Yesterday Frankie and Chris both got their time outside in the sun. Frankie always goes first on a cat-harness and leash and then when we return I let Chris outside without a leash. It works out good that way because he usually runs out the door anyway as I try to bring Frankie in.
As soon as Frankie got outside and walked near my car he stopped to smell my front tire.
This smelling went on for a long time.
I thought an animal might have peed on my tire but I didn’t see any discoloration. This happened over Christmas on the front bumper of my wife’s car (see here). Frankie would not stop smelling the tire so I pretended like I was going to pick him up. That got him moving.
After our walk, I brought Frankie home and carried him inside. As predicted, Chris ran out the door. I removed Frankie’s harness and went outside to watch Chris. Once outside, I noticed Chris had already discovered the pee on the tire.
I knew it had to be pee at this point.
I just wondered who was doing the marking. Since it also happened to Rose’s car there is a good chance it happened in our driveway but I never see any loose animals around here that would do that. We live in a well-kept 55 plus community (because living with a bunch of people older than you makes you feel young). Outside cats are not allowed here and dogs must be on a leash.
Perhaps it’s a bobcat. I was told there were a couple of bobcats around here a few years ago. I can understand why since there is an endless supply of rabbits but I was also told nobody has seen them in years. I wonder about that after what I saw last week.
Frankie found what looked like bunny parts.
I don’t know what did this but it looks like a policy of indoor only cats is a good idea. I would hate to think of Chris or Frankie outside with a bobcat or some other large predator.
Bad Cat Chris 
Don’t you wish they could tell you what they smelled there?
Yes. I’m sure they can tell the difference between a dog, cat or something else.
That smelling process is great, it takes time, and how much cats get information of an old pee. They never tell to us.
I wish they could tell us.
Poor bunny. I think no outside cats is a great idea for their safety.
Me too. I think some cats need some outside time but it is best supervised.
It could be a bobcat – the security cam here actually caught one wandering past the kitchen! So you never know.
Our neighborhood borders power lines so an animal has a long corridor to roam.
Great photos of the orange guys! My cat loves to smell our cat tires!
I think animals like to pee on tires. Not sure why.
Car tires …Not CAT tires! Oops! Damn autocorrect! 🐈
It happens to me too. I don’t know why auto correct thinks cat is better than car in that context.
But aren’t cats just better than cars in most contexts? Except for driving to work … My cat just wouldn’t cut it!
They need extensionsfor the pedals. 😀
Maybe you just drove through an interesting smell?! Not necessarily freshly “applied” pee but something interesting on the road that smelled delightful to the cats?!
Pam
Its possible but unlikely since they were only attracted to the front tire. They also were sniffing more toward the rim and away from the treads.
Frankie looks very like Louis Catorze’s best (only?) friend, Ginger Impinger!
Maybe they share an ancestor.