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Posted on 04/16/2005 9:31:21 AM PDT by Rakkasan1
One minute you are enjoying a tender moment petting your purring cat and then, suddenly, your lovey-dovey kitty whirls around and attacks you.
Cat lovers pull away wondering, "What just happened?"
"Most of these problems can be linked to people who acquire kittens too young in the belief that they'll develop a closer bond with the cat," explains Carolyn Osier, a breeder of cats for more than 30 years and an all-breed judge for the Cat Fancier's Association.
Having watched almost 300 litters of kittens develop, Osier notes that, just like children, certain feline social skills develop at different times. A kitten acquired at six weeks of age may be fully capable of eating from a dish and using a litter box but still needs to master social skills such as learning how to fight and play together. Kittens learn their more serious fighting and predatory skills by engaging in what look like serious tussles but actually are play battles that don't involve the use of teeth or claws. If a kitten chomps or claws too hard, the game is over, and he learns he has to control himself with family.
Given the importance of these skills for the cat's survival, missing these lessons sets the stage for problems later.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
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Oh. I thought cats attacked when they spotted a troll!
I think there's a guy in Michigan that'll take care of those troublesome cats.
The author hasn't known enough cats.
Mrs. Lurkin's cat is as devoted as a puppy. In fact he rolls over on her command and follows her around the house.
It's because we CAN. Youse got a problem wid dat?
I thought it was because their brains are about the size of a peanut. I love my big guy, but I don't think there are a lot of deep psychological processes going on inside...
LOL!
Anyway, we got her when she was a year old, and I knew her so well that I could playfully promote her little attacks and have it be all fun and games.
At some point, we will be getting a new cat (as soon as my wife feels she is ready to love a cat again), and I appreciate the insight in this article, since I have had no experience with kittens at all.
In the meantime, we are celebrating the arrival (and first successful feeding) of our yearling Ball python, who arrived via Fed Ex this past Wednesday and who seems to be adjusting well to his new environment.
Thanks, by the way to all my fellow snake loving Freepers who gave me such good advice about what kind of snake to get.
You python will love your new cat.
{^_^}
I sometimes incite my kitties to violence with trolls and
belly tickles. good luck on finding a new kitty.
Being deaf, she couldn't tell how loud she was "meowing." Sometimes she'd just "mouth" the meow, and no sound would come out. Other times, you'd be able to hear her outside the apartment, down the hall! She had a habit of sitting and just staring at the wall... Nothing there, just looking at the wall.
Getting back to the title of this thread, sometimes she'd walk up to you, sit down at your feet and "meow." Of course, being an adorble white, long hair domestic, you'd look down at her and say, "What do you want, Sara." All of a sudden, a confused look would come over her face, and it was like she forgot why she was there.... So she'd just start sharpening her nails in your shin!
Mark
bttt
[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]
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