The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [10]
A The feline ritual of rhythmically pumping their paws up and down begins at birth. Newborns push their paws around their mother’s nipples while they suckle to hasten the flow of milk. Even after they are weaned, kittens remember the happy feeling of a full belly that came with kneading and nursing. As adults, “making biscuits,” as I like to call it, brings them a sense of comfort. It is a way for cats to convey joy and delight in having you in their lives. If you regularly clip your cat’s nails, you might avoid the pain of her nails plunging into your leg.
Some cats can go a little overboard, though. Some drool while kneading, and others become so enthusiastic that they drive their sharp claws into human legs. If your cat is turning you into a pincushion and regular nail clipping sessions aren’t making it less painful for you, you can stop this behavior from becoming an unpleasant habit by simply standing up and walking away. After being ousted from your cozy lap a few times, your cat is apt to tone down her need to knead.
Taming Tara’s Terrors
ACCEPTING AN INVITATION to address veterinary school students enrolled in a shelter medicine class, I knew the power of showing, not simply telling. So I visited a local animal shelter in search of a perfect “demo” cat. I found her — a black, longhaired cat named Tara who hissed and crouched in the back corner of her cage.
Although Tara had entered the shelter as a trapped stray just the day before and lashed out at any attempts to touch her, she displayed signs that she may not have lived on the streets all her life. Her coat was fairly shiny, indicating that she had been grooming herself. She displayed a good weight, showed no signs of battle scars and — the biggest giveaway — was not pregnant or lactating as is the case with most feral females.
Any cat entering a shelter may feel temporarily threatened by the strange sounds, smells, and typical shelter handling with gloves or cat-grabbing equipment. A truly feral cat is not social or touchable and is not considered adoptable. A frantic cat is one who has known humans but is in a state of fear-induced panic.
Using Tara as an example, I shared techniques with the veterinary students on ways to help scared cats such as Tara gain self-confidence through repeated pleasurable handling and socialization from shelter staff and volunteers. As cats feel less stressed in the shelter, they begin to show their true personalities, thereby increasing their chances for adoption.
On my first visit, I avoided making direct eye contact with Tara’s angry eyes because cats view prolonged staring as a sign of imminent attack. After several sessions spent just talking to her, I lightly touched her with a soft feather teaser, brushing it over her back, neck, head, nose, and eyes. She responded without making a hiss. The next time, she stood up and arched her neck toward the feather, a sign she was developing trust in me.
Knowing it was time to touch her, I slowly took her out of the cage, hindquarters first, and placed her four feet on a small table, so she would not feel clutched. I purposely faced her away from me, so she could observe the entire room without feeling trapped. Speaking softly, I was able to lightly touch her coat.
At my presentation, this once-scared black cat amazed the students by behaving in a social and friendly manner. Tara now lives in a happy home with people who adore her. Her owners find it hard to believe that Tara was once a hissing, swatting cat in a shelter, because she is now so sweet and loving.
Contributed by Joan Miller, all-breed judge
Four-Legged Gymnasts
Q I am embarrassed to admit that I would sometimes hold my childhood cat belly up over my head and let him fall. I was amazed at how he could twist his body and land on his four feet with ease. I have much more respect for cats as an adult, but I am still intrigued by