# Obsessed with shadows and reflections



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Millie is my deaf white girl who I took in a few months ago and is less than a year old. She is a bit of a live wire, and plays frantically for hours sometimes, her favourite toy is a twig.
Her other quirk is climbing onto high areas to sleep or just knock off ornaments, books etc
Her latest obsession though is starting to concern me.....she is fascinated by any reflections of light on to a wall and tries to jump up and catch the area. Now she has started chasing shadows, so when I walk across a room she follows, pouncing on my shadow and mewling at it. It is quite uncomfortable to watch and I really dont want it to get any worse?
Any ideas?
I had read that laser pointer toys could cause this kind of issue in some dogs such as Border Collies, but have not heard of it with cats before. I do have laser toys but have actually stopped using them as both Millie and Monty go Sooo crazy chasing after the light beam it causes absolute chaos in the house.


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## Kittenfostermummy (Jul 25, 2011)

I am afraid I dont have any suggestions to do with her behaviour but just wanted to admonish you for not putting a pic up of her on your sig!!! TUT TUT TUT we want pics!!!!! :arf:


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

Not sure if this will make you feel better but you aren't alone. We have a 4ft high lamp that has cut out bits all the way down ..... means the light is reflected all over the walls. Molly is fascinated by it, literally climbs the wall to catch the reflection. 

She also is obsessed with the reflection in a black glass tv unit ...... she walks past it with her back arched, and jumps a mile when it moves 


I haven't been overly concerned about it, apart from her doing herself harm!


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Kittenfostermummy said:


> I am afraid I dont have any suggestions to do with her behaviour but just wanted to admonish you for not putting a pic up of her on your sig!!! TUT TUT TUT we want pics!!!!! :arf:


I am technologically special needs....a kind member on here put my sig together for me last year and I have no idea how to add my newest cats to it.
But, as you requested here is the lady herself
Helping me tidy up the garden








Helping me with the washing








Having a snooze after all the hard work


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Jenny1966 said:


> Not sure if this will make you feel better but you aren't alone.
> 
> I haven't been overly concerned about it, apart from her doing herself harm!


My concern is that she seems to becoming more and more caught up in it all. My walls are all plain white and I have various lamps through the lounge,,,,this means that walking through the room castes shadows all around and it is making her go crazy.


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## sarahecp (Aug 22, 2011)

Seb does it too. He will climb and jump in the air to get the shadows. I have white shiny unit doors in the kitchen and he watches reflections in them, he runs up and down watching himself and whoever is in there. The first time I showed him a mirror he was scared of himself  but now he doesn't seem too bothered.


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## MCWillow (Aug 26, 2011)

Willow is the same - she stalks her reflection in the mirrored wardrobe then pounces at the door.
She does the same with shadows too, and also on a sunny day the water reflects on the ceilings and will stare at it fascinated for ages 

And I just have to say - that is one beeeauuutiful kitty :001_wub:


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## Mummy of Jaffe Joffer (Aug 31, 2011)

Jaffe also does it. He plays with himself in the mirror and also sings to the the shadows cast by the light shades and will try to jump and grab them, not like he can but he gets really frustrated and runs around like crazy!


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

Mummy of Jaffe Joffer said:


> Jaffe also does it. *He plays with himself in the mirror* and also sings to the the shadows cast by the light shades and will try to jump and grab them, not like he can but he gets really frustrated and runs around like crazy!


I have a warped mind, but that did make me giggle


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Meeko the Merciless runs up walls after imaginary "things"and some times real things, like reflections ect,but then he is quite mad :crazy:.Oddly enough he has lost interest in his laser toys 
I have to agree Millie is one gorgeous looking girl :001_wub:


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

Paddypaws she is gorgeous :001_wub:


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## Mummy of Jaffe Joffer (Aug 31, 2011)

Jenny1966 said:


> I have a warped mind, but that did make me giggle


Oooo Er Missus! :lol: In fairness I would of giggled at the same thing. Even if I had thought about it I still would of written the same thing for a chuckle  We are such children


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## Kittenfostermummy (Jul 25, 2011)

OMG she is GORG!!!!!!! Love the odd eyes!!! How many cats do you actually have now?? Dare I ask!? lol


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## oliviarussian (Sep 2, 2010)

Oooh I had forgotten she was a special odd- eyed little girl, she is absolutely STUNNING !!!:001_tt1::001_tt1: I'm SO jealous...


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Gorgeous as she is - back to the original question . . . our collie has just developed this obsession and it's driving us crazy - literally - she is getting worse each day it seems despite being on zyklene. I'd love a solution too. I just am stumped as to how to stop it.


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## Mummy of Jaffe Joffer (Aug 31, 2011)

If it's a problem is it would speaking to a behaviourist about it?


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Thank you for all the compliments....although I do have to be honest and admit that in many ways she is not 'my kind' of cat! My heart is with the black and whites, and I do love a chunky cat. Despite her voracious appetiite she is a very slim and petite cat and I can't see her growing much bigger than she is now. As for the perils of white fur, don't even get me started!
When I took her in as a _foster_ I quite quickly realised she had the potential to be a tricky cat and that was really why I kept her in the end, as I did worry she would cause problems in many other households.



spid said:


> Gorgeous as she is - back to the original question . . . our collie has just developed this obsession and it's driving us crazy - literally - she is getting worse each day it seems despite being on zyklene. I'd love a solution too. I just am stumped as to how to stop it.


Quite right Spid, this is a serious concern. I do appreciate that other kitties like to play with a shadow or reflection on occasion, but this degree of obsession is something else. If I walk through a room she chases my shadow so hard that she will literally throw herself at the end wall in an attempt to catch it...she might then spend 10 minutes frantically jumping up and sliding down the wall making distressed mewling noises. Millie LOVES food but now is so caught up in my shadow as I move around the kitchen serving up that she wont eat her meal. Every surface in my bedroom is swept clear as she spends the whole night patting anything on a dressing table or mantel piece till it falls on the floor and can be batted around there. This is just not normal.

So.....Of course I have the Feliway plugged in, she has also been on Zylkene for 3 days now and I have just ordered some special alcohol free Bach Flower Remedies. If none of this works I will take her to Richard Allport the Homeopathic vet who is about 45 mins drive away and see what he can offer as I am not keen on conventional veterinary drug approaches for this kind of thing. I would of course consider a behaviourist as well to get this sorted.


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## Myanimalmadhouse (Mar 6, 2011)

OMG im soooooooo jealous! She is stunning!:001_wub::001_wub::001_wub:

As for the obsessive behaviour, gizmo used to be just as obsessed with shadows and light catching! I never saw it as a major problem though (although we did have a fair few vets visits after he'd flung himself at the wall several times ) I actually would sit and play shadows with him, literally just make shadows dance with my hands that he would chase for hours -(and I do mean HOURS - sometimes 3-4 hours solid!) it was a way of letting him do it with me controlling where he was going (so no wall flinging!)

He still loves to chase shadows and light but he's not so obsessed now and will get bored after half an hour or so :thumbup:


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

I'd be interested in hearing what solutions you come up with. Bloo has an obsession too (with a particular type of toy) and although we are in a much easier position to solve it (remove the toy) I'm curious as to what makes them fixate on a particular behaviour.

For those who are wondering, Bloo took to Trixie Nub balls and it now at the stage where he will play fetch until he practically keels over, run straight into things when chasing it, refuses to eat as he would rather fetch the ball, and spends all his free time looking for where we've hid the ball. He is opening doors, draws and cupboards and comes crying to us when he can't find one. It sounds so silly but it does make me worry.


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## missye87 (Apr 4, 2011)

Benji and Storm don't care much for reflections, but do enjoy racing around on occasion chasing nothing while the other looks on with a look that reminds me of my Nanny going "tut tut", it's hilarious! 

I'm afraid I can't help - but is it really doing her any harm? Benji and Storm are pretty nutty and can really go for it, but I think if it was starting to hurt them or causing them any discomfort for just generally not good for them (out of breath etc) then they would calm down for a while? Ignore my last comment, teaches me to read the whole thread before commenting!

How old is she, out of curiosity?


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## welshjet (Mar 31, 2011)

Millie - what a gorgeous kittie you are.

PP, cant really offer much and its not the best but suki used to mew at shadows but she was an elderley cat at that stage 

Shes definately a cutey especially under the fuschia


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

my kitchen wall paper copped it where Boo chased his shadow. I have to shut them in the back of the house while I'm at work now because if they are in the kitchen when it gets dark and shadows come they trash the place.

So I'm in the same boat and any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I hope he grows out of it.


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