Needy cat never happy

[planetx]

Hi, I've posted in ferals about the stray mother cat and kittens I've taken in. 2 kittens are homed now, and 2 left. But I've never encountered a cat that behaves like the mother does. She was living stray, but was being fed by people - I think that's how she learned to follow humans around, meowing incessantly. Now she and her kittens have warm beds in my shed, they have all the food they can eat, but the mother does nothing all day but follow me around crying. It's very strange - she doesn't seem to have any interest in doing anything. She doesn't explore the garden, or stalk insects like her kittens do. She wanders up and down agitated all the time, and the minute I go outside she follows me endlessly, meowing. She will leave her kittens behind to follow me. Of course I pet her and rub her head, but it's never enough. She never seems to just sit and chill out like my cats do (all day). She is also chasing away my 2 cats. When I can't take anymore, and the kittens seem tired, I close them into the shed for a few hours. Thats the only time she relaxes. Is this restlessness something to do with the kittens growing up? They're 12 weeks now, and the mother is spayed.
I thought she was just super friendly, but there's an urgency and weird anxiety to it that is really tiresome. Anyone encountered this kind of behaviour???

 

[mrblanche]

Keep in mind that she only gets you for a little while at a time, and her experience has probably taught her that nothing good lasts for very long, and even good people eventually disappear from her life. You may be the best thing she's ever known, and when you come outside, it may be the last time she ever sees you.

Your cats, on the other hand, know that you'll always be there for them, and you're always available to them. The food bowl is always full, the water is always clean, and spending a little more time in the sunbeam on the floor doesn't mean they may never see you again.

 

[jack31]

I agree with the given theory. Cats are smart and intuitive and she may very well fear losing you. We adopted our Harley from the shelter, he was there for 4 months and our understanding is he was brought in as a stray. It's taken some time to trust us at all, but now he's what I call overly needy at times. It can drive you nuts sometimes, but it also pulls at my heart strings. I recommend letting her know verbally that you are there for her, to take care of her and not going to leave her. I do this with Harley always, I also did this with a pregnant stray we took in to help earn her trust. I always let her know what I was doing and why I was doing it, like when I was weighing her babies and they would cry for her.

Leslie

 

[linda carella]

I know now from reading your post that my feral cat loves me and thinks I might leave. My cat acts the same way. Does not chase rabbits or birds. She just sits there waiting for me come out. I am giving her a nice home outside my porch. A heated house in winter and a nice cool bed in the summer. I wish she could come in the house but I dont think my in door cat would let it happen. I have my bella for 2 years now.

 

[ducman69]

I think mrblanche nailed it w/ the separation anxiety explanation, as that would be my best guess too. Once she realizes you're around more and not going anywhere, then she may settle down and feel more secure.

 

[jonesy]

My cat Mikey was like that when i first got him.. He was an abandoned kitten, and when i started taking care of him, he lived outside in my tool shed for a few months.. And he was pretty similar, he would just sit on my back porch untill i came out.. Then lots of whining and crying and following me around.. My mom wouldent let me bring him in the house because we already had a cat, so i carpeted my tool shed, and camped outside with him a few times.. That made him feel more secure and safe, and he cut down on the whining a bit, still did it though.. Once i brought him into the house it stopped altogether. Now he just whines when he wants something.. WHICH IS ALL THE TIME!! lol. but thats another issue..