Touchy kitten

I adopted Shami just last weekend, and he seems pretty "touchy". He likes to paw my face, paws my hands if he wants a pet, and paws through my hair when he's sitting on my shoulder. He also does this funny thing where he'll run over, paw on my leg, then kind of run toward his food bowl, then come back and keep doing that till I get up and sit by his food bowl and he starts chowing down. I kind of know it's his way of saying he wants attention, but never seen this kind of behavior in a cat before. He's also very careful with his claws. To be honest I have yet to feel them. My kitten just strange or is this common behavior?

As long as his claws are retracted then I think he is just playfully trying to get your attention. Mine is 5 months and likes to rest his paws on my face, or sometimes it's almost as if he's gently stroking me. He will also play 'kitten chase' (as I call it) where he will run up, gently bat my leg with no claws out, then run off again, to get my attention that he wants to play. He's just being a playful kitten.

Make sure if he ever does it with his claws out that you say NO and put him on the floor so he learns that clawing is not a game you will join in with.

Not sure about the waiting for you to go to his bowl until he eats, but that could be inconvenient if he will only eat when you are right next to him. Not sure what to suggest about that!

A lot of cats need you to be right there when they eat - like a littermate. Is it a lot of trouble to do it? They may grow out of it when they're older, but kittens feel lost and maybe 'exposed' to danger without company.

Originally Posted by Larke

A lot of cats need you to be right there when they eat - like a littermate. Is it a lot of trouble to do it? They may grow out of it when they're older, but kittens feel lost and maybe 'exposed' to danger without company.

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Ah, really? Isn't too much trouble, but I wish he'd eat a bit more. He does eat even when I don't sit right there, sometimes after a play session he'll waddle over to his bowl and munch a bit.

Try giving him something else - maybe he doesn't like the taste.