Adopted My First Cat Yesterday, And Now I Can't Find Him.

rubysmama

rubysmama

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When he scratches your hand, say "oww oww owww" in a high pitched voice to let him know it hurt you. Same thing if he bites. I've read that's how momma cats and sibling kittens communicate that a kitten has gotten too rough. It's possible your kitty was taken from his mom too young and was never taught how to "play nice".

Also, if/when you can hold him, clip the tips of his claws. Until you're comfortable with nail trimming, just clip the very tip, as if you clip too far down (into the quick), it will bleed and hurt him. Clipping off the sharp tip will at least protect your hands until he learns to keep his claws in. If he won't let you hold him long, just try to do one claw at a time, whenever you can. How To Best Take Care Of Cat Claws
 
doomsdave

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maeglutz maeglutz , kitties often play rough when they're young. No holds barred; one minute they're so sweetly cuddling in your lap, the next, they turn into tiny tigers of terror.

I've had many a scratch mark to bear witness. They often draw blood, but they won't hurt you. The problem, of course, is getting people to realize that.

This one, Andwee, loved to sit in the crack of my computer desk and scratch my fingers when I typed. Ouch, but oh well. She suddenly just got over it, boom, and stopped.

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Here she is in full over the shoulder sweetie-pie mode.

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mazie

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Just remember, cats are a very different species than dogs, including when it comes to play and affection time. As mentioned earlier, cats do not like sudden movements, sees then as hostile moves. Cats also do not appreciate "rough housing". When approaching and petting a cat, you movements need to be slow and concise. You can see this by the way they react when a human is waving a wand toy is front of them. Notice how alert and how fast he starts gearing up into the "attach mode" at the wand, which represents prey. You don't want Kitty to see your hand as prey.
 
doomsdave

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mazie said:
Just remember, cats are a very different species than dogs, including when it comes to play and affection time. As mentioned earlier, cats do not like sudden movements, sees then as hostile moves. Cats also do not appreciate "rough housing". When approaching and petting a cat, you movements need to be slow and concise. You can see this by the way they react when a human is waving a wand toy is front of them. Notice how alert and how fast he starts gearing up into the "attach mode" at the wand, which represents prey. You don't want Kitty to see your hand as prey.
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Oh, but they do, and they will, until grown up a bit.
 
Yanaka

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You will have to be patient with this little guy and not diabolize his behavior. I always say: keep in mind that cats aren't "assholes." They're complex and they don't accept rules, but they're not what popular opinion says.

With this in mind, don't forget that you JUST adopted this kitty. He was hiding for a very long time, and although he appears to trust you, you have to be very careful around him. If he hid from food and comfort for so long, and without giving hints as to where he was stuck, he must have been terrified--and likely still is. He is polite and tolerating your stimulations, but maybe give him a break. I'd under-pet, under-play just a tad so you do NOT risk him being stressed, tired, in other words: beyond the point of him being polite, and to the point where he swats "back off." Your boyfriend dipped into your interaction and your cat is probably still tense. Don't be sad, scared or whatever--understand that cats are very serious about their space, especially ones who've just had all their world change.

And boy do cats hate change. If I remember correctly, you got him from a shelter? So that's the third change, and the second one (the shelter) he was miserable. Be patient, hold on to your loving ambitions! :) In the meantime, while you're giving him more space, you can read a bunch of stuff on the forum. It's a loving community here that knows their kings and queens thoroughly! I encourage you to do so especially if this is your first kitty. You will discover a fascinating world of subtlety and grace.

If it helps, one of my fosters (that I got at around 6 weeks) did not want me to touch her or come too close even though she was young. I let her be, petted her briefly when she came to me if she let me, and was always very fast with our physical interactions. If the cat learns that he has to tell you to get out and has to claw or bite, he/she will be stressed, won't trust you, and will be defensive (at least that's what I believe). She's adorable now (although still quite particular about the terms of our interactions and about who can love her), but she's still evolving. It's pretty interesting! She's six months now, and I'm still discovering her--and the other way around I guess. That's just to say, control yourself and be short, gentle, and positive!
 
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tarasgirl06

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Yanaka said:
You will have to be patient with this little guy and not diabolize his behavior. I always say: keep in mind that cats aren't "assholes." They're complex and they don't accept rules, but they're not what popular opinion says.

With this in mind, don't forget that you JUST adopted this kitty. He was hiding for a very long time, and although he appears to trust you, you have to be very careful around him. If he hid from food and comfort for so long, and without giving hints as to where he was stuck, he must have been terrified--and likely still is. He is polite and tolerating your stimulations, but maybe give him a break. I'd under-pet, under-play just a tad so you do NOT risk him being stressed, tired, in other words: beyond the point of him being polite, and to the point where he swats "back off." Your boyfriend dipped into your interaction and your cat is probably still tense. Don't be sad, scared or whatever--understand that cats are very serious about their space, especially ones who've just had all their world change.

And boy do cats hate change. If I remember correctly, you got him from a shelter? So that's the third change, and the second one (the shelter) he was miserable. Be patient, hold on to your loving ambitions! :) In the meantime, while you're giving him more space, you can read a bunch of stuff on the forum. It's a loving community here that knows their kings and queens thoroughly! I encourage you to do so especially if this is your first kitty. You will discover a fascinating world of subtlety and grace.

If it helps, one of my fosters (that I got at around 6 weeks) did not want me to touch her or come too close even though she was young. I let her be, petted her briefly when she came to me if she let me, and was always very fast with our physical interactions. If the cat learns that he has to tell you to get out and has to claw or bite, he/she will be stressed, won't trust you, and will be defensive (at least that's what I believe). She's adorable now (although still quite particular about the terms of our interactions and about who can love her), but she's still evolving. It's pretty interesting! She's six months now, and I'm still discovering her--and the other way around I guess. That's just to say, control yourself and be short, gentle, and positive!
Click to expand...
*Just thanking you for a great post.*
 
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