Is it normal for my cat to sniff and lick shoes from outside?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nico. This can be a common behavior in cats. It can be related to dental pain. I recommend checking his mouth for any bad breath, tartar or gingivitis or a broken tooth. This can also happen when a patient is nauseous. Has he recently vomited, been drooling or experienced a lack of appetite? If not, his behavior likely not concerning. Many cats will do this as an extension of grooming. It can be a compulsive habit or just a random behavior the cat will display from time to time. Assess him for the problems that I have mentioned. However, if he is otherwise healthy, then it shouldn't be a problem for him. I hope this information helps!

You may have brought in some smell or odor from another cat or from a dog and it settled on things in your apartment. Also new cleaners can cause this. Check your kitty's eyes, as this could also be behaviour shown when they suddenly go blind (are your kitty's pupils very wide and dark all the time?...if so, she needs to be seen ASAP, as high blood pressure can cause sudden blindness, but is reversible the sooner the kitty is seen,). But in general,sometimes cats sniff everything periodically and it is normal.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It should be fine if he licks it but ingesting too much could be harmful (obstruction). I’d consider having Micole examine by your Vet and some blood work done. Pica can be a sign of an underlying condition, deficiency or inflammatory bowel disease. I hope this helps!

This does seem like a strange behavior but I wouldn’t be too overly concerned about it. Your cat may have smelled something on the sheet and she was just interested in it. As long as she isnotherwose acting normally, eating and drinking well, and usingnher litter box then I would not be to concerned.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is actually more common than you would think. This is not necessarily of concern in terms of the licking. I would be more concerned though at the possibility of Max chewing and eating pieces of it which may result in gastrointestinal obstruction. For this reason, I would encourage you to try to avoid this behavior as much as possible. Good luck and have a great day!

Licking can be a compulsive behavior in cats, but the answer to your question depends on whether you are talking about your cat licking himself or routine household objects. When cats lick themselves excessively, that's often referred to as "over-grooming," and it's usually in response to itchiness or pain. When cats lick objects, like the floor or furniture, it's often a sign of gastrointestinal disease, and I would look for intestinal parasites or other problems, like inflammatory bowel disease.

Pets can certainly exhibit some odd behaviors. If you are feeding a commercial diet that is AAFCO Certified, it is unlikely he is suffering any deficiencies. These diets are tested and certified to meet all the nutritional needs of pets. It may be related to the novelty of the texture. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.