hi guys i need help understanding my new cat Simba

[donnasimba]

could somebody explain the behavours of cats to me.  My new cat wags his tail,  follows me around, meows at me but when i go to pat him he runs off,  sometime i chace him.  I find him hiding and waiting for me then when i go to pat him he runs again????

He never sits on my lap or doesn't like to be held.  I can pat his head only and very rarly do i hear him puring??  I think he is happy, but how can you tell>>>>>

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Welcome to TCS! I think your question would get more notice in our Behavior section: http://www.thecatsite.com/f/5/behavior. You might want to try posting this there (a moderator may move this for you; I'm just not sure who I see on right now.). But I'll try to answer too.Your kitty could be playing a game with you or he might not like being chased. Are his eyes big? Is his fur on his neck or back raised? Is his tail fur puffed out? Whenever I am around a new cat I try to be quiet and gentle with them. I'll hold out my hand for them to sniff my fingers before I try to pet them. Then if they enjoy that I might try playing with them with a toy. Something simple like dragging a pencil back and forth near them on the floor to see if they bat at the other end. I don't think most of my cats like to be chased really. We are awfully big compared to them. How old is your kitty?

 

[donnasimba]

Hi and thankyou for you answer,  simba is 12mths old and his fur is raised when we play, whether is chasings or just playing with a string.  he seems very happy but im just not sure because we have never had a cat.  He follows me around all the time and i put him on a runner in the yard and i sit and watch him always.  I think he was mistreated/ or just unloved by the original owners.  thay didnt' mean any harm, they just had no time. I don't want to take him to the vet at the moment, they charge like a wounded bull in aust.  So ill go their when needed.  Is there a forum on cat behavour?

 

[carolina]

Hi and thankyou for you answer,  simba is 12mths old and his fur is raised when we play, whether is chasings or just playing with a string.  he seems very happy but im just not sure because we have never had a cat.  He follows me around all the time and i put him on a runner in the yard and i sit and watch him always.  I think he was mistreated/ or just unloved by the original owners.  thay didnt' mean any harm, they just had no time. I don't want to take him to the vet at the moment, they charge like a wounded bull in aust.  So ill go their when needed.  Is there a forum on cat behavour?

Did you just get him? It might be that he just needs to get used to you.... cats are very different from dogs, and they need to get used to you in order to get comfortable..... Don't push yourself onto him... let him come to you.... don't chase him.... be gentle.... talk to him softly... approach him slowly and always let him come to you....
Is this the cat that took 8 days to poop for the first time? Seems to me this cat is constipated.... and it might need a vet, actually..... This can be trouble, let alone painful....
Have you taken him to the vet when you took him home - for deworming, vaccines, etc? Is he current on everything and healthy?

 

[AbbysMom]

I'll move this to Behavior for you.

 

[speakhandsforme]

Hi!! I agree, if you just got him, please take him to the vet for a check-up. We can help you find low-cost vets in your area.

You can try this chart for reading cat body language. http://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/cat-body-language

 

[donnasimba]

Hi all ive been on here before asking for advice.  I would like to know how long befor my cat comes arounds to me.  I adopeted him 4.5 weeks ago and he still does'n't want to cuddle.  He played with me today i lyed on the floor and he was laying thier and i reached over to him and he started liking my fingers then he wrapped his paws around my arm and started to bite, not hard at first, but then got harder when i played back? was he tring to tell me something or was he just playing. (roughly).  I did say no to him and told him that was too hard but its was the only reaction i have had from him Playing i mean.  He does follow me around( see other post) Im longing for the day he jumps on my lap or kneads me body with his paws.  I wonder if that will ever happen? Hes twelve months old. I know hes only new to our home but hes a ragdoll renowned for the effection?  Not mine? Any way for those who read my post, Still no poo from simba this is day 3.

 

[p3 and the king]

Well, unfortunately not all cats are cuddlers and lap cats.   He was probably just playing  with the biting.  Just take your hand away from him and say no firmly.  And don't allow him to do that any longer.  You don't want him starting a bad habit, or continuing a bad habit... Whatever it may be.  He is still young and playful so being affectionate can come with age.  However, not all cats are lap cats.  And not all cats knead.  None of mine are kneaders.  Breed description is not really something you should base your decision on.  All cats, regardless of breed, are individuals. 

For instance, Persians are supposed to be lap cats and not like heights.  Well, Phoebe is a lap cat but she adores heights.  Piper is not so much a lap cat and likes to be held on her terms. She is better than she used to be. She used to not like being held at all.  She would let me pet her, though.  But, with age, she has grown more affectionate. 

With rescues (if he is a rescue) you really may not know his whole situation.  He could have been traumatized or abused in some way and he needs to be able to reestablish trusts in people.  Have you taken him to the vet yet?  You really need to if you have not.  You really should within the first few days after adopting.  He could be constipated is my guess. 

I wish I could tell you more and reassure you that he will come around.  It could only take time and patience and all that but the truth is, this might just be him. 

 

[mimi3908]

Some cats just don't like to cuddle up to people. One of our kitties FiFi was very attached to me in the very beginning because she was probably very afraid of her new surroundings and grew comfortable around me. Months later as she and another resident kitty began to get along, so she was less affectionate with me, just as friendly though, but she spent more time with the other kitty, which was fine by me as long as she was happy and healthy. Recently, about 10 months after we got FiFi, we decided to adopt another kitty Emmi (the trio of our kitties). Because of the introduction process, we had Emmi in her own room and I had to spend some time with her alone to get her adjusted. This trigger a lot of jealousy in FiFi when she noticed I went to a room and disappeared. So now she started following me more and more again and even slept with me for the first time in a long time then also for the first time ever, jumped up on my lap when I watched TV and stayed there for hours. Clearly, she wanted my attention and didn't want me to go upstairs to see the "new" girl in the house because she would follow me and stayed outside until I come out to be with her. I don't expect her to continue with this sudden burst of new affection for me sensing that she is just acting out jealously. I'll savor the moment though. As time goes by, we are quite sure she will befriend the new cat and we will be in the background cleaning up their playful mess...

 

[orientalslave]

With cats it's all about loving and adoring them for what they want to be, not what we want them to be.

And whilst certain breeds are meant to have particular personalities, at best it's an average only.  For example, Orientals are generally pretty smart cats but one of mine isn't - unless he's so smart he knows he will have an easier life by appearing to be dense!

He is also fairly new to you, so will still be settling in, and personalities can change as cats get older as well.

Love him for what he is, play with him - 'Da Bird' type toys are great, you can have rough games without getting shredded.  He follows you round so he has some attachment, hopefully he will express it more over time.

PS got any photos? 

 

[mrblanche]

Cats change over time, and after only a month with you, your boy is still pretty new to the situation.  The good news is that it often changes as if a switch has been thrown in the cat's brain; one day he's aloof, the next day he's all over you.  And I have seen it go the other way.  I remember the last time Punkin got in my lap; he's never done it again, in almost 8 years.  But he is affetionate.  He follows me around, he meets me at the door when I come home (no matter what time it may be), he sleep up above my desk, he comes in the bathroom.  He's just not a cuddler.