Ever tried to pet a cat that doesn’t want it?
when they want attention they know how to get it, and when they don’t they know how to handle that too.
My daughter and son-in-law have the coolest cat. Their two boys, ages 3 and 10 months, love that cat but sometimes play rough with her. She doesn't scratch or bite when this happens, she just gets up and walks away. If either of the boys pursues her, she climbs or hides.
When she's ready, she will come back and cuddle up with the boys, the Mom or the Dad. You can ignore her for so long and she'll climb on your lap or wrap herself around your legs so you can't. She knows what she wants and when and how she wants it.
I think this is normal, not exceptional behavior for house cats.