Are you like me and Gabriel, my tabby cat companion? Do you have certain flash points which are the cause of some discord? If so please tell me in a comment. Gabriel and I get along famously. I love him dearly but there is one thing that causes me to tell him firmly to stop and p*ss off.
Early in the morning when he is active, as all cats usually are, he comes into my bedroom and starts to try and wake me up. One way he does this is to lick the headboard of the bed. I hate that and I think he knows it. I am not sure why he licks the headboard other than to wake, and wind, me up! Is this what cat behaviourists call: cat attention seeking? I believe it is. Apparently it is one of the most common complaints about cat behavior. Perhaps, then, we are not giving our cats enough attention?
The headboard is made of material – a cloth. I can’t see how or why it could taste interesting to a cat. I am barely awake at the time and have been known to throw a pillow at him! I regret it afterwards but when you hear the rasping noise of cat’s tongue against material while half asleep and knowing that it is not good for Gabriel, it can bring out the worst in me.
There is one other thing that I now find irritating and stop whereas in the past I liked. Perhaps it is because he is much bigger. Gabriel likes to come under the duvet to rest for about 15 minutes. I am half asleep and he’ll prod under the duvet and sometimes his claws are slightly out. I hate that and have told him.
Then when he gets under he messes around sometimes and irritates me because he disturbs the peace and calm that I am enjoying. Nowadays I tend to stop him going under the covers, but not always. It depends on my mood. Do cats have moods?
Whenever I have a bit of a bust up with him over behaviour that I don’t like (but which is not bad) we quickly make up. Well actually, he doesn’t need to make up because he is not upset. All the upset and annoyance is on one side: mine. Cats just don’t have the fragile mentality of humans. They don’t hold grudges and they don’t find our behavior annoying. They just work around it if it gets in the way of their behavior.
There is a beautiful steadiness and predictability about the feline psyche which is a major reason why they are excellent human companions and often better than a human.
Gabriel has caught his first prey, a bird and I am both impressed and pleased for him but saddened by the bird’s death. He charged in through the cat flap growling and I immediately knew what was going on. And it was my fault, I believe. I had filled up a bird feeder yesterday and some of the seed had ended up on the ground below the feeder.
Although I did not see the kill, I believe that Gabriel attacked the bird while he/she was feeding on the seed on the ground.
The pictures that you first see in the slide show above are of him with his prey. Others show him under the duvet! Woody does not have permission to comment!
I have 4 cats and with 3 of them no problems at all but with 1 of them well let’s say he makes up for the others.Hendrix will come in and wake me from between 4am to 6am for breakfast. He will meow right in my ear,tap me on the arm or face and/or walk on me as well just to make sure i am awake.His other trick is if he wants to go out the front is to belt on the door and/or climb up the security door and start meowing til I come and rescue him as he has usually climbed right to the top of the door and is just hanging there.the funny part is the back door is open so he could quite easily just go out that door.The classic is when he has been hassling his brothers and sister and I tell him off and shake my finger at him and when I’m finished he jumps up and hits me on the finger with his paw,its so funny to see.I’m sure Hendrix understands me most of the time,he’s very different to any other cat I’ve ever known.He’s my beautiful and special boy and I love him to bits even though he can drive me nuts somedays with some of his antics.
The thing that Mitzy does that irritates me the most is when we’re playing nicely, and then she attacks my hand and arm! Ouch! That’s usually my verbal reaction, which causes her to let go. I’ve learned not to pull away.
Her latest annoying tactic is to meow mournfully by the door to get out. A newer behavior is to lay by the door, just in case someone might be coming in, and she hopes to dash out.
I’ve hesitated to take her out on her leash because then she’ll get used to it, and want it even more. I do take her out in my arms sometimes, so she can have some new visuals and scents.
Michael, I do love your photography! Gabriel looks so wild in the trees, and such a baby under the duvet. His looks are priceless! You’ve also captured some interesting stretching positions. It makes my day to see your pictures…..
You should hear my cat Lucky talking back to me at bedtime. For most of the day he prefers to stay in Laura’s room looking out of her window. He sleeps in my room at night. Sometimes he’ll go to the door by himself wanting in to go to bed earlier. At other times I’ll tell him it’s bedtime and he’ll meow at me all through the house as he walks behind me. It’s like “mama! I was PLAYING! Can’t I stay up awhile longer!”
It’s even worse on the days he doesn’t follow me and I have to pick him up. He’ll meow up at me and I’ll tell him to stop talking back to me. I don’t like leaving him in the main part of the house because eventually Oozy will start chasing him. Plus Lucky gets his beauty rest when he’s on my bed.
It’s just funny how Lucky will follow me to bed most days willingly, even with the back talking, and I have to pick my dog up and carry him to bed.
Your experience sounds like mine. I talk to Gariel like that and he talks back but he hasn’t really learnt to meow yet. He squeaks back at me. I wonder when he’ll learn to meow. When criticise him he looks at me insolently and goes out. He can be a brat. But, God, I love him and would do anything for him.
The biggest thing I don’t like is when any of them pick on each other. I tell them — “hey!! you all are going to be her forever so get used to it and settle down!!” Other than that, mine don’t really irritate me too much. I do talk to them as though they were children — they generally listen too! Since I am on a night work schedule, by the time I get settled and am ready to go to sleep, the “kids” usually are as well. In my entire life of having kitties (50+ years), I have never had any get me up for any reason. For some unknown reason, they have always let Mom sleep. They have gotten others up (when I still lived at home — years ago!!), but never me. I guess I am just a lucky cat Mom. . . ♥♥♥
I guess they listen to you Diane and Gabriel doesn’t listen to me! You had better give me a lesson 😉 .