Kitties and Company

I had a houseguest come visit for a week, and it is always the same old
thing--this wonderful little tabby who does all these cute things turned
into a neurotic little hider!

he was here for about a week, and toward the end of the week Gracie came out
of
hiding as we sat in my office. We ignored her completely, and she began
rubbing on my leg. I continued talking to him, absently petting her but not
looking at her. She left, came back in, and announced her presence with a
meow! Then she sprawled under the work table and gazed at my friend.

But the next day, she was hiding again.

Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was raised in a
one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

cybercat wrote:
I had a houseguest come visit for a week, and it is always the same old
thing--this wonderful little tabby who does all these cute things turned
into a neurotic little hider!

he was here for about a week, and toward the end of the week Gracie came out
of
hiding as we sat in my office. We ignored her completely, and she began
rubbing on my leg. I continued talking to him, absently petting her but not
looking at her. She left, came back in, and announced her presence with a
meow! Then she sprawled under the work table and gazed at my friend.

But the next day, she was hiding again.

Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was raised in a
one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

My tuxie Little Devil *loves* people - anybody & everybody & as soon as he
hears the door or doorbell goes racing to it to be there to greet whoever's
coming in. No matter who or how many people are here visiting, he's right
there, in their face, hanging around, following the newcomers whereever they
go. On the other hand, Coco, hears the same door or doorbell & makes a
beeline for a cupboard or, if he's got time, upstairs under a bed. If there's
a crowd, Coco won't re-appear until everyone's gone. If just 1 or 2 visitors,
he'll come out, cautiously after awhile. Coco wasn't like this the 1st 2
years we had him - he was also very friendly - until one time we went on
holidays & left the youngest of our boys to look after the (then) 3 cats. I
don't know what my son did to him - I think he shouted & yelled & who knows
what else a lot thinking he was "protecting" Tigra who was quite old from ?? -
but we noticed right away on our return Coco had become very frightened
whenever the doorbell or front door opened. We've never allowed this son to
do any feeding or looking after cats since then when we go on holidays.
M.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

On Tue 10 Jul 2007 06:57:46p, cybercat wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav :

snip
Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was
raised in a one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

Shamrock loves everyone - doesn't matter what they're here for. He
loves to supervise people who are working for me. Especially if
they have to use a flashlight. I have to watch him because he
escaped one time through the front door that a worker didn't shut
all the way.

Rhett and Scarlett are littermates and came to me at the same time,
at about 9 weeks old. Rhett is totally skittish, and won't show his
face for anyone, and won't come out for hours after company leaves.
Scarlett will hide at first, but she eventually comes out to see
who's here. They both had the same experiences growing up, so I
don't know why they are so totally different. I guess it's like
people are.

Bonnie was feral, and is still impossible to pick up, but she's
made incredible strides at becoming a house cat. I remember one
time when she was here with me less than a year, and a friend came
over to watch movies and when she peaked to see what we were doing,
he ignored her. She was so brave as to approach him and let him
pet her. All because he completely ignored her. She's never acted
like that with anyone since. My mom stayed at my house for a week
one time (before Scarlett and Rhett) and Bonnie eventually came out
of hiding for her. The way Bonnie acts sometimes, I suspect that if
she'd never been feral she would have been a very people-social
cat. I think the feral part is just too ingrained in her at this
point. After 4 years, I doubt she's going to open up much more.

--
Cheryl

Mr. Bonkers is a guard cat. No hiding for him. The doorbell rings and he's
right there waiting to claw anybody that invades his territory. A good sniff
and if he doesn't like you, your shredded. We have a "beware of guard cat"
sign hanging up and everybody laughs... until they get shredded. He's as
gentle as they come with us.

"cybercat" wrote in message
...
I had a houseguest come visit for a week, and it is always the same old
thing--this wonderful little tabby who does all these cute things turned
into a neurotic little hider!

he was here for about a week, and toward the end of the week Gracie came
out of
hiding as we sat in my office. We ignored her completely, and she began
rubbing on my leg. I continued talking to him, absently petting her but
not
looking at her. She left, came back in, and announced her presence with a
meow! Then she sprawled under the work table and gazed at my friend.

But the next day, she was hiding again.

Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was raised in a
one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

cybercat wrote:
I had a houseguest come visit for a week, and it is always the same old
thing--this wonderful little tabby who does all these cute things turned
into a neurotic little hider!

he was here for about a week, and toward the end of the week Gracie came out
of
hiding as we sat in my office. We ignored her completely, and she began
rubbing on my leg. I continued talking to him, absently petting her but not
looking at her. She left, came back in, and announced her presence with a
meow! Then she sprawled under the work table and gazed at my friend.

But the next day, she was hiding again.

Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was raised in a
one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?




This begs the question - do you consider your cats to be furniture?

Or do you consider them to be entertainment?

Or do you consider them to be part of your family?

Never mind - you already answered the questions with your post.

"Fred G. Mackey" wrote in message
. ..
cybercat wrote:
I had a houseguest come visit for a week, and it is always the same old
thing--this wonderful little tabby who does all these cute things turned
into a neurotic little hider!

he was here for about a week, and toward the end of the week Gracie came
out of
hiding as we sat in my office. We ignored her completely, and she began
rubbing on my leg. I continued talking to him, absently petting her but
not
looking at her. She left, came back in, and announced her presence with a
meow! Then she sprawled under the work table and gazed at my friend.

But the next day, she was hiding again.

Our other cat comes right up to everyone, and she also was raised in a
one-cat, quiet household.

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?




This begs the question - do you consider your cats to be furniture?

Or do you consider them to be entertainment?

Or do you consider them to be part of your family?

Never mind - you already answered the questions with your post.



I consider you, and idiots like you, to be depressing. **** off, Fred. Go
play with your itty bitty teeny weeny dick. It's a revolting job but someone
should do it, it might improve your personality.

HTH.




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"mariib via CatKB.com" u22469@uwe wrote
Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

My tuxie Little Devil *loves* people - anybody & everybody & as soon as he
hears the door or doorbell goes racing to it to be there to greet
whoever's
coming in.

That is so precious! Our Boo runs and hides when the doorbell rings, but
comes out to see the visitors shortly thereafter. It is as though it is the
bell
that scares her, not the people. She is a tuxedo too!

No matter who or how many people are here visiting, he's right
there, in their face, hanging around, following the newcomers whereever
they
go. On the other hand, Coco, hears the same door or doorbell & makes a
beeline for a cupboard or, if he's got time, upstairs under a bed. If
there's
a crowd, Coco won't re-appear until everyone's gone.

Isn't it interesting how different they are, how each is a unique
individual?


Were yours raised from kittens, in the same place?




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"jmagerl" wrote in message
t...
Mr. Bonkers is a guard cat. No hiding for him. The doorbell rings and he's
right there waiting to claw anybody that invades his territory. A good
sniff and if he doesn't like you, your shredded. We have a "beware of
guard cat" sign hanging up and everybody laughs... until they get
shredded. He's as gentle as they come with us.


Awww! One time Gracie seemed to guard me when someone knocked on the
door in an angry way. Instead of fleeing as she normally would at a loud
noise,
she came and planted herself between me and the door. All vicious 7 pounds
of
her! Mr. Bonkers sounds very sweet. Your personal watchcat!



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

"Cheryl" wrote

Shamrock loves everyone - doesn't matter what they're here for. He
loves to supervise people who are working for me. Especially if
they have to use a flashlight. I have to watch him because he
escaped one time through the front door that a worker didn't shut
all the way.

Gracie used to escape, until I scared her to death shrieking
and crying the last time she ran out the front door. (We live
on a residential street that has nonetheless become very busy
with people cutting through to avoid traffic on the larger roads,
and I just knew she was going to get creamed.) I yelled "Gracie
NOOOO" and was in tears, and she circled the shrubbery and
ran right back in the front door to me with a look of utter alarm.
Since then she has never tried it! That's when I knew she loved
me.


Rhett and Scarlett are littermates and came to me at the same time,
at about 9 weeks old. Rhett is totally skittish, and won't show his
face for anyone, and won't come out for hours after company leaves.
Scarlett will hide at first, but she eventually comes out to see
who's here. They both had the same experiences growing up, so I
don't know why they are so totally different. I guess it's like
people are.

I think it is, and I don't know why that surprises me.


Bonnie was feral, and is still impossible to pick up, but she's
made incredible strides at becoming a house cat. I remember one
time when she was here with me less than a year, and a friend came
over to watch movies and when she peaked to see what we were doing,
he ignored her.

This is how Gracie was with my friend.

She was so brave as to approach him and let him
pet her. All because he completely ignored her. She's never acted
like that with anyone since. My mom stayed at my house for a week
one time (before Scarlett and Rhett) and Bonnie eventually came out
of hiding for her. The way Bonnie acts sometimes, I suspect that if
she'd never been feral she would have been a very people-social
cat. I think the feral part is just too ingrained in her at this
point. After 4 years, I doubt she's going to open up much more.


You know, Cheryl, I think she might continue to open up. You have
had cats who grew old, and if they were like mine, they continued
to change and develop in their responses to you and the other people
around them. Gracie has now been here six years come November,
and she just recently began to feel comfortable enough to express
displeasure when I snatch her up to maul her with love, hahaha! Like
many cats, she usually just wants to come rub on me, or maybe lie
down flush with me in bed and be petted WHEN SHE IS IN THE
MOOD, but she does not want to be snatched up and held like a
baby. I know this but sometimes I just cannot help myself and I do
it. Until recently, she might wiggle but she would not make a sound.
Now she complains in that whiny meow until I put her down. I better
quit doing this, or claws might just come next!

She has always been one of those heartrendingly grateful rescues,
you know? So polite. She gets so agitated when she hurls in the
middle of the night, she comes to me and cries plaintively until
I get up and clean it up. It's like, "ooo, I made a mess but please
keep me!" And the little "query" cries she makes when she
approaches me to be petted in bed are so precious. It's like she's
saying, "is this a good time?" And she creeps up to see if I am
sleeping, and sometimes creeps away if I don't open my eyes and
greet her.

Anyway, Bonnie might surprise you. Regardless, I know she is a
happy, lucky girl, and she knows you love her. I wish they could all
have such loving homes.




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Jul 10, 6:57 pm, "cybercat" wrote:

Do your cats act differently when you have overnight company?

My cats love company. As soon as someone rings the bell, my Mickey
runs for the door to see who it is. Then he proceeds to show off for
whoever it is by running around like a maniac, or asking them to give
him a belly rub. Meesha is more shy, but she still likes to check out
company. Now my last cat was a hider. In fact whenever we went out
of town and had someone come in to care for her, she would hiss at
them. Didn't make it easy to find a cat sitter, lol