Cat behavior Question

Girlfriend has 7 year old female cat. Has not had many people arround it in past 4 years due hissing and was locked in back room. I have been arround cat a couple day a week for about 3 months. From day one the cat would stay about 6 feet away and stear at me. Every once in a while come over and sniff. Last week it came over and rubbed me leg and it let me pet it a couple of time before leaving. Though maybe the cat was warming up to me, but the past two days not sure of what to think of behavior. It sit on the coffee table next to couch about 18 inches away and stares at me get voical if I talk to her so I ignored her. It is a little un nerving not sure if the cat is going to jump me. If I walk arround the house and come close to her she sometimes swats at me and once hissed. A couple of week ago I bought an toy on a string and she does play with me but keeps her distance. The wierd thing is the cat has olway behaved better when my girlfriend is out of room.

Thank
any information would be nice

you say it was locked in the back room???? how long for?

Since this cat hasn't had much socialization...I wouldn't think the behavior is all that odd. The cat probably isn't too sure whether it can trust you or not...so it is taking it's time to get familiar with you. The rub against the leg is a good sign...but just take it slow. Let the cat come to you if he wants to...but allow him to keep his distance otherwise.

Katie

You mention that when you talk to the cat the cat gets vocal... Do you mean the cat just talks back to you, or are you talking about growling, hissing, or something more aggressive.

If she's just meowing at different tones and doesn't sound aggressive I would suggest you keep talking to her and not ignore her. Though I can't scientifically prove this theory, I have a theory that cats have an excellent memory when it comes to voices. And talking to her and listening to her might make her trust you more.

Other than that I agree with what Katie says above... Let the cat come to you. It almost sounds from your posting that you already have a better relationship with this cat than your girlfriend does, which might help the cat become more trusting of people in general.

Welcome to TCS

The best would be to ignore her and as said in post above let her come to you . And please don't stare at her , she may feel threaten by it . I also would keep talking to her if she is talking back to you . It sounds to me that you are making progress

Hedis right about the staring, they feel that it's a threat when you do that.

My 10 week old kitten saw one of my friends for the first time on sunday, and when she went towards her to stroke her Sophie backed off.

I told her just to sit and talk softly to her, and just let her sniff her hand and she would come when she was ready, and she did in the end

Willow is like that with strangers. Just sits there and stares...and if the stranger should try to pet her, she'll swat them quicker than you can yelp "ow!" And trust me, it looks like she just patted the hand, but she creates cuts that gush blood. And when she swats, she gives a scream/hiss combo. Then she sits back and looks sweet again.

We don't get many people over at the house, so maybe she doesn't have much socialization. but she is territorial about the house. Once, the mother of my sister's friend came up the front yard, and Willow was playing there. When she got too close, Willow suddenly screamed and lunged at the mother's shoes. Luckily, my sister's friend's mom is understanding and just commented on how territorial Willow was.

I'm not saying your girlfriend's cat is territorial or not, but maybe he is, and getting shut away in the room stressed him out too much because he had to watch the stranger roaming his home.0