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Cats are fascinating animals. One minute, they’re acting aloof, and the next moment, they want to be cuddled. They’re also naturally curious, which means they like to poke their paws into boxes and anything they feel intrigued by.
Their curiosity shouldn’t surprise you, considering they often get in trouble. As a cat owner, you must have noticed that your little friend loves your shoes. You’ll find them snuggling, licking, and even stealing your footwear.
So why do cats love shoes? Here are some of the possible reasons.
The 7 Reasons Why Cats Love Shoes
1. Cats Mark Their Territory
If your cat loves rolling around on your footwear and keeps rubbing its head against your shoes, it might be trying to leave their scent on them. Cats release pheromones from glands located in different parts of their body. These chemicals can be detected by other cats to share information about their identity and emotional state.
Your shoes might smell like you, and your cat might want to claim them. Head-butting is a common way cats do this. But if your feline friend feels a bit adventurous, it might urine mark or spray your favorite shoes to create turf boundaries.
2. They Like Playing With Shoelaces
If your cat has ever had a string toy, you would know how much felines love strings. The interest might come from a cat’s natural prey drive, where they hunt mice whose tails resemble strings. Maybe, cats just love the way strings move. Who knows!
When cats live in the wild, they play with everything from twigs and insects to mice and pretty much anything that can move. House cats also share this fascination, which is why they are attracted to shoelaces. Their innate desire to entertain themselves and learn about things makes them love shoes so much.
While playing is usually harmless, shoelaces can pose a serious risk if chewed or swallowed. Long, string-like materials (known as linear foreign bodies) can get trapped in the stomach or intestines, leading to life-threatening blockages. Always supervise play with shoelaces and never let your cat chew on or ingest them. Provide safe string-like toys instead.
3. Shoes Are Warm and Comfortable
Do you have one of those fluffy slippers you wear at home during winter to keep your feet nice and toasty? Your cat might also love that pair for the same reasons—comfort and coziness.
Depending on your cat’s size, it might be cozy for them to curl in the embrace of a fluffy pair of shoes. Shoes also retain your feet’s heat, making them a comfortable spot for kittens in winter.
Again, your shoes have that smell your cat is so familiar with. So, it might feel comfortable resting in your shoes when you’re not around.
4. They Like the Smell
Speaking of scents, cats like the smell of their humans. Since your shoes smell like you, you’ll find your feline friend sniffing around.
It might surprise you, but cats have much stronger olfactory responses than humans. In fact, cats have over 200 million odor receptors in their nose. They also have a specialized scent-detecting organ on the roof of their mouths. The vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson’s organ, helps them pick up chemical scent clues and send them to the brain for interpretation.
That’s how cats differentiate between a wide variety of smells. When they catch your scent, they recognize its familiarity and are naturally drawn to investigate—hence their interest in your shoes.
5. Cats Like Scratching
Scratching is an instinctive behavior for cats. They need to scratch as a means of communication and to keep their claws in good shape. Sometimes, they just scratch a surface to get a good stretch, whereas, at other times, they do it to remove dead nails.
Whatever the reason may be, your shoes provide a good surface for your cats to scratch. They may dig their claws in, bite them, or rub their faces against your shoes.
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6. Shoes Provide a Comfortable Sleeping Place
Cats don’t have the same sleeping preferences as their owners. While you may find it hard to part with your mattress, your cat might find your shoe to be the most comfortable place for a nap.
Cats sleep an average of 15 hours daily, depending on their age. So, they need to have comfortable sleeping spots around the house.
7. They Get Bored and Want Attention
If you often find your cat around the shoe area, they may be bored and want your attention. For instance, if you notice that your cat is purring too much and rubbing its head against your shoes, they may want you to play with them.
Sometimes, cats may chew on your shoes if they are bored. In such cases, you should provide them with other forms of entertainment, such as a toy. You can also do things with them that you know they enjoy. For example, if your cat loves to play fetch, you can use a ball and toss it around.
Do note that these are just possible reasons that may explain why some cats love shoes. If you feel the shoe-hogging is getting out of hand, you should take your cat to a professional for medical assistance.
How to Stop Your Cat From Hogging Your Shoes
While it might seem cute at first, there are only so many pairs of shoes you can sacrifice for your cat’s comfort or curiosity. Here are some ways to limit this behavior:
Bring in Other Toys
Your cat may be chewing on every piece of footwear around the house because it just likes to do that. But it’s the chewing your cat likes, not the specific pair of Nikes.
You can replace the shoes with cat-specific chew toys. If you notice a sudden change in your cat’s chewing habits, ask a vet to give them a health check in case any gum or gastrointestinal disease is playing a role.
Keep Shoes Out of Reach
The simplest way to keep your shoes safe is to keep them out of reach. Cats can climb, so keeping your shoes on an elevated surface might not be the best solution. Instead, keep them in a cabinet or drawer with a latch.
You can also get an enclosed shoe rack so your cat cannot access the shoes. Or keep your shoes behind the door.
Give Rewards for Good Behavior
Stimulating playtime and positive reinforcement can do wonders for your cat’s behavior. Spend time with your cat and encourage them to play with things that are not your shoes. Reward positive behavior with treats and cuddles.
Conclusion
As evident, there are many reasons cats love your shoes. Your feline buddy might like to sniff your smell and mark its territory. Some cats also chew on shoes due to boredom or curiosity.
Whatever the reason is, we don’t advise encouraging this behavior. Instead, provide chew toys and ensure your cat has other forms of entertainment. You can also reward your cat for positive behavior and keep the shoes out of reach. If shoe-chewing is excessive or destructive, consult a veterinarian to rule out underlying health issues.
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Featured Image Credit: Daniel Addison, Shutterstock
