Cat Has Unexpected Reaction to Owner Getting Suitcase Out Before Away Trip

A post about a cat made to take a "timeout" after he peed on his owner's suitcase has gone viral on Reddit.

The post was shared by user u/___CupCake and has had more than 22,400 upvotes since it was first posted on March 13. The post shows a ginger cat, called Momo, gazing at the floor while sitting inside a shower stall. A caption shared with post reads: "He peed on my suitcase and is now in a timeout. Shame him."

Momo's owner, who did not share their name, told Newsweek: "He was waiting in the shower for me to clean pee off his feet after he peed on my suitcase. He's never peed on a suitcase before. I had it out to get ready for a weekend trip."

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Why Do Cats Urinate on Objects?

Cats pee on different objects or places to mark their territory to signal "ownership," said veterinarians Ellen Lindell, Debra Horwitz and Gary Landsberg in an article for VCA, the animal-hospital chain.

For example, urine marking can be triggered by the sight of another cat nearby as "a response to a threat to the cat's territory," the veterinarians said.

When a feline leaves its mark by urinating, or by rubbing its cheeks or claws on something, it deposits chemicals known as pheromones, which "contain personal information," they added.

So, "cats mark to intentionally leave their messages in socially important locations within their territory, particularly along commonly traveled pathways," the veterinarians said.

Marking is typically normal behavior, but it can also be an indicator of distress.

The veterinarians said: "Any time an indoor cat feels threatened or distressed, he may leave a mark to affirm the location of a safe territory. A change in household routine, the addition of a person or pet, or even a remodeling project can trigger anxiety and marking."

Marking can also be triggered by frustration, such as if a hungry cat is left with an empty food bowl, as felines appear to be soothed by the presence of their own pheromones, the VCA article noted.

Physical discomfort or stress due to not having sufficient access to social and environmental enrichment can also trigger marking behavior in some cats.

"If your adult cat suddenly begins marking or suddenly stops using a litter box or begins to spray inside the box, be sure to have him examined by your veterinarian," said Lindell, Horwitz and Landsberg.

'Dramatic'

Users on Reddit could relate to the scene in the latest viral post.

User guitarhero_dropout wrote, "Cats will do weird things when they're stressed out," and Elio_Pistachio added: "He looks so dramatic."

RagnAngar87 posted: "...He saw the suitcase, didn't want you to leave and went with his obvious choice by peeing on it...smart boy. sorry I can't shame him...he's super cute."

Rusalkat commented: "I never leave my cat alone with my suitcase, she knows it means I leave and she is 'not amused' and has a very smelly way of expressing her displeasure..."

User tommypickles5149 added: "Anytime a suitcase appears and is open my orange guy immediately gets in it."

Final-Analyst998 wrote: "He's a good boi, he just wants his mama to stay."

Rare-Assistant-2857 posted, "I can't shame him when he looks so sad," and EishLE commented: "He's only sad because he was caught red-handed!"

CashAlternative7911 wrote: "...This baby was just making sure OP [original poster] wouldn't get lost while traveling! Cats scent-mark so they know their homes and territory, he was just being courteous and helping OP get home safe! This kitty is Innocent Of All Charges And Must Be Freed Immediately!"

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