is her attachment level okay?

[peekasoph]

I live with my boyfriend, my two year old cat Sophie, my 5 birds, and my 8 mo kitten Peekaboo. I admit that I have babied my kitten to death ever since we got her at 5 weeks. Im seeing behavior that I have never seen in a cat before. She is super attached to me. My boyfriend and I work the same hours so we home an equal amount of time. But I am the one who feeds them and cleans out their litter boxes. Once I hit the door, she follows me from room to room. If I am sitting in the floor, she is in my lap. If my lap is full, she is sitting beside me. If I am standing up, she is crying for me to hold her no matter what im doing. She wants me to hold her while I am cooking dinner or straightening my hair. If I take a bath, she sits on the side of the tub. If I take a shower, she waits in the floor. If i have to close a door, she sits outside it and cries. She even demands to go to the bathroom with me and sit in my lap. And the only time she ever really parts from me is about 4 nights a week. About half the nights I am laying down to sleep she either sleeps on her cat castle in the same room as me or she shares my pillow with me. She has full access to my boyfriend when he is home and the other cat 24/7. Is her attachment to me okay? I worry bc out of all 6 cats I have had before her, I have never had one so close to me the way she is.

 

[sugarcatmom]

 Is her attachment to me okay? 

Honestly, I'd be worried that separation anxiety might come into play. While not all cats that are super-attached to their people become neurotic about it, there is a risk that it could happen. Considering your girl was separated from her mom and siblings at the very early age of 5 weeks, that does increase the risk. If possible, I would maybe try to get your boyfriend to feed Peekaboo more often and get in some cuddle time with her if she'll allow it. Have him give her treats so that she also learns to associate him with wonderful things. Some info on feline separation anxiety for you:

http://www.petplace.com/cats/separation-anxiety-in-cats/page1.aspx

http://manhattancats.com/Articles/separation_anxiety.html

 

[peekasoph]

Honestly, I'd be worried that separation anxiety might come into play. While not all cats that are super-attached to their people become neurotic about it, there is a risk that it could happen. Considering your girl was separated from her mom and siblings at the very early age of 5 weeks, that does increase the risk. If possible, I would maybe try to get your boyfriend to feed Peekaboo more often and get in some cuddle time with her if she'll allow it. Have him give her treats so that she also learns to associate him with wonderful things. Some info on feline separation anxiety for you:
http://www.petplace.com/cats/separation-anxiety-in-cats/page1.aspx
http://manhattancats.com/Articles/separation_anxiety.html

Thank you. This is what I was worried about.

We found her and her three siblings in the back of a semi and everyone got a home. No sign of mom. She sometimes suckles on me still.

I should mention that she has no qualms about her dad. She will happily play with him and let him cuddle her and hold her. Its just very clear she has a preference for me.

She is also deathly scared of strangers. Taking her to the vet is a traumatic experience for us both bc she shakes and tries to hide in my clothes.

She also does not like visitors in the least. She runs and hides.

 

[brandy-neka]

I would try to encourage your friends to come over more often and when they do (if they're cat people) slowly try to bribe her to be around them with treats and such, so then hopefully she'll associate new people with treats. Also at your vets, give the vet techs and the vet treats to give her (not in  her view) to see if she'll take treats from them, and give her lots of attention there as well - but also try to let the vet techs give her attention. With my cat I was afraid that she wouldn't like the vets because a lot of pets don't but she's very good in car rides and then when we get to the vets, the vet techs give her TONS of attention. So by the end of the visit she'd be purring and playing and running around all happy in the room if I still need to talk to the vet or vet techs about something. I don't know how often u go to the vet, but it's better for animals to have a good view of the vet in my opinion.... 

How often does she play with the 2 year old cat? 

5 weeks is really young for when u got her, she's likely having some sort of behavioral issues because of that as well.. 

 

[maxkitteh]

My Burmese cat Max (5 months old now) is super-attached to humans too. He follows me everywhere, even in the bathroom. I let him play in the tub (which he loves) or if I need to be in there longer I just keep him out. He sleeps on my lap while I work. Oddly, he sometimes gives soft mews when he wants affection (which I give him all the time) and he likes being held, but he won't sit still to be petted most of the time. 

It can be a bit much at times but I'd prefer he was a Velcro-kitteh than standoffish.