People Share the Weird and Funny Habits of Their Pets

All of us love our little furry friends with all our hearts, but that doesn’t mean they don’t do a whole lot of weird stuff that makes us laugh and sometimes annoys the hell out of us.

In this article, AskReddit users share the weird (mostly harmless) habits that their beloved pets have.

1. Oh, Carlisle!

“Ah-ha, it’s Carlisle time! Carlisle is my mentally retarded dog in a very literal sense; he has epilepsy and after seven years of seizures, there’s not a lot going on in there. He was rescued from an extreme neglect/hoarding case and he is now a spoiled, completely mindless little gnome of stupid whimsy. He’s also on about 45 mg phenobarb for the epilepsy every day, so he’s also sort of high all the time.

Some Carlisle stories:

He was once scratching his face with his back leg, yawned, and got his foot caught in his mouth. He needed help getting it out.

He once chased a rabbit, cornered it, forgot what he was doing, and then got attacked by the rabbit (which probably felt this was its very last defense). He now fears rabbits. I have a rabbit in the house. He will not go near her.

He sometimes gets confused while drinking water and urinates in the water bowl.

He sometimes gets caught in “loops” of compulsive behaviors. His most common looping behavior is digging. Unless you reorient him he will sit on his haunches and dig with his front legs pretty much for hours.

Once he got his collar caught on a knob on the dresser and sat there getting slightly choked until I found him. (We had to remove the knobs from the dresser for his safety.)

He has climbed onto the coffee table and shat into a flower pot (presumably because it had soil and he thought he was outside). We can no longer have indoor plants, not even if they’re as small as a coffee can, because he will shit in them.

He gets scared by the pictures of a dogs on the wall in an exam room at the vet’s. We have to request rooms with diagrams.

He goes to sleep if you put a blanket over him like a bird.

He sometimes tears holes through sheets and then sticks his head through and just walks around with it like a robe. Every single sheet and blanket in the house has at least one Carlisle hole.

If the other dog leaves the house he [howls] until the other dog returns. It’s really pathetic, even for him.

As for the non-Carlisle pets of my house, my rabbit and my cat are pair-bonded, which is pretty adorable. The cat likes to bat the rabbit’s ears. The rabbit doesn’t care. She just sort of blobs into a puddle of disapproval.”

2. He loved to eat all kinds of stuff

“Growing up, we had a chocolate lab named Kody. Kody had a few oddities and idiosyncrasies about him.

My parents are beer drinkers, and Kody would learn how to open each and every cooler we ever had so that he could eat all of the ice. That dog LOVED ice, he would eat it until he had what we called “brain freezers” or these mini little seizures (he was fine, but it was a weird habit).

Another time, Kody was out pooping in the yard and we saw a bunch of cloth coming out of his butt. Turns out, it was an ace bandage that had to be surgically removed. Upon opening his stomach they found a silver dollar, a few bobby pins, the ace bandage and a billiards cue ball. Now, here’s the kicker- we didn’t own a pool table, and our closest neighbor was 5 miles away, who also did not own a pool table.

We never did find out where he got that cue ball from. He lived to be 15 years old and passed away peacefully two years ago. Miss you, buddy.”

3. Don’t get mad

“I am not allowed to get mad, If I yell, raise my voice, or even sound angry my cat pumpkin will get up from wherever she is and run over. She will then mew gently and grab at my arm with her paws while mewing. She pulls my hands to her head and rubs her head on me trying to get me to calm down. It works though so there’s that.”

4. He’s helping with the laundry

“I have a giant Maine-coon Siamese mix tomcat. His thing is to bring up laundry from the basement during the night. The weird thing is that he’s pretty good at taking clothes into the right rooms. I don’t know if he does it by smell or what – but it’s pretty normal for me to wake up to a pile of my socks, my daughters some of theirs, etc. He also chirps and meows the entire time he’s making his deliveries – which is pretty funny in and of itself.”

5. That’s unusual

“My cat likes to shower with me. He will sit and drink the water as it runs until i use shower gel, then he will sit on the edge silently judging me for contaminating our lord water.”

6. Takeout

“My dog has ‘takeaway’ every time she eats. She won’t stand at her bowl. She stuffs her mouth full of dry food and then sits near me wherever I am, spits out all her food and eats it one bit at a time. When she is finished it she repeats it all.”

7. Who’s in there?

“My dog likes to sit in the bathtub during the summer, most likely because it’s cooler than the floor or her bed. Totally harmless unless you’re going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and think there’s a killer in your shower.”

8. Girlfriend

“My dog can’t go anywhere without his toy. My girlfriend calls it his “girlfriend”. If we go outside he will bring the little stuffed animal with him and drop it somewhere. If we tell him to “go find your girlfriend” he will search frantically for it until it’s found.”

9. She don’t care

“My pet rat, Doctor, likes to poop when she is hanging from the bars of her cage and making eye contact with me or my fiancee.

She knows it makes us uncomfortable. She don’t care.”

10. Really, really weird

“We have a Great Dane/greyhound mix named Keelah who, on occasion, absolutely must sniff my boyfriend’s belly button. I’ve never seen a dog get so derpy about it before. She’ll jump up and put her paws on his shoulder and stick her nose in his stomach until he gives in and pulls his shirt up so she can sniff. She’s really, really weird.”

11. She’s trying to silence you

“My boyfriend’s cat loves to snuggle up on people’s chests and then slooowly and veeery gently place her paw (with claws out and toes spread) and just .. place it on their mouth.

Does anyone know what the heck she’s trying to get out of this?”

12. Yummmm

“My lardass cat has this weird cake infatuation. (Ha ha I know). Not to eat. She likes to lay on them. I can’t count how many cooling cakes I had to throw out because she decided to take a nap on them. I have to hide them somewhere to cool and frost. I also had to buy a solid cake saver because she would lay on my old one and crush the lid into the cake.

My favorite was when my son turned one, we had the unwrapped cake sitting on the counter waiting for cake time, and she tried to lay in it. When I came in to get it all the frosting is pulled off in the center and one pissed off frosting covered cat under my bed.

Yet she still does it.”

13. Big smile

“My dog smiles whenever he wants something. He started showing his teeth when he got excited to see us after long periods of times (i.e. vacations) and we would say “What a pretty smile!” He made the connection to the word and now will do it on command and pretty much whenever he wants our food.

Kind of like a “hey look I’m smiling, I’m pretty!” Some people probably think it’s bad that he does it because he’s technically showing his teeth, but you can tell it’s not aggressive or in a bad way. I think it’s hilarious.”

14. He folds them, too

“Our golden retriever has 3 comfort blankets that he folds and carries around with him.”

15. Ear fetish

“My parrot is obsessed with ears. He will happily spend 15-20 minutes delicately nibbling on the rim of my ear, carefully scraping his beak around the inside, and licking all over. Last time I saw my doctor for a physical and she got to the otoscope part of the exam, she exclaimed, “Wow, your ears are remarkably clean!” Gee, I wonder why…”

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An Animal Shelter Is Using the Proposed Raid on Area 51 to Encourage Adoptions

There’s no doubt you’ve heard that there’s a Facebook event called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us,” and that around 2 million people have signed up to be there on September 20th.

Set aside the fact that, as with any Facebook event, you can expect about 1% of people who say they’re going to actually go. Also, set aside the fact that the government can, in fact, stop all of them. The harebrained event itself has actually inspired something good.

Our new staff member, Marvin, is ready to help with all the adoptions tomorrow at our #StormTheShelter Free Adoption event!

Posted by OKC Animal Welfare on Friday, July 26, 2019

Because while the U.S. military is discouraging people from coming by, one Oklahoma animal shelter is welcoming anyone who wants to storm their facility and go home with a pet.

You know, as opposed to (probably) getting arrested or (possibly) getting shot looking for aliens in the desert.

Come storm our shelter…We have great animals ready to protect you from the Area 51 aliens. Adoption isn’t that far out of this world!#stormtheshelter

Posted by OKC Animal Welfare on Friday, July 19, 2019

“Come storm our shelter… We have great animals ready to protect you from the Area 51 aliens. Adoption isn’t that far out of this world! #stormtheshelter”

The dogs are also sporting tinfoil hats.

***ADOPTED!***Meet PIPER 303993 "I like to go on long drives with the windows down!"Piper is cute as can be with…

Posted by OKC Animal Welfare on Friday, July 19, 2019

You know, just in case.

Meet LADY 218612 "Let's meet and see if we're a match!"Lady is a beautiful 3 year old, 60 pound Lab and Shepherd mix….

Posted by OKC Animal Welfare on Friday, July 19, 2019

And all of the animals photos are now set against space backgrounds.

**Adopted!**3099833 month old male. Super friendly and sweet!

Posted by OKC Animal Welfare on Friday, July 19, 2019

Too cute!

Also, too sad – they have 116 dogs, 39 cats, and 2 pigs ready and waiting for their forever homes.

So if you live in the area and have room in your heart and house for a new furry friend, get moving!

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This Guy Crafted the Perfect Revenge After Neighbors Threatened His Dog

Never mess with someone’s dog. EVER.

A lesson that this guy’s neighbors had to learn the hard way after they stuck their nose in business that definitely wasn’t theirs.

The original post on Reddit told this story:

I planted over 5000 dandelion weeds in my neighbors garden from ProRevenge

So, basically, this guy’s dog was pooping IN HIS OWN YARD, he picked it up weekly, and his neighbors objected to what? Having to look at it in another person’s garden?

I would have been tempted to tell them to shove it, myself, but I doubt I would have been so created.

They threatened his dog, so they get what they get – I personally loved both the wild paint color and the dandelion seeds.

Though this commenter also had a brilliant idea.

Plus, they’d never be without it when they wanted to make mojitos.

Other commenters were good looking out, reminding the original poster not to plant anything he didn’t also want in his own garden.

The more you know.

Stay creative with your revenge out there, people, and don’t let the neighbors threaten you or yours without retribution. It just isn’t right.

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People Are Sharing Videos of Their Dogs Reacting to the Sound of a Bag of Chips

The time has come for us to be honest with ourselves and just admit that when we heard the sounds of food… we turn into curious doggos.

But let’s back up…

The Twitter account @aussiesdointhgs shared this and got the tweetstorm started…

350K+ likes and 85K+ retweets?!? Wow.

Naturally, doggo owners everywhere related in a BIG way.

And the videos started coming in like crazy…

Because dogs can hear EVERYTHING you’re doing…

And it’s usually adorable. Usually.

Especially when it’s about the chips.

Because what’s better than chips?

Or ANY food, for that matter?

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again… we don’t deserve dogs.

But they do deserve our chips.

The end.

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A Man Tested Petco’s ‘All Leashed Animals Welcome’ Policy with a 1,600-Pound Bull

You know that exhilarating feeling you get when you walk into a Target? Petco is just like that, but for our pets. The store has a generous “all leashed pets are welcome” policy, so any and all creatures can enjoy its endless selection of toys and sprays and water bowls. Including, apparently, enormous bulls.

A man in Texas decided to test the limits of Petco’s leashed animal policy by leashing his 1,600-pound steer and taking him into the store for a visit.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Vincent Browning says he thought the policy was a “bluff.” But he brought his enormous African Watusi steer, Oliver, into the store, and guess what? The policy IS NOT A BLUFF. The Petco employees were delighted to greet and pet Oliver, despite his 9 and a half foot horns (!!!).

“They welcomed Oliver the African Watusi with open arms,” Vincent said on Facebook.

“People couldn’t believe it. The whole staff there was really nice about it and excited,” he told USA Today.

The whole encounter was captured on video, and it’s pretty stunning. The Petco employees are so calm and happy to see this giant creature, and Oliver is totally chill about the adventure!

He somehow managed to maneuver his massive horns into the store without knocking a single thing over. He deserves 500 treats for that alone.

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Good News for Pet Owners! Silent Fireworks Exist and a Town in Italy Is Already Using Them.

You know who doesn’t love the excitement of a good fireworks show?

Your dog or cat, that’s who.

Which explains why July 5 is the busiest day for animal shelters throughout the United States. The spectacular fireworks shows used to celebrate the nation’s freedom means a night of confusion and fear for many pets who will do anything to get away from the noise. Even if it means running away from home.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

If the poor runaways don’t get scooped up and taken to a shelter, they can sometimes end up getting hit by a car.  They can also suffer nausea and heart problems from the stress.

But one town in Italy has decided to put pets and wildlife first when it comes to city-wide celebrations.

Collecchio in the Parma province has required its citizens to use only silent fireworks, protecting animals from the stress and anxiety of a traditional cracking and booming fireworks display.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Silent fireworks have all the brightness and illumination of regular fireworks. There’s even the noise of the ignition, but it’s not loud enough to frighten animals. No big bang and pop to scare pets or birds. Just a lovely trail of sparkles in the sky.

Setti Fireworks, an Italian company, designs the quieter pyrotechnics with customized colors and designs for Collecchio, which has made it against the law to use normal fireworks within their city.

The result is better visual effects, colors and even lasers that have replaced the noise, keeping spectators’ excitement levels up and animals’ stress levels down.

Photo Credit: Pixnio

How do silent fireworks…work?

Actually, they are not a new invention. Classic shows use silent fireworks all the time to accompany big bangs. Comet tails that fizzle are a good example of these. So maybe they aren’t technically silent, but they are much less startling.

Animal friendly displays are beginning to catch on in popularity in many countries around the globe. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone – small children, veterans dealing with battle trauma and our pets – could enjoy the fun of a celebratory fireworks display?

Let’s hope less scary fireworks shows become the norm soon.

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A Woman Wanted Her Pet Buried with Her, so the Healthy Dog Was Euthanized

This is pretty messed up.

We all love our pets like family, but this story makes my blood boil. It reminds of when some billionaire leaves a ton of money to their cat or something.

I mean I know we all love our pets like family, but this is absurd.

And cruel.

A woman in Richmond, Virginia, had it clearly stated in her will that her beloved dog Emma, a Shih Tzu mix, was to be put to sleep and buried with her at the time of her death. Workers at the Chesterfield County Animal Services were heartbroken that they had to honor the recently deceased woman’s wishes, but they still euthanized the healthy dog. They actually tried to appeal to the woman’s estate, but to no avail. The dog’s owner was 67-year-old Anita Cullop-Thompson.

The manager of the animal care facility said, “We did suggest they could sign the dog over on numerous occasions — because it’s a dog we could easily find a home for and re-home. But ultimately, they came back in on March 22nd and redeemed the dog.”

Emma was taken directly to a vet’s office, euthanized, and then cremated. Her ashes were returned to the deceased woman’s estate. As you can imagine, this story went viral and greatly upset many people, including big-time celebrities.

The Humane Society of the United States is clear on where they stand on the issue. Vice President Amy Nichols said, “It is a heartbreaking situation. While we don’t know the specifics of this case, as a general matter, we don’t support the euthanasia of healthy and adoptable animals when other alternatives exist, such as re-homing of the pet.”

Share your thoughts about this story in the comments. We’d like to hear from you!

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This Is Why Cats Can’t Get Enough of Cardboard Boxes

Cats and cardboard boxes go together like PB&J, right? Cats are drawn to those brown cubes like white on rice – or in this case, brown on cardboard. But why? Trying to decode cat behaviors may seem nearly impossible, especially when this obsession is universal in felines. But let’s explore anyway…

Cats crave security

Mark Freemen, DVM and an assistant professor at the VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine told Readers Digest,

“Cats are, by nature, cryptic animals, meaning they prefer to have a safe hiding spot from which they can observe the world around them. Cats are both hunter and prey, so having a secure space from which they can monitor for threats from predators as well as for appealing prey is ideal.”

Pretty neat. We cat owners tend to humanize our kitties, making us forget they have their own instincts for survival.

Photo Credit: Pexels, FOX

Kitties want to be warm

Cats need to maintain a certain temperature to remain comfortable. Wired quotes a 2006 study by the National Research Council as saying that “the thermoneutral zone for a domestic cat is 86 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the range of temperatures in which cats are ‘comfortable’ and don’t have to generate extra heat to keep warm or expend metabolic energy on cooling.”

It would make sense that our furry felines find comfort within boxes. Corrugated cardboard is a type of insulator which can help regulate their inner temperature, ensuring the cat is comfortable. This can also help them preserve body heat when cold.

Cats may be searching for stimulation or an escape from anxiety

Have you found your cat loves to scratch, bite, and chew on cardboard? Some cats need to be stimulated more, and so find this activity fun. “You’ll often find them scratching, chewing, and otherwise mangling the cardboard, which is a great source of entertainment and pleasure for the cat,” said Freeman.

Photo Credit: Pexels, Peng Louis

But that’s not all! Felines have scent glands on their paws, so scratching leaves behind their signature mark – it’s part of how they mark their territory.

Cardboard can also be a great escape, particularly for cats that suffer from anxiety. “When a cat is over-stimulated, tired, or just in need of a break, a box gives them the ability to recharge until they’re ready to come out and play again,” Daniel Rotman, CEO of PrettyLitter, told RD.

 

Before you give your cat a box, make sure sure to remove any objects that may cause harm, such as staples in the seams. After that, let them enjoy their new space – and have a good time watching them.

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A Study Shows That Cat Owners Pass on Their Own Personalities to Their Cats

Sometimes, humans and their pets seem eerily similar to each other, and it’s not just in our imagination, according to a new study.

In a study published in Plos One, researchers surveyed over 3000 cat owners. They asked them a variety of questions about five broad personality traits: extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Then they observed their cats’ behavior.

The researchers found that the traits that were dominant in owners were also observed in their cats.

For example, owners who rated higher in neuroticism had cats who exhibited behavior problems. Owners who rated themselves as more extroverted had cats who enjoyed being outside more.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Cats are notoriously independent animals. They’re not really into being told what to do or how to act. So, how do they end up picking up on so many of their humans’ traits?

It may be due to the tight bond that many humans and cats share.

“Many owners consider their pets as a family member, forming close social bonds with them,” explained Dr. Lauren Finka, co-author of the study. “It’s therefore very possible that pets could be affected by the way we interact with and manage them, and that both these factors are in turn influenced by our personality differences.”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

She added that “further research is needed to investigate the causal nature of this relationship – and to look at if, and how, owner personalities are directly influencing their cat’s behavior and welfare.”

Cool!

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A Company Adopted Two Office Kittens to Boost Employee Morale and It Totally Succeeded

What better way to lift your spirits when you’re having an awful day at work than to play with a rambunctious kitten or two? Talk about a stress reliever!

I think that maybe all offices need to consider doing this.

The IT/finance department of a transportation company in Ohio “hired” two kittens to be a part of their team and, thankfully, the whole story is being documented on social media.

An employee of the company posted on Reddit about the two kitties and the story went viral.

Now Debit and Credit have an Instagram page with more than 23,000 followers so we can all watch them grow up before our eyes!

Enjoy these pics of the kittens who make every day in the office just a little bit better.

1. Get back to work!

2. Meet Credit

3. Meet Debit

View this post on Instagram

Hello, my name is Debit. 👋🏻 #ourofficekittens #debit

A post shared by Debit and Credit (@ourofficekittens) on

4. Break time

View this post on Instagram

Sleeping babies 💤 #ourofficekittens

A post shared by Debit and Credit (@ourofficekittens) on

5. All up in the packing supplies

6. Family portrait

7. Case of the Mondays

8. Double trouble

9. Inbox is full

10. Gotta file those reports

11. Snuggle struggle

12. Their very first photo

13. Sleeping on the job

14. Everything okay here?

15. Causing mischief

Be sure to follow Debit and Credit on Instagram to keep up with all their latest antics!

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