It's Cute, But is it Normal?

[moonlitwoods]

I've had several cats in my lifetime, but I got my sweet, 6-year-old Nova from the shelter just seven months ago, and once in a while she displays a behavior that I'm not sure I understand.  

For example, lately she's starting following me.  Almost obsessively.  And by "following" I don't mean the casual sort of tailgating that a lot of cats do – you know, where they slowly drift around behind you because they’re interested in what you’re doing. No, Nova follows me around in that keen way a dog will if it thinks you have a treat for them.  Or if the dog thinks you’ve got their favorite toy and you might throw it for them to fetch at any moment.  

Sometimes she keeps pace with me, trotting right beside me to wherever she assumes is my destination.  Sometimes she runs just slightly ahead of me and looks back and up at me eagerly, as if she wants to make sure she’s going the right way.

The odd thing, though, is that sometimes she will kind of gallop slightly ahead of me and turn, sort of standing on her back feet.  Then she reaches up with her front paws like a toddler does when they want to be picked up.  It’s the weirdest thing. Seriously.  It’s just like a little kid.

Now I've had cats attack my feet wanting to play, and Nova occasionally does that too.  But this is more... determined.  Or something.  I don't know.

So I’ve been trying to figure out what she wants.  I always bend over and pet her, and speak to her in a kind voice in case she's been afraid I'm going to leave or something.  But lately I've tried picking her up, and when I do she is always purring – and not a general purr, but the loud rumbly kind that is reserved for a cat’s special person.

Other times when I pick her up she’s purring but she complains about being picked up.  Today she almost bit my hand, but that was my fault because I scooped her up too quickly and I think she felt like she was going to be mauled – which is a trigger for her thanks to her traumatic past experiences.

Is this normal?

I should explain that due to health problems I work at home a lot, so I'm at home more than I'm away.  I don't see how her need to follow me could be separation anxiety.

 

[Draco]

Sounds like she adores you and want to play! I suggest playing with her with wands and such too

 

[moonlitwoods]

Oh, we play with a fleece wand with a crackle ball at the end for at least 30 minutes before bedtime every night.  

I've also set up what I call "the gauntlet," which is a narrow path between the foot of the bed and the bookcase that I have filled with loose tissue paper.  She runs and dives into it, and chases her toys through there.  It's her favorite thing in the world.  

 

[fhicat]

It's normal in that there's nothing alarming or unusual about it, but it's also curious because she is trying to tell you something. I don't know exactly what that is, since my cat sometimes do that in a less extreme way -- he'll trot alongside me that I have to stare at the floor as I walk to make sure I don't trip over him. But it's her way of telling you something. I would guess that she wants to be picked up, since you said that gets her motor going.

 

[true blue fool]

Jake follows me pretty much exactly like that-- with the exception of standing on his hind legs, I've never seen that before unless he's trying to grab at something. He's not anxious either, he's just an extremely social kitty and loves being around people. My mom always says he's a cat that thinks he's a dog with the way he follows me. He does it the most when he wants snuggles; he's waiting to see when I sit down so he can jump on my lap

The "galloping ahead" he normally does when he wants to play "chase," which is one of his favorite games. It's pretty simple: he likes when I chase him around the house. He'll run ahead, hide behind something or crouch down like he's about to pounce. If Nova is anything like Jake, that could just be her signal that she's got a lot of energy and wants to play. The same with attacking feet-- Jake does that when he's feeling restless, and he's also very determined about it. I usually "attack" him with a cheap beach towel, that he then chews and mauls to his heart's content (he ignores cat toys but will play with towels and paper bags) saving my feet from the same treatment

Purring doesn't always mean that they're pleased about something, or she could be happy she's getting attention from you, but doesn't necessarily want to be held. Jake's rarely ever not  purring, so I usually don't use that to gauge his mood. He'll purr right up to the moment he bites me if he's in a bad mood.

So is Nova's behavior normal? Probably not, but I don't think it's something to be concerned about. Every cat has their quirks, and you just have to figure out what they mean