can cats be "retarded" We have a kitty a little over a year old he is mean as fuck

[greenbriar]

hates people


rarely purrs


he is unlike any other kitty I have ever owned


he sleeps on our bed at night, but if we try to pet him, he bites and leaves


he always wants to be around us, but we are not allowed to touch him

if we pick him up, he growls, whines and hisses

tries to bite and jumps down


I have NEVER had a cat that does not want physical contact

[knowbody0]

1. touch his food with your hands

then touch him but never try to restrain him. I bet he's not retarded, just ultra sensitive. Have you any kitty dope? Is he neutered?

It took my gray cat a year, but now he asks for strokes and lays on my lap.

[greenbriar]

3. we got him at 7 weeks and he has always been mean

he is neutered

[petronius]

2. When we adopted our big guy we were told that, if it cat isn't socialized

to humans very young, it will be difficult to turn it into a classic lap cat (basically, the cat will have a feral streak). That's been partially true for us, with enough time a bond developed, but the cat is still extremely skittish around strangers.

(Caveat: this is a cowardly and stupid cat I'm talking about - YMMV.)

[JenaLaw]

4. is he feral?

where did you get him?

[greenbriar]

5. daughter got him from a lady for 20 bucks for my birthday last year

she feels bad that he doesn't want to sit on my lap

[Lindsey]

6. He sounds like a Feral to me. n/t

[TZ]

7. has he been to the vet lately?

There are some health issues I think that could make a cat not want to be touched...

[greenbriar]

8. he has been this way pretty much from the start

I am thinking he may be feral

[TZ]

9. thats true

If he hangs out with you guys he may eventually tolerate being petted...LynneSin has a cat like this named Evita..she just now is warming up enough to be petted on a rare occasion...

[greenbriar]

10. I did pick him up a little while ago...he purred for about 2 seconds

bit me

hopped out of my arms and proceeded to smack our other cat and ran off

[TZ]

11. sounds like progress as odd as that seems

I really think that the fact that he's probably feral but sleeps on your bed is a good sign. A cat that REALLY didn't like you would not do that. Maybe try a little catnip to relax him and work with him....

[DS1]

12. sensitive skin?

[greenbriar]

14. how could you tell that?

most of the time we can't get near him to touch him

he scoots off faster than we can bend down to pick him up

[DeepBlueC]

43. I read recently that some cats ARE more sensitive than others

The writer was explaining why your dear cat whom you are petting suddenly nips you or nips you and then takes off. That has happened to me with cats I did not consider weird generally. She explained that cats are stimulated by being petted but that they have a threshold for stimulation and at some point they do just want you to stop. They could just get up and leave...or they could give you a nip and stay right there where they are otherwise comfortable. Or both. Message: it's not personal.

[EFerrari]

13. I had a kitty that had some kind of brain damage and it wasn't obvious until

he was several months old. He developed seizures at about one year and had to be on meds. The last chapter was not good. The poor thing went into an aggressive state and we had to put him down. Poor Gizmo. We tried to make him comfy while he was with us, anyway.

[Roon]

15. .

:hug:

[TX Screwball]

28. The same thing happened to us.

We had him on meds(phenobarbital)for several months. Worked for awhile, but he got too aggressive toward our other pets. I never thought animals could have such problems until Hunter showed up and believe you me, when he went into a seizure, all you could do is get out of his way. Bums me out thinking about it, but at least he isn't in pain anymore.

[crimsonblue]

16. well, mental disorders exists in all higher-brain creatures, so to answer your question

yes.

[Heidi]

17. It sounds like he was adopted too early,

which can lead to the sort of aggressive behavior you've described.

We've known our cat, Ginger, since the day he was born, and visited him every day until he came to live with us at 15 weeks old. Some breeders will let a kitten be adopted at eight weeks, but our vet advises 12 to 15 weeks to ensure kittens are fully weaned and well socialized.

Here's an article for you: http://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html

[Lil Missy]

22. Sometimes they don't have a choice.

I adopted mine at 2 weeks. And boy, was he a mess and a lotta work.

He just came up wailing the loudest under that pile in the litter. He was so young and malnourished we didn't know whether he was male or female. I just said, I'll take that one.

I fear the rest of that litter got euthanized. I don't want to know.

:-(

[Heidi]

24. I know. I'm so glad your boy found a loving home with you.

:hug:

I fear that many, many times kittens are weaned far too early, both for the reasons you mentioned and because some irresponsible breeders would rather be paid sooner than later (at a time most appropriate for the overall well-being of the kitten). :(

By the way: :*

[Lil Missy]

29. Oh, I've had him for 14-15 years now. He's spoiled so rotten he stinks.

But I do think his story is very telling.

He missed that "part" of his early life. And I think that has a lot to do with why he is such a little snarly butt. And hates to be held.

Ya know what? The only time he asks to be held is when I am trying to dry off after a bath. He reaches his arms up like a baby to be held. NOW you want to snuggle? When I am naked? I think he's just a little prevert!

:rofl:

[Heidi]

35. !!!!!!!!!

Ginger actually tried to "nurse" me a couple of times when he was about 20 weeks old -- he had an abcess on his front left paw pad and was sleeping in the V of my underarm every night when he was sick. Nothing wakes a woman up quite as abruptly as sharp little kitty teeth. :scared: :yoiks:

[Ikonoklast]

44. Our latest two were abandoned by their mother.

Feral litter-mates, we got them at one week, and ten days. I bottle fed them both and they are the most socialized of all our kitties.

As a matter of fact, they will hardly let me sit for very long without getting their little rattly mouse and setting it next to me to throw for them. They love to be rubbed and sleep with anyone willing to wake up with a live four-legged fur hat in the morning.

All our kitties are ferals, save one.

[Skip Intro]

18. Let him feel you out, for however long it takes. Go by his rules.

If he doesn't want to be picked up or petted, then don't pick him up or pet him.

He evidently likes to be around you.

Respect his space as he defines it.

My guess is he'll come around eventually.

[Lil Missy]

19. I have one that I adopted at a few weeks old. Mother cat died giving birth.

I literally had to teach him how to eat. I started with a dropper.

He's always been very snarly and fickle, and does not like to be be touched or picked up. He decides when he wants affection, and often it is at the most inconvenient times.

As a kitten, he would sleep on my head. I did not dare touch him, cause he did not like that. He still doesn't. Now, he sleeps on my butt or on top of me somewhere. I let him decide. He really loves to have his face cuddled and squeezed. On HIS time.

But NEVER pick him up to cuddle. That freaks him out. I don't think he is retarded, or mean. I just think because of his beginnings, he has special needs.

He's the one I would give up last, if I ever had to. He's the one that would least be able to adjust.

[Radical Activist]

23. It's funny and sad

how much that sounds like people. How people have trouble with relationships and getting close to others if they had absent, neglectful or abusive parents.

[Skittles]

20. definitely put him on MEANKITTY.COM

yes INDEED http://www.meankitty.com/

[DeepBlueC]

45. that's a fun site

Thanks. I particularly liked the advice column. :D

[Lil Missy]

21. So, what did you decide?

If you don't want him, I'll take him.

[greenbriar]

37. oh I can't give him up, I love him

he is really funny at times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zcupg43Axw




he just isn't loving

[charlie and algernon]

25. my cat hates sitting on my lap and doesn't like being held for very long

she loves to be petted and sleeps on my bed at night but would rather sit next to me then on my lap. Very very rarely will she sit on my lap for any extended period of time and usually if i pick her up, she'll yell till I put her back down. it's actually funny now, she's started to tap on my leg when she wants attention, but if I go to pick her up she'll run away only to come back and repeat the process. :rofl:

[Gormy Cuss]

26. I knew a cat like that. Not mean, but not interested in human touch at all

This cat also hissed and growled at everything and never purred. He was an adult stray who was taken in one winter because he had been hanging on the outside of the kitchen window. He lived with them for at least ten years and never changed. They had other cats who were very social with each other and the hisser never learned to play well with them. It was a very odd cat.

[WolverineDG]

27. If he were pure feral

he wouldn't want to sleep on your bed or even be in the house. It does take a lot of time. There was a feral cat who used to hang out at my house years ago. Took him months before he'd come eat the food I left out for him if he could still see me. Took even longer for him to let me pet him. A year or so later, another feral showed up & while he never let me pet him ( :( ) he would come up to the screen door & beg for food.

I say leave him be & when he feels comfortable enough, he'll let you pet him. Also, I've noticed that male cats tend to need 2 years to mature. One of my male indoor kitties was an asshole until he turned 2 years old; now he's a sweetie.

dg

[begin_within]

30. My cat could not be picked up as a kitten, but he is very loving now

I think it's possible, if you have the patience, to gradually socialize the cat, at least to some extent or other. The cat I have would not let anyone touch him or pick him up when he was a kitten - he would bite and scratch immediately. Now he is 8 and very affectionate and cuddly - although once in a while the claws still come out and he bites, particularly if you try to pet his stomach. It just took years of patient attention and allowing him to come to me, and small affectionate touches, mostly when he was sleepy. Your cat may not ever become a full-blown lap cat, but at least he may eventually get over the growl, hiss and biting thing.

[JitterbugPerfume]

31. cats can be mean little shits

and that's a fact

[MrsBrady]

32. it's funny you should post this

we have a kitten, now about 9 months old.

She loves to be petted and cuddled.

But, she WILL NOT behave. No amount of water squirts, NOs, or "time outs" are working.

She has plenty of toys. Her own designated big cardboard box to tear up (which she is good at).
Plenty of scratching posts, we use a pin light to wear her out. She loves chasing that thing.

But she will not stop harassing the oldest cat (we have 2 others, ages 12 and 4), she will not stop chewing on anything. She gets into the papers on my desk, in my husbands office.
She has even drug my husbands heavy work boots from one side of the house to the other. (how in the hell did she even DO that?)
She steals things. My sunglasses have been missing for months. And we found a roll of toilet paper under the bed.
We had to get child proof attachments for under the sinks. But then she found out she could get into the kitchen cabinet drawers.
She's even gotten into medication bottles!!!!! Luckily I was home for that one!

Dora the Explorer has become Dora the Destroyer. OR aka "little sh*t"

Anybody have suggestions?

Our 4 year old was never CONSTANTLY bad like this as a kitten...and she out grew it and is now sweet and well behaved.
Dora is very smart, but will not behave.
We were wondering if there was some kind of Kitty Savant syndrome. Really smart, but no social skills????

We are beginning to worry that she will not grow out of this.

[gblady]

33. I have one cat...

that does not like to be petted...except the top of his head.
I think his skin is super sensitive...he actually cringes.
I respected his wishes, and over the years, he has become more friendly.
He will actually plop on me for short times as long as I do not pet him.

[Whoa_Nelly]

34. Interesting article re: cat body hair and touch

Maybe your kitty is extra sensitive to touch

http://www.petside.com/health/feline-sense-series-touchy-feely.php



on edit:

also found this article on Feline Hyperesthesia (FHS)

http://www.petplace.com/cats/feline-hyperesthesia/page1.aspx

[graywarrior]

36. Is he from a feral cat?

Mine took forever to let me hold him. His mother was a feral and his dad a Maine Coon.

[MineralMan]

38. We have a Maine Coon cat that is retarded...

Dumbest cat ever. If we go away for a day or two, we come back and the idiot cat won't come near us for a full day. It likes to lie on laps, but is always fussy about being touched. Sometimes it likes one of us and won't come near the other.

It absolutely fears any stranger, and runs down into the basement to hide. Idiot cat won't come back upstairs until a couple of hours after the stranger leaves.

And yet, she's a sweetie and we lover her, despite her idiotsynchrosies.

[My Good Babushka]

39. We have a similar cat

Not quite as mean, but never really got the hang of being a pet. Very skittish. We had another cat from the same litter that was totally mellow and loving. Sadly, he passed away from kidney troubles. I just can't make any connection with this other cat. He just sits really rigidly and stares at me. It's worse than having no pet at all. I'm waiting for him to kick off, so we can get a bunny.

[applegrove]

40. Try playing hard with your kitty to win his heart. No kitten can resist a string.

[barb162]

41. He may have been abused as a small kitten.

[DeepBlueC]

42. always let HIM come to YOU

some cats are very wary and defensive and they need to control feline/human interactions until they feel very secure. You are rushing the game with this cat. Be patient. I have a couple of cats who started out like that (and one still hides in the closet whenever anyone comes over..and stays hid till they are gone) but they will all come around if you give them space. With one it took almost 2 years but I think I extended that because I kept pursuing him, doing all the wrong things, so I think I made the process longer and more difficult because I kept giving him new reasons not to trust me. Is he possibly a feral kitty?

Good luck. I know how hard it is to resist pursuing the cuddles one craves. Fortunately I have a bunch of cats so I was never seriously deprived. If I had been I just would have got one more cat. The first cat might like company of his own kind.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

46. Do you let him sniff your hand before trying to pet him?

Offer your affection this way; and if he backs away or hisses, just slowly back off, to let him know you aren't going to force the issue.

Some human children are hyper-sensitive to touch, so it's possible your kitty is too. Just smile at him if he rejects your offers of affection, and let him know it's ok...your love doesn't come with conditions. :hug:

[greenbriar]

47. yes, and he likes to lick my fingers

I let him do this and then try to pet him and bite bite bite

sigh

[LisaL]

48. Well I am pretty sure my cat has a mental illness. He spends

most of his life under the bed. Could cat be bipolar? He seems much better at some times than others.