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Is she normal? Lonely? Nervous? ..?

morverncallar Jul 06, 2007 06:32 PM

Hello folks.

We got a kitty from a shelter in March; she's about five and we spayed her when we got her. Initially, she was very ill for a few weeks and had to spend some time at the vet. It was, along with the moving into a new home and whatnot, a pretty tough time for her. It also seems like she has been either mistreated or just not handled very much when she was younger, because she doesn't like to be held at all. So that's the background.

She has become leaps and bounds more comfortable here since we brought her home, but she's still quite erratic at times. She gets in these crazy moods where she will just follow us around meowing incessantly. When we figured that she doesn't want food, water, treats, etc, it seemed that she wants attention, but she still seems uncomfortable when we lay down and pet her. She always moves a foot or two away and then re-situates herself, only to immediately look over and wonder why we stopped petting her. We usually just end up scooting all around the floor after her just to calm her down. It's like she can't just relax and accept the doting.

Also, while she does drink water out of her bowl at times, she really likes to drink from the bathroom sink. Sometimes she just sits on it and waits until we run it for her, instead of drinking her completely fresh and cold bowl water.

Another odd thing she does is just get terribly hyper. She runs around the apartment knocking herself into things and meowing like a wild banshee. My boyfriend (a little more worry-prone than I am) always gets very concerned when he does this. I don't know if this is normal cat behavior, but it is seriously like she's possessed. Maybe something to do with her childhood - we'll never know.

So lately, I've been wondering if she maybe needs some extra love from another cat. She may have lived with others previously, but she was horribly unfriendly to the one cat we introduced her to. Maybe just because he was unfamiliar? We were thinking it might be a good idea to get a male kitten and slowly introduce them to each other. But then I look at her sometimes and get so worried that that would make her feel less loved by us. It seems like she hasn't had enough affection in her life, and I only want to introduce a friend for her if it will make her happier and more comfortable.

Does this seem like something cats do when they are lonely? Or maybe she just needs more time with us? Or she just seems like a sort of nutty feline and that's ok? I just worry about her so much because of how fragile she is, and how terribly sick she was at first.

Replies (2)

gocatgo Jul 07, 2007 08:55 PM

Considering all that she's been through, shelter, vet for spay, vets for several wks due to an illness, new home, etc., I'd say that she's coming along pretty good. The one thing to keep in mind is, most cats are scared when people gush over them and will usually warm up much faster when they are ignored to an extent. Let her seek you out for attention. When she wants the petting, and then you give it to her and she rejects it, leave it at that. She'll feel much safer and will be begging you for more in no time.

Since she loves water running from a tap, you might consider getting her a Drinkwell Water Fountain, which has a continual stream of running water. She could drink from it at her leisure without wating for somebody to turn on the faucet. My cats highly recommend it to your kitty.

A couple of my cats sometimes get the 'night crazies' where they will run like wildcats all over the house for 5 minutes or so after I get settled in bed. One will walk around meowing for a few minutes. Then they all settle down for the night. Is that what your kitty does when she's acting hyper? It's perfectly normal.

I don't know if I'd intoduce another cat at this time. It may be too early since she still seems a little skittish herself. Maybe some of the other posters here will have some good suggestions for you concerning getting a companion cat for her.

LINK......Drinkwell Water Fountain:

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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

ttpurr4cat Jul 08, 2007 12:44 PM

It does sound like she wants some attention and petting but isn't quite sure about it. You might get her an interactive toy. Like "Da Bird" or any of the others that they have at pet stores. Lots of cats like to drink from faucets or even the toilet, doesn't matter if they have fresh water in a bowl or in my case about 7 bowls. It is also a time with you or her Daddy as I assume you stand there and talk to her while she is drinking. As for the running around like a demon possessed cat, that is normal. We call it chasing Beuvarts, something only cats can see apparently. Most cats do this activity, I think it is a way to use up excess energy. The only one of my 21 cats that doesn't do this anymore is the 20 year old and she wanders about yelling right before she comes to bed. As for a kitten, she might enjoy one, hissing and growling and even slapping with a paw is normal at first. She has to make sure her new companion knows that she is the boss.

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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo, Penny (We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

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