Cats are strange creatures and it is often a complete mystery what goes on in their minds. They can be incredibly wilful and they also seem to enjoy set routines which must be stuck to or they can become quite upset. Occasionally you see stories about odd cat behaviour in the news and in this article I thought I’d share a few of my favourites with you.

Sgt Podge

We’ll kick off with the story of Sgt Podge, a 12 year old Norwegian Forest Cat who hit the headlines back in November of 2007. Sgt Podge developed a strange routine whereby he would disappear every night for an undisclosed location and then turn up in the morning in exactly the same spot about 1.5 miles from his home. The first time he disappeared his frantic owner, Liz, called round her neighbours and even phoned the RSPCA looking for him. She eventually got a call from an elderly woman who reported a cat matching Sgt Podge’s description was sitting on the pavement outside her house. Liz drove round and picked him up but he soon disappeared again.

Liz got another phone call from the elderly woman reporting that Sgt Podge was back outside her home. She says it has now become a routine, so each morning after dropping her kids at school she stops by the appointed spot and opens the passenger door to allow Sgt Podge to jump in for the ride home. Apparently he turns up there every morning between 8 and 8.15 am and so even at weekends Liz has to drive round and pick him up. She reports on getting home that Sgt Podge has a nice breakfast before sleeping by the radiator.

Oscar

Oscar is another cat who appeared in the news back in July 2007. He lives in a nursing home in Providence, Rhode Island and according to the staff there he has developed the ability to predict when a resident will die. Oscar is a two year old cat they adopted and staff report that he frequently makes rounds of the nursing home but is not generally friendly. However when someone is about to die he insists on sitting with them and will complain if he is removed from the room, meowing and pacing the corridor outside. A professor at Brown University researched Oscar and found he correctly predicted the deaths of 25 residents. No one knows how Oscar is able to tell but experts believe he can sense chemical changes in ill people and reject the idea that he might be a cat psychic.

Lupin

As all cat owners will know our furry friends enjoy a bit of attention but few as are determined as our next cat, Lupin. As Germany’s television weatherman, Joerg Kachelmann began to give his report on live television Lupin wandered into the studio and rubbed against his leg. Kachelmann knew the cat needed attention so he picked Lupin up and continued the report. Lupin nibbled at his beard and seemed to enjoy his brief stint in the limelight. You can check out his appearance at YouTube.