Was my cat about to try to eat me last night?

[BonitaBaby]

Thank you!!! I do love her SO much and am so, so happy with her except for when I'm fearful, but I've learned to ignore those moments now. I'm too sensitive to her facial expressions and what's she's doing...

She's a very good, awesome kitty, always walking the perimeter in my room & the 2nd bathroom and checking things out. I was watching a compilation of funny cat videos last night and she came running in my room when she heard two cats yowling at each other before fighting. I wish I hadn't startled her, but I think she came running in to protect me. ^_^

Kitty just had another $50 worth of cat toys purchased for her online! =D

 

[catspaw66]

 
Kitty just had another $50 worth of cat toys purchased for her online! =D

Yep, you are hooked, now.  You are about to have an interesting lifetime. Sometimes, the ride might get a little rough, but in the end it is always worth it.

 

[BonitaBaby]

Thanks! =) I had estimated spending ~$200 on start-up costs for her when I planned to get her...but I think it's been about $600 maybe with the Feliway supplies I've stocked & all the toys & blankets, etc. I still have to pay the $300 pet deposit. But I love her and keep the A/C on for her during the day while I'm at work so she'll stay cool. I'm definitely hooked! It only took a day spent with her before I was thinking that if I die and she eats me, that's fine...=P

Edit: I just don't want to die by cat...

 

[BonitaBaby]

I just want to add that last night I realized that the same fears I have about my cat, she must have about me...

She mostly gets up and runs away and hides when I get up off my bed or anywhere. My black fuzzy slippers with a big, fuzzy bow on top kind of resemble a bunny, I realize...so she stares at them excitedly with dilated eyes while crouched, "hiding" in one of her pet blankets, as I walk around usually...looking like she may pounch at any moment.

Occasionally, she doesn't run off when I'm walking nearby or getting up, which I like because I don't want her to be afraid of me, but I realized we are both still in the "Introduction" phase. We are still trying to get to know each other and are checking to make sure the other one isn't going to attack or do any harm. She doesn't know that I adopted her planning to keep her as my forever kitty and will feed her twice a day, etcetera, and not harm her intentionally. Maybe accidentally, but hopefully not ever.

That said, she did get on my chest last night with her ears flattened back last night and eyes dilated staring at my face that was 2 inches away...which seemed aggressive...but I didn't look at her face and ignored her and a moment after, she got off me and curled up at my side...*phew* I think I need to make less eye contact with her...

Edit: Actually, I'm not sure if her pupils were dilated...I think they were, but as soon as I saw the flat ears, I looked away and lay still...

 

[momto3cats]

 I think I need to make less eye contact with her...

A good idea with any cat, especially a fearful one. Direct eye contact is seen as a threat.

 

[BonitaBaby]

Thank you, momto3cats! Yes, so I've learned once again. I learned this years ago with one of my sister's cats. I thought we were having staring contests...it wasn't until I asked her, "why does he keep staring at me?" I'd forgotten or thought it wouldn't apply to my cat since my sister's 2 female cats were not really aggressive, dominant types, especially the tiny one. My sister's cat who would do the staring was a big, long cat, not fat at all, but pretty huge and very smart & possibly part Siamese or something different as he didn't look like the usual cat.

I was trying to give my cat "cat kisses" eyes when she caught me looking at her, but I will try to cut that out as it probably is doing the opposite or something...

It is just not fair, as silly as that sounds, because my cat stares at me sometimes, but I need to avert my gaze or only stare when she doesn't see me looking, like this morning when she was very happy with her new Fancy Feast turkey & giblets wet food and was eating it. ^_^

 

[BonitaBaby]

In case anyone comes across this thread, I thought I'd update it...My baby Bonita and I are doing wonderfully!

The initial fear period passed quickly after I created this thread to vent my fear over her licking me so hard while I was sleeping (and at her mercy). I'd been reading up about cat behavior and some of what I read bothered me like my cat initially not covering her poop or how cats haven't changed much and are still little predators.

I started not liking that her not covering her poop might mean she was trying to be the "dominant" one between us and show me who was boss by not covering her poop. Then, she licked me so hard that it scared me awake and I was fearful she might try to really bite me or attack me since she was feral before she was caught and brought to the shelter.

After I created this thread, I read less about cat behavior and decided to stick to my philosophy of not disciplining her for anything and not caring if she was trying to be "dominant". It's made everything great! ^.^ I just read this link this morning and am very glad I never bought a squirt bottle to squirt my baby with water or anything: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

After a while, I realized she might just not have been covering her poop because she was quickly trying to finish and get out of there since she was still getting used to my/our place and me. After a couple weeks, she must have relaxed more and now almost always covers her poop. I'm SO glad I didn't try to take her paw and drag it through the litter to "teach" her to cover her poop like I read about online. I think that would have backfired since she isn't a kitten and already knew how litter worked. I just decided that her not covering her poop was no big deal and then I lucked out because she does cover it now.

I'm also very glad I didn't try to "teach" her who the dominant one was or try to teach her to be scared of me. She already is fearful when I get up too quickly as she is smart and knows to be alert. She always seems to wait to gauge my mood towards her before she comes over to greet me when I get home after work. I think it's very smart. I'm always happy to see her and immediately start talking to her happily but my kitty has a great survival instinct!

She still gets really upset if I pick up her favorite toys (my sweatpants drawstrings) to try to play with her, but I then I just leave them alone. I rarely touch them but occasionally try to pick one up to swing around to see if she is okay with playing with me this way. As for wands, I basically introduce them, swing them around and then cut the feathers or toys off the wands and give them to her immediately because those upset her as well if she doesn't get to keep them after she sees them. Unfortunately, she figured out quickly that I am the one that controls the laser pointer but she still loves to play catch with crumpled up flyers or her toys.

I spoil her a lot and love buying things for her but I need to play with her a bit more. It's wonderful when I see her playing by herself with her many toys though. I think she's very happy at my place. My living room is very junky-looking because I leave cardboard boxes out all around for her and have blankets on the ground and toys scattered around and crumpled up flyers also. Whenever I get a new box from a delivery, I usually bring it home to see if she will like it and she usually does! I realized that me just bringing a box home for her can be the best present for her

yet I still buy lots of stuff considering I've only had her for less than 3 months.

I had the door open the other night when I got home and was putting down bags and didn't shut the door right away and she wasn't interested in outside at all.

One day early on after I got her, I went to throw out the garbage and the front door blew open because it wasn't locked and I got back up the outside steps to my second floor apartment to see her just sitting in my/our doorway waiting for me! I shrieked in fear and she ran inside but I'm so glad she likes my/our place.

My apartment door opens to the outside so she could have just ran away if she wanted.

The main things that I don't let her do are chew plastic and eat chocolate! Crazy cat loves plastic and the smell of chocolate!

I have to thank Comfort Zone with Feliway for our great relationship though. I used to spray that all over her safe room when I first brought her home and it helped so much. Then, I sprayed it daily in the living room and my bedroom when she was allowed out of her safe room. I put a Comfort Zone with Feliway diffuser in my living room after about a week. When she starts biting my hand at the end of the month, I know it's time to change the plug-in. She doesn't break my skin but she'll start just biting and scratching, then after I change the plug-in, she's all peaceful again and only bites if I need to stop petting her. I hardly spray the Feliway now but instead change the plug-in and will continue doing so as long as the price stays good on Amazon.com where I buy the refills.

We made great progress petting-wise and she quickly let me pet her back instead of biting immediately and now she likes me to just pet her a bunch sometimes. A couple weeks ago, I dared to try to pick her up and she's okay if I do that for a minute or two sometimes now.

I notice she gets really happy if I give her a new cat food that she really likes and will come over then to be petted a bunch.

She scratched me up really good last week but that was my fault as I was holding her and opening the shower door to try to "show" her the shower. Freaked her out.

I also dare to lightly touch her exposed stomach fur now once or twice when she's rolling around on the ground at my feet and she doesn't even bite!

She is so adorable and is my precious baby and my whole life revolves around her at this point!

I love it when she decides to curl up right next to me to sleep. She seems to sleep the soundest then and runs and twitches in her dreams but stays asleep!

I can't believe my first post in this thread and don't want to read it now.

My baby is my little baby and I want to keep her forever!

 

[catspaw66]

Some cats never cover their poop. I have had Sheba for 4 years now, and she was about 4 when I got her. She still does the poop-and-scoot. If one of the others doesn't cover it, I will if I go by and see it.

I am happy to hear that you and Bonita are settling in with each other. It does take some time to get used to each others quirks. Your house sounds like mine. If they want to play with something, it stays on the floor. I have boxes, plastic bottles and even an aluminum can.

 

[BonitaBaby]

 
Some cats never cover their poop. I have had Sheba for 4 years now, and she was about 4 when I got her. She still does the poop-and-scoot. If one of the others doesn't cover it, I will if I go by and see it.

I am happy to hear that you and Bonita are settling in with each other. It does take some time to get used to each others quirks. Your house sounds like mine. If they want to play with something, it stays on the floor. I have boxes, plastic bottles and even an aluminum can.

Thanks! I'm very lucky my baby covers her poop. 

It's a little startling to me sometimes how my living room is now and my bedroom floor also. Before it was messy and I had to do a lot of cleaning to make my place okay for my cat, but I always wanted a place that did not look lived in. I wanted a place that looked like a hotel room that was empty. Now my place is filled with cat stuff and stuff for my cat and I love it that way!

I also love that I'm forced to "cat proof" my place and be mindful of hiding stuff that my cat might accidentally ingest. It's a win-win.

 

[matts mom]

I can see that you two have made great progress together. I'm glad that you're feeling better about each other.  I have a suggestion regarding play time, that might help if she's still possessive over her toys:

You could try getting an interactive toy like the classic string on a rod, or Da Bird......make it your toy, and put it away when play time is over. This way she can be possessive over all of her own toys, but you can still play with her without her feeling like you're going to steal her toys.

My cats like the rod and string, and the laser pointer best. Also, the youngest cat Loves to play 'fetch' with pieces of kibble. I throw them, and he catches and eats them. We can't end the night without a game of 'fetch' now. Sometimes we take the rod and string, and pull it through the house, so that the string drags on the floor. Matt loves to chase string that drags on the floor. A long bootlace is great for that game, tied to a stick. 

 

[bethabaloo]

As a cat owner of twelve years I was a bit surprised to see that no one said what I was thinking when I read your first post here. I know that the issue is resolved, but I thought I might be able to shed some light on what happened with your kitty a few months ago and why she appeared to be "evil" and the reason for the lick on your arm.

The thing you have to realize about cats is that their emotional states are almost never conveyed through their facial expressions. If your cat looked "evil" it probably had nothing to do with how she was feeling inside. The best way to gauge how your cat is feeling is to watch its ears and tail and other body language, and never through their eyes. A cat uses its eyes to see, almost never to emote.

Also, your behavior that day likely confused her a lot. Reading your post describing your behavior was actually a little confusing for me, and I hope in your research you realized that providing a consistent and stable place for her to play and eat and do her business goes miles and miles towards making her feel comfortable in your home. What makes shelters so hard on cats is the constantly-changing environments. She'll find comfort in having a routine with you. Presenting her with a bunch of new stuff isn't going to "please" her, it's just going to confuse her and stress her out.

The big thing that made you afraid was her licking you extremely hard on the arm and I think that was probably just her way of trying to get your attention. I don't doubt that it startled you, and she probably picked an extremely sensitive place to lick you (intentionally or not). Cats aren't known to lick people as an act of aggression. I'm willing to wager a lot that she'd probably tried to wake you in other ways and resorted to something a little more attention-getting before you woke up. Or she could have been licking that spot for a while and the one that woke you was the rough, hard one on already sensitive skin. Even if she does lick her food to get a taste for it before she eats it, she wouldn't really try that on another living creature.

I know that all of this is way in the past for you and I'm just sort of rambling on, but I just wanted to reassure you that you have nothing to fear from your cat. She sounds like a fuzzy little taskmaster and I think you've got your work cut out for you, but that kitty is going to be as loving and affectionate as you let her. Just keep a consistent environment filled with lots of love.

Also: on the bit with the toys. I wouldn't leave them all over the place. It's highly likely that having them out all the time will make her bored of them and as much as it "upsets" her to take them, it's good to put them away (except for her favorites, of course) and encourage her to play with you. Wands are a great way to get your kitty exercising and engaging with you, so don't cut them up! Try to make them a special treat she gets to enjoy with you and then put them away when she gets tired. I know it makes you sad to think that she didn't get her own toys at the shelter, but she's living with you now and she'll learn after repeated use that you're not "stealing" her things.

I wish you luck with Bonita and I hope you two have a wonderful time together.

 

[ziggy'smom]

I was going to mention the lots of toys issue too. I love to spoil my kitties too and it's great to see them having fun with a new toy. But a lot of new stuff all the time isn't good for the kitty. It's actually more confusing and overwhelming. Cats like familiarity and routine and when there is a bunch of new stuff in their lives it unsettles them. The reason cats rub up on you and things in their environment is to put their own scent on everything to make it familiar. I think maybe some of your problems in the beginning was that it was a little too much at once for Bonita. It's best for cats to just have a few toys at once. Keep the other toys in a box and rotate them.

Instead of buying gifts for Bonita - because fact is they are just as happy to get a box or an old shoelace - maybe you could put the money in a savings fund for future vet bills. Sooner or later she will need some kind of vet care and it is not cheap. There is nothing worse than standing there with your suffering baby and not have the money to help them.

While I'm at it I just wanted to clarify the issue of feral cats. A lot of people confuse feral with stray but it's not the same. There is a very important difference. Bonita was never feral. She was just stray, or homeless, for a while. If she was a feral cat before coming to the shelter she wouldn't be anywhere near you or any other humans. Feral cats are cats that were not socialized with humans when they were kittens and basically become wild animals. A feral cat fears humans as much as a racoon in the woods do. If you try to touch them, if you even get near one, they will attack out of fear, just like a racoon would. Once this behavior is set it's almost impossible to change. Before 8 weeks you can tame a feral kitten in a few days. As they get older it gets much harder and requires significant effort and they may never be like tame cats. Once adults they will almost always remain feral or semi-feral.

Since Bonita is clearly a tame cat, although a bit fearful with new people, she was socialized with humans as a kitten and never became a feral cat. She most likely had a home in the past but lost it for some reason. So any behavior you see is just her personality and doesn't have anything to do with feralness (is that a word?) so you don't have to worry about feral behavior.

I'm glad it's working out better with Bonita. Cats are really cool creatures and so much fun to have around, most of the time

 

[BonitaBaby]

Thanks for your posts!

I currently have a bunch of toys hidden away that I'm waiting to give to her one at a time, hopefully spaced out enough, but then I will look for the Da Bird and some other suggested things after I've run out of toys. I keep meaning to not buy more toys for a while, but I came across some stuffed animal-like hand puppet toys that turned out to be perfect for her as I gave her a yellow ducky one the other evening and she immediately loved it. She rubs her head against it's big head and then rabbit kicks it to death and has moved it around and played with it repeatedly. I have more of them in different animal types hidden away for her  along with two of the long stuffed animal-like dog toys that she likes.

Yes, I am hoping that I can be able to play feather wands and wand toys with Bonita properly soon, but for now, I realized she gets distressed if she cannot claim the feather and keep it. I'm actually really glad that I figured out to cut the feathers off the wands and just give them to her. They are among her favorite toys and she actually plays with them by herself a lot. Just last night she was pouncing on something on my bedroom floor repeatedly and I figured out it was one of her feather toys. She loves to pick it up sometimes and then race from my bedroom door to the living room sometimes or vice versa and she's chewed them almost to death! 

She is actually really very into independent play, but I still want to play with her a bit more. Plus I figure if she ever did any hunting and killing of birds out in the wild or streets, then she is used to getting to keep the bird or dead prey after she catches it. It sounds like she had some catnip toys at the shelter, but I forgot to ask for them so she could feel comforted when I brought her to my apt. I think it worked out anyway as I presented her with several toys right away and she slow blinked as if in acceptance. I probably screwed lots of stuff up, but got really lucky since it worked out well for both her and I. She came out of hiding pretty quickly to greet me after I brought her home and, fortunately, I sat still and only petted her a little and didn't touch her when she turned her back on me and sat that way. I think she trusted me very quickly and played with her toys pretty quickly at night in her safe room as they were moved around later on.

I was hiding toys at first with her as I'd read online so she wouldn't get bored, but I watch her and she will suddenly grab one and start playing with it so I've left them scattered all over. I think at this point, she'd find it strange to have all her stuff that she's used to having out everywhere gone...but I've made mistakes with her obviously and been very fortunate that everything is really great with us!

She is actually not scared of vacuums!

But she hates it and gets distressed when I have to move her toys and blankets and boxes around to vacuum. It just seems best for me to leave stuff out for her for now.

I actually was just thinking yesterday (No Joke!) that I should put the money I want to spend on her toys and blankets into a jar or account for her future vet bills, but I'm good for now as in I can care for her if something is wrong or goes wrong. I decided to wait until January to take her to the vet, so she can go for a vet visit and get her rabies shot done at the same time. Also, some testing done as I'm fearful she picked up illnesses while living in the wild or the streets.

I am purchasing less toys for her since...well, I've almost accumulated all of the ones I want for her from Petco.com already. 

I do think about a "fund" for her though and will be putting some money aside just for her...maybe I'll get her her own Money Market...

I actually was just thinking the same thing about the cat eyes last night. I'm not kidding. I was thinking of the online post I had read before I posted the first post in this thread...someone had posted somewhere about her cat trying to kill her suddenly. I'm not sure if it was on this forum, but it was one of a few "my cat is trying to kill me!" threads I read online that probably contributed to me freaking out about my cat licking me super hard while I was sleeping and woke up to find her staring at me like she was doing. I almost wanted to find that thread last night and post that that woman's "evil cat eyes" as it kept trying to trip her all the time suddenly, even down a flight of dark basement stairs, was not "evil". I had to live with my cat for over 2 months to figure out that my cat's eyes don't mean what I thought they did. Previously, I didn't really like looking at my cat's eyes during daylight...that must sound strange and terrible, but I liked my cat's eyes most at night when they were fully dilated and she looked cute and non-threatening. I found the slitted pupil-look during daylight to be a bit scary...but now I love looking at my cat all the time and don't feel scared of her. Fortunately, she is used to my bad attempts at slow blink cat kisses. After a couple attempts, she'll either slow blink at me in response or look away like she doesn't care and not bother looking at me again maybe because it was a successful attempt. I've read a little about how misunderstood cats are by most humans and I agree. It's a lot easier to understand dogs, I think, so there's a bigger learning curve for some cat owners, like with me.

I am misusing the word "feral" apparently, but I believe that some cats could have never had human contact up close and be feral and wild, but then be okay with humans depending on their personalities and how the humans interact with them....especially if they get trapped and need to rely on humans for food and discover catnip and toys (and Feliway). I have wondered if my baby had a home before...but  I would hate to think Bonita had a home once and then was just tossed out unless she ran away...although I can see that if I didn't have Comfort Zone with Feliway plug-ins, our relationship might not be so peachy...

What I have been doing sometimes with her toys is move them around so she'll find a toy inside her new cat tunnel or somewhere else to play with again. One day I think she and I will be able to play wand toys "properly"

but I just adore her and she's my world and I love that she seems happy with me. I'm SO very happy with her and think I got the perfect kitty for me right off the bat!

However, I was open to accepting her personality, whatever it turned out to be, so maybe that's why I think she and I are a perfect match together! 

I even like her little complaining noises sometimes when I can't think what she could be complaining about...it's so cute and sounds sweeter to me than if my cat chirped or something. Her complaining noises are brief (once usually) and she seems fine after I say, "Whaaat? O_O " or "What is it? What's wrong?!? O_O " or if I imitate her. Sometimes, I think it could just be because I got up from my bed so she got up from where she was sleeping on her blanket to follow me and is complaining that she "had" to get up...stuff like that. And she's so sweet when she seems to stand guard outside the bathroom when I'm using it.

 

[BonitaBaby]

I didn't want to prolong this thread of mine...but I just have to say that so far, for my baby girl, cutting the feathers off the end of the wands really is the best course of action for now. I used to take a wand out in the beginning when I just got her and I'd swing it around for her and she'd chase it and catch it, then make noises of distress when I tried to move it again. I didn't understand her at first and would try to keep playing with her with the wand the "proper" way and she would stop after I ignored her cries of distress and pretend to be disinterested. She would stare as I put the wand away in a cabinet and not say anything more. I did this several times with two different types of wands until I figured out...she is really distressed that I am taking away the feathers and/ or bird with feathers on the wand.

If you could have heard her last night when I brought out the new feather wand I had just bought, then you might understand why I cut the feathers off the wand. It doesn't come across as "playing" with her when I keep the wand and don't give it her. She seems to see it as I am trying to take the feathers or bird with feathers away from her and she keeps trying to claim it as her own and makes distressed noises to let me know how bothered she is.

I've played feather wands with my sister's four cats before and none of them acted this way about wand toys.

It's really just best for my little girl to see the wand toy, get to chase it, catch it a couple times, then keep it after I cut the toy off the wand. I realized she looked a bit bored on Sunday, so yesterday I got her a new feathers wand toy and she was playing with it last night a bunch. She was pouncing on it and also carrying it around in her mouth and chewing it up = pure happiness for her.

She and I play together with me throwing crumpled flyers or light toys or swiftly rolling those cage balls with the rattles inside on the floor so she chases them. I played more with her this past weekend and also a little with the laser. After a long while, I think I can play wand toys with her without cutting the feathers or toys off, but it will be a gradual process.

As for all the stuff on our living room floor and elsewhere, it was sort of gradual that all that stuff accumulated, so she wasn't overwhelmed at first by all of it. I just kept going out and buying some stuff and bringing it home and putting it out, then doing it again, and again, and again, etc. It got to where I think she thought it was strange if it didn't bring bags of stuff home, either my groceries or her groceries or boxes of stuff for her or me.

And I'm actually super glad our apartment evolved into this weird space filled with stuff everywhere. She finds new hiding places in the living room all the time to "hide" and peek out at me sometimes when I'm in the kitchen...I realized she is waiting to play more sometimes. =/

But she literally "owns" about 100 things in our apt and so I think she would never run away. All of her stuff is at my place.

I think she'd only run off if she got too scared by someone...even then, she'd hide under my bed first, I think. But if she ever escaped, not that she's ever tried, I think she'd head right back and cry outside my door to be let in to get back to all of her stuff.

I was so worried about her wanting to go back outdoors since she was formerly living in the wild or on the streets, but it's not been a problem at all.

 

[samnmag]

I read your thread and all the postings.  You have got some really great advice from kitty parents but I can see you are also starting to grow as a cat mum.  You can't beat hands on experience.  The one thing you really need with any pet is consistency.  Yes, she probably had a very rough time on the street and she is lucky to be alive.  With cats, I found that time and quiet handling is the best.  Give her some space if she wants it.  I must say though it sounds like you are now in a wonderful spot with her.  Sometimes I think people tend to forget they are dealing with walking, talking and thinking little bundles of fur.  I had a large male rescue for 17 years and when I first got him, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.  Like yourself, I bought out the pet store toys, and everything else I could think of that he liked.  Luckily I worked 10 hour shifts so Sam could have some space for himself.  After about a week, he started to come out but was wary of me.  It wasn't hard to figure out he had not been treated well.  Sam and I became best of friends but he did manage to keep the vets at arms length.  He was not a cat to be taken lightly but I trusted him and he was my world and knew it.  When he was 10 he was diagnosed with diabetes and I figured I was going to lose an arm when I went to give him his insulin shots.  This is where he showed me how smart he really was because he knew, after the vet gave him the insulin, that it would help him and God bless him, for the next seven years, he cooperated.  When at 17 I had to send him across the bridge due to a stroke that took his ability to walk away, I was 1000% sure my world had also ended.  That was in 2002.  My point here (long winded as it is) is we don't know with rescue cats what they go through and it just takes time, patience and lots of love to bring them around.  It sounds like you have crossed that barrier and your little one is well on her way to a balance, fun and loving life.  She knows she is safe now and her trust will grow and grow and she will be your world.  Best wishes and give her a snuggle (or at least a pat) for me.

 

[BonitaBaby]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so sorry to hear about your cat crossing the bridge but sounds like you gave him a great life! He sounds so great with those shots you had to give him and trusted you so much. I hope to give my cat the best also and I'll give her a cuddle for you.

 

[miao_kitty]

Most of your questions/concerns have been answered in this thread (and I haven't read the 2nd page) but I just wanted to add a little something:

Nighttime is when cats are naturally more active.  With Shermie, I have spent years and years training him to sleep at night because otherwise he drives me crazy.  However, sometimes in the middle of the night, or in the evening he get's a little crazy.  My mom likes to say that he "gets a hair/bur up his butt" and just runs around like a madman, pouncing on everything, eyes super wide and sometimes tail and fur puffed out.  I am not sure what this is, but he has never tried to kill me while doing it.  Mostly he just runs and pounces on toys.  Maybe something spooked him, or he had a bad dream or heard a noise outside.  Or maybe he sees ghosts or aliens...I don't know...hehe.  But usually he calms down quickly and starts licking himself like "What?! I ain't doing nothin'."  I think that's his hunter side. :-)

A few tricks I've learned to get kitty to sleep more at night:

- Vigorous play right before bed

- Some wet cat food/something protein rich to get them into "feeding mode" which is always followed by "nap mode". (I only do 1/4 can right before bed as he eats 1 full can +random dry per 24hrs).

- Keeping them awake more in the day - don't bother them, but if you catch them napping and they'll let you then go ahead and pet them or wake them up somehow.  Sometimes, play/food does that too.

Good luck!  Sounds like you love this girlie and she will adjust to you.  And, she will also change and you'll have to adjust together all over again.  Cats are a lot like people that way. :-) 

 

[BonitaBaby]

Thanks!!! Thankfully, she'll play by herself at night sometimes. I can hear her with her toys in the living room at night sometimes. Aww, she was just curled up next to me, purring away for 15 minutes before I had to get up. Baby is trying to make me late for work, but like I tell her every morning, I have to go to work to make $$ for her. 1

 

[BonitaBaby]

I wish I could erase this whole thread, but maybe another newbie cat owner will relate. I know now my cat just came over to lie next to me in bed for the first time back then, licking me hard on the arm to let me know she was fine with me. She just looked pissy and might have been fluffed out like when I first met her, so I misunderstood and got scared. She fell asleep soon after licking me hard and started snoring loudly, which was surprising. I'm glad the rescue shelter was closed for the night so I couldn't rush over and drop her off way back then. I love my cat baby!