Conference misery::feline_v1

         I've seen Tweetie bat Woofie on the forehead a few times
       (often as a prelude to a session of All Star Kitty Wrestling
       in my living room) -- but what amazes me is the way they get
       each other in a hold that allows each kitty to use back paws
       to "rake" each other's eyes.
    
         Of course, their wrestling is all in "fun" (they both still
       have eyes) -- but if I join in, I'm not sure MY eyes could
       handle 60 seconds worth of claws raking across the top of my
       face. :-)
    
         If forehead-batting is a signal for the wrestling to begin,
       then I'll probably sit this one out...  :-)
    
                                                          Suzanne...
                                                        (staying in
                                                       the audience..)
    
    

    I'm pretty sure that batting on the forehead is something a mom-cat
    does to discipline the kittens. If your cat is top cat, such a blow
    might be taken as an insult - although most domestic cats seem to
    think of their owners as step-mothers. I have used the technique
    to convince Abigail that sticking her nose in my dinner plate while
    I'm eating is not desirable behavior. I tap her lightly on the head
    with one finger, and she winces - puts her ears back and squints
    her eyes - and usually goes away to wash. I've never had as dramatic
    a reaction as in .0, fortunately.
    
    -b

    When Nebula, who is usually top cat in my house even though she
    is a good deal smaller (I think the part-Siamese cat usually ends
    up being the top cat, regardless of size), gets too far out of line,
    The Fickle will whap her on the forehead.  Usually, this will cause
    Neb to back down, and then Fickle washes her ears and neck.  This
    works for the two of them, so when I see either one get too far
    out of line (crawling into the kitchen trash, say, or shreading
    unread newspapers), I whap the offender on the forehead - works
    like a charm!  It's almost as good as dripping water on the offender,
    but doesn't require me to go fetch water, allowing time for a fast
    getaway!  I ought to get a squirtgun...

    I have also used this technique with unqualified success on Grey
    on the rare occasions that she does something requiring disciplinary
    action ;-)! Her reaction is identical to .2 - ears back, squinting
    eyes, the whole bit. AND she stops whatever it was she was doing
    at the time.
    
    Strange this is I discovered this entirely by accident!
    
    	/Harry

    I'd never heard of this, so when I went home yesterday, I thought
    I'd try it out.
    
    First of all I tapped Ifor very gently on the head.  There was no
    reaction, so I tapped him harder and he just sat there purring.
    I then tried it out on Idris, and she just kept on purring and rubbing
    up against my arm.
    
    Perhaps Welsh cats aren't insulted as easily as American ones?
    
    Jess

    re .5
    
    NOT American! New Zealand! Actually Sura is of the Burmese persuasion
    but he was born in Auckland. I tried the same thing on the Abyssinian
    and got no reaction (apart from a 'buzz off' wince and 'please don't')
    So maybe it's partly the breed. Burmese are supposed to be stroppy
    - though not normally to people. He is normally very loving.

    A caution:  Over dinner I described this "tap" to Jim, and he told
    me the following:  In military training,  combatants are taught how
    to kill people with as little effort as possible, and silently.
    One of the most effective methods is to tap someone quite firmly
    in the center of the forehead, where the bones of the skull join.
    This spot remains quite sensitive even in adults, and a firm tap
    on that spot can knock someone senseless or kill them.  Cats have
    nervous systems quite similar to people - this is why they're used
    in Psych/Med experiments.  If you tap the cat on the forehead in
    that spot, you are squashing their brains and, yes, you will get
    their attention!  A swat on the head, gently, will also get their
    attention and, since the pressure is more spread out, will not
    mush their brains.
    
    Be careful!  I kinda think that Jim knows what he's talking about,
    since he knows it first hand....

Here's an alternate "ultimate insult" I've found:  This one won't hurt your
cat, either.  Open your hand in such a way that all the fingers are spread and
the fingertips are slightly curved, making a "claw".  Bring this "claw" to
about 2 feet from Kitty's head, and get his attention.  Once he is looking at
it, _slowly_ bring the claw towards his head.  Keep doing this until the palm
of your hand is on his forehead, and gently grab his head with your fingers (if
you get this far!)  My cat reacts to this by laying his ears back, meowing
nastily wagging his tail back and forth, and then jumping to attack the "claw".
My sister's cat reacts in the exact same way, and several others I've tried
this on react the same way, too.  Warning:  Your cat's usual rules to
claws/biting may not apply to you if you do this!

-Mike and Schmedley

    Re: .8. Your claw sounds just like what I do to our white monster,
    Snowy (original name!). She reacts by flattened ears, arched back,
    VERY bushy tail and a curious bouncing walking towards me. When
    she was younger, she used to wail then attack and bite like crazy!
    I would have a white bundle of fur attached to my hand with back
    legs going, biting and hanging on for life! She never took very
    deep bites though, so I always thought she was playing...
    
    Now she's older, she does it a little bit, but usually she just
    spits at me. Gone are the days of chasing little bits of paper!

    Just rubbing our Sam's flank will often set him off.  Pet him just
    a bit too long there and he'll grab your hand with claws and teeth.
    Just playing, mind you, but his "playing" can get a bit rough. 
    We've noticed, though, that he tends to treat Trace with more respect
    than he does me.  Trace claims it's because Sam is "her" kitty.
    Bah!   :-)  Our cats react to a tap on the head by either shrugging
    or cowering in fear.
    
    Gary