Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Claire_smc on March 16, 2010, 21:20:18 PM
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In our house we have 3 people - me, my boyfriend Si and our friend Phil. When all 3 of us are at home, Pepsi will only ever sit with me, she'll never go and sit on Si or Phil's laps if I'm there, and only very occassionally when I'm not there. I'm the one who gives her the most attention, I sort out all her food, water, litter tray etc. Recently though we've been having a bit of a problem in that when I'm not at home she'll stand at the door to the living room and yowl for me. If I'm at work she'll be ok for a while but then about an hour or so before I come back she'll miss me and start crying at the door. As soon as I come home she calms down immediately and either comes and sits with me for cuddles or just curls up and goes to sleep. The thing is, it's not as if she's left completely alone, there's normally one of us in and there's not many days when the house will be completely empty. I think she's a bit of a manhater though, she's always tolerated being fussed and cuddled less with the lads than she does with me, and she seems quicker to lash out at them. I don't know if that has anything to do with it though! Has anyone got any suggestions about how I can stop her from worrying so much and yowling when I'm not here?
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I've just seen that there's a thread called Separation anxiety in the Cat Behaviour Guides :-[ I'm reading now!
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Haven't read the other thread but think I'd ask the boys to play with her and see how she gets on.
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Could be she just doesnt like men or even just them.
Maybe they have shouted or scared her at some point and she only really feels safe with you.
Get them to start putting her food down and maybe offering her treats,
I know Misa hates men although bothe he and Sasa dont like other people but they both have a very bad past.
is there anything in her past that may have caused this?
Men are sometimes rougher with animals and treat cats like dogs, that could be another thought
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They are both stricter with her than I am, I'll let her get away with things whereas they'll tell her off if she does something naughty so that could have something to do with it. They will both feed her if I'm at work and the food dish is empty/it's time for her dinner. To be honest I'm not sure what her past was like, she was picked up as she'd been abandoned by her previous owners so we know nothing about her life before she was rescued, it's possible that something could have happened to make her trust men less or it could just be a natural dislike for them.
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She just loves her Mum :Luv:
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What a nice thing to say :) I know, part of me is really flattered that she misses me when I'm at work, I must be doing something right! :evillaugh: She really is my little furry baby, I don't know how I managed to go 22 years without ever having a cat, although maybe I was waiting until the time came to find Pepsi and bring her home with me :Luv:
I'm such a soppy b*gger sometimes! :-[
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Have you tried the homeopathic Remedies for your cat? (bach remedies for pets)
I myself use Bach flower remedies and they have worked for me... the ones for human got alcohol but there are special ones for pets. I know there is one for anxiety ("stabilizer"). You put 30 drops on the water. I tried it with my cats and they seem more at ease.
Also if she likes catnip you can rub your friends with it and she may start relating them to something good.
Perhaps let them feed her so she can trust them more? My cats didn't like my BF but now that he gives them food and plays more and pays them more attention, they like him. Also giving the cat treats with the hand is nice, or grooming them is also a good way to bond...
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Also you can rub some toys so they keep your scent and leave them around....? I read that helps kittens when they go to a new home, to have toys that smell like mom....
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Pardon me while I keep posting and posting :)
Also, for a cat humans are too large and threatening ... I learned you got to kneel so you appear smaller to them and more approachable.... I also arrived and grabbed my cats saying hi but after I read more.. I arrive, kneel and wait for them to approach me before I touch them. They have been more loving and trusting that way.
Hope this was useful!