He bunny kicked me!

Your thoughts on this, please.

Last night, I was giving Ferris a few scritches after giving him a couple of the yummy treats our SS sent us. He was lying at my feet, and as I scritched him, he rolled onto his back, grabbed my hand with his front paws and bunny kicked at my hand!

I was a bit shocked and pulled away immediately, causing him to startle and jump up.

At first I thought he was being aggressive, but as I thought more about it, I started wondering if that was his way of initiating play with me. I didn't feel any claws when he kicked at me, and seeing how he and Ginger play together, maybe he thought that this was the right way to go about telling me that he wanted to play with me.

I don't know, but the more I think about it, the more logical it seems to me, and that me being the stupid human just didn't realize at the time that Ferris was taking an important step toward developing a good relationship with me, in his own little semi-feral way.

What do you think?

Oh well, if no nails, then that was a good sign but you´ll have to let us know what happens next time

If Dino ever gets to "bunny-kick" mode with me, well the nails are IN, theres blood, theres hissing............well a lot of general nastiness really but he´s a freak so who knows

So, yes I think you are right he wanted to play

Actually, that is more of a conditioned response. It is what happens when they have prey and they are trying to subdue it.

If he didn't use claws, then he was playing, but that can turn rough at any time. It's kind of the same response when you scritch their bellies, automatically they grab you.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

Actually, that is more of a conditioned response. It is what happens when they have prey and they are trying to subdue it.

If he didn't use claws, then he was playing, but that can turn rough at any time. It's kind of the same response when you scritch their bellies, automatically they grab you.

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So he was trying to subdue me? Brave little kitty, considering his clawing me to ribbons hasn't kept me from caring for him, LOL.

And I learned a while ago to NEVER touch his belly if I know what's good for me.

Awww...I was kind of hoping that he was wanting to play nice...

A couple of my kitties will do this, but I have to keep it short and sweet otherwise the claws do come out, ouch! When the look in their eyes starts to get a little crazed, that's when I quickly remove my hand

All the kitties I've ever had have always done this or tried to it's playing. Unless there's a situation that would make them angry then it would be serious and more of a fighting behavior. Trust me on this one.. when they mean serious harm you'll get shredded and the cat won't want to let go. I've always noticed that boy cats seem more likely to play like this. I don't encourage letting them grab and kick at all, it's cute but seems to get cats, and kittens especially, over excited very quickly. If your little Ferris keeps trying to play this way you could try using a little stuffed toy to redirect him to, and let him kick the stuffing out of it

Actually he may have been overstimulated. He also may not have wanted you to touch his tummy. Gizmo bunny-kicks my hand when I try to rub her tum...she only lets me do it when she is very, very sleepy.

Originally Posted by gizmocat

Actually he may have been overstimulated. He also may not have wanted you to touch his tummy. Gizmo bunny-kicks my hand when I try to rub her tum...she only lets me do it when she is very, very sleepy.

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But I didn't touch his tummy - I said in an earlier post I learned a while back to NEVER touch his tummy if I know what's good for me.

I was giving him scritches behind the ears and had done so only for a couple of seconds, and he just flipped over and kicked me.

It was weird, LOL.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

when they mean serious harm you'll get shredded and the cat won't want to let go.

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Absolutely agree. I will play the bunny kick game with some of my cats deliberately cause they like it. Muddy in particular likes to be rolled from side to side on his back while kicking.

If he does it again and really grabs on, don't pull your hand away or he might grab it harder and bite. And never attempt to do it with an overstimulation biter.

We had problems with Lucy going overboard with the bunny kicks with us and with Much. We ended up getting her a toy and when she was acting up, we would let her take her aggressions out on it.

Lucy and Hedgie

the idea is not that you touched his tummy, he may have thought you were going to. Gizmo gets defensive even when I am nowhere near her tum.

It does sound as if he was overstimulated.

I've had cats that did it. I think it has to do with the prey drive and a natural thing at times. Personally, I don't find it fun - it can hurt if those nails are not trimmed and the force behind it is not pleasant.

It's a play thing No claws = play. Kitty had energy to take out...

Next time he does that, get a toy and start a play session.

Originally Posted by gizmocat

Actually he may have been overstimulated. He also may not have wanted you to touch his tummy. Gizmo bunny-kicks my hand when I try to rub her tum...she only lets me do it when she is very, very sleepy.

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Rosie is exactly the same so i agree with this sentence.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Rosie is exactly the same so i agree with this sentence.

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But as I have now already said twice before...I did NOT touch his tummy, he was lying on it and I was touching the back of his neck!

By the way, when he flipped over and kicked me, his pupils were normal. When he is overstimulated, they turn into great big black marbles.

I've seen him in overstimulation mode, and this was not it.

I'm going with the thought that hewas trying to play, because since then, he has come up to me on his own for affection a few more times. I honestly think he may be making an attempt to be a housecat here.

I think it really depends on the cat. Patches does this to mean to knock it off. Puppy, however, enjoys playing "wrestle" and will snatch our hands, roll over, and kick and chew (gentley) at our fingers. Only way to know the difference is that with Patches, the kick is a warning; after that comes the claws. Puppy, however, will continue to just kick and nibble, and he'll reach out and grab my hand if I pull away.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

But as I have now already said twice before...I did NOT touch his tummy, he was lying on it and I was touching the back of his neck!

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It doesn't HAVE to be his tummy. He probably just wanted to be left alone. If i start stroking Rosie when she's asleep or just lounging and her tail starts swishing that's a warning to me to back off otherwise the next move is a rabbit kick.

Gizmo does that to me all the time. He never uses his claws though and even if he did I keep those babies trimmed so he can kick away.

My girlies both do this when playing. Although we know we should teach them that hands are not toys, I've never been quite successful with this, so it's just in fun and perfectly normal behavior!

Ollie usually does this in play.... there are claws, but I keep them pretty trimmed, so it's not too bad. I'm (or whoever's tantalizing him, haha) usually the instigator of the bunnykicking, so I can't complain, haha... he's not big on getting his belly rubbed, so that usually starts him (he'll usually only let me rub his belly and he's gotta be in baby position in my arms).... I think it's kind of fun for him to use his natural instincts in play, as long as no one's getting hurt and he knows we're just playing... he'll do it to some of his bigger toys too... my dad loves to get him bunnykicking when we visit my parents - he's got that tough dad skin, so it doesnt bother him, haha