LIFE WITH PUSHKIN
Why Does My Cat March His Back Legs When He Pees?
Some of the most interesting things about living with a cat are the little habits that do not have an obvious explanation. This is one of Pushkin’s.
I noticed it quite early on, although I cannot remember exactly when. It was not dramatic. It was simply one of those little details that slowly caught my attention because he did it so consistently. Whenever Pushkin urinates outdoors, he does not stay in one place. He chooses very specific surfaces, certain plants, and investigates the area thoroughly before he begins, just to be sure.
Instead of standing still, he slowly lifts his back legs in a marching style while he continues to pee, his tail vibrating like a rattlesnake would vibrate its tail, one careful little step after another. The first few times I saw it, I stopped and watched and tried to catch it on video. It looked so unusual.
I had lived with cats all my life, but I could not remember seeing another cat do quite the same thing. Since then, I must have watched him do it hundreds of times. It has become one of those little Pushkin habits that I almost expect to see.
He seems completely relaxed and rather happy with himself afterwards. There is never any hesitation. He simply carries on as though it is the most natural thing in the world.
It Is Not Just Spraying
The surface seems to be of great importance to him. He loves tall, upright, solid surfaces, plastic, shiny surfaces and fabrics as well as the essential bushes around his garden.
But this is not just spraying. This is Pushkin asking specifically to go out for his walk to pee, and some of them last a very long time indeed and are very much needed.
To be clear, Pushkin does enjoy spraying his territory too, but that is a different mechanism. That is tail upright and a quick spray. The full upright peeing exercise is something else entirely.
Why Does He Do It?
The movement itself is always remarkably similar. Over time I found myself wondering why.
Was he trying to avoid getting his paws wet? Was he spreading his scent over a slightly larger area? Was it simply more comfortable for him? Or is it just something that belongs to Pushkin alone?
I honestly do not know. I have looked for an explanation more than once, but I have never found one that really fits what I see. Perhaps there is one. Perhaps there is not.
Not every behaviour has a neat answer.
Every Cat Is an Individual
One of the things I enjoy most about living with Pushkin is that he constantly reminds me that every cat is an individual. Books can tell us a great deal about Savannah cats. Living with one teaches you something completely different.
You begin to notice tiny details that would probably escape most people. Some of those details are amusing. Some are surprising. Some simply make you stop and smile. This is one of them.
Whenever I see Pushkin quietly taking those little marching steps, I still find myself asking exactly the same question I asked the first time. Why does he do that?
Perhaps another Savannah owner has noticed something similar. Perhaps not. For now, all I can do is record the observation.
After all, some of the most interesting discoveries begin with someone simply paying attention.
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