 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / December 2006The Sniff Test
Tyche and my mom finally made friends. My mom picked Tyche up by the scruff at 6 months of age (!!) thinking that was an appropriate way to lift a cat. Unsurprisingly it hurt and Tyche snarled and hissed until she was released. I explained to Mom that a mother cat only does that to her kittens at very young ages, and older cats need to be supported when lifted. Anyway, that was the start of Tyche's stranger hate. Tyche has been very growly and hissy to my mom, less so to my dad. I remember once she was rubbing against my dad's legs--still hissing, but with her tail straight up and nuzzling her head into his calves. "She's all talk," he said. Anyway, my mom tried to make friends with Tyche and growl, hiss, but my dad could pet her and make her purr. Mom got annoyed and wanted to pet her too. So Dad showed her how he held out his hand and let Tyche sniff him and waited for her to accept him before he tried to touch her. So my mom held out her hand. Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff... My mom got impatient and, thinking this had lasted long enough, went to pet her. Immediately the ears went back and the growl started. Mom withdrew her hand back to starting position. Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff....my mom was rolling her eyes at how long this was taking when she felt a nudge. Tyche had shut her eyes and thrust her head forward in the classic "lick me" posture. So, after two years, my mom and Tyche are back on purring terms. --Fil > Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > that a mother cat only does that to her kittens at very young ages, and > older cats need to be supported when lifted. Well, an adult cat can be scruffed. My daughter used to work for a vet and she does it all the time to her cats and to mine. They don't object and they adore her. But you really have to know how to do it and she does support the back half with her other hand. Jo >> Tyche and my mom finally made friends. >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >they adore her. But you really have to know how to do it and she does >support the back half with her other hand. Yes, I think the issue is that an adult cat shouldn't be lifted by only the scruff. When it is time to take my cat to the vet, and I have to lift her into the carrying cage, I hold her with one hand on the scruff of her neck and the other under her hind legs. She still struggles a little, but not nearly as much as if I weren't holding the back of her neck.  SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria > Mom withdrew her hand back to starting position. Sniff, sniff, sniff, > sniff, sniff....my mom was rolling her eyes at how long this was taking > when she felt a nudge. LOL! Glad the wait paid off in the end. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Anyway, my mom tried to make friends with Tyche and growl, hiss, but my > dad could pet her and make her purr. Mom got annoyed and wanted to pet > her too. So Dad showed her how he held out his hand and let Tyche > sniff him and waited for her to accept him before he tried to touch > her. > So my mom held out her hand. Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff... > My mom got impatient and, thinking this had lasted long enough, went to > pet her. Immediately the ears went back and the growl started. > Mom withdrew her hand back to starting position. Sniff, sniff, sniff, > sniff, sniff....my mom was rolling her eyes at how long this was > taking... Sheesh, mom - patience, patience! :) > ...when she felt a nudge. > Tyche had shut her eyes and thrust her head forward in the classic > "lick me" posture. > So, after two years, my mom and Tyche are back on purring terms. Whew! Just in time! :) Joyce > Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > --Fil That's good to hear. :-) Some hoomins can be quite difficult to train. ;o) SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > >--Fil Aw, thats sweet. Tippy doesn't like strangers at all, he'll growl and hiss at everyone. If you hold out your hand to him he will usually sniff but then start growling and hissing. We call him our little watch cat. Randy http://picasaweb.google.com/crmartin1 http://kittenwar.com/kittens/74045/ >>Tyche and my mom finally made friends. >> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >everyone. If you hold out your hand to him he will usually sniff but then start >growling and hissing. We call him our little watch cat. Will he approach someone who is not looking at him or paying attention to him in any way? My little Mimi did not like being approached, but if someone did not approach her or look at her, her curiosity would get the better of her, and she would roll up and start sniffing. And then, little by little, she would OWN people. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh Make Levees, Not War > Will he approach someone who is not looking at him or paying attention > to him in any way? My little Mimi did not like being approached, but > if someone did not approach her or look at her, her curiosity would > get the better of her, and she would roll up and start sniffing. And > then, little by little, she would OWN people. ;) Tyche will go out of her way to walk up to people and hiss at them. She's got this great thing when we have company....snarl at the company, snuggle Dylan, snarl again, snuggle me... "I LOVE Mom. I HATE you. I LOVE Dad. You can DROP DEAD." Strangely enough, she likes cops and soldiers. I had the cops knock on my door one morning and here's me, no glasses, can't see crap, in my pj's, answering questions and along comes Tyche, just who I need....and the cop leans over, I imagine him getting bit, and the next thing I know she's purring up a storm and cuddling into his kevlar. If I have to scruff my cats I put my other hand under the backlegs/butt for support. My mom just seized Tyche above the shoulders and hauled straight up with one hand.... --Fil > Strangely enough, she likes cops and soldiers. I had the cops knock on > my door one morning and here's me, no glasses, can't see crap, in my > pj's, answering questions and along comes Tyche, just who I need....and > the cop leans over, I imagine him getting bit, and the next thing I > know she's purring up a storm and cuddling into his kevlar. Ah, she's got a thing for guys in uniform, has she? --tension > > Strangely enough, she likes cops and soldiers. I had the cops knock on > > my door one morning and here's me, no glasses, can't see crap, in my [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > --tension Yes, and it's creepy. When I'm in my flight suit I can't get her off me. --Fil > Aw, thats sweet. Tippy doesn't like strangers at all, he'll growl and hiss at > everyone. If you hold out your hand to him he will usually sniff but then start > growling and hissing. We call him our little watch cat. Oh, no - not Tippy! You're destroying my illusions!! :) Joyce > > Aw, thats sweet. Tippy doesn't like strangers at all, he'll growl and hiss > >at [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >Joyce Yea, sorry. Tippy doesn't like strangers at all. He would probably like you thought as he also reads this group with me on the weekends and knows you have his picture on your computer. :-) Randy http://picasaweb.google.com/crmartin1 http://kittenwar.com/kittens/74045/ >Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > >--Fil If only people would understand that it sometimes takes patience to make friends with an animal. It's that lack of patience that will kill the relationship every time. There are some beasties-- cats and dogs-- who need you to sit quietly and let them check you out thoroughly before they will let you touch. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh Make Levees, Not War > Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > --Fil Heh! Your mom got off easy - think if that had been Nocturne she had treated like that! ;> SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ > So Dad showed her how he held out his hand and let Tyche >sniff him and waited for her to accept him before he tried to touch >her. Ty still demands a sniff test for us even after living here almost two years. She'll pull her head back quickly if you move in to give her scritches without letting her smell your hand first. She doesn't hiss or growl though. She just looks really annoyed, and a little bit disgusted that you even tried such a thing. SignatureL. Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/raineontheplain Last updated 2006/11/26 LOL Pam S. > Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > --Fil > Tyche and my mom finally made friends. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > that a mother cat only does that to her kittens at very young ages, and > older cats need to be supported when lifted. <snip> > So, after two years, my mom and Tyche are back on purring terms. > > --Fil What a wonderful story! Best wishes, Polonca and Soncek |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.