Cat question please come in

I just got my kitty to trust me enough to rub her face on my hand.. I have not touched her but she has rubbed me..

so my ? is when does your cat like to be pet most?.. before eating / after eating.. night time / morning.. Did you ever get and unfriendly cat to let you pet them and do they turn on you in a second.. How can I tell she is not in the mood for me lol.. I dont want to scare her . I can be very smothering

Re: Cat question please come in

I have 2 cats...one is very loving the other is very standoffish.

The loving one would be pet 24/7 if I had the time and the urge...the other one will only be pet when HE wants to and I find when I feed them in the morning, he is much more loving... wonder why??

Re: Cat question please come in

I have 2 cats. The newcomer we adopted 2 months ago, was very shy at first.Now, She just loves to be loved by me. She likes to be pet in the morning and she makes sure she gets her 3-4 treats every morning. If I am late on the treats she lets me know! Then she loves to be pet in the afternoon and a little bit at night. Se will lay in my arms till they go numb! She lets you know when she has had enough, she jumps into her cat bed. My other one, who we have 3 years, loves to be petted in the evening more, he takes it in small doses during the day when we are home or at night when DH gets home.

Message edited 2/23/2011 9:43:53 AM.

Re: Cat question please come in

I had a feeling they were like this !!! Thank you for the responses.. She is a feral and lives out doors.. she just started to let me get really really close and if I hold my hand out thse rubs her face on it.. I am afraid to turn my hand and pet her .. She has hissed at me in the beginning but not lately.. When she hisses I turn immediately away and go in the house.. I want to show her that I will not stay near her if she does that.. I know she is yearing for affection .. She breaks myheart when she sits in he yard staring at my back door hoping I come out .. So when I do she meows like mad and rolls all over the ground stretching and kneading with her claws in the ground.. I have never owned a cat. i have no idea what they are all about .. but my instinct was telling me they dont like to be pet all the time and maybe at certain times you can get more affection.. Any more responses on this would be great.. I named her Kitty.

Re: Cat question please come in

mine loves a good rub down in the morning.. he purrs head butts etc, rolls around and when i pick him up, he will curl up into a ball and stuff.. otherwise he runs away from me.. i smother him too..

Re: Cat question please come in

my thoughts.... you'll know. you'll know if she doesn't want affection. chances are if she's rubbing her grill all up in your hand, she's looking for some attention. take it slow. maybe start by rubbingthe back of your hand against the side of her face (like how she rubs your hand) as oppsed to flipping your hand around to "pet" - the quick motion could possibly freak her out at first. does that make sense?

Re: Cat question please come in

I have 4.

My orange tab, Juno, LOVES attention. He will headbutt you, follow you around everywhere. he likes belly rubs mostly.

My tortieshell, Mazy, has her own times. She likes to be pet on her head, but only when you are doing your business in the bathroom and she's on top of her litter box.

My one gray tab, Gizmo, DOES NOT like to be touched. But he will sit next to you...just don't touch him.

The other grab tab, Oscar likes belly rubs only.


I have a diverse group of kitties.

Re: Cat question please come in

Sounds like Kitty wants attention, she's just building up her trust in you right now.
When you hold your hand out, is it palm up or down ?
Try it palm up and when she sniffs your hand give her a little stroke under her jaw and see how she reacts. When she gets used to this, try reaching up to her cheekbone, see if she likes to be scratched there. Next time try reaching up around her ear.
Just take it slow and easy and keep building that trust.
Hissing is her way of telling you she's the boss.

I had a male cat who adopted me when he was a 5 week old feral. As a kitten he liked to be cuddled and carried around, or sitting on my lap. As he got older that all changed and he got rubbed and scratched on his schedule. The lap cat was gone but he would sit next to me, plastered against my leg.
He did sleep on my bed, again plastered against my hip.

I now have an older female and she is such an attention wh()re. Can't be around other animals. She follows me everywhere around the house, wants to be rubbed all the time, jumps into my lap. Sleeps right next to my head on my bed, tail usually touching me somewhere.
DH gets so jealous, because Bella hates it when he tries to pick her up, sit her in his lap. Petting lasts about 30 seconds before she runs away from him.
I keep telling him that he has to be gentle with her, and not rub her fur up her back, only down.

Re: Cat question please come in

Izzy will cuddle any time any day but hates kisses on his head. I have to sneak up behind him and trick him so I can kiss him.

Bella likes kisses on her head but likes to cuddle only when she is on her towel on the kitchen counter. We call it the kiss and cuddle area. (like figure skaters kiss and cry area?)

She will give us all kinds of cute face and will lie down for a belly rub.

Izzy is the biggest mushface. I mush him up all of the time.

Re: Cat question please come in

My cat Ozzy needs lovin all the time. When I wake up he needs to be petted, after eating, after I take a shower he has to put two paws on me and rub his face on me and I have to pet him at the same time. When I come home he has to jump in my lap and be petted. At night when its time for bed he will lay down next to me and make me pet him too.

If we do not pet him he will meow, take his head and put it under your hand or bite you.

Re: Cat question please come in

Because I must read all of Diana's threads, I'm a non-cat owner crashing. Just to say that it amazes me how different and special animals are, with their own personalities and preferences.

Diana, the fact that you care enough to take note of Kitty and how she reacts to tells me that you'll know when she's ready for more. It's great what you're doing.

Message edited 2/23/2011 6:19:06 PM.

Re: Cat question please come in

Re: Cat question please come in

Posted by greenfreak

Because I must read all of Diana's threads, I'm a non-cat owner crashing. Just to say that it amazes me how different and special animals are, with their own personalities and preferences.

Diana, the fact that you care enough to take note of Kitty and how she reacts to tells me that you'll know when she's ready for more. It's great what you're doing.

Re: Cat question please come in

Posted by Diana712

Posted by Bearcat

my thoughts.... you'll know. you'll know if she doesn't want affection. chances are if she's rubbing her grill all up in your hand, she's looking for some attention. take it slow. maybe start by rubbingthe back of your hand against the side of her face (like how she rubs your hand) as oppsed to flipping your hand around to "pet" - the quick motion could possibly freak her out at first. does that make sense?

Yes I know exactly what you mean!! I am afraid of her ... I am sure she is afraid of me too.. so we are both moving very slowly.. she hates to be annoyed when she is sleeping .. she will wake up and do her pace but I can see she is not friendly at those times. I just went to let Lola out (my dog) and she came out of her house (first time I ever saw her in there at night ) But I assumed she was hungry so I gave her a little hand full of kibble .. she eat it right up.. But she seemed more affectionate but it was cold and I had to run in and lola wanted to come and see so I got nervous .. usually Lola ignores her .. I am so so so scared to turn my hand around .. I wish I could be calm but I am going to just let her rub on my hand with that adorable face for a while .. Thanks so much!!!!!!!

Re: Cat question please come in

Posted by Bearcat

awwww! good luck and keep us updated. i love reading about your experience - reminds me of my first feral, Regis.

Re: Cat question please come in

Posted by Diana712

Posted by Bearcat

awwww! good luck and keep us updated. i love reading about your experience - reminds me of my first feral, Regis.

OMG!! Thank you so much..


Well the day is here!! She likes to be pet at night !!!!!!!! I just got in form the yard and I must have rubbed and petted her for 10 minutes she LOVED IT!!!!!! I scratched under her chin and by her ear like suggested, I rubbed all down her back and through to her tail.. she kept comming back for more.. I am shocked!! How could a 12-13 year old feral that has never had human contact except TNR'd allow a human to touch her.. To me this is crazyyyyy!!!! It hasnt been that long either .. maybe 2 months .. I just cant believe it.. I wonder if I can get a flea collar on her?? Or is there a flea pill for cats? Do cats need heart worm meds? I imagine so!! Please you kitty mommies and daddies help me .. I have no idea what the heck I am doing..