Runs Away Then Attacks Scratching Post

[Caspers Human]

I've been noticing an interesting behavior with Casper which has me scratching my head.

When I try to play with him or, sometimes, just approach him in order to pet him, he'll run to attack one of his scratching posts. (We have two scratching posts for Casper.)

Casper has always been a skittish cat, especially around me (the man-human) but even around his favorite girl-human. He is the only cat that I have had that is so skittish. I know that this is because Casper was abandoned outdoors by his former humans so I don't blame him for this kind of behavior. (I'd probably behave that way if I was abandoned! )

Casper is the sweetest, most well-behaved cat I have ever known. He rarely makes noise. He is fastidious about using his litter box. He doesn't jump onto the kitchen counter. (The only place that is off-limits to him.) He doesn't destroy furniture. The only thing more that I could want would be for Casper to be more outgoing and playful.

I often get the impression that Casper wants to play but isn't quite sure.

I wonder whether Casper's behavior isn't a form of sublimation for the "fight or flight" response... i.e. He wants to play but is afraid to so he runs away and scratches on his scratching post as substitute.

What do you think?

 

[susanm9006]

Scratching is a stress reliever for most cats, so when you approach Casper he gets stressed and scratches. I used to have a cat that had to use her scratching spot whenever I scolded her for something or the other cat annoyed her.

He probably is conflicted about playing with you. For some cats that have been homeless the approach of a human hasn’t always been positive and something to be fearful of but at the same time they are drawn to the things we provide. Definitely there is a pull in two directions for them.

Some things that work for my semi feral girl are not approaching her, but letting her come to me when she wants petting. I do create games for her like hiding treats under plastic cups or placing them in a water bottle with cutouts so that she has to roll it around to get them. And she loves to roll golf balls and other small balls and loves it if I stand across the room from her and we roll them back and forth.

When it comes to toys, you need to try all different kinds -some cats have a strong preference for certain kinds of toys. Some of the best I have found are cat springs from Ethical Pets, and Yeoww catnip bananas.

 

[Caspers Human]

When a person feels stress, he might drink a beer or smoke a cigarette. So... You're saying that when a cat feels stress, it might attack its scratching post.

That's kind of what I thought. It makes sense.
Thanks!

Casper has always been a hard cat to read.

All of my other, previous, cats haven't been so enigmatic.
They were all outgoing and playful but Casper is one of those cats that will sit and look at you but you can't tell what he wants.

Sometimes, when he wants a treat, he'll sit by the shelf in the kitchen, looking at you then looking at the treat bag as if he is waiting for you to give him a kitty cookie. Other times, he'll do the same behavior but, when you go over to give him a cookie, he'll just sniff and walk away.

Most cats love a feather toy ("Da Bird") so much that they'll run and jump to try to catch it but Casper has always been lukewarm about it. He'll usually only play with the feather if you drag it along the ground. Even then, he'll sit and watch you drag it around for several minutes before he'll attack it.

Even the "Mouse Under the Blanket Game" where one puts one of the cat's favorite toys under a blanket and wiggles it with their hand fails to get more than a lukewarm response out of Casper. Every other cat that I have known would have been all over that in after a few seconds. Casper will sit there and watch you wiggle his toy for several minutes. He might occasionally attack it one time but he will immediately bolt and run to his scratching post.

It seems like Casper is saying, "I want to play but I'm afraid."

Part of the reason I ask this question is because, lately, in the past week or so, Casper has been scratching the furniture in order to get attention.

There is an easy chair in one corner of the living room. If Casper doesn't think we are giving him enough attention he'll go behind the chair where we can't see him and scratch the back of the chair. We will call his name... "cas-PER!" and he'll come out and give us that "Who? Me?" look.

Historically, Casper would only do this on occasion but, lately, for the past week or so, he's been doing this behavior as many as three or four times in one evening. I just can't figure out what he's trying to ask us for.

Casper can have almost any kind of attention or play that he wants, almost at any time.

If he wants the patio door open so that he can watch birds and chipmunks, he'll sit in front of the door and stare at you. If he wants to jump up on the sofa to lie next to you, he'll sit on the floor and stare up at you until you pat your hand on the sofa cushion and say, "Okay!" If he wants his food dish "freshened up" he'll sit by the dish and stare at you.

Other times, he'll sit in the middle of the living room floor and stare at me as if he wants you to play with him but, when I go over to initiate play, he'll run away and attack his scratching post.

When he's sitting on the floor like that, I can say, "Good Kitty!" and he'll blink his eyes at me and swish his tail but if I go over to pet him he'll go to his scratching post.

Casper is the only cat that I have had that I didn't get as a kitten or at least as a young cat. We adopted Casper when he was about two years old. I know that he was abandoned and that he may have suffered abuse before that.

I have always been good with animals and I fancy myself as a person who "speaks cat" pretty well.
We really love Casper. He's the sweetest, most well-behaved cat I have ever seen. I just can't read him like I have always been able to read other cats.