No touchy
By emeraldisle
@emeraldisle (13138)
United States
February 15, 2007 8:36am CST
Have you ever heard of a cat that doesn't like to be petted?
Our one cat, Little Grey (yes it's a misnomer he's very good size) does not like to be petted. He isn't mean at all but he'll slink away from your hand. You go to pet him and his whole body goes down to the floor and he tries to scurry away. Now and then he'll let you pet his body when he's laying some place but even that is rare and he's giving you this look of go away the whole time. You might get in three strokes and then he scurries away. He doesn't growl or hiss and he doesn't use his claws on us. He's very gentle over all.
We've had him since he was eight weeks old and he was never abused. He was very loving as a kitten and playful. He's about 2 years old now but at about seven months I guess he started doing this. We have no clue why. We try not to over pet him but we try to now and then hoping he'll want us to continue.
I've searched the web to try and find a clue as to what could be causing it but haven't had any luck. Has anyone else experienced something like this or have any suggestions as to what we can do to improve the situation?
5 people like this
18 responses
@Willowlady (10657)
• United States
15 Feb 07
We have one just like that one. He is one of our best cats, cleanest, calmest and such neat mahogany eyes. He likes us just does not like to be touched. I can talk to him and tell him how wonderful he is but only pet a couple or three times. Most around the head and then maybe more. Just the way they are. We have loads of love to give, however, some like it from afar.
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
15 Feb 07
That sounds like Little Grey to a T. He's calm, gentle, and he's a beautiful cat. I'll have to see if I can upload some to my profile of him. He just doesn't want to be touched. I can talk to him, give him treats but not pet him. When he does let us pet him without slinking away it's only on his body. He doesn't like his head at all. We have several cats and he's the only one like this and I never had one before that acts this way so thought I'd see if anyone else had a cat like him. Glad to know there are others.
1 person likes this
@Willowlady (10657)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Cats are curious but loving critters. Would not trade any of them. Thanks for responding to me.
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
15 Feb 07
You're welcome and you're right. I wouldn't trade them for anything either. They may drive me crazy at times but they are a joy to have in our lives.
1 person likes this
@gotbot (46)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Some cats are just like that. They like to be left alone for the most part. I have three cats and two are very social, but one of them, my half-siamese, is very high brow. She likes to be petted occassionally but only on her terms. :)
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
15 Feb 07
He doesn't seem to like it or want it at all from any of us. I agree some cats only want it on their terms. We have a few like that. They will tolerate it on yours but usually when they want pettings they let you know. They will get all in our face for it but not him. He never seems to want anything from us.
1 person likes this
@kitchenwitchoftupper (2290)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I've had girlie girl cats that didn't care too much for affection but never a boy cat, Emerald. You poor dear, I just answered one about your other little guy with allergies. I am so sorry this is happening to you. I can't remember if you told me you do Reiki or not. If you do, or if you do any kind of energy work at all, you may want to cleanse yourself completely before touching and loving on Little Grey. More often than not, animals do NOT respond well to actual hands on energy healing. They are much too sensitive and are better suited to a more indirect treatment. It could be that you are emitting a lot of energy and it is just too much for the cat to handle. Try washing your hands, at least up to your wrists with either sea salt or kosher salt and then give it a go again. Please let me know if it works ~Donna
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I've never done Reiki but that doesn't mean I'm not open to it. I can check it out. It can't hurt at this point to check it out. He doesn't seem to mind not being petted but at the same time I just find it odd for a cat to never want to be petted by anyone.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
23 Feb 07
My parent's cat is that way. They got her at 6 weeks old, and have babied/pampered her ever since. She has never been abused, yet acts much like an abused animal. She does not let you hold her and will only allow you to pet her for a minute and off she goes! If you continue to try and pet her beyond her limit, she will bite you! She doesn't claw/scratch...she bites! Strange cat!
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
23 Feb 07
Ouch. Thankfully little grey doesn't bite he just slinks away. That's how he acts though otherwise and I can't figure it out. We have lots of cats and they are all loving and want to be petted or cuddled but not him.
@APMorison (424)
• United States
22 Feb 07
My kitty "lil bit" is a 'don't touch me' type of cat. Strange but true. The other two are cuddle-cravers, can't put them down without a struggle sometimes. Not Bit, she doesn't want to cuddle and will fight to get down if picked up.
Strange kitty.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
22 Feb 07
Sounds like your "lil bit" and my Little Grey are a lot a like. he won'f fight but he will struggle if you are holding him. He is very gentle and doesn't hurt us or anything. It's just odd how he is so different from other cats I've had.
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
16 Feb 07
My darling Loki's like that, he doesn't like being picked up or petted. He seems like he's uncomfortable every time I try to pet him, he skirms and tries to get away.
He never scratches me or anything though.
Sometimes, on a rare occasion he'll be really affectionate and rubs up against my leg and let me pet him..it's about the only time he purrs too.
We've had him since he was a baby. He's never been hurt either..so I dont know, he just doesn't seem to like pettings most of the time. Just that kind of cat I suppose.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Yeah I can't figure it out with him either. Nice to know though that mine isn't the only one like that. I've just never had a cat that didn't like to be petted. Not liked to be picked up I've had several of but pettings most seem to enjoy.
@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Just another weird catitude. I had cats that wouldnt be picked up yet jumped in your lap, not to be touched, not eat while you are in the room, jump in the shower with you but not get a inside a bathtub for its own,and one that hated grass! You just never know what's next!
1 person likes this
@lifeiseasy (2292)
• United States
16 Feb 07
That is strange for a cat ...most love to be petted ...my next door neighbor has a cat that is very strange and doen't like people at all ...she won't let anyone pick her up or pet her but the Mom and the two kids are well over 18 and she is just a beautiful fat gray cat and you just want to pet her but no way ...she just dislikes it ...her name is Crazy Cat ...lol ..imagine that huh...I wish i knew some way to help you with your dilema ...The only suggestion I have to try is to just keep trying to slowly pet him more each day and hopefully he will become acoustomed to being petted as each day passes ...
@scribe1 (1203)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I know such a cat. My sister adopted him when he was a tiny kitten and named him Pepe. When Pepe was a few months old, he began to act ornery, refusing to let my sister or me to pet him. That ornery animal even kept three large dogs at bay, and only let my sister's boyfriend hold and pet him. Nevertheless, she always treated Pepe respectfully and kindly. Pepe lived to a ripe old age of 19 years or so, dying of natural causes.
With a little kitten, you just never know. Its personality hasn't yet formed and it isn't until a few months go by that you discover it.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Little Grey tolerates my neice picking him up but that's about it. He still doesn't really let her pet him. He walks or slinks away when she tries. Some cats are very strange is all I can say.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
15 Feb 07
In my experience with kitties LOL, they are very moody, worse than women LOL. I had an exboyfriend and they had a full grown cat. for some reason, that cat never would come around me but would go around and rub up against other people. One day I was sitting there drinking coffee and that cat jumped up in my lap. I started pettingit because I thought it finally liked me. Well 5 seconds later that cat jumped up, clawed me down my neck, and made me spill hot coffee all over me. I haven't cared for cats since. I am just more partial to love from dogs, I guess.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Well I can't say I blame you there with liking dogs after that experience. My mother's cat is just plain mean. Doesn't like anyone. I've had cats all my life and even ones that others say are unfriendly will come up to me, not hers. He spits at me and if he had claws he would have clawed my ankles off by now. Little Grey though isn't mean or anything he just doesn't want to be petted. If you do and he just slinks away but he doesn't attack so that's good.
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
16 Feb 07
The cat of mine that passed away didn't like to be petted if you started the petting. She didn't like to be petted a lot but it had to be by her indication. She pretty much liked to be by herself and when the grandkids would come over forget it. You would not see her at all. I don't know why a cat would act like that. Although cats are very independent cats anyway. Each cat I have noticed has a specific personality and there is no reason why some of them act as they do.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
16 Feb 07
I do agree they each ahve their own personality and they can be very fickle with wanting love. I've had some that will ignore you unless you are sitting on the toilet, then they come up for love and are very insistant about it too. I've just never had a cat that didn't like to be petted ever. Even if he jumps up and lays on you (which doesn't happen often I might add) he doesn't want to be petted. He's weird, well that just means he fits with me :)
@1983tyler (507)
• United States
15 Feb 07
My cats don't like to be picked up. They are not lap cats, and if you try to pick one up to pet them, they act like it is torture. The only way to pet them is if they are standing on the floor or laying on the sofa. And then, they don't like a lot of petting. None of our cats have been abused, they just don't like to be picked up or get too much attention. I don't know why, either. It's just the way they are. Sometimes, if I am watching tv with my feet up on the recliner, one cat will curl up on my feet and go to sleep. That's the closest they come to sitting on my lap. It's kind-of strange, but that is the way they are and I love them just the way they are. Maybe it is because I didn't force them to be lap cats. I have 4 cats and they are all the same about being picked up. Only 2 of the cats are related.
I don't think that there is anything you can do to change your cat.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Some of our cats don't like to be picked up or carried either. They will love to be petted otherwise though or will curl up on laps but not be carried. Not sure why but maybe they want to do it themselves.
@skb369 (285)
• India
16 Feb 07
going through this discussion has been truly an eye opener for me! even though i have no experience of owning a cat(is that even possible? i always thought of it as THEM owning US! lol), i didnt know cats were this temperamental! observing a few that i have had a chance to,cats DID seem a bit too aloof and capricious to me but the experiences recounted here have been very,very informative,esp the one about some cats having ferel in them and exhibiting it later on in life,like atavism. i have always wanted a cat,you know, sit around with the hairy li'l bugger on my lap and me petting it to my heart's content..but i guess when i finally get around to having one,i'll have to be careful! i guess all these testimonials only corroborate the joke about the differnces between cats and dogs(i have one): when you call a dog,it comes to you.Cats,they take a message and get back to yoou later!!!
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Well he's the only cat I've had like this, ever. All my others and right now we have 10 cats in the house love to be petted and love to take over laps. They like to take over lots of things actually but laps in general. Cats are unique though and they do like to remain aloof unless they want something. Then if they want you to pay them attention you better. My cats will block the computer or the mouse to get my attention at times. However it is true, dogs come, cat's take a message.
@nowment (1756)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Sometimes it happens when a major change has come and it disrupted the cat some cats like some people do not like change, and don't adjust to it well.
Just as some are more likely to not want to be petted. My friend's cat disliked being petted and would not allow it. At times she would go to my friend, and paw at her, like the cat was doing the petting, but when you tried to pet in return, the cat would get upset and go away.
Actually she would lock herself in the kitchen cabinet.
And if you put anything in that cabinet she would throw it out.
She could be a sweet cat and loving as I said she would pet you, but you could not pet her.
Just as people have quirks to them so do our animal friends.
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Heheh about the cupboard. I've had cats sleep up in them on me as well.
I agree most cats and all animals have their quirks. I had just never run into this one before and I've had a lot of cats over the years. He's a strange one but he's cute and gentle so that's ok.
@FraYFaN09 (1558)
• United States
22 Feb 07
I've never heard of cat like that. In fact, my cat is the complete opposite. If ur not petting him constantly or giving him all of the attention then he'll rub, bump, nibble, or do anything to get what he wants! It gets annoying after while but I still love him!
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
22 Feb 07
I never had either. I've had more standoffish cats, ones that don't come up for love but if you go to pet them they like it. With Little Grey I have never had anything like him. He doesn't even like having a hand come near him. He will tolerate a pet now and then if he's laying down but usually he slinks away. Our other cats are very affectionate. It's just odd.
@hockeygal4ever (10021)
• United States
23 Feb 07
We have a cat similar. We say she's anti-social. She will be pet only when she wants to be. LOL I think it's just something in their personality.
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
16 Feb 07
I don,t know where you got your cat but it seems he might have a little ferrel line in him.Ferrel cats often have babies and sometime they are somewhat tame but have a trace of ferrel in them.Since you had him since he was 8 weeks old,and im sure you showed him plenty of love that really helped him ,however when they get a little older sometimes the ferrel comes out in them.He does love you and knows that you love him and will not hurt him,and he chooses not to scrath or bite because he knows he belongs to you but petting is just in his blood line and he cannot help it..I don,t know if this is the reason but i have seen many ferrel cats that people have taken as pets and they act the same way...also I am a big cat lover and i have experienced such cats.
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Oh i would like to add a commit about the cat that i ahave now,he is just a big ole lover,he loves petting ,licking and sleeping with me.he will lay all day for petting.He's a boy named "thomas"hes 3 years old and he will even let me give him a bath..
@bkfuels (1601)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
I have one cat that is scared of everything. He likes to be petted but is too scared to approach us. We got him at a year old and have had him for two years now. He has come around on his own time but is still very skidisch. My best advice to you is to give your cat time just love it a little at a time until it is comfortable with it. GOOD LUCK!
