My Cat Is Acting Weird.

[Paschelcolors]

So i have a cat right now, and i have had her since she was a kitten at 8 weeks. But we never fully bonded liked i had hoped. I had lived with my parents before and with all the other children in the house she was just to scared and was rather distant with all other people. She knew to come to me for food because i was her main care giver. But she never slept with me, nor did she care to come in my room less her food bowl was empty.
Though now i have finally moved out of my parents house and into my own place. I hoped without the family interfering. I could bond with my little kitty. Which i think has on some level. Though she isn't happy all the time with me right now because her baths are becoming more frequent to because of her skin issue, I don't think that is her biggest problem with me. She has decided her favorite place to sleep is my bed, which I love but half the time I got to pet her she starts attacking my hand. She wasn't that violent before, I had her around small children her whole childhood, and she was so well behaved with them. These last few weeks have become a little more hard since we have been in my new place. And I am not fully sure why. Maybe it is because she doesn't have somewhere to hide like she did at my parents, or maybe my cat just all out hates me. Someone please help, I love her too much to send her away for a few scratches, but they are covering my arm now. And I am running low on options. No shelter near me is a no kill and due to her skin problem i don't think she would last long in a kill shelter, and I don't want to give her up. I love her too much for that, it is just beginning to worry me.

 

[mjhenn]

Hello!

Well I would say she feels comfortable around you if she is sleeping around you. I do have a couple questions.

How old is she now? How long have you been at your new place?

I am a pretty new cat owner myself so take anything I say with a grain of salt.

My understanding is cats don't like change, so the move to the new place has probably been really stressful for her and then adding in more baths which she doesn't like probably doesn't help.

Maybe she attacks your hand when you pet her because of her skin issue? Maybe its uncomfortable for her? Is her skin issue something that is going to clear up or are you going to have to continue to do this regularly for the foreseeable future?

Have you tried any of the calming diffusers like feliway to maybe help her relax a little bit more?

If she is a big fan of food, maybe start feeding her her favorite food right after you bath her so she starts to make the connection that after bath time I get something I really like and hopefully start to make a positive association so bath time isn't as stressful but instead means super awesome food time is coming soon.

Hope you don't have to give her up, that would be really hard. Stay strong! You got this!

 

[Paschelcolors]

Been in the new place for about 2 weeks now. And she is a little over year. I can of course buy her some of her favorite soft cat food, but with my budget at what it is right now I worry I can't forever.

she is small even for a year old cat. She is about half the size of any cat that i see normally. She has lived with many cats in the past when living with my family so i have debated getting another cat a little old perhaps to help her settle. Though I worry again for my budget.

 

[mjhenn]

Ooh wow 2 weeks is not long at all. She may take a while. When we adopted Marcy our grey tabby it took her about 3 months to fully acclimate to our apartment. So she may just be stressed with the change. Give her some time and I am sure she will come around.

 

[Etarre]

Yes, she needs some time to settle down and get used to her new environment. You mentioned that she doesn't have a place to hide, and giving her one might help her to feel more confident. You don't need to buy anything expensive-- cardboard boxes are often cats' favorite hiding places, and you can also tape several together to make a tunnel for her.

If she was distant with humans in your old place, she may just not have had the opportunity to learn that she can't play with human appendages the way that she would have with other cats-- have you tried giving her a firm 'no' when she claws and leaving her along for awhile afterward? Cats also get overstimulated really fast, especially when they're already stressed out by a move/new environment, and it's important to honor their requests for time out when they need it.

 

[Hellenww]

You're both in a new place and it's only the 2 of you now. Try approaching the situation as if you just got a new cat. Even if she didn't interact with the other cats/people they were still company/entertainment for her so she may be a little bored.

Sit on the floor and play with her with a string toy, a shoelace works. Make treat toys out of toilet paper and paper towel toys. Fold down edges and cut holes for the treats/dry food to fall out. Leave them around the apt before you go out so she has something to do. Talk to her when you are home. Keep a few toys by the door so when you get home she gets a gift.

Nervous cats are easily over stimulated so even if she enjoys and wants to be petted it can overwhelm her easily. Try starting with a soft brush and a stuffed animal in front of her so if she get overwhelmed she has a place to put that energy.

Were you able to bring a cat tree with you? If not put a few dollars a week aside so you can get one in a few months.

Be patient with both yourself and kitty. Enjoy your new home.

 

[Erinlinkcappy]

My cat is friendly as anything but he goes crazy for deodorant and soap. Will start biting me and going crazy because he loves the smell so much after I shower. Could it be anything like that?