New cat behavior questions

[whiskylollipop]

Odin is my 6 month old neutered rescue cat, and as he is my first cat ever I have a couple of questions on his behaviors that seem odd to me...

1. He likes to bite me gently. I read that this was petting-induced aggression, but he does this even when I'm not petting him. He'll come up to me, paw my hand down to him, and bring it to his mouth, where he will play-bite it. Why does he do this?

2. He constantly breathes really hard. It never stops, even when he's grooming himself. I think he's purring, but it sounds like a very congested person breathing in, then a louder stronger purr sound breathing out. He has a history of cat flu. Sometimes he sneezes. Do you think it's a respiratory problem, or maybe he still has cat flu?

Thanks

 

[fhicat]

 
Odin is my 6 month old neutered rescue cat, and as he is my first cat ever I have a couple of questions on his behaviors that seem odd to me...

1. He likes to bite me gently. I read that this was petting-induced aggression, but he does this even when I'm not petting him. He'll come up to me, paw my hand down to him, and bring it to his mouth, where he will play-bite it. Why does he do this?

2. He constantly breathes really hard. It never stops, even when he's grooming himself. I think he's purring, but it sounds like a very congested person breathing in, then a louder stronger purr sound breathing out. He has a history of cat flu. Sometimes he sneezes. Do you think it's a respiratory problem, or maybe he still has cat flu?

Thanks

1. Love bite. I call it more of a "putting his teeth on your skin" than a bite. It's a show of affection. If it's an actual aggressive bite, you'll know. 

2. Sounds like a respiratory problem. When was his last vet visit? They may have something for it.

 

[whiskylollipop]

I grew up with a lot of roaming cats, and when I was young I would routinely stop on the way back from school to make friends with one or two kitties. And in my experience, they were always the most affectionate, head-bumping, kneading, rubby things. Once a big white cat even plonked her front half down sideways in my lap like a sweet, awkward hug. I never had any food for them. They were just humongous lovebugs.

So last Sunday my boyfriend and I went to a rescue and picked up Odin, my very first cat. He is 6 months old, neutered, and a gentle, kind little kitty with not a mean bone in his body. But he's very very shy and somewhat independent. He runs and hides whenever he hears sounds like the door opening, and he doesn't seem to like being around people. So far he only comes out after about 10 minutes of me coaxing him to, and I'm the only person he is okay being around. Even so, he'd much rather explore the apartment alone than sit with me or follow me around.

We've had him a week, which I realise is not a very long time at all. But I admit, I wanted a cat that would lay up beside me on the couch and be cuddly and stuff. Not that I'd even consider giving Odin up over this, he is still a perfect little baby and I love him, but I'm wondering - is this just his personality, will some cats never like human company much? He is a moggy and quite a big one, so I don't think there's any lap cat breed in him if that makes a difference? Or is he still settling in and will become more affectionate with time?

I JUST WANT TO BE LOVED. D:

/rant

 

[fhicat]

Cats love you without having to be in your lap. My cat loves me in his own way, but you will never find him in my lap, or cuddled up next to me. His idea of a cuddle is to sit in the same room as me, or maybe near my feet, or on the couch next to my work desk. A few hours a day he will wander off to his own little space in my bedroom and sleep there while I am in the living room. He needs his "me time". Then he'll come out after he's ready to socialize. 

Every time there's a knock on the door, he dashes off to hide. He'll stay there until the strange voices are gone. Or if it's long enough and the strange voice doesn't seem to be leaving.

Many cats who start off skittish, years later, all of a sudden suddenly decides your lap is not such a bad place after all, and they think, "she's been good to me, I wonder if she'll let me try out her lap." And then out of the blue, this never-been-a-lap-cat is suddenly on your lap.

 

[pinkdagger]

They absolutely do.

Keep in mind he's not totally comfortable in his new home. He's tiny, the new place is huge, it smells funny, and new giant hairless creatures keep trying to come near him. When I picked up my 1 year old cat, she hid for 3 days straight and would dart back to the safe room for probably two weeks if someone tried to get too close for her comfort (which at that point, wasn't close at all). She's been here three months now and she's finally getting comfortable just hanging out with us.

She isn't a lap cat, and based on the personality I've seen in the time I've had her, I doubt she will be. But she loves to be with us and she loves being petted and receiving belly rubs and being played with. She doesn't mark us, so she doesn't rub up against our legs or smear her cheeks on us like our older cat does (older cat is a lap cat, a huge suck, social with everyone, marks everyone regardless of how long they've been in the apartment). She'll only headbutt our hands if we're already petting her and stop too soon. In those three months, there have been maybe four times where she suddenly decided she wanted to crawl in bed with me and cuddle up with me. She's never, ever sat on my lap. She has, however, slept curled up against my stomach, against my legs, and wrapped around my head.

Breed doesn't make that big a deal, I find.. Cats aren't domesticated the way dogs are to the point where certain traits can be "guaranteed" as part of their breed. It varies more by individual personality. Once he gets more comfortable, he may open up and want to be more social and physically affectionate, but try not to expect it and hold that standard to him - it's not fair to either of you, for you to expect a cat to act a certain way and for him to not want to, or not be ready to live up to it. You may love him to bits now, but he needs more time to warm up to you. He'll show love in his own way when he wants.