The Cat's Meow Rescue
Stay in touch!
  • Home
  • Available for Adoption
  • ADOPTED!
  • Special Needs Cats
  • Blog: Feline Friends
  • Contact
  • More Information
    • FAQ
    • Barn Cats
    • Finding your kitty a new home
    • Caring for Abandoned Kittens
    • Important to Spay & Neuter
    • Introducing a new cat to your home
    • Declawing - If you care, be AWARE
    • Litter Box Issues
    • What is Feline Leukemia?
    • What is FIV?
    • Kitty-Proof Your Home
    • Help Us Help Them
    • Become a Foster
    • LINKS
    • Media Kit
    • EVENTS
    • Special-Needs Posters Story

Cats Who Won't Cuddle

7/17/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
by Nomi Berger
 
Does YOUR cat like being lifted up and held? Does she remain in your arms long enough for it to count as a cuddle? Or does she squirm and wriggle and do all she can to escape your embrace?
 
According to some veterinary behaviorists, not all cats are created equal – in terms of cuddling. Whereas some cats view cuddles as cozy cushions of comfort, others see them as stifling sources of suffocation.
 
Most cats enjoy being up high because it affords them a purr-fect ”cat’s eye” view of the world below. But they usually prefer to paw their way to their favorite perch on their own. From a feline perspective, there’s a difference between leaping up onto a kitchen counter, a window ledge or a bookcase and being scooped up from the ground and held by a human. After all, despite their small size, cats ARE descended from large cat royalty, namely the lion, king of beasts, and should be treated with the proper deference and respect.
 
Some cats equate being picked up and held as a form of restraint even if it’s meant as a demonstration of affection. They might have had negative experiences with actually being physically restrained for such procedures as receiving vaccinations, having their temperature taken or having their nails trimmed. Sometimes all it takes is a single mildly negative experience for cats, especially sensitive ones, to be wary of being restrained from then on.
 
In fact, cats may interpret their owners’ well-intentioned efforts to hold them as an actual attack. They may perceive being restrained as a sign that they’re now trapped, that something bad is going to happen to them or that they’re about to be killed or eaten. It’s essential to remember that while cats are predators to smaller prey, they themselves are prey to larger predators.
 
Coupled with this is the fact that being held isn’t a normal form of interaction among cats themselves. They don’t pick each other up and cuddle. Instead, they express their affection by approaching fellow felines politely, then sniffing, licking and rubbing one another.
 
Some cat breeds LOVE being cuddled, such as Ragdolls and Ragamuffins, who are famous for flopping back comfortably when held by their adoring humans. But because each cat is an individual, not all of these so-called cuddly cats enjoy being cuddled.
 
Truly caring pet parents are extremely sensitive to their cherished cats’ preference. By forcing affection on their finicky felines, they run the risk of their kitties becoming increasingly more reluctant to interact with them on any level or even worse, becoming aggressive.
 
From reading your own cat’s signals, then, what kind of cat is she: snuggler or squirmer?

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author
    Blog articles for TCMR are written by Nomi Berger, an established author and journalist of 40 years, living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who graciously volunteers her time and talent to help further our rescue efforts.


    AWARDS

    Picture

    Picture
    Cat Rescue Blogs

    Picture

    Picture
    Animal Rescue Blogs

    Picture
    Awarded by Best1x.com
    Best for Pets

    Picture

    Picture
    2017 Top 35 Cat Blogs awarded by "We're All About the Cats"

    Picture
    Awarded by "Feedspot.com"

    Picture
    Awarded by "10Greatest.com"

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Cat Facts
    Cat Safety
    Community Awareness
    Fun Facts
    Health And Behavior
    How You Can Help

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly