cat gets mad when put down?

arcadian girl

arcadian girl

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so Wonton is doing pretty good lately...no agression problems *knock on wood*. He does do this thing tho, and he's been doing it for a while. He can be sleeping or a wake, and i'll walk up and pat him, and it's fine. i pick him up, and again it's fine, he settles into my arms and doesn't try to get down. he's perfectly content, and i pat him for a bit. i then set him down, very gently. whereupon he bats at my lower legs and tries to bite them. not hard, not like *meaning it*, but not totally playing, either. it's just strange, i don't really get it
its not like i'm holding him too long and he's mad cos i wouldn't let him down-he loves to be held, but in the event he does try to get down, i put him down right away. but no..he's totally content to be in my arms..but when i set him down, about 70% of the time, he bites or paws at my legs a bit.

anyone know what this is?
 
hissy

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Stop picking him up.
I know, hard to do but it sounds like it stimulates him and a stimulated cat can get aggressive. I am dealing with this issue now with a new cat that arrived here. When I pet him, he chases my hand aggressively when I stop. He gets very insistent about me petting him and will mock rush me if I stop. I have solved the problem by using a long- handled cat brush. He gets a good brushing, he gets pets and my hands don't get attacked. I would never pick him up- some cats don't like it. WE are the ones who enjoy it, not them.
 
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arcadian girl

arcadian girl

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but that's the thing tho..i wouldn't pick him up if he didn't like it. he ASKS to be picked up half the time-especially if i come home after being away all day. i'll walk in the door and he'll get up on his hind legs, with his front paws resting on my knees, and look up at me. i reach down and grab him under the arms and pick him up like you would a toddler, and he settles right into my arms and purrs and headbutts me. he's very loving when he's in my arms...it's not like i'm bugging him and he wants to be left alone. i never ever hold him against his will. but no matter how loving or content he is when he's in my arms, when i set him down, sometimes he bats at my legs and bites. not hard tho-not like the agression i posted about a couple months ago. its sorta like playing, but maybe a tiny bit rougher than that.

he's always been a cat that loves physical contact. the night i found him on the street, all starving and skinny, i petted him and he seemed ok with it, so i gingerly picked him up, half expecting him to freak, but he didn't, he just settled into my arms. i had no way to get him home besides just holding him on my lap while my bf drove, and so i got in the car with him in my arms, knowing some cats hate the car..was really worried, but he just hung out in my arms
and when we got home, after i'd checked him over, set down tuna and a bowl of water and some newspapers for him to pee/poo on, he ate, drank, and then came up to me, curled up in my lap, and went to sleep
it was then that i knew i wasn't bringing him to any shelter, which had been my original intention.

so yeah...i guess what i'm saying is he's not one of those loner cats that doesnt want affection or to be held-he seeks it out. he always asks to get up on my lap when i'm on the computer, too. its just that if i pick him up and then set him down, he goes after my legs. i understand that he might be overstimulated, but then why doesn't he show it when he's in my arms? he NEVER tries to bite or scratch me when i'm holding him.

appreciate your input, btw
i just don't think its that i shouldnt pick him up, cos he wants to be picked up, he actively asks for it often...
 
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deanne

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What if, instead of setting him down, you sit down and put him on your lap (releasing your hold on him), giving him the option to get up on his own? Does he still bite then?
 
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arcadian girl

arcadian girl

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hmm..i just tried it, and he didn't bite


its still strange to me. i thought maybe he felt i was being too rough when i set him down, but i dont see how that could be-i lean over and set him down as gently as humanly possible, and he still turns around and looks at me like i just did something wrong to him :/

i guess i'll try to do what you said, sit down and let him get outu of my arms of his own accord...
 
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I have a male that does that, but I'm pretty sure what it means. He comes to snuggle when he wants food (thinks it's currency!), and if I put him down after a while, he gets mad because he sees it as a rejection of feeding time (even if it actually isn't). I kind of roll him quickly out of my arms onto the floor (if we're sitting down) and he'll turn to go after me, but I just glare at him and keep my hands very still or under my crossed arms. I look straight into his eyes and either give him a slow 'love' blink, and he'll leave, or a glare that says I'm still in charge and he can darn well wait til it's feeding time.
 
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zissou'smom

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How about instead of picking him up when he seems to be asking for you to, you sit down on the floor and let him climb up in your lap and get down when he wants to.

Zissou will rub against your legs like that, but it's not asking to be picked up. However, if you do pick her up she will not act like she wants down or struggle or anything, but she certainly isn't enjoying it.

Also the fact that Wonton is aggresive right when you put him down sounds like he does not enjoy it either. He undoubtedly loves contact and company, just not that. Think about it from his perspective. He has absolutely no control over his situation, and feels insecure because he could be injured if he tries to get down and doesn't do it right. And feeling insecure for an aggressive cat is not a good thing.
 
hissy

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Sinatra does the same thing, demands to be be petted. I can't oblige him though because I will get scratched. It stimulates them, stimulation will cause aggression. Not petting him, will eventually calm him down. It won't happen overnight, and he is very alpha, but I don't give in to the tempation no matter how much he shows he wants it.
 
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When you place him down on the floor, why not put him in a bedroom and close the door for a few minutes.

This way it would break his pattern

Crystal
 
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I have the same problem with Fluffy. She loves to be held and cuddled, but gets angry if you put her down before she is ready. She smacked me on both sides of my head at the same time a few weeks ago. I didn't know such a tiny cat could hit so hard! Not only did she hit like a small child, she caught a claw in one of my eyebrow piercings and drew blood. She makes a little growly noise when she thinks I am going to put her down, so I just stand up and gently dump her out of my lap.
 
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arcadian girl said:
so Wonton is doing pretty good lately...no agression problems *knock on wood*. He does do this thing tho, and he's been doing it for a while. He can be sleeping or a wake, and i'll walk up and pat him, and it's fine. i pick him up, and again it's fine, he settles into my arms and doesn't try to get down. he's perfectly content, and i pat him for a bit. i then set him down, very gently. whereupon he bats at my lower legs and tries to bite them. not hard, not like *meaning it*, but not totally playing, either. it's just strange, i don't really get it
its not like i'm holding him too long and he's mad cos i wouldn't let him down-he loves to be held, but in the event he does try to get down, i put him down right away. but no..he's totally content to be in my arms..but when i set him down, about 70% of the time, he bites or paws at my legs a bit.

anyone know what this is?
Click to expand...
Do you have my cat? 😂 I just adopted a stray that does the exact same thing. I don’t know why he does this but I’ve been keeping a squirt bottle near to discourage this behavior. I would have your cat checked out by the vet to rule out any physical issues. Could just be personalIty. Cats can be a mystery Good luck.
 
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arcadian girl said:
but that's the thing tho..i wouldn't pick him up if he didn't like it. he ASKS to be picked up half the time-especially if i come home after being away all day. i'll walk in the door and he'll get up on his hind legs, with his front paws resting on my knees, and look up at me. i reach down and grab him under the arms and pick him up like you would a toddler, and he settles right into my arms and purrs and headbutts me. he's very loving when he's in my arms...it's not like i'm bugging him and he wants to be left alone. i never ever hold him against his will. but no matter how loving or content he is when he's in my arms, when i set him down, sometimes he bats at my legs and bites. not hard tho-not like the agression i posted about a couple months ago. its sorta like playing, but maybe a tiny bit rougher than that.

he's always been a cat that loves physical contact. the night i found him on the street, all starving and skinny, i petted him and he seemed ok with it, so i gingerly picked him up, half expecting him to freak, but he didn't, he just settled into my arms. i had no way to get him home besides just holding him on my lap while my bf drove, and so i got in the car with him in my arms, knowing some cats hate the car..was really worried, but he just hung out in my arms
and when we got home, after i'd checked him over, set down tuna and a bowl of water and some newspapers for him to pee/poo on, he ate, drank, and then came up to me, curled up in my lap, and went to sleep
it was then that i knew i wasn't bringing him to any shelter, which had been my original intention.

so yeah...i guess what i'm saying is he's not one of those loner cats that doesnt want affection or to be held-he seeks it out. he always asks to get up on my lap when i'm on the computer, too. its just that if i pick him up and then set him down, he goes after my legs. i understand that he might be overstimulated, but then why doesn't he show it when he's in my arms? he NEVER tries to bite or scratch me when i'm holding him.

appreciate your input, btw
i just don't think its that i shouldnt pick him up, cos he wants to be picked up, he actively asks for it often...
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