outoing kitten acting skittish?

[kushmama89]

So for those of you that know me also know that we have had kush since she was about 2 weeks old. Im going to say shes about 14 weeks now. Well...she has ALWAYS been a very outgoing, never afraid of anything. She stalks our feet, she attacks and plays hardcore with our pitbull....well in the last week she seems to be getting a bit skittish. Not all the time...but shes not not herself. It used to be where if something got dropped she would come running and go into attack mode on it. Now i could drop a wash cloth and she puffs up and jumps. And shes seeing things that ARENT THERE. She will be walking and all of a sudden jump sky high for no reason and her tail will go bushy her back will arch her ears will pin and she will side winder walk. Sometimes she runs away sometimes she doesnt. And even with the dog she still plays with her and attacks her and they go at each other like crazy but sometimes if the dog even turns the wrong way the cat will do the whole poofing up deal. It seems like everything is freaking her out and scaring her all of a sudden. She can be playing with a ball and nothing happen but she will go running like someone banged a pot and pan right in her face.

She has gone over my neighbors house sinc she was two weeks with their three cats and they have never attacked her or anything. One hissed at her the very first time but that was 12 weeks ago. They all have been fine since and this is a daily thing. She goes and plays on their cat tree and they all have fun together.....and the same thing is happening there. If they come up to her shes all of a sudden arching her back and backing away from them and going bushy tailed like shes never seen them before.

Nothing has changed in her life. Nothing has happened to her. Theres NO reason for her (that i know of) for her to be like this. And when she acts like this my neighbors cats and my dog all seem SO confused like they have no clue why shes freaking out on them.

 

[yayi]

I am not sure but it just could be the fact that she is developing her feline senses. My rescued kittens were daredevils and what-not when they were younger but I've noticed that they are behaving much like yours lately. I don't really mind because the 3 end up playing with each other so I consider the "strange" behavior as part of their kitten growing up games. 

 

[kushmama89]

I just dont want her turning into a shy, hiding cat. Ive never been a cat person. Ive never hid m distaste in cats honestly until we rescued Kush. Everytime we have gone to a friends house or family members their cats have always hid or gone running. Sometimes they would eventually come out and be timid unless it was my one friend that i was there EVERYDAY. Only my neighbor with the three cats that Kush plays with is the only one that i know that has cats that dont care whos around. And thats how Kush has been. No matter who comes over she runs to greet EVERYONE at the door and as soon as someone sits on th sofa shes at their feet sniffing them or up on the back of the couch investigating their face and hair. I dont want her changing to finding a hiding spot when someone new comes inside. I like how social and AMAZING she is. Ya..some people get a little annoyed by how bold she is because she likes to stalk and "attack" people because shes a baby still..but they understand. They dont hate or anything and even when they get annoyed they usually end up laughing at her silly antics rolling around like a dog or attacking the dogs tail, chasing her own tail, pouncing on imaginary bugs, and people love seeing the "giant" pitbull get beat up by the itty bitty kitty (and she does woop her butt! Shes super mean to my dog...full force bites her with her ears pinned and everything but i think shes practicing her stalking skills) my dog loves it...she just lays there and sometimes her leg starts going like shes geting her belly rubbed...couple of weirdos....

Guess im just worried cuz like i said i was never a big cat person and we have been doing so good at keeping her social and loving towards everyone. I just dont want that changing. Sorry if that sound selfish and mean...=\

 

[kushmama89]

And i guess my noncat lovingness comes from me being highly allergic. As a kid my eyes and airways would swell shut id break out in hives id start having sneeze attacks and usually end up in the hospital if i was even in a house where a cat had been. Now that im older that has greatly diminished and with the help of allergy meds i can give her cuddles and love as long as i wash my hands. The only problems i have now is when she likes to sleep on my face and i wake up with asthma attacks lol. We cant keep her off the bed but shes learning to stay on my husbands side or atleast at the waist or below. and we keep a air purifier running in our room. =] but i didnt want anyone to think i straight up hated cats or tortured them haha.

 

[physicsgal981]

Kittens - like puppies - have fear imprint periods where they are terrified of everything.  It is how the learn what to be scared of and what not to be scared of.  It sounds like your kitten may be going through one of these periods.  Bad news is that if something completely terrifies her during this period she'll be scared of it for life.  Good new is they don't last for very long. 

 

[otto]

Aw, she's just going through a phase. 3 1/2 months is a fun age, with all that spooking and puffing up and dancing sideways. Everything is an adventure to her!

It's true that many cats hide when people come to the house. It doesn't mean they are fearful. It's just a precautionary thing. Cats, in general don't like changes in their routine, so they go to their safe spots to adjust to the situation.

Of my current cats, one goes to her Safe Spot, one stays where she is and ignores anyone who comes in, and one greets everyone with meows, pats of her paw and "come watch me play with my toys" invitations. And they were all raised in the same environment.

 

[kushmama89]

Oh my well right now it seems EVERYTHING is terrifying her! Lol. Or maybe she is just putting on? She is my little drama queen....

Its so funny to watch her get so fluffy. Especially when shes "fighting" the dog. She gets the bottle brush tail, her back arches then she will smoosh one of her cheeks against the groung and bat at her. It just worries me because she seems to be running into walls head first a lot more lately. She was always a little goofy and sometimes would even be looking straight at the wall and would run into it but now she gets so worked up and in these wscared fits she get up to turn and run she ends up running into a wall. =\

She goes in and out of these moments though. Owwww. Right now shes playing atrack mommts pony tail with claws on my bare back. Lil bugger :lol3: