What does my cat want?

boileauv

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Messages
8
Purraise
1
Location
Ottawa, Canada
Hi there,

I'm trying to understand the behavior of my cat, Charm.

We have 2 cats, Cupid (Male), the dominant cat and attention *****, and Charm (female), the introvert and somewhat anti-social cat.

My wife picked Cupid and I picked Charm when we bought them from the Humane society a few years ago, so Charm tends to come to me more than her.

But Charm has a behavior that's confusing. She will sit just out of arms reach and meow at me...when I get up, she goes a few feet further and does this again. Ok, I get that she wants me to follow her...BUT...

But she ends up somewhere I can't reach her or it's a pain to get at her...like under the bed or in the closet...but if I can reach her, she purrs and chirps like crazy....until I stop and then she follows me and starts meowing again.

She also like to be hidden under the covers and we reach in and pet her or scratch under her chin and behind the ears...but only if we aren't under the covers..

If she wants attention...why make is sooo difficult? I'd pet her if she'd just come up to me, but she always stays out of arms reach. I don't get the crazy amount of playing hard-to-get-but-I-still-want-attention thing.

Hopefully someone can give me some insight as to just what it is she wants.

Thanks
 

stampit3d

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Messages
2,864
Purraise
1
Location
Michigan USA
Sounds to me like she is asking for attention.....but she wants the attention where SHE WANTS THE ATTENTION! (and she may simply want it away from the other cats view....our Toby acts like this sometimes too)
Linda
 

catsarebetter

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
2,373
Purraise
2
Location
N. VA
I think maybe the key here is that she's asking for attention but she might have it in her head that she gets attention when she moves away from you (which, in her defense, has been accurate thus far...)

You might be able to change that.. is there a special treat that she likes? Perhaps try to give her a treat, and when she comes to the treat, pet her and tell her good girl.. give her a "code" word.. or noise, that means specifically that you want her to come. Then every time you get her to come for her treat, use that word or noise. Of course, pet her and praise her when she comes. I'd try to stop following her, to break the cycle. When she does that just completely ignore her and don't give her any attention. Move away from her (in other words, do completely the opposite of what you've been doing..)

I don't know if that will work or not, but it's probably what I would try to do if it were my kitties.
 

larke

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 9, 2005
Messages
2,278
Purraise
6
Location
SE Canada
She doesn't know you can't follow her into tiny places, and is playing hard to get as if you were a male cat (mine do the same things).
 

taterbug

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
2,583
Purraise
32
Location
hills of TN
My Boo does the same thing to me. I wonder..does Charm have her own private bed? Whenever Boo comes to me like that,she leads me to the spot that she is wanting to take a nap,usually on the dryer or the back of the couch,and I have to make her a bed by laying a folded towel on the location she chooses. As soon as I "fix her bed" she is fine! LOL
 
Top