Don't Touch ME

Gigi has been in my home one full week. She is a ten year old female who's owner died in October. The former owner did not allow Gigi to jump on furniture, countertops or windowsills as she doesn't show any signs of wanting to do this. We have been getting along quite well with working through our personality quirks and settling in.

She has been sleeping on my bed each night and day which I enjoy. Last night she did something odd when the lights went out. She disturbed a plant on a high table and somehow knocked it to the floor. I turned on the light and saw her there but still cannot figure out how it happened. I picked up the plant and put it back. Gigi was watching the whole scene. I never yelled at her, I might has tsked once or twice but I just put things back. Gigi left hte room, spent the night sleeping behind the living room chair and this morning didn't want me to touch her. She ate her breakfast, played a little, used the litter box, etc......I put my pajamas on the bed and she did settle in and was resting on them when I left the room. However, she kept moving away when I got near. She came close to be petted but when I did stroke her, she moved away. She acted as if she expected something worse than a kind touch. I talked to her, was my normal self and left with Gigi being very standoffish and different. What happened?

It kinda sounds like Gigi may have done this before and been punished for doing something similar with her former owner. They have such great memories!! She knew she had done something she shouldn't have and thought you would be punishing her too! Your "gentle touch" will be a blessing to her!

If it has only been one week since a rehome I would not place too much significance on her behaving oddly. The cat has been through major stresses and a bit of skittishness is to be expected.
Noise alone can startle a cat and once she recovered from that she remained wary, right?

The description of events makes me think you are wanting to explain her behavior by her being punished previously for such behavior and being afraid that you would do the same thing.

Honestly- I wouldn't read too much into it. It doesn't matter now as you will continue to treat her gently regardless of her past. Just keep going slowly with her, don't force attention on her- just "be" there with her.
She'll come around.

Thanks for the replies. This message board is a wonderful source for calming anxious owners like me.

I wonder if she wasn't testing you a little too. The fact she was cool in the a.m. may not be anything to do with the plant business, though if it does, she was probably waiting for the axe to fall. Another few times of your accepting her more may start to sink in, but she doesn't trust it yet.

Don't worry too much. It just sounds like she's sulking/pouting. Our babes do this too, especially Sunny. Sunny'll go a whole day of doing this, and by the time the day's over, she's DYING for attention. Lol...

Also try to be sensitive to her having lost her previous owner. Things like that are so hard on a kitty. They know what's happened, and are mourning just like we do...so it may take time for her to not overreact to things.

I had a kitty once that I adopted right after my own kitty had died. I adopted her because she also lost her owner, and we mourned together for a while. She did the same thing that you're describing...the overreacting, the distancing, etc. Just give the sweetheart time...and lots of love. She'll soon understand you're her new human, and you're not going anywhere.

I have a timid kitty and when she's acting this way, I just go on about my business and talk to her like nothing happened if she's within earshot. Also, I let her come to me when she's acting like she wants affection. I'll either sit on the floor, squat down, or kneel on the floor so she doesn't feel like I'm towering over her.

Like others have said, it's just been a week and she's still getting used to her surroundings.

Stephanie