Scientists have uncovered the origins of feline kleptomania – the tendency of pets to steal random objects and drag them into their homes.
An interesting study on this topic was conducted by biologists from Utrecht University (Netherlands).
Scientists have analyzed the behavior of a number of cats from different countries around the world, The Guardian writes. Some of them commit up to 100 thefts a month.
For example, a cat named Charlie from Britain almost never returns from walks without taking with him plastic toys, clothespins, cutlery or other items.
A cat named Dusty from the US state of California has about 600 thefts to his credit. There was a case when he stole 11 other people's things in one night.
Cleo the cat from Texas was hunting not a live mouse, but a computer mouse. It was this mouse that he dragged into his home and became a local star.
And there are hundreds of similar cases. That is why cat owners sometimes wonder why their pets steal things that they will not be able to use anyway.
Animals are driven by instinct. Cats have small stomachs, so they tend to store prey in their own territory. This instinct makes pets steal and bring home inedible items.
Scientists have also found that pets like some products made of wool and plastic. This is because they contain lanolin, a type of animal wax.
In addition, biologists dispelled the myth that cats steal objects in order to make a "gift" to their owners. Pets act solely in their own interests, the researchers concluded.
