This is a cat from the Van region of Turkey. I don’t know his/her gender so I’ll refer to the cat as she. She is all white with odd-eye colour which is not unusual. She has been described as a Turkish Van but I don’t think we can say that just because she comes from the Van region of Turkey. She is a freeborn (random bred) cat that happens to live in the east of Turkey, the human population of which is mainly Kurdish (a Kurdish Van someone wrote). The Kurds appear to be a nation of people without a country.
The odd thing about this attractive cat is not the odd-eye colour but the way she picks up her forepaws and curls her toes back at regular intervals as she walks. It is mainly the right foreleg but she also picks up the left as well.
She appears to have no leg injuries and in any case she picks up both her forepaws, which indicates no injury but some sort of habit. It almost looks like the ground is cold or hot and she doesn’t like it. That may be the reason but is a far-fetched idea.
Anyone got any ideas why she has this mannerism?
Oh Marc, it is still very much inside you and just below the surface, Red’s loss. I feel for you and the pain that is there still.
I am so pleased it ended well. Lovely photo by the way. Bikes and cats go together.
I know exactly how you felt. Being almost 65 (I get my state pension in about 6 weeks time :)) I am sort of brain dead these days. I am too beaten up mentally to have massive emotions about things but the biggest scar in my brain, by far, is the loss of my cat Missie.
It is like a massive sore that is still there, festering, almost 20 years later. She took a bit of me with her. I’ll never get it back.
I think we are a great team to have resolved this little dilemma. No other website would have done this 😉
I think as Marc states this cat is kneading and it is a sign of a need for reassurance due slight insecurity and nervousness.
Thanks for the extra info on that fascinating subject. The cats of Anatolia 😉
Well done Marc. This is it. She is kneading her mother’s breast for milk but in this instance it is a need for reassurance due to uncertainty or anxiety. That is what I think is happening. I was on the right track and you nailed it.
Yes it really is. It is the worst thing ever. I shouldn’t have changed the subject here (sorry Michael) but I just couldn’t help myself. I’ll probably be tired tonight from all the adrenaline. You are right Dee it is terrifying. Before I found her I was just on autopilot planning what I must do next but I was so shaky and fearful and I couldn’t breathe properly.
I can’t wait to get home tonight and spend time with her. It really makes you realize just how much they are in your life when something like this happens. I’m still a bit shakey.
You described it perfectly, Marc. I’ve had a few of those panic attacks. Actually, panic attack is too mild a description in my point of view. It’s SHEER TERROR!
What’s worse is you start worrying whether or not you’re going to survive what’s happening to you.
It’s horrible.