(Mods: please don't merge this with my previous thread as you did last time, this is a new topic. Thanks!)
Anyway, I need some Cat Behavior 101. I never had an indoor cat before, and I've had this kitty (a little under a year old) for about a month since rescuing her from the outdoors.
She has gone from hiding and scared to come near us, to accepting pets, to being an almost dog-like companion within the course of a few weeks. Kitty follows me around during all her waking hours, plants herself in my lap when I sit down, and waits by closed doors until I come out. She waits for me in my chair when I'm not home. All that is fine, I enjoy it, but now she is getting a little more aggressive.
She's not aggressive in a hostile way, but seems to be asserting herself. She's hung out with me all day, playing around the room but keeping tabs on me. But as soon as I try to leave the room, she puts herself in front of me and swats at me. She is clearly trying to prevent me from leaving the room. Is this similar to "alpha" behavior in dogs, or is this a whole different thing? I know with dogs you are not supposed to let them precede you down the stairs or out the door but is it the same with cats?
Also, she likes to hide behind my chair and then jump out at me, which I suppose is the normal behavior of a young kitty wanting to play?
At night, when we go to bed and close our bedroom door, Kitty stands outside and meows, but the one time I tried letting her come in our room she kept pouncing on me, swatting me, nibbling on me, etc. She clearly wanted me to play, and didn't want to settle down, so we had to put her back out.
All this is to ask what "normal" cat behavior is as opposed to a Kitty being too attached to a person and/or behaving too aggressively. My take on it is that she finally feels comfortable enough with me to be a little more assertive and playful and if so that is a good sign!
Thanks!
Anyway, I need some Cat Behavior 101. I never had an indoor cat before, and I've had this kitty (a little under a year old) for about a month since rescuing her from the outdoors.
She has gone from hiding and scared to come near us, to accepting pets, to being an almost dog-like companion within the course of a few weeks. Kitty follows me around during all her waking hours, plants herself in my lap when I sit down, and waits by closed doors until I come out. She waits for me in my chair when I'm not home. All that is fine, I enjoy it, but now she is getting a little more aggressive.
She's not aggressive in a hostile way, but seems to be asserting herself. She's hung out with me all day, playing around the room but keeping tabs on me. But as soon as I try to leave the room, she puts herself in front of me and swats at me. She is clearly trying to prevent me from leaving the room. Is this similar to "alpha" behavior in dogs, or is this a whole different thing? I know with dogs you are not supposed to let them precede you down the stairs or out the door but is it the same with cats?
Also, she likes to hide behind my chair and then jump out at me, which I suppose is the normal behavior of a young kitty wanting to play?
At night, when we go to bed and close our bedroom door, Kitty stands outside and meows, but the one time I tried letting her come in our room she kept pouncing on me, swatting me, nibbling on me, etc. She clearly wanted me to play, and didn't want to settle down, so we had to put her back out.
All this is to ask what "normal" cat behavior is as opposed to a Kitty being too attached to a person and/or behaving too aggressively. My take on it is that she finally feels comfortable enough with me to be a little more assertive and playful and if so that is a good sign!
Thanks!
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