sharing.


Oh yes, all my cats have done similar regarding scent marking but none have actually rolled in something like a dog would do .... George just has to be different. Also he hates water so to rtoll in soemthign wet is odd for him & he really was covered in wee.

Am just interested really in opinions as to why he did this & if there are any other dirty cats like him really ... I always expected better of cats who don't seem as disgusting as dogs


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Cleo38 - is George your only cat at present? If so I wonder whether he is over-identifying with the dogs and copying their doggy behaviour e.g. rolling in the wee. It is also very unusual for a cat who is young and healthy to put up with their fur being dirty or smelly. Time for the wet wipes I think! 

Cat being solitary animals in the wild, have a strong survival instinct to keep their coats scrupulously clean so their predators find it harder to track them. This is why most domestic cats spend so much time grooming.

Dogs on the other hand live in family groups and have the protection of the other group members so there is no need for them to be so conscious of cleanliness. A family group of dogs rolling in a strong outdoor scent, making their fur smell, may even have a bonding purpose within the group.

Cats are renowned for being copycats, but usually with each other. But if George has grown up alongside dogs, as an only cat, I think it's possible he may be copying them. Particularly as he gets on very well with your older GSD. Also the fact he actively seeks out Archer to tease him does not necessarily mean he dislikes him, more that he sees him almost as a younger sibling to tease and annoy. Again, a strong identification with the dog.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

chillminx said:


> @Cleo38 - is George your only cat at present? If so I wonder whether he is over-identifying with the dogs and copying their doggy behaviour e.g. rolling in the wee. It is also very unusual for a cat who is young and healthy to put up with their fur being dirty or smelly. Time for the wet wipes I think!
> 
> Cat being solitary animals in the wild, have a strong survival instinct to keep their coats scrupulously clean so their predators find it harder to track them. This is why most domestic cats spend so much time grooming.
> 
> ...


No, I have another cat Winnie who George oves, they get on really well together. Although thinking about it although they cuddel up together & groom each other they don't really play together much. Geoge seems to want to play with my older GSD more (my oldest dog completely ignores the cats & poor Archer would love to play with them but they don't want to!).

George alos always wants to be involved when I play/train with the dogs in the garden, he will try & join in & when they all go & search for tiny pieces of cheese I have hidden around the garden /house (they sniff it out & keeps them occupied for ages), Georgie also joins in - maybe he likes the fun they have ..... & he's seen the 'Be More Dog' ad 

From what I know, he was a stray for a couple of years around a housing estate before being caught as he had a really bad ear wound. He was then taken to the local vets who treated him & neutered him. He wasnt friendly with people at first but now he's a big softy.

His grooming regime is pretty non-existant, he's never been the sort of cat too keep himself loking great. Eevn though he grooms Winnie I rarely see him do himself. Even today when I've been trying to get the smell off of him I've noticed he's matted (again) & has loads of sticky buds on him that he could remove himself but doesn't.

Thanks for all your input, I find watching my pets fascinating, there is always so much to observe & try to figure out what's going on ...... just hope this rolling isn't becoming a habit.I already have one dog that usually stinks of fish, one who stinks of dirty rivers ..... I don't need a cat who smells of wee!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Cleo38 - I love the idea of George wanting to "be more dog"  - maybe he has been watching the ad as you say!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

BlaiseinHampshire said:


> My younger cat rolls all over the dogs' bed, and rubs up against them - I've always just assumed she was scent-sharing.


My Arthur does this when Ruby our gsd gets off the bed and when my old gal Tilly (cat) gets off the bed. 
Arthur also loves rolling on top of my trainers when I take them off. 
Which I've always wondered why?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@blade100 - Arthur is mixing his scent with the scents of other members of his family, the dog, the cat and you.  It is his way of continually reinforcing his bonds with you.


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