Buttering a Cats Paws

[Ells]

Has anyone heard of this superstition?

[greenfingers]

Yes, if you move house, butter the cats paws, it leaves its scent around and doesn't stray. It works swear to God!!

[Cetti]

Not being a cat lover I've never tried this remedy, but the saying has been around for donkey's years.

[trilobite]

Back in the 70's when I was err... young we used to take our cats over to the house me da* was renovating at weekends (we were renting until it was in a "habitabubble state") (sic). We'd stay for the day and when it was time to leave - just call the cats and they'd come. Never needed anything else. Butter? My arse.

Never heard it applied to Donkey's ears though, Cetti ;o)

[brawburd]

Traditional superstition but totally pointless practice! Cats will come home/ back anyway - they know which side their bread's buttered!

[Ells]

Thanks chaps! Now I can tell the boyfriend to keep his superstitions to himself. Saluting magpies, I ask ya!

[Beerinator]

l tried it. My cat licked the butter off, said 'thatnks for the snack, then left. Never saw him again

[enigma]

I used to have a cat called Bubbles who was the whiniest , moaning faced moggy you could ever meet. Hence the name bubbles ( when i was a wee girl my dad used to tell me to stop bubbling like a baby !!! ) Anyway , when my hubby and i moved house to the other end of town , our cat kept running away to our old house and we'd find her whimpering in the corner of the garden - much to the annoyance of the new neighbours ! It was the same performance every time - me carrying her like a baby through the town , nearly getting my face clawed off when she heard the traffic near the main road - until my friend told me to butter her paws as this was a tried and tested method to stop her running away. I did as she said and my beloved moggy shredded my face whilst miawing like a maniac. She then licked her paws , bolted out the door and headed for her old haunts. I left her alone because the new neighbours told me that they would look after her and I thought that that was where her heart lay - but apparently she didn't like the cat food on offer there and soon returned to us. buttered paws ? ha ! I won't be listening to any more old wives tales thank you !!!

[animal lover]

yes i agree with greenfingers, always worked for me

[rm8471]

I've had many cats on several occasions, & relocated, throughout both my childhood & adulthood, & I never lost a cat due to moving, ever. Not once. Never heard of this until i watched "Grace & Favour"! Lost a cat to Feline Leukemia, one to a car, one to an unknown factor (found dead in our backyard, um, what y'all call a back garden, I believe), but never to moving.