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Hi, I need help. I adopted Caelyn, an orange tabby, when she was 4 weeks old. I spoonfed her until she was about a year old, after that she stopped eating it. Then I had to move for graduate school, she stays with my parents. I came back to visit my parents and Caelyn every once in a while. Every time I get closed to her, she hisses and scratches me. She is my very first pet that I ever adopted and I love her more than I love myself. I don't consider her as a pet, she is like my daughter. But it makes me sad to see her act like that towards me. Is it because she's mad at me for leaving her at my parents' house? What can I do to make her stop hissing at me? Once I get my own place I will take her back.
I suppose she might hold a grudge, but she probably just resents the familiarity from a person she doesn't know well any more. She'd get over it if she was around you all the time. (Y'know, unless her brain chemistry has changed or something.)
Animals, especialy cats, tend to live in the now or present.
Meaning its daily routine of people, place, surroundings, etc. Its daily comfort zone of sameness.
Since you haven't been around the cat that much for awhile you are not part of its daily routine and it maybe feels like you are an intruder into its territory. Not all cats are like this but many are. Some will approach strangers and rub against them, some shy away from even people they have seen in the past but are not a part of their daily world.
It just may be your cats personality to not like new or infrequent presence in its cozy little world.
You need to let it come to you on its own instead of trying too hard to get to know it again. It may feel like its space is threatened.
Once you can take it back and it gets used to you and your house as its daily way of life it will adapt to its new now or present way of life.
Just don't try to rush your affection on it. Cats adapt in their own good time and trying to hurry the process can just make it take longer. They can be very independant and stubborn and they set the timetable of when they are willing to accept a person. But when it is with you in the same enviornment on a daily basis I'm sure it will respond as you hope it will.
She no longer sees you as her human, someone else has taken over that role to her. She no longer sees you that often so she dosen't know you anymore.
I have 4 of them, out of the 4, 3 will come greet company everytime someone else comes in the house and you MUST pet them.. But I have had some cats that run and hide everytime company came in the house.
You have to understand, YOU are not her human anymore and you just have to sit back and let her get use to you being there. Do not force yourself on her... it will be in her own time and on her own terms. You have to sit back and let her come to you.
Depending on how long you have been gone, she probably has just forgotten you.. I have a cat that I got from a woman that use to abuse her. The woman moved away for about 2 years and recently moved back and came to visit her former cat. Samantha went right to her where she use to run and hide from her when she came to visit. In the 2 years she was gone, Samantha had completely forgotten her so you cat has just forgotten you.. You will have to be around more and on a regular basis so she can get use to you again.
She's not human and she's not your daughter. She's a cat. Cats go by smell and who they are used to on a daily basis. She's not familiar with you anymore. The once-in-a-blue-moon drop ins to visit do not make enough of a difference.
The best thing to do when you visit is (essentially) ignore the kitty and let her come to you on her own terms. Let her sniff you out. Let her decide if she's going to interact and on what level. Just go about your business and pretend she's not there. That tends to make cats feel the most comfortable and she'll then feel safe to interact with you over time. Do this each and every time you visit. Keep ignoring her.
Cats are not human. They don't get insulted if you walk in and ignore them. In fact, it tends to intrigue them even more.
I am at my parents house this week. This morning I was outside and thought maybe if she wanted to be out and get some fresh air. I took her out, she was calm for 2 seconds. Then she growled, hissed, and scratched my hands. I didn't want to let her ran off because she didn't have a leash on. But she scratched me so bad that I had to let her go, good thing she ran back inside, otherwise I'd have a rough time catching her.
One week is not enough for Caelyn and I to be bonded again like you all have said. I hope once I have my own place I can bring her back with me, we will have more time together. I left her when she was a year old, now she is 3 already. She probably have forgotten about me.
Give her time. Right now I suspect she's trying to figure out who the heck you are. Leave her be and don't try to force her to like you. Once she figures out that you are a fixture in the household and are going to be around all the time I think she'll come around and cozy up to you just fine.
Do not let her pick up any vibe that you think "she can be very nasty". She will not be appreciating that at all.
p.s. She's a beauty but I also see a lot of intelligence in that little face. She's smart. Give her credit for figuring out that you've been a stranger and she doesn't know if she can trust you.
I left her when she was a year old, now she is 3 already. She probably have forgotten about me.
This cat has every right to have an "attitude" towards you. I disagree totally that she doesn't remember you. No way! Cats have memories longer then your two arms put together, and once the bond of love is made, they will remember you.
What I don't understand if you loved this cat so much, if you really loved her "like a daughter", where have you been for 2 years without seeing her? That I just don't get. This cat feels abandoned by you, betrayed by you. You think you are just going to walk back in her life, without ramifications? I don't think so.
Sorry, but I side with the cat. She knows exactly what she is doing and why!
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Once I get my own place I will take her back.
