Okay, so, I’ve noticed something weird with my cat, Mittens, and it’s been bugging me. She’s obsessed with Q-tips. Yeah, you heard that right, cotton swabs. I mean, she goes absolutely nuts for them. I started to wonder why, so I did a little experiment, and here’s what I found.
First, I noticed that whenever I used a Q-tip, Mittens would suddenly appear, eyes wide, staring at it intently. It was like she was hypnotized. So, I decided to observe her more closely. I used a Q-tip as usual, and then, instead of throwing it away immediately, I left it on the bathroom counter where I could still see it.
Mittens jumped up on the counter (she’s not really supposed to, but whatever) and started batting the Q-tip around. She was having a blast! She’d push it, pounce on it, and carry it around in her mouth. It was like her new favorite toy. This got me thinking it’s probably just the fun of playing with something new and weird.
But then I remembered reading somewhere that cats are attracted to certain smells, especially animal proteins and fats. I figured that earwax might have those kinds of smells, which might explain why Mittens loves used Q-tips so much. But it was also a bit icky to think about.
Experiment Time
To test this theory, I did a little experiment. I took a clean Q-tip and rubbed it on a piece of chicken (cooked, of course). Then, I took another clean Q-tip and just left it as is. I presented both Q-tips to Mittens.
- She sniffed both, but she definitely spent more time with the chicken-scented one.
- She even tried to lick it a few times!
- The plain Q-tip got a little bit of attention, but she quickly lost interest in it.
So, based on my super scientific experiment, I think it’s a combination of things. Cats are playful, and Q-tips are fun to bat around. But there’s also a good chance that they’re attracted to the smell of earwax because it contains proteins and fats that remind them of prey. But, I also read online that Q-tips can be dangerous for cats if they chew on them and swallow the cotton, so I’m definitely not letting Mittens play with them unsupervised anymore.
I made sure to keep a close eye on her whenever she’s around Q-tips, and I always throw them away in a covered trash can where she can’t get to them. Better safe than sorry, right?
It’s a bit of a mystery, but I think we’re getting closer to understanding why cats like Q-tips. It’s probably a mix of their playful nature, the texture of the cotton, and the scent of earwax. But one thing’s for sure: I’m keeping those Q-tips away from Mittens from now on!