Anti-Social Cat??

[maxwell33]

Hi there..!

i was just wondering...are some cats just antisocial? like my cat for example (almost 1 year old), she NEVER wants to sit in anyones lap..and if you just walk up to her slowly, she bolts somewhere else..and she always likes to stay downstairs by herself! she rarely comes upstairs to sit with us, and if she does come, she'll sit on the table, and just look at us..My grandfather came for a visit last night, and he said that our cat was totally ''unfriendly'' ...why does she do this? she always seems like she has something better to do..and everytime im near her room, she always bolts in there, as if she wants more food? am i not feeding her enough! aww! all i wanted was a cat that would actually SIT in my lap, and not run away from me! any help or suggestions welcome!
-maxwell-

[jason]

yes some cats can be considered non-social by nature to most people. i have two cats, one is "independant" and the other is quite gregarious.

as with all things, has this cat been to a vet recently? does this cat have health considerations that you are aware of? (just checking).

fyi: you cant teach lap sitting (ive tried).

[Tina B and crew]

she always seems like she has something better to do

Because in the cat world they do...I mean socializing with humans is beneath them don't you know

Each cat develops it's own personality as it grows up...some cats are extremely social and want to always be petted, giving pressies at every opportunity, staying in your face and begging for attention. Others are simply more aloof and don't seem to crave that human interaction. I have one cat that will run from everyone who comes near her, we've had her for well over a year and at times she can be very loving and sweet, but only on her terms. Come to think of it I have two cats like that

I'd recommend, if you don't already, having some play time with her each day...use one of those feather toys, or a Cat Dancer or something to play with her. This will get her use to interacting with you and she might come around...or she might not. She may never become a lap cat but this would at least show her that her human can be fun to be around. I wouldn't worry about her anti-social behaviors too much unless it's a sudden behavior change, or she seems to be lethargic or depressed or her eating habits have changed...if she's showed any of those signs I'd call the vet.

Good luck!

[Guest]

Some cats do enjoy playing much more than cuddling. But cats, like people, change over time. They seem to go through phases. The first stray I took in started out as being very quiet, not too playful, and had a habit of sulking. Here we are 3 years later and she's a totally different cat --she's VERY playful, much more vocal and interacts with us a great deal. Ditto for my other 2. I've seen them go through all sorts of changes over time.

I guess it's like any realtionship--it takes time to develop. In time you'll learn what turns kitty on and what turns her off. One thing is for sure, cats need love no matter whether they'll admit it or not!! Hehe

[Mona]

I have two females (one 5 yrs, one 6 mos) old.

The older girl is not as social or playful and never was as our new kitten.

Our kitten Chloe is affectionate, will sit in your lap at times, rubs and rolls and plays like crazy. SHe seems very intelligent and likes to play hide and seek.

Cats are like people all different. One thing about them though, they do learn from the way they are brought up. Patience and love will go a long way with kitties.

Mona, HOneybun and Chloe