Let’s see, KalEl, you spank your monkey and have open jars of vaseline lying about. Any other … items you’d like to bring up? 
I’ve been told that vaseline is a no-no because it is a carcinogen - petroleum jelly, you know. Although it’s supposedly frowned upon, we still use it for a lot of things at the vet clinic where I work.
Otherwise, the vaseline-eating cat is just giving her/himself a good dose of hairball medication - the old hairball remedies mostly consisted of flavored vaseline.
If your cat ever has a diarrhea problem, make sure to tell your vet that she/he eats vaseline!
Some days you’re the dog, some days you’re the hydrant.
I have two cats. One is a small, semi-Siamese, very old and the other a big B&W tomcat, somewhat younger.
The Siamese loves to lick the inside of the plastic shopping bags, seeming to prefer the blue Walmart ones over the brownish Winn Dixie types. The other cat watches him now and then as if he considers him nuts. He doesn’t bother with plastic bags.
Now the B&W cat loves to be petted by having his butt thumped or patted real hard (not hard enough to hurt but a firm pat) where upon up goes the butt end, down goes the front and he delightedly meows and goes nuts until your hand wears out.
Cats are delightfully weird.
What? Me worry?’
Uh, but wait, Fillet – those two items aren’t connected. I swear, really. And anything I’d like to bring up is already, well, up. But I guess you knew that! 
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by coosa:
Otherwise, the vaseline-eating cat is just giving her/himself a good dose of hairball medication - the old hairball remedies mostly consisted of flavored vaseline.
Coosa,thanks. I remember years ago I was giving hairball medication to a cat of mine - I put it on the end of my finger, and was complaining to a friend that my cat would never eat it – when I realized the cat had swallowed my finger up to the second knuckle. She LOVED that stuff - I almost didn’t get the finger back. I didn’t realize it was only flavored vaseline, but she attacked that with as much joy as my current cat shows towards the regular stuff. Hey, I could be on to something here. Catnip flavored vaseline? OK, you entrepreneurs, get to work.
My cats recognize the bags from Petcare. They rip into the bag of Max Cat Lite even if they already have some in their bowl. I guess it’s interesting to extract the pieces one at a time from the bag. Once they got carried away and bit a hole in the bag of litter too. “What … she expects us to eat THIS stuff?”
I’d add only this: why not make sure you keep the plastic bages with dyed logos, etc., out of reach. Some bags are particularly cheap in terms of wipe-away dyes. The test is whether the logo/letters hold to a under rub under cold/warm/hot water, and you could test one from the few various sorts of plastic bags that wind up in the house available to the cat.
I’d add only this: why not make sure you keep the plastic bages with dyed logos, etc., out of reach. Some bags are particularly cheap in terms of wipe-away dyes. The test is whether the logo/letters hold to a under rub under cold/warm/hot water, and you could test one from the few various sorts of plastic bags that wind up in the house available to the cat.
Sorry 'bout th’typos.
My god…that’s the most F***'d up thing I’ve ever heard.
And I thought my cat licking the corner of my bay window was wierd
Yes!! I’m not crazy!!! My dear B&W cat, who was 14 when she died in Jan, licked plastic bags for most of her life, along with any photos I was dumb enough to leave out where she could get to them. I spoke to a vet one time that told me that most plastic bags are made from a conglomerate of ingredients, some of which are animal in origin. It is that animal part they are smelling and licking. I dunno, that’s what he said.
Of course, my Sassy also loved warm (not hot,not cold) french fries, blueberry muffins (as long as you gave her a piece with blueberry in it), jalapenos from monterrey jack cheese with jalapenos ( I have witnesses), mushrooms, and ranch salad dressing. Along with the usual tuna, egg, milk and stuff all cats like. So, go figure!
You sing in my consciousness like a counterpoint to my life.
L.L.
God, folks, I almost threw a rib reading those – my cat licks almost anything, but especially likes soccer balls and band-aids if anyone’s got one on a toe or something.
And I just discovered a corner of a photo album on a bottom shelf has been licked raw. I feel better knowing he’s not deranged. Or, if deranged, at least he’s not alone…
Ooh, I love your magazine. My favorite section is `How to increase your word power’. That thing is really, really… really… good. – Homer, ``Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington’’
After reading these, we watched our kitten–and sure enough she not only has been licking plastic bags, but also eating chunks out of them. We’ve had her back and forth to the vet and on a number of medications because she would throw up at least once a day. Well, for the last few days, we hid all the plastic bags, and “amazing!” no more problems. Could be coicidence, but I figured I’d share it just in case. Heck I don’t care if it’s a placebo effect, just glad to have a possible solution. Thanks!
inconceivable? i don’t think that word means what you think it does
Like, wow, guys, this is so, like, ureal! I used to know some crazy cats who, like, used to lick my tail every time I tried to pass by. *Awesome![i/] Then they enjoyed scrapping the tail of my defensemobile. When I then whupped them cats’ butts they didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as you all say your cats enjoy getting spanked, though. ((I was beginning to feel left out of all the excitement, for better or owrse.))
<<humour interjection>>
Seriously, though, the post from as_u_wish is one best possible last comment to the given series of posts, if we consider that licking and swallowing typical plastic bags may not be good for cats—and cats only do it because the bags are available. Cat’s like to pounce, knaw and claw and will tackle just about anything around that does not terribly threaten them. I’ve watched some create a most melodramatic intrigue, as they reign havo-control over a full roll of toilet tissue. Perhaps we should think of more deliberate and particular items to leave around for them.
Plastic bags and vaseline nothwithstanding, does anyone know why a cat would obsessively lick a dog’s throat? My cat will do this like its life depends on it, and the dog (spayed, never-mommied black Lab) is all to happy to oblige.
Is there some weaned-from-the-nipple-too-soon desire going on here? And why is the dog enjoying this much more than a dog seemingly ought to?
I’m finished having kids. The next diaper I want in my life is to be my own!