Independent Kitty

[Kvla]

I have a 1 year old cat who was weaned too early. I’m really frustrated because she doesn’t show any signs that she even likes me. We’ve had some difficulties with her aggression, which we’ve been working on and doing super well at, but now it just feels like I have a distant cat. I’ll sit by her, she’ll get up and move. I’ll reach my hand out to let her sniff/let me know I can pet her and she’ll turn her head away. I stopped touching her back because she seemed extra sensitive and I open ever rub her face and cheek when she lets me.

All the other cats in her litter are very cuddly and I’m jealous. I feel like I did something wrong. Is there a way to encourage cuddly behavior as she gets older?

 

[susanm9006]

Even an independent cat likes to cuddle when they are sleepy, so if she is sleeping sit quietly next to her and pet her or stroke her forehead. If you don’t allow her to sleep with you consider changing that - cats love the warmth of another body while they are sleeping.

I don’t know how you worked in her aggression issues but I wonder whether that has had some leftover effect on her relationship to you. Perhaps if you describe her issues and how you handled?

 

[foxxycat]

I got a question..do you wear perfume? Or use alot of soap on your hands? Sometimes cats move away due to smells.

Try getting some cat nip and spread it on your hands and lap
See if that helps to entice to snuggle with you.

Also treats
Treats.
Treats.

Cats are very food motivated....try feeding treats when they come up on your lap
This is rewarding particular behavior and they will keep coming back to you. Only give 1 or 2 at a time...maybe this will help entice to snuggle with you.

 

[Kvla]

foxxycat I don’t wear any scents or over-wash my hands. It’s also hard to reward her for sitting in my lap when she doesn’t come near me, but I’ll try the best I can.

 

[foxxycat]

And yes snuggle her when she's sleeping..that is always the best time to get some long pets in before they wake up enough to swat at you if she is a swatter.

Also get one of those fuzzy microfiber blankets and see if she will make biscuits on it. Some cats will come up on their blanket on the couch and once it smells like them, they will more often sleep on that blanket. Once the blanket gets covered in some fur fron her, put it on your bed or area you want to snuggle with her...soon she will sleep on that blanket because she knows it's her blanket..which means snuggle time.

 

[foxxycat]

foxxycat I don’t wear any scents or over-wash my hands. It’s also hard to reward her for sitting in my lap when she doesn’t come near me, but I’ll try the best I can.

How about you make a line of treats to where you sit? Try that 3 or 4 times a day for a week.

Once you got her eating treats on the floor near you, start to put some on the couch or bed. See if she will take the bait.

Oh one more thing, if it's really hot in the house, she won't want to snuggle...i.in the winter I keep it fairly cold in here so my girl Honeybee will sleep with me.