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#1
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scritch reactions
I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when
one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I deployed somewhere. Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind her attitude, and I think all cats SHOULD expect scritches, it's just that she expects them. Sammy is the same way. On those rare ocassions when Sammy can hold still long enough, she jumps up, demands scritches for awhile, then jumps down when she's had enough. Neither seem especially thankful, it's something they expect as their due from hoomins. Rocky was the extreme other end of the spectrum. His years as a feral had taught him not to expect good things from hoomins. To him, laptime scritches were wondrous things, something he learned to love but never expected. He would never consider just jumping up onto a hoomin lap. Rocky always had to be coaxed up. The closest he ever came to asking was to sit and silently look up at me. Once I told him it was okay, he'd jump up, but he had to be convinced that it was okay and was always ready to jump right back down in case he was reading the signals wrong. It was always like he wasn't sure if I REALLY wanted him up there. Once I started to give him some scritches he'd relax and enjoy the wondrous feeling. He never EXPECTED scritches, he always seemed surprised to receive them. They were wondrous blissful things. I learned that he was a silent purrer (you could feel the vibrations, but seldom heard anything. And he was drooller. He'd purr and knead and drool, purr and knead and drool. Also, he never completely relaxed. Despite his enjoyment, the slightest shift by the hoomin was taken as a signal that laptime was over, and he hopped right down. What he never really learned was that I enjoyed his laptime as much as he did. I was always very careful not to shift around, even when his kneading got a little painful - he never did learn not to use his claws. Spotty is somewhere in the middle. When she wants some lap time she starts by reaching up and touching me, and she's very vocal so isn't the least bit shy about asking if she can get some laptime. But, if I don't respond, she'll jump and and park herself on my lap without any coaxing. When she's getting some scritches she shows her enjoyment. When I look down at her it's usually to see her gazing back at me - she seems to be saying thankyou for the scritches. If there's a pause in the scritching she'll sometimes stand up and touch noses with the hoomin. Unlike Rocky, she does completely relax. In fact, she'll sometimes roll off my chest and I'll catch her with my arm. She'll lay on her back, craddled in my arm like a baby, and the whole time she'll be looking up at me. -- Steve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot with loving memories of Rocky (RB) [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html |
#2
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scritch reactions
Spotty sounds so sweet. Kitty scritching is great, but having her on
your lap must be extra special. Suz&Spicey |
#3
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scritch reactions
I loved reading these, Steve, esp. about Rocky and Spotty. I still think of
Rocky and all you did for him. When we first had rescued Oreo in August of 2001, she was sooo shy, didn't want to be touched. I remember trying to get her to sit in my lap for about 5 seconds by December of that year. Now, however, she's an attention hog of major proportions. She meows for attention all the time and would settle for scritches 24/7 if she could get them. Midnight loves attention but on her terms, as in, she must be the initiator but then all the world must stop if she wants your attention and we have to be careful she doesn't get overstimmed. Robin is sooo sweet and goofy but he has taken awhile to adjust to scritches and still likes to be the one to initiate petting. However, what is so cute is that he will be the absolute first cat to curl up with me on the couch or bed. Tucker, still amazes me by how sweet and trusting he has become. He jumps up in laps quite spontaneously now and hides his head in complete bliss in your arms and just loves the petting. Christine "Steve Touchstone" wrote in message ... I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I deployed somewhere. Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind her attitude, and I think all cats SHOULD expect scritches, it's just that she expects them. Sammy is the same way. On those rare ocassions when Sammy can hold still long enough, she jumps up, demands scritches for awhile, then jumps down when she's had enough. Neither seem especially thankful, it's something they expect as their due from hoomins. Rocky was the extreme other end of the spectrum. His years as a feral had taught him not to expect good things from hoomins. To him, laptime scritches were wondrous things, something he learned to love but never expected. He would never consider just jumping up onto a hoomin lap. Rocky always had to be coaxed up. The closest he ever came to asking was to sit and silently look up at me. Once I told him it was okay, he'd jump up, but he had to be convinced that it was okay and was always ready to jump right back down in case he was reading the signals wrong. It was always like he wasn't sure if I REALLY wanted him up there. Once I started to give him some scritches he'd relax and enjoy the wondrous feeling. He never EXPECTED scritches, he always seemed surprised to receive them. They were wondrous blissful things. I learned that he was a silent purrer (you could feel the vibrations, but seldom heard anything. And he was drooller. He'd purr and knead and drool, purr and knead and drool. Also, he never completely relaxed. Despite his enjoyment, the slightest shift by the hoomin was taken as a signal that laptime was over, and he hopped right down. What he never really learned was that I enjoyed his laptime as much as he did. I was always very careful not to shift around, even when his kneading got a little painful - he never did learn not to use his claws. Spotty is somewhere in the middle. When she wants some lap time she starts by reaching up and touching me, and she's very vocal so isn't the least bit shy about asking if she can get some laptime. But, if I don't respond, she'll jump and and park herself on my lap without any coaxing. When she's getting some scritches she shows her enjoyment. When I look down at her it's usually to see her gazing back at me - she seems to be saying thankyou for the scritches. If there's a pause in the scritching she'll sometimes stand up and touch noses with the hoomin. Unlike Rocky, she does completely relax. In fact, she'll sometimes roll off my chest and I'll catch her with my arm. She'll lay on her back, craddled in my arm like a baby, and the whole time she'll be looking up at me. -- Steve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot with loving memories of Rocky (RB) [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html |
#4
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scritch reactions
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:32:11 -0600, Steve Touchstone
yodeled: I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I deployed somewhere. Little Bit jumps up and pretty much demands scritches. Not that I mind (snip) Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise us. My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me (or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove her nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling-- she liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be wrapped in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough to us, but she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back for more. Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on me, purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though, compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses. Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when he's awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much like Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when he's a bit more grown up. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War |
#5
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scritch reactions
"Steve Touchstone" wrote I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. snip wonderful anecdote Mine run the gamut from tentative to lap fungus. Abelard doesn't demand often (a few times a day) but when he does, I'd best forget about whatever else I was doing at the time. Beatrice nags and nags, but from a distance, and you can't help but feel sorry for her and invite her up. She only does it once or twice a day. Billy politely asks permission and then doesn't stay too long, which is a good thing because he's huge. I think he knows what an imposition he is, and that if he stays very long I will start working on the matts in his fur.. Eli doesn't jump into my lap, he just hangs close to me and demands to be petted. Once I start petting him, it's hard to get away because if I try to stop, he quickly snags my clothing and pulls me back. Lily is the one most often in my lap, and she never waits for an invitation and never gets down willingly. She's content to just sit there, but if I do interact with her in any way, she talks. And talks. And talks and talks and talks.... Baby Eyes is very much the same as Lily in her demands, except she goes in cycles. I might not find her in my lap for a week or more at a time, then for a few days she becomes a lap fungus (much to Lily's dismay). Also, anytime there is a storm in progress, Baby Eyes cannot be dislodged. Tommy will jump up without an invitation and then walk in circles on my lap before scrunching himself down. He purrs extremely loud if I then give him any skritches. He's also hard to dislodge. |
#6
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scritch reactions
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 05:32:11 -0600, Steve Touchstone
wrote: I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. Your scritching sessions are delightfully detailed. An enjoyable read. My cats also have their individual ways. Sheba is cunning. If a hand strays near her, she snags it and runs her face along the hand and sometimes nips if I try to pull away. Also, I pet her face real good before I give her insulin. If I get in a hurry and don't pet her first, she will yowl and snag my hand as I pull the needle away. So I have to pet her twice as much before she is satisfied. Djoser likes to reach up and prick my leg while I am sitting at my desk or watching tv. When I reach down to pet him, I can't do it absentmindedly while watching tv. Oh, no; it is a full time job petting him as he weaves back and forth and really gets into the petting with purring and drooling and snagging my hand if I get slack. When Robin wants petting, he will maneuver to get onto the front of my shoulder where i have to hold him or risk his claws from him hanging on. If he is on the floor and I bend over to pet him, he instantly reaches up and grabs my shoulders with his front claws and lifts his hind feet. Once I straighten up under the load of 15+ pounds, he gets into his favorite position with his body curled up and his haed under my chin and kneading my neck. He takes these cuddle sessions very seriously. If I get tired from his weight and try to rest his body on my desk, he will maneuver so that my warm arms are on the cold desk instead of him. And the cuddle session goes on and on until I have have enough loose hair up my nose and tell him it's quitting time. -- CATherine |
#7
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scritch reactions
Kreisleriana wrote:
Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise us. My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me (or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove her nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling-- she liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be wrapped in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough to us, but she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back for more. Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on me, purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though, compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses. Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when he's awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much like Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when he's a bit more grown up. You're so right about them surprising us however experienced with cats we are, Theresa. Miranda is such a delicate little cat, I've always treated her with kid gloves. It is only recently that I've discovered that she likes a bit of rough handling! She's just so tiny and skinny, it never crossed my mind to 'cathandle' her before. One day when I was feeling playful, and she seemed playful too, I carefully scritched her a little harder, then a little harder. She lapped it up, purring her little silent purr and rolling over. Then I kneaded her all over, and she was in seventh heaven. Now I give her the rough stuff every now and then. ;o) -- Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki |
#8
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scritch reactions
Marina wrote:
Kreisleriana wrote: Steve, I think we are always intrigued by what our cats do, no matter how experienced we are-- they always seem to find ways to surprise us. My tiny Mimi was not a lap cat, and didn't like being held, but she expected, NAY demanded, skritches and attention, and was anything but subtle about it. When watching TV at night, she would leap up on me (or the ex, or both of us), and knead away determinedly, and shove her nose under our hands. She also liked very vigorous handling-- she liked to really *feel* her skritches. She really loved to be wrapped in a big towel and rubbed down roughly-- seemed very rough to us, but she would be in heaven, bounce right out and come back for more. Stinky is a lap cat, a velcro cat, and loves to sit near me, or on me, purring. He needs to be touched very gently and lightly, though, compared with what tiny Mimi liked. Stinky also likes being picked up and held and cuddled, and getting face-to-face kisses. Dante immediately adopted me as his Mommy, and loves to sit in my lap when he's finished playing and knead away like crazy. In fact, the guys fight over my lap. But Dante still has too much energy when he's awake to sit still very long for skritches. But he's so much like Stinky termperamentally, that I think he will be the same when he's a bit more grown up. You're so right about them surprising us however experienced with cats we are, Theresa. Miranda is such a delicate little cat, I've always treated her with kid gloves. It is only recently that I've discovered that she likes a bit of rough handling! She's just so tiny and skinny, it never crossed my mind to 'cathandle' her before. One day when I was feeling playful, and she seemed playful too, I carefully scritched her a little harder, then a little harder. She lapped it up, purring her little silent purr and rolling over. Then I kneaded her all over, and she was in seventh heaven. Now I give her the rough stuff every now and then. ;o) The thing I find so amazing is, how they manage to tell us what they want. :-) -- Adrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk |
#9
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scritch reactions
Steve Touchstone wrote:
I've been thinking lately about the different reactions I've seen when one of my cats jumps up for some scritches. I've only had four cats as an adult - I spent 20 years active duty in the Army, and as a single soldier never thought it right to get a pet and have to rehome it if I deployed somewhere. snip Soncek is not a lap cat unfortunately. Otherwise he loves scritches, but only on his own terms. Best wishes, Polonca and Soncek |
#10
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scritch reactions
I agree, Wilson wouldn't get on my lap in a fitand yet he gets whatever he
wants. the only time he will lay on me is I when I get up in the night when I get back in he stands up at the bottom of the bedand slowly heads up to the top where he waits till I hold up the covers for him to get in, then settles across my thighs and kneads them to death while he purrs and I stroke him, bad timing for me but I love it anyway. Purrs Jean. Suz wrote in message ups.com... Spotty sounds so sweet. Kitty scritching is great, but having her on your lap must be extra special. Suz&Spicey |
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