Why does Hollister cat steal eyeglass cleaning cloths and leave them in odd places?

DEAR JOAN: We have a 16 year-old Manx cat named Pumpkin, who started really entertaining us about a year ago.

We keep two small eyeglass cloths in a basket on our kitchen island. During the night, about 80% of the time, she moves one or both of them to various locations in the kitchen. Quite often, she jumps up on the island, then jumps down carrying a cloth, then goes to a step stool at a desk on the opposite counter.

The cloth is then deposited on or near the computer mouse. Occasionally, the second cloth will be near the first one. At other times, one of them will be on the rung of a kitchen stool, on the floor or any one of numerous places she decides to place it.

She recently started moving the cloth during the day when we are at work. This seems to be a well thought out activity for Pumpkin. Can you share some insight as to why?

— Sue and Rick Solano, Hollister

DEAR SUE AND RICK: Cats enjoy taking objects and carrying them around. Because the mysterious cloth relocation happens at night, it’s likely Pumpkin is stalking the wild eyeglass cleaner. Once she captures one, she takes it around to show off her prowess.

Pumpkin might also be a little bored and has found hunting a piece of cloth to be interesting. You might consider getting her some interactive toys.

Sometimes cats take socks or other clothes, because they have their owner’s scent, which is the next best thing to having you with them. There may be something about the cloth that appeals to her — the scent or the silky feel.

I find Pumpkin’s cloth-nappings charming, but then again, I’m not the one trying to find one when I need my glasses cleaned. Although it might be annoying, there’s nothing abnormal or worrisome about it.

DEAR JOAN: My lawn is studded with round 3-inch holes that are about 3 feet apart. There are no mounds of dirt, and the grass around the edges of the holes has died. There are tunnels from one hole to the next. I’m not sure if voles are the cause.

There are no new holes, so I assume whatever has made them has left. Any ideas?

— John O’Hare, Moraga

DEAR JOHN: There are a surprising number of creatures that burrow into lawns, gardens and even plain old dirt. They usually leave clues to their identity, such as the size of the hole, its shape and any debris left around the hole.

This one is unlikely to be a gopher, mole or vole. Their digging typically leaves mounds, at least on some of the openings. Ground squirrels often leave the entrances to their tunnels open, but the holes are larger than 3 inches.

Tree squirrels will dig small holes to hide nuts, but they don’t dig connecting tunnels. Birds will dig shallow holes to push nuts into the soil, but again, no tunneling.

Earthworms and a number of insects, including native bees, all make holes in the soil, but theirs are dime sized. And raccoons and opossums will dig holes as they search for grubs, but the holes are fairly messy and haphazard.

Given your description, I think it’s most likely to be rats.

Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at [email protected].

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