Cats And Their Fascination of String Explained
There is literally no time in my life where there wasn’t a cat in my family’s home, and while they all had distinct personalities, each and every one of them loved string. Eventually, I just had to find out why.
There are three major reasons cats are fascinated with string:
- Feline vision is based on speed and motion
- String looks and moves like snakes, who compete for prey with cats in the wild
- Playing with string is a way to express natural hunting instincts
Looking at why cats are so obsessed with string sheds a lot of light on their behavior in general. It also sheds light on one of our biggest jobs as a cat carer; keeping them active and entertained throughout their whole life. Read on to discover more about how the feline mind works and how string plays into it.
Why Cats Love String
The reason cats and string are almost as iconic as salt and pepper is because it is a natural behavior. While they never hunted string before coming inside to live the easy life with humans, their lives before domestication depended on hunting prey and protecting their territory.
Despite their reputation for being lazy, cats are predators. Pouncing, biting, play wrestling, and chasing string are all related to natural behaviors their ancestors used to survive. While they may sleep up to sixteen hours a day, when they’re up, they’re often on the hunt.
The way string twists about and can be made to ‘slither’ across the floor sometimes looks like a snake.
When cats lived in the wild, especially in climates with lots of snakes, they evolved to hunt or scare off snakes who might attack them or eat the cat’s prey. (Source: the Way of Cats)
It would be hard to design string to be more suited to catching a cat’s interest. Not only does it move like their prey, but it can also be torn apart similarly to the way a cat in the wild would disembowel their next meal. This is especially true for thicker kinds of string-like yarn, which can be pulled apart easily.
Cats like to pounce on things that move suddenly, like their human’s foot under a blanket that twitches in sleep, because their sight is largely based on motion so they can spot prey moving anywhere in their field of vision.
Playing with and attacking string is also partially a learned behavior with cats. People will often dangle string or ribbon in front of kittens, encouraging them to play with it and continuing to do that their whole lives. So, from a young age, cats learn that string is okay to play with and something that they won’t be punished for.
Why Cats Tear String (And Other Things) Apart
Housecats, like their larger feline relations, need an outlet for their natural behaviors. Hunting behaviors become play for your cat, but even the classic kitty ‘butt-wiggle’ comes from a history of pouncing on their next meal.
Cats becoming companion animals is a recent development. For centuries, they were more pest control than pet. Unlike some breeds of dogs that are now meant for companionship and nothing else, the hunter’s instinct of a cat was never bred out and was instead encouraged.
Grabbing a toy with their front paws and then scratching rapidly with their back paws simulates going for the soft underbelly of their prey. On a stuffed animal, however, this just leads to stuffing everywhere, and a string becomes several smaller strings.
Your cat may be happy to chase around the red dot from the laser pointer for a while, but nothing will give them satisfaction like a toy they can get rough with or a play fight with another cat.
Is Playing with String Dangerous for Cats?
Playing with string can be extremely dangerous for cats. There’s an old myth that cats know what’s good for them and won’t do things that can harm them. But cats can and will eat toxic houseplants, get stuck in places they can’t get out of, and chew plastic and wood.
One reason string is dangerous is that your cat can get themselves tangled up in the yarn. If it gets around the neck and a paw, the way your cat is inclined to try and free themselves by striking with their back legs will often end up strangling them instead.
When swallowed, one part of the string can get stuck while the rest moves through the cat’s intestines, leading to an effect that is similar to a drawstring (Source: cathealth.com)- but with their internal organs. This can be dangerous and life-threatening.
Even if your cat has played with string their whole life without incident, something bad could still happen. If your cat absolutely must play with string, make sure you’re watching them the whole time.
Strings around the house may catch their attention as well, so store things like yarn from crafting safe and secure when you’re not using it, and check your home for strings that dangle where your cat could be tempted.
What to do if Your Cat Swallows String
If you see your cat walking around with a string dangling out of their mouth do not try to pull it out. The string may be caught somewhere in your cat’s GI tract and pulling the string can cause damage. The same advice applies if you see a string coming out of your cat’s anus.
Repeat: Do Not Pull A String Out of Your Cat’s Mouth or Anus, This Can Cause Damage to Their GI Tract
Instead, call your vet immediately or go to a 24-hour emergency animal hospital if your vet is closed. They will need to take X-Rays to see if the string is caught somewhere or will pass normally. A string inside a cat’s body can be a very serious problem, and it may require surgery to fix.
The best thing you can do is prevent your cat from swallowing string entirely by storing away all string, yarn, ribbons, and hair ties safely where your cat cannot get to it. Check your furniture for dangling strings regularly and put away any cat toys with string right after using them to play with your cat.
What Other Toys Will Substitute String?
String appeals to cats because it simulates prey, but there are a lot of great alternatives that will keep your cat entertained and are much safer than string alone. Make sure you replace cat toys that are frayed or have plastic pieces breaking off that could be swallowed.
- Cat Wands
- These are a great way for you to play safely with your cat and let them have string, just make sure you put them away after.
- Interactive/Puzzle Feeders
- These are great for busy people with very active or playful cats since you can fill it and leave it for them to play with later. By making your cat work for their food, they’ll feel like they ‘hunted’ for food.
- Prey Toys
- Toys that look like mice, snakes, birds, and other prey give your cat a natural outlet for their desire to hunt and are designed to stand up to how cats like to play with their prey.
- Jingle Balls
- Balls that make noise can stimulate your cats in multiple ways since letting them roll around on the floor will activate their motion-based eyesight as well as get their attention with the noise. Cats can also happily play with them alone.