Conference misery::feline_v1

    I've sort of noticed a cycle of wanting more attention that coincides
    with the winter/spring change and the fall/winter change. I regularly
    play games with mine (using the kitty tease, playing throw and fetch
    and Pip's favorite, playing "at bat", where I throw her a puff ball
    and she bats it with her paw), but thing  that I have noticed is
    that certain cats need "special time", that is, time where it is
    just me and that one kitty. For example, Pip's special time is every
    other evening with she gets combed. Alex likes to be along with
    me watching her stalk her toys. Argus just likes to sit next to
    me and have his paw held. Eirene and Panther don't seem to need
    much "special time, but the do need to get tuckered out playing
    a few times a week or they began zooming non-stop.

    One of the things I've noticed is that if I've been real busy for
    a few days, Eirene and Pip  will let me know by scratching my easy
    chair. Just picking them up, hugging, patting and letting them be
    the center of attention for a few minutes seems the fix the problem
    until we can get back on the regular schedule. 

    Deb

    I believe they require alot of attention, at least mine do.  When
    I was gone for a week, we had someone stay at the house, but this
    person does not really like cats.  When I got home, my two were
    all over me!  They followed me around for a couple days and wanted
    to be with me or on me all the time!  I could tell they really missed
    having me pet them every day and talk to them!  McCafferty even
    came up to me and strectched up and hugged my leg with her two front
    paws.  After a week or two they were back to normal, but during
    that time I had to give them alot of extra attention.
    
    Maybe since you stopped bringing Lara to the shows and giving her
    all that special attention, she has started to think that you aren't
    giving her "enough" special time.  She could actually miss going
    to the shows and being lavished upon.  If I were you I would try
    to spend a little extra time with her, maybe just combing or 
    holding her.
                                                                 
    
    Hope this helps :-)
    Erin

    Thanks Erin!  I'll try it.  It's funny because Lara used to be
    so "alone."  She wasn't a lap kitty.  She'd come by for a hug
    and a scratch a few times a day but then go off by herself.
    She didn't pile up with anyone else to sleep.  Now she crawls
    under the covers with me every night.  Funny you should say
    that she misses the shows - I thought that last night!  I
    think that she really enjoyed going.  She didn't mind being
    bathed or traveling.  The only reason I stopped showing her
    was because she was "eating" judges!!!  Actually, what I mean
    is that she AND THEY played rough.  She never actually bit or
    hurt ANYONE, but I worried ALL the time that one day it would
    happen.  I decided to let her stay home for a while and see 
    what would happen.  I may take her out again maybe next year.
    Lara has entertained a lot of people - maybe it's my turn to
    spend a lot of time entertaining her!
    
    E.T.

    
    re: .1 .
    
       Have their paw held?  That just struck me as hysterical for some
    reason.  Both of mine *hate* it if a grab their paws.
    
    Both of mine need endless attention which causes lots of problems.
    If I'm petting or holding one the other gets very jealous.  
    Somtimes I end up with two cats on my lap while they get simultaneous
    petting and alternating kisses.
    
    T.C. has been driving me nuts the last week or so. I took his
    buddy Rocco to the vet to get declawed and he was gone for 4 days.
    T.C. just cried constantly  and wandered around looking for
    his friend.  The most pitiful thing I saw was when he sat on
    the seat of my exercise bike, which is Rocco's favorite perch,
    and just cried.  Now that Rocco his home, he's being a complete
    brat because Rocco is getting special attention.  
    
    Fur Faces ... who can figure them out! :-)
    
    Donna

    I just returned to work after spending the last twelve months literally
    chained to the house.  Several of my cats haven't been with us long
    enough to know that mom actually works for a living.  They are used
    to having me hanging around all day with nothing else to do but
    play with them.
    
    Last couple of days have been really awful.  I work only part-time
    and then attend physical therapy for three hours afterwards.  By
    the time I drive home in traffic in 90 degree weather, I am not
    a very fun kitty playmate.  They have been very demanding about
    getting their loves in.  One of my little kittens (they are 14 weeks
    old now) literally tackles me the minute I walk in!   She leaps
    onto the hem of my skirt and hangs on for dear life, screaming at
    the top of her lungs.  (By the way... we call her Landshark 8^)
    
    Jo Ann

    Ever think of entering Landshark in the Summer Olympics? Possibly
    the long jump? You could use the hem of your skirt as a point of
    stopping! ;^)
    
    Cheryl, Shanti & Charlie
    
    (BTW: Before you left, I bought a bed from you, and the cats literally
    fight over it! But they have learned to share!)
    

My gang has decided its not just attention, it's one-on-one attention that
counts...so, they have divided up the day among themselves..
Hannah is sole cat in the morning - she sits and talks and plays with me
while I am drying from the shower and dressing.  She would join me in the
shower, but that's another story.
Nick reserves late evening for lap and love time.  This belongs to him and
the other cats respect it, hanging out close by, but letting Nick have the
lap.
Sam gets early evening for talk, play and scratches (also nightly brushing
as he is long haired)
The rest of the time, everybody hits me up for games of "chase the rope"
or cat dancer.    

I have noticed that if my schedule gets strange, I get lots of demands for
attention because the scheduled "alone" time is not when expected...cats
don't seem to like changes in schedule, and react with more demands - the
solution is to grab a cat and give a big noisy hug and belly rub...it
always gives them the giggles.

				D

    I give each of my guys "their day".  When it is one kitties day,
    the kitty gets to eat canned food in the TV room while I watch the
    evening news with no other cats around.  Then I take their brush
    and groom the kitty for as long as she wants.  Then it is lap time
    and the kittie usually falls blissfully asleep while I pet her in
    my lap.  When it is my bed time, the kittie comes too.  That way
    I have a very special closeness with each of my guys.  Now *THAT* 
    is quality time!
    
    Marion

    RE: .4
    
    Yep, he likes to have his paw held. What makes it really amusing
    to look at is that he is a polydatyl, and likes me to hold his
    fingers, but he likes his thumb on the outside.
    
    Deb

    Asia get ALL of my attention!

        
    Tabbatha and Silver tell me when they want attention and when they
    don't want attention.  If I pick them up, usually they will squirm
    out of my arms saying,"MOM!  Not NOW!  I wanna go play!".  A LOT
    of times, I will be walking down the hallway with Silver walking
    right in front of me and all of the sudden she will stop and roll
    over on her back right in front of me.  I'll pick her up and cuddle
    her for a few minutes, and she is happy.  Other times, she will
    just crawl right up on my lap and sit there and look at me as if
    to say, "Well, let's get started.  PET ME!".  
    
    Tabbatha it is a little bit easier to give attention to.  Usually
    if I pick her up, she'll stay there. She LOVES to have the back
    of her head scratched.  Tabbatha's  favorite time for attention 
    is when I have just gone to bed.  I turn out the light and within 
    5 minutes I get a furry face and a wet nose in my face, purring away.  
    The other time that she likes to get attention, which is not exactly 
    mine, is at about 2:00 in the morning.  I'll roll over and within 
    a few minutes I get that same purring furry face with a wet nose right 
    in my face that says, "Oh, you're awake.  PET ME!!"  She even goes as 
    far as finding my hand and nudging her head under it so that I will 
    pet her.  I usually pet her for a few minutes, then fall back to 
    sleep.  If she isn't satisfied, she'll wake me up again.  She will 
    also wake me up as soon as my alarm goes off for more attention.  
                                  
                                  
    Holly
    

    "The Bicket", my Burmese, is *great* about snuggles.  She ALWAYS
    has time for a mommie-hug.  She sort of has this attitude of "I'll
    take it where I can get it".  What a sweetheart!
    
    Marion

    Well,, hi everyone it is me POOKIE, I like to be cuddled whne my
    mummy wakes up in the morning , then I have my breakfast. wwhen
    my mummy come home from work we always cuddle the 1 st thing, i
    get combed again get some treats , then I will have my supper,
    I usually visit mom ion the sofa for a bit and get more cuddles
    and treats, then at bedtime I CURL UP WITH MOMMY AD GET MORE CUDDLES
    before I go to sleep.. as for  the"new resident.. OLE CHUBBO
    wants to eat 1st, then have treats, then eat again,,,then she
    walks around ""talking .. and mummy cuddles her too.. but she
    is a wiggle worm.. would you bleieve that she actually
    interrupted my cuddle session with mummy.. the nerve,, i fixed hert
    though..  tee-hee,,  well bye everyone..
    meowr..
    POOKIE

 Re: 1358.6 - just a side note --

  About a month ago, I received from JoAnn 4 more of her beds - so, instead
of your kitties having to fight over the one , I'll bet you could convince
JoAnn to make another one!!  Couldn't we JoAnn?  :>)

You're right, they are beautiful!! 

    What are these beds like?
    

RE: Note 1358.15 


    What are these beds like? Sort of round (maybe on the oval side)
    They are washable, and soft.  JoAnn tries very hard to make them in
    the color of your preference too. They are all hand made - the bottom is 
    done lightly stuffed and stitched like a quilting pattern - the sides are 
    about 5-6 inches high - stuffed like a pillow. 
    
    Want to add anything JoAnn?

    I have finally caught up with this topic (only 2200 unread notes
    to go!).  I am still in the bed business, but things have slowed
    down a bit since I came back to work.  If anyone is interested,
    send me mail.
    
   
    JULIET::CORDESBRO_JO
    
    Jo